Summer Learning

Summer School  Learning

Well it's summer time and of course there are a lot more kids out and about during the day hours then when we run errands on days when kids are at school... this has begun to present a small issue. My kids are asked EVERY time we are out... How is your summer? Do you like no school?... Pause.... awkward silence then they look at me , I smile, they reply, "We are homeschooled".  Another awkward pause... person stares at me with HUGE eyes and says, "YOU SCHOOL ALL YEAR ROUND?".   I smile again and rely, "We learn all year round, if that is what you are asking."

So do we school all year round?  The answer is we don't school any year round.  I don't like the word. I have come to despise it to be honest.  I found saying we are learning and finding out new things and exploring is SO much nicer sounding and much more accurate to what is going on.  So no, we are not schooling this summer or next year or even in high school.  We are learning.  

Ok, Ok, here it comes the roars- give me a second to explain.  School has changed since you and I went.  School has begun to be ran like a business and with that there are lots of business transactions.  There are lots of risk and even more lots of discussion regarding everything but STUDENTS LEARNING!  So no I don't dislike schools in general and often there are MANY great people working really hard to make sure that kids are being put first and doing the best they have with what they are given (even when that is not enough).  But like any other job, when the person making the decisions is not the persons in charge of the day to day running of it... things are lost.. and in school that is a BIG BIG problem in my opinion. 

 Do I believe everyone should homeschool? Of course not. I believe EVERYONE should pray and ask God for serious guidance in this area.  Am I against school? No not at all, what I am against is people making decisions for MY family without knowing WHO we really are.  Our policy is the same as always, "Each kid (INDIVIDUALLY), each year, where God wants them".

 I don't want my kids to love school. I want them to love learning.   

So here is our summer list:

•  We have the most awesome summer board of activities we are working on.  As we complete various fun projects we will replace them with pictures of us doing said ideas! At the end of summer, I do believe, we will have one awesome wall of memories.  I have to say I am not sure 50 was enough- we have already completed miniature golf, tea parties, bird feeder making, sleep overs, go carts, yard baseball games, picnics and it's only been a WEEK!
  

  

• Library, Library, Library.  We are so busy with our reading program.  This is not a new thing for us as a family but the idea of taking what we are doing and getting fun library tickets for prizes has really upped the ante on reading time!

•  Summer piano!  This is play whatever you want, whenever you want.  Something about having no expectations has brought out the music in this ole piano.  It is the center of dance parties, chorus singing, and of course individual enjoyment playing.

• Liberty Kids & Magic School Bus & Art instruction DVD's... with no "learning" on the brain and lots of morning outside playing and running around has caused there to be an increase quiet afternoon DVD hour.   Me: "Fine, I guess you can watch TV this afternoon for an hour" Them: "Yes, we can watch ...." (and mind you it doesn't matter how cool I am-or think I am- I really can never EVER be as cool as the Frizz)

• The craft room is flowing.. out.. out of the room and onto the floor, the table, the couch... there are bracelets being made, pictures are being painted, paper being cut for mache projects, origami folding, glue is EVERYWHERE, fabric is being sewed- its a creative disaster (and I LOVE it).

• Kitchen is open.  Dog treats are being made, 4H cakes are being decorated, cookies are cooling, brownies are baking- seriously, I am almost wondering if our cost of living is increased over the summer because our dishwasher, oven, and fridge are being MAXED out with creations!

• Outside... they are outside.. somewhere.  One day I had to clean off the mud used to mimic Native American war paint, or buy more garden seeds (mine had decided to plant themselves), random things are being lugged out to the big tree (I hear an intense game of survival is being played), garden plants are spotting and kids are screaming for cameras to take pictures or videos (might end up in a scrap book if they can find more glue), the trampoline is a picnic table, a game table, an exercise gym and even a pet cage at times (our poor kitty). Bikes, more bikes, go carts, scooters have littered the yard (to the point that its massive clean up on mow the grass days).  OHHH, and a family favorite has become the nightly baseball game being played.  We've had uncles, aunts, cousins, and friends join us for some baseball/softball fun.

 But your right, its summer and NOPE were not in school! But right now, I have to go because one of my kids just wrote this amazing story and need me to help them find a word in the dictionary. 

 Summer Sun Blessings,

Tara J.