My friend Teresa recently loaned me "The Joyful Home Schooler" by Mary Hood. It is an EXCELLENT book! I was having a rough day on Thursday, so Josh took over and just let me rest and read for the evening. He came down later to see how I was doing, and I started crying and said, "Ya know, I'm not sure why, but the Lord must love me so much. I've only read the first two chapters and it's like God wrote these words, today, specifically for me." (Note: I "know" the Lord loves me, but experiencing it so obviously is always amazing! :))
Homeschooling has been unbelievably overwhelming for me. I've known all along it didn't have to be that way, but I've been putting undo pressure on myself to home school the way I know Josh would if he could do it. I've had to just let go of that, and realize that for better or worse, God made me the way that I am for His own purposes and glory. He knew that I would have to rely on Him completely in order to home school successfully doing it "my" way without trying to strive to be somebody I'm not added to it.
Mary Hood is probably more relaxed in some ways than I would be, but I love her overall philosophy on home schooling. It's really not "schooling" in the traditional sense at all. It's living with a love of learning. Through her book I've discovered why I hated school so much growing up and why I hate home schooling as a result. It all makes so much sense, and I can't believe I didn't see it before. I'm beginning to truly look forward to it, and it's such a nice feeling compared to the dread I've had all summer after last year's experience with A Beka, and their rigid, oppressive approach. You don't have to systematically drill facts into a child's head in order for them to learn something. They are born ready to learn, and structured schooling (which by the way is patterned after the public school system) only squelches true learning. Learning can be so much fun, and I've discovered that already in the two days since finishing the book.
Jordan was trying to catch grasshoppers for a hiking trip he and his daddy had planned this weekend. He wanted to know if there was an easier way than what he was trying. He got out all our reference books that had anything at all to do with bugs and proceeded to learn more in an hour than I could have "taught" him in a week of regular schooling! Grasshoppers are easiest to catch in the morning when they are still wet with dew and lethargic from the cold, and big ones are easier to catch for many reasons than little ones! We ALL enjoyed it immensely, and the little kids were learning right along with us effortlessly!
I'm only going to have one textbook this year, and that will be for math. Everything else is going to be reading, reading, and more reading, and writing practice. That's it! I can hardly wait to get started!
3 comments:
Sherri,
I am so thankful that you are finally feeling great about homeschooling. I SO know what you were feeling and would love to borrow that book if you get your own copy. I am still kindof rigid in some respects because I can't think of any options!
Keep me posted on what you might want or need. We have tons of science projects--just ask the science guy--Michael.
Very interesting post. I'll have to see about reading that book just for a different point of view. It's hard for me to picture homeschooling that way -- I feel like I would just get lazy and then my kids wouldn't learn anything. But maybe that's just because I've only ever been exposed to a structered type of schooling. *shrug* Hmmmm...things that make you think. :o)
~Rebecca
Amanda,
I was telling Jordan about the experiment that Michael was doing the other day while we were on the phone and he thought that sounded like fun, so I'll have to get more details! :)
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Rebecca,
That's EXACTLY the way I felt when I was where you are, and frankly, that's where Josh still is simply because he doesn't have to do it. He probably COULD do it just fine due to his personality, but the bottom line is that I am the one doing it, and it's simply not as effective.
Structured schooling was thought up in the late 1800's. Once the small one-room school houses were done away with, people have been dumbed down ever since. Did you ever wonder how Jesus learned, and all the other geniuses before the 1800's? Grade levels and testing were thought up when there were 60 students per teacher and they simply had to have some way of placing everyone. For families, it just doesn't matter. It's a good guideline if you want it, but it's not necessary.
There's so much more that I could share, but just read the book! LOL She says it so much better than I can. I'll be calling you soon anyway to talk about our trip to TN. :D
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