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Wednesday, April 9, 2008

I don't think we will be home schooling in this home.

I decided long ago that home schooling is probably not for me and my kids. I don't have anything against home schooling. In fact, I have a lot of admiration and respect for home schoolers.

Unfortunately, whenever I try to teach my kids anything, they resist. It's almost as if they will do anything in their power not to learn what I am trying to teach them.

So I have become a "stealth teacher". If there is something I want them to learn or to know, I casually mention it, tell them something about it and then leave it at that.

For instance, I am trying to teach Peter to count to 100. I have offered to give him $1 when he makes it all the way without any help from me. (I'm sure bribery is not a Charlotte Mason approved technique, but money always talks in our house.)

And he's doing pretty well, except that he wants to get to 100 and that 1 dollar bill so badly that he will count from 1-29 and then will scream out "Ninety?" and then I will help him to remember what comes after 29 and he will count from 29-39 and scream, "Ninety?".

You get the gist.

But he's getting there. He understands the concept and he is starting to remember the numbers so he will be there before too long. It would be so much easier though if I could just sit down with him at the table and teach him about the "tens". If I try to get him to sit at the table to learn anything, I am met with a lot of resistance.

The only time I can teach him anything is if we are in the car. If he is strapped into his car seat, he will listen to me briefly as I try to explain something to him. But I only have about 1 minute before he becomes completely bored with me and asks me to turn up the music. So whatever I am trying to explain has to be quick.

Sarah is much like her brother. She doesn't want to learn anything from her silly ole mother so I have to use my stealth teacher mode on her as well. For instance, I would like her to know how to write her name. But every time I try to sit down with her to go over the letters in her name she tells me to go away.

So after she began making scribblings that looked like her attempt at letters, I wrote her name down on a piece of paper and said, "This is your name. See if you can write it."

And then I walked away as instructed

We have done this a couple of times now and here is what she produced yesterday...

Sarah has never really liked her name (that's a whole post for a different day) and has decided to change it. She will know be known only by this tracing of her hand and these letters. So from now on please only refer to her as the symbol above.
And if you are speaking about her or to her, please refer to her as "The Preschooler Formerly Known As Sarah".

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23 comments:

Andrea @ Mommy Snacks.net said...

I agree with ya! It takes a certain personality to be a home schoolin' mom - God gives us all talents, he just didn't give me that one :-)

Steph said...

I have no idea how people home school! I have the same problem as you...and I get just as exaserbated as the kids! Nope, we wont be home schooling either.

Annikke said...

How cute..."the preschooler f/k/a Sarah"

I know if we choose to do home schooling (which we have discussed) my husband would have to quit his job and be the teacher. But in my house it is me who gets frustrated with the kids. I know they can do whatever it is I am trying to get them to do and they take the lazy road.

Needless to say, homeschooling is not for ME!!! :o)

jennwa said...

Sarah did a great job !!
I can not imagine home schooling either, besides after the 2nd grade it would be over my head. Thank goodness for teachers.

BlondeMomBlog (Jamie) said...

Bribery will get you EVERYWHERE! ;)

I'm a big fan of candy as bribery. Aren't I horrible?

My oldest just told me the other night she wants to change her name to Casie.

p.s. I KNOW I am not a home schoolin' mama...just not in my genes. I admire mothers who can do it...it's just not for me!

Not Your Regular Mini Van Mom said...

Beth you are so funny. I really enjoy reading your posts, you are a very witty person :) Home schooling mothers deserve a big medal, I couldn't do it that is for sure. My boys seem to have an attention span of a flea when it comes to anything I am teaching them...they don't have that same problem with the teachers at school.

CC said...

awesome! The girl formerly known as...

We just couldn't homeschool either!

Huse Yo Mama said...

this was one of the funniest posts I've read today. That is too cute.

thanks for the comment on my blog about AI. With David Archuleta, I think you either love him or hate him. I, personally love him. But, I understand how others don't.

the mother of this lot said...

Getting the 'S' the right way round is fantastic for her age!

Pam said...

"Stealth teaching," LOL!

Corey~living and loving said...

this was cute. Love her drawing and her letters. :) darling.

Megan Cobb said...

When she gets tired of "The Preschooler Formerly Known As ...," she can shorten it to, "Prints." HA HA HA.

And that's all the funny I have left for the day.

McMommy said...

Sarah is just brilliant. I love how forward thinking she is. Can you ask her to translate "McMommy" for me? Then I'll change my signature to her drawing and call it "The Blogger Formerly Known as McMommy".

Anonymous said...

My oldest is exactly the same way...

Looks like she is doing really well for a three year old, though. Your teaching method must be working!

Christina said...

I'm with you on the homeschooling front. My kids basically ignore me unless I am calling them to come in and get a cookie.

That drawing is so cute and it's funny that Sarah no longer wants to be called Sarah. When I was a kid I loved being called anything but a version of Chris. I really wanted to be a Victoria, so I totally get Sarah.

Angie @ KEEP BELIEVING said...

I could never homeschool, either. Although, if my kids learned this way (walk away method) I could teach a bit and walk away and still find time to blog. That could work....

KEEP BELIEVING

Tina said...

So funny, the preschooler formally known as Sarah...that's a hoot!!

I have several homeschooling friends...but I don't think I could do it either. I think it's a calling...I don't feel called.

Karla Porter Archer said...

funny funny stuff!

Queen of My Domain said...

I admire homeschoolers so much because I know I could never do it. Love your daughters new name..how do you pronounce that exactly?

Texasholly said...

I homeschool and it is a lot like that! hahaha. No seriously. it is.

I love your artist formerly known as Sarah.

Happy Campers said...

That is fantastic that you DID just walk away! Learning at her own pace and because of her own desire is such a powerful teaching tool. Good for you, observing something she is starting to do, offering a model to follow, & then letting her make the decision to go forward with it.

In homeschool, we call this "strewing"....dropping things here & there that we'd like them to become engaged in (puzzles, Soduku games, bugs in a jar with magnifiying glass near by, whatever).

Everyone takes their own route & sounds like you know exactly what your munchkins need :)

Beth Cotell said...

Strewing? Who knew? I guess I was using an actual technique and didn't even know it!

Joanne@ Blessed... said...

Beth,

I loved this post...I take my hat off for homeschool moms. I believe wholeheartedly that it is a true calling.

I am a homeschool dropout. I tried it with my teenage son for two weeks.

I say God bless those moms!