2. Eclectic Education

    In preparing for my monthly blog post I have come to realize that explaining WHY I have chosen to homeschool really isn't important. Rather, HOW is the most important question to be considered.

 In November 2012, when my husband and I decided we would be homeschooling, I began my research on the laws of my state concerning home based education. To my pleasant surprise Texas is known as a "free state". I happily checked that off of my long To Do list. 

 Next on my list was searching ways to homeschool four children in three different grade levels. I feared it would be costly. I dug deeper and found that since Texas is a free state we, the educator, have the privilege of creating our own curriculum OR purchase the many available online or in stores. The latter, of course, would cost us a little more than we could afford. So, falling in love with the many methods other homeschool families are using, I have chosen to take the eclectic approach.


WHAT'S THAT??

    As the name implies, I will be using a variety of approaches in an attempt to fully engage my children.  Having a patchwork of methods, I can be innovative and flexible. I can pick out and piece together curricula, in Unit Study form that I deem will best meet my children's learning needs.

There are so many online resources for anyone who chooses to take their child's education into there own hands. I found many aides while thrift shopping the other week! I may or may not use these items, but you can't beat B1G1 or .50 a book - unused at that! Besides, I LOVE TO SHARE.

My newest purchase will arrive soon. The McGraw-Hill Homeschooling Companion has a feature in the appendix in which each grade level's scope and sequence is listed. This is exactly what I have been looking for- someone to just tell me what to teach them. So now I use that to base my self-created curriculum. The remaining 10 weeks of school are planned out and ready to tackle! All the core-curricula is centered on one main theme, the children's Great Grandparents. 

    

    A wonderful attribute about being an eclectic homeschooler, as well as having stair-stepped students, is that each child has the opportunity to learn things outside of what the public school allows. This is simply a case of "You have to learn what the district tells us to teach you". My fourth grader will learn sixth grade or even higher. My sixth graders will be able to review fourth and fifth grade curricula. 

One homeschool blogger said this about the eclectic method , "...it can be so rich that people looking on aren't sure if the kids are 'schooling' or 'having fun'." I am sure the people we come across in our daily living/learning may think so. "When it looks a lot like having fun, you can be sure the kids are learning."

Visit back next month to see updates on the children's first 10 weeks of homeschooling. This will also be the last 10 weeks of the 2012-2013 school year.