Why We Homeschool {week 19 homeschool lesson plans and recap}

All this year, I am sharing our weekly, interest-led learning lesson plans, as well as a recap of our prior homeschool week. These recaps are a peek at what works for us, in real life, every day. This is Week 19.

why we homeschool

Confession Time: My decision to homeschool was made under duress.

Twelve years ago, I allowed myself to finally accept that a formal school setting was not working. Despite my oldest son’s grades and test scores, the reality of the classroom experience was just all sorts of wrong. I fought the idea for months, wanting to figure out a school that would work.

I finally realized that I was actually trying to make my son work for school, not finding an educational environment that would work for my son.

Turns out, the one he needed was right in front of me.

why we homeschool

Why We Homeschool

If you would’ve asked me back then why we homeschool, I probably would’ve given you one of two answers.

  1. We want to have more autonomy in what our children learn and fast they learn it.
  2. What other choice do I have?

The first answer was the one I would give at church and co-ops in our first year. The most honest answer for that timeframe however, was the second.

What I’ve learned is that our “why” can and will change, over and over again as we homeschool our kiddos.

Sometimes, it will be because you really believe in it. Sometimes, it will be because you are really enjoying it. Sometimes, it may even be because you feel paralyzed and what else are you going to do now that you went to all the trouble to pull your kids out of school?

(And by you, I mean me.)

Homeschool Field Trips: Tips and Tricks

I moved my son out of his college dorm on Friday. I was surprised at how emotional it was for me.

After all, he’s coming home for the summer. It’s not like when I left him there last August, all alone, facing a new world.

I was emotional because I saw how competent he has become. I was emotional because he was excited to see me and wanted to tell me all about his favorite podcast. I was emotional because I saw the real reason why we homeschooled him, right there in front of me.

Homeschooling was the best choice for my child and the adult he has become. It protected our relationship (not forcing a screaming child out of the car every day will do that). It allowed him to pursue his interests and learn in a way that supported his strengths, instead of highlighting his weaknesses.

When all is said and done, I look back now and see that we homeschooled because, as imperfect and terrifying as it often was, it was what worked.

Maybe I’m wrong. Maybe the reason why we homeschool is exactly the same as it always has been. Although I no longer feel forced it into it, it seems obvious.

What other choice did I have?

Even more so, what other choice would I possibly want more?

why we homeschool

Last Week’s Homeschool Lesson Plans vs. Reality:

Here what my youngest son’s learning looked like last week as we prepared for our trip and traveled.

Monday

THE PLAN

  • Physical Therapy – 2 hours
  • Audiobook and Discussion
  • Infusion – 4 hours

WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED

  • Physical Therapy – 2 hours
  • Drivers Ed Online
  • Infusion – 4 hours

Tuesday

THE PLAN

  • Drivers Ed Online
  • CTCMath
  • Creative Writing – The Oregon Trail
  • Online Voice/Music Lesson – one hour
  • Current Events Discussion – read and discuss various news reports

WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED

  • Drivers Ed Online
  • Science – Inertia, Newton’s Law, Gravity
  • CTCMath
  • Online Voice/Music Lesson – one hour
  • Allschool animal class
why we homeschool

Wednesday

THE PLAN

  • Rock Climbing with Coach – 2 hours
  • Spelling Practice
  • Drivers Ed
  • Audiobook and Discussion
  • Current Events Discussion – read and discuss various news reports

WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED

  • Rock Climbing with Coach – 3 hours
  • Audiobook and Discussion
  • Current Events Discussion – read and discuss various news reports
  • Packing for trip
why we homeschool

Thursday

THE PLAN

  • Travel to my oldest son’s college
  • Audiobook and discussion
  • Local gemstone exhibit

WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED

  • Travel
  • Audiobook and Discussion (on plane and in car)
  • Local gemstone exhibit
  • Cat Shelter Visit (local shelter lets you drink tea and play with cats for an hour and a donation – highly recommend!)

Friday

THE PLAN

  • Rock climbing at gym in a different city and state
  • Help brother move/college dorm life

WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED

  • Rock climbing at gym in a different city and state
  • Help brother move/college dorm life
why we homeschool
His freshman year is in the books!

Our Homeschool Lesson Plans For This Week

Monday

  • Physical Therapy – 2 hours
  • Audiobook and Discussion
  • Infusion – 4 hours
  • Recover and unpack from trip

Reference Notes: Every Monday, my son has subcutaneous immunoglobin infusions. This means we typically keep learning to a minumum.

Tuesday

  • Drivers Ed Online
  • CTCMath
  • Greek Mythology Discussion (in preparation for a play we are seeing this weekend)
  • YouTube Video – His choice, something educational
  • Online Voice/Music Lesson – one hour
  • Current Events Discussion – read and discuss various news reports

Reference Notes: Tuesdays are our first full school day of the week. Because my son always feels better post-Monday’s infusion, we typically do a large percentage of our more traditional homeschool work on this day.

Wednesday

  • Rock Climbing with Coach – 2 hours
  • Spelling Practice
  • Drivers Ed
  • CTCMath
  • Audiobook and Discussion
  • Current Events Discussion – read and discuss various news reports

Thursday

  • Audiobook and Discussion
  • Social Time with friends – 1 hour
  • Art class – 1 hour
  • Rock Climbing with friends – 3 hours

Reference Notes: We spend Thursdays in lessons mostly outside our home.  My son attends a program on Thursday afternoons through a local private school.

Friday

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