Today We Went to School...

There's a catholic private school in town that we pass by virtually every time we go into the cbd area. We lived up the road from it for about five years and the only thought I'd given to it was to pity all the children caught behind the eight foot or so high wire fencing in their perfectly tidy and matched up dark blue on light blue uniform whilst we whizzed by on errands, playdates, excursions, lessons or what have you, thinking ourselves so smug and superior for having gotten it right on our priorities because after all... we love our children so much that we live on one income and we homeschool them. It takes a blur of motion for us to pass by the little school on its tiny block with children relegated to the individual areas and never the twain shall they meet with the 'real' world - you know the, 'How will your children cope with the real world?' comment slash accusation that's so often thrown at us, that I respond internally wittily and condescendingly with a derisive laugh tacked on for good measure, whilst responding aloud and patiently, that our children do live in the real world. Usually adding the thought that these idjits really have no clue as to what they're talking about. Obviously to me, only those who have traveled and lived the alternative path of education can have that conversation intelligently.

You know - us enlightened ones :P.

Well, today we were invited by the Visual Arts/ Drama/ Dance Teacher to this nice little school that I'd never seriously considered as an educational option for our boys. In my weaker moments the thought had crossed my mind, but so briefly and then usually the sun will come shining into our little homeschool blinding the dark from all but the corners of our little homeschool world. Once again I return from the doubt and confidence reigns supreme in our choice to homeschool.

Do you get the picture. Arrogant little person aren't I. Almost as bad perhaps as those who fail to understand homeschooling? I really haven't an honest clue of what truly lay behind those school fences, good, bad, beautiful, or ugly. From the outside I'd formed my opinion without stepping foot inside the gates or ever once speaking to a teacher from the school. I had chatted with parents, but you know you can hardly trust them (please hear my sarcasm! I'm totally making fun of myself here) - they're so biased as far as their children are concerned and the choices they make. *sigh*

So ten am we uncertainly entered the school gates. With faked confidence our trio approached the administration building and with that same pretend bravado, after all, here we are right in the lions mouth, we entered and asked for our teacher friend. I wasn't sure what to expect. Were we allowed to be here? Perhaps, and seriously and embarrassingly, I'm a dead keen conspiracy theorist here, this generous gesture to participate in an arts class at a private school with no charge or strings attached in return of an adult to assist her class , was actually a convoluted ploy in order to draw the poor deluded homeschooler out of the safety of her home and into the education mire to trap her children within the confines of the school. Whew! Way to go letting my imagination run away with me. What really happened, I'm pleased to relay, was so far removed from anything I had expected that if the opportunity presents itself for any other homeschooler to become involved in classes in a school environment I'd recommend whole heartedly a thorough exploration of the option.

Mrs V had us come visit her special arts classroom on her planning day. This beautiful lady had thought to ask my boys in to have a look around her school so they would become familiar and comfortable with the environment before attending a class. After a tour chatting companionably about the history of the school and interesting aspects of architecture unique to these older buildings and being wowed by the size of the grounds which I'd been totally deceived about from the outside looking in, we proceeded to enjoy the beautiful purpose built arts building. The colours were bright and cheerful, the walls and ceilings were hung with works produced by obviously talented students, and the materials *gasp*! There was not a space along each wall that wasn't used to hold every imaginable kid item to collage, create, inspire with. And Mrs V set Kangaroo and Kookaburra free to play. Let their imagination run wild with thoughtful, unobtrusive guidance and nay! no, No's uttered ever.

Kangaroo played superheroes and organised Mrs V
and I into a role each to play.

So this is how it is. Tuesdays we attend a Grade one drama class and on Fridays we enjoy a grade three visual arts class and in return I'll assist Mrs V as another supervising adult enabling the class to enjoy smaller groups. Both the classes that Mrs V has asked us along to has a little friend that my boys know from 'the outside'.

So often the pirate, Mrs V helped Kangaroo make
a paper captains hat to decorate.

I'm so excited.

Sculpting with wire inspired Kookaburra

It's not set in stone. The arrangement may not work out but the lesson I have today and I'm pretty good at this anyway, is to always have an open mind, be flexible and able to weigh up options with my eyes open and never model ourselves exclusively on how homeschooling has been previously 'done'. This, after all, is our story and I get to create our way of doing things and achieving our unique goals.

Kookaburra's partially completed motorbike

Also, I must admit, that this experience will help alleviate Kangaroos fear of school. The other purpose will be that if school becomes our choice of education in the future we already have a foot in the door in what appears to be a serious option. We're already on the inside of a community which we can decide whether wish to be a part of... or not.

His dexterity and commitment to working with the wire to create his motorbike impressed me.

Fingers and toes and anything else you have crossed for us that this opportunity works out. I'm gonna learn so much..... I mean, my boys are going to learn so much :D

* I've taken to writing the most enormous posts of late. I trim them, edit them and still they're too big. Sometimes I just really want to share the story and it takes on a life of it's own. I'll try to temper it with some shorter excerpts of life too but you know, I'm so sorry, it's going to be difficult to follow through :P.