How to Make Homeschool Math Fun Without Curriculum
Hello, I’m Gloria Brooks, founder of NatureGlo’s eScience. I help homeschoolers by offering online unit study math (called “MathArt”) and natural science courses for kids ideally 8–18.
Letting Go of the Homeschool Math Curriculum Can Be This Easy
What if you finally ditched the idea that math has to be learned lock step-by-step using a curriculum? Whaaaa??? You say.
Imagine this. Your child rises up early in the morning and excitedly gets dressed. They’re moving quietly yet at lightning speed because they’re looking forward to diving into their homeschool work…independently. You’re still cozied and cuddled up in your bed.
“But what kind of homeschool work would they be so excited to learn??” you ask in befuddlement.
They’re learning about what it takes to become an astronaut. They’re passionate about learning all things space. They hurriedly brush their teeth, grab a drink of water from the kitchen and sit down quietly on the coach with a library picture book on their lap about how to become an astronaut.
They have their iPad laying beside them on the coach. As your child dives eagerly and independently into the first chapter, they take notes on the iPad. They learn about space suits and the mathematics behind their sizes, dimensions, and other details that make them optimal for living and working in the space environment. Your child jots down the mathematical dimensions and stats. That’s only the beginning of their math lesson for the day.
There you go!! There’s their “living math” lessons buried in the very topic they want to spend all of their time learning. See how easy this can be?
I can hear you saying now, “But, what about all the other math they’re missing now from their textbooks that they’ll need to get into college?” Meh. No worries. They can alway crash course whatever math they need to get into college. Yup. It’s that easy.
Add Up All the Wasted Years Learning Things You Didn’t Want to
Keep in mind, most of the math we’re taught in school, we never use again. We learn it for the test and forget it. Learn. Forget. That’s what most of education is composed of. Now add up all the wasted hours, days, and years you’ve spent learning math that you didn’t want to learn and really, secretly, *says in a whisper…didn’t need to learn. Now, here’s some sad multiplication. Multiply all those years per family member and you have a LOT of wasted time and energy. Sad.
Why waste 12 years when they can learn all of it in a few weeks when they’re super motivated to?? Do you see it now? Most of education is a MASSIVE waste of time burning valuable energy your child can’t get back. Real learning happens when a human being, you, me, your children, are following our true interests. Not someone else’s. Not the state’s. Not yours. Not their aunt’s, THEIR OWN INTERESTS. Keeping it real and simple here.
How to Foster Child Self-directed Learning
Now your child might not want to be an astronaut, but, whatever they want to learn about, give them the resources for it. Whatever your child’s top interests, are give them the materials and resources they want and need (within your power) and let them at it. Rest assured, whatever topic they could ever choose (yes, even those pesky video games…go on, you know you want to play right beside them), there will be math buried like a treasure inside.
CLICK HERE & Grab my unit study planner.
With this planner you’ll be able to document not only the math from your child’s wildest interests, but most likely the rest of the subjects. Keep that bad boy in a folder and you’ll have plenty of content for your child’s homeschool records and your homeschool reporting. Easy peasy and pleasy your homeschool state requirements for the year.
Here’s what you get all for FREE in my unit study planner:
- 1 Sample unit study lesson about marine fish (most kids are fascinated by marine life) complete with clickable links bringing your kids to fun marine fish learning adventures on the Web.
- 1 Editable easy to use unit study planner template.
- A set of instructions for easy use.
Now that you have math, and really all your subjects covered with my handy free unit study planner, you can grab that second cuppa coffee take a deep breath, relax, and start enjoying more of that much needed time for yourself, oh selfless homeschooler you are!
Gloria Brooks aka NatureGlo