Slow Schooling Chapter Ten: Middles Through the Teen Years

"Just wait until they're teenagers..." (hint: it's AMAZING!)

Mental Gymnastics

Tuesday, August 19, 2008 04:31 (two months postpartum)

I’m trying to figure out the *perfect* time to begin a full schedule of homeschooling again, with the *perfect* mix of curriculum.

....hahahahahahhahahahahahaha...

Slow schooling through the middle and high school ages can be some of the best years as a homeschooling parent. After spending the early years working diligently to teach basic reading, writing and arithmetic (and gleaning from many, many other subjects during the pursuit of said “three R’s”), the older children are in a position to not only begin to self-direct their own learning, but to own it for life.

The middle years, around 12-14 years, are what I consider the “passing the baton” years. These are the years we begin to earnestly consider what interests and inherit talents our children have, and to think about steering them toward their strengths. Some children are naturally more oriented towards the language arts, and are eager readers or writers; othe…