November 26, 2011 National Home Education Week The words below are from a post I created on an old blog back in November 2011. I was quoting Beverley Paine's words from an online homeschooling conference that had just been held. I actually don't remember attending this which isn't surprising since I had a 2 month old at the time. Anyway, this post was a mix of my notes that I took with my photos added.
"This past week was National Home Education Week!
I thought I would share some of the notes I took down that I loved.
{Credit given to Beverley Paine for all notes with an asterisk here that were shared in that conference :}
* The world is your classroom!
{Zippi with one of the goats at a farm we visited}
"I never teach my pupils....I only attempt to provide the conditions in which they can learn"
- Albert Einstein
Some of the Benefits of Home Education:
* Witnessing the joy of discovery & the thrill of investigation
{Making cornflour slime}
* The wonder of 'Ah ha! ' moments
{The wonder and awe of seeing tall towers in the middle of Sydney}
* Developing close enduring friendships with your children
{Enjoying one on one date nights out with our kiddos}
* Enjoying successful learning outcomes
"Education is not preparation for life, education is life itself"
- John Dewey
Some Long Term Goals of Home Education may include:
* Development of desirable character traits
* Building self confidence based on a realistic sense of self
{Liji gaining confidence in his swimming skills}
* Citizenship awareness and skills * Healthy habits that promote well being
{Daily chores are just a part of being a team at our place; working together for the common good of the whole family}
* Effective communication skills
{Stassi & my mum sharing a special chat and cuddle}
* Effective problem solving skills
* A well developed sense of community service
* Spiritual fulfilment
{Our children LOVE celebrating the Feasts with us. This was taken at our friends house during the Feast of Tabernacles}
* Strong work ethic
{The boys using their new tool kit recently; learning how to assemble a coffee table with dad}
* A sense of fun and ability to play * Develop strong personal friendships within the family
{Seeing our children learning to relate to one another in a healthy way is one of the biggest joys I get with homeschooling. Of course there are still fights (they are siblings after all!) but they really are friends now too which I think is really special}
...and with others too. * Participation & enjoyment of creative endeavours
{Painting in the park}
* Demonstration of respect for all life and the environment
{Horse riding together}
I loved this quote too: " You are not limited to six hours a day of instruction time; you have ALL day and ALL weekend, 52 weeks of EVERY year!" The other part of the online conference that I jotted down a few notes from was about recording. Why Record? * Helps our memory * Celebrates learning * Provides a springboard for further investigation * Also gives proof of learning
What to Record? * Samples demonstrating progress * Best work, developmental milestones & new abilities (rather than every single little thing!) * Children's questions & insights * Photos of art, technology, projects & excursions * Reading logs * Children's reflections in the form of a diary (I often just get them to dictate their reflections to me and I type them into a word document. Sometimes they draw a picture to go along with their written reflections) Anyway, I really enjoyed the talk I listened in on." Memories! More another time, Lusi x
PS: I have been inspired by Beverley's words for a long time now. Beverley (with her daughter April Jermey and long time homeschooler Tamara Kidd) is still creating resources for Australian homeschoolers. Check out their new products HERE.