We practiced a mixture of all types of homeschooling: unit studies, unschooling, text books, etc. I finally figured out that all those rolled up into one comes out to be Relaxed Homeschooling.
It's a little bit different now than when the kids were younger. If you read my Homeschooling and Daycare page, you will see how we went from a text book curriculum to no formal curriculum at all.
The first step is to change your thinking about schooling. Take a look at your goal for your children's life. Is your goal to get through all the workbooks or is it to produce men and women who can function in society? We do a lot of emphasis on chores around here, not because I want my kids to work all the time, but because I want them to be able to function in their own households when they get one.
When they were younger I got a teacher's plan book. I wrote these for subjects: Language, Math, Social Studies, and Science. I watched the kids during the day and recorded what they did (like a diary): Language--wrote a letter to Grandma, wrote a thank-you note for a birthday gift, sent an email to a friend, read 3 chapters in the library book, read directions on how to make cookies; Math--measured the ingredients for the cookies (doubled the recipe), realized that 3 rows by 4 rows of cookies made a dozen (3X4=12); Social Studies--Watched a PBS show on George Washington, read a chapter in the Bible, asked me about how it was in Bible times & we discussed it; Science--baked cookies (chemistry), helped me in the garden, helped me watch the toddlers (child development), etc.
Once I started recording everything, I realized we were doing TONS of academics throughout the day, naturally! Also, my son greatly benefits from working within his interests and at his own pace. He taught himself to read after I took away the school books.
Now that they are older we actually use curriculum. It didn't happen all at once, we have worked into it gradually. Because of the daycare I need something I can give them to do mostly on their own and ask me questions if they need help. I have made all the lesson plans in four subjects from August through Thanksgiving. I will re-evaluate and make the rest of the plans from January through May. (We take the month of December off.)
Click >>here<< for my low-cost, non-textbook ideas.
I feel strongly that God has called us to homeschool AND do daycare. I'm doing it the best way I know how and feel blessed for answering both the calls.
