Relaxed homeschoolers...what are your must do subjects?

[Sue G in PA]

As we are moving toward a more relaxed style of schooling...call it unschooling, ecclectic, relaxed, etc...I was wondering what you would consider the "must do" subjects. You know, the ones that the child doesn't have any room to negotiate? I'm thinking math, for one, and a set time for reading (if the child can read independently) each day. I'm also contemplating making WWE a non-negotiable subject for each day so he gets in some writing...otherwise he wouldn't do any. Then, I have our read aloud, which they all enjoy. I'm cutting out TV and video games for a certain period of time each day to force ds8 to engage in other types of activities...he can be addicted to TV and video games. What else would you consider non-negotiable? I'm still in the planning stages of this new, more relaxed method of schooling (the interest-driven approach) and quite scared b/c ds8 doesn't seem to be interested in ANYTHING that isn't Star Wars, TV, video games or playing outside in the snow. So, just trying to find that happy medium where he isn't falling "behind" but not being brought to tears everyday (him or me!!). Thanks.

[ElizabethB]

When we have light days, we just do the 3 R's. If I'm feeling sick or something, we at least do math, that's the subject my daughter has the most trouble with.

 

Also, she gets more work if she whines! OK, you whined about math, you get to do one more page. You were going to have to do 1, now you get to do 2. That took a few weeks to sink in, but has been very helpful, there is rarely whining now. I don't get angry or upset, I just matter-of-factly add in more work. If she complains about doing CW, she gets to do both CW and FLL although we usually alternate them. Complaining about handwriting, extra words to write...

 

I found it works best if I just quietly announce this while grabbing an additional book if applicable.

 

I'm not really that unschoolish, but I do try to honor reasonable requests and get things that interest her when possible. I am also big on efficiency and results and am willing to shorten time for hard work--you can sometimes learn more in a focused 10 minutes of work than an hour of unfocused quasi-listening. Certain subjects, like foreign language, are not as amenable to shortening, however.

 

(The new extra work for whining plan has been successful for 2 or 3 months running.)

Edited February 19, 2010 by ElizabethB

[Heather in VA]

Well I don't consider myself relaxed/unschooler, but I do have subjects that are non-negotiable and others that are done in a more relaxed style - kind of in the LCC tradition.

 

For us the strict/non-negotiable subjects are math, Classical Writing and Latin (for my 5th grader) or math, phonics and copy work (for my 1st grader). My high schooler isn't set up this way because when you are talking about high school credits etc - you have to do all subjects.

 

Heather

[TracyR]

Reading, Handwriting/Writing and Math. Everything else is just gravy for elementary aged students.

If I am not feeling well ,reading and math get done.

[lovemykids]

(I meant to say that I agree with Tracy R.) I agree with this, although I would also strongly stress writing. At that age copywork is sufficient, and it is important, so as not to struggle with the physical act of writing. In addition, they will learn so much from copywork!

 

We do math, reading, and writing. If all we do is read about science or history on a tough day instead of actually doing a “curriculum” that is considered enough (for that day). If I feel the day is getting away from us, and we are not going to make it to history that day, I may suggest a history book for free reading time. I also leave history and science books lying around in baskets and on end tables, etc. So there are many times when they are educating themselves on their own accord.

Edited February 19, 2010 by lovemykids

[MelanieM]

I wouldn't say we have must-do subjects, but there are certainly things that I feel are integral to a good education, and that are important to me as far as my kids are concerned. That includes a good grasp of mathematical concepts, the ability to clearly convey an idea (written and oral), and solid reading comprehension. Now, the reason I say we don't have must-do subjects even though these things are important to me, is because I feel like this can be achieved easily (especially at elementary level) without formal school work. So I keep it in mind, but we don't always "school" this stuff.

 

As you do your planning, you might consider how you can piggyback your must-do subjects onto his interests. For example, maybe he could find a penpal who is also obsessed with Star Wars (I only wish my 4.75 yr old could write! he's driving us all crazy with the constant SW chatter! lol!) and write a letter once a week; he could plan out SW battles to determine how many droids are needed to combat the Jedi Knights (if a JK can take on 4 droids at once and you have 56 droids, how many JKs do you need to win the battle?); he could narrate the battle synopsis into a tape recorder, etc. Around here, we even do a lot of talking about character building as it relates to Jedi training. lol!

 

Have fun! :D

[Alphabetika]

Bible, Greek, math, language arts (at the moment, R&S English/writing projects related to history), pleasure reading. And service in our home.

 

ETA: This is for my 11yo.

[LittleIzumi]

Dd's little so we don't do it all every day, but several times a week I have her sit down and do MUS and AAS, and we do at least a little French weekly. Everything else varies. Today she asked to write in one of her dry erase workbooks (ABC copywork, mazes, and drawing), and then when we erased it we worked on ending sounds of the pictures she colored, and then played Elizabeth's nonsense words phonics game, so that counted for our reading/writing today. (Plus all the books she read.) Tomorrow will probably be back to AAS again.

Oh, and I forgot scripture and singing time, but that seems different somehow. That's more of family time than school time.

Edited February 19, 2010 by LittleIzumi

[jld]

I told ds he has to read, in both English and French (dh is French). He spends a fraction of his time reading in French, with the majority of reading done in English. He's not doing math right now. He said he will do it next year, in 6th grade. I'm trying to talk him into doing Spanish and Latin, too. And dd wants me to buy him the Apologia science books for elem. and jr. high students, as she is so impressed with the high school level ones.

 

I think basically ds10 is just not mature yet. Dh tells me to keep suggesting, but to realize that boys mature later, and that he thinks that in 2 or 3 years, ds will settle down into his studies, and that he will actually do so in an intense manner. I'm trusting dh on this one.

[Closeacademy]

At our most relaxed (usually November/December), we do math, phonics/reading, read aloud and the girls are usually working on a lapbook of their choice.

 

We swing from being very relaxed and only doing the basics to being fairly rigorous and doing a full course of subjects including Latin.

 

Hope this helps.:001_smile:

[2squared]

We are relaxed.

 

Our must dos:

Math

WWE

Dictation/Copywork (spelling, grammar, handwriting)

Reading (silent and/or aloud)

Religion

 

Other things we regularly hit:

Read Alouds

Science/Nature Study

[Caribbean Queen]

My son likes to learn. Sometimes we get bored with our routine and I find little ways to spice things up. The only subject that gets to be drag for him is Writing. I haven't figured out to get him to want to write. For now, I make him write. Don't worry fellow relaxed homeschoolers, I don't make him write much. He is only 6.

[prairiegirl]

Well, usually we are not relaxed but after my cancer exprience in the fall, I am having a really hard time getting back into the swing of things. As long as we get the basics done (math, reading and writing (copywork for youngers, CW for my oldest) then I consider it a good day.

[susankenny]

Hello,

 

I consider us to be somewhat relaxed. My main focus is the 3 R's. My kids are only 8 and almost 6 though. Everything else we incorporate has a lot of flexibility.

 

 

Susan

[Chloe]

We do at least one lesson in math, 90 minutes of reading (usually broken up into two 45 minute sessions), study AWANA verses and 20 minutes of piano practice daily. Those are on the daily MUST DO list. On top of that I make sure we do writing, grammar and Rosetta Stone German 2-3 times a week. I am planning to up the writing when we finish the Winston Grammar we are currently using. Also, Dh has requested we do German daily for shorter periods rather than a couple of times a week for longer periods. Their reading includes history, science, literature and poetry. I usually have them read 45 min. from literature M-Th, poetry on Fri., then 45 min. of history MWF, 45 min. of science T, Th.

[laughing lioness]

Have you read anything by Raymond and Dorothy Moore? I'm thinking they would say take your ds's interests in Star Wars and Video Games and capitalize on that to create units of learning- you could do technology, computers, animation, creating a story, George Lucas, special effects, etc, etc.

[Moniksca]

I had to reduce our tv and computer time as well, my ds is obsessed with spongebob squarepants since he received a dvd set over the holidays. He has comprehension issues yet he could recount word for word what happened in any episode of spongebob he watched. I use that to incorporate more writing, he's currently making a spongebob comic book, it has turned my reluctant writing into a willing one who pulls it out to work on his own time. If I can get reading, writing, and math done, I'm pretty happy. I'm still a student so there are days when I'm pretty busy myself. He also loves science and can read endlessly about dinosaurs. I think if you're heading to a more a relaxed environment you can use their interests to get plenty of work completed.

[texasmama]

There is nothing that we do every single day without fail. If I skip something one day, I try not to skip it the next...or do double duty the next, if that is practical. We are using SL's history so if I skip read aloud history on Tuesday, I read Tues and Wed on Wednesday so we don't miss anything.

 

We try to do math, handwriting, readalouds (history) and grammar (both boys are in different levels of FLL) each day. Bible, character building programs, science, extras (Little House on the Prairie and civil rights books which my oldest son is interested in) are not an every day occurence. They do piano practice most days.

[tinkgumby]

Must-do's on a daily basis for my two boys (8 and 9 - 2nd and 3rd grade) are math, writing in their journal, scriptures, and an hour of reading.

 

I try to make sure we get in spelling at least a couple of times a week, along with history, geography, read-alouds - but the bare minimum for me is what I mentioned above. Oh, and I also have a hard and fast rule about when they can play video games and for how long (after all chores and school for the day is done, no more than 2 hours) - otherwise they'd be playing all day long and never see the sun! :D

[Greta]

I don't consider us relaxed, but I do consider Math, Latin, and Reading to be our "core" or "foundation". My philosophy is that if my dd has those three skills mastered, she can pretty much tackle anything else she wants to learn.

[calandalsmom]

Im very relaxed and most of the time if my kids do some math and read a bit (they spend a lot of time reading actually and that's IMO the single most vluable thing anyone can do) Im happy.

[Greta Lea]

He has to do math (1/2 a lesson a day), megawords (1 page), practice Awana verse, writing or dictation and reading. Right now he reads from these books daily (spread throughout the day)...

-One Year Children's Bible

-Story of the World vol. 1 (reads along with audio book...one section of a chapter each day)

-Christian Liberty Press Nature Reader (one section a day)

-Chapter book reading (15 minutes a day)

-Listens to a chapter of an audio book while drawing, playing or laying in bed at night. (he loves books on audio)

[mama25angels]

Bible

Math

Reading

Latin/Greek

Composition

 

these are the most important to me.

[lovemykids]

We swing from being very relaxed and only doing the basics to being fairly rigorous and doing a full course of subjects including Latin.

 

 

 

So do we! We also do Spanish, Getting Started With Latin, music lessons, logic, an extra science study, two streams of history, Bible studies, etc. You can see why we need to relax at times. :tongue_smilie:

Edited February 19, 2010 by lovemykids

[meet me in paris]

Im very relaxed and most of the time if my kids do some math and read a bit (they spend a lot of time reading actually and that's IMO the single most vluable thing anyone can do) Im happy.

:iagree:math and reading.

[momto2Cs]

Reading, Handwriting/Writing and Math. Everything else is just gravy for elementary aged students.

If I am not feeling well ,reading and math get done.

 

:iagree:

 

For our family, the three "R's" are what is most important. My kids love anything science-y, so that is easily child-led. For history, reading stories, watching documentaries, and the occasional hands-on project works well. My ds is a voracious reader, so I can give him a stack of books on the misc subjects I'd like coevered, and let him find something interesting in there.

[HRAAB]

For my youngest it's math, writing (copywork/dictation incl. grammar, oral reading practice and read alouds. My 12 yr old, in addition to math, grammar, writing, has required reading and writing in history and science. She gets to choose what it is she's studying, but then I do have requirements.

[LittleIzumi]

He also loves science and can read endlessly about dinosaurs. I think if you're heading to a more a relaxed environment you can use their interests to get plenty of work completed.

 

Yeah, that's why I didn't add science or reading--those happen on their own without any pushing from me! Dd already asked to read through a good chunk of Usborne's Planet Earth encyclopedia, a Halloween book, and to do a Mad Libs. Other dd requested painting. I'll just stick a little AAS and MUS in there and maybe some ASL or French and that's a full schedule, lol! Plus we had scripture, song, and she'll read more or play Starfall later. She will ask for AAS or MUS, but maybe once a week or two, which is not nearly enough for me. So those she just gets to put up with several times a week.

[Nancy Ann]

The Joyful Homeschooler by Mary Hood is so inspiring and helpful and I think it's just what your looking for. It is based on a child interest education and Mary Hood is very encouraging and really helps you to understand. Also the Relaxed Homeschooler is a bit more nuts and bolts.

 

She recommends setting up learning centers around the house for each of the main subjects. They are not required to do anythign with the learning center, it's their to spark interst and when an interest is sparked run with it!! Keep changing it out if they don't show an interest.

 

 

http://archersforthelord.org/resources.php

 

Math on the Level may be helpful to take a relaxed and more natural approach to math. I would recommend spending a month with very limited TV, doing lots of reading together and some math, set up some learning centers around your home for the subjects of literature, history, science, writing, art, math, or other interests and see where it goes.

 

Learning centers can be a side table, book shelf, we have a small home but I was able to find 5 spots to put up learning centers. I brought out books, games, art supplies, just all sorts of things we had around the house. For a writing center I had lots of paper, pens, pencils, post its, whatever seemed interesting, books and things that would be interesting to write about. Mary Hood has a pamphlet that only cost a few dollars that details setting up learning centers. It's really helpful.

Edited February 20, 2010 by Nancy Ann

[Mom-ninja.]

#1 must do subject is math.

 

#2 is grammar, writing, phonics