Over the last few weeks, My husband and I have been trying to make some decisions about our son’s homeschooling. Currently the main issue is that our son hates his current Homeschooling program, provided by K12.com, so we have decided to start Hackschooling!
Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing intrinsically wrong with his current program. The program is similar to a brick and mortar school but all the materials are shipped to you at home and classes are done online. Students meet twice a day of Math, Reading and Science Classes in an Online Chatroom environment.
When we started I asked if there would be level testing and special groups, hoping to get changed to a higher grade level and they said there would be testing and groups so I didn’t worry. But once testing was done, there are only levels for the lower students and the students that tested out didn’t get any groups. I asked and they said I just need give extra supplemental work by parents. Our son LOVES the extra work we give him but the standard work he still has to do is boring to him to tears.
What in the world is Hackschooling?
Hackschooling is a term coined by 13 year old Logan LaPlante and explained in the TED Talk below. He poses the question, “…what if we didn’t make it separate? What if we based education on the study and practice of being happy and healthy?”
Because “Much of education is oriented, for better or worse, toward making a living, rather than making a life”, we have been taught that they are mutually exclusive.
I want to figure out a way to help my son find what he enjoys and build on that. I want to meet him on his level and help him excel. Building a life where he enjoys the work he does and is fulfilled by it.
“You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.” Bucky Fuller
For now I am continuing to do tests to figure out where we currently stand. We have begun working on 2nd Grade Math and Reading. I am also working on pumping up his Spanish vocabulary.
Stay tuned as the adventure continues!
