The Spring Swing of Things and Independent Learning

Sorry, this is a long one, but I think I've well explained it, so bear with me! Spring has been slowly crawling in here. Mighty winter continues to push back, not willing to leave just yet. Outside today, it is blizzarding with fresh snow on the ground, but in between these days of snow, the spring sun has been gracing us with its warmth. We love this time of year, as the sun returns after a long, dark winter, and our ski schedule comes to an end. We can return to slow, uhurried weekend mornings and days of uniterrupted exploration, learning, and outdoor adventures. Our school rhythm naturally morphs along with the seasons, and come spring we are all craving a change, after a busy schedule and cabin fever has us all going a bit stir crazy. Last month we returned to our spring schedule of long, in depth studies. These are fun, hands on, explorations of whatever subjects we've chosen for the season. We all learn together, and we return to nature study and poetry teatimes and gameschooling and projects that all get replaced by skiing through the winter. I was just feeling like we were settling into our new rhythm, just taking that big breath of contenment, when Chase came to me and asked if he could return to self led learning instead of joining Lily and I for our studies. He actually asked if he could return to using some of our curriculums that we have long since abandoned. I was surprised by this, as he has always seemed to enjoy free learning more, but  I understand that he likes being in control of his learning, he likes knowing just what and how much he has to do each day, and he likes working at his own pace, unhurried, so I can see how a curriculum would fullfill those desires for him. I know that his curriculum work will naturally morph into him creating his own studies, indepentdently, so if he wants curriculum for now, that's what we'll do.


Whenever the kids want to work independently, I embrace it. I'm always willing to try to make their wants work for us. My understanding of learrning has evolved so much over the years, I no longer worry as much about what we are or are not learning. For me, now, its more about the big picture of homeschooling vs. where we are right now in this moment. My main goals for homeschooling are for them to enjoy learning, know how to learn, have fun, and have all the basic knowledge they will need to succeed in life. Suddenly, with this outlook, real world understanding becomes more important than tradtional learning. So I no longer worry about where we are in grade levels or subjects. Anything you want to learn can be learned in a relatively short amount of time, on your own. I am confident that, if at any point in their future, should they want to, they will be able to learn anything we have skipped over through the years. Motivated learning takes so much less time than forced learning. There was a math group in a Sudsbury School that set out to learn all the elementary maths at once. It took them eight weeks to learn everything that is taught in 5 grades of maths. This story has completely changed my view of grade levels. Sometimes by waiting to approach a subject, the child is better suited to learn the material, and more motivated. We now think in terms of blocks, instead of grade levels and subjects. Instead of a math curriculum that takes you through math little by little through the years, we do a block of just one maths, setting out to understand fully and master each component of just that one math. In 3rd grade Chase and I approached Grammar. At that time, it was all abstract to him. He didn't see the point in learning it, and so wasn't interested. What work we did was not retained, and it was waisted time. In 5th grade we did a one month immersive block on grammar, setting out to solve the puzzle of grammar, and by the end of the month, he had grammar figured out. It has been these immersive blocks, the idea of setting out to understand and "solve" a topic, that has opened the door to independent learning for us.


Independent learning, for us, looks like this- Sunday we'll sit down for a short talk about what they have planned for school that week. This includes any curriculum or projects they want to do, any games or activities they want to do, it might include, for example, a building project, or a tinker box, or perler beads, or magic tricks, whatever. So, I will ask them which topics they are planning on learning about that week, what other things they want to do, and then we make up a little schedule of each day's work, that is just for them to use as a reminder. They might change or add to this schedule throughout the week. I put any actvities on their schedule that they want, as long as the morning is spent on actual learning and exploration studies. Then, each morning we meet and I ask what they have scheduled for the day. I listen to them tell me and then try to say something encouraging, like, "Wow! You're going to learn about Cuttlefish today? I've always wondered in what ways they were similar to squids. That sounds interesting. I can't wait to hear about what you learn." Or, "Oh, you're working on the weather section today. I wonder which weather you'll be learning about. Can you tell us what you learned about later today?" Then I leave them to work, at their own pace, which includes snack breaks, and playing with the pets, or staring off into space, and as long as those distractions are short lived, I will watch from afar and bite my tongue. If I see they are not coming back to their work, I will go over and ask about what they've done so far. I will do a little reading with them, or ask questions that helps them get going on their work again. Periodically through the morning, I will come by and check what they've done so far and praise their work. After they are done with something they are working on, I will have them show it to me. We will talk about if there is anything they want to continue the next day or anywhere else they want to take their study (reading about cuttlefish might spark an interest about eels and he'll decide he wants to find out about electric eels, so we'll add that to the schedule, or he'll decide he wants to make a diorama of an underwater scene, so i will help him gather the supplies he needs for that) or if he is done then I will ask him, on a scale of 1-5, how he would rate himself on things like effort, time management, how much was learned, or on his understanding of the topic. Sometimes this alone will lead to him going back and putting more effort into what he's done, or choosing to do a bit more. Once his morning of learning is done, he can go on to the other productive activities that he has chosen for that day. Some days, I will have some activities or invitations planned that I will see if they are interested in doing. For example, if I want to do a block on Ancient Rome with them, I will pull together some books on ancient rome and leave them on the table for them to notice, and then, after the morning, I will mention that I am planning on learning about Ancient Rome and ask if either of them wants to join me. If they do, we will pick an afternoon to add it in. Sometimes that expands to more days, or even becomes a block study on its own. Or it might be something that we barely touch before they lose interest.
 We periodically get out our subject cards and I ask them if there is anything they are interested in that I could do with them. When they pick a topic, I will then go check out books, find activities, plan hands on projects, and pull together a block study that I will present to them, and they can pick and choose their way through it, doing what they want and skipping what they dont. We continue in this manner until they swing back towards wanting to do the studies, together, more than working alone. And so, we ebb and flow through these rhythms, and as long as I see them progessing and thriving, I follow their lead.


So, that's an overview of what independent learning looks like for us. Here's an example of a week done this way with Chase. Right now he is choosing to return to Trailguide To Learning (A wonderful open and go literature based, history centered curriculum that covers LA, SS, Science all in one great package that he can mostly do on his own) and his Key To Math workbooks (These are GREAT because they completely teach the math on their own in a progressive way that the child can do all by themselves, one maths at a time, similar to how we do our maths blocks.) So, here's his schedule for next week:
Monday-
Trailguide- Lesson 2, part 1
Key To Geometry (he doesn't assign pages because he enjoys these and works through many pages, just working until he feels like stopping, and then will pick up where he left off last time)
Samurai books and movie
Bike Ride
Making Bread
Chemistry Kit
Reading


Tuesday-
Trailguide- Lesson 2, part 2
Key to Geometry
Games
Logic Puzzles
Body Studies with Lily
Chemistry Kit


Wednesday-
Trailguide- Lesson 2, part 3
Key to Geometry
Wild Explorers Club
Math Play
Chemistry Kit


Thursday-
Trailguide- Lesson 2, part 4
Key to Geometry
Math Art
Chemistry Kit
Magic Box


Friday I pick the work. We do any projects that I've been wanting to do with them. So you can see how the schedule seems fun to them, because it has the activities they've chosen added on there, but they are still doing their work. Their daily activities after our morning learning often change from what they have scheduled, but it is helpful to have them listed on there, because it motivates their learning, getting to see that their afternoon is filled with their chosen activties, if they get through their morning, and if they have a moment when they're bored, they can refer to their schedule and see what they were wanting to do. If they have a day when they are no wanting to work, as long as they've been working well, we will make a deal that we can take the day off as long as they are ready and willing to return to their work the next day. If they start having multiple days of not wanting to work, we sit down and talk about what has changed for them. I reiterate that learning should be fun, so if they are not having fun, it means we must need to change things up, and we talk about what we will do instead. But they have to agree to putting full effort into whatever it is they decide. Sometimes, if needed, we will even sign a little agreement, that just states their goal of learning for that week, and they decide on a reward and a consqence of not fullfilling that goal.


Independent learning, unschooling, takes so much trust on our part, as parents. We are not true unschoolers, as radical as that term has become. I require learning and progression in their skills, they just get to choose what it is they are learning about, or how they learn. I put effort into creating learning opportunities, encouraging interests, nurturing their paths of work. If you are hesitant to take the leap into unschooling, I would suggest giving them the opportunity to free learn one day a week, or a couple afternoons a week. Ease into it, and remember that it will sometimes take some "training" for everyone involved to find your flow. But please remember, in the beginning, you HAVE TO keep it fun. If they write a page on lions all on their own, do not critisize their spelling or their handwriting, praise and celebrate their work. Then, later on, when it's not free learning time, you can go back and QUICKLY go over the mistakes, but making sure you add on double prise of it. If free learning time becomes a burdon because you have taken away the fun of it, it will quickly end their interest in self led learning. There are lots of great books, blogs, and instagram accounts on unschooling and project based learning. Start by increasing your knowledge. Take a good look at what your homeschool goals are. Really decide if you are wanting to let your kids free learn or if it is important to you that they know all the traditional knowledge that kids learn in schools. And then, just try it. Commit to trying it out for a time period, and during that time, be constantly assessing what is and isn't working, and then come up with ideas that might fix the problems, and celebrate the wins. you might find after that time period, that it is not a good fit for you. But, rememeber, that it takes time. You have to give it enough time to reap the rewards.


I will start posting on Fridays "Our Week of Learning" if you want to see, with pictures, what this actually looks like.

Monday Morning Tea

Monday mornings are a little slow going. After a weekend of rambunctious rumpus with my little wild things, it can be a little hard to jump right into our Monday morning.  So we don't. We ease into it with a tea party and poetry. 

This week we read some lovely winter themed poems to go along with our winter exploration we are doing this season. 

Their favorite poem this week was 

'Something Told The Wild Geese'

By Rachel Field

Something told the wild geese

It was time to go.

Though the fields lay golden

Something whispered, - "Snow."

Leaves were green and stirring,

Berries, luster glossed,

But beneath warm feathers

Something cautioned,- "Frost."

All the sagging orchards

Steamed with amber spice,

But each wild breast stiffened 

At remembered ice.

Something told the wild geese

It was time to fly,-

Summer sun was on their wings, 

Winter in their cry. 

And there was some Robert Frost

And several others that we also enjoyed, leaving us excited about the coming snow and pondering the wonders of winter. 

Today the snow is falling outside, covering our little world in a blanket of white and the kids are convinced it was our winter poetry that brought winter blowing in. 

A Week of Maths

Math is mostly hands on, although each has a workbook that they do a page out of each day. Math is so fun, and I want them to have fun with it too. Chase loves finding patterns in numbers and Lily loves the different manipulatives. 

Here's a week in maths: 

Addition, subtraction, multiplication, division with manipulatives

Place value and adding large numbers on the abacus 

Sometimes, working out of the workbook

Sometimes math is more abstract, like visualizing the numbers 1-10, smallest to biggest, with the cylinder blocks

Geometry patterns, shapes, symmetry, and also fractions

Geometry building- shapes, angles, lines and points

Money addition and subtraction

I like doing our math rather eclectic like this, with no real outline. Several types of maths get done each day, so there is a lot of repeating, reinforcing, and review. And, more importantly, they are having fun and enjoying maths. 

Sunshine, Imagination, and Animals

This Sunday I am feeling an abundance of gratitude for so many things in my life. I am so grateful for my little family and where we are in life right now. 

I am grateful for 

This moment, having lunch with my favorite two people in the world, I am grateful for their company and that they are such amazing little people

This moment, when the sun was so golden that the pine trees actually looked orange, I am grateful that we get to live here, surrounded by so much beauty 

This moment, seeing her far off, in her own world, deeply involved, using some of our manipulatives to create and play out her own magical story, I am grateful for her independence and imagination 

This moment, when they sat bathed in sunlight, working together on school work, I am grateful that I get to be home with them, seeing them grow and learn, and that they get to live this way.

This moment, when it was such a beautiful day that they wanted to stop and stare at the lake for a while instead of just heading home, I am grateful that they enjoy and appreciate nature and the small things in life

This moment, when he wasn't feeling well and the cat came and snuggled him for about an hour, and as soon as she left, he felt totally better, I am grateful for the reminder that animals can be powerful healers and for the bond my kids have with our animals. 

But, most of all, this week, I am most grateful for the majestic late fall weather we have been having. These days have been perfect, make you wake up with a smile, keep you motivated all day long, fill your soul up, kind of days, and I have been loving every minute of them

What are you most grateful for this Sunday? 

Haven't posted in a while

Something is in the air. All around us, things are changing, not only in nature, with winter on its way, but for friends and family. I see changes coming into the lives of so many around me. For us, our school rhythm changes with the seasons so I have been busy reorganizing our school stuff, replanning our rhythm, and reprioritizing what's important for this season. But it's more than that. I feel things changing beyond the regular changes of the season. I can see the kids growing into the next phase of their lives as I notice how much they've grown and matured this year. Our interactions are shifting in nature and they are needing more independence. I can see they have new needs and wants out of life, and from me, and I feel like my place in their world is shifting from being their leader to being their supporter, and letting them flourish, on their own, without much of my guidance. It is sad, in part, watching them grow so fast, and wishing each moment was longer, but I am excited for this new phase in their lives, and learning all about who they are and what they need from me this season. 

Maybe it's this change in the kids, or maybe it's just the change in the seasons, or maybe something truly is in the air, but I feel a renewed sense of enthusiasm for making changes in my own life. I have had the strongest urge to cleanse our household; to get rid of anything that isn't currently important to our life, and to simplify the way we live. I have been pouring myself into this, and it's amazing how much stagnant energy all that "stuff" can carry, and how amazing it feels when you let it go. With the kids needing less from me, and the house being purged, I have found time for me that was never there before, and I feel that I, too, am moving into a new phase of being able to focus a little more on me and the things that I enjoy, so I have been exploring what that means for me- what will this new season bring for me and what do I want out of life and myself right now. 

So, it's been a time of transitions and it has consumed us. Any spare time we've had, we have spent outside enjoying the last bits of fall. The weather has been amazing. Each day has been magical; warm and sunny, but with a soothing crisp chill to the air, the sky and the lake have been the most magnificent blue, and there has been a sweetness to the air from all the wet leaves drying in the sun. The sunlight is different this time of year, as well. Everything seems to sparkle in an almost silvery light, and everything even looks crisper, as if you can actually see things clearer right now. I have been savoring these days like sweet honey. I can't get enough of this late fall weather. 

Soon we will be settled into the changes that this season brings, life will slow down, and we will be enjoying the fluidity of our new daily rhythm. 

What kind of changes do the new seasons bring to your life? 

A Little Sunday Gratitude- Monkeys

This blogger app is not always so friendly to me, and many times when I post something it doesn't publish it and I later find it and have to repost it so here's my Sunday gratitutude, a little late. 

This week I am most grateful for these little monkeys.

This moment, when she got the big idea to use the dropper to make "rups" (raspberry & cups) and made 5 videos explaining how to make a rup, how to fill it and then drank her apple juice from little raspberry cups.

This moment, when he colored all night long, for two nights in a row, streaming the Spirit Animals audiobooks

This moment, when I found them working together on Chase's newest invention.

But, most of all, this moment, when these two were hiding, waiting to jump out and scare me, and I beat them to it. 

They aren't our most glamorous moments, or our most picture perfect ones, but they were the ones that filled me with so much love and gratitude for these amazing little human beings. 

A Day At The Park

We love the park, mostly because these little monkeys need to climb and hang and get their copious amount of energy out regularly or they start getting a little fiesty, but it is always a wonderful day when we can get out and enjoy the beautiful mountains we live in. 

These two are true mountain kids, snow on the ground, frigid fall mountain air, and neither wanted their jacket. They've taken to a saying heard from Grandpa, "Jackets are things kids need when moms are cold." 

We were the only ones at the park, which I secretly love, because then it is me they want to play with. They run away yelling "Chase us, chase us!" and we run up and down and all around, climbing and sliding to safety, and the two of them work together, warning each other of my whereabouts or cheering each other on, laughing and screaming, with gigantic smiles on their faces. I love these moments with them, when they are just being wild and free, and I savor every moment of it, running and screaming with them, because soon enough, they aren't going to want me to play with them at the playground, soon enough those innocent little squeals will turn into teenage laughter, and these moments will be long past.

This little one would freeze and act like a statue every time I came near. Her imagination is so big and it's always fun to see what ideas she comes up with as we play. 

And this went on and on until a flock of geese came and landed in the field across from the playground, and we were off to welcome the geese. 

Lily spent a long while running around the field, playing with her shadow, making it taller and smaller, and exploring different poses.

And Chase joined in the fun

Then went and found his own fun, frosty sand angels. 

By that time we were cold and wet so we carried our little statue to the car and went home. 

It was another fun and memorable fall day at the park.