Need something different but how to go about it?

[Mynyel]

I am in a homeschool funk. It is our first day after have a month off for sicknesses (I had the flu then sinusitis).

 

I am dreadfully bored. I don't understand why. I like all the stuff we use. I am just tired of.. ok next subject. Math... go do your next lesson (we use TT) then.. next subject... Spelling.... What are the ways to spell the long "i"? Then next subject... Oh grammar. This is the antecedent to the pronoun... yada yada yada.

 

We go through the motions but the kids are just bored. They want to learn, they just don't want to "normal" rigmarole.

 

I was thinking of having them write down all the things they want to learn then systematically going through them and just learning what they need to in order to know the stuff they want to know. However would they get enough that way?

 

Ugh. We haven't been consistent with school in a long time. Maybe we need to muscle through it?

 

Or maybe I need to unschool. The thought terrifies me though.

 

*sigh*

[Corraleno]

I was thinking of having them write down all the things they want to learn then systematically going through them and just learning what they need to in order to know the stuff they want to know. However would they get enough that way?

 

Can you keep going with math, but do this for the rest of your subjects? That's pretty much what we've done, and it's worked extremely well. (We also do foreign languages, including Latin, but those fall into the category of "things they want to learn.")

[Kevin'sMom]

There are so many things to learn and so many ways to learn them.  Since you are at a loss, just randomly pick something and start there: electricity and magnetism, how ants carry things on their backs (for your 5-year-old), memorize a poem (I Saw the Figure Five in Gold?) and look at the painting, see how many interesting things you can find in American Gothic and then look at Gothic windows, make a crystal garden, make cookies and work on fractions a bit....

 

I think the reason I am using K12 is that it's well organized and integrates history/literature/science/math in an elegant and creative way. Of course, I do it without any teacher input so I can do it in any order I like and add whatever I want. It seems important for me to have structure in place so that school goes on no matter how I am feeling or whatever else is happening.

 

Maybe just getting started again with something/anything will get you back in the swing of things. In any case, stay happy because they grow up all too quickly.

[mommymonster]

You might want to give yourself a few days to get back into the swing of things. If things are still boring after a few days, I'd just start something completely wacky. For us, wacky was starting to teach both boys recorder. Dear lord, the noise. But both kids are completely energized and eager to get to music, which we do last. Or do a whole bunch of art projects. Just step out of your norm. If the curriculum is working, I wouldn't change that, though.

[idnib]

I could have written your post.

 

Last week we did an day in which we followed whatever the kids wanted to learn and it was a lot of fun for them. I couldn't believe the twists and turns...

 

My new plan starting in May (after 2 sets of  house guests leave) is to start and end earlier and try to finish the day with the rabbit trails. I feel like my kids could follow these for hours but their PS friends arrive promptly at 3:00 everyday and distract them. So we'll see. If it doesn't work I might try to devote a whole day each week to "learn what you want" and see what happens.