Each week, I face the same dilemma. Where do we start?
Now, some are blessed with amazing children that are drawn to schoolwork. Mine are not. They have no difficulty understanding and contributing on a fairly advanced level with relative ease. Still, if given the choice of any aspect of their curriculum or playing outside, there would be no real choice.
For this reason, I end up steering our direction each week. Most weeks, I start through the workbooks. I think somewhere deep inside, I feel some obligation to make absolutely certain the boys get the basics of reading, writing and 'rithmatic. Also, if I have to be completely truthful with myself, workbooks are an easy way to teach. In our house, the boys require little more of me than to check their work.
More often than not, we don't have enough time to work on all of our projects when we start with workbooks. The projects become extras that we address after the fact. That troubles me. The projects are more work for me. I have to plan ahead and sharpen my Socratic method. Still, I genuinely believe that the boys make valuable discoveries through our projects in a very natural, unforced way.
As a result of my concern, I've thrown caution to the wind for the past few weeks and, wild and crazy homeschooler that I am, I started each week with projects. The results have been wonderful. Although they would still prefer to be outside, the boys have been really enjoying the hands-on work. And the surprising result is that the workbooks are still getting done. Somehow, they get squeezed in here and there.
I guess I'm striking a blow for letting go of that which is easy and familiar and trying that which is more challenging. In this case, it's creating boys that are interested and involved, at least until they can get back outside.
Now, some are blessed with amazing children that are drawn to schoolwork. Mine are not. They have no difficulty understanding and contributing on a fairly advanced level with relative ease. Still, if given the choice of any aspect of their curriculum or playing outside, there would be no real choice.
For this reason, I end up steering our direction each week. Most weeks, I start through the workbooks. I think somewhere deep inside, I feel some obligation to make absolutely certain the boys get the basics of reading, writing and 'rithmatic. Also, if I have to be completely truthful with myself, workbooks are an easy way to teach. In our house, the boys require little more of me than to check their work.
More often than not, we don't have enough time to work on all of our projects when we start with workbooks. The projects become extras that we address after the fact. That troubles me. The projects are more work for me. I have to plan ahead and sharpen my Socratic method. Still, I genuinely believe that the boys make valuable discoveries through our projects in a very natural, unforced way.
As a result of my concern, I've thrown caution to the wind for the past few weeks and, wild and crazy homeschooler that I am, I started each week with projects. The results have been wonderful. Although they would still prefer to be outside, the boys have been really enjoying the hands-on work. And the surprising result is that the workbooks are still getting done. Somehow, they get squeezed in here and there.
I guess I'm striking a blow for letting go of that which is easy and familiar and trying that which is more challenging. In this case, it's creating boys that are interested and involved, at least until they can get back outside.
I have had this same struggle with my child! I have the material our cyber school provides...but I have other things I know he would love to do and learn so much more doing. I start off saying, "If we just get these 5 things done, we can move on to doing some experiments." We never seem to get through those 5 things and have the time left.
You have given me the courage to jump into the 'fun' stuff this week and save the worksheets for later!