Counting my Blessings
• Aug. 28, 2009 - Reminder to Self:
Many times when I am frustrated with homeschooling I wish I were back in a classroom teaching.... Teaching kids that will sit and listen while I stand and the front of the class and teach.
But I am learning something here. Classrooms are typically teacher centered out of necessity. Homeschools can be, and in my opinion, should be child centered. Am I saying that children should run the home or the school? No. I am saying that it is my job now to set up learning experiences for them and then watch them learn. Active learning is real learning. I still plan their lessons, but once they are planned I must step back and let them learn. I closely oversee the basics: math, reading, writing. I carefully plan these lessons to be as efficient as possible in order to make time for them to follow their own interests. My son is a born scientist. I don't plan science lessons for him (yet) because he is always learning science on his own. My daughter is crazy about animals. I don't plan lessons for her to learn about animals. She does that on her own time reading book after book and spending time with her animals. I believe the best thing I can do for my kids' education (aside from the basics) is to study them, see what makes them tick, enable them to follow those passions, and fill in the gaps that are left. This is real education.
I write this as I see the school bus driving down my street at 3:30 in the afternoon. I am so thankful that my children have the time and opportunities that homeschooling provides. |
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• Aug. 28, 2009 - Hello
http://protectingtheseedsjoel225.blogspot.com