Unschooling 8th Grade

So we've been into this homeschool year for about three months now. There is lots to like about Aquinas Learning, though because it is a new program, in it's 'beta' phase, there are rough spots too. However, Becky and I have been dreaming about unschooling next year. I was surprised that she talked about this. She really likes the fact that she gets to go to school one day a week and have friends there. I fear she'll miss this aspect. She's not always in the mood to do the the homework aspect of it, but she seems to appreciate the learning that goes on, especially in history and Latin, her two favorite classes. She could do without the catechism which just isn't a good fit and she is lost and uninterested in the formal logic. I am not sure what she thinks of the literature and composition. That's the class I teach and I think it is a little too wrapped up in the fact that her mom is teaching it. Anyway, there is a lot to like about Aquinas but at the same time we are waxing nostalgic over our freer days, where we called the shots. And especially since it looks like Becky might want to go to high school, next year, 8th grade might be her last at home. So we were thinking we might make the most of it. Here's what we've been talking about:

Right now Becky is taking guitar and voice lessons with a music teacher who is also heavily involved in a local community theater. Becky is very interested in getting involved with that. They have a summer camp that she really wants to go to. She is not so gung ho about her guitar lessons, but she loves singing and she really wants to be in a musical. So if that works out for her, I think theater will be a big part of next year in some way, shape or form.

Becky would like to get more focused on her American Heritage Girls badges. Right now she's busy with other stuff and AHG tends to get put on a back burner, but it would be nice to be freed up to work more on those things.

I told that if she did unschool there has to be some general plan for reading and writing in some consistent pattern. She announced that she would write a book next year: a chapter a month. I still have Learn to Write the Novel Way that Will used for high school, so that might help her if she needs it. She could start out with the Nanowrimo next year if she wants. Or I love the look of Peace Hill Press' The Creative Writer. That might be something too. Or maybe she'll just fly on her own! Who knows?

I think I would want to read aloud to her over breakfast each morning - I'd like the reading to alternate among subjects such as history, science and religion. I'd provide Becky with suggested books to read independently and she could come up with some of her own too.

Since it is her Confirmation year, she'll have to be involved in spirit team service projects and confirmation prep.

One schooly thing we would continue would be to have our wonderful math tutor come twice a week to teach her that. If Becky wants to get into high school, she's going to need to take an entrance exam and she'll need to know her math.

Another possibly more schoolish thing is that Becky is interested in learning French. Right now she's learning Latin, but she keeps going to websites that teach French and she's even made her own flashcards with French words. So next year, if she isn't interested in Latin, maybe she'd like to learn French?

One thing she's always wanted to do is volunteer as a living history re-enactor. We have a couple of parks around here where she could volunteer.

And of course she keeps herself busy. She likes vlogging and she also likes making up dance routines and perfecting her gymnastics, even though right now she is not taking dance or doing gymnastics. She watches youtube videos and then borrows or imitates what they do. She just showed me a dance she made up and it was good! She loves to bake and cook too. Unlike Sean who seems to need and crave external structure to keep him balanced, Becky has a lot of internal drive. She is very much a project-oriented, self-starter and I do think those kinds of kids make good unschoolers!