Last week I blogged about some frustrations.
This week has been better. We haven't had anything in our schedule (appointments for example) that have disrupted the routine. I'm also learning how to be clear on the work that I want Jonah to do, and I have put some consequences in place (earlier bedtimes) for being disrespectful or not obeying my instructions. I'm still working on finding activities within our curriculum that engage him, but don't require my constant supervision. Could I just sit next to him all day, work through every moment and math problem and grammar question and spelling word, well now, that would be lovely. But the reality is that I have a lot of things to do in this household, and he needs to be able to follow through with the assignments that I provide.
Interestingly, there have been a few times where I have been awed at his choice to paint a landscape, write a story, or read Greek Mythology - just for fun - spontaneously!! Here are the moments when I can grasp the concept of "unschooling", where there is no formal curriculum, no lesson plans, no particular subjects that are taught for the home school. Everything comes from within the student's desires to explore and engage in the world around him. How that works with math (okay maybe cooking, building, etc) I am not sure entirely, but it sure is a lofty concept and apparently has been very successful for some home school families.
Frustrations will be a daily part of this experience, but I will choose to focus on the positive. The precious time I am spending with my son at a critical moment in his development, and the ability to foster a sense of wonder in his learning keeps me encouraged to press forward despite my shortcomings and self-doubt!
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