UNSCHOOLING

School.  Online school.  Pandemic school.  Home school.  Hybrid school.  Religious based home school. Own school.  And finally, Unschool.

UNSCHOOLING.  Basically it means "not sending your child to school". Unschooling is an approach to home education based on learning through living rather than through the conventions of school. parents partnering with their children rather than re-creating “school at home” children following their interests and curiosity, with help and resources from supportive parents.

Kate has teamed up with another family from Montessori who is doing the same style of schooling.  They are going to come up with a "theme" every month and try to use that theme in every subject.  The two boys will have a team projects (so they learn how to work well with others ... I should have had more of that!).

The families are both very environmentally conscious which will play a big factor and I bet there will be a trip to Mt St Helens (who blew her top in the early 80's and is growing back!) and so on.

As long we they do math and reading every day, the rest sounds okay to me.  Of course, sometimes they do math upside down ....

 

The kids listen to a child explaining the concept and reading the problems to them.  Once they reach 90% accurate answers, they have a "challenge" formerly known as a test.  If they get 90%, the move on to the next concept.  This guy is First Grade and is learning sentences, punctuation and capital letters.  It's amazing!

I was playing with the boys while parents ran errands last week and asked "who wants to do a project?"  I brought out a bag of corks, hot glue gun, string, googly eyes, pompoms, etc.  D made a raft.  Went outside to pick the perfect mast and added a sail.  When the parents got home, both boys challenged them to a contest to see whose raft stayed upright and moved the most.

 

Above is D's first raft (which won!)

 

D is holding Mom's fancy boat (which came in third place)

In addition to doing math and English every day, the boys can choose another way to learn or use Acellus for another subject.

 

They've also been very successful replacing a toilet flush valve, making dinner, baking a cake, how to fix a bicycle flat, jump a car battery (yes, car #2 hasn't been used much with me not driving).

My sister is going to offer art appreciation.  She is a docent at the Speed Art Museum in Louisville working with groups of elementary students and having a hands on project at the ready.  I'm thinking a microscope for Christmas this year.

The Kidults do hands-on science experiments quite frequently.  Learning has always been fun and hands on around here.  We need to have state testing in grades 3, 5 and 8 and will find an approved evaluator for high school.

P.S.  Sorry ... I have forgotten how to make the background transparent!