And together we learn

Our unschooly day

I was late this year in planning and ordering, so all my new fun school stuff hasn't arrived yet. So the formal, planned lesson stuff isn't happening for a little while longer. Things are pretty informal around here, but I want to assure myself that learning is actually happening. So I'm going to periodically jot down the more 'learning' type things that take place around here.

*We went and cleaned our church house this morning. The girls worked dusting woodwork and emptying trash cans. They worked diligently and cooperated.

*I read out loud from Little House in the Highlands while the girls worked with some Montessori sewing kits (embroidery and button sewing). Calvin did some water play while we read.

*Hazel and I played a reading game. I grabbed a bunch of articles (glass, spoon, lid, ring, rake, brush, cup, book) and made labels for each on strips of paper. We put the items in one bowl and the labels in another and she matched the words to the item. This is a Montessori idea that I got from Barbara Curtis' Mommy Teach Me to Read. Chloe joined us after her nap and needed some help on some of the words, which Hazel proudly offered.

*After they tired of doing the word game, they used my set of 6 nesting mixing bowls to stack and compare sizes, then they got out many many many pieces of kitchen stuff to bake me some 'goodies.' That's got to be at least mildly educational, right? I made them clean it all up afterwards, so they got another lesson--consequences and responsibility.

*While driving we played an animal classification game where they had to tell me if something was a mammal, bird, reptile or amphibian. We talked about the qualities of each class, and did a little with some of the different orders--mostly primate and marsupial. The girls loved this one. We'll have to make this a car time staple. One of our other favorite car games is shamelessly stolen from Melissa at Here in the Bonny Glen. It's her version of Mad Libs; my kids call it the 'Miss Verb' game and they love it.

*We went to my own personal version of hell--Chuck E. Cheese. *Shudder* The kids picked it for our family fun day. ICK!!!! But they had to figure out what they could 'buy' based on the number of tickets. Needed some help on this one, but at least it was math of a sort, right? Total aside on the topic of that blighted chain--on the drive home Hazel dreamily speculated that the kind person who built C.E.C. must have loved children a lot and wanted them to be happy. I kinda think that sadistic person just hated parents a lot.

So in looking back over our day, there was some learning going on. I guess I had to assure myself of that. You know how there are those panicky moments where you feel so overwhelmed by this task we've undertaken? Had a big one today. But deep breath, I can do this. They can do this. They WILL learn, one way or another.

Labels: homeschool, service

posted by Becca at 8:12 PM | 5 comment(s)

Education Week

I've been absent from blogging this week for a very good reason. I promise. I've been going to Education Week at BYU. It's a week of classes on every subject from folk dancing to Paul's epistles to marriage and parenting and overcoming pornography. Classes on making our homes joyful places, building spiritual understanding, women in the New Testament, and teaching children with music. Over 1000 classes.

So my darling Steve and I spent the week going to these amazing classes together. His family goes every year. We eat together in the dorm cafeteria, discuss what we're learning, and connect in such a meaningful way. Since no children under 14 are allowed, we found a babysitter and made the most of the week.

Steve drives a motorcycle, so we took that down and drove all around campus--it made getting to classes so much more fun!

The classes we took ended up having quite a theme, even though that wasn't our intention at all. Service. Love. Sacrifice. I went to a class taught by a woman who works with AIDS orphans in Zambia. Her class was on Being Enough, Knowing Enough, Doing Enough--incredible. It's amazing what one person can do if they are led by the Spirit. Some incredible stories and pictures.

Then I went to one class on service taught by a woman who works with lepers in India. Seriously. They extend microcredit loans to these people with stumps for arms and missing eyes, then they are finally able to start earning money rather than begging and it gives them a tremendous sense of dignity. They treat the babies early--it costs $1.50, and they are cured for life. They can go to school and start to break the horrible cycle of raising the next generation of beggars. Incredible.

It's so easy to get caught up in my own life, my own concerns, my own business. It's so easy to forget just how blessed I really am, living here in my cozy suburban home. My babies have never known hunger. I've never lacked for medical care. There is so much need in the world, and I just want to help. So Steve and I are going to set some goals in the next few weeks to decide just where and how we are going to make a difference.

Labels: service

posted by Becca at 9:04 PM | 2 comment(s)