I sit here, a few feet away, in awe. And yet what happens here is so common place I'm amazed it still awes me. In actuality it takes us all of 2-3 hours to complete what others would call "school". But truth be told, the learning happens from sun up till sun down around here.
As the year comes to a close and our routines are firmly planted, I've started to loosen the reigns and watch the kids flourish. At 5 and 6 they are already becoming independent in their learning, taking control of their own learning routine and schedule. Lately I've showed Jonah the plans for the day and let him choose what he wants to work on, at his own pace. The only agreement is that it has to be done. I don't care if what order or how long he lingers on one particular subject. And when it's done, HE is done! Whether it takes him 30 minutes or 3 hours is up to him!
Without the confines of institutional schools and bell schedules, my kids are free. Free to take an hour to practice a new Math concept or finish reviewing spelling words in 10 minutes. They are free to dig into manipulatives and supplies when the mood strikes and they have an "idea" about how something works. Learning is all around, ready and available to them at any time. Because our learning happens at home, our home becomes a mecca of learning opportunities ready for the taking!
I can't count how many times I've walked in on one child sitting in our circle time nook reading science or Language Arts books. Writing stories (using phonetic spellings of course) in dry eraser. Playing Math games on the computer or creating Solar circuits. Making a craft, drawing a picture, creating some new invention.
It's a daily occurrence that our "after school" hours are filled with learning and exploring completely delight directed, child directed. The kind I know they wouldn't have the freedom to do in an institution. The kind of learning that truly lasts a life time. The kind of learning that stays with them long past the section, unit, review. The kind of learning that grows and expands on their own. The kind of learning they want to pursue and follow instead of leave behind. It's not forced or coerced.
It's free, they are free.
Showing posts with label exploratory learning. Show all posts
Showing posts with label exploratory learning. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Butterflies and New Creations
It isn't a coincidence that our first Monarch Butterfly made it's way into the world on Easter Sunday, leaving behind an empty chrysalis home, like our Lord Jesus!
I find it amazing that the life cycle of a butterfly illustrate the life, death and resurrection of Jesus so perfectly. his life (as a caterpillar) his death and pain and suffering (the caterpillar splitting his skin and becoming the pupa) and the empty Chrysalis (tomb) He left behind and continued in life!
It's also an awesome live example of the change we take on as we become Christians and live for Jesus!
2 Corinthians 5:17 "Therefor if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old is gone and the new is here!"
The kids brainstormed about how the life cycle of a Butterfly is like becoming a Christian....here are their answers:
I love homeschooling.......I love learning right along side the kids! I'd miss this if they were in school somewhere!
I find it amazing that the life cycle of a butterfly illustrate the life, death and resurrection of Jesus so perfectly. his life (as a caterpillar) his death and pain and suffering (the caterpillar splitting his skin and becoming the pupa) and the empty Chrysalis (tomb) He left behind and continued in life!
It's also an awesome live example of the change we take on as we become Christians and live for Jesus!
2 Corinthians 5:17 "Therefor if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old is gone and the new is here!"
The kids brainstormed about how the life cycle of a Butterfly is like becoming a Christian....here are their answers:
- The two are different many ways, the caterpillar has to crawl around while a butterfly gets to fly!
- Caterpillars aren't very pretty, a butterfly is beautiful.
- Caterpillars eat leaves while butterflies get to drink flowers!
- If a caterpillar doesn't turn into a butterfly, it dies. When it turns into a Butterfly it gets to live! (I thought this one was very profound)
- A butterfly is a caterpillar that has "chosen" Jesus and new life!
- A Butterfly leaves behind it's old life in every way and becomes something completely different!
I love homeschooling.......I love learning right along side the kids! I'd miss this if they were in school somewhere!
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| Caterpillar~camo |
 | ||||
| New Life! |
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| Drying our Wings |
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| Captain of our Catch and Release Program |
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| Warming up on the Plumeria Tree |
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
A {LIFE} of Learning
Something I am discovering {and pondering } is the difference between school and learning. Education comes in many packages, homeschooling, unschooling, public schooling, private schooling, online schooling, charter schooling.....and then there are styles from Montessori, Waldorf, classical, traditional, progressive, eclectic....oh my I could go on.
The point is, there is learning involved. And creating a life of learning outside of what we call school, takes effort and intention. It requires an awareness to life and the world around us, how it interacts with all of the subject areas. It takes someone willing to incorporate learning into every possible moment, not just when the timer goes of and we "do school".
That isn't easy! It takes a creative and open mind to find ways to help our children explore and engage with the world. It takes extra energy and flexibility at times. But as you open yourself to learning during life and not just "school", finding opportunities to grow and expand are everywhere. Here are some examples I've found just in the last few days.....
Good:
J: "Mom what Time is it?"
Me: "It's 3:35"
It's great that you've asnwered your child's question, but can we make this a learning opportunity?? YOU BET!
Better:
Me: "What do you think kiddo, is it AM or PM?"
J: "I don't know."
Me: "AM in time is used when it's still morning, PM is used after lunch and into night time. Is it still morning or afternoon?"
J: "Well we ate lunch already so.....it's PM!"
Even Better:
You can go on to do a variety of things, if your child is still interested. Pushing learning past the point of interest doesn't actually get the results you want. But if your child is still engaged you can do a variety of different things. Ask them to find a digital and an analog clock around the house. Inquire about each of these. As about the numbers before the dots and after. What the hands of the clock mean. Count the numbers, count by fives. Your goal here is not to give a full lesson on telling time, but to connect something you have taught with real life.
I find my kids are very open in these times to gathering new information in a very relaxed way. And these opportunities are everywhere.
Recently Ellie and I took a trip to the Outdoor Garden center at our Walmart. We could have looked through the pretty flowers and went on our way. But instead we took time to look at different plants, we studied the flowering Eggplant plants and talked about how each flower would grow into an Eggplant. We looked at carnivorous Pitcher plants (yes they had some by the way!) and talked about how they ate bugs! And why! We looked at different seeds, talked about what they needed to grow. Read the backs of plant tags and talked about which plants needed a lot of sunlight and which needed less and why.
Yes, this took some time. And yes, my little girl is a talker so we could go on and on about plants. But we had a full lesson on horticulture right here in Walmart with no worksheets,fancy websites or crafts (all of which I love by the way) I simply took an opportunity to be with her, and talk and explore. And if we find questions I can't answer, we can extend learning to websites and book when we get home! We bought some seeds she picked out and took 5 minutes to plant them so we could watch them grow! There are so many ways you can continue to expand that one opportunity into a whole host of learning! Create a plant journal with drawings, observations, writing, measuring and science all rolled into one.
My point is, learning doesn't have to be during the hours of 9am to 12pm, it doesn't have to revolve around textbooks and workbooks and worksheets. It can grow out of the simplest times in life and really make an impact on your child! If you are willing to look for those opportunities and grab hold of them!
The point is, there is learning involved. And creating a life of learning outside of what we call school, takes effort and intention. It requires an awareness to life and the world around us, how it interacts with all of the subject areas. It takes someone willing to incorporate learning into every possible moment, not just when the timer goes of and we "do school".
That isn't easy! It takes a creative and open mind to find ways to help our children explore and engage with the world. It takes extra energy and flexibility at times. But as you open yourself to learning during life and not just "school", finding opportunities to grow and expand are everywhere. Here are some examples I've found just in the last few days.....
Good:
J: "Mom what Time is it?"
Me: "It's 3:35"
It's great that you've asnwered your child's question, but can we make this a learning opportunity?? YOU BET!
Better:
Me: "What do you think kiddo, is it AM or PM?"
J: "I don't know."
Me: "AM in time is used when it's still morning, PM is used after lunch and into night time. Is it still morning or afternoon?"
J: "Well we ate lunch already so.....it's PM!"
Even Better:
You can go on to do a variety of things, if your child is still interested. Pushing learning past the point of interest doesn't actually get the results you want. But if your child is still engaged you can do a variety of different things. Ask them to find a digital and an analog clock around the house. Inquire about each of these. As about the numbers before the dots and after. What the hands of the clock mean. Count the numbers, count by fives. Your goal here is not to give a full lesson on telling time, but to connect something you have taught with real life.
I find my kids are very open in these times to gathering new information in a very relaxed way. And these opportunities are everywhere.
Recently Ellie and I took a trip to the Outdoor Garden center at our Walmart. We could have looked through the pretty flowers and went on our way. But instead we took time to look at different plants, we studied the flowering Eggplant plants and talked about how each flower would grow into an Eggplant. We looked at carnivorous Pitcher plants (yes they had some by the way!) and talked about how they ate bugs! And why! We looked at different seeds, talked about what they needed to grow. Read the backs of plant tags and talked about which plants needed a lot of sunlight and which needed less and why.
Yes, this took some time. And yes, my little girl is a talker so we could go on and on about plants. But we had a full lesson on horticulture right here in Walmart with no worksheets,fancy websites or crafts (all of which I love by the way) I simply took an opportunity to be with her, and talk and explore. And if we find questions I can't answer, we can extend learning to websites and book when we get home! We bought some seeds she picked out and took 5 minutes to plant them so we could watch them grow! There are so many ways you can continue to expand that one opportunity into a whole host of learning! Create a plant journal with drawings, observations, writing, measuring and science all rolled into one.
My point is, learning doesn't have to be during the hours of 9am to 12pm, it doesn't have to revolve around textbooks and workbooks and worksheets. It can grow out of the simplest times in life and really make an impact on your child! If you are willing to look for those opportunities and grab hold of them!
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