Recently, I’ve gotten some sweet e-mails asking me, so “How is homeschooling going?” We have just finished our second week of homeschooling, so this is a fair question. After 9 years of teaching in a classroom, homeschooling is quite different than teaching in a classroom. Here’s a few observations from our first two weeks.
1.) I was never the type of teacher who spent a ton of time standing in front of the classroom lecturing, but anytime you have more than 3 kids, it seems that you need to spend at least a few minutes a day talking to the whole class, being in the spotlight, the center of attention. The way we are homeschooling, there is NO time like this. The boys work at their own schedule, they plan out how and when and where they are working, and any talking time is one on one.
2.) Headphones are our second most important school supply (after pencils)! With three kids in an RV, working on three different things (and me often working on my own stuff), it is easy for someone to get distracted (normally my 2nd grader). So, we bought each person a pair of headphones and now my older two listen to music while they work and the youngest (He’s only 3.) can watch his French morning songs over and over if he wants to!
3.) Learning, real learning, happens everywhere and all the time. Living in the RV gives us lots of time to observe ducks, geese, squirrels, bugs, trees, etc. We talk about what we see, and random things they think about. We talk A LOT, and often by the end of the day I am asking the kids for a bit of “don’t talk to me” time. However, I really love the insights they have at the lunch table or walking to the bath house, and I truly love seeing them connect those things to their “formal lessons”.
4.) I’m also not around many other adults, so I am learning to make sure I take time for my own socialization each day. As an elementary school teacher, you think you don’t get any socialization, but those minutes first thing in the morning, passing people in the hallways, in the cafeteria, and after school are a lot more than what I get these days!
5.) We don’t have to do everything at once! When there’s no official start and stop time, it’s easy to simply keep on with “we need to do…..” I have learned to pull back, not try to fit in everything, and realize that the school day needs to end eventually. I am also allowing for more time breaks in the middle of the day. Oh, that’s right, we can go for a bike ride at 10:30 a.m., no big deal. Swimming at 2:00 p.m. – sure! Takes awhile to get used to, but it’s nice to have control over our schedule.
6.) We’re doing okay! The kids are getting used to working at home. They LOVE having control over their schedule and they LOVE being able to take brain breaks when THEIR brain needs it. They’re happy and they’re learning, so that’s all that really matters.
7.) Oh, and I learned that this takes a lot of time! Not as much as being in a classroom, but pretty much only b/c I have no commute, so if I when I fall behind in blogging, or getting those resources to other teachers on my Teachers Pay Teachers store, I have to tell myself that homeschooling IS teaching full time too!
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