The Middle Years (approximately 5 to 11)
It was during our elementary school years that we learned at a much faster rate than in traditional schools. Our progress was not measured exactly, but we probably learned 11 grade levels in 6 years, and this was not rushed; we moved from one level to the next when we were ready. This rapid advancement was not unusual; our parents were told that younger children, before the age of puberty, absorb knowledge very quickly. During this period, we focused on English reading and writing, foreign languages, mathematics, algebra, trigonometry, and an introduction to calculus. We informally reviewed social studies, including history, civics, and sociology, because we knew we would be taking these courses later as college dual credit.
Our parents liked math because it is easily measurable, logical, teaches problem-solving, and has only one correct answer. Since math is cumulative, we were introduced to it in preschool, and we continued to build on it one step at a time. Our parents appreciated the math resources on the internet. They think that the internet has the best instructors because the ones people like will be the most popular. We loved the Mathantics.com videos with worksheets and also appreciated KhanAcademy.org. As young students, we enjoyed math, and we continue to learn advanced math on our own.
The first step in English language learning was reading books, which is also a great way to take our eyes off computer screens. Our parents read to us when we were younger, and we always make sure to have a book that we are currently reading. Writing has also been a focus and was vital for our online university, which mainly required writing assignments.
For foreign language learning, we had a head start by living in foreign countries and having acquaintances who spoke Spanish, Portuguese, and German. We also used RosettaStone.com and hired online language teachers from all over the world through Italki.com. When we were in Switzerland, we were informed that if someone wanted to start their 5th foreign language, the best time is between 8 and 9 years old.
We started learning the fundamental structures of computer coding at age 7 using Scratch, a free platform sponsored by MIT (scratch.mit.edu). Scratch uses building blocks to make algorithms, so the student does not have to know a coding language. Instead of writing code, the coder selects blocks and places them in the proper order for the code to work. Students share their creations worldwide with other Scratch creators.
Learning social studies was driven by our curiosity about everything. Our parents have an interest in societies and history, which they share with us regularly. The knowledge gained from this informal interest gave us a head start on studying for the dual-credit classes we would take later to fulfill our college lower-level requirements.
We love all types of outdoor activities to stay physically fit, but our parents wanted us to excel at one sport, so they enrolled us in tennis instruction that began when we were 3, and we continue to maintain our tennis technique.
Homeschooling from 5 to 11 was awesome. We had a full life of learning and fun. The next step was to study and then earn College credit.