Does music, summer camp, a visit to the zoo, etc., count? This is probably one of my most frequently asked questions (well, that and “What about socialization?”). My answer is almost always, “Yes… it counts.”
It’s important to get out of the mindset that learning only happens when it’s planned, scheduled, directed, or approved by someone else. Children learn the most and retain it longer if they’re the ones who initiate it, take ownership of it, and have input into what they’re learning. I don’t know of any research that doesn’t support this fact.
Traditional schools don’t allow student-led learning because teachers don’t have time to mentor or facilitate a class full of students if they are learning different things. And even if they did, it would be too expensive for them to provide the resources for each individual student. (And all the materials would first have to be passed through committees to make sure they’re “suitable” – however they define it.)
As homeschoolers, we don’t have any of these constraints. So just remember that children (and adults!) learn 365 days a year. If you’re a SC homeschooler, it’ll be your job to document 180 of those days.
More questions? Read through my FAQs here.