Spring and early summer are when many homeschoolers spend time preparing for the following school year. For many of us — especially the beginning homeschooler — choosing curriculum is a mind-spinning process. Oh the choices!
When we first started homeschooling, the seemingly endless choices pretty much paralyzed me; I had no idea where to begin.
So, I decided to start at the end.
I asked myself this question: When my children are ready to launch out on their own, what will I want them to know?
I came up with My Master List — things I want my children to know (or at least be aware of). I don't expect to cover everything on the list, but approaching it with the end in mind has provided a sense of direction, allowing me to find and tailor curriculum and resources that fit our family's goals.
What's on your list?
Photo courtesy of Sanja Gjenero.
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I've blogged about this before too. My master list boils down to one sentence: If, over the course of our homeschool journey, I can instill in my children a love of learning, the love of reading, the ability to find whatever information they need via the internet, the library, etc., the knowledge of how to figure out what kind of math to use to solve the problem at hand, and the ability to write well and convincingly, then I believe I will have done what I set out to do.
I think my goal for our girls (we have six) would be "To always wonder and be amazed, finding joy in contributing their special gifts to this wonderful world, and to bring out the best in those around them."
Loved reading your Master List! I will be starting Kindergarten at home with my oldest this year. I was homeschooled, but I need all the help I can get!