Appreciating the Patchwork

Our homeschooling journey could easily have been described as a pull between two poles. I love the Omnibus from Veritas in truth I love their whole history and bible program. But I also love the idea of a freer CM style learning, based on good books, nature study, relaxed learning and quiet peaceful days.


In the past we have swung between the two and our own blend of block studies. Each has its advantages, each has its downfalls especially when I add in the quirks of my kids and myself. Often I've felt like a failure from jumping between the two and a whole lot of  variations in between. But along the way we have learned, and I think that I'm finally coming to a balance between the two styles.

For the younger ones living books and narrations largely replace the cards and worksheets. I still use the worksheets where they take what we are learning a little deeper but often its reading, narration and any interesting activities. I know we overdo the formal stuff - written narrations are way to common, but they work, yes I agree ex-auditors really shouldn't be left to home-school alone.

With the Omnibus this term we have taken the selections for about nine weeks, and stretched them so that we start the introductions to most of the books in week 1 ...and finish most of the books in week 10. Slow reading, time to sit with a book. No more hard weeks of reading that is pulling us down. ( OK in truth that's only the Histories ...but that was a long time of not wanting to read.)

We still have our writing project and art project Fridays. Hopefully next week I'll mark them in time for evening presentations. For this week its a Monday presentation. They are great fun, and yep I get to see what really had made a difference for the younger ones. With Omnibus this is the time to play with the writing questions and essays.  the also give me a day to catch up, and a day we can bump if there is a home-school group activity, skiing or a long weekend. No more  inflexible Monday to Friday schedule with these interruptions sending me into stress mode.

I still have three kids in different places in History, Bible and Literature .. it really is a patchwork, but  its working out. They have something that is theirs and that is good. But now we are far enough in to have conversations at dinner and discuss Homer and Virgil. Just because someone asked a question, and we are all far enough along in the journey to have it start to come together. It wasn't in depth, but to see the various personalities interacting was worth the struggles, and is also worth the patience of going at their own pace.