Three major things I wish I had done differently in our homeschool journey

As we finish up our homeschool experience, and evaluate what we have accomplished and where we have weaknesses, there are 3 major things I would change.

1.  I would have unschooled through grade 5.  I have determined that the only thing a student really needs to know to prepare for middle school are:

• Math: add, subtract, multiply, divide
• Language Arts:  How to read and be able to comprehend what is read
• Exploration: so much about all other subjects can be learned through exploration, field trips, and group activities. 

Some might not call it unschooling if you are teaching math and reading, but that would be where I would draw the line.  I guess you could call it uber-relaxed homeschooling. 

2.  I wish I had found ALEKS.com earlier.  I have found this to be the most intuitive and affordable system of teaching math to date.  It allows kids to learn math at their own pace whether it be slower or accelerated.  This program is still imperfect, but after all the ones we tried it still is the best.  The only thing that could make it better is to add a video instruction option to the problems. 

3.  Dual enrollment in the final two years.  My kids did take classes outside the home throughout their homeschool experience, but I think I regret not putting them in an actual college classes, so I could help them walk through their first collegiate experience.  I wonder if I can get my daughter to do a summer class before she leaves home in the fall. 

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ahermitt.com

The thought of a tech free education leaves me scratching my head

I spent most of the day hyperfocusing on the idea of a Waldorf education. I began when I woke up to a Today Show conversation about Silocon Valley parents using a school that shuns education, which is an oxymoron at best.

It sounded insane, and interesting at the same time, so I looked into it, and into it, and into it and decided that it is a lot like unschooling, except not at all... as it is too rigid.  Yes, rigid unschooling would be the best way for me to describe it.  Then there is the fact that it is linked to an occult like religion (in it's founding) and there are a lot of disgruntled ex-Waldorf families.

But that's beside the point.  I didn't have to research (though I did) to know what felt wrong at first glance.  The fact is that any movement, educational or otherwise that tries to eliminate an important segment of society (in this case technology) is just wrong.  Besides that, all the other stuff, like not reading or writing in the younger grades, and Legos being bad is just weird unsettling.
Also weird:

I don't see any math in this geometry presentation.
Meanwhile, many homeschoolers now ascribe to a Waldorf homeschool education.  Fortunately, most have adapted it to their own needs.


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