This is our 4th year homeschooling and I’m learning more and more every day how to enhance my children’s education as well as our home life. My daughter (14) is taking Psychology and English Composition 101 at the local community college as a Dual Enrolled student and doing remarkably well. Next semester, she will take Biology with Lab (in person) and Computer Information Systems (online) and it’s all practically free! In addition, she is taking Math and Forensic Science from an online virtual school. I teach Philosophy, Economics, History, and Russian at home.
I call it “Pseudo Homeschooling.” We find what works best for every subject, remain flexible, and continue trying different things. I believe that exposing kids to as much as possible at an early age will encourage them to feel safe to ask questions and cultivate their natural curiosity about the world around them. So a big part of my job is to research opportunities that are creative, affordable, and inspiring for each child as a unique individual.
My kids love learning how to play musical instruments on YouTube. They both play tennis 3-4 days per week, especially with friends and family. They help with cooking and cleaning (thank you Montessori for the ‘primary years’). I outsource art (not my forte) with unique outings such as a glass-making workshop for our Atlanta Homeschool Group. My motto is “if it doesn’t exist, create it!”
I want my children to see as much as possible of the world, so we are taking a trip to England next year with an educational travel company, focusing on history as well as Shakespeare/literature. With a group of 6 homeschoolers, the cost of my trip as a chaperone is covered completely. Check out Education First to set up your own tour. A great idea is to visit a country that coincides with the foreign language your kids are studying as a congratulatory treat.
An inexpensive way to expose kids to travel is to take advantage of summer programs available through non-profit companies, such as the Foundation for Economic Education. My daughter spent 3 days last summer at beautiful Berry College in Rome, GA learning about free market Economics with other kids her age, many of whom are also homeschooled! The summer programs are all over the U.S. and very homeschool-friendly.
We use a wonderful Economics Course called The Economics of Entrepreneurship which is free and perfect for homeschool students and co-ops. I love how it stresses the importance of good character while teaching economic fundamentals in a fun and interactive way. I teach economics and love how homeschoolers in particular are very keen to entrepreneurship and find themselves inspired and more confident after participating in these programs.
I also have a son who just turned 12 and I bet the opportunities for him will be even greater! I encourage everyone to keep blogging about opportunities and share your experiences with others. Homeschooling is growing like wildfire (over 2 million and counting) because we believe we can give our kids a much better education than a government or private school. I’ve never regretted pulling them out and cherish every moment we spend together exploring everything the world has to offer. I’m so thankful we live in a country that offers us such freedoms. Thank you iHN for encouraging us to share in this great homeschooling adventure.
Great post, Marianna. Your daughter’s breadth of studies/activities is inspiring (almost exhausting!)
Thanks, Jeff. She’s a real go-getter and now my son is right beside her. #proudmama