NATURAL LEARNING: A HOMESCHOOL CHOICE

[Guest guest]

NATURAL LEARNING: A HOMESCHOOL CHOICE

 

Often I am asked questions about homeschooling : where to purchase

curriculums; which curriculums; scheduling; subjects; etc. My answer is

always the same. " If you're going to do all this scheduling,

curriculum-shoving stuff, why not enter them into a public school? "

 

The way I see it.. if you have children, you're ALREADY homeschooling.. and

then you put them into school and it all stops. You've been homeschooling

since you gave birth. Look at the amazing mental and intellectual growth

they've reached without " benefit " of school. Why is that? It's because

children naturally learn. They are naturally curious about all things. And

when you child is interested and expresses interest.. what do you do?? You

flow with it. You have conversations about it.. you get books at the

library.. etc. This is what you've been doing since he/she was born. This is

called unschooling or as I prefer to call it " natural learning " . This is

what I do and have done with my children. No need for for urriculums and

texts and schedules. (again--why not put them in school if that's the case?)

 

Learning comes as naturally as breathing. In ancient times, children learned

all there was to learn from their parents.. reading, math, religion, ethics,

morals and social skills. These primal people did not send their children

off for 6-8 hours per day to government-paid institutions where strangers

decided what they would and would not be taught. No. They valued their

children and viewed them as an extension of themselves. They had them at

home, where they belonged, teaching them the ways of their own world and

culture.

 

But how does this work? It's simple. It takes little effort at all.

Basically, you just live. Yes, that's what I said. You live with your

children, close to your children and open with you children. They do not

have their " own world " because they are children. (In my opinion, that view

is exactly why there are teens out there having their own lives of which

parents are totally unaware!) They're there with you all day and everything

is a learning matter. Whether they're cooking with you, cleaning with you,

working with you, watching the evening news with you, riding in the car

having discusssions, going to a library, museum, historical monument,

discussing people you know, or current world events or even discussing

problems with people, work, or life. Simply keep the age and maturity of the

child in mind. (Obviously, world politics is beyond my 2 year old and I

don't discuss the latest child-mutilation on the news with my 7 year old!) I

would brave to say that there is a lot more conversation and relating with

my children than I see in other families. Almost every waking moment, there

is conversation going on between them and myself. And they are learning.

 

And what do they learn? From those mentioned things, they learn math skills

(cooking, working with me, money management & budgeting the checkbook teach

them math); they learn responsibility towards employers and family (working

with and for me, cleaning house, taking care of the younger ones); they

learn that the world is a beautiful and ugly place (news, current events,

discussions of these issues); and how to view these beautiful and ugly

things from a moral and ethical point of view. They learn history and

science and reading and art (your own example and interest teaches these by

going to the historical places and museums, etc). And yes.. I talk about

financial challenges; problems with co-workers, etc with the older children.

Contrary to popular parenting belief, this does not harm them. In fact, my

children have a very honest and open view of problems. They can work through

almost anything. They can stretch a penny like rubber glue. They have

learned skills of diplomacy and reasoning with others. They have learned so

much that they have a difficult time tolerating the shallow thinking and

childish reasoning of so many modern teenagers. People are highly impressed

with my children, their speaking ability, their mature thinking and the lack

of " issues " that many teens possess these days.

 

All in all.. it's an easy road. The only schedules are self-imposed related

to business, meals and such normal things. The children are not glued to a

spot in the room where they grow to hate books and reading and schedules.

Why put that stress on them or yourself for that matter? I tried that route

once upon a time. It made life difficult. My life had to revolve around that

" school schedule " .. which meant delaying things, eliminating things..

basically, I stopped enjoying my day-to-day life! It doesn't have to be that

way. Run those errands, do those projects, take those trips..with your

children at your side. Do whatever you would normally do if the child was

not in school because they aren't in school. They're at home. Home shouldn't

be a a mini-school environment. It's a place of warmth and love and

nurturing. It's a place for learning.

 

Copyright 2005© Michelle Cannon / www.HolisticHealthHut.com

 

Michelle Cannon a single mother of 5 and former daycare owner, taught

parenting classes in the school system as well as the local domestic

violence shelter for 6 years.

Since 2003, she has been publishing a natural health newsletter and a primal

mothering newsletter. She also operates a primal mothering educational forum

and local support/playgroup.

Currently, she owns a natural cleaning service in Central Florida and an

e-store which carries natural products. You may contact her at

michelle. or primalmommieto5