6 Week Schedule

This summer, I kept flip-flopping between homeschool and regular school. I realized I hadn't really researched all the schools in the area (we have open enrollment and charter schools) so I looked into a Waldorf-inspired charter school and a Montessori-inspired charter school. My biggest hang-up still is this...I will be responsible for my kids' education, until they take it on themselves and go to college (hopefully, they'll take full responsibility before that). But I also was just plain scared to start...for real (my oldest will be 6 this month).

And then I went to a leadership seminar. And the speaker talked about how kids/youth are so well trained in mediocrity and following others. And then I remembered one of my number one reasons for homeschooling: leadership education.

For some of you, you will recognize that it sounds like the Thomas Jefferson Leadership Education. And it does. I've read their 3 books on how to make a leadership education happen in your home. And I want that end result for my kids, too. But I have put them on the shelf for the last few months because I know that I need to teach my children my way.

I respect the leadership education model, especially "teaching" by example, independent learning on the child's part, teaching through classics, holding off on rigorous education until the child's brain is ready for it. But truthfully, I'm not passionate about becoming a Constitutionalist, a Freedom Fighter, or anything else political. And so many of the TJed webinars and classes point somewhere in that direction because they firmly believe (as I take it) that this educational model will produce the next generation of Jeffersons, Adams, and Washingtons to save our country. Not that it's a bad thing. It just isn't my thing (or mission, as a TJed-er would say). So, I'm being my own leader and doing it in my own way.

When I came across the 6 week homeschool schedule, I thought, yeah...this really could work for me (TJed recommends a 3 month schedule, with larger breaks every 6 months to purge your home and reorganize)! 6 weeks on, one week off. I can do this! I can follow a schedule for 6 weeks! I can have a week off to breath, plan, then get back to work again!

I asked my kids what they want to learn about, and both said "Outer Space!" So, it looks like our first 6 weeks will focus on Outer Space. And it looks like I'm headed towards unit studies...

But, that's what homeschool is all about...coming up with ways and revamping them constantly to give our children the education they deserve! (I still think my blog title is relevant...hsing is always an experiment!)