x
as I realized all the information they had
absorbed during that one hour tour. Not
only had they learned, but they really
owned the knowledge in a way that
wouldn’t be quickly forgotten.
As one son gushed about the how
quickly the boat rose as the water
spilled into the lock, I knew that he understood the workings
of the fascinating system. As another son marveled at the
effortless opening of the massive lock doors, I knew that he
had experienced the engineering masterpiece first hand.
We talked about the dirt path along the side of the river that
Neither of those
facts had been a
part of our reading
had been worn by the mules
that pulled boats in the 1840’s.
Then we discussed the scraped
markings on the sides of the
canal that showed how each
section of the ditch had been dug
by hand. Neither of those facts
had been a part of our reading,
and I realized that we would have
been all the poorer in knowledge
if we had only depended on the
book to do the teaching.
The Different Ways To Homeschool
Although every homeschool is unique, certain homeschooling
styles and approaches have become very popular. Most
homeschoolers do not follow one style or method exactly.
Instead, they select the ideas and suggestions that fit their
family and eventually end up with a method all their own.
Some children prefer structure and learn best when they are
told what to do, others learn best on their own. Some children
do their best work around the kitchen table, and others excel
when they are out-of-doors. The goal for the homeschooling
parents is to identify how, when and what their child learns best
and to adapt their teaching style to their child.
Click/Tap here for the most popular homeschooling styles.
Each style shows what a “typical day” is like for each.
All the “unfinished book” guilt
was gone when I realized that,
although I hadn’t been exactly
as I planned, I had done my job
as a homeschooling teacher.
My lesson plan called for us to
learn about the Erie Canal, and
while the words in the book were
adequate, they were nothing
compared to the opportunity
to see the power of the water
and feel the movement of the
boat. I made a mental note to
not ever fall into the trap of only
reading about a lesson when
we could actually get out and
experience it. Back at home I put
a big satisfying checkmark on
my curriculum. Sure, we hadn’t
finished the book, but we had
learned about the Erie Canal.