Pursuing Non Academics while Keeping Rigor

[Jean in Newcastle]

subtitled The Life as Classroom in the Lower AND Upper Years

 

I have a secret. I absolutely loved "And the Skylark Sings With Me". I remember also reading a book a long time ago about a homeschooling family where the boys grew up learning along with the parents how to homestead.

BUT - I worry about college - about having all the skills necessary to pursue higher education. I want to encourage my children to write their first novel while at the same time making sure they know how to diagram a complex sentence.

 

Q. 1: How do you find the time? Where is the balance between the rigorous academics and learning by doing?

 

Q. 2: Can you get the rigorous academics at the same time as learning by doing? You know - a sort of academic multi-tasking?

 

Q. 3: It was so easy when they were little. Baking cupcakes was academic for them. They used their reading skills, their math skills, their science. But what about for middle and high school age kids? What kinds of things should you encourage them to do?

 

Q. 4: I can't afford to pay for photography classes, drama classes etc. etc. Are there affordable ways to get life skills without spending the big bucks?

[Avila]

My kids are still fairly young, so I don't think I would be much help with questions 1-3. :lurk5:

 

But for #4: Do you have any local community colleges or community centers? Mine and the ones around here offer what they call Saturday Experience classes. Basically these are non-credit classes offered in all sorts of arts and life skills from gardening to painting to photography to cake decorating to changing the oil in your car. They sponsor them at the college and sometimes even at local high schools or junior highs. The classes are fairly cheap and taught by people who really like what they are teaching. And they are usually only for a Saturday or two at a time, so they are easy to fit into your schedule. Mine will take 13 yos and up, as long as they are mature, and younger if a parent signs up with them.

 

Hope you find what you are looking for!

[harmonyartmom]

I have been struggling with sort of the same issues. I really, really want to balance the academics with some project based learning.

 

You can read how I solved the problem on my blog:

Blog Entry 1

Blog Entry 2

 

I have found a balance that works in our family-morning classical high with TOG and then most of the afternoons for more projects and self-education.

[Jean in Newcastle]

My kids are still fairly young, so I don't think I would be much help with questions 1-3. :lurk5:

 

But for #4: Do you have any local community colleges or community centers? Mine and the ones around here offer what they call Saturday Experience classes. Basically these are non-credit classes offered in all sorts of arts and life skills from gardening to painting to photography to cake decorating to changing the oil in your car. They sponsor them at the college and sometimes even at local high schools or junior highs. The classes are fairly cheap and taught by people who really like what they are teaching. And they are usually only for a Saturday or two at a time, so they are easy to fit into your schedule. Mine will take 13 yos and up, as long as they are mature, and younger if a parent signs up with them.

 

Hope you find what you are looking for!

 

I will definitely look into this. Ds is coming up to 12 years old so he is getting closer to when he could take this sort of class on his own.

[Jean in Newcastle]

I have been struggling with sort of the same issues. I really, really want to balance the academics with some project based learning.

 

You can read how I solved the problem on my blog:

Blog Entry 1

Blog Entry 2

 

I have found a balance that works in our family-morning classical high with TOG and then most of the afternoons for more projects and self-education.

 

Barb - these blog posts just spoke to my heart. It's interesting because I first got my start in homeschooling through Charlotte Mason's books. Perhaps that is why it is so important to me still to have that hands-on learning.

[joannqn]

I don't know how you feel about virtual academies; I know many homeschoolers are completely against them. But you might be interested in checking out Columbia Virtual Academy. They provide up to $1200 per student which can be used on classes like photography, drama, sports, etc. They are extremely homeschooler friendly, having been started by homeschooling families, and the oversight is minimal....really!