somedays we homeschool.....

and many days we have turned into total unschoolers....and I can't even begin to tell you just how wonderful that is!  It is all flowing so very naturally now; and these girls are really, and I mean REALLY flourishing in learning and creativity.  Yesterday I received two unexpected custom bracelet orders.  And our printer had run out of ink (We need the ink to print our project pages for "Moving Beyond the Page")....yes, the two are related, as they both led to my decision to let the girls BE yesterday.  This is happening more and more...not out of laziness, but because it really works for all of us.  They are both reading very well now...and they both LOVE to read....because our house has always been surrounded by books, and because I never "forced" them to read (other than quick little phonics books when I was teaching them...but they enjoyed that).

We will never be total unschoolers, I'm much more comfortable with an eclectic approach...it's all about balance.  I want them to be strong readers and more importantly, to have a love of reading...always.  I want their natural curiosity to never be diminished.  I want their natural creative drive to always be fun and to carry them through life.  I want them to have a good solid foundation in math.  I want them to be good at expressing themselves, both verbally and written.  And most importantly, I want learning to always be natural and fun!  I think we've got an excellent start!

So, as I was saying, yesterday turned into an unschooling day.  I completely left them alone, while I worked in the bling studio, etc.  And this is some of what transpired.  They decided to play school :)  Yep, that's right, school:)

This is what they've decided to do today..... Thus far, they have used our online version of our math curriculum (Math U See) to help quiz themselves and memorize their multiplication facts (not because I'm "forcing" it...because they are choosing it!)...and in this photo they are reading all about Shetland ponies, and their origination and history (I don't even know what book that's in, but they found it).  I can honestly say, that in the 18 plus years that they will be here, many of which we'll be homeschooling, I don't think it EVER would have occurred to me to talk about Shetland ponies with them! 
 
And now they are painting fruit bowls (or something) that they sketched.
 
 

Later, I heard them writing a story or a report together, about the stars:)

We aren't unschool purists, I balance it out with carefully chosen materials, that we all love....but when left to their own devices, they continue to create, learn, and thrive!  I've actually come to realize that balancing in creative/unschooling days is a VITAL part of our homeschooling experience; it will carry them MUCH farther than me directing their every day!  THIS is how they will discover their own true passions in life!  I think it's a lot harder to do, when you are busy cramming in school work and homework and activities all the time.  BE time and CREATE time are a vital part of life.....and in my eyes, they are probably MORE vital than the academics!  Kids want to learn, and they DO...when they are given the opportunity and given the gift of freedom to choose!