Today, the kids and I drove 30 minutes or so to attend a meeting for a homeschooling group. It just so happens to be the group that is most local to us, so I'm hopeful that we will find many opportunities to interact with this group.
In fact, I think the meeting showed me a couple women I would like to socialize with just because of their sense of humor as well as their homeschooling experience. The main speaker said just what I needed to hear. The focus of her talk was on making sure we spend quality time with our children (all the time and not just while homeschooling). She also said some things that helped confirm my conviction to unschool my children (even though she is not an unschooler) as well as why I and others have trouble with the concept (and in my case beginning to institute it fully).
The goal with unschooling is to allow your child to help direct their schooling. They do this by helping determine a subject they would like to learn about and then you just DIG IN. You go to the library and check out books, you go online and do research, and you try to find interesting, hands-on ways to help solidify any abstract concepts.
One of the ways I've decided to do this is by volunteering to be the Scholastic Book Club coordinator for the group I was meeting with today. I've loved reading as far back as I can remember. In fact I still stay up till all hours of the night (ok, morning) reading "just a little more." I want my kids to have that same love. Unfortunately, one of mine is very reluctant and the other still needs to learn all her letters and their sounds. So how do I reconcile that with my desire to unschool?
My kids have participated in Scholastic in the past and they LOVED it. I figured that if it meant that I could allow my kids to be able to order books of their choosing (hoping they will be more likely to read them) while doing so at a discount, a couple hours a month of my time is well worth it.
Besides, this will force me and other Moms to interact. Maybe I'll make a new friend because of it.
Sounds quite logical to me K. Especially with the unschooling, seems like a good way to see what is piquing their interest. ~J
ReplyDeleteWho knows, maybe you will find enough people close to you that want to have their own group.
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