How we homeschooled today #89
Polls, prisoners, and oceans ancient and modern
I’m intrigued by
’s question on Notes:
Do you think many homeschooling parents would send at least some of their children to private school if they could afford it?
Do you think many public school parents would homeschool at least some of their children if they could afford it?
I think the answer to 1 is “Yes” and 2 is “YES!”
I think the answer to 1 is “Yes” and 2 is “YES!”
Personally, I always thought we’d send our children to private school simply because that was my own childhood experience (I know, not very imaginative). Then we couldn’t afford it, so my daughter started at a state school (public school in the US). And now we homeschoool, and if I stumbled across a genie in a lamp I wouldn’t change it. I would, however, ask for a cleaner and possibly also a personal chef.
A simple poll can’t show up all the nuances, but in essence:
(If you’re new here, my children are 6 and nearly 8.)
A slow start this morning. I read from Ocean Atlas to my son while he had breakfast, about the various deep parts of the ocean. My daughter was outside in the garden, communing with nature and enjoying her new winter boots. Recommending children’s clothes is not really my thing but these seem to be excellent.
Eventually we sat down to some work. My son traced his Beowulf verse for handwriting practice. He was doing his Jolly Phonics book for weeks, then got bored and moved to Seamus Heaney’s Beowulf, got bored of Beowulf and moved back to the workbook, and now we’re back on Beowulf. I don’t mind so long as he’s writing. Today’s verse is “My flesh was not for feasting on, /there would be no monsters gnawing and gloating/over their banquet at the bottom of the sea.” No, it’s not your average handwriting fodder.
My daughter did a page of her Grammar book, and each child practised a new spelling. Then Multiplication Bingo (free printable), which they’re both really enjoying. Today I gave bonus points for spotting square or prime numbers, and we used maths cubes to arrange numbers into square/rectangles/lines. The bonus points don’t actually count towards anything, but nobody seems to mind!
French—revising parts of the body—and Greek—translating the names of Greek gods and heroes. Then into town, because the generous godmother we saw yesterday had given the children some money and it was burning a hole in their pockets. In town we walked past a bike shop which my daughter asked about, and I explained it was staffed by former prisoners because it’s very hard to get a job once you’ve got a criminal record, which can make reoffending more likely. The children thought this was a good idea. They chose their Lego magazines, and we headed home for lunch.
This afternoon they played with their new Lego and read the magazines, and we expanded our ocean knowledge by watching the ocean episode of Prehistoric Planet. Two little bits of information that still apply today: most hunts end in failure, and when there are millions of young (eg. ammonites), usually only a tiny fraction survive.
Off to Beavers/Tiger Cubs, where my son and I will play card games and read books and then I’ll hurry the children home for tea and bed.
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One of the interesting things that came out of the discussion over on notes was this idea that if money were no object, homeschooling itself could be different for a family than it might currently be. I loved your comment, Catherine, that you would take the kids whale-watching and to Pompeii!
This discussion led me to think about whether homeschooling would feel less difficult if there were other problems solved, societally-influenced problems like broken or scattered extended families, poor health, etc. The hardest thing for me about homeschooling is that I so rarely get an emotional break or time to attend to my needs or my other work. If I had more support, I might dream less often of school. But I can't just magick the support up, and co-ops and things like that have been more trouble than they were worth. What I need is someone to help take care of me so that I have the energy to devote to homeschooling!
Interesting questions! Here in Argentina private school is very affordable (especially for dollar earners) - and there are a wide variety to choose from, both with regards to languages, curriculum style and philosophy. There's an Italian school, a german school, jewish schools, Montessori's, everything you can imagine... religious, secular, etc. And yet, I have definitely been enjoying the opportunity to tailor fit education for a daughter based on what she needs/wants.