Wednesday, June 27, 2007

It's starting again

Ok, so I meant it when I said I'm schizophrenic.

I'm the Planning Unschooler. The Unschooler with a Plan. The Scheduler without a Schedule, or the Unscheduler Who's Always looking at Her Watch.

Yes, I'm eclectic, unschoolish, and flexible. I like to allow my children to follow their interests, and explore things of their choosing.

But, I also love to browse curriculum catalogs. I love them. I love the nifty little packages, the clever resources, the tools and supplies neatly grouped together and offered as a sort of prize to the tuned-in, credit-card wielding, homeschooling mother. I love to come up with plans.

I love to browse and dream. But, that doesn't mean I purchase all that nifty stuff that I find within the pages of my beloved catalogs. As I confessed last year, I'm really just a nerd with a goofy hobby.

But, it's a hobby that bears fruit. Though I may not purchase every tempting tool or set of books that I crave, I do come away from those catalogs with ideas ... a few well-chosen purchases, and lots of ideas.

And, as I said in this post last summer:
Part of the fun of summer is planning our homeschooling journeys, even if we don't always end up at the originally intended destinations. In spite of our many side trips, planning keeps me aware of the big picture and accountable to the kids, my husband-the-principal, and myself.
Planning is the vision, the idea, which is a straight path (and, despite my flexible ways, I do have an overarching vision.) But, how can one be flexible (as in, "capable of being bent") if there's no straight line to begin with?

So, perhaps instead of the negative connotations associated with "schizophrenic" I will rename myself the Flexible Homeschooler.

Or, maybe I'll just plan to rename myself. But then, I'll deviate from the plan.

You know how it goes.

6 comments:

EC said...

Karen,

I'm so with you on feelin' the love for the curriculum catalogs. It's almost like I have dog sense when the mailman leaves one in my mailbox. I just know it's there.

Loved this post!

Evie

Alice Gunther said...

Karen, you are anything but schitzophrenic--although I like the term because it is so amusing. You always make me laugh.

Not as often as Ramona, but you do a good job too!

: )

sarah said...

Argh, my comment disappeared. I wanted to say thank you, from one flexible homeschooler to another who is way funnier, more self-accepting, and very cool. (I hope you get that I'm talking about you there, not me!) Thanks for the fabulous perspective.

Anonymous said...

There are so many great article in homeschooling catalogs as well - I can't bear to throw them away. And if we are confessing things, there's a new Memoria Press catalog coming out next month and I think about it DAILY.

Anonymous said...

At least your hobby makes more sense than my hobby. Creating middle names for fictional characters, I ask you.

Karen Edmisten said...

Lib,
I think it sounds like a fabulous hobby. I'm considering taking that one up next week.
Jennifer and Evie,
Thanks for sharing your own obsessions, too. Nice to know I'm not alone.
Alice, it's okay -- I *know* I'm not as funny as my 4 yo daughter. ;-)
And Patience, thanks for such kind if undeserved comments, from one flexi-mom to another.