My friend Sarah blogs about children’s literature, baking, and homeschooling her two young daughters (ages 6 and 2) at In Need of Chocolate. Join me in learning more about helping children learn at home through books and everyday activities.
***Note: Readers will have a chance to win a selection of Endangered Species chocolate bars at the end of this interview.***
JEAN: Can you tell us about your decision to homeschool
your daughters? Is it something you always knew you wanted to do or is it
a decision you came to over time?
SARAH: I met several families who homeschooled when I was in college, and I became interested in homeschooling then. Over the next ten years, I read more about it and questioned any homeschoolers I met. The more I learned, the more I thought I would homeschool my own children eventually. But during my older daughter's toddler and preschool years, I wasn't sure I could do it. Our choice of a part time kindergarten with two homeschool days each week gave me confidence, and now I'm very glad that we're homeschooling full time.
JEAN: I understand there are many homeschool philosophies
out there –curriculum, no curriculum, religious, secular, classical education,
unschooling, and a mix of the above. Where would you say your family fits in?
SARAH: We're very eclectic. We don't use a packaged curriculum,
but we do use math workbooks, and I pull from different curriculum resources
for language arts.
I very loosely follow a classical
homeschool philosophy based on The Well-Trained Mind by Susan Wise Bauer and Jessie Wise, but we do less
formal work than Wise and Bauer prescribe. I try to use games and hands-on
activities whenever I can. And I make time for child led learning. My daughters
are constantly wanting to show me something they are interested in either in a
book or in nature or something based on one of their toys.
I also do a lot of "strewing," a concept popular with unschoolers. Strewing means leaving books or educational toys or other materials you think will be of interest to your children in places where they will discover them and explore on their own.
JEAN: Will you share a day in your life as
homeschoolers?
SARAH: Before I go to bed
at night, I put out the materials we need for the next day in folders. Then I
write down each subject we will cover on a dry erase board. Both my girls
are early risers so we do most of our formal homeschooling in the morning.
After breakfast, we do chores and
then I allow my 6yo to choose the activity she wants to do first.
Typically, she chooses science so we do an experiment or read a cool book or
watch a fun science video. On some days, she also does a written assignment.
The next choice is mine, and I usually choose math knowing it goes better early
in the day.
During this time, if we're very
lucky, my 2yo plays on her own or sits at the table with us and colors or plays
with small toys.
Next we do a preschool activity,
usually involving our letter of the week. We're making an ocean mural with
animals starting with each letter. Then we take a snack break. Next, we
make a few more choices off our list and then refresh ourselves by dancing to
some music, taking a walk, or going to the library.
After lunch, my 2yo takes a nap and
my 6yo and I finish any work that is still on our list. Most days during
this time, I read to her, she reads to me, and we read silently together for a
short time. The rest of the afternoon is for creative play, fun activities,
enrichment classes, or playdates.
JEAN:
You’ve talked about writing your own science curriculum. I’d love
to hear more about this – why you’re doing it, the process, etc…
SARAH: Both my girls are
fascinated by dinosaurs and other prehistoric creatures so I thought it would
be fun for us to spend the semester studying prehistory from the formation of
the earth through early humans. I could not find a secular curriculum that
covered this material so I decided to create my own.
Each week, we read books, look at
websites and short videos, do hands-on activities, and do a writing assignment.
I've found many of the books we use at the library and many of the activities
we use are ones I've discovered through internet searches. We're using The Usborne Encyclopedia of World History as a jumping off point for each week's
topic. I've listed some of our resources on my blog and I will eventually be
sharing more about our prehistory study.
JEAN: I was excited to hear that you’ve recently started
an art group! Can you tell us about it and how art fits into your homeschooling?
SARAH: There are many
opportunities for homeschoolers in our area to socialize but with winter
keeping us in from park playtimes and my 2yo's need for a nap making early
afternoon excursions difficult, I wanted to make sure we had a good way for my
6yo to meet other homeschoolers (particularly girls her age). Your art group
sounds fantastic and with my daughter's love of art I thought an art group
would be the best way to accomplish this.
I invited a few friends to join us
and then asked on a local homeschool list to see who else was interested. I put
together a group of 6 girls aged 5-7, and we are having a blast. We get
together for a few hours at least every other week and sometimes more often.
The girls have access to art supplies and a suggested, open-ended project. They
create for as long as they are interested and then they play until they have to
go home.
I think that creative endeavors are
extremely important for children (and adults too), and we make time to do art
together every week. My daughters have plenty of unscheduled time when they can
choose to do art on their own, and our walls and completed artwork bin are filled
with their work. We also incorporate art into our other school subjects by
illustrating stories and making nature sketches.
JEAN: Do you have any tips for parents who are not necessarily
homeschoolers on how to bring intentional learning into the home?
SARAH: Read with your
children as much as you can, fiction as well as non-fiction on topics your
children are interested in. There is so much excellent non-fiction available
now for kids of all ages. Ask your librarian or check out the Non-Fiction Monday posts for suggestions. When your children express interest
in a topic, help them find books and websites where they can learn more. Play
games that reinforce things your children are learning. Peggy Kaye has an
excellent series of books that give suggestions for reading, writing, and math
games. Let your children see you investigating subjects that interest you and
read for pleasure in front of them. Have lots of books available in your house
whether from the library or books you own. Keep basic art supplies on hand and
save a box of materials that might otherwise go in the trash or recycling like
bottles and egg cartons. Then you are ready to do a project when inspiration
hits.
JEAN: Anything else you’d like to add?
SARAH: Thank you so much
for interviewing me. You blog is wonderfully inspirational.
JEAN: Thank YOU, Sarah! I'm inspired to do more science with Maia. I think a mini volcano is in our future...
