When my first daughter was nearing school age, I wondered where to turn. I wanted to teach her myself, but I didn’t know if people did that. It was 1991.
Demanding mother that I was (am), I set out to interview all the schools that caught my attention in our area that might meet my criteria for a successful education. The local French immersion school, Waldorf, Montessori. Their ideologies were lovely, their classrooms were small, the teachers were committed. It seemed ideal.
Except for one criteria that could not be met by any. They didn’t love her.
I didn’t expect them to love her, it’s not their job, it’s mine. But I couldn’t dislodge from my mind the idea that a child must learn best in an environment of love. Over time, it became sufficiently clear that love was the foundation of learning. That out of good relationships grows both the desire to learn and the freedom to learn without angst.
Everyone learns best without angst. But how often do we find ourselves winding up with our kids, their behaviour, or their lack of cooperation, or inability to understand or their stubbornness to accomplish the task we set before them.
That environment of love, where we learn so well…sometimes doesn’t look loving. Sometimes is REALLY doesn’t look loving.
Several years ago, I started doing a little workshop in my home. The goal was this: to share with parents ways to work with their kids more effectively, accomplish more with less, make joy central to the day. To create an environment where homeschooling looked like how we always imagined it was going to be. Cozy. Enjoyable. Efficient. Fun.
Not a grind.
That same workshop, a full day of structuring the day, one-on-one work, family centred study, resources and ideas, and getting the housework done… 18 years later, I’ve done all over the country. Some people take it because they are drawn to an “organic” kind of education. Not unschooling, but relaxed and fun, with some structure and method.
But the vast majority of people who take this workshop are just really frustrated. I’ve heard it over and over again, “I just never wanted to end up in this place.” “My kids are hating learning.” “I’m just pushing them all the time to get the boxes checked off.”
We can take it back. Learning can be loving. We don’t need to be constantly tearing down the relationship while we try to put knowledge into them, and then have to rebuild it again when it isn’t “learning time.” We can fill their tanks and teach them things at the SAME TIME! I’m not even kidding, people.
And so. Last year, after much deliberation, I had this live workshop professionally filmed so that it can be available in all the places that I can’t be. The edited version is 4.5 hours. I’ve decided to include a really detailed breakdown, so that parents can see if it’s really right for them.
Section ONE – the big picture of education (approximately 1:42)
- Finding JOY, Why simple matters
- The importance of relationships
- Developing self-control in ourselves and our kids
- Avoid using leverage
- Simplifying our lives, the value of order
- Avoiding the “Tyranny of the Urgent”
- Avoidable crises, the problem of socks
- The problem of stuff
- Educational ideology
- What about curriculum
- The quiz/test model
SECTION TWO – working one-on-one (approximately 1:24)
- Dictation defined
- What can be taught and learned through dictation
- What does dictation look like?
- Examples of dictation at different age/skill levels
- To plan or not to plan
- Working toward mastery
- Devices and home education
- When to start dictation
- What to do with the other kids when doing one-on-one
- Pre-dictation ideas
- You don’t have to know all the rules, there are lots of resources
- Resources to use for dictation
- Chocolate chip math
- Five minutes is not five minutes
SECTION 3 – family centred learning (approximately 1:01)
- The importance of reading aloud
- Too busy to read = too busy
- How it all started in my house
- Essentials for developing a rich learning environment
- The value of hardcopy encyclopedia
- Suggestions for the use of computer in home education
- Using space effectively
- How reading aloud looks for our family
- What age to start family reading
- Resources for choosing literature
- Developing an environment of learning
- How to force kids to learn stuff you think they should know
- Developing an outline of study
SECTION – 4 high school and beyond (approximately 36 minutes)
- Education is a discussion
- Education is NOT static, nothing is carved in stone
- Preparing for post secondary
- Keep track of everything your high schooler does
- Options beyond head butting
- It’s still about the relationship
- “Doing it all properly” is not something we need to stress about
- When the relationship is intact with our young adults
Get your copy of the Homeschooling with JOY workshop at https://www.bonnielandry.ca/recources
I wish you joy. Bonnie
Bonnie Landry is an ordinary Catholic mom, living in the little hamlet of Cobble Hill on Vancouver Island, British Columbia with her family. She and her husband Albert have raised and homeschooled seven children who range in age from 11-30.
Twenty-six years homeschooling her kids has taught her how vital is it to get along with them. Actually, life is kind of a bust if you can’t get along with people.
The Landry’s mission is joy. Living simply, discipline with dignity, fostering community and encouraging others are all central to their lives. In their home, beautiful literature and discussion and foundational to education. Her methods are without clutter and centre on the relationships in the home.
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