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April 2007
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From the Editor - Advice On Curriculum
by Steve Walden
Science is an area where home educators typically find their greatest challenge. Even if your student loves science, it doesn't mean that you do. Likewise, it's a challenge to get up the energy to do another experiment or exercise. Here are a few things that helped us this year.
First of all, rather than do science every day, our family does it twice a week. The homeschooling law in our state allows us this flexibility, and we find it very beneficial. This allows us to go more in depth on the days that we do science. Our kids retain more and understand it when they can really get involved and ask the big questions, the ones that take more than 30 seconds to answer.
Second, we grew dissatisfied with our old science curriculum. In order to go in the right direction, you first have to realize that you are going the wrong way. We found that our curriculum was insufficient. It made science hard to understand and, because it was computer-based, it left no room to ask good questions or explore something in greater detail. It had videos and demonstrations, and it was easy to grade. It was everything we were looking for two years ago, but we realized that our approach was wrong and we were driving the wonder from our children and replacing it with boredom. Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon, said, "Mystery creates wonder and wonder is the basis of man's desire to understand." If you realize that your curriculum is a poor fit for your family, I say, "Good for you!" It may not look like it, but you're maturing and gaining wisdom.
This leads to our third point. We found a curriculum that goes beyond simple labs and fill-in-the-blank exercises. This year, we have used Exploring Creation with Astronomy by Jeannie Fulbright, whom I've come to know through her blog at HomeschoolBlogger as well as her own website. It's a very helpful and useful curriculum for our grade school children. It helps our children use their imaginations to understand comets, asteroids, planets, moons, and stars. Even though one of our children doesn't like science, she likes this curriculum.
Finally, we released ourselves from the expectations planted in us from our own school experience. Science is more than labeling parts of a flower, memorizing the order of the planets, or completing projects. It is returning to the wonder, the majesty, and the glory of creation. We allow our kids to explore different aspects of science, whether it's geology, biology, physics, or chemistry. Additionally, we help point out how science touches everything in our lives. For example, the power went out recently. Our youngest daughter couldn't understand why she couldn't watch the video she had just picked out. Immediately our son began to explain to our daughter what electricity was and why the TV wouldn't work. However, he didn't quite understand all of it, because he erroneously thought our family car wouldn't start either. This led to a discussion about batteries, power lines, and generators. We covered science in a very practical way, even though we were in the dark, so to speak.
There will come a time when at least some of our children tackle chemistry or some other advanced challenge. They will not get to such challenges if we weary them with untold busywork, fill-in-the-blank questions, and meaningless, failed experiments. They will not get there if we remove the wonder and replace it with ignorance or boredom. I don't want my children to feel content with what they know about any given thing. I want them hungry to understand more of God's wonder twenty years from now. That's when I will know I was successful in teaching our kids the wonder of science.
If you're looking for reviews on science curricula and tools to educate your children, be informed before you buy. Please stop by The Old Schoolhouse website for a list of science product reviews. We even have some of the products at the Schoolhouse Store where there's always free shipping.
Steve Walden
Senior Editor, Free Science e-Newsletter
 | Steve Walden lives in Colorado and, together with his wife, homeschools their three children, ages 10, 7, and 3. He is a freelance writer and editor with articles appearing in The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, Focus On Your Child: Discovery Years, and Familymanweb.com. When he's not blogging at Walden's Wits on www.HomeschoolBlogger.com, he's searching for new opportunities to write about homeschooling, parenting, and connecting with God. |
His dream is to operate a retreat center in Colorado that promotes the concept of rediscovering God as our first love and the source of our strength.
Highlights of Answers in Genesis - Spring 2007
Schoolhouse Store Spotlight
Be sure to check out the latest e-book offering from The Old Schoolhouse Magazine! Homeschool Dialogues is packed full of "conversations" with many of the greatest names in homeschooling. Read what John MacArthur, Josh McDowell, Dr. Bruce Shortt, John Taylor Gatto, "Little Bear" Wheeler, Lisa Welchel, Teri Maxwell, Karen Andreola, and many others have to say about the homeschooling experience.
Homeschool Dialogues is packed with interviews previously published in The Old Schoolhouse Magazine. TOS writers get the honest answers about what is taking place in the public schools today, the impact public education is having on our children and the country, how the church needs to support families, and how we are being desensitized. Writers also sit down and chat with homeschoolers' favorite pioneers and leaders who share their advice on how to have a relaxed homeschool, the difference between home school and home education, and ways to foster a love of learning.
From Steve Walden and the rest of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine team, thank you for subscribing to the FREE Science e-Newsletter! As Senior Editor, I welcome your feedback and comments. Please e-mail me at FreeScience@TheHomeschoolMagazine.com. Don't forget to check out our website and magazine!
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