Things have been very quiet at Faithful Over Little Things lately. It's not that we're not doing anything--quite the contrary. It's just that I've been pondering how and what to record. I started the daily notes blog last January, mostly because I recognized over the course of the college application/portfolio process how important it is to record learning as it happens. I also recognized that I have at least seven more children to guide to adulthood. Instead of taking confidence from Michael's successes, I felt a whole new and bigger-than-ever-wave of insecurity.
In talking with some other moms who have gone the distance, I know I'm not alone. When pressed to provide a record of a child's entire education, home educators do just fine. Actually, we do really well.But when I looked at all we'd done and all we read and I realized I had to do it all over again--seven more times, only tailored to each child--I was more than a little overwhelmed. I found that we were asked by colleges to provide over and above anything on the typical application. We documented every single book Michael ever read, every trip he took, every piece of art he studied. For some colleges, this was a golden application. For others, it wasn't enough. They wanted half a dozen standardized tests. I hadn't taught to the tests. And despite major money sunk into test prep courses, Michael still has major test anxiety. Oh, bother...
Michael is officially finished with home education. He's already registered for classes next fall at the university of his choice. Now, I find myself evaluating my plans for the other children in light of the experience we gained. Will I teach to the tests more, thus opening more doors? No, I don't think so. The schools who weight tests so heavily are probably not going to be a great fit with the rest of our educational philosophy. There's more to a child than his test scores. We might was well eliminate schools that think otherwise from the get-go. That said, I will make sure math is done every day. Unschooling math does not work in my house. Period. But, the rest, well, we'll still do what we've done.What exactly is it that we do?
Last fall, before my application agony, Mary asked me to think about the Foss Family Rule of Six. I played along, coming up with six things, because that was what I was asked. Just six, no more, no less. And I set the list aside, to get lost in a shuffle of postpartum, college applications, advent, and Christmas. Now, I'd like to revisit the list. It seems that using that list as a "checklist" at the end of the day could be a very good thing. The original list is in blue. I've added notes and commentary in light of lessons learned on our way to our first graduation.
In order to raise healthy, happy, holy children, I think they need these six things everyday:
- Living Liturgy--children need to embrace the faith in all its wonder and glory. They need to celebrate the liturgical year, to frequent the sacraments, and to have a deep family and personal prayer life. We did this well. Michael knows and loves the faith, mostly because we lived it and we applied some of the principles below to it. We talked about it and read about it. He also had the benefit of an excellent confessor and spiritual director. He's looking forward to more of the same in college. We'll keep on keeping on.
- Encounters with beauty--art, music, literature, nature: while we certainly don't get to all four, every day, at least one a day is necessary. This was huge for Michael in the art, literature and nature departments. He's very well read. He's steeped in art history and is quite a good studio artist. He's already taken several art courses for college credit because that's what he cares to know. His plan is to double major in art and journalism. I've given a lot of thought recently to how we've nurtured creativity here. I think children need both the introduction of creative skills and the freedom to truly create on their own. In the case of art, for instance, we do teach drawing and painting principles and we do lots of picture study. Then, we let them loose (perhaps too loose by the looks of my craft room) with fine materials (and lots of cardboard and duct tape). Michael has also been blessed by a gifted art teacher who lives a beautiful and very creative lifestyle and invites him into that atmosphere all the time. We will all be forever grateful to her. I tend to not allot enough time for creativity when I get in "checklist mode." I am resolved not to get into "checklist mode." I'd like to shoot for time with a good book every day and then at least two of the remaining three encounters with beauty.
- Fresh air and exercise--children need an abundance of fresh air and plenty of exercise every single day (so do their parents). Michael will be playing Division 1 soccer in the fall. He's incredibly fit and skilled. If the sun is shining, my children are outdoors at least four hours a day. I need to work on being out there with them. I'm also really considering how important it is to counter competitiveness with cooperative time outside. But that is an entirely different post.
- Meaningful work--there is plenty of meaningful work to be done in a Catholic household. Children can be taught to do it cheerfully and well. And they must be told again and again how vital they are to the well-being of the family. The work has meaning and purpose. Sigh...I will miss Michael's "meaningful work" contribution to the household. But that does leave more work available for the rest of us!
- Ideas to ponder and discuss--I stole this one from Lissa, who wrote the original Rule of Six and got us all pondering. Like so many other great ideas that sweep the 'net, it started here. One of the greatest joys of home education is unearthing ideas and discussing them with the people we love best. Every day, for the benefit of all of us. This is intuitive. In this house are my favorite people on the planet. I LOVE to talk with them, to hear their thoughts, to share my joys and sorrows and discoveries. I don't think the conversation with Michael will end when he leaves either; it will only grow more interesting.
- Focused attention and affection--every child, every day needs the focused attention of his or her parents and they absolutely need the parents' expression of unconditional love. Ours is big family and there are some children who are naturally more demanding of my attention than others. The trick here is to meet everyone's needs. When I check this one off on the Little Things blog, I will just acknowledge that we made sure they know how loved they are. The specifics aren't necessary to accountability. So much of my children's lives is an open book and they are generally very good sports, but sometimes something special needs to stay quiet to stay special.
So that was the original six. But I know now that I need to add two more (at least five days a week). These are the two that Michael wishes we'd been more systematic about when he was little. These are what tend to be lost when we slide into unschooling. These are pretty key to remaining disciplined and getting the deed done.
- Skill development. This might be Latin or grammar or an intensive season of phonics. It will probably not be all three at once:-). I need some place to hold myself accountable for the necessary details, the foundations of effective communication and...
- Math. We are not a math family. We all need to force ourselves to study math every day. I have all the bells and whistles, all the books and toys. But at the end of the day, every day, we just have to be able to say "I did it."
Alrighty then, stay tuned for a new checklist at Faithful Over Little Things . We'll see how our Rule of Eight holds up in Real Life.
