Spider monkeys and the question of homeschooling

"If we value independence, if we are disturbed by the growing conformity of knowledge, of values, of attitudes, which our present system induces, then we may wish to set up conditions of learning which make for uniqueness, for self-direction, and for self-initiated learning."

I know it's another Carl Rogers quote, but as a devotee of the brief and passionate obsession, Carl is my current love...at any rate, homeschooling is a topic of frequent conversations and this particular quote eloquently explains the "why" of it. Not that Carl was an advocate, I think he was more of system fixer, but self-initiated learning is the basis of our homeschool decision.

Essentially I herd cats, or perhaps, spider monkeys. They are bright if mildly under-motivated spider monkeys and we keep them well-supplied with bananas (or actually a species appropriate frugivorous diet). We have an interest-focused homeschool curriculum (curriculum in the very loosest sense of the word) and a general connection to traditional math. Mostly, we read. I'm not always sure how much they are learning, as I am hampered by a lack of comparison. I suppose it's like breastfeeding, it's much easier to gauge the amount your baby eats when formula fed from measured bottles but arguably breast milk is healthier. However, five minutes in the company of any one of them is reassuring. They are expressive. They are imaginative. They are normal kids that whine and fight and play. "Socialization" (a concern most raised by friends) occurs on the soccer pitch or basketball court, in the cul-de-sac, bowling alley, online...everywhere they are.

If anything could be considered abnormal, it is the amount of time we spend as a family. Grocery lists are formulated after everyone puts in their dinner choice for the week. We've had Thanksgiving in February (Phil), breakfast for dinner (Reine), and Chicken Casserole with leeks, fresh baby corn, and new potatoes (Emile). This week's selections include Indian, Mexican and Happy Hour (wings and potato skins)....

Sundays we role play. Old school Dungeons & Dragons with dice and pencil marked character sheets. We love Dorkness Rising because "he who stumbles around in darkness with a stick is blind. But he who...sticks out in darkness...is...fluorescent!" (the trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvH4PskPZ4M )

The "grown-ups" in this household know that narwhals are "the Jedi of the sea, they stop Cthulu eating ye," and kids know that running for Congress involves a lot of fund-raising and the oncoming rainy season is not good news for Haitians in make-shift tent cities.

We're raising the fluorescent. While this means that we have a lot of bizarre conversations, and spend a fair amount of time answering nonsensical questions for an audience that has decided to pay attention to something else as we are clearly boring them with our inadequate and overly complicated answer...we highly recommend it.