How homeschooling (still) works

**hadassahchana**[$] · #1 09-17-2006, 04:26 PM

Since #1 started university, I keep swinging between being unreasonably proud of how well he's doing and being sad that our homeschool is missing one of my star pupils. He has a long commute and is taking some fairly tough classes, so I assumed that the days of watching him help his brothers were done.

Right now, all four Horsemen are doing chemistry. They just finished biology. Before, #1 would help them with their classes, and explaining things at their level would help him to get a really solid understanding of the concepts. Now, #1 has made himself a bunch of flash cards in order to get ready for his first set of midterms. The brothers are helping to quiz him, and as they go along, he's explaining the material to them, at their level. Just like before. And as I'm listening to him going through explanations and making up new examples, I can see that he's also getting a better understanding of his own work. Just like before. At least for the moment, homeschooling is still working as well as it aleways has for us, with all of the Horsemen participating.

**Prepoia**[$] · #2 09-17-2006, 04:29 PM

Teaching others is the best way to learn. Homeschooling or regular schooling. It's something that all parents may like to try with their kids as they plod through new material and homework. I even use the concept in the classroom with pair/share activities.

Mid-terms already?????

**hadassahchana**[$] · #3 09-17-2006, 04:59 PM

In biology, they apparently are being given several sets of midterms. This is good for #1, I think it will help him to stop panicking on tests. Since it's his first term, he doesn't know that most classes don't have that many midterms.

**theworm**[$] · #4 09-17-2006, 05:37 PM

Yay #1!!!

**Prepoia**[$] · #5 09-17-2006, 05:41 PM

Ahhhh. Multiple exams rather than a mid-term and final. My daughter prefers this because it gives you an opportunity to see what the mid-terms and finals are like BEFORE you take it. It really sucks in a class to have only two grades all term. She also likes researching and writing papers instead of just two tests. Sounds like he's doing well. Go #1

**mtomm**[$] · #6 09-18-2006, 10:44 AM

I am impressed. My children get a long intermittently but not well enough to learn anything from each other. This sounds so great but they are all too defensive to take help from each other.

I'd say you are lucky but I doubt it has much to do with luck and mostly to do with parenting. Good job!

**Helen_B**[$] · #7 10-15-2006, 11:46 PM

There is hope; even though my guys were not such good resources always for each other when they were doing highschool at home, it's great to see them backing each other up now, and occaisionally quoting each other's advice.