5 Things Homeschooling Doesn’t Need To Be
With so much out there on the internet and social media, it can be easy to get stuck into false notions of what homeschooling should look like.
Allamah︱Homeschooling Doesn’t Need To Be
Here we are busting some myths with 5 Things Homeschooling Doesn’t Need To Be:
An 8-3 Homeschool Day
Ever get dumbfounded looks from people when they find out you take much less time to get through a days worth of schoolwork than what kids spend at school?
Allamah︱An 8–3 Homeschool Day
It shouldn’t come as a surprise because by homeschooling, we:
Spend a lot more one-on-one time with each child
Don’t have large classes of children to tend to
Children can progress through their work at their own pace without having to wait to move onto other things
As children get older, they become more independent with their work and responsibilities.
Following a Particular Homeschooling Philosophy or Style
Yes, Charlotte was onto something good with her living books; yes, Steiner understood the importance of creativity and yes, we love the idea of non-coercive, child-led approach with unschooling. However, you don’t need to follow any specific homeschooling style or approach. If it works for you and your child, great! If it’s causing too much of a headache to figure out and stick to, leave it.
Allamah︱Homeschooling Philosophy or Style
I had initially felt some self-induced pressure to homeschool a particular way or to at least try the different styles out. The beautifully illustrated blackboards and artworks using various mediums had me drooling! Delving into the different philosophies though, I found much of it to be difficult to follow or too stifling for my own personality.
It may take a while for you to find your own homeschooling style and there’s no problem with experimenting. We now follow a more eclectic approach, taking what we like from the different styles but also leaning more towards unit/thematic studies for subjects such as science, history and geography.
Putting Together Your Own Resources From Scratch
Worksheets and workbooks form a significant part of many of our homeschools. Your homeschool is not any less worthy because you’re not spending your days putting together ideal lessons from scratch. The fact of the matter is is that doing so can be really time consuming. Not only coming up with the lesson plan but finding appropriate resources can eat right into your own precious me-time.
Allamah︱Homeschooling Philosophy or Style
I remember scrolling Pinterest for hours on end when we first started our formal homeschooling journey. Not only was it stressful but it bore few fruit. It led to me to creating my own resources so that other mothers, like yourselves, wouldn’t have to *Find our resources here* Our homeschool now is a mix of workbooks, online lessons and our unit studies—a mix that works both for myself and my children.
Expensive Educational Aids
Image︱Allamah—Expensive Educational Aids
Yes, the wooden Montessori number sorting tray looks pretty but it really isn’t necessary by any stretch of the imagination. Just remember, the success of your homeschool isn’t measured by how pretty your lessons look.
A Stressed Mama
Do what works for you and your family. Include things in your homeschool that not only your child enjoys, but that you also enjoy. Get help where you need it and remember that even the Prophet (ﷺ) would choose the easier option when presented with a choice in a matter [Bukhari, 3560].
Allamah︱A Stressed Mama (image)
Remember that it may take you a while to find a homeschooling approach that suits you and your families needs. It may even take years of trial and error to figure out what works, so keep this in mind before placing too much pressure on yourself and your child/children.