To Homeschool or to Un-school, that is the question

Did you know there is such thing as un-schooling? YES, UN-SCHOOLING. Sounds ridiculous right? Just the word sounds crazy. Wouldn't unschooling mean that you don't go to school? Not quite. Unschool means you don't force school on anyone, you let school come to them. According to a great article written by Earl Stevens, "A large component of unschooling is grounded in doing real things, not because we hope they will be good for us, but because they are intrinsically fascinating." Since we will ultimately be living on the road, with new and exciting things at our fingertips each and every day, the ability to un-school is at our doorstep. Of course, why wouldn't we?! In 2007, I graduated from CSUSB with a major in Liberal Studies, I was going to teach. I wanted to be in a classroom. I know the curriculum, I love writing lesson plans, I love teaching and watching little minds learn. I was in and out of the classroom for several years as a substitute teacher. Becoming a full-time teacher has yet to fall in the cards for me. So the idea of just un-schooling, blows my mind. There are standards for each grade and core subjects that each child just master for their grade level. How could un-schooling ever really work? My kids would be bored, they wouldn't be self motivated, I'd just fear they were missing out on long division and proper sentence structure and the definition of an idiom. Wouldn't they need a weekly spelling test? How would they keep up? And when we come back to school, how do they prove they have mastered the 2nd and 4th grades to move on with their friends? (That is if we return when we say we will).  So, un-schooling just doesn't sound like the best option for us, unless it is. Is it? People, this is where my mind is tonight at 10:13pm, while my husband and 3 boys are snoring upstairs.

So homeschooling seems like the best option. Yet, there is one holdup. Each student needs to meet with their assigned homeschool instructor every 21 days. (This is what is required via the program attached to my kids charter school). Nope, can't do that. And since FaceTime or Skype isn't an option either, there goes this homeschool program.

But wait! They offer virtual school? Online schooling for kids? Yes! I currently have the boys signed up for this program. I don't know much about it and Im hoping after spring break, I'll learn more. Only downside, internet won't always be an option for us. If this program requires internet at all times, we may be SOL. Which than means, I have to do some major research on homeschooling, unschooling and road schooling. Yes, ROAD SCHOOLING.

So, if anyone has any advice to throw my way, I'm ready and willing to take it! I am a worrier and a researcher and I always want to get it right the first time because I am terrified of failure. There you have it. 

On that note, I'm off to search out my bedtime essential oils and read myself to sleep.