Finding your Rhythm
Hi, Amber here. I am a home school mom extraordinaire, mediocre cook and housekeeper, aspiring gardener, hesitant adventurer, and teacher at OldSchool Day Class and Gym Class. Recently a parent mentioned to me that participating in one of our weekly Gym Classes had fallen into place as the missing piece in their weekly school rhythm. Of course, I was happy to hear that, but it also resonated as a kindred thought process, similar to the mental churning I find rumbling in the back of my mind and scribbled in my planners and notebooks. What is the rhythm my homeschool family needs?
Many of us who home school grew up in public or private schools. We’ve chosen the change of home schooling inspired by particular goals for us and our children. For me, I wanted more time outdoors, less time lost commuting to and from school, lessons geared towards individualized strengths, and learning that was triggered by imaginative stories that we could share as a family.
But when I reflect on my school years and my favorite times and best lessons they were all in the context of the walls of a school, surrounded by peers and teachers, not family. I can’t use that model of school and I don’t want it, but without bells and backpacks and lockers and lunch lines, what is school? Maybe that sounds silly to those of you who have home schooled for a while, but it’s been a journey to choose what my at-home model is (nonetheless have confidence in it).
I need three things to make my home school week flow.
1.) Curriculum that I feel is adequate and meaningful, but doesn’t include excessive busy work. Also, I need some of it be formatted for my older children to work independently.
2.) A school day rhythm that can shift and change with other circumstances but gives my children an idea of what to expect. For example: breakfast, play, morning circle, read-aloud, drawing, math, lunch, language arts, independent reading. It’s always changing, but it’s a basic idea that keeps the chaos at bay.
3.) A weekly rhythm. Children love to look forward to outings and rewards and socializing. How do we replace recess? How do we encourage meaningful friendships and teach our children to explore the world and interact with other adults and peers? We don’t want to be too busy, but we don’t want to be hermits either!
Since we started our Gym Classes, our daughter has started counting down the days until Gym Class each week. I love that. It’s become part of her rhythm. What do you include in your weekly rhythm that enriches your lives but also allows family dynamics to flow smoothly?
