Subdue Guilt About Art Instruction in Your Homeschool

Subdue Guilt About Art Instruction in Your Homeschool

I had been attacked by the homeschool mom guilt monster. This included finger paints, water colors, pipe cleaners, felt and fabric swatches, buttons and brayers, the hot-glue gun, elmer's brand glue, goggly eyes, stickers and old magazines. I was concerned about real art skills, not opportunities to make crafts.
It was during this time that I researched art lessons in our area. I also looked through the excellent Rainbow Resource catalog for art curriculum. I soon got two new kinds of guilt: Can't Afford Lessons Guilt and Don't Want to Teach Entire Art History Curriculum Guilt.
Great! I had found an excellent art history and appreciation course that even incorporated art skills, but I was not going to use it. In this season of our homeschool career I am unwilling to teach an entire art course, even once a week.
I wanted them to absorb art history and learn art skills without any more from me than driving them to lessons. Look at their art knowledge and skills! 1. I wanted the kids to learn new artistic skills if they loved to draw
2. Icouldn't afford lessons
3. I didn't want to commit the time to teach a course
4. a)knowledge of art terms and styles
c)exposure to the development of art in history
d)exposure to major artists and types of art (sculpture, paints, etc)

For our family, for this season, what works for us is art software for our computer. Now, my kids are learning about appreciation, history, and skills on their own. The software I chose has 16 lessons with 2 subtopics for each lesson, and additional skill-builders on the side, and a decent library of works of art with artist bios and dates. Let them use tissue paper and paper towel rolls!
Advantage of Homeschooling – Socialization
Homeschooling is an education option that is widely debated by comparing and contrasting it to public school. Home school Kids Don't Have Socialization
Kids need much attention. Our experience is that being consistent in denying whining and screaming is that they quickly learn not to do it. In the public school setting kids are relatively unsupervised during activities such as lunch, recess, changing classes, gym class, bus trips, assemblies, etc.
If you wanted your child to learn how to bowl would you send them to a group of kids their age, or would you seek a mentor who knew how to bowl? The skill of socialization is the same as any skill. Kids learn more how to "survive" than how to properly socialize in a public school setting. If you communicate with your kids in a truthful mature manner they will learn to get and receive attention the same way.