I think I'm going to start telling people W is "experientially educated" or "experientially schooled". It just sounds a lot more interesting than "homeschooled". It's also a more accurate decription, imo. So much of what we do is hands-on and out in the real world. For example:He has group science classes at science museums, environmental centers, farms, zoos, parks, and botanical gardens - along with nature study, experiments, field trips, and projects. He has group history classes at museums, parks, and historical societies - along with projects, timeline work, field trips, and neighborhood walkabouts. He has group art classes at art museums and art galleries - along with projects, artist study, field trips, and crafts.
He'll be in cub scouts and basketball (or maybe baseball - or both!) this year.
We spend about 9-10 hours a week at home on scheduled reading, writing, websites, and workbooks. We're going to try something called "notebooking" soon, too. I'm still doing research on that, but it looks like something W would love. The rest of the time we just love being out and about - whether it's a homeschool group class or the playground down the block or just in the backyard. Many times we'll take a trip by ourselves to someplace we've never been or someplace we've been to a lot. On rainy days he gets creative at home (building, crafting, making up games, making concoctions, drawing, cooking, etc). I'm so grateful my active boy isn't stuck behind a desk for hours and hours every day. He's able to learn by experiencing the world in a way that fits him perfectly.
2 comments:
I also get bored with the term homeschooling and recently have been to call it slow schooling...a chance to learn in a deeper more connected way. Kinda of how the slow food movement works...slowing down, experiencing your food, or in the case of slow schooling, your education.
Darcy
That's a great description. Kids get to actually take the time needed to fully envelope themselves into what they learn. Love it.
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