The Natives are Restless

so we'll be away over the weekend doing loads of catching

up with our family and visiting the coolest places :D!!!

But I need to focus, because I'd really like to share some of my thoughts from this week. Whilst our math and language arts curriculum has been employed as per usual we've been on a little hiatus from our other regular curriculum.

I've been reflecting on how learning just happens, it seems, with a good combination of enthusiasm and guidance on our part. If I had a motto to live by regarding homeschool education (so far :P), it would simply be "opportunity and exposure".

I look upon my role in our homeschool family life as a facilitator. It's my job to give our boys plenty of opportunity to enjoy real life. We love our regular visits to Gallerys, Museums and Librarys. I take them Shopping with me and give them a chance to pay for our purchases. Occasionally they get to keep the small change if they can work out the change correctly or can tell me what coin it is. They find that pretty motivating! We play at Parks and go to Cafe's for a coffee and Milkshake. I take them bushwalking regularly and we don't always take our art pads and pastels, sometimes we just go to explore and don't follow the regular path. We make mistakes and we get a bit off track. Sounds a little bit like our homeschool but when I 'm their enthusiastic guide, homeschool life, with or without their extra curriculum, is great.

They are always learning so much.

I allow us as their guide to understand that truly wise saying, 'Mistakes are opportunities to learn'.

Last week we went to a favourite little bush spot that's only about ten acres, so the chances of getting lost are very slim. We left the path and followed the creeks and billabongs back to the road. It was a bit of a trek but eventually my boys could identify the road noise and figured out how to walk through the scrub back to civilization. I love that they now know how to do this , they have lived it. I'm hoping that that through opportunities like this they'll learn to trust their instincts.

Kookaburra's poor little heart raced with misgivings about the venture but he told me later that of course he trusts Mummy because he knows I would never let anything happen to them, sweet kid. So really, we're also building our relationships, particularly trust and humour.

Look who they get to meet when they're out there :)

And the sights they can see.

The Life they can observe and think about.

Kangaroo has been playing around with these matching cards. Sorting them in various ways and concentrating on the activity for long periods. But if I asked him to do this he would not give it the same attention and enthusiasm. He wouldn't be
as internally motivated. Natural math in action.

I think that by my acting as the enthusiastic facilitator in our boys Home ed journey and when I provide them with 'opportunity and exposure', whether it may be out bushwalking or the numerous other outside the home, every day type activities, they are getting a chance to really participate in life. But there is balance to all this roaming and exploring.

Our little life happens very slowly. If we do too much, not only is it exhausting for everyone ,but there isn't time for reflection and savouring of the moments, ideas and life's lessons that have come to us.

Enjoying Domino's together.

So we do spend a good deal of our time here at Little House.

Kookaburra and Kangaroo shared a connection over the question marks in their books and built it with domino's. That's what Kookaburra is laughing hysterically at. Fruit Loop!

So much trust in those sweet little eyes, it makes my heart ache.

Playing out that they are John Henry digging out a railroad
with their big 'hammers', just after Dada finished
reading a book on American Legends.

Our home is really special, it's more than just our home it's also our book haven. Using Sonlight literature, The Well Trained Mind, Ambleside and good book guides like Honey for A Child's Heart to lead me, I have for years haunted the op shops, second hand online book stores and the book depository collecting the gems that line our book shelves.

Building Hideaways and playing Hermits after reading a chapter from A Little Bush Maid by Mary Grant Bruce, whilst we are fortunate to own the book, the story is available on LibriVox.

If my children are surrounded by the opportunity to grab a book, and it can be the same book again and again, then they are repeatedly exposed to great ideas whenever they want. Our home is immersed in opportunity to learn something new. We can act on the ideas that are introduced by role playing and dressing up. If we want to take it further we can scour the internet to search for more information on a subject. If we want to do an activity that they are motivated to do, I can help them make it happen.

I think I enjoy life as a homeschool mum most when I do act as their enthusiastic co-learner and as facilitator for their ideas. When I'm guiding them and not pushing and demanding.

Whilst I'm not sure if I'll give my set curriculum, my safety net, the flick and just natural learn full time, it sure is interesting reflecting on natural learning when it happens .

My poor little hermit experimenting with vinegar, soap and dirt :D
I thought he was filthy but happy. He thought it was awesome
and he had made loads of 'discoveries'!

Just one last thing before I say sweet dreams. Through our readings this week I was prompted to dig up some Discovery kids videos on Youtube. If you and yours are looking for an educational alternative to the box, that is entertaining, informative, and inspiring than have a quick squiz at this. There are vid's on so many clever, famous people, from Alexander Graham Bell, Louis Pasteur, The Wright Brothers, Beethoven and so many, many more. I hope you like it as much as we do. Last night we got a little glimpse into Galileo's life! Very exciting :D

I think I should apologize, just in case. If none of this or only some of it is coherent and makes sense I do have to admit to getting a fair wack in the face earlier this evening and am developing a beautiful black eye. Stupidly, I turned suddenly around when helping to clear out the boot for our trip this weekend and it was just as Mr E was closing the boot up. My face connected with it's nearly full force and the result is swelling, a possible black eye and a few cuts and one poor Mr E. Feeling ever so guilty over my poor thinking :)