Money is often a concern in schooling. Public schooling is probably the cheapest. Private school is expensive. Homeschooling costs vary widely. One can spend money on a curriculum, textbooks, books, technological devices, classes, projects, field trips, and much more. Isabel believes that public schools should be excellent, and that they aren’t. She admired Waldorf educational approaches. In the beginning she would probably have chosen a private school over homeschooling if she could have afforded it. However, after homeschooling for a while she may have changed her mind.
Isabel doesn’t buy a curriculum and has used very few textbooks or structured materials. However, she does take advantage of some curricular frameworks.
"My objectives have a lot to do with what Waldorf proposes, because I do believe they have a very good understanding of development and interest of the children. So, I do need a base, do need something structured."
When she began homeschooling Isabel used Waldorf as a frame for their curriculum, but she didn’t stick closely to it because she believes it was “very strict” and she doesn’t like that.
"It was really hard to keep the kids interested in the themes and activities of that curriculum. And it was really hard for me to keep up with my own skills and professional-development necessary to be true to that curriculum."
Their schooling is very informal. She is a mom who includes what she thinks is important, but then modifies things according to her children’s interests. She describes their curriculum as,
Very, very informal. I still kind of keep the direction of it. They work on things they really enjoy, and we do all kinds of projects on topics of interest.
Isabel doesn’t have money to do all the things she would like to do with her children. So, she encourages them to be independent and creative and participate in making and saving money for field trips they want to take.
So, they do everything around that. For example, it could be an animal they want to study…or it could be like the lanyard, they wanted to make money to go to the museum and we didn't have the money…and I said well, if you wanna go to the museum you have to find a way to make money. And that’s when we work on brainstorming how we can do that.
Isabel doesn’t buy structured curricula. However, her children have used Khan Academy for math for the last three years, Matias started introduction to chemistry at Khan Academy, and Isabel always has her eye out for materials that might be interesting and useful.
J: Where do you get your materials and stuff? I: We don’t. I mean I’m going to get a book for Luciana for math because I saw it and I really liked it. I mean it’s the Life of Fred.
J: That’s a math book?
I: That’s a math book and I looked through it and I went ummm, because she needs more than I can give. She needs structure. This is a time when she needs to start learning specific things, even if they don’t come her way.
J: But you don’t want to get a math textbook?
I: No
As Isabel’s daughter, Luciana, approaches high school, Isabel wants her to have a more structured approach to learning so that she can be successful in high school.
We are looking for a school for Luciana for next year (10th grade) because we feel that she needs a more structured schooling to be prepared to apply and attend college.
Families that don’t use structured curriculum often become concerned as their children approach high school age and contemplate attending a brick and mortar high school.
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