life learning

So, I recently spent a week researching online schools, curriculum's, and overall schooling options. Not that I haven’t done this before, but this time was a wee different because Ricky and I really were geared up for spending money on homeschool programs for the kids. Before we always were just curious but not ready to invest in anything. Well what I found was the same old thing; nothing quite fit us and the programs seemed not worth it, or much too structured like public school. People in our homeschool group also shared their experiences with some programs. In the long run I came back to where I was when we began homeschooling; Kids learning at home on their own (child led) is more productive and more valuable than kids sitting at a desk all day long.

So after I have these thought processes (and a mental crisis about the whole thing) usually I receive signs that we are on the right path.

The day before yesterday Ethan was being silly and I said, “Ethan is half crazy” to which Sage laughed. I turned to Sage and said, “Hey you are half crazy too!” And Sage replied with, “No I’m not, I’m only one quarter crazy.”

*blink*blink* I didn’t teach him that. He learned that on his own.

Then the kids today are talking about electromagnetism at lunch. I did a double take.
Me: “What are you guys talking about?”
Them: “Electromagnetism.”
Me: ?What the...?

If we provide them the tools (books, games, educational television, computer, workbooks, science kits, magents, microscopes, and more) learning will, and does, take place. It does! I see it all of the time.

So I’m now plotting what kinds of wonderful “tools” I’m going to buy the kids with the money we will not spend on a formal curriculum. A talking world globe is high on the priority list (one you can update via the internet!). So are some musical instruments.

In other news we just returned from Mexico. I can’t wait to write about it. I’ll have to later though. Time for bed it’s way late and I'm drifting off at the computer!