Anyone who says that homeschoolers aren't socialized has not met my children. Or most of the homeschooled children that I know. Even during a pandemic when gathering sizes are limited and social distancing rules are in place, there are plenty of opportunities to interact (safely) with others. Last week: music lessons, hikes with friends, outdoor … Continue reading An (Almost) Unschooling Update
A friend suggested that I keep a record of our year of relaxed homeschooling, either online or on paper. I've chosen to do both. Let me begin by saying that we started school today with a discussion on hopefulness, the character trait of the week in A Year in the Hundred Acre Wood. Hopefulness. It's … Continue reading Knotty Wood, Ukulele Lessons and Hopefulness
Confession: I'm not a good unschooler. I had intended for this year (or at very least the first few months) to be a break. Aside from Morning Time (A Year in the Hundred Acre Woods), math and reading, our learning was supposed to be entirely delight-directed. We were going to dive into the world of … Continue reading A New Year of Homeschooling
From wrapping each other up in toilet paper when learning about mummies to building the Great Wall of China out of blocks, we've always had so much fun studying ancient times. I've mentioned in previous posts that we do a four-year history rotation (ancient, medieval, renaissance and modern). We've done two cycles of ancient history … Continue reading Ancient World History: Living Books and Resources
What do you do when things don't turn out the way you wished they would? When people you love are suffering. When you're holding your breath for a miracle, but the miracle doesn't come. What do you do with that? The Bible says, "Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer" (Rom. 12:12). … Continue reading When Things Don’t Go As Planned
Embracing wonder. If I were to choose a phrase or theme for this year, this would be it. The wonder of learning. The wonder of living. The wonder of simply being together. In all the heaviness and nitty grittiness of life these days, there is loveliness to be found. Even if it's sometimes hard to … Continue reading Embracing Wonder
Centennial Park fountain in Dunnville, Ontario This particular frieze was her favourite. Because it's a girl. Because it's a canoe. Because it reminds her of herself. It reminds me of her too, but also of E. Pauline Johnson, one of my favourite Canadian poets. As we looked at the sculpted panel, I told my daughter … Continue reading The Best Kind of Learning
What do you picture when you think of the Middle Ages? Do you imagine castles and knights and damsels in distress? What about smelly cess pits or teeth-pulling barbers or the bubonic plague? There are so many interesting things to learn about when studying medieval times. I've always found the Middle Ages to be the … Continue reading Living Books and Other Resources for Medieval History Studies
What's so great about a vernal pool? A lot, it turns out. For us, it all started with a picture book. A beautifully illustrated picture book by Kimberly Ridley called The Secret Pool. It's a book that is absolutely packed with information about vernal pools, seasonal ponds that provide a habitat for a variety of … Continue reading Homeschool Nature Study: What’s so Great about a Vernal Pool?
There's something so beautiful about the wide open space of a new calendar year, isn't there? It's a chance to start fresh. The first few months of school have centered around creating routine and a sense of normalcy for my girls in the midst of challenging circumstances. Although we start our school day a little … Continue reading Starting the New Year with A Year of Tales
