I use a couple of curriculum programs and follow them quite closely for what I consider the most important subjects for elementary grades: Language Arts and Math.
But, when it comes to Science, History, Music, Art, etc. we do mostly “Delight Directed” or “student lead” or “lifestyle of learning” or whatever you want to call letting the child read, watch, and do what they are most interested in when they are most interested in doing it!
I do some “casual” lessons in each of these (“Art” during Bible Time for example), but otherwise, I just do my best to provide the learning tools for my children… and they learn at their own pace and when they want to.
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How We Embrace A Lifestyle Of Learning
- I make sure we have a wide variety of science-type books, DVDs, etc.
- This means we collect Christian science textbooks (Bob Jones University, Christian Liberty Press, Abeka, etc.) from biology to earth science, biographies about scientists, books on survival, books about animals and insects and reptiles, Creation-based Educational science DVDs, and more.
- My kids are constantly catching snakes and bugs outside and examining them… they are learning, but they just think they are playing!
- We have art/drawing lessons on DVD that our children enjoy watching.
- We have an abundance of printer paper, construction paper, cardstock, etc.
- We have a bin full of colored pencils.
- We give our kids each a Creative Backpack.
- We allow gluesticks, scissors, and more craft supplies to be used almost daily.
- We have DVDs of American Sign Language that my kids watch just for fun.
- And, of course, we have a wide variety of BOOKS. From board books to chapter books and from fiction to nonfiction, we have shelves full for all of our children to explore/read. If they stray away from being interested in books, then I have to be intentional about asking the little ones to each choose a book for mom to read to them and usually that is all it takes to get all of the kids reading again!
- We live life with them, letting them learn life skills.
- Farm life encourages and develops life skills.
It is so fun to see my kids’ talents develop and their love for learning take shape and grow. I hope to always encourage and nurture their growth in the things they love doing.
Once the foundation of Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic is laid… the sky is the limit!
Awesome! Just the way I like my home to be too! As the kids get older they get so they can pretty much do everything themselves, only needing some guidance or advice and to ask for material to do everything!!!I've come to a place where I've had to tell my kids that sometimes we can't do everything we'd like and need to ask God and then let it go.
This is awesome! I REALLY don't know how you do it!! My life is SO hectic! Everyday I think I'm not gonna let things get so crazy, but everyday still is crazy!! I am (still)working on having older kids & little kids together…it about drives me up a wall!