Last year was our first year homesschooling. I thought I had to sit down with DD1 and do worksheets and workbooks and add in a little variety here and there. We didnt have a curriculum perse. Well I learned she was difficult to say the least, often struggling to get work done and myself getting frustrated.
We are sort of Unschooling until we can get curriculum this year and I have come to realize- she actually remembers more and does the best when its NOT workbook/textbook style! She has been doing Zoodles and amazes me with what she knows- yesterday she did spelling and didnt even need my help! The day or so before she did double digit numbers (had a little trouble when the Tens place changed). Shes also asking different questions than she was before "How big is a balloon and when were they made?" (that was yesterday). This is not to say I give our "unschooling" credit because to be frank im not doing much but its more to say I think I was pushing for something that worked for me, not for DD and in the end, she is still learning even if its in a different way! I am just proud because Id rather her watch a video and learn about Sound than be bored and frustrated trying to learn it from sitting at a desk.
Which all of this isnt new this morning. I have been leaning on this for awhile because when we went to the Midwest Homeschool Convention I was convinced we were happy and going to use Alpha Omega Horizons this year, but lately ive been feeling like it may not work. Im SO glad I have discovered in the end it wouldnt of worked after all! Now to try and find something that will work. I know until then, the library and Zoodles are our best friends right now!
I guess what Im trying to say is there have been a lot of "why am i doing this?" posts on THL and I have been there and I feel that way sometimes even now when i am unmotivated but maybe changing up the routine is the way to go. Schooling doesnt have to be books and papers all the time. It also doesnt have to be field trips and fun all the time either, but try something new, you discover like me, the way you were doing it just wasnt really right and thats OK :)
We are sort of Unschooling until we can get curriculum this year and I have come to realize- she actually remembers more and does the best when its NOT workbook/textbook style! She has been doing Zoodles and amazes me with what she knows- yesterday she did spelling and didnt even need my help! The day or so before she did double digit numbers (had a little trouble when the Tens place changed). Shes also asking different questions than she was before "How big is a balloon and when were they made?" (that was yesterday). This is not to say I give our "unschooling" credit because to be frank im not doing much but its more to say I think I was pushing for something that worked for me, not for DD and in the end, she is still learning even if its in a different way! I am just proud because Id rather her watch a video and learn about Sound than be bored and frustrated trying to learn it from sitting at a desk.
Which all of this isnt new this morning. I have been leaning on this for awhile because when we went to the Midwest Homeschool Convention I was convinced we were happy and going to use Alpha Omega Horizons this year, but lately ive been feeling like it may not work. Im SO glad I have discovered in the end it wouldnt of worked after all! Now to try and find something that will work. I know until then, the library and Zoodles are our best friends right now!
I guess what Im trying to say is there have been a lot of "why am i doing this?" posts on THL and I have been there and I feel that way sometimes even now when i am unmotivated but maybe changing up the routine is the way to go. Schooling doesnt have to be books and papers all the time. It also doesnt have to be field trips and fun all the time either, but try something new, you discover like me, the way you were doing it just wasnt really right and thats OK :)
No comments:
Post a Comment