From Chaos to clarity. How to Homeschool Effectively

If there was one thing I wish someone had told me in the beginning of my homeschooling journey, it would be this.

“ Spend less time trying to find the perfect curriculum and more time connecting with your children over their interests.’

When I first started homeschooling seven years ago I was on the hunt to find the perfect curriculum, something that perfectly fit our unique needs. The reality is that doesn’t exist. All curriculum is mass produced to work for as many families and learning styles as possible. This means you’re going to find flaws in the majority of the curriculum you try out. Now this doesn’t mean you need to ditch curriculum entirely, its a fantastic tool when used correctly. But it doesn’t and in my opinion shouldn’t be the main focus of your homeschool plan.

Instead, focus on your child/children’s interests, and strengths. When we focus on the things our children are interested in aka things that are important to them we are able to tap into that intrinsic motivation to learn much easier. This makes hitting those educational goals you have for your children a smoother more enjoyable process.

Here are a few ways you can focus on interest led learning.

1. Books + more books on the topics your child/ children find most interesting. I love using the strewing method to display Non fiction picture books throughout our house to spark their curiosity and encourage self directed learning. I can’t even tell you how many times my children have come to me with a “ Did you know?” fact they learned from one of the books in our home.

2. Take classes to help them better their skills. If your child is interested in something that you personally do not have the skills to help them improve, or maybe the time. Classes are a fantastic way to encourage them to deepen their knowledge and skillsets based off of their unique interests. A fantastic resource for this is Outschool this is an online learning platform for kids, with classes on every subject and interest you can think of.

3. Watch documentaries and visit museums that focus or have exhibits on topics your child is interested in. We love using the streaming app curiosity stream to find documentaries on topics my children find interesting and want to learn more about.

4. Volunteering and internships are another incredible way to help deepen your child’s knowledge and skillsets based on their interests. These opportunities are especially important for high schoolers who may be interested in making a career out of their favorite hobby.

And remember you never know if a childhood interest or hobby is the starting point of fulfilling and rewarding career. After all there are people who build legos for a living, take photographs, bake cakes, and even play video games. So let their interests shine and take center stage in your homeschool.

Want to implement interest led learning into your homeschool, but unsure where to start? The Unhurried Homeschooling Method is the perfect place to start!