My older ones are loving this freedom and as long as they master 95% of what the material that they study, they have freedom to learn. Not mastering it means that I come back in and reteach the material. More than a few times of lower than 95% mastery, we will sit down and discuss what needs to be done to get them back to mastering their curriculum. I believe that giving them this freedom is helpful for them to become self-motivated. I will not be going to college or to work with them to motivate them. That motivation has to come from within themselves. I am glad to see that when I come downstairs with my coffee that my kids have finished more than 1/2 their work without my having to pester or nag. They will be rewarded for their behavior accordingly. If they finish their work, then we have time for field trips and play dates and fun times.
I didn't come up with these ideas all on my own. I was doing some of it before I met Joanne Calderwood at a local home school convention. She is the mom who says on her website, URtheMom.com
"Welcome, Y'all!
My name is Joanne Calderwood,
and I am an underwhelmed Mom of eight kids."
I resonated with that! I wanted to be underwhelmed not overwhelmed. I spent the 1st few years being exhausted and feeling like I was running behind and schooling while nursing or pregnant or sick and well, being overwhelmed. I sat in on her seminars and bought her book The Self-Propelled Advantage. I got to sit down with her during the convention and talk to her. I loved how real she is and how I wanted my kids to have what her kids have. With that in mind, I devoured that book and highlighted it and wrote in it. I was pleased to see that I was doing over 1/2 what she laid out in the book. I just had a little more to go.
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This is my "E" post and I am a week late but getting ready, set, go for school and then we had a stomach bug so I guess better late than never! Join Proverbs 31 Mama for some more great blogs hopping along with us!
I was in no way compensated for my review of Joanne's book or website(other than personal gratification). I am boasting about it because I think she and they are amazing so you should believe me even more cause I ain't got paid!