Suggestions for charting a course?

[Christine]

I just wrote a blog post (found here) on this topic, but I realize few people here actually go to my blog, and there's a number of incredibly intelligent / talented folks here who may be able to help me in my quandry.

 

To sum up. I know what I want to teach my kids (I'm referring to my little guys) from now till graduation. I have an approximate time-line of when they will do what courses. It's not carved in stone, more like a fuzzy water-color.

 

My problem is, I'm a box checker, a route creator / follower. . .in short, I'm. . . well, the nice way to say it, I suppose, would be "wound tightly".

 

Now, more than anything, I want to give my kids a "scenic route" version of education; rather than an interstate version.

 

Given, my above mentioned personality that is impossible unless I force it to be so. (Create a new route.)

 

Does anyone have any suggestions as to HOW to go about that?

 

Oh, and please don't give me a "go-with-the-flow" kind of answer because I have determined that my household does not, ever, "flow". I need a route. . .which may be the anti-scenic path, but I figure if I can do it on a map, I should be able to create it in life (to some degree).

[Christine]

oooh, ooh!

 

I just thought of something.

 

If I take more time to do the "extras", (all those things I mean to do, but always forget, like music and art) then I would be taking a more scenic educational route, wouldn't I?

 

I mean, one could consider the interstate of education the core courses, and the off-beaten path have more of the "arts", right?

[Renee in NC]

oooh, ooh!

 

I just thought of something.

 

If I take more time to do the "extras", (all those things I mean to do, but always forget, like music and art) then I would be taking a more scenic educational route, wouldn't I?

 

I mean, one could consider the interstate of education the core courses, and the off-beaten path have more of the "arts", right?

 

I think so.

 

The other thing is this - not everything you do has to be off the beaten path. My hope/goal for my homeschool is that we get the "basics" done (which I hope to define specifically) and the rest of the time I want to encourage them to follow their passions - the scenic route.

 

I don't know that these things need to be mutually exclusive!:D

[Christine]

I think so.

 

The other thing is this - not everything you do has to be off the beaten path. My hope/goal for my homeschool is that we get the "basics" done (which I hope to define specifically) and the rest of the time I want to encourage them to follow their passions - the scenic route.

 

I don't know that these things need to be mutually exclusive!:D

 

Oh, no, I plan to get the basics done. . . but, the "encourage them to follow their passions". . . I've discovered my kids don't have any. (Thus, the "no-flow" comment above.) So, I have to plan to broaden their horizons for them.

 

I wonder if this is a male thing?

[MIch elle]

you don't arrive at the same place. With the interstate model you cover all topics but with the scenic tour you go deeper. There isn't enough time in the day or years to go the scenic route in our middle to high school years. We did the scenic tour of history before and never got to modern history.

 

Take your pick. Scenic tours are nice for grades k-5 but the interstate is better for gr. 6-12.

[Renee in NC]

Oh, no, I plan to get the basics done. . . but, the "encourage them to follow their passions". . . I've discovered my kids don't have any. (Thus, the "no-flow" comment above.) So, I have to plan to broaden their horizons for them.

 

I wonder if this is a male thing?

 

Passions aren't necessarily academic, though, right?

 

My 10yo's current passion is engine work - he wants to build them, fix them, take them apart, etc.

 

I do see what you are saying, though, about "no-flow." Is it because of your "check the box" personality/parenting style that they have no passions? Or is it something else? I am trying to understand what you mean.

 

For me, I hope that our "scenic routes" also include *going* places so that they get exposed to a broader world. I live near an area with several top ranked universities, good museums, etc. What do you have in your area that could help them develop their own passions?

[Christine]

At the risk of coming off as wholly "weird". . .

Passions aren't necessarily academic, though, right?

 

Right

 

I do see what you are saying, though, about "no-flow." Is it because of your "check the box" personality/parenting style that they have no passions? Or is it something else? I am trying to understand what you mean.

 

I did wonder that as soon as I mentioned they had no passion. If this does effect them, then I would say it's more because they have the box-checker mentality rather than my parenting syle. (I believe it's a particular genome on the DNA strand, in which case they received a healthy dose of it from both parents.)

 

NO passions. None, whatsoever. DS1 used to love to draw. I asked DH to build him an art desk for one Christmas (He did. It's lovely. And for the last 3 years it's been sitting collecting dust, and old birthday cards. . .) We also gave him a number of art journals - blank, art supplies, books, etc. He still draws, and he's very good at it, but it's not a passion.

 

DS2 -- no passion (did have a thing for Native Americans, but that has run it's course)

DS3 -- unless you count talking my ear off -- no passions

DS4 -- also loves to draw, but I wouldnt count it a passion either.

 

Fleeting flights of fancy. That's what we have. They rarely last an hour let alone a full day.

 

For me, I hope that our "scenic routes" also include *going* places so that they get exposed to a broader world. I live near an area with several top ranked universities, good museums, etc. What do you have in your area that could help them develop their own passions?

 

Ummm, yes. Going to DC would be a day trip for us. My kids despise art galleries, can think of a bazillion other things to do rather than go to a museum (I get them to, by promising a meal). Historic sites tend to be easier, as we can generally be outside where I don't have to remind them to "be quiet" or "sit still".

 

you don't arrive at the same place. With the interstate model you cover all topics but with the scenic tour you go deeper. There isn't enough time in the day or years to go the scenic route in our middle to high school years. We did the scenic tour of history before and never got to modern history.

 

Take your pick. Scenic tours are nice for grades k-5 but the interstate is better for gr. 6-12.

 

This is. . .interesting. And this is probably due to my mentality. In my mind, if you plan your route you will achieve your goal regardless of the route you choose. But, I'm not the type to take a "detour" too long. (I know some homeschoolers that will take a detour to a path to a bunny trail. . . I'm more of a "follow the yellow brick road", but you can step off occassionally, as long as you get right back on, kind of gal.)

[Renee in NC]

What do your dc do when you are not doing actual structured schoolwork?

[Christine]

What do your dc do when you are not doing actual structured schoolwork?

 

Oldest: read (any variety of book) and this is in "spits and fits". "hang out", play his games

2nd: read, all sorts, "hang out" play his games

 

They are limited to 1 hour on games.

 

Younger two play / beat up on each other when not doing school work (or another parental supervised activity).

 

. . .

 

This is getting depressing as it's becoming readily apparent to me that my kids are just as boring as I.

[Lisa in the UP of MI]

I'm of the box-checker variety and my children are definitely not. It's been a journey and my oldest is only 4! Anyway, one thing that I think would have helped me would have been if my parents had done more to encourage my passions. They bought me the materials I needed to try some pretty cool things but I still never tried them. I needed more than that to get going. Try some activities with them or get them involved in a group.

HTH

[Rosie_0801]

So, learn to draw the box around what is going on instead of trying to put what is going on into a pre-made box. Would that help? Some people just aren't passionate types of people, but that doesn't mean you can't get them interested. If you and your hubby are doing something, they'll get into the habit too, providing you leave enough materials lying around so they can. Entering competitions can be good inspiration. My dh who generally does little other than read role playing game books learned to sprang the other week because he wanted to win our SCA group's Arts and Sciences competition. He did win too ;) If you have a local show, order their arts and crafts program and see what you, hubby and any of the kids might want to enter. Our local show has a huge kids section and the kiddies sure get a kick out of seeing theirs displayed with everyone else's. Even if you're the only one who enters this time around, you'll be providing inspiration for next time.

:)

Rosie

[Carol in Cal.]

My vote is to educate them very broadly. Literally make lists of the subject areas you want to cover, AND the life skills and other 'exposures' that you want them to have, and then go for it. That's the best approach for a box checker anyway--just add those 'non-standard' boxes.

 

I would also recommend doing a unit study for two weeks in between school years, to give them some experience building all main subject areas around one theme. Maybe that will spark the research instinct in them, and at least it will expose them to moving deeper.

[dhudson]

You know David Hazell of MFW has a convention topic on this subject. I am a box checker as well and need to know everything is covered well, I have done everything I can possibly do but I also want my children to love to learn. I have learned that certain curriculums can help me be a box checker but also teach me how to slow down and do a craft or an art project or cook a special dish from soemthing we're studying. Hands-on activities that are schedules have been the only way for me to do - otherwise there are bigger boxes to check. I know there are several curriculums out there that have a mixture of both - unit studies mixed with a classical style. Charlotte Mason ideas have also helped me when I struggle with being over structured.

[Christine]

My dh who generally does little other than read role playing game books learned to sprang the other week because he wanted to win our SCA group's Arts and Sciences competition.

 

Okay, I'm just dying to know what this is. . .

 

If they don't have passions

 

Well, I felt so miserable after that last post, I asked them (my older two -- 16 and 14) if they had any passions and if so what they might be.

 

They both enthusiastically responded, "Food!"

 

They further specified only eating it, not preparation or anything requiring "work".

 

You know David Hazell of MFW has a convention topic on this subject.

 

I have not heard of this talk.

[Carol in Cal.]

You know, Christine, I don't think that that many kids do have passions. We just tend to hear more about the ones who do, because they stand out.

 

My DD enjoys a lot of things, but there is no real pursuit that she is passionate about. But, I do encourage her interests and the fact that she is homeschooled gives her the time to be creative. I try to expose her to a variety of things that she can learn about or not, and that she can learn to do or not, remembering that when I was little I tried skiing once, in second grade, and never did it again until I was in my 20's, but always remembered how much fun it was, and actually pursued it enough later to get reasonably good at it. I can think of other things like that as well. So for someone without a consuming passion, broad exposure plus a good, solid, well-rounded education are the best goals. They need to have time to get bored enough to try things on their own as well.

[Christine]

They need to have time to get bored enough to try things on their own as well.

 

I've heard this before, and I believe it's true.

 

Thanks all, for your comments, I shall have to give this some more thought.