Simplifying Homeschool

A fellow homeschooling friend shared with me these "Ten Ways to Simplify Homeschool", by Theresa DeKarske. I wanted to share it with you today.

• Keep everything as simple as you can. Jesus wrote with a stick in the dirt and He was the greatest teacher that ever lived. He used no curriculum or flannel graphs or lesson plans. Homeschooling can be made far more complicated than it should be. A simpler approach is much more effective.
  

• Stick to the 3 R's. They form the foundation of life-long learning in every field because they are the tools of study. There will be no need to formalize any other subjects if the children are doing their best in these three, because people who are well grounded in reading, writing and math will approach other subjects boldly, independently, and confidently.

• Let the children teach themselves as much as they are able to. This teaches them responsibility, intellectual independence, and builds confidence.

• Use the most direct method available. For reading, read. For writing, write, and for Bible, read it. Don't fall for catchy curriculum's or methods that are really just something else for you and your child to learn.
  

• Don't worry about your child's age or grade. Just let him do the best he can each day. Children grow intellectually like they do physically: in spurts. Although we may have an audience of skeptical relatives, homeschooling is not a circus, and we refuse to train our children to do tricks for people.

• Seek quality over over quantity. A few tapes of great music, a small case of carefully chosen books, a few special play mates, and an occasional outing is better than a large, but poor quality collection.

• If you must document your school activities, do it after the fact. This way you will not make promises you cannot keep. If you are required to make lesson plans, be as vague as permissible. Don't let transcripts, diplomas, records and tests determine your academic plans. Focus on learning and the rest will follow.

• Give your permission to take an "in-service" day... or even a whole week! Our family has even been known to take off the entire month of December from formal schooling.

• Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind and soul and don't neglect to seek Him daily, and early... giving Him the first fruits of your day, teaching your children to do the same. I know that you are tired and that there aren't enough hours in your day, but we serve a God who can make the sun stand still.