homeschooling

 

 

 

Week one of home school is in.

A game of scrabble may not be what you'd expect as part of the curriculum but it covers spelling, vocab and maths so that's a win!

River and Sol's teachers are very supportive of our trip to Alice Springs and provided me with detailed home learning programs for the boys.

Home schooling is not something I could do for the whole year, for a few reasons, but I'm more than happy to for the next 8 weeks. Reason one is River loves school. He loves being part of the school community, he loves his friends and his teacher. It took Sol a while to settle into prep but he has really found his happy place with going to school and it seems a shame to take him out for this time but there is an adventure to be had bigger than the school grounds and he will love that too.

When it comes to taking children out of school for an extended period lots of people say things like, "oh its only prep". I don't see it that way. I see prep as the foundation that sets them up for their schooling. They learn all the important elements to build on in later years, so I am focused on giving Sol the same opportunity as his school buddies by being diligent and consistent with what I teach him. Another reason I don't think I could home school year round is that both my boys enjoy having someone other than their mum teaching them!

"Mum, what shall we call you?" they asked on Monday morning when I announced it was time for home school. "Mrs Fisher?" they suggested. Cute. "We have assembly on monday mornings remember," they told me. I suggested we wait a week for assembly as there wasn't much to report yet! "You have to call the roll," was the next instruction.

It seems that 'playing' schools is by far the most effective way of engaging them. We are covering the foundations: reading, writing, spelling, grammar and maths but we get to do it in creative ways and cover topics that the boys are interested in. Sol wants to learn about the moon and find out if snakes have ears. River's favorite subject is writing so we are going to do lots of different styles of writing. Today he wrote a letter to his best friend. Yesterday he wrote a fiction story titled 'The Cheeky Mouse', we will look at poetry, non-fiction writing, persuasive writing and so on. I will get him to interview someone he meets on the trip. And both boys will keep weekly journals of our trip.

For this week as the three males in my house recover from their coughs, headaches, earaches, fevers and chills it really is home school because we are at home. Once we hit the road, it becomes road school.

Do you home school? Would you like to? What stops you? I'd love to hear your thoughts and experiences.

spaghetti circus

The pasta theme continues. Only today it is not the edible kind but the circus variety. In addition to homeschooling, learning to surf and catching fish with his Dad while we've been here in the Byron Shire, River has been going to Mullumbimby's Spaghetti Circus class learning to do handstands and cartwheels, strengthening his core muscles and balance while making new friends.

This year Spaghetti celebrates its 21st year and is hosting a circus festival from 4-6 October.

River LOVES his weekly class, as does Sol. In five weeks of attending weekly classes I have noticed how much the boys confidence has grown in their willingness to attempt physical things that they otherwise wouldn't have done, such as taking tiny steps while standing on top of a giant rubber ball, or being assisted to swing upside down on a trapeze bar. The confidence is quickly followed up with pride in themselves for either having a go or achieving something they didn't know they could do. It all adds up to good self-esteem from where I sit on the bunting edged sideline chatting to other mums, today's topic was the pros and cons of sending our children to school compared to homeschooling. I think there are aspects of both that River would benefit from, ideally I'd love it if he went to school 3 days a week and spent the other two days homeschooling.

I know this post is off the wholefood topic but spaghetti is in the title :) and circus is just such a fantastic thing for children (& adults!) that I wanted to share it with you. If you are ever in the area check out the timetable, there are adults and children's classes we have been paying $15 per casual class.

And just so you are not left hungry from this post here is the Spaghetti Circus chocolate dipped version of anzacs:

Love this poster that hangs in the circus shed kitchen...

oH Spaghetti Circus you are reason alone to live here all year round.