Written by contributor Amida of Journey Into Unschooling

How do you erase the line between school and home?

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As a young girl I was a devoted fan of Anne of Green Gables. I found Anne’s imagination enchanting, of course, but I also admired how she could recite poetry and quote stories at her whim. It seemed that whatever she played at – fairies in the woods or the Lady of Shallot upon the river – she could recall the perfect, enduring words to make her play all the sweeter.

I wanted to be like Anne – to hold within me delicious, impassioned words.

Unfortunately, by the time I reached school age it had fallen out of fashion to require, or even encourage, children to memorize anything beyond letter sounds, the Pledge of Allegiance, and the multiplication tables.

I think this is a shame really, and a glaring hole in my education. Sure, I could have taken it upon myself to commit great works to memory, but without someone to guide and inspire such a pursuit, memorizing can seem a daunting task to a child.

I hope to be that guide for my boys – that when they step out into the world they will have a host of powerful, meaningful words at their disposal.

If you have not yet made memorization a part of your homeschool experience, here are six good reasons to consider joining us.

1. For the Love of Beauty

The purest reason to memorize great works is just that – they are great.

Imagine taking a walk with your child on a rainy October morning and together recalling the bittersweet words of Robert Frost,

“My sorrow, when she’s here with me, thinks these dark days of autumn rain are beautiful as days can be”

Having lovely language near to him enhances a child’s experience of the world. It connects him, and his feelings, to the whole of humankind.

What’s more, internalizing well-written words inspires a child to observe more closely; to think, speak and write in more eloquent terms.

As Andrew Pudewa says in a related article “there is perhaps no greater tool than memorization to seal language patterns into a human brain.”

The Harp and Laurel Wreath, Serl’s Lanuage Lessons and A Child’s Garden of Verses are great places to begin committing beautiful language to memory.

2. To Inspire Creativity

To the boy who can recite “Paul Revere’s Ride,” a lowly broomstick is the noble steed that will, at midnight, help him to warn his countrymen of approaching danger.

A girl who has internalized Lewis Carroll’s “Jaberwocky” runs after the family dog with her paper towel tube saber crying, “Beware … my son, the jaws that bite the claws that catch.”

The great speeches of days of gone by, issued from atop the jungle gym, make history ring true to a young heart. When he can speak them, he has, in his own way, lived those pivotal moments in history through his own imagination. They are no longer simply trivia, but wisdom gained through experience.

3. As a Scaffolding for More In Depth Studies

In the same way that a child must recognize letter sounds before he can read words, memorizing the basic “grammar” in any field of study gives a student the tools necessary for deeper discovery.

For music, this means learning to read notes and copying the work of the masters before composing one’s own pieces.

For history, it is memorizing a timeline of major events because, as acclaimed classical educator Leigh Bortins states in her recent book, The Core, “The splendid narratives of history become more meaningful when one can identify both where and when they took place.” Bortins goes on to say that these memorized basic facts become the pegs on which future knowledge and understanding are hung.

I saw a wonderful example of this recently in my own home. After memorizing the basic classification system of life, my son decided to learn the major phyla in the Kingdom Animalia. Afterwards, he memorized the scientific names of all the butterflies that visited his garden. In doing so, he was able to make the connection, on his own, that butterflies that share a common genus name also share common characteristics.

Memorizing a few basic facts gave him the tools he needed to embark on more sophisticated studies.

4. To Enhance Faith and Core Beliefs

Memorization is a wonderful way to reinforce your family’s core beliefs. A child who has memorized scripture takes his foundational compass with him wherever he goes.

You might memorize some of Benjamin Franklin’s proverbs or working definitions of virtuous character traits. Whatever your family’s central beliefs, you can strengthen those ideas through memorization.

5. To Foster Diligence and Achievement

My boys have, through memorization exercises, learned that what may at first seem like a Herculean task is nearly always achievable through steady, persistent effort.

They are proud of themselves when they can call to mind a poem and recite it for a grandparent. They feel learned and accomplished when a former president is mentioned on the news and they know something about when and how he led our nation.

We have learned, in striving to commit knowledge to memory, that we are capable of anything at which we are willing to work–and that is perhaps the most valuable lesson of all.

Do you still remember something that you memorized as a child? Is memory work a part of your home learning environment?

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• Hazelnut Kids - natural toys for natural curiosity.
• FBS Books - homeschool curriculum, preschool resources, great books.
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Written by Jamie Martin, editor of Simple Homeschool and founder of Steady Mom

A note from Jamie: I’m on vacation for a few weeks. Picture me, chasing three children through beach waves as we happily go away while others are heading back to school. The advantages of homeschooling, yes?! With the school year starting up again, it seems like a perfect time to replay this post. It was first published on March 8, 2010. Enjoy!

When I was first considering homeschooling, it overwhelmed me to think of teaching multiple children. How do you orchestrate the day so that everyone gets enough attention?

And what if you find yourself blurry eyed from lack of sleep because of a sweet newborn? Or in the races as you daily chase a never-stay-put toddler?

Is it possible to successfully homeschool with little ones underfoot?

If you’ve ever wondered the same, here are a four ideas to keep your smile and your sanity while juggling littles and learning.

1. Practice strategic timing.

Having babies on hand requires doses of both strategy and flexibility to ensure a successful school day.

You may want to plan your most important school subjects for when your little one is napping, so you can focus on your older children. Likewise, you’ll be setting yourself up for failure if you schedule an intense science experiment right as your two-year-old is getting cranky for dinner.

So look at what you need to accomplish in a given day and plan around the needs of your littlest students.

2. Trade off with older children.

Photo by www.nicolesfromtheheart.com

If you have slightly older children in your home, they can be assigned a daily 30 minute block of time to care for or play with your littlest. Older children can practice their reading skills with a picture book as a young child listens. This playtime can take place in an adjoining room, allowing you to supervise if necessary.

This pairing off creates family bonds, allows siblings to develop deep relationships, lets your older child learn responsibility, and provides the practical break you may need to help another child with his spelling.

3. Plan activities.

Rotate a list of activities for your baby or toddler–something he or she can do to feel part of the action during school time.

When my boys were babies they had “Playpen Time” everyday. For 20-30 minutes, they entertained themselves with a few toys in their playpens. This enabled me to accomplish a short task–while knowing they were in a safe place. A homeschooling mother could use this time to work one-on-one with an older child.

Babies may enjoy time in a high chair or exersaucer (or in a snuggly attached to you!). Older toddlers and preschoolers will enjoy a variety of play tasks. I suggest a different box or bag for each day of the week. Bring it out only when you need to work with another child.

Make sure you pick activities that your little one can do without direct assistance (Some ideas: playdough, pouring/sorting beans, crayons and paper, lacing beads, blocks, and so on.)

4. Remember that flexibility is the key.

Photo by Ashlee

The only thing you can predict when you have little ones is that things will be unpredictable.

That’s why you must remember that family relationships are just as important as the other three “R’s.” Through spending extended time together each day, our children develop a closeness and security that will provide a stable foundation to their relationships as adults.

As this lovely article reminds us, the baby is the lesson. So don’t wish your little one away.

Instead kiss those little toes, chase and tickle that chubby toddler, and be thankful for the richness they add to your homeschool.

How do you orchestrate school in your home with a baby or toddler on the scene?

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• Insect Lore - live bug kits for kids.
• Oak Meadow - creative homeschooling since 1975.
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• FBS Books - homeschool curriculum, preschool resources, great books.
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Written by contributor Heidi Scovel of Mt. Hope Chronicles

The yearly, right-of-passage school photos were something I couldn’t decide whether to love or hate as a child. I remember the anticipation of being handed the envelope with my pictures, praying they had turned out well. And the dread of the teacher showing everyone (yes, that happened) when they hadn’t.

Haven’t we all looked back at some of our own school photos and cringed, whether it was the outrageous perm, the out-of-style glasses, or the braces? Or maybe it was the one shot we had at a decent facial expression.

But now that I am (much, much) older, I look at those pictures with a certain fondness. The regularity with which they occurred made it easy to see how much I changed and grew from year to year.

It can be easy as homeschooling families to set aside some of the institutional school traditions, or reject the cookie-cutter, conveyor-belt photography. We don’t need to throw out the baby with the bath water, however. Our children grow and change so quickly, that if we don’t take the time to capture them in a picture (quirks and all), those moments will be gone forever.

Photography takes an instant out of time, altering life by holding it still. ~Dorothy Lange

Making a tradition of back to school photos is a great way to ensure that you and your children will possess consistent reminders of who they were and who they became.

Here are a few tips to get you started.

1.  Show some personality.

One of the things that strikes me about traditional school photos is the sameness, and one of the reasons we homeschool is so that our boys are free to be themselves! Don’t be afraid to embrace your own creativity and your child’s personality through location, props, activity, or facial expressions.

Photo by Heidi Scovel

2.  Make use of natural light.

Forget the flash. Forget bright sunlight. Get outside in the open shade (or on an overcast day). It eliminates squinting, harsh shadows, and over-exposure. Evening is a wonderful time of day for soft light!

Photo by Heidi Scovel

3.  Try a new perspective.

Stand on a chair, climb a ladder, get on your belly. Whatever you do, don’t just stand there! At least not for every photo, since there is no one-picture-rule here! Standing slightly above your child will give you a great shot of their eyes.

Photo by Heidi Scovel

4.  Get close.

It is fun to get shots of kids doing interesting things in interesting places, but it is very important that you don’t forget to take a few shots up close. Really close. Make sure you can see their missing teeth, their freckles, their eye color, or their new hair cut. You will treasure every detail of those little faces in the years to come.

While you’re up close, snap a few pictures of other details. The new shoes. Hands gripping a pencil. A favorite book.

Photo by Heidi Scovel

5.  Use the rule of thirds.

For a nicely balanced photo, take your focal point (eyes in the case of a face shot, or head in the case of a body shot) and off-center it a bit, horizontally and/or vertically. Imagine lines dividing the picture into thirds, and place the eyes on the top line.

Photo by Heidi Scovel

6.  Create traditions.

While variety can be the spice of life, many children look forward to traditions. Do you have back-to-school routines that would lend themselves to photographs? Take pictures of your child at his or her workspace each year, or out for doughnuts on the first day of school.

7.  Embellish.

Once you’ve taken the pictures, feel free to add a little flair. At the free online photo editing site, Picnik, you can can crop, create collages, add frames and text, and so much more!

Photo by Heidi Scovel

For more back to school photo ideas, check out this fabulous post over at i heart faces.

Remember, also, to catch everyday school and life moments throughout the year: read-aloud time, art class, kids gathered at the kitchen table for math, or the history projects.

Taking pictures doesn’t have to be complicated. Even though life seems to slog by some days, childhood truly is fleeting. Now is the only time to capture these memories.

Photography is a way of feeling, of touching, of loving. What you have caught on film is captured forever… it remembers little things, long after you have forgotten everything. ~Aaron Siskind

Have you taken yearly pictures of your children? Do you have a back to school photo tradition?

CURRENT SPONSORS:

• Insect Lore - live bug kits for kids.
• Oak Meadow - creative homeschooling since 1975.
• Finding Your Joy - capturing your life thru photos.
• Imagine Childhood - nature. imagination. play.
• Hazelnut Kids - natural toys for natural curiosity.
• FBS Books - homeschool curriculum, preschool resources, great books.
• MomAgenda - get organized with style.

© 2010 Simple Living Media, LLC | All rights reserved - This feed is provided for the convenience of Simple Homeschool subscribers. Any reproduction of the content within this feed is strictly prohibited. If you are reading this content elsewhere, please contact hello@simplelivingmedia.com to let us know. Thanks.

Written by contributor Jena Borah of Yarns of the Heart

We’ve all been there.

A well-meaning friend, relative or neighbor nods, smiles–then here it comes: “Homeschooling sounds great, but what about socialization?”

In my article, The Socialization Question, I dive deeply into the subject, but for now, I want to give you some  practical advice on how I’ve learned to answer the inevitable questions.

1. Find the common ground.

“I’m concerned about it too because socialization is teaching kids how to function well in society.”

2. List the characteristics of a well-socialized person.

“I want my kids to be kind and respectful, hard working, confident, self-motivated, and competent to meet any challenge that comes their way.”

3. Suggest there is more than one way to socialize a child.

“I don’t think spending all day with 30 other kids and one adult is necessarily the best way to accomplish those goals.”

4. Offer examples of how your child is being positively socialized.

“My child enjoys talking to people of all ages.” Classrooms are age-segregated.

“They are learning how to deal with conflict because I am always right there, helping them work through things. A teacher is over-extended and can’t see everything that goes on.”

“My kids are independent thinkers and problem-solvers. They don’t need an adult to tell them how to do everything.”

Classrooms are set up to keep kids quiet, in place, and dependant on the teacher. This one hit home when one of my children was helping life-long public schoolers paint a room. The other kids (ages 15-17) couldn’t spread plastic sheeting without getting detailed instructions from the teacher.

“They are learning to stand up for themselves and not be afraid to express their opinions.” Have an example of something that happened recently.

“They have friends from various backgrounds and are learning how to value those differences.” Mention relationships in the neighborhood, at church, clubs, park district classes, sports teams, etc.

5. The most important thing to say:

“I think the foundation of a well socialized person is a positive self-image. Without that, it is nearly impossible to value others or learn from them. Keeping my kids out of the classroom and all the cruelty dished out by other kids can only help them develop a solid self-esteem.” Few people can argue with this.

I also like to say, “Instead of learning life from other eight-year-olds, my child has an attentive adult (me) available to answer questions and offer feedback 24/7–sort of like a live-in Life Coach.”

What will your friend say to all this?

Let’s hope she has a new appreciation for you and your homeschooling journey.  If not, that’s OK. You’ve stated your case calmly and intelligently, and here’s your chance to model good socialization yourself.

How do you handle the socialization question?

CURRENT SPONSORS:

• Insect Lore - live bug kits for kids.
• Oak Meadow - creative homeschooling since 1975.
• Finding Your Joy - capturing your life thru photos.
• Imagine Childhood - nature. imagination. play.
• Hazelnut Kids - natural toys for natural curiosity.
• FBS Books - homeschool curriculum, preschool resources, great books.
• MomAgenda - get organized with style.

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Written by Jamie Martin, editor of Simple Homeschool and founder of Steady Mom

I‘ll always remember that day at the library.

“Are you going off to kindergarten soon?” a well-meaning lady asked my four-year-old. He stared at her blankly, having never heard the word “kindergarten” before in his life.

“Uh, we’re thinking about homeschooling,” I said in a slightly nervous voice, my eyes on the floor.

It was the first time I’d been asked in public about it–but it most certainly was not the last.

If you’ve been at this for a while, I’m sure you have a similar story in your homeschooling history. Whether it’s a stranger, family member, or a prospective homeschooler, questions about your educational choice can catch you off guard or even leave you feeling defensive.

It’s helpful to develop some “standard answers” for these occasions.

Q & A

These days when I have the opportunity to talk about homeschooling, I always try to inject an upbeat, positive tone to the conversation.

Many of those who are not familiar with it may have never considered the many benefits that homeschoolers enjoy. I mention the fun we have, the freedom we enjoy by setting our own schedule, and the friends we get together with to learn and play.

How about you–what advice can you give to those just starting out who wonder how to answer these questions? How do you talk to your family about homeschooling? What about strangers or other prospective homeschoolers who are curious?

CURRENT SPONSORS:

• Insect Lore - live bug kits for kids.
• Oak Meadow - creative homeschooling since 1975.
• Finding Your Joy - capturing your life thru photos.
• Imagine Childhood - nature. imagination. play.
• Hazelnut Kids - natural toys for natural curiosity.
• FBS Books - homeschool curriculum, preschool resources, great books.
• MomAgenda - get organized with style.

© 2010 Simple Living Media, LLC | All rights reserved - This feed is provided for the convenience of Simple Homeschool subscribers. Any reproduction of the content within this feed is strictly prohibited. If you are reading this content elsewhere, please contact hello@simplelivingmedia.com to let us know. Thanks.

Written by Jamie Martin, editor of Simple Homeschool and founder of Steady Mom

• Summer School :: FIMBY
• Finding Our Way Home :: infinitely learning
• Valedictorian Speaks Out Against Schooling in Graduation Speech :: Swift Kick Central
• 8 Back to School Breakfast Ideas & Recipes :: Simple Bites
• Our Homeschool System :: Organizing Your Way

“Education is what remains after one has forgotten what one has learned in school.”
~ Albert Einstein

CURRENT SPONSORS:

• Insect Lore - live bug kits for kids.
• Oak Meadow - creative homeschooling since 1975.
• Finding Your Joy - capturing your life thru photos.
• Imagine Childhood - nature. imagination. play.
• Hazelnut Kids - natural toys for natural curiosity.
• FBS Books - homeschool curriculum, preschool resources, great books.
• MomAgenda - get organized with style.

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The following is a guest post written by Rachel Cross of From the Pantry.

To all the homeschool moms out there who fret over whether you are educating your children the “right” way – this post is for you!

As a product of homeschooling myself, I remember my mom often feeling uncertain of her ability to offer us a solid education. In those days, homeschooling was not very common and many people were rather vocal in their disapproval and doubt as to its validity. But my mom ignored the naysayers, stuck to her guns, and chose to offer us the education she felt was best.

Looking back now, I am deeply grateful to my mother for choosing to homeschool my brother and me. I often reflect upon the wonderful gifts I found in our homeschool. In this post, I’d like to share the rewards I have reaped and remind you that you are giving your child something unique and beautiful through the choice to homeschool.

Here are seven of the wonderful advantages homeschooling gave me.

1. A Love of Learning

Perhaps the greatest gift homeschooling gave me was a deep love of learning.

In our family, the day our books arrived in the mail was always a day of celebration. Why? Because learning was fun.

Inside those books were new things to be discovered, learned, and treasured. Of course, I might have developed a love of learning had I experienced a more “conventional” form of schooling, but homeschooling gave my parents the exclusive ability to create an environment in which the prevailing attitude in which I was immersed was that learning was a fun, interesting, exciting journey.

2. The Ability to Self-Start

Photo by Jessica Cross

If you are currently homeschooling, you are aware of the need for your child to take the initiative in his or her learning.

Though this might feel like a curse at times, in the end, it is truly a gift. When your child arrives at college, he or she will be hard-wired with a set of self-starting skills that are essential in higher education. Even if you use an online program that basically sets up a virtual classroom, the learning your child achieves at home is still accomplished in a large part by his or her own efforts and mental tenacity.

3. A Nurturing Learning Environment

One of my fondest memories from my homeschool is learning to read on my mother’s lap. I was a good reader, but I lacked confidence. Nestled in my mom’s lap, I had a safe place in which I could build confidence and also make a lot of sweet memories.

Homeschooling can provide one of the most nurturing environments for a child. In the loving arms of a parent, the child is free to develop at a pace that is natural to him or her.

4. Opportunities in Entrepreneurship

One of the beauties of homeschooling is that it allows time to pursue education outside of the traditional classroom environment. My family capitalized on this opportunity by helping both me and my brother start our own small businesses.

At the age of nine, I started my own bread business. Every Friday was my business day. I would look at my orders and bake accordingly. I actually made quite a bit of money and opened my first checking account. The sense of accomplishment for a nine-year-old was great. Plus, I learned how to make homemade bread! All of this was considered part of my “schooling.”

5. Close Family Relationships

Photo by Danny Bruce

While any family can be close regardless of educational choice, homeschooling lends itself towards close family ties. Spending hours in the same classroom with siblings may bring conflict, but it also brings closeness.

The memories and bond my brother and I share from our years of being homeschooled together are priceless to us.

6. Diverse Learning Environments

Do you know any children who learned their twelve times tables by boxing chicken eggs? Well, I did! Granted, we lived on a farm, but it was the freedom that came with homeschooling that allowed me to learn things like math in the context of daily life.

The opportunities and options for this are endless in a homeschool setting. Is your child drawn to cooking? A lot of chemistry can be learned in the kitchen! Learning about photosynthesis? Let your children help in the garden.

Homeschool gives parents the freedom and time to pursue these unique learning environments.

7. The Capacity to Dream

Finally, our homeschool gave me a capacity to dream. Education was something that was within my grasp. If I wanted to learn something new, I could!

Now, even as an adult, I still have the same feeling that the next educational or career step is only an effort away.

Anything can be learned if one simply seeks to learn it.

What do you hope your children will take away when they graduate from your homeschool?

CURRENT SPONSORS:

• Insect Lore - live bug kits for kids.
• Oak Meadow - creative homeschooling since 1975.
• Finding Your Joy - capturing your life thru photos.
• Imagine Childhood - nature. imagination. play.
• Hazelnut Kids - natural toys for natural curiosity.
• FBS Books - homeschool curriculum, preschool resources, great books.
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© 2010 Simple Living Media, LLC | All rights reserved - This feed is provided for the convenience of Simple Homeschool subscribers. Any reproduction of the content within this feed is strictly prohibited. If you are reading this content elsewhere, please contact hello@simplelivingmedia.com to let us know. Thanks.

Written by Jessica Fisher of Life as Mom

After two months of a blissful summer vacation, our little school started back into full swing last week. Thanks to several weeks of planning and more than a few book deliveries, I was excited to dive into new subjects and continue this formal exploration of the world with my children.

We were going to expand our horizons, jump into foreign language study, and engage in animated discussions of history, literature, and science. Our homeschool was going to be characterized by a love of learning and the hum of studious industry. My children and I were going to achieve academic greatness this year. My enthusiasm for learning was infectious!

Or so I thought.

By the time lunch break rolled around on that first day, I had been keenly reminded that academics, while important, were not the sole purpose of teaching my children at home.

Motivation? Attitude? Living peacefully with one’s fellow man? I had forgotten to add those subjects to the syllabus.

Character education counts.

As homeschool teachers we have unique challenges that public school teachers don’t often feel, at least not on such a personal level. We have the privilege and responsibility to help our children grow into responsible, diligent, persevering, kind adults. We are not just shaping their minds, we are guiding their characters into adulthood.

Yet, with that added responsibility comes the advantage that we get to see our children’s personalities — warts and all. And all that came flooding back to me on our reentry into formal lessons.

Don’t get me wrong, that first day of school was not bad. In fact, it was probably one of our better days. The boys were extremely excited about their new Spanish and Latin studies.

But, I had mistakenly slid onto one side of the homeschooling continuum, fixating on academics and the content we were going to cover during the year. I left character education woefully unbalanced on the other end.

I had forgotten to think about and plan for those other elements that effect the school day: the child who drags his feet over breakfast, the one who bickers with his brother over whose turn it is to use the computer for math, the student who puffs up his face when Mom says he needs to go do his science and make sure he writes out the entire lab report.

The sighs, the whines, the fussing? Oh yeah.

It’s not all about academics.

Thankfully, I’m not teaching robots. That would be quite boring, and I would miss out on the unique, fun, and amazing quirks that make each of my kids who he is. You’ve heard it before, good teaching isn’t filling a bottle, it’s lighting a fire.

Thankfully, it’s not all about academics. Man cannot live on books alone. We need to develop quality relationships, enjoy one another’s company, and learn to get along with one another. Better that my sons be godly garbage collectors than arrogant men with initials at the end of their names.

Thankfully, I can see where my children struggle. This used to bother me a lot. Then a wise mom pointed out, “Be thankful that you can see it.” Hmmm…. how many troubled kids hide their inter- and intra- personal struggles, jumping hoops for the teacher? Instead, my kids “let it all hang out” and show me where I need to help them, guide them, pray for them.

Climbing the Long Hill

When I was first homeschooling, I had even more academic fervor than I do now. Older moms would caution me, “Discipleship is more important. Character education matters more.”

Honestly, I didn’t get it at the time. It was really important to me that my children learn well and be academically strong. I wanted them to have the skills they needed to do well in the world. I wanted them to have any door open for them in their choice of future career.

I still want these things.

But, I’ve also realized that a stubborn child isn’t going to learn as much as he could if he wasn’t balking at math. Negative attitudes, faltering motivation, and good old fashioned grumpiness look no better in a courtroom or a board room than they do in my own school room. They get in the way of learning today as well as stumble success tomorrow.

Some days I’m overwhelmed by “behavior issues.” Back in my public teaching days, I could write a detention or fill out a referral slip. Today “classroom discipline” is a little more to mess with. It’s a high hill to climb and at times, it can be daunting.

Yet, I know that a high mountain offers a better view than a small one. At the end of the day, at the end of the year, at the end of the journey, I’ll get to see how far me and my boys have come.

And, Lord willing, the view will be breathtaking.

CURRENT SPONSORS:

• Insect Lore - live bug kits for kids.
• Oak Meadow - creative homeschooling since 1975.
• Finding Your Joy - capturing your life thru photos.
• Imagine Childhood - nature. imagination. play.
• Hazelnut Kids - natural toys for natural curiosity.
• FBS Books - homeschool curriculum, preschool resources, great books.
• MomAgenda - get organized with style.

© 2010 Simple Living Media, LLC | All rights reserved - This feed is provided for the convenience of Simple Homeschool subscribers. Any reproduction of the content within this feed is strictly prohibited. If you are reading this content elsewhere, please contact hello@simplelivingmedia.com to let us know. Thanks.

Written by Sarah Baldwin of Bella Luna Toys and Moon Child

While my two boys, Harper and Will, spent most of their schooling years in a Waldorf school, we spent two years homeschooling. I am a trained Waldorf teacher and prior to this I had been teaching at the Waldorf school that my boys attended.

I spent years in graduate school studying education and had many years of teaching experience, but I learned more about how children learn during those two years than I did from all my teacher training and the plethora of books I’d read on the subject.

The Challenge

Being devoted to Waldorf education, I was determined to give my children a true Waldorf experience at home, so when we started, I did what I knew. I created a mini-Waldorf school at home, complete with lazured walls, wooden desks, and a large blackboard. It was beautiful!

Since I had also agreed to homeschool my niece, I was committed to offering the curriculum to three different grades, as it would be taught in a Waldorf school.

During the first couple of months, I would routinely stay up until midnight, sometimes later, preparing three different lesson plans and drawings that I would expect my students to copy into their “main lesson books” the next day. I had a curriculum and a daily schedule and I was determined to stick to it.

Our first day was a success!

We got through the first month. But as the weather grew cooler, I was getting a little stressed and sleep-deprived. I noticed that my students seemed to be growing restless and resistant to my lessons.

By Christmas I was ready to have a nervous breakdown.

Letting Go

I knew that in order to preserve my sanity, something had to change. I was going to have to relax and let go of my preconceived notions of what the children needed to learn and when. We started planning more field trips, which were a welcome change of pace.

We attended a talk with a naturalist about eagles and owls. The presenter informed us about how many eagles have returned to our home state of Maine, and told us that if we made a point to look up in the sky, we would likely see them.

It was true! In the coming week we spotted three bald eagles, one of which dramatically swooped down to capture a snake from the ground. This sparked an interest in birds of prey. Now “Birds of Prey” was not one of my lesson plans, but we went to the library to get books about owls and eagles.

Then I turned our newfound interest into Waldorf-inspired activities. We drew pictures of owls and eagles with colored pencils in our main lesson books; we memorized a poem about owls; we learned a Native American song about the eagle and played it on our recorders; and we wrote essays about owls and eagles and copied them in our main lesson books.

Our learning became more inspired by the children’s interests, and our days became much lighter and joy-filled.

My A-ha Moment

Then it dawned on me that the prescribed Waldorf curriculum was designed as an institutional model. The curriculum, which Rudolf Steiner brilliantly devised to meet children’s needs at each stage of their development, was intended for a class of 25 or more students of the same age.

It would not be practical for a teacher to create individual lesson plans to meet the interests of 25 different students, but at home we had that freedom. I began to discover that we learn best when learning comes out of our own curiosity; when we feel the desire to know more about something.

After our “Birds of Prey” block, our further studies were inspired by other field trips and from books we read. In choosing books, I looked to the Waldorf curriculum: fairy tales for my first grade niece; Native American stories and fables for my second grader; and stories of the Middle Ages for my sixth grader.

Photo by Geoffrey Hammond

Naturally, a child may never have a burning desire to learn all about long division or solving equations, so we spent a little time every day working on math skills. We worked with Singapore Math and Harold Jacobs’s excellent textbook Elementary Algebra, which really made algebra (never my favorite subject) fun. Harper and I problem-solved together and checked our answers against one another.

Back to School

After two years of learning together, there was an unexpected need for an early childhood teacher back at the Waldorf school. While I loved the time we spent homeschooling and was reluctant to give up the freedoms we enjoyed, I felt called back to the work that I often feel I was born to do, and the boys looked forward to rejoining their friends and the social life of the school.

Upon their return, I worried that their teachers might find them to be “behind,” not having followed precisely the curriculum their classmates had. To the contrary, their skills were at or above those of their classmates, but most importantly, their teachers noticed how enthusiastic they were about learning.

When Harper’s teacher shared that his newfound enthusiasm for math and science was having a positive affect on the rest of the class, he gave all the credit to homeschooling.

“Before we homeschooled,” he said, “I never knew that math and science could be fun!”

Do you follow a set curriculum? Do you unschool, or do a combination of both? I’d love to hear what works for you!

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