Primarily Unschooling

My family primarily Unschools. I say primarily, because sometimes I lead the learning. Most of the time we learn about what is interesting at that time.

For example, I'll print off some math worksheets and we'll sit and learn/practice math skills for a few minutes. Sometimes I'll print off some print practice worksheets to practice printing skills (so I can actually READ what they intended to write). I'll sit with Sami and practice her reading skills. I try to keep the worksheets to a minimum, because I don't want it to turn into twaddle time. They wiggle WAY too much to sit still for worksheets anyway! I'm sure teachers would want to medicate them in a PS to keep them still.

Just about everything else is life learning. I love doing "Stealth Learning" with them, where I'll bring up a subject that they just happen ask questions about. The questions lead to interest, and then we dive right in and learn all we can about that subject. There might be a lapbook involved, but that is FUN, so it's not really work, is it? :) There might be books read, but that is FUN, not boring when it's something we want to read about. We might watch a video on that subject, but that's FUN, isn't it?

I guess the reason we unschool is because we want the kids' educational experience to be fun. I am not implying that doing workbooks or sitting still ISN'T fun, but doing that makes my children miserable, which in turn makes me miserable.

We don't let the kids run wild. We don't watch TV all day. I track what they've learned every day, and we manage to hit all the goals I've set, even without a written schedule.

Unschooling works for us! Home's cool!