What do Herbs have to do with Homeschooling?
Why an herbal homeschool?
I just updated my domain name to be theherbalhomeschool.com. This has led to some reflection on my blog name and what it really means to be an herbal HOMEschool as opposed to sharing information as a herbal “school” or our homestead or any other cheesy name I could think up (and I am pretty good at that, let me tell you!)
I was homeschooled for 10 years, from 2nd grade through graduation.
Best Christmas present EVER! After spending a year in public school and 1.5 years in a private Christian school, I was more stressed and uptight than any eight year old should be. I begged to be homeschooled for months before winter break and all I asked for at Christmas was a note saying we could homeschool. I got it! We gathered up all my school supplies & books from the school and never looked back. Aside from repenting & becoming a Christian at a young age, being homeschooled by my incredible mom was easily one of the top things that has most influenced me throughout my life. Let me elaborate on how our vision for education influences my interest in herbalism. . .
A successful homeschool places emphasis on teaching students HOW to learn, not just giving them information.
I want to learn about herbs in the same, learning the principles of what herbs do, whether they are an antispasmodic, a nervine, a stimulant,etc, not just that a specific herb will treat a specific problem. I also want to share resources so you can keep learning and researching on your own.
Homeschooling emphasizes embracing passions and learning in such a way that enhances them, not detracts from them.
Through elementary & middle school we were able to combine subjects to study topics that we were interested in. I was able to start college two years early because I knew what my passion was and was ready to pursue it. In the same way now, I want to combine mundane household tasks such as cleaning, cooking, and keeping well, and incorporate them into my study of herbalism. Involving passions & interests in everyday life makes the boring exciting and is a great time-saver as well!
Our vision of homeschooling looks at education as an independently paced journey that is undertaken to grow in knowledge and experience, not just pass a test or earn a certificate.
One of the best things about homeschooling is the ability to work at your own pace, tailor your education to your needs, and obtain real life skills along with book knowledge. What could mesh more perfectly with an independent study of herbalism? I can study between naps, tantrums, and reading our favorite books over and over. I can involve my toddler in fun activities like shaking the infused herbal oil bottle or going for a walk to look for herbs. And I can focus on what topics are most significant to me at the moment & gain real, practical skills that will bless my family. And you can adopt the homeschool mentality and join me!
(As a note, I just have to add that there are great examples and poor examples of anything, and homeschooling is no exception. Some families do use homeschooling as an excuse to neglect their children’s education, and I believe they do a disservice to the entire community. The states we have lived in require oversight and/or standardized testing, and I think that is a great thing. It holds homeschoolers to a standard and maintains our reputation as providing excellent, at the very minimum public-school level, education. )
The focus of this blog is a place to document my learning process and share knowledge as I learn and develop my passion for herbalism. I do not have all the answers, but I am learning & growing to equip myself to find the answers. This is a place to interact with each other, share experience, and find answers together.
Leave a comment with one way you have enjoyed learning about herbs, whether it was a funny trial & error, a favorite blog, or an excellent book to share!