Rambling Homeschooling Thoughts :)

Lately, I’ve been thinking ahead to fall, which for us will bring the beginning of our homeschooling adventure. I’m getting really excited about it!! There was a time, not so long ago, that I said I would never in a million years homeschool my kids (this was before I was married or had kids :)). Then I took a class in college which gave me a whole new outlook on homeschooling, and I became a lot less closed-minded about it. Fast forward 10+ years, and here I am, almost ready to start. In fact, we have already started Sam on the learning-to-read adventure!

Even though I am super excited for the opportunity to teach my kids at home, I have no illusions that it’s all going to be rosy or easy. I do hope to make it fun, though! Jim was just commenting the other day about how sitting in a classroom all day with just a few breaks was not something he looked forward to as a kid, and I’m sure most of us could say the same. I can also say from personal experience that a lot of what I learned in school (and college too), was not retained as well as I’d like! I hope to make learning a natural and fun part of our everyday lives, and I hope that our kids will be able to remember most of what they learn.

For this coming school year, my plan is to use Sonlight’s P4/5 curriculum. I am drawn to literature-based curriculums because I think that is a way I would have LOVED to learn as a kid. In fact, I can remember lots more from the literature books I’ve read during my lifetime than I can from all the school textbooks. I have talked it over with Jim a lot, and he thinks Sonlight sounds great and to go for it! I have also been looking over Winterpromise curriculum (another lit-based program) and am tentatively thinking of doing some switching back and forth between that and Sonlight in future years. For example, I think their Animals and Their Worlds theme sounds really neat, and we may look into using that for next year. That is one thing that I think is really great about homeschooling--the ability to try out various things and find what works well for your particular family.

One of Jim’s customers is a public school teacher, and she recently asked me where Sam was going to go to kindergarten next year. I replied (with a little trepidation) that we plan to homeschool. It makes me a little nervous to say this to someone who is a teacher because I never know what they’re going to say. :) Not that it matters, but I’d rather not get into an argument, you know? I was pleasantly surprised by her response--she thinks homeschooling is great thing, and actually had a few negative things to say about public schools. Interesting. Yesterday, she even gave Jim a bunch of books to bring home for us to keep--several neat ones were in the mix, including Richard Scarry’s Cars and Trucks and Things that Go. The kids love Richard Scarry books and this was a new one to us; we have been enjoying it in bits and pieces throughout the day!

I guess this is kind of a rambling post, but it’s been rattling around in my brain for a while and I decided to get it out. :) For my readers, I was curious about your school choices--do your kids go to public school, Christian/private school, or homeschool? (I am not opening up a debate on which is the best here--I know everyone has their own convictions, preferences, and unique situations. Just curious!) For those who homeschool, I am curious about your curriculum choices--what you use, how you like it, why it works for your family, etc. I am hoping to post somewhat frequently about this topic of homeschooling as we dive into our first year. I’m sure I’ll be asking for lots of input and advice from those of you who are already in the thick of it! I’ll also be sharing neat sites I come across and would love for you to do the same. The internet is a huge source of free school stuff! Anyway, thanks for listening . . . :)