Sunday, July 6, 2008

Summer School

Is it really summer? Because the kids have been doing nothing but exploring their world and asking lots of questions about life, science, social studies/history, art, religion, and more. Learning all the time (unschooling/homeschooling) means summer holds the same learning power as the rest of the year. Actually I'd have to say we are much more productive learning in the warmer months of the year. The colder months seem to bring us more wasted time, dark evenings, and lazy days than spring, summer, and fall.

The kids have been enjoying weekends with dad being home. They have had many meaningful discussions. I over heard some world religion ones, mentions of physics, Albert Einstein, Issac Newton, and some other guy --the name escapes me right now. LOL.


What sparked at least some of those subjects was Charlotte enthusiastically pointing out that this months issue of Muse Magazine had pages about Leonardo Da Vinci. What tickled her though was the page number for the section about him was written backwards. "Just like his notes he wrote backwards to keep secret!"


I love being a part of their discovery and learning everyday. I didn't always think this way, but now I see that public school keeps a part of my children that I wouldn't get. Just like daycare gets a part of baby or toddler hood from children. (yes I know some people need to use the services of childcare, I'm grateful I don't though, and I have opinions about it's misuse and overuse). I never wanted my children in daycare, I always thought about how much a parent (and child) misses by not being "there" constantly throughout the day. I now feel that way about public schooling too. I see things in a different way now that I have been homeschooling for years and I now know first hand that children do learn all about interesting important things without structured, planned lessons. My children are more excited about learning then I ever was! I am so excited for them.

Layla keeps up with the good questions too:
Layla asked me, "What is under the toilet?" So she headed off a conversation about septic, waste disposal, and health. This morning she also woke up sleepy eyed and crawled into bed with me like usual and said, "Mom did I brush my teeth?" "Yes Layla you did last night." She rubbed her eyes and said, "Oh good thing, cause in my dream I was eating food."

Hahaha. She is SO good about her teeth and tries to keep them brushed very well! And she is SO funny.

3 comments:

Roxann said...

Your blog is really neat! I admire what you do. I am pregnant with my first and am very excited. I feel the same way you do about learning and wanting to be a part of that process with the children. I hope to create that kind of environment in the future. I just wanted to send an encouraging word to say that what you do is really great!

Mom of a bunch of great kids... said...

Roxanna,
Thanks so much for the encouraging words. They are always nice to hear! Congrats on your new journey towards motherhood, babies are a total joy! :)

Sheila said...

You are completely on the right track with schooling, and I'm so happy for your kids! I'm currently in 'Grade 12', (if you can really assign a grade...I hate that) and have homeschooled since 'Kindergarten'. (again...do I have to put a label on it?) We began with traditional homeschooling, and over the years have learned the wisdom of unschooling (I think it scared my parents at first) and the past few years I have been learning in my own way, in my own space, and it is so exciting! Keep it up!

Sheila

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