Taking the Plunge

I have been contemplating unschooling or organic learning for years, but I think we are ready to take the plunge. The school-minded person in me thinks that it may not work, but I know that it can. I am not ready to go completely into it, because I feel that there are some things that need to be structured, like math. I may think differently in a month or so. I will be documenting what they have learned each week and any new insights I have.

Today has been interesting. The boys spent the day making clone troopers out of clothespins, equipped with removable helmets. They were also measuring their feet and length of their spit. K spent her time reading a book about cloned children, instead of working on math. In the car, they were discussing the book then it branched out to how to clone people and animals. They were discussing DNA and I was yelled at because they knew it. I just love these times. I guess learning just happens. We do not need to teach them, per se, but guide them on their journeys, suggesting things on the way.

L lost his first tooth today. It was very exciting and saddening at the same time. This will be the last first lost tooth of my babies.

Curriculum links

Some curriculum links I have found.

Podcasts
http://www.si.edu/podcasts/default.htm

Latin- http://latinum.mypodcast.com/rss.xml

June 9, 2004

Today was a really good day. We got all of our work done without much fighting. Katy was a big helper with the laundry and making lunch. We had fun learning about how kids live in different areas of the world. Katy started learning to tell time by five minute intervals. Tommy is getting a lot better at his addition and subtraction skills. Logan is getting really good at counting.

During Tommy's reading lesson, Logan was also trying to do it. He was getting pretty good, too.

Days like these are the ones to cherish. I wouldn't get these if I wasn't a homeschooler.

June 4, 2004

Today, I decided to begin writing about our homeschooling adventures. Since this is the first day of this blog, it will be a little short. Today was an interesting day. We watched the National Spelling Bee. Tommy and Katy were really interested in it. We were rooting for the boy who won. They were upset when the homeschoolers lost. It was nice for them to see that there are other homeschoolers around the whole country.


Although they did not do their sheets today, they were intent on watching the Bee. Maybe this will interest them in pursuing more studies. I know it is asking a lot from a 5 and 7 year old, but it would be nice to dream. On the way to the ice cream social, Tommy, Katy and I were making up problems like, "how many small school buses can fit on a big truck?" I had Tommy give me the sizes of the truck and buses and I had to figure it out. They also asked me if they evolved in my belly before they were born. What big words for them. They even used it properly.