Self-Education

[scrapbookbuzz]

Are any of you adults(read: Parents, etc) going through WTM or other 'program' in a method of Self-Education?

 

If so, what are you using and why did you decide to go that route?

 

(I'm not really looking for reasons of why or why not to do so; I'm just truly curious.)

[Veronica in VA]

I have been using the Well Educated Mind, though not as regularly as I would like. I have to say that I did more before dd went into high school. I am using the WEM with her to discuss lit, so we are enjoying that. I think I have the most gaps in science, so I have been doing a lot of reading in that area.

 

Veronica

[elegantlion]

I own WEM but right now my self-ed focus is more on LCC (Latin-Centered Curriculum). I chose to focus on LCC as that is the framework I am using for my son. Essentially I am going through the high school recommendations ahead of my son.

[LunaLee]

I never made it through college unfortunately. I still plan on going, but when the kids are done or mostly done with school. I still feel the need to better myself and to show the kids that learning is really a lifelong endeavor. I'm choosing to do the things I wish I could have done in school. Some things are in preperation for doing with the kids, but mostly it's for me. I'm kinda going classical eclectic in my self-education route. I'm doing/plan to do:

 

The Liveley Art of Writing

Aristotles Poetics

Aristotles Rhetoric w/Memoria Press Study Guide

My grandpa's ancient Nortons Reader from when he was in college

Wheelocks Latin

How to Read a Book w/Study Guide

My own WEM list

[scrapbookbuzz]

Thank you all for your input. I'd still like to hear from more of you! :^)

 

I may put myself through the WTM suggestions for 6th grade since we MAY be bringing ds home then. Not for sure on that but I figure it couldn't hurt to learn the subject matter. OR I may go through the 5th grade to see what would be really great for her to learn next year if ps doesn't work out.

 

Could I be a learning-junkie? :lol:

[Vida Winter]

In the interests of saving time I listen to many of the classics on my Ipod. I'm running from morning to night teaching three different grades at home, so this is the only practical way.

[scrapbookbuzz]

Great idea! If I had an iPod...:D

 

May look into that, though. Thanks!

[Mad Jenny Flint]

I try to read ahead of my kids (especially my son, who starts high school in the fall) so that I am prepared to at least have some notion of what he is doing and so I can have some form of dialogue with him, appear intelligent, etc. Sometimes I may have to lean on pink monkey or spark notes for literature, but I want to learn the material myself and engage them more fully. I want to be a great teacher!

 

Lately, I have also been injecting some readings outside of school readings, as well. I just finished reading a collection of atheist readings from great philosophers and scientists, arranged chronologically, and I also read "Animal Farm". Currently, I am reading Toni Morrison's "Beloved" even though it is not on my kids' reading lists yet. I am also easing my way through "The Artist's Way".

 

So, basically, I am trying to keep my head above water for school, and using the same philosophy for myself as for my kids- reading some every day, and not engaging in "pablum reading".

[TeacherZee]

Well I am in grad school so right now a lot of my studying is for that. But for one of my classes we have read some of the suggestions this year. A friend and I are also hoping to do at least one book during the summer (we are probably doing Mary Wollstonecraft's "A Vindication on the Rights of Women"). I am also looking to start latin in the fall.

 

I am doing it because I enjoy learning and expanding my mind.

[scrapbookbuzz]

Thanks for the input.

 

To know a little bit about me, I am a voracious reader...and collector of books! I'm not one of those let me get the rarest book type of people. I just like to read and wish I could own a Barnes&Noble! I have over 330 books in my house, at last count (which was a couple of weeks ago). My friend started an action/adventure book club that meets once a month, so I read at least one book a month; but, really, I'd say I read two to three fiction books a month. I need to incorporate some more nonfiction and some meatier fiction in my repetoire. I glanced through Sir Gawain and the Green Knight last night at B&N. May have to get that eventually. :D

 

Yes, there are libraries but it is cheaper for me to go to a used bookstore, or to use my educator's discount at a retail store, than to go to the library. Sad, but true. :tongue_smilie:

 

Today, I'm going to read parts of a real gem I picked up at a great sale. It's called World's Greatest Letters and contains letters from such infamous people as Alexander the Great, announcing to Darius, his dominion over the world; Christopher Columbus reporting his first impressions of America to the Court of Spain; letters from Abraham Lincoln, etc. :hat:

 

And, last night, I saw a book at JoAnn's, of all places, called The Civil War Love Letter Quilt. It's marketed to quilters (of which I am not one) but contains letters from actual Civil War soldiers! I want it for the sheer history alone! :lurk5:

 

See what I mean? I am a book addict! And that will never change. However, I hope to discipline myself enough to actually get to a point where I have read most of the books I have on my shelves as opposed to how it is now: I've not read most of them presently! :001_rolleyes:

 

I'm sure NONE of you have this challenge! :laugh:

[TeacherZee]

Thanks for the input.

 

 

I'm sure NONE of you have this challenge! :laugh:

 

I have noooooo idea what you are talking about. Nope. None at all.

 

*tries to hide piles of books*

 

*tries to hide the fact that amazon and bookdepository are on the most visited list*

 

:lol::lol::lol::lol:

[scrapbookbuzz]

Oooo, can I come be awed by YOUR library??:auto:

[SheWhoWaits]

See what I mean? I am a book addict! And that will never change. However, I hope to discipline myself enough to actually get to a point where I have read most of the books I have on my shelves as opposed to how it is now: I've not read most of them presently! :001_rolleyes:

 

I'm sure NONE of you have this challenge! :laugh:

But if you have read most of the books on your shelves, what will you have to read? You'll have to go buy more books:biggrinjester:

[Kareni]

To know a little bit about me, I am a voracious reader...and collector of books! I'm not one of those let me get the rarest book type of people. I just like to read and wish I could own a Barnes&Noble! I have over 330 books in my house, at last count (which was a couple of weeks ago).

 

330 books? You're just starting out in the book addiction category. Stick around here and we'll soon have you caught up to speed.

 

Regards,

Kareni (who must have in the thousands of books around the house)

[Veronica in VA]

My bookcases are overflowing - and I have alot of bookcases. My dh asked me why I have multiple translations of The Illiad, Dante's Inferno, etc. One was from college, one from the used bookstore and the translation looked better, etc. I guess I have to start purging some of the books, but its so hard to get rid of them. And then when I take them to the used bookstore I get book credit and then buy more.:D

 

Veronica

[hferguson10]

From one book addict to another, there are worse vices to have. I choose to celebrate mine. And diet coke.

 

Now a book and a diet coke and an afternoon of quiet, self-learning...bliss....

[LunaLee]

Well...the name of my blog is 2 Many Books and Lots of Coffee...There's a reson for that :-)

[Staci in MO]

I've always been a reader, and I've always enjoyed reading classics, so I'm still doing that. Since I've settled on TOG for the duration (although I keep seeing threads on Ambleside Online that are piquing my interest...), I'm trying to read the TOG rhetoric-level suggestions.

 

Right now, though, I'm concentrating on Logic/Rhetoric/Progymnasmata. I have done freelance writing work in the past, but I was never TAUGHT to write, and so I am worried that I am going to mess this up. I have purchased The Lively Art of Writing, D'Angelo's Composition in the Classical Tradition, Corbett's Classical Rhetoric for the Modern Student, The New Oxford Guide to Writing, Rulebook for Arguments, and Cannon Press Logic. (Okay, that's an embarrassingly long list. I bought most of these used at very good prices.) I also own Rhetoric in the Classical Tradition by Horner (which MFS of Boards Past recommended).

 

Part of this is just how my brain works. I'm a big-picture person, so I can't really wrap my brain around a subject until I can see where it's going. I'm just now getting into these books, but so far I've learned a lot.

[Julie in MN]

Mom getting to learn is one of the funnest things about homeschooling :)

 

I've always read, but once I started homeschooling, I thought I'd do my own program, too. I got WVWW and started through that.

 

But really I've found the learning theory to be true - the best way to learn is to teach. My poor first homeschooler (started in 10th grade), I think I taught her to death. Didn't know when to stop, 'cause it was all so interesting!

 

Now I use a pre-set schedule for my son, who is very much glad mom knows when teaching is over. But within that, I can go off & learn as much stuff as I want! He's reading about Lewis & Clark? Hmmm, I can read their original journals! Nathanial Bowditch? Hmmm, wonder what his original stuff looked like? President Garfield's assassination? What was the motivation behind the guy who shot him?

 

The coolest thing is that my son is getting a real teacher. One of those kinds in stories who always could talk about a subject with knowledge. I'm not all the way there yet, but compared to me before homeschooling, my vague opinions have become something of substance.

 

Glad to see others enjoying this with me!