Reschooling Posts // December 10-16 2023
Homeschool Lesson Planning For An Anxious Child
December 15, 2023 from Different By Design Learning
Nothing can derail a carefully thought out lesson plan faster than a child’s anxiety. This is a behind the scenes look at homeschool lesson planning for an anxious child. Last week, we accomplished very little of our planned lessons. My son had an outpatient surgery on Tuesday and while it was very minor, he struggled with anxiety and overall mood instability for most of the week prior to it and as a result of it.
End of year homeschool reflections
December 15, 2023 from Small Places by Eloise Rickman
I’ve finally called it. We’re now officially on ‘Christmas break’ for the next two or three weeks, or whenever we’re in need of a bit more structure again. We’re all exhausted after months of low level sickness - right now I’ve had a cough for eleven days (!) and counting - and we need time to recharge.
Pursuit of Happiness vs. Indulgence as Neglect
December 14, 2023 from Swimming Upstream
When I was in my early 20s, I decided that the meaning of life was to be happy. Quite chuffed with myself, I had distilled two decades of existence and knowledge down to the premise that taking ownership of one’s own happiness while not inhibiting others’ happiness was really the best it was going to get. I suppose I still hold this to be reasonably true, although in my early 40s, the act of simply being happy feels much more complex than it did 20 years ago.
Can Parents Really Teach Their Own?
December 14, 2023 from Let ‘em Go Barefoot
John Holt believes parents can teach their own. He even wrote a book about it that I highly recommend. I believe many parents can teach their own, too, even though I used to believe otherwise. (More on that below). There’s been an obvious shift in opinion about homeschooling and the ability of parents to support their children academically.
Christmas Customs: Weaving Together Faith and Festivity and Whether to “Do Santa”
December 13, 2023 from Ever Learning
I was in Grade Two, just nicely seven that fall, when I heard the news that Santa wasn’t real. A boy in my class, L, leaned forward eagerly to inform me, eyes shining. L wasn’t someone who had just found out himself; he was someone whose family didn’t ‘do Santa’ and he seemed happy to bear the truth. His mother was volunteering in our class that day and was sitting beside him on the other side of the table from me.
[Podcast #215] Planned Spontaneity
December 13, 2023 from Brave Writer
In our journey of homeschooling, we’ve discovered that education is not just about textbooks and structured lessons; it’s about nurturing a child’s: curiosity, creativity, and joy in learning. We believe in blending structured education with elements of surprise and spontaneity, making learning an adventure rather than a chore.
Nurturing a Strength-Based Approach to Learning in Homeschooling
December 13, 2023 from Raising Lifelong Learners
Strengths-based learning can play a crucial role in crafting your child’s educational journey. Understanding the distinctions between a strengths-based and a deficits-based approach to education is important, underscoring the importance of acknowledging and fostering your child’s unique strengths, talents, and abilities.
Don’t Tell Kids That Someone Could Grab Them
December 12, 2023 from Free Range Kids
A childcare worker in Texas dropped a line with a story — and a request: Dear Let Grow: You helped me a few years ago when the state wanted me to get rid of my rope swing, which the kids in my childcare program love. I also run an after-school care program at my local elementary school, which abuts a park. I allow the kids to play in the park independently.
Ceremony with Magdalena Garcia
December 12, 2023 from Sage Family
Mother, Educator, Writer, Birth Story Listener, Parenting Coach and Ceremony Facilitator - Magdalena García supports parental mental and emotional health by focusing on the mindset, strategies and symbolic ways mothers and fathers can tend to their Inner Lives so they can tend to the Inner Lives of their children.
"Reprioritizing Ourselves"
December 14, 2023 from Empowering Youth
One of the things adults need is access in some way to the things they're curious about and the things that bring them joy. Really, we should be self-directed learners as well. It's easy to be occupied with our young people and the busyness of life, but what are we interested in learning about? What joy are we seeking from day to day?
Homeschooling: to regulate or not to regulate?
December 12, 2023 from A Life Unschooled
Some time ago, John Oliver had a segment on his show that was asking whether homeschoolers should be more regulated, and citing the abuse that sometimes happens within the homeschooling community. Recently, there was an article on the Washington Post about the rise in homeschooling, and this has alarmed many because of how hard it is to actually get reliable statistics about homeschooling, and because 11 states in the US require no documentation if you’re hoping to homeschool, and several more collect statistics that are not reliable.
Getting on Track: Introducing Janelle and Her Unschool Story
December 12, 2023 from Stories of an Unschooling Family
I’m delighted to welcome Janelle and her family to my blog! After sending out a plea for help, Janelle contacted me, saying: I believe we have somewhat always been unschoolers or lifeschoolers under the guise of eclectic homeschooling. As our children aged, I thought education or learning should become more rigid or something but that has made them hate school. We are embarking on a whole new way of learning and living as we proceed on our way.
The Right To Leave
December 11, 2023 from Think Again
The right to opt out isn’t one we value when it comes to young people. We value joining in, being there, showing up - and we denigrate saying No, refusing, saying you’ve had enough, or deciding that something isn’t for you. Many of us fear that it if we allow young people to say no, they always will.
Brave Writer Precept #10: We Will Come to Know Ourselves
December 11, 2023 from Brave Writer
The tenth Brave Writer precept is: We will come to know ourselves better as educators, parents, and awesome adults! When you embark on homeschooling, you develop as a person! It’s one of the most delightful side effects of this lifestyle.
