Ashley Slaten on Read With You Presents

Never planed on homeschool. Went to public school herself and had some good experiences. When her oldest was 3 she started researching her options and learned more about homeschool and decided that was the best for their family.

3 main things that were important about homeschool

1. How it would affect their family culture- things they could do as a family if they weren’t at school all day, freedom to explore and build relationships, serve in the community

2. Public School – her experience- she was able to coast along and didn’t really study, wasn’t challenged. Didn’t really learn. It was not very educational for her. She wanted her kids to be able to explore their passions and have the freedom to do that.

3. Concerns about early academics. Felt like school started too young and wanted her kids to be free and exploring, focused on other things rather than academics. Prefers delayed academics. Wanted to protect that time when they were young.

Thomas Jefferson Education philosophy- organic process, the kids will just pick it up.

Tried to trust the process

Strew their paths with things that might peak their interests

Family read alouds- read aloud together every single day, multiple times a day

Protect their time so they have time to do things, let them play, and read together- so many things come out of these

First read aloud was Little House on the Prairie- they started to act it out and include it in their play

Reading paves the way for so much education that you might not think of at first

Bought foam letters that she let her kids play with. They casually asked what they were and what sound it made. With play dough, she gave them letter stamps and the kids would ask how to spell things.

Tried with her daughter to do a more formal reading/ learning session, but her daughter was resistant. Later, he daughter initiated this and came to her mom wanting to read. She was able to read after that!

“If you’re ready to learn something, you have to both be intellectually ready, where your mind can process those things, and you also have to be emotionally ready to learn those sorts of things.” Giving her the time and space and letting it be her desire was a big part of it.

The children are interested and the process is organic.

When kids are ready, it takes less time to learn.

Theme: Letting child lead, strewing their path