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From author Rebecca Rupp
author of:
The Complete Homelearning SourcebookWhen can the kids quit?
 I
think one of the more difficult questions in homeschooling is deciding when to let the
kids quit something they don't like and when to insist that they persevere. A few points
to consider, when weighing the pros and cons:
 There are infinite numbers of different ways to learn and some methods
and resources suit some kids a whole lot better than others. There's no reason, for
example, to force a specific history curriculum if your kids loathe it when there are so
many alternative resources and approaches available.
Learning is practically nil
when students lack liking or interest.
If a kid absolutely hates Resource X and is miserable at the sight of it,
Resource X - no matter how much it cost and how much everybody else's kids like it
- isn't providing an optimum learning environment for yours. Look at the way kids sop
information up when they're curious and fascinated vs. their snail-like progress when
they're not. One of the great benefits of homeschooling is our ability to provide fuel for
their curiosity.
This shouldn't be a battle
over parental respect.
Certainly we all want our kids to respect (and love and admire) us, but
learning shouldn't be something they do solely to please US - learning is what they do to
please, delight, and surprise themselves. Homeschooling on our part, as parents, is a
process of discovery, a constant experiment in helping our kids find their personal best
way to learn. Anyway, nobody should panic themselves into thinking that "I hate my
math program" means "I hate you." In most cases, it means "Help!"
And kids do learn beautifully;
it's impossible to prevent them from learning. That learning, however,
doesn't necessarily take place as (or when) we expect it to. Some kids respond
enthusiastically to structure and workbooks; some don't. Some despise history - unless
it's taught through music or science or art. Sometimes learning is messy - there you are,
intent on teaching the geography of Antarctica, and they're hopping around begging
to read "Mr. Popper's Penguins." Homeschoolers are flexible enough to drop the
map and read "Mr. Popper's Penguins." Strike when the iron is hot.
On the other hand.
Some skills and academic concepts are only acquired through hard and
often tedious work - piano practice and the multiplication tables spring to mind. No way
around this. But there are long-term rewards and huge payoffs in expertise.
On the other hand.
All three of our kids starting taking violin lessons when they were
very young. Two of them stuck with it, are now excellent players, and are still
taking violin lessons. One of them, after a year or so of lessons, announced that he
didn't like it. He didn't practice. We nagged. We made inspiring speeches about the
rewards of hard work. We tried creative bribery. He still didn't practice; he
dragged his feet en route to lessons. This went on for months. Finally, after much
soul-searching, we let him quit. At this point, he never wanted to take music
lessons again.
SIX YEARS LATER
he decided that he would like to take piano lessons. He threw
himself into it; is having fun and doing great. Then, persuaded by his brothers - who
pitched strings - he decided to learn the string bass. Which he is.
Sometimes I think we should never have let him quit the violin Sometimes I
think we should have let him quit sooner. |
Home Learning:
Year by Year
Home learning
Sourcebook
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Rebecca Rupp
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"Is
Homeschooling Expensive?"
Frequently Asked Questions
Discover Your
Child's Learning Style:
Children Learn in Unique Ways--Here's the Key to Every
Child's Learning Success
by Mariaemma Willis, Victoria Kindle-Hodson
It has become widely accepted that not all children learn alike. Some grasp
information best by reading, while others learn better through listening or discovering
concepts in a hands-on fashion. Two longtime educators--Mariaemma Willis and Victoria
Kindle-Hodson--suggest in this guide that there are actually five aspects to a student's
learning style beyond the simple modes of visual, auditory, or kinesthetic. Their
"learning style profile" takes into account a child's talents, interests,
preferred learning environment, and disposition, as well as the three more familiar modes.
Written as a workbook, with a series of do-it-yourself assessments, the guide offers
parents a chance to diagnose their child's learning style in all five areas. A chart of
activities accompanies each style.
And What About College?:
How Homeschooling Can Lead to Admissions to the Best
Colleges & Universities
click here to find out more
by Cafi Cohen, Helen Hegener, Patrick Farenga
How the author helped her two homeschooled children apply and get accepted to the
colleges of their choice. Useful ideas for everyone thinking about college, but especially
for those with nontraditional educations. Appendixes include actual transcripts, cover
letters, ideas for creating and reporting curricula, pointers for applying to a military
academy, and more! |
