Earlier this week, we took a look at how you could introduce delight-directed learning into your homeschool with a one-day-a-week method. That works really well for many families who have a boxed curriculum that will allow for a 4-day homeschool week.
But what about those of you who don’t wish to devote one day every week to this method, or for whom doing so would interrupt the flow of things?
My suggestion in that case is to use delight-directed learning one week at a time.
Here are a few reasons why doing things this way might work well for you:
- One week generally gives enough time to explore a new topic thoroughly. It gives plenty of time for reading books, working on fun projects, or adding in a field trip.
- One week is not such a long time that getting back to your usual schedule will be a chore.
- One week is a popular time frame for many pre-written unit studies. Using unit studies for delight-directed learning is, in my opinion, the best way to homeschool with this method with your younger kids.
- One week is not such a long time that your student will get bored with the new topic.
Teaching in a delight-directed manner for one week can be worked into your homeschool in a number of ways. Here are a few suggestions:
- Many families use their usual method 3 weeks out of the month and then add in the delight-directed method the 4th week. Fill a book basket with books and DVDs for an area of interest and let them explore all week long.
- You can work delight-directed learning into weeks when there is a holiday.
- Allow your students to choose a special field trip and spend a week learning all about the field trip topic.
- Surprise your student with a week of delightful learning any time you see a sparkle with your current curriculum— go ahead and follow the rabbit trail.
- Brainstorm some ideas with your children and then randomly choose weeks throughout the year for delight-directed learning.
- Allow your students to explore a favorite sport or educational hobby for a week (here are some STEM activities great for middle and high school kids)
- Encourage your students to explore possible occupations that interest them. Use books, movies, field trips. It’s possible your high school student could even shadow a friend or family member working in the field of interest for a few days.
- Spend a week teaching your students how to plant a garden, meal plan, or maintain a car — any life skill that interests them.
How you choose to work in a week of delightful learning is up to you. It’s not important how you make it work. It is important that you make it work somehow. You will be amazed and dare I say — delighted — with the results.
