April 24, 2007 - Homeschooling Article...from the Credit Union?
For the past few months, the credit union we bank with has had an article concerning the cost of homeschooling on their home page. I read it a while back thinking it would go away, but it is still there. It is surprisingly a very positive, supportive article.
Here is an excerpt I particularly like...
"The goal in homeschooling is to help your children become self-directed learners," says Diane Flynn Keith, editor of Homefires.com, Redwood City, Calif. "So while you may occasionally work side-by-side with your kids, in other instances you simply facilitate their learning. You empower them by showing them where and how to find resources and mentors to further their learning."
While they want to make sure their children learn at least as much as their public school colleagues, parents who homeschool are less likely to be tied to a schedule that dictates learning a particular concept on a particular date. That leaves them free to pick the study methods and pursue the opportunities that are right for them, regardless of the schedule followed by public or private schools.
"Most people don't re-create school at home when they homeschool," says Flynn Keith, the parent of two grown sons who were educated at home. "Children learn by virtue of being exposed to all kinds of things and by modeling what the adults in their lives are doing."
"Discovery Learning" is what it is called by many. That is what we are planning to do - we tried to recreate school at home and that was no fun. Children learn, and more importantly, remember what they learn when they do and discover on their own. I think the hardest part will be sitting back and "letting" them discover on their own. The temptation is to make it so easy and directed for them so that you can check it off of some list. Here do this worksheet - OK - check, covered that, done! It is going to take time and patience (which I am some what short on), but maybe we will all discover different things together.
One of my main goals for homeschooling - not the first, but near the top - is for my children to learn how to learn and to love learning. I think homeschooling (scratch that) home "learning" is a good way to achieve that!
Stepping down off of soap box... 
Comments
April 24, 2007 - Untitled Comment
Posted by Jill
AMEN to that sister..
Love ya, Jill
May 1, 2007 - Untitled Comment
Posted by Lalaith
How cool to find a positive article about home "learning" in such an unexpected place! What's the name of that credit union? Maybe we should sign up!
Mary Beth
