Did not get too much funschooling done, and way too many late nights make for a very cranky Momma. I have been thinking about the formal/unschooling thing a lot though.

I think I would be much more toward unschooling with DS13 because he already has very solid basic skills and a natural thirst for learning. He also has very eclectic interests, and like me, tends to get obsessive about things for awhile and then kind of "laze out." I could see him diving very deeply into topics that caught his fancy and giving himself a very well rounded education if I could just keep myself out of his way.

With DD I think I will be fairly structured, but absolutely take my clues from her. She is, after all, only 4. She is so curious about everything and full of endless questions. She loves to be read to, which I agree is an amazing way to learn anything, and sends you in directions you never would have gone yourself. I will do phonics stuff with her but balance games, which I love, with workbook stuff, which she loves. I also have a really good supply of math manipulatives, and she enjoys playing with them.

So anyway, I guess I would try to balance too, and knowing myself, I would err on the side of structure too often. That is why I have started now, and am playing with the idea before I have to submit any paperwork in the fall. I hope to have a better grasp on what we all would do best with by then.

I have accumulated so much stuff over 14 years teaching that I have the materials on hand to go either way. Part of my reasoning for setting up the classroom area now is to put stuff out there, make it available, and see what transpires.

See Ya,
-Jo