...

If we value the pursuit of knowledge, we must be free to follow wherever that search may lead us. ~ Adlai Stevenson

Thursday, May 16, 2013

Flutterbys....

You might remember that we hatched butterflies earlier this spring. We think they are still hanging around...


Isn't s/he pretty? M found her hanging out on the passion fruit vines. We keep finding little mantises all over the yard too!

So, yesterday, I was reading a discussion on unschooling on a classical homeschooling message board, and someone said something about "required" types of library books, and CLICK! A light bulb totally went off and I remembered the following passage from The Well Trained Mind:

On each library visit, I had them check out the following books: one science book, one history book, one art or music appreciation book, one practical book (a craft, hobby, or "how-to"), a biography or autobiography, a classic novel (or adaptation suited to age), an imaginative storybook, a book of poetry. They were allowed to choose the titles, but I asked them to follow this pattern. And they were also allowed to check out other books on any topic they pleased.

Now, she was having her kids do this weekly. I think I would start maybe bi-weekly, until they got used to it, and maybe any good fiction rather than just classics. I think I would require a certain number of documentaries as well, covering science, history/social studies, and/or people, cultures, etc.

I've been trying for the longest time to figure out a balance to required schooling and child-led. I think I like this idea very much! And, The Boy and The Girl like it too! The Girl asked "So if I want to learn about Amelia Earhart, or Pocahontas, that would be okay? And I could check out books about animals, and that would count?" The Boy asked, "Well, what if I get a BIG book about science? Do I have to read it in just a week?" I told The Girl yes, and The Boy that we could adjust time periods accordingly.

Hmmmm... lots to ponder! While I am pondering, I'm also printing up book lists the kids can work from, mainly from Valerie's Living Books. I adore her book lists!

Hope you're all having a good week!

2 comments:

  1. Oh my god!!! Mantises!!! Aaaaaaaaahhhhhh!!

    I have been petrified of mantises since I was a little girl, after seeing a menacing picture of one in a storybook. I'm sure we don't have them here up north, but I did see one once when I was visiting in Missouri.

    Off to look at Valerie's book list.

    ReplyDelete
  2. That is a pretty neat little idea for the library!

    Oh -- and don't you just love mantid? We are finding ours all over the yard, too!

    ReplyDelete

What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.
Emerson

Thanks for stopping by! I love comments :)