June marks the the end of our first homeschooling term. We’ve been taking plennnty of breaks in between; mostly because of fields trips, extra classes and playdates. Those have been good interruptions, depending on whether you see them as punctuations in the whole composition that is homeschooling, or as part of the script.
We did manage to get several hands-on projects done- mainly those related to machines (pulleys, gears and levers) and chemistry (Noeo). Our presentations for the World Studies Club has been sketchy to say the least- tepees, buffalo skin (brown paper) paintings, boats, and an art piece that was related to a certain land form. I should put those pictures on the blog, and I will soon enough. The children like to see them all nice and neat on the page.
But I intend to makes some changes. It was our trip to Singapore that prompted me to re-look at the stuff that we’ve been doing- mainly my scrambling to cover everything under the sun that’s to be covered, from fractions to birdwatching, from sourcing for videos on the Yom Kippur war to marking copywork, which my 10 yr old, incidentally still does.
Changes? Well, for a start, to expand the way we have been learning/teaching so that, like a helix, it grows and bends in all directions instead of remaining flat. So, away with the stacks of workbooks and filling in the blanks and worksheets. Well, away with most of them. And to get back on discussions, experiments, getting our hands dirty in the dirt, and fun.
How did we end up towing this textbook-workbook line, I ask myself? I started off homeschooling on a hope and a prayer that we would revel in discovery-based learning. Why didn’t that happen for us the first half of the year? I think busyness has a large part to do with this: it’s so much easier to hand a workbook over to the child and let her “sort it out on her own”, than to sit down with her and to talk over the stories or history behind it. So much easier, to assess a child based on marks – “Hey! You got 4 out of 10 right!”- than to ask her why she thinks a certain way about, say, Saburo ( Paterson’s Master Pupeeter) and the decisions he makes.
At the same time, I’m not a purist when it comes to learning: I don’t believe that any approach has got it all down pat. Like most things in life, parents have to evaluate the approaches,e.g. classical and Charlotte Mason, and see how it fits the family and children. Then, of course, that’s the part about integrating our cultural identity with whatever materials we’re using, as most of our sources come from the West – and by that, I mean , the U.S.
I suppose it’s distractions that I have to be aware of as a homeschooling mom, so that my energy doesn’t diffuse into a million directions. And so, this comes back to priorities, and keeping a sense of focus on what’s important for the present ; and in Buber’s words, being ” I and Thou”- present to the person before me.
Next week, my English classes begin again. I look forward to having the whole bunch descend upon our home each Friday morning. Also, there’s the monthly classes with the teens beginning July, and , God -willing, another weekly class for another age group. I’m also a little apprehensive because it sounds like there’s more juggling of commitments to be done. Still, it’s not really an option for us at this point, not to have me work. At least, that’s what I think, though Adrian, blessed man, begs to differ. We’re going to be 40 next year, by the way, and our journey together has been one that testifies to God’s goodness and grace. We are very different people, that’s why this has been such an eventful and love-filled experience- this oneness that was and is God’s idea, and will always be His to the very end.
It’s good that God allows us to make u-turns. In a way, this is repentance- a turning away from old habits and getting my feet (and eyes and heart) back on the path.
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