Isn't that an oxymoron??
Hi friends! We have had lots of questions over the years about our method (or non-method) of homeschooling. "What grade are your kids in?" "How do you know what to teach them?" "What curriculum do you use?" Etc.
Well, this is something that we work out as we go. Are we organized? No, not as much as I would like. Do we do grades? No, just try to build on what we already know, and keep learning. Do we use curriculum? Life is our curriculum.
I got the "Homeschool Minute" today and I loved it! What an encouragement. Did you read it? Be sure to sign up for it. Go here to subscribe to it and other great newsletters from TOS.
I loved what Ruth Beechick had to say:
"The full spectrum of organization ranges from having a sharpened pencil to having a full year teaching plan. Since I cannot comment on all that, I will narrow my remarks to just one facet of curriculum.
You may have a curriculum that is organized by the day or by the week or, more flexibly, by the unit. Of course a curriculum writer chooses some kind of organization and fits into it. You would do the same if you wrote a curriculum. But that does not mean that every student using it can follow or should follow the suggested schedule. When something has to bend, it should be the curriculum and not the child.
With curriculum in print, people tend to think it is their job to stick with it. Getting behind or speeding ahead or skipping seems unorganized. Or deciding that you could switch to something better-how unorganized is that?
My message is: learning seldom is neatly organized in real life-only in books. Accept that fact and save a lot of frustration.
--Ruth
Thank you so much Ruth B!
Please don't get me wrong; I am apt to question my own motives and madness at times. BUT in retrospect, those times of questioning come less and less as we become more and more blessed as the results of our homeschooling efforts become evident. You just have to look for the right evidence!
Doubts will come; but the problem is when we focus on the doubts. We need to focus on the positive things we see happening, work on the things we see that need adjusting AND listen to the wise counsel of encouragers such as Ruth Beechick! I italicized some of her words that really jumped out at me. Go back and read them again!
We love resources, but they are tools. We use them, we don't let them use us! We struggle with organization, but we might just be a bit too hard on ourselves. Each of my children are different, have differing needs and abilities. They have unique bents. We are all a piece of work in progress, I like to say.
Embrace your uniqueness today, and if by cracky, you are an organized unschooler, more power to you!
Blessings!
Nancy
Be sure to stop by my blogs: Homeschooling is Life! and Chiaroscuro, my photography blog.
