Balancing Structure and Freedom: A Deep Dive into Homeschooling with Annette Gerlitz Appel

Homeschooling can feel daunting as a beginner but it doesn't have to be complicated. If you're making the decision about whether or not to homeschool your kids (been there, multiple times!) it's best to first look within. In this inspiring and informative conversation I'm joined by veteran homeschooling mama, Annette Gerlitz-Appel and we're exploring questions like: 

• What if I'm not a teacher? Can I still homeschool my kids? 
• What  are state standards and do we have to follow them? 
•  What are the best (and worst) parts of homeschooling? 
• What if my child has a learning difference or is neurodivergent? 
• The best (and worst) homeschooling resources 
• Why your happiness, self-care and intuition are crucial as a homeschooling parent 

Annette Gerlitz Appel is a mama to three girls, a Florida native, a lover of books, nature, and traveling, as well as a teacher. For the past six years, Annette has taught a homeschool cooperative group with grades ranging from K-5th grade. In this group, she curates curriculum, activities, and resources based on all of the children’s strengths, levels, & interests. In addition to teaching a homeschool group, Annette has facilitated parent child classes at Sunflower Creative Arts since 2016, setting up play environments that support children's natural curiosity, love of nature, and problem solving. Annette has also created and presented parent toolboxes, sharing and guiding families through the joys and challenges of parenting. Prior to having children, she worked in the Palm Beach County School district as a teacher and Reading Coach focusing on innovative ideas and best practices. Annette studied at the University of Florida and received her Bachelor of Arts in Special Education and her Master of Education in Early Childhood Education.

QUOTES, RESOURCES & LINKS: 

“ Every parent knows their child than anybody else can. To teach your child, you have to know them and you already have that as their parent. You are their first teacher… You have all the tools you need because you know your child.” 
-Annette Gerlitz-Appel

You are Your Child’s First Teacher by Rahima Baldwin Dancy

The Sunflower Bridge Podcast

The Sunflower Creative Arts Blog & Pillars

Annette's Book List
Daughter of a Daughter of a Queen
Untangled
Hormone Intelligence 

Transcript

Ryann Watkin : 0:02

Welcome, Revolutionary Mama, to the Raising Wild Hearts podcast. I'm Ryan Watkin, Educator, Mama of Three Reveal It Heart and Passionate Soul, on a Mission to empower and inspire you.

Ryann Watkin : 0:16

Here we'll explore psychology, spirituality, parenthood and the intersection where they all come together. We'll discover how challenges can be fertile soil for growth and that even in the messy middle of motherhood, we can find magic in the mundane. Join me on my own personal journey as I talk to experts and share resources on education, creativity, self-care, family, culture and more. I believe we can change the world by starting at home, in our own minds and hearts, and that when we do, we'll be passing down the most important legacy there is Healing, And so it is All right. Friends, welcome back to the Raising Wild Hearts podcast. I'm really, really excited for today's conversation. I'm always excited for the conversations, but today I'm extra excited because, as many of you know, we homeschooled for a couple of years 2020 and 2021, and we've been in school private school this year, and we're actually at the point in the spring which is the thing we always do where we're going what does next year look like, And we are debating switching back to homeschooling. So this conversation that we're having today is just coming at the most perfect time, And actually I was talking to Annette before we aired and we had to cancel a couple different times for a few a couple of different reasons And it just works out that the conversation is today because when the conversation was originally supposed to happen, I wasn't considering homeschooling next year. So now it's like perfect timing. We're going to talk all about homeschooling. I really want to get into like some pros and cons. So if you are debating homeschooling in your own life like can I do it, How do I do it, This is going to be an amazing conversation for you. I know when my oldest was going into kindergarten, I had all of these questions and worries and wonders. And Annette is a veteran homeschooling mama and she is so amazing and such a great resource, So I'm going to introduce her to you guys and then we will jump in.

Ryann Watkin : 2:21

Annette Girlits Apple is a mama to three girls, a Florida native, a lover of books, nature and traveling, as well as a teacher. For the past six years, Annette has taught a homeschool cooperative group with grades ranging from K to fifth grade. In this group, she curates curriculum activities and resources based all on the children's strengths, levels and interests. In addition to teaching a homeschool group, Annette has facilitated parent child classes at Sunflower Creative Arts since 2016, setting up play environments that support children's natural curiosity, love of nature and problem solving. Annette has also created and presented parent toolboxes, sharing and guiding families through the joys and challenges of parenting. Prior to having children, she worked in the Palm Beach County School District as a teacher and reading coach, focusing on innovative ideas and the best practices. Annette studied at the University of Florida and received her Bachelor of Arts in special education and her Master of Education in early childhood education.

Ryann Watkin : 3:22

Welcome to the podcast, Annette. Hello, thank you, Thanks for having me. Yeah, I'm so glad you're here and it's interesting because we first met when we were taking classes from you at Sunflower Creative Arts, when our two older ones were little.

Annette Gerlitz Appel: 3:36

I know it's been. It's crazy how long. Yeah. They grow so fast and time just keeps going by. It's crazy.

Ryann Watkin : 3:44

I know, and we always like, we all say that like oh my gosh, how are they so big? The oldest every time I see her I'm like, oh my god, and you know, the baby and everything. It's like how is everybody growing so fast And we already know it, but it's still like mind blowing, you know.

Annette Gerlitz Appel: 4:01

Yeah, Children are like constant reminders of time passing by. So it yeah.

Ryann Watkin : 4:06

Yeah, they are. I know it's like in a time warp. So, yeah, when we one of the things I always say about taking parent classes at Sunflower is that like it really changed our trajectory of parenting education, like everything we thought we knew, like we had to unlearn a lot of stuff and then we had to kind of adopt these new methods, that felt really good and true for us. So maybe you can speak on like because I know you've been doing it since 2016,. Maybe you can speak on like your view of other parents, like learning that there's a different way in this journey, because it's kind of it's not necessarily the mainstream way of like you know, saying good job or rewards and punishments. Like it's a little bit outside of the box. So have you seen parents like grow and evolve and like what's your most like? notable observations of the parents in this journey.

Annette Gerlitz Appel: 5:01

Well, i think our goal at Sunflower is always to present a different perspective on parenting that typically is non-traditional and non-mainstream, so we're always approaching it from a side of like here's another idea or another option and everyone gets to decide, and every family is different and every child is different, so everything isn't always going to work for everyone. So you have to find what works best for you And I think our approach is always just here's an idea and these are some. This is some research to back up these ideas And this is how we've been doing it for 30 years And we. It's an approach that you can try And if it feels good and it resonates with you, then you know there's more to learn and we can help guide you. And then, if you know, even if people just take little bits of it and apply it to how it works best for their family, then you know we've given them something else to think of And it is something it's always interesting.

Annette Gerlitz Appel: 6:10

When parents first come to Sunflower, you know we have a mix of people I mean myself included. I, when I started at Sunflower, like I was a veteran eight year teacher. I did child development and child psychology. I knew what I was doing. But then I went to Sunflower and I was like, wow, there's a whole different approach to parenting And this way feels better for me. And I still had. There was value in what I learned in my you know education as far as, like the psychology and the brain research. There's value in all of that, but there's different approaches to parenting and it it the approach that I learned at Sunflower and I'm continuing to learn it. It feels right to me.

Annette Gerlitz Appel: 6:56

No-transcript. I definitely have seen growth with the parents that I work with. It's one of my favorite things of working at Sunflower. I don't only get to see the kids grow, but I get to see the parents grow in their journey with their child. So yeah, i definitely see, you know, differences from the beginning of the year to the end of the year through our conversations with the parents and the different books we read or the articles that we share. There's definitely growth that we see.

Ryann Watkin : 7:28

Yeah, i love that. You said the way that it feels for you Like, and we as parents, we can like take what resonates with us and we can leave what doesn't right. And I think that main key part is, like, how is it feeling in our bodies and our souls and our minds? You know, we know when we're disrespecting our kids Like. We know when there's like this weird, like power dynamic or power struggle, like we can feel that show up in a number of different ways. I love that you said that And then also like showing up and being open to trying something different, like in a different way than we were raised.

Ryann Watkin : 8:09

There's a lot of value in that too. At the end of the day, we're just everybody's trying to do their best too, but so I think there's so much value in going the road less traveled also. So how did you decide that you were going to homeschool your kids? You were a longtime educator. Like you had all this experience Like where did that? Was it always like without question, or was there like an aha moment? Like how did that decision happen for you?

Annette Gerlitz Appel: 8:38

Well, it's funny that you mentioned earlier how sunflower kind of changed your trajectory on parenting and raising children. And I definitely would have to say the same thing. Because when I first, when I had my first daughter, my plan was to eventually go back to school a brick and mortar, traditional school and just bring her with me, And then you know if we had more kids like do the same thing. And then I started at sunflower. When my oldest daughter was two, We did Circle of Song And then we also joined the first little seedlings group, And so that's when I really saw a difference in you know, quote unquote education and how in traditional preschools there you know, highly encouraging letters and sounds and numbers, and all of these things were in my natural at home environment. With my daughter at two I hadn't started doing that yet. I didn't feel the drive to do that. But in the back of my head my teacher me was like you're slacking, like you should already be doing these things, Like this is what she needs, She's supposed to, you know, read by five and do all this stuff. But I just always there was something that always held me back from doing that at each age, like two, three, four, I was not ever driven to push that And she was interested in. She loved books, she loves stories, So we did those things, but it was more organic. And so then, with sunflower, I went for when she was two and I had this idea that I was going to find another academic preschool and I was going to put her in that. And so I went and I looked, I looked at so many preschools And I just I couldn't, I couldn't do it, I didn't. Everything I saw did not fulfill whatever I thought I was looking for and when. And then also I kept coming back to how happy she was at sunflower playing and learning how to problem solve and solve conflict and work with other kids. And so I just I was like you know what she loves it here, and I love the parents and this community and I've already learned so much, So this is what we're going to do. And so then sunflower became our like rock and basis for everything. I started going to toolboxes. I, you know, basically did anything you could do in sunflower. I did.

Annette Gerlitz Appel: 11:13

And so I started then doing research, because that's what my brain does, I, I research and I read all the things and I looked at all the articles. And so as it came closer to her to go to kindergarten, when she turned five, I again started this search of like okay, well, where would she go? We looked at a bunch of schools and then two of the moms in her seedlings class approached me and they said we're considering creating a homeschool cooperative group and we want a certified teacher to do this group. Would you consider that? And so I hadn't, I hadn't considered home. I mean, I had thought of homeschooling, but it was so far out of my like comfort level that I hadn't put a lot of thought into it.

Annette Gerlitz Appel: 12:06

And so then these two moms approached me and I started talking to my husband and I was like, well, maybe we could do this, Like maybe this is something I could try. So the two moms and I, for an entire year we met every month and we talked about how it could be, what it would look like. And in doing that and then continuing to research more, I realized, like this is what I want to do, Like I, I can do this, I, I have my degree as an early childhood. I taught in K through five. Like I know the standards, I know what they should be doing, I know what's developmentally appropriate. Let's do this.

Annette Gerlitz Appel: 12:42

And so we created this group and we basically made it and we said we would give it a year and we would see what happens. And so we did that. We had eight kids to start and they were all between ages five and six. And then, you know it took, you know we've been doing it now for six years and that first group of kids has now all graduated. It was my oldest daughter was like within that first group And they just finished their fifth grade year And I I would not have done it any other way And I just I don't think like if I had been, if I had not been in that sunflower group and had, you know, been approached by the two moms and then given it a lot of thought and research, I don't know that it would have gone this way, but it's something that I love and that, As hard as it is, it's worth it, with what I see my kids doing and just like the freedom we have.

Ryann Watkin : 13:48

Let's dig into that like as hard as it is piece, because you know, i find that like I have this idealized version of what homeschooling should and could be. You know, when you read these books and look at the blogs and look at the Instagram photos of like all the moms doing it or the different co-ops doing it, there's like this idealized version and a lot of it is so beautiful. There's the freedom, there's like the going at your own pace, there's like so many wonderful things about it. And then let's like for a bit and then we'll like bring it back up. Let's dig into, like what is the hard part about it as a mom and as a teacher, to like what are some of?

Ryann Watkin : 14:27

those, those really really challenging parts.

Annette Gerlitz Appel: 14:32

So the hardest part is time, because there's very limited time for whoever is the primary educator in the home mom or dad, whoever that is.

Annette Gerlitz Appel: 14:46

That person has a limited time for themselves And then for themself, and then also they're like the master of all things schedule.

Annette Gerlitz Appel: 14:58

So it's because you have to have a place for your children at all times, whereas they're not going to be I mean they can be. There's so many homeschool programs where you can sign them up and drop them off for a day or two days, sometimes even five days, depending on the homeschool program. But if you're not doing those, it's being very creative in in your scheduling And just knowing that as the primary educator in the house, you probably aren't going to have a lot of time to yourself, unless you're able to have a day where all of your children go somewhere and then you have that scheduled day. So I definitely would say that the hardest part is that there's. You have to be very strategic in self care and independent time for yourself, and then you also just have to really have a grasp on your schedule in general, like what is everybody doing in you know days and times, so that you know organization is a big part of it, yeah those are great points.

Ryann Watkin : 16:07

And so I like kind of went back and forth of like I'm an unschooler, no, i'm a homeschooler because we need some sort of container and some sort of structure. But I'm not, right, necessarily like a super structured, organized type a person by nature. And so I found a huge challenge was like the fact that I was like kind of loosey goosey. I'd wake up and be like, well, what do I feel like doing today? And that made a sense of like un, i guess, a sense of like just my kids feeling unsure about where the day was going. So like, when you wake up, right, we're doing, and you're like What do we feel like doing?

Ryann Watkin : 16:45

Sometimes we ended up doing nothing, which was like right, you know, a kind not a great situation either, because then all the toys in the house are out sibling, conflicts start at 10am and then, so you know there was something up with me being like, okay, i really need to get like a structure and a container, like are you naturally like that? And also like two part question what's your best advice on like getting organized, getting a structure in place?

Annette Gerlitz Appel: 17:12

I think naturally I'm a very organized person And I think, being in the education system for eight years, i had to be in addition to just having that innately. It's just part of the way that you know, education works. As far as you have a specific schedule, they give it to you because you have to be in that schedule. Everything has to fit. And so I remember when I first had my oldest daughter, like I was so lost because I didn't have that, like you know, a newborn child, and like I was like Where's my, where's my routine, where's my? okay, i wake up at this time, i do this and this and this. And so it was hard for me to let go, when I first had her, to kind of just like be like free and figure things out, because for so long I had been, you know, so rigid with my schedule because I had to be. And I think with homeschooling I've kind of done a little dance of like, okay, yes, we need to be organized and structured, but then we also need free time to, so that they can explore and be bored and figure out what they really like and who they are. And so I have kind of created a balance at times with that. So when we have our, we have two scheduled school days where we do our cooperative group. So twice a week, from 830 to 330, it's very structured and like that is our schooling time and we go somewhere to do that. So for all of us. Now all of my three daughters are in the group well, they were, and so then we have two very structured days but then the rest of the week, and so they're very minimally structured where what I've now done is I'll tell them, like for this for the week, these are the things that we need to accomplish. Like you should be practicing your multiplication facts, you need to finish your math assignments, you should be reading you know so much every day and then you can write a novel or write a story, and they all have pretty much like independently moved to doing that. My oldest daughter is going into sixth grade, my middle daughter is going into fourth and my youngest is going into second. She obviously needs more support than my older two, but it's just something that has kind of organically happened.

Annette Gerlitz Appel: 19:38

So, to answer the second part of your question, my suggestion for someone who wants a little bit of structure but doesn't want to be confined by, like you know times and dates all the time would be to, with your children, come up with the things that you want to do in a week and say, okay, we need to do. I mean, you get to say part of it's your say to, like, you guys need to do your math, you're reading your writing, whatever it is that you find is important for them to do. And it can be not, it could be minutes, it can be, you know like, write a page in your journal every day. So just come up with those assignments or tasks or things that that you want them to accomplish in a week and then look at the calendar and say, okay, so this day we go to the library in the morning and then in the after, after that we go to the park. So we're not going to have a lot of time this day to do much. So maybe that day we just read and you know we talk about what we read, and but on, you know, on Wednesdays, we don't have anything scheduled at all. So maybe that's the day that we sit down and do a little bit more work together. So I think if you include them in the planning they're more likely to buy in And then everyone kind of has ownership of what has been decided because they have been part of it and everybody has a say as to what needs to happen in a week.

Annette Gerlitz Appel: 21:06

And One of the things I love about homeschooling is it's not only about Reading, writing, math, science. It's about like, how do you live your life and get everything you need to get done done. So my kids are also part of meal planning, food shopping list creation, they help, you know, with household tasks that they take pride in, and a lot of times They kind of just initiated on their own because they see that it needs to be done. Like we are five people, we have lots of dishes. So they have Started realizing like, oh, if you know, my water bottle needs to be cleaned. Like you know, they start helping out. So those are also things that you can put on that list of weekly tasks that need to be accomplished, and then They can do that as part of their, you know, life skills learning, because they need to learn how to be a human too.

Ryann Watkin : 22:07

And one of the reasons that we decided to go to school this year is for the time I was really kind of seeking that spaciousness in my life. I knew I wanted to relaunch the podcast, i knew I wanted to have some more space, and so we chose to go that route for that reason. And then I realized quickly that it started to feel kind of like a grind, like Five days, you know, get up in a certain time, be here, like it's kind of a lot for a little human and for big humans too, i mean like for us too, and so I Guess bringing it full circle, to me It felt Like almost restrictive to have to be somewhere.

Annette Gerlitz Appel: 22:49

So I had the time, but then we didn't have the freedom as Kids get older, it is actually easier to have that freedom With them there, like because they can become, you know, independent learners, self-motivated, they can do things on their own, where, when they're little and like three, you know it's harder because you can't say okay, you know, i want you to sit, i'm gonna be working on my podcast for an hour and then, you know, while I'm doing that, you guys can be doing this, this and this, like when they're older. It's much easier for them to do that, like they probably won't even need to be told that, like what they could do for that hour. They can figure it out and they can find things to do that are productive and, you know, educational and all those things, because they've already had time to figure out what they would do when they get to have time. So, as they get older, it's definitely easier to find the time to do things, but it's just, you know, getting them to that point It takes time.

Ryann Watkin : 23:55

Talk to me about somebody who doesn't necessarily have, like, a formal teaching education background. Do you have any advice on that? like talk like a mom who's like, well, i really want to homeschool, but I've never been a teacher and I'm not a teacher. Like, do you recommend that parents like take classes themselves to figure out how to be a teacher? Like, do we just like look at the district or look at the state and figure out what the standards are and place your, or is it just different for everybody? Every parent knows their child better than anybody else can.

Annette Gerlitz Appel: 24:28

And so to teach your child, you have to know them and You already have that as their parents. Like you, you are their first teacher, from when they're a baby, like when they're born. You are their teacher, so you have all the tools you need because you know your child. The curriculum and the school are all different, so you have to know your child, the curriculum and the standards like, yes, you want to have a goal, but that part, especially with homeschooling, it's, it's not. I don't think that's the most important part. It's finding what makes your kid tick and what interests them and helping them to discover who they are. And you're not going to get that in A math series or, you know, a reading curriculum.

Annette Gerlitz Appel: 25:17

There are lots of curriculums that you can find and there's definitely Ways to like figure out what would work best for your child to teach them to read, because they should Eventually learn how to do that, and to teach them how to do their math skills. And there are great resources. The standards are a resource. The developmentally appropriateness of some of the way the standards are presented is, you know, questionable, but they're good targets to say okay, the state of florida says that a third grader should know this So, as you're working, you could keep that in mind when you're, you know, reading books and doing different math things, like you can keep in mind what the state of florida expects a third grader to do by the end of the year. But it doesn't.

Annette Gerlitz Appel: 26:05

I wouldn't say that needs to be your like bible. It's just something to keep as a resource and injure in your head as like a potential target, one of the benefits of homeschooling in florida There's so many options, there's so many groups and then, just in general, there are lots of like homeschool curriculums. Um, there are, you know, very laid back go with the flow curriculums. There's very rigorous curriculums and there's everything in between. For any parent who's wanting to homeschool, who is not a teacher, i can see that it could be very intimidating and scary, but There's so much out there that you can definitely find something that would work for your family.

Ryann Watkin : 26:48

Yeah, and I have to drop a book recommendation here because you said it. I don't know if you've read this book, but it's called you are your child's first teacher. Some of it's like wall dwarf inspired, but it's a really great read and it is it's from like infancy, from newborn stage, like it's. You are your child's first teacher and they're learning things you know that you're doing around the house.

Ryann Watkin : 27:06

They're learning by watching you do laundry and they want to do. They want to do the work that we're doing. So when they're toddlers and they're watching us do the dishes, they want to be in the kitchen banging around the pots and pans, right, eventually it becomes a little more structured and they could actually help. But I was really really inspired by that book. So if we could go down a list of like just pros and cons for homeschooling, what's your take on that?

Annette Gerlitz Appel: 27:35

Pros would definitely be freedom in multiple ways, like freedom to decide when and where, but also freedom to decide how and what. So as far as, like, there's a lot going on with people saying what teachers are allowed to do and what they're allowed to say and what books they're allowed to use, like as a home Scholar, that doesn't impact me. If I want to read a book to my child, i can get it out of the library or I can get it somewhere else. If I can't get it from my library, so it doesn't. It allows freedom in taking away limitations that are placed on teachers and school districts and states. So it's it's freedom, but in many capacities, not just like time. It's freedom in lots of ways, um, so I definitely would say that's like the number one positive. It also Another pro is that you, you get more time with your kids.

Annette Gerlitz Appel: 28:36

Like I get to spend so much time with my kids and there are days where I need my own time, but I get to really know them and I get to see them grow up More than I would if they were in a traditional school, because I wouldn't get to see them. Another pro especially if you have siblings, if you have multiple kids. They get to grow up more together because they get to be part of each other's learning in ways that they can't be in traditional schools. So I definitely would say that that's probably my top three pros um cons is just, you know, balancing schedules It's. It's a lot, it's time consuming, it can be stressful, but everything can be stressful. It's not like you know it's, it's just a different kind of stress. Um, yeah, those would be my three pros and cons awesome.

Ryann Watkin : 29:30

Thank you so much for breaking it down, because I think, like when we're parents going through this decision, like we can get really caught up in Like what if this, what if that? like worrying, like the unsure, the uncertainty of doing something new. Um, one of the things I keep telling myself is like nothing's permanent and like right and try something out. We don't have to be married to a certain philosophy or a certain curriculum. We can try homeschooling to see how it goes. Um, and I think too, like how long did it take you to get into like a rhythm, in a groove? I mean, i know you started right out of the gate with a co-op, but like I mean, does it take a year or two to kind of like get?

Annette Gerlitz Appel: 30:09

your sea legs? Oh, definitely, i think. I mean I still, every year that I teach the co-op, I always tweak what I did the year before. I mean every year the grade levels change because our co-op grows with the kids that we have as far as what grade levels we're in. But even though I've taught second grade now multiple times each year, i do it. It's different because I have different kids.

Annette Gerlitz Appel: 30:35

So I'm constantly growing and changing. Like we use the same math curriculum but like the books we read change, like I just I'm constantly evolving and trying to just grow with the kids that I'm working with. So I'm in a rhythm and I finally am at a point where I feel like, okay, yes, i know what I'm doing with this cooperative, but I'm still changing things too because it makes it, you know, new and exciting for everyone involved. So, yes, like the schedule is down, we know what the schedule is, and like those kinds of things are pretty much like, yes, i have this set, but I'm still always learning and tweaking and trying to grow so it doesn't get stagnant.

Ryann Watkin : 31:17

Right, yeah, well, they're so lucky to have you. Oh my gosh, like I mean yeah, yeah, you're just amazing at what you do, and like the passion for what you do like it shows and it's amazing. So I kind of want to switch gears a little bit and talk about learning differences. So I got goosebumps when you said, like nobody knows your child better than you. I just like I'm so inspired already by this conversation, especially as I like navigate this decision for us next year, and I'm starting to realize one of my older children may have some learning differences, and so I'm going like OK, you know she's learning differently than, i guess, a neurotypical kid. And so I'm going, what are we going to do with that?

Ryann Watkin : 32:03

And like the fact that you just said, like well, you know your child better than anyone, like it's almost like the learning difference doesn't even matter as much. I know you have to kind of put a label on it and you have to have an IEP or a 504 when you're kind of in the traditional system, but homeschooling seems like it kind of allows for a little more flexibility and freedom There's that word again for alternative methods of learning and you don't necessarily have to be so stringent. So what's your take on? like learning differences or maybe neurodivergent kids or something like that?

Annette Gerlitz Appel: 32:39

I definitely think with homeschooling. If you can, if you have time to be able to research different things that could work for your child, then that homeschooling can definitely help because it gives you the ability to try things out in a small one, on one setting, whereas like things that, these are things that could possibly take place in a traditional school, but it may take more time for the teacher to be able to work with the child and say, ok, this method works or this doesn't, because they're working with a classroom of kids, so the numbers itself make it a little bit harder and more time consuming for those kinds of things that take place in a classroom. So at home, if you have access to the different interventions or strategies or resources or all of those things that can work for a child who is exhibiting these characteristics, you could definitely try those things and probably pinpoint and determine what works best for your child fairly quickly. And that is also going to be fluid, because what works for them this year may change for next year. But it gives you the ability to try things and determine what works best and know, because you're working so closely with your child And you can observe them one on one, i definitely would say for children who are exhibiting different characteristics of learning, different learning styles, neurodivergent, different characteristics it is still beneficial to have them evaluated or have work with the psychologist, depending on what they're presenting, just to get information on what exactly is happening.

Annette Gerlitz Appel: 34:40

Is it a processing disorder? Is it attention focusing, like what is the specific area? Because a professional would definitely be able to help pinpoint what is happening And then, with that information though, you, as a parent, can find things that can work best for your child. But I definitely think, like having the list of characteristics of what is different about your child learning style is helpful as the homeschool parent, because it just gives you access to more strategies and information, knowing exactly what you're looking for.

Ryann Watkin : 35:18

Yeah, that makes sense. So can you share with us just in general, like your favorite homeschooling resources? Do you have a few that you could share with us for people to look up and kind of do their own research and just kind of start to get into the weeds a little bit? What are your favorite go-tos?

Annette Gerlitz Appel: 35:35

So I don't love social media. However, for homeschooling, this is like the number one thing I tell anybody who's considering homeschooling is go on Facebook and start searching homeschool groups in your area. That is probably the best place to start, because that's a place where you can search questions that people have already asked in those Facebook groups And you can find things on curriculum, on activities in your area, groups in your area Like it's a great place to find all things homeschool So. And then you can also use Facebook homeschool groups on like a nationwide or worldwide level, because there's like homeschool secular or secular homeschoolers, so it's and then they will give you. If you're looking for a specific curriculum that is a certain target area, then you can search within those groups and find lots of information about that. So that is like my number one resource that I tell everyone to go to when they're thinking of homeschooling. Just get on some Facebook homeschool groups in your area and start looking at questions, asking questions or like reading what people have said prior to that.

Annette Gerlitz Appel: 37:03

I, for like specific curriculum that I like. We use Singapore Dimensions Math and I've used it for preschool through fifth grade, and then my oldest daughter is actually going to be using it for sixth grade. I really like that math. I used a bunch of different maths and this one worked really best for our cooperative group for reading because I was in the school system and I have a lot of background in reading itself. I kind of just like find books that I know the kids would like and I just get resources that go with those novel studies or so I don't use like a specific curriculum for reading.

Annette Gerlitz Appel: 37:48

And then we've used for history. We've used history quest And I'm trying to think of the one that we use like hidden voices as another one. I'm trying to remember who created that. I don't know off the top of my head. But I think with curriculum you have to there's a lot, but you also want to have an idea of, like what your goal is for that curriculum And like a lot of them give actually the majority of homeschool curriculums allow you to view samples of every grade level And I would highly recommend doing that. Like if you're considering any curriculum, that go to their website and they'll usually have samples of the teacher guide, the student guide, and then you can look at like what is a full lesson? look like what materials am I gonna need? that kind of thing. So they're generally very thorough with their explanations and information on their websites.

Ryann Watkin : 38:48

Yeah, would you say that less is more Like? would you say, like simplify rather than go out and get like a handful of curriculums, like get one math book and like some books that, like you said, like you don't even have a reading curriculum, or would you say that you do need like this kind of infrastructure? Like, what's your philosophy on that?

Annette Gerlitz Appel: 39:08

It depends. I mean, some people like to have it because they have a guide and it's in front of them and it's easy to go from front to back And then they know they've accomplished a year's worth of activities over, or, you know, a year's worth of schooling. So some people really like that And I understand, like I get that because it's easy to say, okay, this is our reading, this is our science, this is our math, and we're going from front to back And if it takes a little bit more time to do some things, you know like we have time because we have as much time as we want. And then some people like it to be more open. Where they're, you know they only do a specific math thing and then they're just like reading what interests them. It's really gonna depend on the family, the kids' interests and like what the parents is comfortable with. I wouldn't say that there's like a one-size-fits-all with it.

Ryann Watkin : 40:00

Yeah, so again it's going back to knowing ourselves. Number one is the leaders and the primary educators, right? I mean, that's like kind of a huge piece of advice.

Annette Gerlitz Appel: 40:10

Right, because you have to know you want to be comfortable with it. You know homeschooling can be scary and you want to make it work. You know you have to work to make it work and you want to set yourself up for success. So if you, you know, you want to know that at the end of the year you've accomplished, you know, a year's worth of academics, then a curriculum is gonna be the easiest way to do that because they're gonna have it's. You know they've a lot of the homeschool curriculums have been around for a long time and they're like tried and true. They've, you know they're research-based and all these things. So it's gonna give you that comfort level.

Annette Gerlitz Appel: 40:49

But then some people don't need that. They just you know they can do, you know, field trips every day and their kids learning things that in real life different kinds of ways. So it really just depends on the comfort of the parents And then also what the child wants. Like some kids love workbooks They do. Some children just love a workbook and a worksheet. Some kids don't want anything to do with those things and they just want to be outside. And you know interactive groups and learning about marine biology and all those things. So it just it's really up to what works best for the family.

Ryann Watkin : 41:27

Yeah, I love that advice too about looking up your local homeschooling groups, because I think one of the things when we started sunflower and then when we started homeschooling after that like we had a community already around us of people who were like, hey, we're gonna give homeschooling a shot And we're like, okay, we will too. You know, I think like to have that community of like-minded not everybody is the same, but at least like-minded in an educational philosophy. I think that's important to surround yourself with. So I think that's a really great place to start. That's great advice too. So, as we start to wrap up, I'm gonna ask you the three questions that I ask everybody at the end of the interview, And the first one is what's bringing you joy today?

Annette Gerlitz Appel: 42:08

Well, it's summer, so my schedule is a little bit less crazy. So my joy is that I get to like have a little bit of downtime, which I don't always have during the school year, so that's like bringing me joy in this time period of my life I get. And then also next week I'm taking my oldest daughter on a trip just the two of us. So I'm super excited about that. That's going to bring both of us lots of joy. So I'm super excited about that. Where are you guys going? We are going to Key Largo and we are going to John Penney Camp. I told her that for fifth grade her graduation I would take her somewhere in Florida. She could pick wherever we went and whatever we were doing. And so she said she wanted to go snorkeling in the Keys, and so we are all about like state parks and different things. So we haven't been to John Penney Camp and I thought it would be awesome. So we're going to go snorkel, do a glass bottom boat, ride, kayak. So I'm super excited about that.

Ryann Watkin : 43:11

That's awesome. Oh my gosh, i have so much fun. That's very cool. Thanks, awesome. And then, what are you reading right now, if anything?

Annette Gerlitz Appel: 43:19

I'm listening to a daughter of a daughter of a queen, which is like my historical fiction. It takes place in late 1800s. It's a great book. A friend of mine recommended it to me, so I'm listening to that, but I'm also reading actually have them here because I was looking at them Untangled which is guiding teenage girls through transitioning into adulthood And then hormone intelligence, you know. Awesome. A little bit of everything.

Ryann Watkin : 43:51

A little bit of everything That's like so me. That is so me. That's hilarious. I'm definitely reading at least three books at any given time and they're all like kind of varied like that. That's awesome. Two different, yep, Those are all going to be on my list. I think That's amazing, thank you. And then who? are what Yeah Who, or what have you learned the most from?

Annette Gerlitz Appel: 44:14

Oh, i have to say Susan. I've learned so much from Susan. Like she has helped guide so many people, including me. She's the director of Sunflower Creative Arts And I think just her ability to bring this idea of a different place to have kids go to preschool and grow, i think just her ability to make that dream a reality and how much impact it has on so many people, like she's inspired me. She has taught me so much. Should I learn from her every day, she would be my person.

Ryann Watkin : 44:54

I love that answer And I have to shout out now the Sunflower Bridge podcast. She does a podcast too, So check that out. It's really good And you can get kind of an idea of you know a little more detailed about what life is like at Sunflower and the different philosophies there and just like the foundation, And you know Susan, at one point well she still does her son was like a strong willed little boy, and so I think she was like seeking a way to you know, kind of stay sane but then also keep the connection with him and she is just a wonderful, amazing resource. So, yeah, I love Susan. I learned so much from her too. Yes, Yeah, And you too, thank you so much. I've learned so much today And I know everybody listening has too, And I'm so inspired And just thank you for being who you are in the world and sharing your gifts and sharing your wisdom. I appreciate you. Oh, thank you. Thank you for having me. That's the next video. You.