Maps are fun. I love maps. I want my kids to love maps. The lesson we have for maps...not so much fun. So, I scratched it. Let's create our own worlds and a map to go with it! Not a new idea, per se, but fun never the less. For help along the way I looked at several sites, some pictures, and some actual maps. I like this as a resource the best.
As I mentioned in an earlier post, I am very excited to teach my children skills in self-reliance. One of the most important and basic - How to build a fire. I found a great graphic on the very subject sifting through pinterest. Before the weather turns bitter, I'm going to get the girls outside to practice rubbing sticks together. Ok, not really. I'm going to teach them the basics on fire building using the easier materials before I throw them into the wild.
I am really into teaching my kids self-reliance skills. I had a pretty sheltered childhood. I was a bit spoiled, I didn't do laundry until I was almost 19 and went to college. Eeek!! Audrey and I are planning to attend a self-reliance/survival weekend in the spring and through researching other self-reliance skills (the one we are attending is centered around surviving in nature) I found a great list of just under 20 skills your kids should know before turning 18. I see no reason in re-creating it, so I have pasted it below. You can find the original post, by the author here.
Pretty good list, right? Can you think of anything to add? What have I gotten myself into? Last year, we took the leap and withdrew our daughter from public school. And so began, hours of research and planning, second guessing every step along the way and sleepless nights of wondering if we had made the right choice. After a rocky start and a year of learning each other - we made it. Was it a success? Well, the licensed teacher that signed off on our portfolio said it was. But as the primary "educator" for my daughter, I had my doubts. How did she compare to other kids her age? Did it matter?
When I asked my daughter if she liked being homeschooled, she said yes. She wanted to continue this year and was excited. However, she had a request. "Can I do school online?" Ugh! Knife to the chest! By "school online" she meant one of those public schools like K-12 or ECOT. After discussing it with my wife, we agreed that the entire reason we began researching homeschooling options was to give our daughter more of a say in her education. So, what she was saying was she wanted to go to school online. Public school, regulated by the state, following a curriculum someone else decided was the best thing for my kid, and completely out of my control. At first I said no. This was not what I wanted. I had envisioned nature walks, stewing, self-directed projects and field trips. I did not envision hours sitting behind a desk on the computer completing assessments and assignments. Still, when it came down to it, the decision wasn't up to me. Don't get me wrong, she didn't call ALL of the shots during our first year. I didn't let her stay in her pajamas all day playing video games because thats what she wanted, no matter how convincing her argument for Minecraft being educational was. There was SOME structure. After going back and forth on the subject, we decided that the only way she would really know what the best way to learn was would mean letting her experiment with the options available to her. I bit my tongue, swallowed my pride, and signed her up for "online school". In the next few weeks a computer and tons of boxes of materials will be delivered to our house. It's all very exciting for her. She got to pick out a new desk and can't wait to log into her classroom. Her best friend happens to "attend" the same school and they will likely be in the same "class". I'm less than excited, but have gotten really good at faking it. I want to encourage whatever path makes her the most excited how learning. If this is what works for her, I will be her number one supporter. The only rule we have set is that she has to stick with it for the entire school year, no turning back. She, of course, agreed because she's 9 and they always agree at first. You know how it goes, "I want this puppy SO badly, if you get her for me I will feed her and walk her and love her!" Two weeks in, the dog has no water and any mention or request to provide even the most basic needs for the animal is met with stern looks and growling (from my daughter - not the dog). Off we go on this new adventure. Here's hoping for as little growling as possible (from both me and my daughter). |
AuthorDad of two incredible kids, navigating through the world of homeschooling. ArchivesCategories |