Sunday 13 May 2007

School's out!

Yay! Our "school year" is officially over. I just submitted the last weekly report - 34 weeks are done. It's amazing how much I had to say in my final review, even though my children are mostly "unschooled". I don't pay attention to the Learning Outcomes that the government expects schoolkids to meet. Most of the time, my children are doing their own thing, following their own interests, with occasional interference from me.

My 15 year old has, in the last few months, found his passion and has taught himself so much. I am pleased, relieved, impressed - he wanted to learn how to build websites and get into graphic design and with the combination of a mentor, library books, Podcasts, magazines and immersing himself in the software (forget reading the manual) he has learned how to write HTML, use Photoshop, design his own website, build a website for a local church and tons more. I have been saying for years that when a child is motivated to learn, he will learn - he will learn what he wants, when he wants, how he wants, and I have just been the facilitator (as has the school we've been enrolled with who have provided some of the funds to pay for the hardware/software).

People have asked me what happens when my child wants to learn something like calculus that I am unable to teach him. Well, L is definitely not interested in calculus, but I do admit that his knowledge is way beyond mine when it comes to computers. It wasn't necessary for me to teach him. He discovered it all for himself, worked through the challenges himself, and I'm very proud of him.

1 comment:

Katherine said...

You must feel quite happy knowing that L is pursuing his interests and acquiring the knowledge that is pertinent to his interests. It just shows the difference self-motivation makes when it comes to learning. Bravo to L! Bravo to you for supporting him!