So now that I have a teenager (almost 2! YIKES!!) and high school is here and no longer in the distance I want my children to have more of a say in what they want to learn. There's the basics, for sure, but one of the great things about homeschooling is it can uniquely fit every single child. It may take some fiddling and adjusting and research, but you can make learning fun and fitted to your child's needs, wants, and desires.
First, I sit with each of my kiddos ALONE. I find that if they have no other influence it is easier for them to tell me exactly what they are looking for as an extra elective or hobby that they want to delve into and explore. We chat a little about what they have been reading or watching or thinking about and if anything strikes them as they would like to learn more about that specific topic or area.
Once they have narrowed it down (hopefully only to one or two things) I first scour Schoolhouse Teachers to see if there is a course available there that is or is similar to their idea. With over 400 courses generally I can find something! That is how my eldest started to learn French about 2 years ago. Recently she has mentioned wanting to learn photography. It is also how we found a poetry class my middle child wanted to try.
If I can't find it on Schoolhouse Teachers I next do a search on Google and use the words "unit study" to see if one may exist. Usually I can find something this way on almost ANY topic or class out there. Now if the class that my child is interested in is Robotics or Gymnastics, or learning to play the cello, then I'd do a search in my homeschooling community to see what resources there may be available to me locally. This could also be classes taken at a community college or technical school where you can do dual enrollment and get high school AND college credit.
I do this with all 3 of my kiddos hoping to give them some spark to help them find their niche. I want to help build a supportive foundation and prepare them for the future but also allow them to have a say in what the future will look like.
Here are some other participants in this weeks Blog Hop!
Amanda @ Hopkins HomeschoolAngie @ Run Ran Family Adventures & Learning
Annette @ A Net in Time
Ashley @ Gift of Chaos
Betty @ Let’s Get Real
Brenda @ Counting Pinecones
Carol @ Home Sweet Life
Chareen @ Every Bed of Roses
Rodna @ Training Children up for Christ
Stacy @ A Homemakers Heart
Tess @ Circling Through This Life
Wendy @ Life at Rossmont
Yvie @ Gypsy Road
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