Changing Education Paradigms, a great video

math and more on our homeschooling philosophy

Doing math naturally, as it relates to real life (If you buy paper, will there be enough money left over to buy crayons?), and just for fun (like playing school) has really paid off.

When I first began homeschooling, I was kind of nervous about teaching math, since at that time I thought the only way people learned anything was if they were taught. It wasn't that I didn't think I could teach math, but more of a practical concern, like, how can I do this without fighting the children on it?

Until recently, math just didn't appeal to Zoe. In the beginning I tried to push it a few times, but it felt wrong so I stopped. Then I read, The Call to Brilliance. This book didn't convince me of anything I didn't agree with, it simply gave me the confidence to stop worrying. It reminded me that children want to learn, that they learn to talk, crawl, walk, and feed themselves without being "taught" how. Like the principle I admired in, A Charlotte Mason Education, says: Children learn by example.

Learning by example is a concept that set me free. Zoe has been homeschooled since kindergarden, and without much structure from me she has learned to read and write. She has learned about history, science, culture and yes, even math, through a lifestyle that appreciates a thirst for playing and learning.

We don't sit down at 8AM every day and open a textbook or follow a school (or homeschool) curriculum. One of my dear friends, Amanda, introduced me to the term, Delight-Driven, a long time ago. This is my favorite of all the homeschooling style labels, if it even is one (perhaps you can't find it written anywhere). Delight-Driven. I love it.

This is why it came to be that on Monday of this week Zoe was playing school with her friend who is two years older than her, and is now doing these big math problems. As you can see from Zoe's notebook above, Abi, who is also our neighbor, and whom we adore, showed Zoe some math. Apparently, at this time, Zoe was ready for it. Tuesday morning Zoe showed me her notebook, and (because I could hardly believe my eyes) we did some more problems together for fun. Wow.

I have no doubt that Zoe and Ashley will keep amazing me by the things they learn on their own—with my guidance—not imposition. We keep busy delighting in the joy of living and learning in a way that we believe in. And it seems to be working ;-)

playing school

I've mentioned that Zoe loves writing, and that sometimes, when she's being a very serious (almost 7 year old) girl ;-) , she asks me for help spelling. Other times she writes on her own, and it's really funny and cute. Below is her "schedule" for the day. I will translate below for you.

coloring  break  dress-ups  break

makeover  break  play  break  makeover

break  hide and go seek  break

twister  break  mommy's here

Several aspects of this are funny, like the spelling, of course. Also this schedule presumes that Zoe is in charge (which may actually be kind of true ;-)), and that I am at work away from home, until the end, where I return (obviously not true). I also think it's funny that "makeovers" are a recurring theme - how or where she heard of makeovers is beyond me - I don't even wear makeup. :-)

Also, it's funny that this is sort of Zoe's way of "playing school," which she prefers as a make-believe concept. -I even gave her the option of Options (once weekly public school just for homeschool kids) in a moment of weakness once (i.e. desperate for a break), and she said, "no thanks." She does, however, occasionally ask for some structured "homeschool," meaning she wants us to play school. We sit formally in our places, and I pretend not to be her mommy, calling on her for answers, as if I hardly know her name (of course she raises her hand, very school-like). Or she will tell me we need to work on our journal -That documentation which proves actual learning is taking place is very important to her. ;-) Besides, hello, it's fun!

Likewise, last week she pulled out a fresh, unopened math workbook, which Grama Patti sent her, and without much help at all, she sat down to work on it for at least an hour. It had been months since she did any "structured" math, though she's counting and using money and her calendar all the time ("but that's not 'homeschool' mommy!" -how do you unschool a child who never even made it into kindergarten? -where does she get this stuff from? lol) But there she was. She just took it upon herself that she wanted to learn some math - so she did - nearly the whole workbook, practically by herself. Cracks me up. 

Why did she do a years worth of math in an hour? Because she felt like it. Why did she feel like it? Because she hasn't learned to hate math. Because it's not painful to her. I think she actually enjoyed it... imagine that! ;-)

... And now I have to go see a presentation she's holding in her room. I think there are costumes and music involved... :-)

the discipline to homeschool

Often times I meet women at the playground and they say they applaud me for homeschooling, that they just don't have the "discipline." Always that specific word, "discipline." I am too shy to tell them I am also lacking in discipline. Too shy to say that when I hear that word it conjures up images of some military boarding school, the farthest thing from my home school.

Three definitions for discipline from the dictionary:
1) training to act in accordance with rules
2) activity, exercise, or a regimen that develops or improves a skill; training
3) punishment inflicted by way of correction and training

I am afraid that if these moms knew how much fun we were having by learning in a natural way, without pressure or grades, tests or judgement, then they would think I was failing to properly educate my children. I am afraid that all my children's knowledge would be discredited due to the method in which it was received.

"Teaching children" is more about behavior control and inputting of information than playing, exploration, values, human experience and quality of life. Society tells us that educating is and must be painful. This kind of structure is a discipline most of us moms find unpleasant and exhausting. Come to think of it, most of our children's teachers feel the same way. And many children in today's society don't even know how to play, yet another reason to send them to school, where they can be given constant direction.

At home parents fall into the trap of television to ease the bored child who doesn't know how to play or what to do with themselves, only to find the same frustration return when the show is over. It's a vicious cycle. Resa Brown writes about children making the transition to a home school:

"At school they never had to dip into their own resources to find activity and direction. They were well trained. The teacher told them what projects to do and when. Released from this regimen, these children needed a readjustment period. For many that meant boredom (and no T.V. to fill the void). Some recovered quickly, but it took many a full year before they rediscovered what they liked to do."

Perhaps the hardest job of homeschooling really is finding the discipline. The discipline to let go of school concepts about learning. The discipline to help our children find their strengths and passion; patiently. After all, isn't happiness, confidence and fulfillment what every parent hopes their children achieve in life? Resa puts it well: "Without the reward excitement brings, why would anyone bother to discover anything?"