School's Out! Now what?

Last Thursday I said to Beezy, "How would you like this to be the last day of school?" Of course she was all for it, so when we completed lessons I said, "Congratulations on finishing this school year. Thank you for being in my class." I shook her hand, and then she raised both fists in the air and shouted, "Outside forever!"  She had told me recently during a school day that she just wanted to be outside running around. I listened. I realized that even doing lessons on the upstairs balcony, with tree branches at arms' length and in the company of the sights and sounds of the outside world, was not enough to curb the feeling that she was missing out. In fact, I think that looking the little birdies in the eye made it worse. There are kittens across the street to visit, squirrels to chase, and toddlers in the neighborhood that want to play. Monday was running-in-the-sprinkler weather. So glad we were done with school!

So here is what we are up to. Yesterday we went to Farmer Jo Ann's for flowers, finally. Less than two weeks ago it got down to freezing over night! While practicing piano, Beezy told me she wished she had lessons every day. She has "written" her own song, and she loves experimenting with sounds on the electronic keyboard. Tuesday she has dog obedience class with Daisy for her 4-H project. Thursday we are going to the circus as part of her birthday, and we are taking a friend of hers who also has a May birthday. We will visit a science museum in Ft. Wayne with another friend this weekend, and then celebrate my grandma's 85th birthday at my cousin's house. The first week of June is Vacation Bible School, which is always a highlight of Beezy's year. The week after that, the pool will open.

As for summer reading, I had the brilliant idea of having Beezy choose her own picture books from the library, and it is working. She chooses to read them. We will do that every couple of weeks. I say this idea was brilliant because it was so obvious. She always picks out videos for herself, but never books. I had to suggest it, and there was a little resistance, but sometimes children do need a gentle push in the right direction. I'm going to find a little basket for her to keep them in.

Life just continues on, and we savor the unique pleasures and opportunities that each season brings. Hopefully the freedom from school lessons will help me to observe closely the ways in which learning happens in every moment of every day and is not separate from the rest of life. Then when fall comes, the shift into "school time" will be merely an organic segue into the next season, rather than an abrupt change. We will be truly unschooling.

Summertime Homeschooling

"I learn every time I breathe."  -- Jordan Sparks, singer

Learning opportunities abound in summer, even while most of us have set aside our formal education efforts. Already this month Beezy has attended a week of Vacation Bible School, visited the Wild Winds Buffalo Preserve in Fremont, Indiana, and gone strawberry picking, all while her grandmother was visiting from New Mexico. She was also baptized in the Catholic Church! And we are helping to water the Rosary Garden three days a week.

You can count many summer activities toward the mandatory educational hours required by your state. At VBS, children receive religious education (literature and history in the form of God's word), learn new songs and their lyrics in sign language (music and language arts), and create crafts (art). Strawberry picking is a physical activity (gym) as well as a nature/science study. The buffalo trip was also a historical and natural science experience. And right in our own home, we have new kittens that we are watching grow and nurse from their mother!

Bike rides, swimming, hiking in the woods, playing in sand, jumping on the trampoline, and gardening are all learning experiences that can be categorized for homeschooling requirements. Obviously, you don't want to announce to your children, "This counts as science!" when they play at the beach, but you can keep a record of such activities for your own use. While the structure of our days is more relaxed and we have more free time, we still need to keep a sense of consistency and routine for our children. Organized activities can help, as long as your children aren't overloaded.

Beezy will participate in many more fun activities through our local Parks and Recreation department and library in the weeks to come. This week, there is tie dye t-shirt and ice cream making, and arts and crafts. A week of Junior Gardeners will follow. Next month will be a week of craft making for various holidays. The library's summer reading program, part of a year long "Little House" theme, will feature an exploration of Pioneer life. In August Beezy will most likely attend another VBS, and soccer will begin! There are many more such activities available for children all summer and into fall. These programs are all affordable, and some are even free.

Don't forget to keep your children reading all summer (and read to them as well)! It is of the utmost importance that reading be a pleasurable activity for the duration of a person's life. Encourage reading of the classics, with their rich language and literary substance. Children who enjoy and excel at reading high quality literature usually have a corresponding proficiency in writing, spelling, and grammar.

Vacations, travel, outdoor play, and increased time with family and friends are all part of the special joys of summer, so relax while feeling confident that all of life is learning, and learning never ends!