Our first proper blog post! Eeeep!

The Great Australian Bight - Bunda Cliffs along the Nullarbor

We've been pretty blessed to have seen and done the things we've done. Some before we started homeschool and some because we have chosen to homeschool. This journey is exciting and terrifying at the same time because, although I know in my heart this is the right choice for our family, I am taking complete charge of the academic, physical, and spiritual development of my tribe. 

Which sort of makes sense really... I am their mother... 

But it's not a pompous and arrogant decision by any means. I don't pretend to know more than any teacher, but I do know my kids more than anyone. I don't have all the answers about our faith, but I will take our kids on the same faith journey that we are on. I'm not doing anything amazing, I'm simply allowing my kids to be kids for as long as possible - childhood is short enough, and it's being systematically taken away by an education paradigm convinced that kids need desks, chairs, and tests to succeed, at a younger and younger age. 

Not in my house.

Somewhere near Streaky Bay in SA!

How do we homeschool? We mix responsibility and freedom. I'm attempting to intrinsically blend the quite opposite methods of Charlotte Mason Homeschooling with Unschooling...!! Rebellious, I know. But bear with me... I'll try and explain...

I've discovered that when my kids are engaged and interested in something, learning just... happens. It's not forced. It's not required. Curiosity takes over. Discussions and questions. Enjoyment becomes passion. And whatever they learn, they retain because they know why they're doing it - because they want to. 
Which is a sort of unschooling approach.
But then I believe that certain responsibilities need to be taught too. Certain disciplines. Prayer and mass. Cleaning and weeding. Washing, tidying, algebra, grammar, scooping up chook poo! At first glance it may seem tedious and dull. But it's absolutely essential - especially prayer and going to mass. How on earth can an unschooling approach be taken to these tasks??
Simple. 
(not easy, but simple!)
We discuss "why" things need to be learned. Because, again, there's no point in forcing education onto anyone. The whole "why do I HAVE TO clean the toilet mum?!" argument disappears when you discuss 3rd world sanitation problems, then write a prayer about it. Be grateful you have a toilet, kids.
We do short, sharp lessons. As Charlotte Mason teaches us, the quantity of work doesn't matter but the quality must be to the child's 100% effort. It doesn't matter if you only write one sentence, but it has to be your best work. 
We do natural consequences. If you want to go to the park, the chores must be completed properly first, and working together gets it done quicker. If you don't do your bit, your bedtime is earlier because clearly you're very tired. If we don't finish our daily lessons, you miss out on your free time. 
One thing we don't do, is rewards. Money, stickers, toys, charts. Nope. There's nothing that stifles real learning quicker than making the "why" something superficial. They'll be forever expecting a gold star for basic tasks. The reward for reading is enjoyment. For weeding, vegetables. For tending chickens, eggs! For washing, clean clothes. For finishing projects and chores, family time. And maybe the kids will plan a trip and we'll go camping!

Atop Bluff Knoll with my old man, Stirling Range NP, WA
It certainly doesn't happen like this all the time. There have been countless prayers, many arguments, fights, and disagreements... for sure... but we are definitely where we're meant to be. 

Until next time, 

Take Care and God Bless xx
Em 


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