"Plop"

So there are several methods of homeschooling.  They range from school at home methods where you mimic what public schools do, methods that are completely child-led, the unit study method where you pick a topic and learn all you can from that one subject for the day...week...or whatever you choose!  There are more and you can read about them online if you want to know more.  If I had to choose, though, I would say that I identify with the unschooled, child-led, read the classics (TJed) folks which basically means I'm more eclectic than anything...ha!  The one thing these methods have in common is that the child's interests lead the game plan and reading is VERY important.  

We have always had books everywhere in our house so we were on the right track with that, but the subject areas are still the areas that need work.  My head is telling me that all the printables, word families, and fun ways to learn to read are what we need to do so that I know what we have done.  However, my heart and girl's smiles in response to the non-structured/non sit-in-your-seat activities tell me that we should be going down the child-led road.  

So here I sit, with a wonderful year's worth of activities planned, BUT luckily I am learning that I don't need to be so much control (I know some of you are laughing) that I can't just erase that plan and start over with what you see below.  I cannot remember where I got this idea from, but it was genius!  It was called "plop."  The idea is that you just "plop" some items in a pile and let your kids create!  Sometimes you just put random things and sometimes you've read a book and you piggy-back off the story.  Either way I LOVE it!

Our "plop" items for the day

  Stringing her book together

 Now the brain waves start working!

So no matter what I say THIS is what I want school to look like in my home:).  She laughed, skipped, and giggled the whole time she was creating her book and I LOVED watching as she called to me,"Mommy look!" every time she glued another picture down:).

Erika