Last week was the first week for many schools around here, but we just continued our everyday life, with company, the flu, and preserving garden produce. I felt a wee bit of concern for my ‘undereducated’ children as I watched the school busses zip by several times a day.
But, when I casually asked one school mom how the first week was, she said, “Oh, they had a lot of fun, but they didn’t learn anything!”
And, when I asked a young man who had just entered a new school, he said, “We didn’t really do anything last week. They had to find out where we all were academically before they could start.”
Also, I heard from a professor that the first week his students had not been pushed very hard at all.
Perhaps many young people were undereducated last week! Come to think of it, ours learned about tree-felling, hopscotch, salsa-making, farm life, the huge Dutch Delta Works project, music and architecture, harmful algae, autumn, making paths in the woods, ancient Egypt, baling straw, bugs, and more, including the flu.
Well, last night I lay four assignment folders out on the kitchen table for any early birds, and went to sleep anticipating a productive first week of school for us. When, at 7AM on our first day of school, three of the children were still fast asleep, I wondered if we would have more flu days. Instead we were all healthy and had a great first day, ending with a lovely meal cooked by Miss 16-Year-Old: gluten-free chicken pot pie for supper and strawberry-rhubarb pie for dessert.
Have a wonderful week of learning!
My dear friend, let me share a quote from a hs book I read a few years back. "You will accomplish more on your WORST day in home schooling than the ps will do on their BEST day." 🙂 I hope that helps you feel better about what you are accomplishing.
Plus, don't forget — though you may skip "academics" on some days, because you are hs'ing, you are ALWAYS building a strong relationship w/your dks, which may help navigate them through those teen years, w/them coming to YOU for advice, rather than their peers.
That is one thing I've stressed w/dd — no matter what you face, it is better to come to mom and dad, who have a LOT more wisdom, than to go to your peers. We have even talked in depth about some topics that are likely skipped over in a lot of homes. She knows beyond a doubt that no matter what she does, we are going to love her.
It sounds like you had a great "first day" though of cousre as you say, they are learning constantly through real life experiences. I continue to be amazed at how quickly our kids learn when I tailor their education to their specific gifts and weaknesses. We really don't need as much time as the ps does to educate our kids.
I'm glad you are healthy again.
Laraba