The education of even a small child, therefore, does not aim at preparing him for school, but for life. ~ Maria Montessori

If you follow me on Instagram you will have seen that we started homeschooling Molly last year. We know she isn’t school age yet, but we felt it was right for us to start introducing it. I have been asked by several people why we have chosen to homeschool, as well as what kind of approach we will be taking with homeschooling. So I thought I would give you a little run down of why and how we plan to homeschool our girls. First off, I have nothing against people who choose to send their children to school. Why would I? I went to school and have some of the best memories and made some friends who im fortunate enough to still call friends. However, that was over 14 years ago, and so much has changed since then.

Education in general has been in the media a lot over the last few years. Now, this isn’t down to the Teachers. I think Teachers are unsung hero’s who deserve to be paid a lot more then what they currently are. It’s the Government I have my issue with. What with massive budget cuts, pay cuts, teacher shortages, classroom sizes increasing and school supplies dwindling. A lot of teachers having to pay for things out of their own pockets and not get the money reimbursed.

Not every child learns at the same pace. God forbid they don’t get something quick enough or they will be labeled as being behind. That just doesn’t sit right with me. What may take one child 1 day to pick up, may take another child a month. It doesn’t mean they are behind. It just means they may need it teaching/explaining a different way or need a bit of extra help. How can 1 teacher do this with up to 30 children in a class? You can’t devote your time to help each child individually without running out of time. Class sizes are ridiculous and I honestly don’t understand how teachers cope.

Some schools are having to drop subjects like sex education and the arts due to lack of funding. After doing a lot of research, and talking to friends who are teachers, teachers in England’s schools are under such enormous pressure to get good test results for the all-important league tables. This has led to a widespread “teach to the test” culture. – This makes me sad. Why are the creative subjects the first to go?! who do any subjects have to go? It’s wrong.

I personally feel that we can give the girls a, I wouldn’t say better, but a more enriched education. We want them to experience places and be a lot more hands on. Not just sit at a desk and learn from a textbook. – Does that make sense?

As for our own homeschooling approach, we aren’t following any form of national curriculum, nor are we following just one teaching method. We are taking bits from different methods. I’d say we are mainly Waldorf, with a hint of Montessori and Emily Reggilo with a bit of Charlotte Mason thrown in for good measure. They all have different qualities that we couldn’t choose or stick to just one. Here are a few reasons we like each one and things we will be implementing into our homeschooling journey.

Waldorf.

Imaginative learning

Pretend and imaginative play is encouraged for preschool ages. There are lots of toys, art materials, and games in the environments. Children are also encouraged to spend lots of time playing outdoors. This is thought to promote imaginative learning and the development of social skills. Molly loves imaginative play. She has her play kitchen where she will count different foods and tell me what each food item is. Molly’s favourite thing at the moment it to dress up as a doctor and take care of her dolly, teddy or one of us. We get plasters and everything!

Focus on creativity and the arts

Art and music are infused throughout the “curriculum”. Most subjects are taught through artistic media, including stories, visual arts, dance, music, and crafts. If you know us well, you will know that Musical Theatre is a big part of my life, and Liam is incredibly artistically talented. There is no doubt that music, dance, drama and art is a part of our daily life. We always make time for a boogie!

Practical learning

Practical tasks are encouraged. Things like cooking, cleaning, and gardening. Some also teach woodwork, handwork, and sewing. We will be teaching Molly about sewing this year! She loves watching me do it so looking to get her a little kit of her own for Christmas! She also enjoy’s helping with things around the house. Always asking to put something in the bin, wash up or make her own lunch.

Focus on nature

Environmental and outdoor education are a big focus with lots of natural materials being used. We tend to use a lot of nature and wooden items in our home anyway. We avoid plastic anything! Things like stone, pine cones, acorns, leaves, flowers, sticks are always used in crafts in some way. Molly has a massive interest in nature, so it’s always incorporated in some way.

Minimal technology

We try to have very little to no TV, computers, and tablets. Too much screen time, it’s thought, can stunt physical growth and decrease social interaction. This can interfere with social and cognitive development. We allow Molly to watch TV for an hour whilst she eats lunch and then before bed for a little bit. Before bed its normally a David Attenborough documentary because she loves them, or Hamilton – because who doesn’t love Hamilton?

Montessori

Freedom and flexibility

Children have a lot of freedom to choose tasks, projects, and learning materials. While teachers provide guidance, students can often choose work their sparks their interest and satisfies their curiosity. For example, I will let Molly choose what activity she would like to do next. She will go up to the unit where everything is, and choose something from there. I also give her 3 topics for the next month and ask her what shed like to learn about next and she will choose the next topic!

Character education

While academics are important, this is only part of the focus. Montessori education aims to educate the whole child: their character, sense of self, and values. For instance, children learn to take care of themselves, each other, and their environment.

Structured Environment

Montessori has a more structured environment than the other methods. In Montessori, all materials belong in a specific place, and certain areas of the environment are designated for specific tasks or activities. We can’t do this fully as we only have a small amount of space. However each activity has its own place

Emily Reggilo

Project Work

Through emergent curriculum, teachers can facilitate project work that will allow children to explore their areas of interest in detail. The idea is that you introduce materials, concepts, and mediums that allow children to express their ideas and interests. Children develop an enthusiasm for knowledge that is enhanced by the ability to experience the many facets of project work in detail. Projects can last anywhere from a few days to several months at a time. We have a set theme that lasts a month. Then we create activities etc around that theme. We try to choose a theme around what she is interested in at that particular time, Although I have some AMAZING things planned for This year!

Charlotte Mason

Books, Books, and More Books

What initially drew me to Charlotte Mason was books. I can’t resist. Books are my one weakness when it comes to collecting anything. When I learned about this philosophy–built upon beautiful, well-written, high-quality literature–I was hooked from the get go. Molly is a complete bookworm also so this just works incredibly well for us.

Appreciating the Arts

With Liam being an amazingly talented artist, and myself having qualifications in and a love for Performing arts, it’s no surprise the arts rank high on our list of priorities when it comes to educating our daughters. The Charlotte Mason approach gives ample emphasis to the arts, from picture and composer studies to dedicated space for artistic expression, Shakespeare, and concentration on the development of artistic skills. Molly already loves to dance and sing, using the fireplace as a stage. As for Evelyn, she will dance to anything!

Short Lessons

Short lessons are ideal for younger children, allowing them to give their best effort each session without fatigue or frustration. Also, but having shorter lessons, we feel like we’ve accomplished a lot in a small amount of time.  This doesn’t mean that I have a 20 minute

Inclusion of Handicrafts

Handicrafts–activities like sewing, felting, knitting, weaving, wood-working, etc.–are so much more important than they often get credit for in our busy, busy world. These meditative, introspective activities are critical for fine motor development and provide so many learning moments for children and adults alike. I did not think about handicrafts as educational activities until I discovered Charlotte Mason, and I’m so glad that’s changed.

We are so excited to be dipping more than just our toes into our homeschooling journey this year. Be sure to follow us over on Instagram for regular updates on the grid and on stories.