Learning at Home
Homeschooling isn't something I write much about. It is a personal experience. Homeschooling is something that is frequently misunderstood thereby turning what I consider to be a precious gift into a controversial hotbed of emotional opinions. Not wanting to risk casting my pearl before swine, I let others share.
Many of the articles I have been reading throughout the past couple of years have caused me to reconsider my decision to avoid writing about homeschooling. It seems as if possibly a mama with my unique homeschooling experience under her belt might add some variety to the online articles currently available. Knowing how much such articles would have encouraged me, perhaps someone else will feel supported in their learning journey.
A lot of current articles seem to be from mamas of littles and mamas of the middle years, but not a lot of articles from mamas who have older, middle, and younger at the same time. Nor are there many articles from learners in rural or remote areas. These relatively untouched areas are the ones I will try to focus on in future homeschooling articles.
Before articles containing specific learning information come along however, the stage needs set, so to speak. Techniques and tips will be much more useful if a bit about the learning environment and climate of our home can be understood. A few key details of the physical location will aid in understanding as well. Here we go...
Our family lives an agricultural lifestyle in a remote location. We are not, however, homesteading. We are stewarding the land as My Beloved's family has done for 130 plus years. We do not have a local art museum, zoo, or YMCA. Nor does our local library carry a lot of classic literature for children. Perhaps I should also mention that our town is 54 miles away. We can't bebop down to the grocery or anywhere else in less than an hour's time. Our nearest neighbors are approximately five miles away and are relatives.
While our situation is different than some, it is not lacking resources. It simply contains resources which are different from those available in other locations or situations. We don't have a zoo, but we live on many acres of land and care for a variety of animals. Nature study is a way of life. Summer won't find us at the local pool, but wading and splashing in the lake in front of our house happens regularly. Fishing poles are kept in an antique crock by the door for easy access.
Hands on life experiences do not have to be created or arranged. They happen as a daily matter of course. The yearly arrival of the blackbirds and other migratory birds are the signposts by which we mark our seasons and basic mechanics are freely discussed and explained with some sort of hands on experience every day. Botany, landscaping, biology also grace our day to day activities. Trust me when I say we are blessed beyond measure!
Our life is not stereotypical in any way. We are decidedly out of the box. Poetry, musicals, theology, and history discussions intermingle with UFC fights, hunting, and diy projects. Our children create jewelry, fight fire, work cattle, write poetry, take photos, sketch, flintknap arrowheads, and too many other activities to list. For employment, the adult children work for neighbors and others in the area as well as on the ranch. Our combined skill sets find the old, the new, and the somewhere in between entwining themselves into a tapestry of God's beauty and strength.
One word that could describe our learning is the word renaissance. Yes, I would say we are renaissance learners. The old, the new, the tried and true. Our learning is an adventure we look forward to sharing with you.
Many of the articles I have been reading throughout the past couple of years have caused me to reconsider my decision to avoid writing about homeschooling. It seems as if possibly a mama with my unique homeschooling experience under her belt might add some variety to the online articles currently available. Knowing how much such articles would have encouraged me, perhaps someone else will feel supported in their learning journey.
A lot of current articles seem to be from mamas of littles and mamas of the middle years, but not a lot of articles from mamas who have older, middle, and younger at the same time. Nor are there many articles from learners in rural or remote areas. These relatively untouched areas are the ones I will try to focus on in future homeschooling articles.
Before articles containing specific learning information come along however, the stage needs set, so to speak. Techniques and tips will be much more useful if a bit about the learning environment and climate of our home can be understood. A few key details of the physical location will aid in understanding as well. Here we go...
Our family lives an agricultural lifestyle in a remote location. We are not, however, homesteading. We are stewarding the land as My Beloved's family has done for 130 plus years. We do not have a local art museum, zoo, or YMCA. Nor does our local library carry a lot of classic literature for children. Perhaps I should also mention that our town is 54 miles away. We can't bebop down to the grocery or anywhere else in less than an hour's time. Our nearest neighbors are approximately five miles away and are relatives.
While our situation is different than some, it is not lacking resources. It simply contains resources which are different from those available in other locations or situations. We don't have a zoo, but we live on many acres of land and care for a variety of animals. Nature study is a way of life. Summer won't find us at the local pool, but wading and splashing in the lake in front of our house happens regularly. Fishing poles are kept in an antique crock by the door for easy access.
Hands on life experiences do not have to be created or arranged. They happen as a daily matter of course. The yearly arrival of the blackbirds and other migratory birds are the signposts by which we mark our seasons and basic mechanics are freely discussed and explained with some sort of hands on experience every day. Botany, landscaping, biology also grace our day to day activities. Trust me when I say we are blessed beyond measure!
Our life is not stereotypical in any way. We are decidedly out of the box. Poetry, musicals, theology, and history discussions intermingle with UFC fights, hunting, and diy projects. Our children create jewelry, fight fire, work cattle, write poetry, take photos, sketch, flintknap arrowheads, and too many other activities to list. For employment, the adult children work for neighbors and others in the area as well as on the ranch. Our combined skill sets find the old, the new, and the somewhere in between entwining themselves into a tapestry of God's beauty and strength.
One word that could describe our learning is the word renaissance. Yes, I would say we are renaissance learners. The old, the new, the tried and true. Our learning is an adventure we look forward to sharing with you.