It is incredibly hot and humid out today. So much so, that the clouds that drift by blocking out the sun, to provide some cooling, are having a hard time holding their moisture. Big round drops of rain are falling off and on from the sky. Refreshment! There is not a breath of wind. The only sounds are the birds, the occasional vehicle on the road, and a distant train whistle. I am sitting in a lounge chair near the pool reading a homeschooling book.
After three years of home teaching, it gets into your very being. All of life is a classroom if you think about it. My children do not need to be sitting in neatly lined desks in an overheated room to learn. I see them learning each and every day. This year we again finished up our official schooling at the end of May, but this time we are continuing through the summer. We are trying some new things. Things that are fun and interesting, and that we just can't seem to fit into a regular school year. We're also working on character building. I want my children to be happy, considerate, loving, and compassionate. Most importantly I want them to see God working in and through them.
So, for me and for the children, the education never ends. Christine Field says in her book Help for the Harried Homeschooler, "Homeschooling is more than and educational choice. It's a lifestyle." Will I embrace that? Or will I fight it? Embracing it and the huge commitment, the messes, the chaos, and the sacrifices it brings is far easier. After all if "God brings me to it, He'll see me through it!"
I agree that the learning opportunities never stop. We choose to do our "formal" studies from late August - early May. We love nature being a part of those studies, but it's just too miserably hot outside here in the summer to enjoy anything in a worthwhile manner.
ReplyDeleteMy oldest has kept his nose in books so he can turn in his readling list at Barnes & Noble this weekend when we go to town. He wants his free book so badly! LOL We're reading through The Coral Island right now as well.