Finding his own path...
I homeschooled my two oldest children during 8th-12th grades off and on. Letting them choose if they wanted to go to school or homeschool. They were older and able to school themselves pretty much. I guess we were unschoolers for the most part, although at the time I didn't know it.
When we decided to bring Noah home after second grade... or "set him free" as he calls it, he really needed to go through the stages of homeschooling.
First there was the deschooling stage, I knew this wouldn't take long for Noah. At first I asked him what he'd like his homeschool to be like. He said subjects, schedules, extra classes, find other homeschoolers. So this is what we did. Sometime during the first year, he wasn't too sure of the "schedule" part any longer. Let's just do things in random order he suggested. Okay, fine I replied.
Letting him find his own way through this experience has being interesting to watch. So during the rest of the first year we still planned subjects to study, much of it his own interests. I did manage to get him to a good place with math. That's the one subject I was a little iffy on when it comes to unschooling. I wanted to get him a good math foundation before he moved into unschooling. (me knowing all along he'd move into this direction.)
So we called ourselves relaxed, eclectic, interest led homeschoolers the first year.
This year Noah is on the path of exploring unschooling. He keeps referring to himself as an unschooler. Now my job as a unschooling mom isn't any easier by no means. I need to be sure he has all of the resources and materials he needs to learn his heart's desires. I will carefully strew interesting items in his path. (Love Sandra Dodd!) I will help find him classes, experiences and people to help him along his unschooling journey. I will explore, teach and learn right along side him.
I most importantly will remember to trust that Noah is a capable, eager and willing to learn all he needs from this world. I'm right here by his side, snuggling on the couch, walking in the woods, driving him to classes or the library and taking him on interesting field trips.
Whatever he needs... I'm right here.
4 comments:
I loved reading this. My older 2 girls (12th and 9th grades) are unschooled as well. Kayla will follow the waldorf curriculum through 6th grade (she's 4th grade now) and then be unschooled as well for the following 6 years. It's so nice to let kids follow their hearts and interests. Even with Kayla following the waldorf curriculum we do a fair amount of letting go to do what she wants to do. :)
This is perfect after the long, trial-and-error first term of the 2009-2010 years comes to a close for so many of us!
This is a great post, Anet. As my daughter approaches high school I am really questioning some of the items on the "required" subjects list so it was especially timely for me to read. All three of your kids are lucky to have such a wonderful and supportive mama!
Great post. And the choice and sequence of photos is just perfect!
Kel
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