SCHOOL ON THE GO
When we met up with our homeschool family this morning they were enjoying some nature study, right in the middle of a big city. Observing beautiful flowers and drawing them. I love this example of how nature can be enjoyed and learned about in all environments. After that we saw how learning really can happen anywhere when you don't limit yourself to a classroom mentality. The mother and sons got around on the train and practiced spelling words while they did so. When they got where they were going they were going they had a picnic while doing their day's lessons on clipboards and enjoying the perfect weather. What a wonderful example of making the most of the place where you live and the freedoms that homeschooling provides. We ended our time with them by having an absolutely fantastic interview with the mom. She had a wonderful story of how she came to be a homeschooling mom after finding out a friend of hers homeschooled, which she had no idea about and was very surprised to learn because that mom didn't "Look like a homeschool mom" the way she imagined in her mind. Now she has it as a mission of her own to be that person for other people, to show that anyone can homeschool, that there is no one "type" of person who home schools. It was clear that she was passionate about homeschooling and that it brought their family great joy. They were very grateful to be able to teach history in the most accurate way they could and to tailor the things they focused on to their families situation and background, all while being able to travel more and have more freedom.
KITES AT THE PARK
Of all the families we have spent time with we hadn't had any time with a family with an only child, which was something i found intriguing and thought would be an interesting side of things. Today we met up with a mother, father, and their 10 year old daughter. We loved talking to them about their story and they definitely didn't think that being an only child homeschooler inhibited their daughter's social growth at all. We talked about family members not approving at first, benefits to their parent-child relationships, how they are able to keep their cultural heritage alive, the benefit of having more time in the day when not so much is wasted, and so on.
They had brought a kite with them because they had been wanting to fly a kite together for some time, but before we could get that up and going the mother and daughter started playing a Spanish clapping game that they love. It was a wonderful example of how much they love to spend time together. After that we just spent time doing what they liked to do at the park, flying kites, riding her scooter, and reading a history book under a tree together. I loved getting to know this family a little better.
