Whatchya-ma-schoolers

“So what kind of curriculum do you use?”

Deep breath. They mean well. I know that they do.

Do I bother trying to explain…?

I suppose that we have to claim the term “homeschoolers,” since we don’t send our kids anywhere for a formal education. That is a broad category. So what do I say to the other homeschool mom at the park when she asks what curriculum we use? Honestly, I usually kind of chuckle first. Curricula is so far in my rear view at this point. Well, we are “unschoolers” if I have to pick a name, but for those outside of this seemingly extreme circle, the term may imply negligence, which is on the opposite side of the spectrum from what we actually do. For those deep inside this funky little circle it may seem like a misnomer since we do have a bedtime, my kids don’t get to play videogames to their heart's content and Poptarts are never a permissable dinner option.

To those who think we are simply skipping school, I triple-dog-dare you to join me and my kids for a week, or even a day and see if you can keep up (insert eyebrow waggle here). “Wild-schooling” sounds fun and I would like to say that we pass most days in nature, but not always. “Life-schooling” may be getting closer. I don’t know what you call it, and I don’t know that I much care.

“We don’t dooo school,” my youngest started telling people when she was six and spunky. This was after I attempted to explain to her that we were going to put the brakes on workbooks and classwork. Mind you, she said these words with all the hip-shaking, hillbilly swagger she could muster. Hilarious as it is to watch people’s reactions, I surely don’t know where the southern drawl came from. So, no, we don’t “do” school. We do everything we want to do and not too much we don’t. Sound too simple? I’m sure it does. Here is the thing, people, you do not have to do all the things that you feel like you have to do. Again. You do not have to do all the things that you feel like you have to do. Yes, I wrote that twice. It’s a lot of small words, but a big idea. I want you to get it. Really get it.

Is learning a musical instrument great for stimulating the brain and increasing your child’s mental capacity? I’m sure it is. I know it is. I am sure that there are countless articles proving such. Does it feel wonderful to get in the car at dinner time, shove food down everyone’s throats as you rush, once again to a lesson, hoping that your kid pays attention and loves it ‘cause it costs as much as the weekly groceries? Hmmmm…

I’m not saying don’t do music lessons, if you love it, if they love it, if it adds value to your lives, then you should absolutely do it. Make it happen. However, if it feels like another feather that you are obligated to place in your accomplished-momma-hat, then skip it.

So, maybe we don’t have a name, someday I’ll write a book called “Whatchya-ma-school-it”. If you so chose to embrace this idea or any idea that I peddle for that matter, you are going to need to change how you think. I had to, big time. It is likely that my jump was significantly larger than what I am asking of you. Education doesn’t happen in a box as much as breathing doesn’t only happen in yoga class. You do it all day long. Sometimes you are more focused and engaged and sometimes it is more passive. If you entirely stop all forms of learning, it is because you are now dead. Fact.

Right where you are, take a moment to stop and think. Look at the books on your shelf. How are books made? Learn about it. Maybe you are reading this on a device, how is information stored? Sitting on a couch? Do all cultures use couches? Seems American to me. Wearing blue jeans? When did that become popular? Spoiler alert - it was the gold rush and they primarily originated in France or at least the material did. Hear a dog barking? Read about the domestication of dogs. Or don’t read, talk about it. Think about it. Wonder about it. Have ideas about it. Maybe read about it later. Or don’t. But, seriously, just look around. If you start looking for opportunities to learn, to teach, then you won’t ever need to lean on a preplanned worksheet again. Learn about whatever question you have right now, because you will learn in a dynamic way, a way that causes you to comprehend the subject matter and retain the information so much better than doing Lesson 17, page 90 on the earth’s crust. The earth’s crust is AWESOME! But you may miss out on a big ol’ chunk of wonder and awe when you attempt to convey it through a multiple choice reading comprehension worksheet that they have to do that day.

Ramble. Ramble. Ramble. This is the life my family lives. This is the life my family loves. Lots of rambling. Lots of reading (voluntarily because we LOVE books). And I love it. They love it. Sometimes we discuss gravity and momentum at great length and sometimes we look up Johnny B. Goode as performed by Marty McFly. Sometimes that’s all in the same five minutes because learning is as natural as a great conversation when you feel ancy to add to, build upon, interject and go down rabbit holes. How I love a good digression!

So, consider battling less and having more great conversations and call us what you will. For now, I have grown quite fond of “whatchya-ma-schoolers”.

"Knowledge which is acquired under compulsion has no hold on the mind. 

Therefore do not use compulsion, but let early education be rather a sort of amusement;

this will better enable you to find the natural bent of the child.” 

~Plato