Back in August I announced there would be “no more school time” round here – at least for a while – as we take another step towards unschooling.
I thought I’d post a monthly round-up of how unschooling is going. (Yes I know it’s mid-October already, but we went away for a week at the start of this month so I’m a bit behind. It’s a hard life ;-))
What’s been going well
C(9) and J(8) have been busy with their own projects – individually and together – and I don’t think I’ve suggested anything they haven’t wanted to do. (Hurray!)
We’ve followed our usual routine of copywork and maths, and we’ve done some fun history projects (more on these soon).
We’ve been reading aloud Understood Betsy, a delightful tale I first came across on a homeschool blog a couple of years ago. (Thank you, if it was yours!)
We made machines using air pressure and water pressure.
And I’ve been delighted to see C(9) spontaneously creating art again, which she hadn’t done for a while. As well as painting and art journaling, she excitedly seized some packaging the minute I unwrapped an Amazon delivery, to make into a room set. I love it when that happens!
We had plenty of time to enjoy being outdoors.
And I had time to try out some new recipes I found at my new favourite food website, MOMables.
What I’m working on
This month I intend to be a bit more organised about planning maths and science projects. I have so many ideas in my head and on Evernote, but I need to plan specific days to actually suggest them to the children.
I’m also excited about beginning SQUILT, which looks beautifully simple to use, even for a musical ignoramus like me.
Changes I’m planning
I’ve suggested to the kids that on weekdays we try and hang out together a few hours a day in our family room, even if we’re each doing our own thing.
Without “school time” bringing us together, I’ve found there are days when I lose the kids to their rooms. While that can be quite appealing to the introvert in me, I think we might get more learning done if we spend at least some time together!
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Please bear with me if posts are a bit sparse for the next few weeks – poor Fun Dad has just broken his ankle wakeboarding, so won’t be available for his usual cooking and chauffeuring back-up. Please send healing vibes for a fast recovery, for all our sakes!
I’m appreciatively linking up here:
Homegrown Learners – Collage Friday
Weird Unsocialized Homeschoolers – Weekly Wrap-Up
Homeschool Mother’s Journal
How sweet, you are learning to write in Russian! Let me know if you need any help or advice (I am Russian))). Pleased to see your new schedule is working great for you guys.
I didn’t know you were Russian, Elena! How interesting!
We just looked a little at the Cyrillic alphabet when we studied Russian history recently (I’m intending to post about it). We were fascinated by the story of how the script was created.
I did try to learn a bit of Russian using an earworms app last year. I think I got as far as asking for tea with lemon! I would like to go back to it some time, for sure. I met a few nice Russian people on holiday last week in Turkey.
Thank you for the offer of help 🙂
So glad to see that your new schedule is working out 🙂 I’ve taken a turn, and I started about this time last year loosening things up and not planning so much. I still gather resources, and we discuss our interest in doing them, and my kids are makers so we make a lot of stuff, but there’s constant tweaking and flow between what is parent-led and what is child-led in our house….Sorry for hubby’s broken ankle. Hope it heals quickly!!
Thanks, Rebecca 🙂 Your family sounds very like ours – in a constant state of flux! Which seems to be suiting us very well, fortunately!
I think the unschooling lifestyle really works for you! It’s really good to see the children engaging in their own projects. I love your children’s spontaneity and initiative. Those are excellent life skills to have!
Hope your husband gets well soon. Having a broken ankle is no fun.
Thank you, Hwee 🙂
Lucinda,
I’m so sorry to hear your husband broke his ankle. Some years ago my husband broke his leg playing touch football. It was in a cast for 7 weeks and I had to do everything for him, including putting on his socks! But Andy discovered he could cook by sitting on a stool in the kitchen, and getting one of the girls to run around and bring him everything he needed. It was a difficult time for all of us though, but good in the fact we had lots of unexpected time together as Andy couldn’t drive to work and had to stay home. I hope you are coping and that your husband doesn’t feel too frustrated not being able to do everything as normal. Prayers for a speedy healing!
Thank you so much for your prayers and words of encouragement, Sue.
James is doing a fine job of chipping in, bless him. He peeled the veg for today’s roast, even if he couldn’t take C(9) to her rugby festival! I’m sure you’re right. As Ma Ingalls would have said, “there’s no great loss without some small gain” 🙂
You all are up to wonderful activities. I hope your husband recovers quickly. I know how hard it is to have one or the other parent down.
Blessings, Dawn
Thank you so much for your kind wishes, Dawn – I appreciate them very much 🙂
I am so sorry to hear about your hubby’s ankle. I do hope he heals well and quickly. Your unschooling experiment seems to be working quite well.
Thank you, Phyllis!
Oh no!! I hope his recover is swift. I myself am limping around with an ankle injury and man do they seem to take forever to heal!!
Fascinating. I am new here, so I am curious how you are moving your homeschool to the unschool approach. Have you blogged about that? I would love to read about that journey. I don’t know that I could stay indoors if we were stationed in England. I have wanted to visit there for-ever!
Hi Kay 🙂 My sympathies on your ankle injury – I hope you get there soon with the healing!
Our journey towards unschooling has been something of an organic unfolding, so I’m not sure I’ve specifically written about changing to it as a homeschool style. But I think I’ve tagged a few posts in my unschooling category.
The latest step has been implementing a “no more school time” experiment. This post is the first of my monthly updates about how the experiment’s going.
Thank you for stopping to say hello 🙂
I love your moving toward unschooling. It is so lovely to have them explore what they love. I love unschooling!! Even though ours is a bit structured because Keilee wants it that way. I love all the wonderful pictures. Love the hoover craft and theme park pics!! And the outdoor pictures are wonderful. How much fun you always look like you are all having. I am so sorry about “Dad”. Praying for a swift recovery! Off to check out Momables. 🙂
Thank you so much, Karen 🙂 You and Keilee are a big inspiration to us in our unschooling journey! I absolutely love reading about and seeing your wonderful photos and videos of Keilee’s learning adventures.
Hello! Welcome back from Turkey. You seriously need to pack me in somewhere on all your wonderful trips. I’d be very good. Actually, I probably wouldn’t. Take me at your own risk!!
So sorry to hear about hubby’s ankle. I hope he recovers quickly. At least he got it doing something he loved. Far better that way than simply falling down some stairs. (I’m so glass half full!!)
I’m chuffed the unschool experience is such a positive one for you all. Your children are obviously thriving and you sound like you are too.
LOL Claire – I think you’d be a hoot on holiday! Anytime! 😀
Yes I said that to James about his ankle. I think he felt marginally less foolish telling his colleagues he injured it wakeboarding than any other way, too!