Introduction

Hi there!

I'm Amanda, homeschooling mom. I decided to start this blog as a way to keep track of some of the day to day learning we do, as well as to share with family members and friends who wonder what in the world we could possibly learn out of school. :)

A little about my kids and how they made the plunge into homeschooling:

Raina is the oldest, age 12. She made the decision to homeschool last year, in the spring of her 6th grade year. I initially wanted her to finish the year in her public school, but she was determined to break free of the misery she was feeling, and I couldn't think of a single good reason not to liberate her. She's been loving homeschooling ever since.

Jason is 10, and practically a homeschooling professional. He's been homeschooled since kindergarten. Jason has some special learning needs, and school was not the place for him. I pulled him out in October of his kindergarten year, and we've never looked back! He flourishes in the home/world environment.

Tyler is my baby, age 8. He finished his 2nd grade year in public school and decided to join us at home for 3rd grade. He loves the freedom of learning what he wants in a way that is not boring.

Our homeschooling philosophy is pretty eclectic, but we've been growing more toward "unschooling" than anything else. I typically describe our learning as child led. The kids might tell me what they'd like to learn more about, but generally I give them experiences that they may not have known to ask for, and they learn hands on. I try to be tuned in to what they are interested in, then provide more experiences or learning opportunities from there. Jason, homeschooled the longest, has always thought that learning is fun, and Raina and Tyler are starting to remember. This has been the greatest jewel we've discovered through homeschooling: The love of learning.

The kids aren't the only ones to learn. I find myself learning more and more every day- and loving it. So much is new and exciting to me when seen through the perspectives of my children.

And just to get this out there up front- I do not know everything, nor do I claim to. My kids know that I am as capable of error as anyone else, and that I will have to research most of the questions they ask me. In the beginning, we had a family meeting where I told the kids plainly that I am their facilitator, not the teacher. I will show them how to learn and how to access the information they'd like to study. I think they are more open to having discussions with me when they know I am not going to lecture or claim to have all the answers.

My kids and I share an open dialogue on everything you can imagine. We talk about the environment and how we can better care for Mother Earth, we discuss drugs and alcohol and the effects they have on people (positive and negative), they ask questions about physics and chemistry and advanced mathematics. We talk about ethical choices, animals, trees... there really is no limit to what we discuss and ponder on a day to day basis.

I know I will not be able to adequately cover everything about our family life, or about everything we learn from our world. But I hope this glimpse into our homeschooling life provides some entertainment, especially for the doubters in the family. And even if no one reads this blog, I'm happy to have a journal of my children's lives. :)

Happy Spring!