School Without Books?

I think one of the most daunting things about homeschooling your children is the worry that they won't learn the things they're supposed to.  That they'll fall behind the kids in school.  This can lead to a rigid schedule of "school at home," complete with worksheets, desks, and the Pledge of Allegiance.  Half an hour for recess, and mystery meat for lunch.  Okay, maybe not that last one, but you get the picture.

When we first brought our son home from school, I tried something very similar to this approach.  He was in kindergarten, and we honestly weren't sure if we were going to send him back to school for first grade, so I was really worried that he would fall behind.  I bought math books and reading books and writing books and proceeded to set him up at a desk and require him to write.  And write.  And write.

It seemed like all we did for that period of time was fight, and cry, and complain - and that was just MY reaction!

Now, I'm not going to tell you that we don't use books in our home school.  I LOVE books, as anyone who's been to my house and seen the quantity of bookshelves would know.  We read a lot.  And yes, my kids write and do math workbooks.  But I want to talk about another aspect of homeschooling that isn't as obvious, but is just as important.  And that is real life.

One of the best things about being home together is being able to really LIVE together.  Our family just got back from a two-day trip to Lake George.  One of the books that we read this past year was "Indian Captive:  The Story of Mary Jemison" by Lois Lenski.  We're going through a chronological study of American History, and this book takes place during the French and Indian war.  Well, in Lake George is a reconstructed fort, called Fort William Henry.  We spent half a day there, seeing a film, taking a tour, and, of course, visiting the gift shop.  It was a way of bringing the book to life a little.  We're also planning to visit Letchworth State Park this summer, which is on the Genessee river, and is the site of the Indian village that Mary Jemison lived in.  There is also a statue of her in the park.

The day that we went to Fort William Henry, I am sorry to say, we didn't crack a book.  I don't expect we will when we go to Letchworth, either.  Are these "school days?"  You bet!

Life is so much more than reading and writing and arithmetic.  After all, none of these things are an end in themselves.  You learn them so that you can function in society, and so that you can enjoy life more.  Think about it.  Baking a cake requires reading and arithmetic.  You have to read the recipe, measure the ingredients, and time the cake.  So, baking a cake with your children practices reading and arithmetic.  Going to the grocery store requires writing a list, reading the labels, and using money to pay for the items.  Reading, writing, and arithmetic.  Flying a kite uses science.  Going hiking is exercise as well as natural science.  Setting the table requires counting.  Finding a new place requires map reading.

I'm not advocating an "Unschooling" or "Delight-directed"approach here.  I believe that as parents we are responsible for making sure our children learn what they need to, not just what they want to.  But I also believe that learning can take place any time, and any where.  One perk to teaching your own children is that you can SEE what they are learning.  You don't have to give them a test or a worksheet to prove that they know something.  You are with them, learning alongside of them.  You are discussing things with them.  When they are reading to you, you know if they are struggling with certain words and you can help them.  When you are reading to them, they can stop you to ask questions if they don't understand something.  And you can learn by doing things, not just by reading about them.

So yes, a day without books can still be a day of school.  So go ahead and live a little!