He Already Knows It

My eleven year old is not happy at the moment about reading some science books. Although they count toward the library summer reading program (a plus) he says they are a waste of his time.

We have not officially covered all these topics as formal study in our homeschool. Some topics we covered in depth in his Kindergarten or First Grade year. (He is now just entering seventh grade.)

My son informs me he knows all this stuff already, the names of the parts of plants and trees, names of specific plants and trees and so forth. He said the book about weeds was all information he completely knows already. Some of it he can remember learning at his homeschool experiential nature class. Other things he doesn’t recall where he first learned them but he remembers it all.

The funny thing is that if you had asked me if we studied all these topics I’d have said no. Yes I can credit some of it to the class, but as we don’t get any kind of list of topics covered from the class I often don’t actually know what was done in the class (nor have I asked for such a list in the last two years, when we first began doing the class I’d inquire what was done).

Meanwhile I was feeling badly that we didn’t "do enough” science in the last two years for home study due to busy-ness with other learning projects and real life intervening.

When I looked at the book shelves of books not yet read, I felt guilty for having bought them and never having used them ALL. So when I’m cracking the whip to use learning materials we already own in book form here at home, I’m finding the kids already know the stuff (since my younger son has been saying some of the same things). Great.

So much for me worrying about gaps in their homeschooling.

For now I’m staying with the plan to go through these children’s books we own and have the kdis read them to themselves over the summer. They will count toward the library’s summer reading program. I’m making a list of topics covered to include in their homeschooling records. Later in the upcoming year when I am sure we are too busy to get to do all the formal lesson planned, or when we take days off due to colds and flu and such, I can remind myself of all that was done in this area to feel that my kids aren’t falling behind as indeed they have learned plenty.

Technorati Tags: homeschooling gaps, homeschooling, living books, experiential education.