we have decided that we won't be sending our girls to school. it is a very personal decision, not necessarily for everyone, but one we feel is right for us as a family. our 5 yr old daughter is a highly sensitive child + we feel being at home with us is the best option for her. she + her sister are best friends + love being together (with the occasional disagreement!)
i really wanted to stay home with our girls + my DH is very happy + supportive of me doing so. after much research before i had them (largely due to my younger sister) we decided that we would homeschool, then unschool, which is child led learning + doesn't involve structured lessons. the great thing about unschooling or freeschooling as some call it, is that you can take aspects from all different methods + choose whichever parts suit your children best.
i like aspects of montessori, they suggest scaling items down to child size so they can do things themselves (which little ones love), organizing their toys + things so they can find + play with them easily.
waldorf has some lovely practices, celebrating the seasons, going out + collecting items to make a nature table, using natural, organic materials + making things yourself, embracing a simplicity of living.
unschooling isn't about curriculums + structure, it's about giving your child the freedom to discover for themselves. letting them decide what they are interested in + providing the resources or access to resources, whether it be books, the internet, field trips or tv (yes, i said tv!). my girls have learnt so many things already from the shows they watch + we don't police how much they watch, they choose. i do keep an eye on content but they are free to watch when they want to. this may frighten you but i've found they don't watch a huge amount, it's more of a wind down or rest thing for them.
they spend most of their time outside, playing, painting + making things. trusting them + their natural ability to learn, without coersion is the hardest thing for many of us, as we have grown up going to school + thinking we have to control + set boundaries in every aspect of our children's lives because that is how we were brought up.
we have had to learn to unschool our way of thinking, realise that our little ones are people too + deserve choice in everything they do, including how, what + when they learn. they choose their own pace + their own unique way + learning with them, is a journey to be looked forward to. our girls already know so many things + it has been learnt entirely on their own!
there are some fabulous blogs out there, many of which i read +
it's so encouraging to read of other families who have embraced this way of life + the joy they experience, living in tune with + learning along with their children.
here are some of my favourites + from them, you can follow links to THEIR favourite blogs : )
thesparklingmartins.blogspot.com
themagiconions.blogspot.com
sandradodd.com
soulemama.typepad.com
lifelearningmagazine.com
