What They've Gained

So, I talked a little about some of the things the kids have lost since making the decision to leave public school. Now it's time to talk about what they've gained!

1. Curiosity. True, they've always been curious little critters, but my kids have exploded with curiosity since being "deschooled." They question everything- how the world works, why people act the way they do, how stores and companies operate, everything about nature, space, cooking... I could go on and on! They love to have discussions, to ask questions, and to find answers.

2. Time. They now have time to explore their interests. Time has become their friend, rather than the enemy. They have tons and tons of free time to figure out what they want to do, and to cultivate these interests.

3. Love of reading. Prior to homeschooling, my kids were averse to reading. I was devastated- how could I possibly have kids that didn't love to read? I started reading young and my childhood was filled with books. I wanted that for my kids, too, but they viewed reading as a chore, another useless school task to dread. They loved being read to when they were young, and they eagerly dove into learning to read. But mandatory reading logs, book reports, etc. took away the joy. After they stopped going to school, reading became one of their favorite pastimes. Tyler is an avid reader. His comprehension and reading speed have increased tremendously. Jason is still struggling with his learning disabilities, but he's eager to read and never stops trying. Raina goes through periods where she reads a lot and then doesn't read as much (same as me!) But the main message here is that they no longer dread the written word... they've actually learned to enjoy reading.

4. Ability to learn in numerous ways. My boys play a lot of video games. A lot of video games, particularly in the winter. Some people (people who don't understand our process of learning) think that's all they do. And sometimes it feels like they are spending too much time on their computers or playing video games. But then I remind myself that computer/video games have evolved immensely since I was a kid. Gone are the days of moving a 2D character across the screen. Today's games incorporate map reading, history (especially weaponry, historical society, etc.), class structure, commerce, mathematical reasoning, trade, critical thinking, reading, and so much more. I'm often stunned when my boys demonstrate knowledge about something I don't remember exposing them to, only to find out they learned it while playing Runescape or World of Warcraft. And when my kids are given fairly unlimited time to play the games they want to play, they eventually get tired of what they are doing and move on to something else. My kids spend tons of time playing outside (last summer their favorite activity was playing Survivorman, modeled after the Discovery show.) They like to play games (yes, even the educational ones.) They enjoy field trips to the Museum of Science, the zoo, the aquarium, living history museums, the ocean, hiking in the woods, and just about any place I drag them out to. (And the vast majority of the time, they leave their computers without too much distress.) Chemistry experiments in the kitchen are favorite activities. We read together, from history books (the interesting ones, not the text books), science books, interesting fiction. If I come across an article online that I find interesting, I read it to the kids and we discuss it. If they are curious about something, we discuss it, and if I don't know enough about it, we research it. There are so many ways to learn, and none of the ways we choose have anything to do with a workbook. (Of course, the other night Tyler pulled out a Spanish work book that I bought him a year ago, per his request. He did 20 pages in it. Did I mention this was at 10pm? His choice!)

5. Confidence. Sure, they have moments of insecurity. (Don't we all?) But all of my children walk with their shoulders back, their heads up, ready to try the next new thing. They are fearless. If someone criticizes them, they deal with it and move on. Raina, a young teenager, loves to be social, but follows her own rules. They have a good, strong sense of right and wrong, and though they make mistakes, they are aware of their principals.

6. Ability to make mistakes. This is a big one for me. My kids have always feared making mistakes, despite my assurances that in order to learn, they had to make mistakes. I've spent a great deal of time pointing out the good things that come from mistakes. We've studied various scientists and explorers who made mistakes that turned out well. I've pointed out when I've made mistakes, and how it hasn't been horrible. They are learning that some mistakes require some reparations, and others are opportunities to keep trying until we accomplish what we wanted. Still others show us something new that we may not have known, or help us to learn in a more concrete way.

7. Effective use of resources. When we first started homeschooling, I poured a lot of money into what I thought we had to have. (Expensive books! Schooly type materials! Expensive educational programs!) We've since figured out that we can utilize the library (we LOVE inter-library loans!), Netflix, online sources (do you know how many FREE programs are out there for learning? Anything you want to learn, you can find videos, games, curriculum for. Did I mention there's a ton of it... FREE?) Nature hikes teach us a ton. The internet is truly a homeschooler's best friend. Cable tv has its uses, too. Documentaries, educational programming, news stories, OH MY! We have maps on the walls, we travel in our car (best way to learn geography!) and we keep our minds open. How's THAT for a resource?

8. Leadership. My kids come to work with me at my part time job at the Recreation Department, where I teach toddler classes. They have grown so much in their abilities to interact with young children in a positive, mentoring fashion. Each one of them is able to act as an assistant teacher when they want to. They can set up activities, clean up after art, snack, and free play, guide the children in appropriate play, read to the kids, model pro-social behavior, and entertain the children. The young kids look up to these "big kids," and that admiration fuels their self-esteem. At home, my kids love to learn how to cook, and love to be included in decision making. They are young leaders in the making. Yes, someday my kids will rule the world. ;)

9. Ability to think outside of the box. The way my kids think blows me away. The questions they ask are so intelligent, the thoughts they have are extraordinary. (Yeah, I know. Everyone thinks their kids are extraordinary.) I encourage them to think of numerous points of view in every situation, to think of different ways of solving problems. They never let me down in the thinking department.

I'm going to stop here for now, not because this is a comprehensive list, but because things are chaotic here and it's hard to focus. (Life is happening all around me, demanding my attention!)

I'll be posting more in the future.

Keep learning!