What should I include in a presentation about educating at home?

[TKDmom]

This year we are having Christmas at my in-laws house. They have decided that, instead of exchanging gifts between family members, they would like us to share our knowledge about specific topics that we have experience with. Every night for the next week or so, they want a couple of us to spend about 20 min talking about an assigned topic. So, as the token homeschooler in the family, my assigned topic is "preparing to educate at home". I've known about this for a month, but I'm totally at a loss for how to present such a broad topic. I seriously doubt that any of my sisters-in-law want to be preached to about the benefits of homeschooling, and why they should teach their children at home.

 

I'm thinking about spending a few minutes talking about my reasons for homeschooling, then talking about some of the things that I've read about in The Read-Aloud Handbook and the Well-Educated Mind.

 

WWYD? Any ideas or suggestions? I need some specific ideas, and I'm tired of asking dh, only to get a shrug and, "that sounds good." ;)

[Julie in Austin]

If this were me, my main goal would be not to irk by SILs. I would begin with "All parents teach their children at home . . . and here are some fun ways to do it!" I'd share read-alouds, science experiments, SOTW, online stuff, educational board games, etc., etc. that any family might enjoy doing. I would not really mention full-time homeschooling at all.

[SonshineLearner]

If this were me, my main goal would be not to irk by SILs. I would begin with "All parents teach their children at home . . . and here are some fun ways to do it!" I'd share

:iagree::iagree::iagree::iagree:

:D

 

Carrie

[Denise in Florida]

I agree with Julie. You might mention that homeschooling is really an extension of all the things most parents already do with their children. Ex, taking them to museums and parks, helping them choose and care for a pet, reading books together, etc.

 

Talk about how much fun children can have while learning. Do a few 'show and tells' with science, games, or read-alouds. Mention the wide variety a homeschool methods and philosophies. If you are comfortable with humor you could poke fun at a few sterotypes.

[Garga]

Have you considered picking a new topic?

 

Let me get this right. Instead of giving physical gifts, you're giving the gift of knowledge. You each get up and teach each other something. Then, the listeners can use the knowledge they've just gained? Is that it?

 

If that's the case, then what benefit will it be for your family members to learn about homeschooling? How will they use the info you pass on to them?

 

You'll need to think of your end goal, or purpose, to your talk. Is it to teach them how to teach their kids? Because, if that's the goal, then there could be trouble. Even if you couch it as suggested above (ways that all parents can educate their kids at home) it may come across that you think your sil's aren't able to figure out how to take their kids to museums on their own.

 

Maybe you could give a talk just in general about homeschoolers, debunking the myths about homeschoolers. Maybe the point of your talk won't be how to teach your family how to teach kids, but rather the point of the talk could be to explain homeschoolers in general. The general reasons people do it, and then answering the usual questions (socialization, emotional development, blah, blah.)

 

I'm not sure I'd talk too much about person experience, as much as a general talk about all the homeschoolers. Maybe talk about the 'spectrum' of homeschoolers, from unschoolers all the way to rigorous school-at-home type homeschoolers.

 

If you decide to do that kind of talk, then go online to read a few articles that other people have written about why they homeschool, or the top 10 homeschool myths and base your talk on that.

 

I'm rambling... I hope I made sense. I'm supposed to be cleaning the litter boxes and I'm trying to put it off by writing long, rambling messages on the wtm board.

Edited December 23, 2009 by Garga

[LibraryLover]

And I thought my family was off. :001_smile::tongue_smilie::lol:

 

Having to prepare a presentation instead of getting a gift? I would so choose not getting a gift.

[TKDmom]

And I thought my family was off. :001_smile::tongue_smilie::lol:

 

Having to prepare a presentation instead of getting a gift? I would so choose not getting a gift.

 

 

:lol:

 

We're all trying not to roll our eyes at my in-laws. I think it could be a nice idea. Sort of. But really. I'm supposed to be on vacation.

 

If this were me, my main goal would be not to irk by SILs. I would begin with "All parents teach their children at home . . . and here are some fun ways to do it!" I'd share read-alouds, science experiments, SOTW, online stuff, educational board games, etc., etc. that any family might enjoy doing. I would not really mention full-time homeschooling at all.

 

 

Thanks for the ideas. I wish I'd brought SOTW and my science experiment book along with me. Maybe I'll compile a list of resources that aren't homeschool-specific I do like the idea of just talking about how everyone teaches at home. I hadn't really considered that. That's why I come to these boards. :001_wub:

[lgm]

Sounds like a fun idea. I wouldn't focus on Homeschooling..reminds me of that Mark Twain quote "Education consists mainly in what we have unlearned." I'd focus instead on the idea that families throughout history have used the resources they have available to educate their children at home.

 

I'd lay it out like this

 

Preparing to Educate at Home

 

I. Intro

 

II. What is Education ?

a. definition

b.-? different philosophies of education that you are prepared to talk about. If your sils use a school, perhaps describe Jesuit or Catholic as well as the homeschool philosophy you use.

 

III. History of Home Education

Chronologically....it's interesting to people who've never really considered that all but the elites were taught at home until compulsory schooling came into existence...

 

 

III. How Does One Prepare to educate at home today?

 

A. The teacher's preparation

B. The student's preparation

 

IV. Wrap-up

[LibraryLover]

An outline?!!?! Sounds awesome, but exhausting. I would cry if my in-laws wanted this as gift.

 

Good luck, Bonnie! You can do this- and you sound like such a good sport about it all. :)

 

Sounds like a fun idea. I wouldn't focus on Homeschooling..reminds me of that Mark Twain quote "Education consists mainly in what we have unlearned." I'd focus instead on the idea that families throughout history have used the resources they have available to educate their children at home.

 

I'd lay it out like this

 

Preparing to Educate at Home

 

I. Intro

 

II. What is Education ?

a. definition

b.-? different philosophies of education that you are prepared to talk about. If your sils use a school, perhaps describe Jesuit or Catholic as well as the homeschool philosophy you use.

 

III. History of Home Education

Chronologically....it's interesting to people who've never really considered that all but the elites were taught at home until compulsory schooling came into existence...

 

 

III. How Does One Prepare to educate at home today?

 

A. The teacher's preparation

B. The student's preparation

 

IV. Wrap-up

[TKDmom]

Let me get this right. Instead of giving physical gifts, you're giving the gift of knowledge. You each get up and teach each other something. Then, the listeners can use the knowledge they've just gained? Is that it?

 

Yes, I think that was the idea

 

If that's the case, then what benefit will it be for your family members to learn about homeschooling? How will they use the info you pass on to them?

 

You'll need to think of your end goal, or purpose, to your talk. Is it to teach them how to teach their kids? Because, if that's the goal, then there could be trouble. Even if you couch it as suggested above (ways that all parents can educate their kids at home) it may come across that you think your sil's aren't able to figure out how to take their kids to museums on their own.

 

 

I think my goal is to share ideas with them for educating their kids. I get along well with dh's family. I don't think it would come across the wrong way to share ideas that they could have thought of on their own. I'm pretty sure all of us are going to be hearing some things we already knew, mixed in with (maybe) some new info. I'm hoping (but not necessarily expecting) that our presentations will be informal enough to lead into fun, interesting discussions.

 

I'm pretty sure that most of dh's family (except MIL) think I'm half crazy to homeschool, and I think I want to show them a little of what I do. And that it really can be fun.

Edited December 23, 2009 by bonniebeth4

[SonshineLearner]

You could also do a general list of what's available to use for homeschooling that is very general and not "homeschool specific". For example.... Bake for fractions... Nature Magazine for Science... Monopoly for Free Enterprise...

 

Maybe a cute poem... That's what my mom does...

 

:-)

 

Carrie

[Samiam]

How about keep it interactive, like having a science experiment that everyone can help participate with. I like the PP's about "We all teach at home...here's how it can be fun" thought process....give a few blurbs about it and then go right into a little science topic, and then the experiment. Keep it lively!

[Garga]

I think my goal is to share ideas with them for educating their kids. I get along well with dh's family. I don't think it would come across the wrong way to share ideas that they could have thought of on their own. I'm pretty sure all of us are going to be hearing some things we already knew, mixed in with (maybe) some new info. I'm hoping (but not necessarily expecting) that our presentations will be informal enough to lead into fun, interesting discussions.

 

I'm pretty sure that most of dh's family (except MIL) think I'm half crazy to homeschool, and I think I want to show them a little of what I do. And that it really can be fun.

 

Got it! Maybe outline your day and focus a lot on the hands-on stuff. Nature walks, SOTW projects. Too bad you didn't know in advance to bring examples of stuff you've already done.

[cougarmom4]

Maybe "A Day in the Life of a Homeschooler..." and then go through your schedule and share what you do. You could add the funny things that occasionally pop up to mess up the schedule, too.

[Carol in Cal.]

I have a relative who lecture us (at a funeral! For my grandmother, actually!) about all the people throughout history who were schooled at home. It was so annoying. Whenever I advise someone to pass the bean dip, it's in honor of that unfortunate memory.

 

I might approach it informatively. Without actually saying so, I would divert the question of WHETHER to homeschool to the question of HOW to homeschool. And I would convey that I had studied ways to homeschool and homeschooling curricula a lot.

 

My outline would be something like this:

 

Approaches to homeschooling

--Charlotte Mason

--Unschooling

--Eclectic

--Mandated for Christians/Christian separatist

--Classical

 

I would describe each like this:

1. One sentence about how it works

2. One sentence about what is good about it

3. One sentence about what is not so good about it for your family

 

This would go very fast. I could cover these all in about 1-2 minutes each, while smiling and nodding as if I were calm.

 

Then I would say which one I picked (or which combo) and why, and what my homeschool is called and why. I would list the specific areas of study we were pursuing, and also would talk about the children having more free time to pursue their own interests while still achieving a good education. Personally, I would talk about how I reconsider this year by year--YMMV, but I have never been determined to homeschool no matter what all the way through high school--whatever suits you would be great here. This would take another 5-7 minutes total.

 

I would close with some general remarks about homeschooling having matured and come into the mainstream as an OPTION for families to consider as they raise their children under God in the best way they see fit, and say that it's working out great for our family and that we respect other good choices educationally as well; that every parent has the obligation to see to it that their children are educated well and raised with character and that there are many good paths to this goal. (Conciliatory but confident tone here). Maybe two more minutes.

 

And that would be it. Not a lot of room for controversy if you're not trying to justify yourself or convey that you might possibly be judging yourself superior for having make this choice.

[Bonnie in VA]

I would discuss the three parts of the trivium (grammar, logic, rhetoric) if this is what you're doing. I think it is fascinating, and you can adjust the focus so it is as much or as little about homeschooling as you want it to be.