I feel compelled to create this blog so we can share this new and exciting adventure with all of you. Some of you may wonder how we are going about it, what do we do all day? how is our daughter learning?
Educational Approach
Before anything else is said I must let you know that my own educational background is a classical one (cant' get much more than catholic nuns in Colombia) . College and post graduate classwork have shown me that there are many ways to learn, which can be very exiting, effective and self empowering. James attended public school in Texas and continued on to Texas Tech University. We both come from very traditional educational backgrounds.
I have now been exposed to the developmental theories of Jean Piaget, Howard Gardner and Lev Vygotsky. I admire the educational approaches of John Holt, Charlotte Mason and Reggio Emilia. Having said that, my husband and I feel that it will be best to form our daughter with an eclectic educational approach. We will be using hands on activities, field trips, living books (secular), individualized home instruction, private tutoring, traditional classes and any other educational tool available to us in order to help her reach her potential. This blog will follow our adventures, discoveries, frustrations, challenges and victories as home scholars and parents in this path that we have chosen. We welcome you with open arms and appreciate any comment that you think may help us at one point or another.
Since then...
Laura has been officially out of the traditional public school setting (she was in kindergarten) for 3 weeks now. We play a lot, read for hours on end and allow her to explore her interest at whatever speed and intensity fulfills her at the time. She often chooses to sit for a long time to practice her hand writing or addition, or simply make up her own "googlie" language.
We spend our days playing with blocks, play dough, phonics, math, Spanish or Art games as much as she wants to. Last week we opened her piggie banks, counted the money and deposited it in the bank. It took the better part of the week and quite a bit of coin counting and rolling ($342)!.
We have also been going to the park, digging to China, playing kite relays, enjoying long hikes and continuing with her ice skating classes. She attends Daisy scouts meeting bi-weekly.
She just had her six birthday so now it is little pony central around here.
Curriculum
As first time home schoolers looking for the right amount of guidance and independence, we have enrolled in a local home school charter school. It is a state public school and observes the traditional school calendar as well as administers state mandated tests and school records. We now have a bit of a budget to play around with and to purchase curriculum and classes that will support her educational interests. We will be meeting with the Educational Specialist teacher assigned to us every 20 school days and supporting our needs with her expert advise. She will also be collecting samples of Laura's work for her official cumulative file.
We have looked at a number of curriculum choices and have decided to follow a variety of them as guidance based on approach. At this time we will be using "The right start " for math, exploring history and social studies with "the story of the world", science with activities at our local nature center, language arts with library books, phonics games and "handwriting without tears".
Laura will be participating in weekly semi-private music and art classes at home as well as group soccer practice and gymnastics. As you can tell, we are anything but bored around here!
As I proof read this post I see how much we have on our plate. Still, we are having lots of fun! Best of all, I know that we can modify things anytime.
Laura is adapting well to our new lifestyle and loves the different activities that make each of her days.
Above all she is as happy, sweet, friendly, outspoken, creative, inquisitive, daring and on task as always.
So far we love the home schooling experience! come back to check on us soon!
Smiles,
Stella
