Tag: Common homeschooling questions

How can I teach my young child without curriculum?

Posted on by Suki

The other day I explained that curriculum is the vehicle, not the destination. New homeschoolers often work themselves into exhaustion trying to find the perfect curriculum, and often end up disappointed.

Today I want to address the idea that curriculum isn’t even always necessary, especially in the early years.

Kids live to learn

Until someone tells them that learning is hard (remember Barbie’s message about math?), kids love learning. They love the search, the discovery, and the ownership. Watch a baby trying to figure out a new toy. Learning is play; play is joy.

You don’t have to be a “radical”

Without any intervention, we see joy in exploration and learning throughout the elementary years. So-called “radical” unschoolers, who never use curriculum, believe that children will learn if you put them in the right environment.

Most homeschoolers don’t have the commitment and focus to be truly successful “radical” unschoolers. At some point, we might need a math book or a Crash Course video to help us along. But all the homeschoolers I’ve known do have the ability to make it through many years without much in the way of formal curriculum.

Meet the reluctant unschooler

Suki and book
I wrote my first book while in the thick of homeschooling two kids.

As I’ve explained in many past posts, I didn’t set out to be a homeschooler, and I certainly didn’t mean to be an unschooler. In fact, when I first started homeschooling, I remember asking another homeschooling mom to explain it to me. It just seemed preposterous!

But all of us have to teach the child we are given, and I was given a child who had a rough relationship with pencil and paper in the early years. Give him a math worksheet and there would be scribbling, paper ripping, and all-out tantruming. But “swing math“? He learned his multiplication tables in a week.

Until he started school in sixth grade, my son did very little seatwork. Each month, if we didn’t have “samples” from our daily lives to serve as documentation of learning for our public school homeschool program, we would produce some. But otherwise, life was our textbook; the world was our curriculum.

Repetition is built into the system

Think you can’t possibly cover everything the elementary school standard curriculum covers? Think again. Public school curriculum works the way a painter does. It’s not just one brush stroke over one section of wall. Each year builds on the last, often moving over the same material multiple times.

In public school, this makes sense. They are educating millions. But you’re educating a limited number of kids, and you simply don’t have to work that hard.

Don’t worry about learning “gaps”

I will write about this in more depth later. However, the fear that your child will have gaps in their learning is unfounded. All adults have gaps in their learning. For example, my husband switched schools and missed out on learning cursive. He’s a successful, well-employed adult. I grew up in the Midwest and missed out on curriculum on California missions. I filled in this gap as an adult with no problem.

When your kids are young, the world really is your classroom

  • Go for walks
  • Make friends with interesting people
  • Ask questions at stores
  • Visit the world on Google Earth
  • Visit the world around you on your bike or in your car
  • Go to museums
  • Ask people to explain their jobs
  • Get kits to build gadgets
  • Invest in open-ended toys like Snap Circuits
  • Take part in your science fair
  • Volunteer in your community
  • Take advantage of the knowledge available in your faith community
  • Find relatives or neighbors to show your children how to do things
  • Explore
  • Ask questions
  • Find answers
  • Learn
  • Learn
  • Learn

Related:

Curriculum is the vehicle; learning is the destination

Posted on by Suki

The #1 most common question I get from new homeschoolers is, “What curriculum should I use?” This is an understandable question: there’s a lot of focus on curriculum in schools, and an implication that good curriculum is the end-goal.

In homeschooling, however, it is clear that a well-educated child is the end-goal. And it occurred to me that if learning is the goal, then curriculum is a vehicle. Just like we can get to the store by driving, walking, biking, or perhaps taking public transit, there are many ways to get to learning.

Life is like walking toward learning

Right from the beginning, our children are learning. Babies show through eye movement that they are learning every second that they are awake. The world is their curriculum.

As children grow, play becomes their curriculum. We give them blocks and they learn about geometry, gravity, and cause and effect. They climb a tree and learn about the importance of secure footing, fear, and exhilaration. They play with friends and learn social-emotional skills, bartering skills, and the strength of community.

Learning vehicles can take us to new places

If we constrained our lives to only visiting places we could walk to, that would be like learning in the world directly surrounding us. It works well for hunter-gatherer societies, but not so great when you need to attain certain skills to succeed in our society and in a career.

The curriculum we choose is simply a different learning vehicle. Maybe it can take us places further in our community—that’s “car curriculum.” Maybe it can take us to faraway places very unlike our everyday life—that’s “airplane curriculum” Or maybe it can rocket us to a new plane of existence by giving us insights we never would have discovered on our own.

The destination never changes

But no matter what curriculum you use, the destination is the same. We want our kids to learn. So does it really matter which curriculum you use? It can, but I can assure you that countless homeschoolers have found that a free video they happened upon in the library sparked more learning than the beautifully packaged curriculum they purchased for hundreds of dollars.

Yes, I do appreciate well-written curriculum. I love it when teachers are able to package up their approach in a way that inspires others to try new techniques. I have great respect for the skill it takes to break down concepts and skills into a well-scaffolded structure.

But remember: curriculum is the vehicle. Sure, sometimes it’s nice to get a smooth ride in a limo. But it can be just as fun to go over bumps on a one-speed Schwinn.

You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself
any direction you choose.

Dr. Seuss

Further thoughts:

Support your teen who is learning at home

Posted on by Suki

The other day I wrote about homeschooling tips you can use with your suddenly-at-home younger kids. Today I’m addressing your teens, who may have quite different needs.

Whether your teen is homeschooled or at school in regular life, things have changed. They are now home 24/7 and that can exacerbate existing tensions. Teens thrive with independence because that’s what they are programmed to seek. If your teen doesn’t seem too thrilled at your suggestion to play a board game with the family, well, that’s not too surprising.

Trust them

First, let’s get this over with: Teens who have their parents’ trust are more likely to trust their parents, more likely to confide in them, and more likely to heed their advice. Make it clear to your teen that you trust them. Don’t forget to tell them what you admire about them.

But then, be frank with them. Make sure they’ve been exposed to non-alarmist, fact-based information about what’s happening. Then make it clear that you trust them to do the right thing.

Let ’em out

A number of my teen students have told me that their parents are keeping them inside, and not, apparently, because that’s warranted. Find out what your local and state health departments are advising. Ours, both in my county and state, are advising that non-symptomatic people get out and get fresh air and exercise—as long as they follow social distancing rules.

This is especially important for your teens. Encourage them to get out in the natural light and get some exercise. It will be good for their emotional health as well as their physical health. If they absolutely must be inside, go back to the question of trust: Make sure they understand why they’re cooped up and what the parameters are.

Explore with them

My teen and I like to give ourselves facials. And I am definitely going to ask for a fun stripe of colored hair!

Whether you are out or in, you can join your teen in their explorations. Maybe you can both learn a new skill, like bread-baking or chess. Maybe you can go to a park for a walk.

Ask your teen to show you funny videos. Do your hair together. Watch a show. They might reject you, but you can always try!

Support but don’t pressure them about academics

Chances are your teen’s academics are going to look a little different for the rest of the semester. Ask them what they need from you, but if you weren’t involved on a day-to-day level before, back off and give them some space. Remember: every single kid applying to college is going to have a story to tell about what happened this semester. A bad grade or an incomplete really won’t be the end. And it’s certainly not worth destroying your relationship over.

Love them

So many teens believe that their parents don’t love them. So many parents are convinced that their teens disdain them. In any case, we have to fight against that. Remind them that you love them, even as you let them have the independence that they seek.

Further reading: Nice article from Greater Good magazine

Temporary homeschooling tips!

Posted on by Suki

12 years ago, I came home from my younger child’s kindergarten in distress. It was clear that his developmental issues were making it impossible for him to learn in a classroom setting.

I suddenly became the world’s most reluctant homeschooler.

That experience forced me to get creative—just like millions of parents around the US are suddenly being forced to get creative due to quarantines and school closures.

You may not be in a position to become a homeschooler full-time, but here are some tips for ways that you can keep your kids—and you—from going insane in the short term.

Cure your nature deficit

Have you heard of Nature Deficit Disorder? It’s a thing. It’s one of the underlying issues in modern kids’ behavioral problems. It’s easily curable:

Go outside. Outside is a great place to be during an epidemic, as long as your family has not been quarantined due to an active infection. And even if you don’t live near actual nature, a walk on city streets gets your kids out in the natural light.

Raining? Snowing? Humans are resilient. Our bodies do fine anywhere from the edge of the Arctic to the rainforest. Put on gear, go out, get muddy, get ridiculous.

Afraid of making too much laundry? What else do you have to do?

Gamify!

Kids’ brains are wired for learning and investigation. The reason they like those video games so much is that they are engineered to take advantage of kids’ natural inclinations.

You can do it, too. Make everything you do into a ridiculous game. Have to walk somewhere because you can’t take public transit? Invent a contest for the funniest walk. Stuck in a two-level condo with energetic kids? Invent a game that involves going up and down the stairs…a lot.

Treasure hunt

There is nothing kids like more than a treasure hunt. Not convinced? Try it. If you’re not stuck inside, do a treasure hunt in your neighborhood: make a list of things they need to find. If you don’t want them to touch anything, give them a device and have them take photos. Kids are like little seeking machines—once they get into it, they’ll wear you out before they’re done. (If you’re stuck inside, hide small items like marbles around the house and give the kids buckets!)

Counting

This was often a last-ditch resort of mine, trying to keep a high-energy kid focused so we could get things done or get somewhere we needed to go. Ask them to count. How many telephone poles are there on our street? How many squirrels can you see in the next ten minutes? (Set a timer—timers are great motivation for kids.) Let’s find all the prime numbers up to a hundred.

A change of paradigm

What I tell new homeschoolers is that their new educational path is not a change of schools, it’s a change of paradigm. Your entire life shifts when you are suddenly at home with people you used to send off to school.

We’re all stuck in this new paradigm, for a while at least. Rather than fighting it, I suggest you embrace it. As the mother of one kid in college and another about to leave, I will tell you that these years go fast.

You might even create some fun memories during this time of stress and uncertainty.

Is my student ready for online courses?

Posted on by Suki

I often see this question in homeschooling and parenting groups: How do I know if online education will work for my student?

I’m not a proponent of kids sitting in front of computers all day with no real-world interaction, so if you’re looking to an answer whether you should enroll in K12 or another full-time online program, this musing won’t help you.

However, I have been teaching online courses since 2013 and I think it’s a great way for kids to access part of their education. I have also noticed some patterns in what makes students successful. Here are a few pointers to help you in your decision.

Don’t start with a hated subject

For the first class, make sure it’s in an area that your student loves. Don’t foist their most hated subject on them for their first online course. I see this all the time: “My student is struggling with math so I’m going to try an online course.”

If your student already loves online learning, certainly, give it a try. But for the first course, choose something that your student is passionate about.

Make sure the teacher runs an interactive, creative classroom

Not all online courses are made the same. Your student will have the highest likelihood of success with support from a live teacher who makes learning fun.

Find out what specific skills your student will need

There are some skills that are essential. For example, I get students who don’t know how to copy and paste on their computer. I can’t stop class to show them.

There are also skills specific to each course. Students in my history of music class need to know how to start and stop audio and how to move to a specific timestamp within the recording.

I made this video for kids who are taking my classes to explain the basic skills they will need.

Monitor your child’s engagement

You’re going to be tempted to get your own work done during your child’s online class. I understand: I wanted to do the same thing with mine. However, if you have any concern about whether your child will thrive in the course, do not walk out of the room during the first three classes. Pretend you’re working on another computer or absorbed in a book. Observe your child’s engagement and interaction.

If it doesn’t work…

Students who are ready for online education should do fine. They may complain if the class isn’t fun or is not at the right level for them without showing any particular distress.

But some students are clearly not ready:

  • They check out and start playing games on their computers.
  • They disrupt discussions intentionally or unintentionally by not staying on topic.
  • The teacher may even contact you about their behavior or lack of engagement.

My recommendation is not to push it the first time. If your child is bored or disruptive in class, chalk one up to experience and withdraw them from the class. (Don’t ask for a refund if the class doesn’t work for your child—online teachers can’t work with kids who aren’t ready to be in an online environment.)

When is the right time?

Most children have a point where online learning starts working for them, but it’s not any specific age. The best thing to do, when it doesn’t seem that the student is ready, is not to push too hard. Forcing them to stay in a class when they are getting nothing out of it will punish them (and the teacher and other students) and may create a permanent aversion.

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