"You desire structure, with flexibility built in. You shop for just the right curriculum, and you feel free to change when something isn't working. You are likely to purchase a student text without the teacher's manual, or to substitute one science experiment for another if just the right supplies aren't handy. While you usually rely on traditional textbooks, you probably purchase curriculum from several publishers."
This was the result of the online quiz I took about my homeschool style and it is right on!
If you like quizzes try it at http://www.home-school-online.com/2009/11/quiz-what-homeschooling-method-is-right.html
I happen to love quizzes.
Friday, October 16, 2015
Tuesday, October 13, 2015
Thinking outside of the box
Right now, I am writing this at a restaurant, and I wanted to order "Paneer Tikka", and Indian dish that is basically cheese cubes barbequed in Tikka sauce. It wasn't on the menu. I did however notice that they had "Chicken Tikka" on the menu and a different paneer dish as well on the menu. So, I asked if they would be willing to make me Paneer Tikka. They were! Yum! This is one of my favorite meals, and I wouldn't be eating it if I had stuck to the menu.
The reason I bring this up, is that as homeschool moms, sometimes we can get "stuck on the menu". We can become curriculum obsessed, and feel like we can't think outside of those terms. I was like this for many years. I was stuck in the idea that I had to follow the curriculum word for word (they literally put in the words to say as the teacher). (Ironically they didn't put in the words to say if you were met with any resistance, boredom, or just plain NO!)
Eventually, I realized that there is no "Homeschool Police" ---at least, not yet!--- looking over your shoulder to see if your child did every math problem, or just did a few on the sheet. No one cared what my Kindergartener's "grades" were in Reading, Language, or Math. Even when I put my children into public school for a year, they didn't even ask for their "grades", but just placed them at the grade level that I told them they were in and they did fine. A transcript doesn't really matter until high school. Before that point, grades are really more of a nuisance, if you feel like you have to "grade" every paper your child does. You can easily look at their work and see where they need more practice and what they understand already without assigning a number or letter to it. And if they "fail" in that, it's OK! Just repeat the lesson, again and again and again if needed until it's a "pass". You can continue this until it's 100% understood if you want!!
I'm getting off on a tangent. The point is, you can think outside of the box.
No....... YOU MUST THINK OUTSIDE OF THE BOX! Think "off menu". Pick and choose what works for you and your child?
But HOW, you ask? Ok, stick with the curriculum. For now. Order what's on the menu. You might like what's on it. Or, parts of it. Parts of it you and your child may hate. So, try something else next time. Don't be afraid to mix it up, and use different resources for different subjects or interests. If you want to use a boxed curriculum to begin because it feels safer, please do so. But, by all means, feel free to branch out once you feel comfortable with your child's learning style and your teaching style.
The reason I bring this up, is that as homeschool moms, sometimes we can get "stuck on the menu". We can become curriculum obsessed, and feel like we can't think outside of those terms. I was like this for many years. I was stuck in the idea that I had to follow the curriculum word for word (they literally put in the words to say as the teacher). (Ironically they didn't put in the words to say if you were met with any resistance, boredom, or just plain NO!)
Eventually, I realized that there is no "Homeschool Police" ---at least, not yet!--- looking over your shoulder to see if your child did every math problem, or just did a few on the sheet. No one cared what my Kindergartener's "grades" were in Reading, Language, or Math. Even when I put my children into public school for a year, they didn't even ask for their "grades", but just placed them at the grade level that I told them they were in and they did fine. A transcript doesn't really matter until high school. Before that point, grades are really more of a nuisance, if you feel like you have to "grade" every paper your child does. You can easily look at their work and see where they need more practice and what they understand already without assigning a number or letter to it. And if they "fail" in that, it's OK! Just repeat the lesson, again and again and again if needed until it's a "pass". You can continue this until it's 100% understood if you want!!
I'm getting off on a tangent. The point is, you can think outside of the box.
No....... YOU MUST THINK OUTSIDE OF THE BOX! Think "off menu". Pick and choose what works for you and your child?
But HOW, you ask? Ok, stick with the curriculum. For now. Order what's on the menu. You might like what's on it. Or, parts of it. Parts of it you and your child may hate. So, try something else next time. Don't be afraid to mix it up, and use different resources for different subjects or interests. If you want to use a boxed curriculum to begin because it feels safer, please do so. But, by all means, feel free to branch out once you feel comfortable with your child's learning style and your teaching style.
Friday, October 2, 2015
It's different eating out here
We went out to dinner with a group of friends the other night, and I thought about how different it was from eating out in America.
-The restaurant was called "The Ice Cream Parlor", but no ice cream is sold there.
-There is only outdoor seating. Very few restaurants here have any indoor seating.
-There was about 8 children there, and they spent most of the time running around barefoot in the paved courtyard that we were eating in. This was not a concern to the owners, or other guests.
-Dinner took 2 hours to be prepared, which is normal here.
-The power went out during dinner, and no one seemed bothered. The generator was started, and a few minutes later the power came back on.
-The restaurant is next to a Hindu temple, so our dinner was serenaded by the ringing of bells and Hindi chants. It was very beautiful.
-There is a sink in the courtyard, so you can wash your hands before dinner.
Yes, things here are different. And much slower.
Which I like.
-The restaurant was called "The Ice Cream Parlor", but no ice cream is sold there.
-There is only outdoor seating. Very few restaurants here have any indoor seating.
-There was about 8 children there, and they spent most of the time running around barefoot in the paved courtyard that we were eating in. This was not a concern to the owners, or other guests.
-Dinner took 2 hours to be prepared, which is normal here.
-The power went out during dinner, and no one seemed bothered. The generator was started, and a few minutes later the power came back on.
-The restaurant is next to a Hindu temple, so our dinner was serenaded by the ringing of bells and Hindi chants. It was very beautiful.
-There is a sink in the courtyard, so you can wash your hands before dinner.
Yes, things here are different. And much slower.
Which I like.
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