The philosophy of classical education is an altogether different sort of thing than the day-in, day-out practice of it. How does one homeschool? And am I making it too complicated?

I had decided to homeschool.

There I sat at my computer on my kitchen island perusing homeschool facebook groups and noting all the resources and curricula they recommended. I filled a small Moleskin journal with subscriptions, and lists, and tips. Mentally exhausted but feeling pretty proud of what I had accomplished, I stepped back from my computer and started to prepare dinner.

Which is when it hit me:

What the heck did I even learn?

Oh sure, I learned the names of a bunch of different homeschool resources, which, certainly, is more than I knew before. But really, I still did not know what program I was going to use or how often or at what time.

And I began to feel overwhelmed and out of control and completely out of my league.

Then, as I always do when I feel at a total loss with things concerning home education, I thought of Laura Ingalls, and Benjamin Franklin, and Frederick Douglas. And my goodness, if those people could grow up to be well-educated folk without the use of electricity, running water, and internet then so can my children!

And as thoughts beget thoughts, that initial thought of competency beget an entirely new thought, a revolutionary thought:

am I making homeschooling too complicated?

Our Founding Fathers: How were they educated? What did they know? And how did they come to know it?

Turns out, they read a lot of "Great Books”, poetry, and fables. They read great authors: Shakespeare, Plato, Aristotle, Socrates, St. Augustine.

They mastered basic mathematics, utilized geometry, contemplated astronomy, enjoyed and performed musical pieces as well as enjoyed and painted visual pieces.

They knew the land, toiled in their gardens, and exercised their bodies as often as their minds.

They did this and more with comparatively less resources.

And what does that mean for me?

• Read quality books

• Explore the outdoors

• Work with my hands

• Throw in a math curriculum

Very little of that list requires a formal, or expensive curriculum (I’m thinking of mathematics and latin as the exceptions).

Very little of that list requires anything fancy.

In fact, in view of that list, home educating our children seems like the most natural thing in the world. Read a little. Play a little. Draw a little. Repeat a little.

And little by little, like drops in a bucket, your child’s soul fills up to overflowing with memories, moments, wonder, wisdom, and discovery.

What a beautiful education.