Homeschool Boot Camp Update & Ramblings...

So this week I signed up, a wee bit late, for the:

Now, you might ask, how am I doing with this challenge? I'd say mixed results... so far. Yes, we have "hit the books" a bit more this week, but again, we should be doing it a little more.

I did have parent-teacher-student conferences this week! And I have reinstituted my checklist, although I updated it to include weekends, and a place for "notes". I do have goals - math 4 times a week, writing at least twice, history at least once, etc., but we don't do well with actual schedules. Sometimes, we'll get really excited about a topic, and we'll want to spend more time on it. Other times, it is not interesting, and we hurry through, or set it aside for something else, so no, scheduling doesn't work for me.

Overall, we're doing better this week, and I hope we continue to improve.

Thinking about homeschooling has gotten me reconsidering our goals, and whether we are working toward them. What do I really want for my kids in homeschooling? Earlier this year, there was a big thread (many pages) on a homeschooling message board I frequent about pursuing truth and beauty in homeschooling. Then there was a resulting spin-off Yahoo group on pursuing a classical, liberal arts education, and while the others in the group are far more religiously minded than I am, I still benefit from the depth of connections and ideas they share. My BA is in Liberal Studies, and I feel very fortunate that it was through the Hutchins School of Liberal Studies. We were encouraged to explore topics more deeply, to build and foster connections, and to discuss our ideas and thoughts. Ideally, that is my aim with homeschooling - deeper exploration, building connections, pursuing truth and beauty, fostering discussion. Are we reaching those goals, those ideals? Sometimes, when we get into the whole workbook-do-the-next-thing rut, I feel very far away from it. Other days, when we have a good history lesson, great literature, art, and living math, I feel as if we are stretching in the right direction.

I've gone from a mental image of at-the-table homeschooling... the kids answering questions, filling in the blanks, to an image of cuddling up on the couch or under the apple tree, perhaps sipping tea or lemonade, and discussing whatever book we are reading. I want our homeschool filled with good books, fine art, lovely music, a sense of the flow of history, and an appreciation for the scientific wonders of the world.

Now, how do we get there?

In other news, I decided I needed a better goal for myself in fitness. So (very late to the game), I am challenging myself to....  

I know, super geeky, aren't I? While I doubt I'll participate in any online forums, etc. with this, I do plan to track my journey with a Middle Earth map. I'll keep track in my sidebar too. It'll take a while!