| My 12 year old son is creative and | | | | library of books and tapes and records |
| intelligent. He can compose artistic and | | | | |
| written works at a level beyond that of many | | | | history specials for the boys to watch. |
| his age. So why can he be so difficult to | | | | Now, my boys and I sit down together at night |
| teach? When using standard curriculum, it | | | | to watch the evening news - this I believe, |
| can be like pulling teeth to get him to do | | | | is a result of their grandfather discussing |
| anything more than the absolute minimum. He | | | | current events with them. There is no |
| races through the lessons, obtaining grades | | | | comparing either of my sons' current |
| far lower than he is capable of getting, or | | | | enthusiasm for history with the drudgery of |
| he easily gets distracted and drags his feet, | | | | plowing through a traditional school history |
| taking hours to complete what should take | | | | text the way we used to do.In addition to |
| minutes. Read on to see how I confronted | | | | completing lessons in english and grammar |
| these problems.When I took over home | | | | from a traditional school text, I encourage |
| schooling my then 10 year old son, I used the | | | | my son to do some creative writing. He |
| traditional curriculum that he had been using | | | | started writing his own kids novel which he |
| previously with his mother. Some of the | | | | has now nearly finished. He is writing some |
| curriculum worked fine (we still use the | | | | pretty silly stuff which would not be |
| Saxon math series) but other traditional home | | | | standard fare for any of the english |
| school curriculum just seemed to bring out | | | | curricula I have seen. But he is writing. In |
| the worst in my child. He would easily get | | | | fact he is writing a lot! In 3 months from |
| bored. He would lose focus and often get | | | | the time he started writing this novel I have |
| distracted. After half a year, I started | | | | noticed a marked improvement in his writing. |
| searching for alternatives. When I found new | | | | When my son's book is completed, I will |
| materials, I included my son on the decision | | | | publish it online and also have a friend that |
| making process. He seemed to take a lot more | | | | owns book binding equipment bind up some |
| ownership as a result, even though I still | | | | copies for our family and friends.In summary, |
| had the final say in what what curriculum we | | | | don't let yourself become boxed in with |
| finally used. Some of the things we do are | | | | traditional home school curriculum. There |
| listed below.We use a science encyclopedia | | | | are educational resources all around us if we |
| purchased at Sam's Club for science. Why? Of | | | | look hard enough. You don't have to use a |
| all the books we looked at it was the best | | | | "school" text. Look on your book shelves or |
| text in terms of explaining concepts and | | | | go to a local second-hand book store to find |
| relating them to real world phenomena (even | | | | books that might serve as good texts. Involve |
| though it wasn't meant to be a school text). | | | | your child in the decision making process. |
| We sit down together and read several pages | | | | Borrow some materials from your home |
| of this science encyclopedia on a concept. | | | | schooling friends and review the books with |
| Then, I have my son write a 100 word report. | | | | your child. Use what will work for both you |
| He then edits the report and we work on | | | | and your child. Utilize any and all available |
| sentence composition. At the end of the | | | | resources and above all, have fun as you and |
| term, we print out all the articles to make a | | | | your child learn!Michael Sakowski works full |
| 15 page report. In addition to the reports, | | | | time and homeschools his son on the days he |
| we do related science experiments together | | | | is able to work from home. He also has a |
| and some of the younger siblings join in. My | | | | website, |
| son loves science!My son and his younger | | | | |
| brother are taught history by my retired | | | | that showcases some of the resources he |
| father-in-law (who happens to have a major in | | | | uses when home schooling. |
| history). My father-in-law makes use of his | | | | |