Learning Better in Homeschool:
3 Simple Keys I Learned From My Children
As a homeschool mom for several years now. I have been through the many stages within my homeschool, those of excitement, concern, wonder, satisfaction, peace, and more. In the midst of it all, each year, I gain more awareness, and better comfort in knowing what works best for my children, and what works well for myself as their teacher. However, these keys, never came from a book, but really came from my experience, and one on one time with my children. In this post, I share 3 of the top keys that I learned for homeschooling, that come straight from my children.
My 3 Keys for a Better Homeschool:
1. Be a Student of Your Students: Learn Their Individual Strengths and Needs:
It is so important to start, and continue to learn all that you can about your child/student. Know how they learn the best. What kind of learning style works best for them? Are they hands on, visual, or auditory learners? Or a mix of different learning types? What makes learning exciting and deeper for them, and what can you do to nurture this for them? In becoming a student of your student, you gain personal one on one insight that will give you a significant edge, and foothold, in being able to teach your students well, and really dive deep into their individual interests. Start to observe where their strengths are and cater to these things. For example, I have children, that really love to garden, love to create in crochet, and love to embroider and knit, and they produce some really extraordinary projects, and creations. So, what I do to nurture these skills, is to provide for them the raw materials they need to continue to grow and master these skills and interests. You just never know who you are growing up, and what great things, they will do, so try to encourage and strengthen, their growing skills. While on the other hand, you must also direct and guide them, when there are areas in their life, that need refining. Teach them patience, temperance, self control, responsibility among others. Show them by example, these basic traits, and skills, so that whatever career, or life choice they select, they will be able to walk in it with wisdom, and strength.
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2. Use Family Subjects as a Powerful Tool: Tailored for Individual Ability and Growth
Homeschooling, can sometimes feel overwhelming, especially if you have multiple ages, and grades in your home that you are teaching, or handling. So, one way to decrease stress, and foster a shared time of learning, is to group family subjects together, and use them as your powerful tool. I group Bible, History, and Science together, for all of my students ages, and grades. Then, I tailor the information according to their ability. Whether, that be encouraging my littlest to draw a picture, or prompting the older ones to journal, write a report, or take some notes; this will encourage their ability to learn, and communicate their findings with others. This ability, is of such importance as they grow, as it is of utmost importance to be able to communicate, and lead, so that others may gain from our instruction, knowledge, and understanding.
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3. Don't Stress Out On the Curriculum: Will Knowing these Details Serve Them in the Future?
Oh, the worry that can come when pouring over the thousands of choices of homeschool curriculum options there are out there. It can seem so enormous and insurmountable for new homeschool moms. I have been their myself. I have bought, switched, dumped, and regretted many a curriculum choice. However, I have learned that you really need to stick with the basics, and go as simple as you can, which will allow for you to personalize and scale up to your children's needs.
Stick to the basics: Bible, Language arts, Math, History, and Science. Then add, more if you feel that this would be beneficial or fruitful, and use your library, to dive deeper into subjects. This will save you thousands of dollars and will prevent the overwhelm that comes with continuously buying and changing curriculum.
Don't be a Servant to Your Curriculum, Let it Serve You:
More importantly, don't feel like you are to be a servant to your curriculum. Instead, let the books work for you, and don't feel like you have to totally finish everything at a specific time. If you have not finished a curriculum or study; just move it into the next term, and continue learning as you need to.
Tailor your home, lifestyle, and your ability to your children's needs, and not any book, or others opinions on where your children, should be at a specific time.
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Is Getting Through This Curriculum Necessary for My Student's Career/Life Choice?
Lastly, ask yourself a question, whenever you feel stressed. Will getting through this curriculum, or learning this topic without relent; really serve their future life choices? Is the advanced math, and calculus necessary for their life choice, and even if these advanced skills are necessary; is it worth making them feel overwhelmed, and burned out under the constraints of having to finish a curriculum?
Start thinking about what the long term outcomes are from your choices, and how you are shepherding your children, and you will find more peace, and rest, as you realize what really matters. Build peaceful relationships, with your children, and lead them through after prayer, so that you can make the best choices for them in life, and in school.
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Many Blessings to You,
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Please reach you to me if you have any questions about homeschooling. I am no expert, but I would love to lend you my experience, if it will help you.
Take a listen or look at my Video Podcast on this discussion here at Episode 10: https://sustainablelivingforthefamilyhealthandhomewithdrmoniqueadu.buzzsprout.com/share
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Dr. Monique Adu
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