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...that the answer to the breadth vs. depth question--for us, anyway--is to do the breadth thing when the dc are younger. In K through about grade 5 or so, I like for them to learn a little bit about a wide range of things so they can see that there is a vast array of possibilities they can explore.

 

Then we start "transitioning" so that in middle school (6th-8th) we are gradually narrowing the focus. I encourage them to choose their interests and activities carefully. They can't commit to everything, so if they are interested in, say, music but not sports, we concentrate on piano lessons instead of soccer practice.

 

Then in high school, we go for depth. By that time, my dc have very distinct ideas about what interests them, and are beginning to get some idea of what they want to do in life. So we begin to concentrate on delving deep into those. I encourage them to look for opportunities to volunteer or take outside classes in their areas of interest. For example, EK is interested in theater and drama, so this summer, she worked as the director's assistant for a one-week drama daycamp for 6-10 year olds.

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I've learned so many things from reading this thread. Thank you all who contributed.

 

I've discovered (bear with me on this...my older dd is my first time through this) that as my older dd has grown intellectually I have adjusted my thoughts and opinions as well. I would never have realized until experiencing it myself how much she has grown in her ability to articulate what she wants to learn. She has changed so much in just one year. In 6th grade I was so concerned she would not even be able to attempt reading most of the books I had thought she would for high school. She refused to read these heavier books on her own as she doubted her own abilities. Now, only one year later, her own personal interests have grown so much. She is able to sit with me and discuss how we handle this next year. We were unable to get to all of the books for this school year and yet she decided she wanted to keep them and move them into the next school year. By meeting bi-weekly to discuss the books she choose to read on her own, and keeping a reading journal to jot down any words, ideas that confuse her for our meeting, she is confident she can handle this. She loves Shakespeare and wants to read 4 plays this year. I have also learned that keeping a well-stocked library is amazing. I was sure that many books I had wanted my older dd to read would not be read by her, but she picks them up later (sometimes a year or two later) and reads them willingly and without prompt. I think patience is key here sometimes. We want to keep them pressed to a tight plan (because if we don't we won't have time for everything we need to learn:001_smile:) and feel anxiety if we fall short of it. My dd was a late bloomer but she is blooming now. I have learned a lot about what kind of teacher I have been and what I need to be. I need to teach myself first and then I can bring the excitement and knowledge along with my well-stocked library to her.

My younger dd is definitely reaping the benefits of all of this.

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  • 9 months later...

Lisa, I've been wanting to read through this thread for a long time. I've only read the first post, and I'm so there with you. I'm excited to start reading through the hundreds of responses! It's a quiet, lazy day here. I'm putting on a pot of tea, and bumping this so I can easily find it as I read through it all day. :001_smile:

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lol-I am SO glad you bumped this. This is where I am too, trying to plan for next yr.

 

I started planning out a whole Middle Ages/Ren/Ref plan over the last week, all scheduled with MOH for the older and SOTW for the older-blah blah blah-and the last few days I've felt like chucking it and just doing cool stuff-pretend to play the stock market (TONS to learn in doing that), read Twain and Dickens all day long, learning geography from watching Rick Steves with a map in hand, or follow any rabbit trails like these....

 

I feel like that's why I wanted to homeschool, and now the reality of it doesn't look anything like my vision did. It is subject by subject, all day every day.

 

But when I've tried in the past to work at all outside the box, the skill areas suffer terribly.

Edited by HappyGrace
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  • 1 year later...

My opinion - these middle schoolers need (by the end of middle school):

 

- to consistently be able to competently write in a clear and structured manner (that includes an understanding of grammar, punctuation, spelling and a thesis statement with support for nonfiction and a theme/story arc for fiction)

- be competent with mathematics through pre-Algebra at a minimum

- be exposed to a wide variety of reading, both fiction and nonfiction

- have a fundamental understanding of the basic timeline of human history

- have a rudimentary understanding of geography (regional awareness of US states if American, and continental/regional awareness of most nations and able to locate all major nations.)

- these days, a typing speed of no less than 30/40 wpm and improving and knowledge of using a word processor

 

Anything else, IMO, is icing on the cake. Of course, use the time wisely to be exposed to art, music, science, theology, etc. It almost doesn't matter what - just spend the rest of the time not devoted to learning the above to learning *whatever*, and it's fine. If you have a student who has an intense interest in something - go for it. If you have a Jack/Jill of-of-all-trades, that's fine too. Just my two cents. :)

 

My short list isn't as long and convoluted as state core standards, but IMO those core standards are often a joke. I laugh at some of the things on there - as if every student is going to have mastery over every item on their list. It just doesn't happen.

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I really think that education should start with breadth and end in depth.

 

 

I agree heartily with this. In my oh-so-many-years of experience :laugh: I think it's okay to dabble around and get some breadth some of the time--especially in the early years. And it's okay to narrow your focus for a time or as a student gets older.

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