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3:13:00 PM EDT
Feeling Happy
homeschooling heaven
There are some days that just feel right.
Because we were all so worn out from the busy day yesterday, we slept in until noon. When I woke up, with Shelby at my breast and Tabitha sleeping curled against me, I felt so grateful to have these precious children in my life. There were so many years I used to cry and long for children. I never forget those dark days of infertility and miscarriage.
It is windy and dark outside, so Tabitha brought in DooDoo from the deck and left him in the computer room, ruffling his feathers and looking a bit put out. We have to keep the door closed because we are dogsitting two more greyhounds, Shy Girl and Dylan. Did you ever see the movie A Christmas Story, where that pack of hounds runs through and steals the turkey? That is what my house looks like right now. Large dogs everywhere. At least they don't shed or bark.
Tabitha built a fire in the fireplace. Mandy was already awake, sitting on the fold out bed of the leather couch, writing in her Bird Journal. Tabitha dragged out a lot of art supplies and started making get well cards for The Laird, who is in the hospital, and Steven, also in the hospital. Shelby was carrying around her new whale and cuddling it.
Since they were busy, I did not make them start on The Odious Workbooks. After an hour or so, Tabby jumped up and said she was going to bake a cake. So she made us a yummy Devil's Food cake. Mandy kept on writing in her journal, correcting the spelling and making an essay out of the notes she took yesterday watching an Eyewitness Video on birds.
Last night was the first time we have ever formally taken notes during a video. Each girl stopped the video at points, writing down what they felt was important. If you have never seen the Eyewitness series of videos on nature, they are incredible. We learned a lot about birds last night...did you know birds have the highest body temperature of any warm blooded animal?
Around 2:30 PM Rachel called and asked the girls to walk down to Cafe Istanbul to get baklava. Although they have done little formal "school" today, I let them go. Cafe Instabul is an educational experience in itself. I am so glad that my children know many good Muslims, so they do not buy into the racism currently projected against all of Islam. The people at Cafe Istanbul are warm and loving, and gracious in the extreme. Click here: Cafe Istanbul Turkish at its best
I've had a few people question me on the value of spending so much time on a single subject, like birds, when they "should" be learning about more scholarly subjects. Who decides what knowledge is valuable? Now that the Internet has exploded the world of human knowledge and made so much information available at our fingertips, I think that the Process of learning is more important than the Content, at least in some regards. Spending time researching a subject, sifting through facts and opinions and melding personal experiences, drawing your own conclusions--- these are important skills for anyone to possess.
Besides, it is fun. Life is supposed to be enjoyable.
When they return from Cafe Instanbul, we'll "do some more school".
Homeschooling is one of my Sacred Cows. :-) http://www.emilyproject.org/
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I always enjoy reading what you have all done for the day. Sound like a perfect morning! I wish when I was in school we would have spend more time on learning how to do research. I think you are doing an amazing job with your kids! They are very luck to have a mom who truly cares about what they learn and how they learn it!
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sounds like an awesome day.
Rose -
I think you are doing a great job with your kids and homeschooling....I love reading about all the things your family does.
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I know there were times in school that I wished we would stay on a certain subject longer.
9/17/04 10:11 PM
Candace