Enjoying school

[blondeviolin]

My kids don't hate school. They participate, but it's not beloved. They like history and science, and morning meeting. But the majority of the 3Rs are boring apparently: spelling, writing, and math (depending on the kid). They still have to do those subjects but I feel like they don't like those things enough that they take forever to do it or they complain about it.

 

So...what do you do for those subjects that they need to practice but it just grates on them? Some of my kids dislike LA stuff and some dislike math so I really have someone dragging their feet either way.

[Critterfixer]

Some things are just going to be complaint worthy from time to time. But sometimes you can make routine practice entertaining. I remember having my boys run laps around the house yelling out meanings to Latin vocabulary words. Spelling drill was made interesting by allowing each child to start in a corner and get a step forward to "catch me" if they spelled the word correctly. Math nearly always is better with an infusion of chocolate. Writing is more interesting when the copywork is a topic of interest, or if there is a humorous angle to an assignment.

[Jackie]

Honestly, I simply don't believe everything in life (or in education) needs to be fun. My kid doesn't like brushing her hair or putting on sunscreen, but these are necessary things and I'm not going out of my way to make them more pleasant.

 

We alternate our more fun subjects with our not-so-fun subjects in our school day so there isn't a big block of perceived drudgery or frustration.

[rose]

I agree with others. Some things are just work. That's OK because that's what adult life is like too. It's training. That doesn't mean that we can't add some fun to it but when it's all fun then they expect you to up the stakes because the fun activities now become not fun enough. With age they'll start to realise that dragging their feet only keeps them away from what they really want to do.

[Cake and Pi]

Sand timers have helped my kids.  When they know a subject they dread will, indeed, end, they fight less over doing it.  Sometimes they like to try to "beat" the timer, too.

 

I've been known to bribe with chocolate chips, sometimes for completing work, but usually for keeping a good attitude during non-favorite subjects.

 

I also have a rule that school work must be finished before they get their 30 minutes of screen time.

[PeterPan]

While it could be an attitude problem, it could also be the materials. WTM straight recs aren't known for being joyful. WWS1 at that age is pretty aggressive for some kids. Your math (Saxon and CLE?) is all incremental/spiral.

 

You might ask them which is WORSE right now, the LA or the math, and offer to change whichever is the worse fit. The LA would be the easier to change, and even then it might just be FLL and the writing. With those ages, it would be easy to shake up. Then you'd only be staying firm on *1* thing. I can understand wanting continuity across a bunch of kids. 

[Cake and Pi]

While it could be an attitude problem, it could also be the materials. WTM straight recs aren't known for being joyful. WWS1 at that age is pretty aggressive for some kids. Your math (Saxon and CLE?) is all incremental/spiral.

 

You might ask them which is WORSE right now, the LA or the math, and offer to change whichever is the worse fit. The LA would be the easier to change, and even then it might just be FLL and the writing. With those ages, it would be easy to shake up. Then you'd only be staying firm on *1* thing. I can understand wanting continuity across a bunch of kids. 

 

   :iagree:

 

And I forgot to mention that I have totally changed currics for kids just because they hated them enough.  I figure if there are tears, no learning is happening anyway, so why bother?  

[blondeviolin]

While it could be an attitude problem, it could also be the materials. WTM straight recs aren't known for being joyful. WWS1 at that age is pretty aggressive for some kids. Your math (Saxon and CLE?) is all incremental/spiral.

 

You might ask them which is WORSE right now, the LA or the math, and offer to change whichever is the worse fit. The LA would be the easier to change, and even then it might just be FLL and the writing. With those ages, it would be easy to shake up. Then you'd only be staying firm on *1* thing. I can understand wanting continuity across a bunch of kids.

I've totally asked and made sure they're on board with what we've got planned. I'm not beyond changing curriculum if there are tears daily. That's not really what we're dealing with here. (My oldest is language advanced. We haven't even started WWS, but I don't anticipate too much trouble with it.). My oldest son has some sort of language-based learning disorder, so I'm making sure we're moving slowly for him. He actually is 2E, though, and is my first to complete stuff so he can do what he wants.

 

I just don't want school to be a drudgery, you know? Luckily they don't think science and history are "school" even. So they're enjoying those subjects.

 

I'm fine with it not being jumping up to finish everything by 10am and sunshine and rainbows. i just remember really enjoying school as a child. I was a gifted kid in public school who really enjoyed my teachers (not so much my peers). My parents are here and they are quite enjoying discussing history and topics they find interesting with them, so I know they are doing fine. I just don't want them to remember hating homeschooling (even thought they've all chosen it this year).

[LMD]

what helped somewhat here for my oldest is more autonomy. I gave her much more leeway in choosing what to work on - Regentrude was my inspiration here. I figured that if she was engaged then she's learning. So she had options to choose from on a list for maths. LA is a little less free, but I try to integrate much of it into other subjects so it's quicker and less painful.

[lllll]

nm

Edited September 6, 2017 by lllllll

[MerryAtHope]

It sounds like they each only have one subject that they really dislike (it's just that different ones dislike different subjects--which is harder on mom since there's always something that someone doesn't like!). Honestly, I just expected them to not like something. Like others, if there were daily tears, I found either better methods for teaching or different curriculum when necessary. If it was just a general dislike, I asked things like, "What could we change to make this subject better?" Sometimes they had a valid suggestion--other times, all they could think of was, "Not do it?!" Sometimes you can help with a dislike, and sometimes it's just "suck it up, buttercup." :-). 

 

If there is foot-dragging, I used incentives like competition (Let's see who can finish first, you with your math page or me with folding this laundry. Ready...go!). Or I limited the time. One year I taped $5 in the back of my kids' math books, just to "sweeten the deal" a bit. Some people use a homeschool "store" concept and let their kids earn "bucks" each week towards items in a store that mom stocks (little snacks, toy cars, parts of lego sets, dollar store toys...) I never felt that energetic but things like that can make school fun. 

[shadah]

For us, things that were "boring" were either too easy or too hard. Math became bearable when we switched to something that fit her better. I also backed up a grade and built confidence. Language arts were too easy and too repetitive. We switched things up and went up a level. I thought it would be too much, but I think we've finally got something that is challenging enough to keep interest and build skills.

[OneStepAtATime]

Maybe some material has more repetition/review than they need? And maybe shaking things up once in a while might help? For instance, I found that with math (CLE) the program worked well for us but they also needed a different approach sometimes and less review in areas they were strong. Crossing out a few problems was very inspiring for them. Adding in some logic puzzles and doing Beast Academy on the side also increased momentum and enthusiasm.

[fralala]

For us, things that were "boring" were either too easy or too hard. Math became bearable when we switched to something that fit her better. I also backed up a grade and built confidence. Language arts were too easy and too repetitive. We switched things up and went up a level. I thought it would be too much, but I think we've finally got something that is challenging enough to keep interest and build skills.

 

This is such a good point! I have talked to my teacher friends about this, and they agree: "Boring" is often a code word for something that isn't at the right level.

 

With that said, if things are at the right level and kids just would prefer to be doing something else (and I think sometimes at home, with lots of siblings, including young siblings who don't have to do school yet, this can be a big factor in not enjoying schoolwork), I think it's normal for them to complain. However, in my house, that is TOTALLY unwelcome because it make me not enjoy my children. I have told them I am happy they share their feelings with me about many things in life, but with lessons we are going to fake it till we make it because we can actually change some of our negative feelings by approaching things with a good attitude. I praise good attitudes. I reward good attitudes related to schoolwork. This is important to me. I don't mind hearing specific concerns-- they don't like a specific lesson, or program, or amount of practice-- but I don't want to hear vague, negative-attitude-type things such as "This is boring" because it doesn't help me make lessons more enjoyable and it just mires them (and ME) in a very negative place.

 

So for your kids that are old enough, I don't think it would hurt to call a family meeting and set some ground rules on negativity while seriously taking their suggestions and writing them down and seeing what you might be able to change on your side. But it also may partially be that you do have those little ones who are, presumably, running around and playing and having fun and freedom, so instead of thinking of yourself as doing poorly as a teacher (not making things fun enough), it might be worth it just to realize that your house and family relationships are so cozy they'd like to be making their own choices about what to do there. Could that partially be it?

[G5052]

Mine never liked school. They had some subjects they like more than others, but there were other things they liked more.

 

So I taught them that there are many things in life that we don't like, but they're still important. When they got to about 3rd or 4th grade, I said no complaints unless the curriculum or book is too hard or too confusing. You have to get your work done, period. I gradually turned over the responsibility to get it done to them.

 

My son had one of the highest PSAT scores in the county, and graduated in May from the local community college as the top business student at all campuses. He is going to a selective 4-year to finish up. He still doesn't like school, but he sees the need and takes ownership of his studies.

 

I expect the same of my younger one who starts college next week. Same attitude towards school, but she makes it work.