Integrated Learning, Project-Based Learning or Student-Directed Learning? How about all of the above with guidance and support?

As a 16-year veteran teacher, in both public and independent schools, of elementary school, bilingual students, autistic students, middle school Spanish, middle school ESOL, pre-kindergarten, elementary Spanish, and, most recently, a Technology Specialist, I suddenly find myself homeschooling my 12 year-old 6th grader!  We are having a blast, but I can't help questioning all that we are doing, in spite of my knowledge, experience and gut instinct.

Why is that?

Well, that is what great teachers do every day.  Great teachers never know it all, have never learned it all, and constantly strive to meet their students' needs in a way that suits the STUDENTS best.  I just currently have the amazing luxury of getting to concentrate on one student right now, with complete freedom!

However, this homeschooling business is all new to me, so I am researching all there is to know about this process, support groups, field trips, local programs, etc.

We started our process off by examining her own interests and having her make a list of topics she wants to study (no more than 7).  She started with her favorite, "Cats," as if she doesn't know enough about them already.  So, we are taking this topic to her 6th grade and beyond capabilities by brainstorming learning/academic activities and projects that will help increase her knowledge and understanding.

Ideas so far: 

1. Read Bluestar's Prophecy from The Warriors series by Erin Hunter with the goal of doing a character study of the main character, investigating what traits help her to become a great leader from the time she is a kitten until she becomes clan leader.  We will also compare how clan life is presented in the story to past and present human life and society.  Final product will be an essay on the essential qualities of leadership as demonstrated by Bluestar.
2. Learn about Big Cats, their anatomy, how it helps them to hunt and to survive, comparing this to domestic cats.
3. Interview our Cat Hospital vet about her job, it's difficulties, how she decided to become a vet, etc.
4. Sketch the skeleton of a domestic cat and compare to the human skeleton.
5. Study the format and literary style of National Geographic Kids articles in order to write a comparable informational article on big cats for a similar target audience.
6. Watch National Geographic Wild program on the similarities and difference of lions, tigers, leopards, and ligers (do they really exist) with note-taking sheet, Venn diagram, and to use as a source for the information article.
7. Learn about cats in ancient Egypt, their importance, mummification, legends, gods in order to create a PowerPoint presentation for local 1st grade students who are studying Egypt in the spring.
8. Design on paper, with CAD 3-D software, a 2:1 ratio to-scale model, and a final usable "Cat Tree" for our own domestic cats.  Confer with an engineer on the design for suggestions before beginning final product.  Estimating costs of products and comparing to actual costs, measuring for and creating a 2:1 ratio styrofoam model, measuring for and creating the actual wooden cat tree. (STEM-science, technology, engineering, math)
9. We are also investigating the possibility of visiting a big cat sanctuary, or at least trying to find something special at a local zoo.

In addition, we are using an on-line academic support software called Time4Learning to teach and reinforce 6th and 7th grade math skills, 7th grade language arts skills, 6th grade social studies skills (World History), 6th grade science skills, and art history and skills.

What about P.E. and music?  She is continuing with her individual piano lessons, group piano lessons, group music theory lessons at The Suzuki Music Institute of Dallas, takes swimming lessons once a week, and will do other home and neighborhood based physical activities.  We are also looking for a home church where she can continue with her intense interest in choir (she particularly like Renaissance choral music and Celtic music...very interesting).

Sounds pretty cool, right?  So why I am I also still looking at schools for her?  Well, because this is all new to us.  School is what we know.  Maybe she will integrate back into an independent or public school for high school?  Maybe not...