A lesson on homeschooling

“We don’t sit down at the table with a math book and just do questions one to thirty. We find really creative ways to do that, so earlier we built tetrahedron kites with other homeschooling friends of ours and we studied the net of the tetrahedron, talked about regular shapes, talked about how a small tetrahedron makes a big tetrahedron, and then we built these beautiful kites together.”

Being more inclined towards math and science, Matthews explained she has been able to find many unique ways to teach important concepts. Whether it’s projects, games, or utilizing engaging teaching strategies, her son has been able to keep up with the curriculum in a way that best suits him. However, when it comes to the basic fundamentals, such as things like grammar or basic math concepts, Matthews says the curriculum does account for this too and has ways of making sure a student isn’t falling behind.

“One of the really neat things about the program we’re in, the kids are all enrolled under what’s called ‘elementary ungraded.’ So all of the kids in the homeschooling are kind of not in a specific grade. And the school helps you be like, ‘okay, generally kids this age are working on these skills’ and you try to check off the boxes as you learn them. But if you learn division when you’re three, five, seven, eight, or nine (years old), it doesn’t really matter right?”

While the learning side of school is well accounted for, another huge aspect of school is the social side. While some may believe homeschooled students have very little social interaction, that isn’t the case. Matthews said there are several homeschooling groups that meet up almost every day of the week to do various things. Whether it’s music or swimming classes, or just meeting together at the park, homeschooled students have plenty of opportunities to make friends and get out of the house the same way students in a traditional school do.

Ultimately, homeschooling may not be as different from traditional schooling as you may think. While the flexibility within homeschooling can make it incredibly varied, at the end of the day the same goals and learning needs are being met, as well as socialization opportunities.

by Tommy Osborne

A lesson on homeschooling

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