With Fall swiftly arriving and calling us out of indoors and into routine, it is a joyful release to know that the required 180 day academic year is beginning with its rhythm and anchoring. But, if you are like us and enjoy the ‘anchorage’ of daily worthwhile accomplishment year ’round. We use our summers as times of continued education and expanded exploration. Let me share what we just wrapped up in hopes that it might give you confidence to take your foot off the gas a wee bit as needed. Just doing the math of dividing 180 days into 52 weeks makes me sigh with pleasure. 3.5 days of formal lessons per week. I can do that even with nurslings and naplings!
Each summer, we continue our math and reading- Possibly some journaling. Definitely nature journaling! -and we will take on an area of interest and one of weakness. The groaning and gnashing of teeth will be short lived if you just take to heart that your home culture is one of real life, which means that while our job requirements may change from one season to another, they do not stop. Make learning who you are as a family. What loftier goal is there than to be anchored in faith and a life-long learner. This begins from the cradle as modeled by the (primary) parent.
Last summer we worked on Latin. This summer we will focus on art and handwriting (a form of art that requires the same skills, so we begin with art when they are little and move into handwriting only if needed). And don’t forget the math and reading. You know that science will, literally, creep in, and history will be present in most of the books we read as well as in our dinner table discussion.
Viola! Year ‘Round Schooling. Simpler than you thought? With our goal being the love of learning for the sake of understanding The Word as well as an accumulation of knowledge and ability in order to create a whole picture, the day to day sort of takes care of itself if your children master reading, comprehension, and math. Then you follow the children’s interests toward learning of anything and everything.
The completion of a worksheet or workbook is not longer the spark that ignites the spirit of joyful curiosity within, it is simply a stepping stone as we feed our children’s bonfire of interests.