End of the Month Wrap-up

At the end of each month, I like to sit down with each kid individually to discuss how the month went, what they liked, what is missing, and goals or desires for the following month.  

Well, after a busy holiday season and home remodeling projects, both kids want to relax.  There is a desire for more adventures after being tied to the house with the projects or living around the projects.  They were less than impressed with my book choice for this month, so request were made for a vote on the next one.  One voiced a need to work on individual interest more, while another wanted to create more time to play tabletop games.  So that will take some creativity on my part.  

In light of these requests, I hope to go skiing/snowboarding more (adventure), choose 3 books to vote on for our book of the month, block out time and space for individual interest exploration, and host a game night with friends weekly.  Together, we will see how these work as we move into February.  

Another idea I heard on a podcast (The Unschool Files) was to use a whiteboard and big calendar for ideas and scheduling.  A command center of sorts to keep us on track for our goals and desires.  Don't worry I will let you know how this works out. 

Don't Leave Yourself Out

 When it comes to learning, don't leave yourself out.  Not only do your tweens and teens need so see your continuing to pursue interest, you need this time.  So many times, I talk to moms (not just homeschooling moms) who have lost their identity to service as mom.  They have zero passions and interest outside of prodding, shuttling, and planning their children.  Do not let this happen to you!

You enjoy seeing that sparkle in their eyes when that tween or teen discovers a new interest or dives deeper into a passion.  You acknowledge that time as authentic learning and development of who they are and who they are becoming.  It is crucial for those tweens and teens to see you doing the same as an adult.  This keeps the adult life fascinating and desirable to them, but it also helps you stay connected to how it feels to authentically learn.  

 I am currently obsessed with all things involving yarn.  I have knitted for 10+ years, crocheted for 3+ years, and am contemplating learning to weave.  I love exploring this interest by listening to podcast, searching Pinterest for patterns, shopping for new yarns, watching how-to videos on YouTube, and just doing the work.  Guess what?! This is how my tween and teen love to learn as well.  They don't need a class that will start at the beginning and teach everything step by step.  They may chose a class, but only after subject exploration and collaboration with peers or mentors.  This is real world learning! 

Mentors

Mentors play a huge roll in everyone's life.  As we chose a different path than the traditional one of public school, I prayed for strong mentors to speak into the lives of our children.  Well, God has provided amazing men and women to help direct my son and daughter in their passions.  

My son is fortunate to have a neighbor who loves hunting as much as him.  So he accompanies my husband and son on hunts for elk, bear, deer, and ducks.  The lessons taught in the field each time in this small group setting surpasses so many hours sitting in a classroom being spoon fed information that may or may not matter to you.  This same neighbor also owns and operates his personal welding business.  To an entrepreneur minded boy, this allows for volumes of learning to take place.  I am so grateful for the experiences and insight this neighbor has brought into our son's life.

My daughter is blessed to have mentor in another neighbor who is a speaker and writer.  Overall this women is a great encourager of all things in our daughter's life.  For a couple years, GM was the youngest intern our neighbor took into her home with a group of middle school and high school interns.  GM was able to work for someone else learning the creative as well as tedious work needed to run a business.  

All this to say a mentor for your tween or teen, may be as close as next door.  Open your eyes to the possibilities.  

Screen Time (gasp)

Yikes! Screen-Time!  

Everyone knows that screen-time must monitored and regulated. Or does it?  

Many times this screen-time is super enchanting and beneficial.  No I am not only talking about educational websites and documentaries.  I don't need to remind you that true learning happens when kids are engaged in the subject.  

So if that subject happens to be a video game, sit down next to your gamer and just watch, listen, and discuss all they are doing in their game.

Concepts may include team work, number sense including percentages and rates of growth, operations in the game, new vocabulary, communication (both written and spoken--depending on the type of game and gaming device).   Other subjects that might be covered are geology, habitat, historical events, and much more...
Not to mention just the skill of navigating different technologies.  

Let me know what you learn during your "screen-time" with your son or daughter!

Training a Mind to Think

I love this quote.  

Education is not the learning of facts but the training of the mind to think.
-Albert Einstein

This explains a major goal for my family.  It is a desire of mine that each of my kids leaves our home with a mind that is always thinking, processing, and learning instead of memorizing and regurgitating facts.  

Too often when my kids invite their friends to join them in something they enjoy doing, their friends resist explaining that the activity seems too much like school.  

What?!

This time it was a Finders Seekers puzzle designed for adults that GM invited friends to complete with her.  One friend who enjoys an intellectual challenge did not hesitate to join her.  The other friend shrugged it off, not wanting to participate in the "school-ish" work.  

In this puzzle of 10 different challenges, those taking part must think outside the box, research, and work together to solve each challenge.  The solution to each challenge gives you a clue that leads to the ending puzzle answer.  The work is hard but rewarding as you push beyond your intellectual limits.  The girls needed me to help find hints a couple of times but ultimately finished to puzzle on their own.  

When allowed to explore new ways of learning and time to challenge themselves, kids will often train their mind to think instead of just passively letting someone pour facts into their head.  The intrinsic reward this method provides has each craving more opportunities to learn.  

Adventure Needed

Adventure has always been an important element in our every day homeschooling life. These everyday adventures allow my kids to try new things on their terms therefore creating amazing experiences.  

There is a tubing hill near our home in the winter.  Now being transplants to the Pacific Northwest, tubing has a different meaning than that of our southern upbringing.  So incase you are unfamiliar, you basically get an inflated tube to the top of a large hill where an attendant sets you up and sends you rushing down.  Fun, scary, exhilarating, thrilling are all words that describe this experience.  We visit this destination at least once, but usually more often, during the season.  Each time it is a new adventure as the snow is man-made so they create different paths.  

This winter my daughter was excited to share this experience with friends who joined us for New Years.  This everyday adventure for my daughter was a big adventure for her friends.  GM took the lead, explaining the process, what to expect, and accompanying them on several runs.  

Since adventure is a normal part of our family life together, both GM and her brother are always game to try new things.  Sometimes even before I am ready.  The amazing advantage is they both becoming leaders, helping others feel comfortable in the process, acting as go-getters who do not shy away from hard work, and speaking up on issues that need a voice.  

I am glad we did and continue to place an emphasis on experience and adventure in our everyday life instead of putting it on the back-burner.  We follow their lead and move as far as they are comfortable in each situation so they can always choose to not adventure. A huge benefit is each of my kids know themselves, their preferences, and the grand feats they can accomplish, because of all the adventures they have enjoyed.  

Series: Learning Through Passions

Again, true learning happens when you are passionately involved.  This artsy girl learns most actively when involved in a project that requires her creative energy.  She loves teaching and sharing with others and does not shy away when her students are older than her.

What all has my daughter learned in her creating endeavors?

• Math-measurement, money management, budgeting, temperature control, spacial awareness, fractions
• History-life story of her role models like Julia Child, cooking during different time periods
• Science-baking, color reactions, plants, gardening, canning
• Reading-informational text, story, recipes, cook books, fonts
• Writing- play writing, journaling, orders, business flyers, Etsy product descriptions 
• Career Exploration-working with others, learning to use new tools, following directions, public speaking at the library

I am so proud of this girl who contains such a creative heart.  I am looking forward to watching her creativity thread continue to unravel revealing the art this woman will make.  

Series: Learning Through Passions

I can not stress this enough!

True learning takes place when you are fully engaged in the area of interest.

Consider last time you truly learned something new.  It most likely was a time you were deeply interested in the topic or you needed to learn something new to solve a current problem. 

When I sit down and think about all the things that my son has learned through fishing, I am amazed.  Maybe you are skeptical...

• Geography-locations of reservoirs in our state, mapping of reservoirs, map reading
• Hydro-energy-dams at reservoirs create our electricity 
• Science-fish habitats, food chain, algae
• Physics-bait design and reaction in water
• Writing-posting on social media to promote outdoor lifestyle, notes on fishing locations
• Reading/Research-blogs, websites, specifics for gear
• History-state history of given reservoirs, bass fishing organizations 
• Math-budgeting for gear, weight and measurement of fish, gas, mph to get to locations on time
• Career exploration-public speaking at club meetings, installing mapping systems, working on electronics, fixing motors, winterizing boat

This is just the what I see him learning though his work and our discussions.  Basically, this is the surface level learning, the deep learning happening internally will surface later in his life as the "outdoor" thread continues to unravel revealing more and more of the man he was created to be.  

Series: Learning Through Passion

More and more I feel like all authentic learning can happen through passions.  My husband and I are passionate people with more than a handful of hobbies each.  So naturally, we are raising extremely passionate kids (well teens).  I always joke in homeschool groups that "we do electives well."  

An important topic of money, is easily covered with developing passions.  Everything cost these days so when a new interest comes up, it is easy to discuss pricing and desired outcome.  So do you want private lessons or self-teach on Youtube, new tools or find quality used ones, set up an online market or bring you products to the farmers market.  

Currently, my daughter is into crafting.  She loves creating shirts with iron-on vinyl.  She gets her supplies using her babysitting money and then uses a Circuit to cut her designs.  After making gifts from friends and family, she has been encouraged to sell her items.  So she did research on pricing of similar items and cost to create her shirts.  After more research, she found a formula to set her prices.  We worked together to set up an Etsy shop where we sell handmade items.  

Opening the shop, opened up more discussion on money, money management, budgeting, and business sense, with shipping and time spent creating.  

Each person has their own interest and hobby, but when you openly discuss the prices and worth of lessons, items, and time, you make a path for learning more about money and how it can serve them.  When individuals first begin using their own money for these passions, wise money management with naturally develop.  

Problem Solving Skills

Everyone from the cashier at the store to the elected officials in office give lip service to the need for this generation to be problem solvers.  Yet everyday across our nation teachers spend the day instructing for a test.  Sure, there are some classrooms using project based learning, but unless that project is generated by the individuals in that particular classroom the problem they are working to solve could and probably is meaningless to them.  

How do I know?

I am a recovering public school teacher.  Do not send the angry emails just yet.  I am not placing the blame on teachers but instead our system.  This system that has everyone learning at the same rate across the country in order to fulfill common core standards.  

Instead of complaining about the restraints of the system, let's discuss a solution.  

Time spent solving problems.  Homeschooling offers this time.  Each kid, tween, and teen has interests and problems to solve in these areas of interest.  If you think they don't just wait a minute and a frustration will pop up.  Use that opportunity to develop problem solving skills.  

My son loves watching a guy carve wooden crank baits on YouTube, so part of his Christmas included a carving kit with wooden blocks.  So taking the knowledge from the videos, he was able to create his own baits solving the problems as they occurred from roughness to shape.  He was able to research types of wood, attributes of given wood, and what would work best to fit his needs.  Instead of passively filling in a worksheet to complete, he was invested and took that knowledge and experience elsewhere in his learning.  

Did we set out to complete standards in research, technical reading, physics, marine life, food web, and botany?  No.  Did he dive into these areas as part of his desire to carve baits? Yes.  Did he retain areas of learning in this experience? Time will tell, but I am betting so.  

Taking a Break (no, not from blogging)

Taking a break is a phrase spoken often in homeschooling circles around the holidays from Thanksgiving through New Years. Many times, moms resist and insist the break from school work only be a week or two weeks max.  

I have always embraced December off (many times January as well because of my kids' birthdays both being in January.) Since they were small, I have seen the benefit in the break.  Not only for them to enjoy traditions of the season---baking, creating gifts, wrapping gifts, sharing time with family and friends, playing in the snow, Christmas movies, setting up decorations, finding and decorating the tree---but also for myself.  Stopping any idea of boxes to check for "school work" allowed me to embrace the season.  I could slow down and be content with what we accomplished instead of feeling behind or lacking.  

Well, this holiday break my husband took over!  He decided with Christmas and New Year's Day falling on a Wednesday, he would be home for 2 weeks (usually he travels when not working from home).  This time would allow him to catch up on projects he felt were neglected with our busy spring, summer, and fall seasons.  

Next, thing I knew we were auditioning paint colors, cleaning out each room, and buying 20 gallons of paint.  

So this break looked different.  Holiday traditions still happened, but we just added two weeks of painting to the inside of our entire house.  Yes, ceilings too!  

For all those, moms out there that worry about loosing gains or falling behind, I just want to explain how much authentic learning took place when both kids jumped in to help their dad paint.  A giant scaffolding rented and put together, measurements calculated, pricing calculated, paint bought, techniques experienced, instructions adhered to, and best of all connection with dad.  These experiences are what forms the foundation and solidifies abstract learning.  It also provides amazing memories that text books can never give you.   

So this 6 week break, I thought we were going to enjoy by relaxing turned into a working adventure. 

Creating Vision Boards with Goals

 One of our family habits for New Year's Eve is to use poster board, markers, magazines, printouts, and washi tape to create vision boards.  These boards include one word for the year, two areas to improve, three events to look forward to, and four goals to accomplish.  It is a fun way to look at plans for the upcoming year as well as add ideas to the calendar for the year.  

For the past couple of New Year's Eves, our family has had guests in our home.  We have included them in this activity, which they enjoyed.  I wanted to share it here in case anyone was looking for a meaningful way to approach the New Year.  

Even though January 1, 2020 has come and gone, you can do this now or next week, even next month.  Creating this type of vision board can happen at anytime.  At birthdays, at the beginning of a new season, starting a fresh school year---the possibilities are endless.  

Creation Journey

Yes, the last part of my "phrase" for 2020.  

Curious Journey of Creation

Creation has everything to do with my creative family.  All four of us are very DIY people, so we have toyed with the idea of opening an Etsy shop for a couple years now.  

With the school-ish fall semester complete, now seems like the perfect time.  GM and I had a few crocheted and sewn items to place the shop and H quickly added a few para chord projects to the products we can sell.  

As always so much authentic learning happening in just setting up the shop.  Creating graphics, writing descriptions of creations and bios for the shop, as well as setting prices and figuring shipping cost, we covered so many subjects.  (Technical writing, graphic design, business math, persuasive writing...)

Feel free to check us out and let us know your thoughts.  

Curious Journey

As promised one portion of my "phrase" for the year in explanation.  That phrase:

Curious Journey of Creation 

is due to a big project my son and I are challenging ourselves to develop.  That is to create a podcast about authentic living and learning. 

So often, when he is asked the usual question, "where do you go to school?" He is forced to answer with something about being homeschooled.  Often people don't know what to do with that answer, so that can end the conversation.  He is extremely passionate about authentic learning therefore if the discussion moves that direction, he shares his experiences and why those experiences are beneficial.  

Our method and way of homeschool has been described as refreshing, enchanting, and meaningful. My 14 year old son and I will discuss the ends and outs of homeschooling, typical days, benefits, drawbacks, and all the other things that come with living and learning at home.  My 12 year old daughter plans on being a regular guest to shine a light on her views and perspectives as the youngest and extrovert.  

With that in mind, we are taking on the task of learning all about podcasting, acquiring the supplies, and creating a podcast called, "Curious Journey."  Look for it on Spotify. 

Returning to Blogging

Well after almost 2 years of nothing new on my blog, I have decided to return to my blog.  Yay!!! 

The past two years have been busy with the continued homeschooling as my two have grown to a tween and teen.  I am thrilled to return to share ideas, stories, and rhythms that guide our days and seasons.  

2020 brings in my new words of the Curious Journey of Creating. I know, I know, most people chose one word and if pressed that word would be JOURNEY.  If you know me, you are aware that I enjoy the finished product---the planner complete, the house clean, the dinner made, the run complete, you get the idea.  But over and over the past month, the word JOURNEY has come to mind.   So why CURIOUS JOURNEY OF CREATING.  Stay tuned.  I promise to return with explanation.