Portable Homeschool

Tuesday Thing1 had an allergist appointment in the Fort.  After the appointment, the receptionist asked if he needed a note for school.  I replied that I am his school.

Tuesday was the first time our school was portable.  I packed up school for my kids and took it with us.  I had flashbacks of doing math in the dentist office, in the car, at other people's houses.  I even remember doing school at The Husband's house (before he was a husband).

One of my memories is doing school in a hotel room, probably in about third grade.  It was fractions.  I remember lying on the hotel bed trying to work fast so we could swim in the hotel's pool, but I kept getting distracted by the little kids watching PBS. 

The drawback to being portable is that self-proclaimed truant officers feel compelled to ask, "So, are we playing hookey today?"

Portability is another reason I am happy to homeschool.

Just some thoughts after one of those "full circle" days.

Old Photos, Old Stories

During a recent visit with my grandfather, I borrowed a few old photographs to scan into my computer.  It is very interesting to me to see the resemblances of family members, but the most intriguing thing is the ability to catch a glimpse into their lives.  When I look at the pictures, I so desperately want to put myself in their shoes and imagine what it was like to live then and there.  In fact, unless there was something written about the photo or unless there is someone who was there telling me about it, my imagination is all I have.

For example, I have always liked this picture and imagined my newlywed grandparents were dressed up to go to some special occasion.

Come to find out, per my grandfather, they were just going to the neighboring apartment complex to play Bridge with some friends.  Can you believe how dressy they were to just go to a friend's house?  We don't even dress this well to go to church.  This reminds me of Andy Griffith or Dick Van Dyke shows when the characters donned a suit coats and bow ties to go to a neighbor's house for supper.  This photo is evidence that real-life people actually did that! 

Here is what I don't know:  Did my grandmother ever get frustrated living across the United States from her family while my grandfather was stationed in California or was she happy to embark on an adventure?  Did she make friends easily or was it hard for her?  Was their transition into married life calm or stormy?

This photo of my dad (on the left) is funny to me because it looks so much like Thing2 (right), only it was taken almost 50 years ago.

From my grandfather, I know that my grandmother loved to dress the boys up to take their pictures.  I also know that she liked to sew. (She was a home economics teacher for awhile.)  Also, I know she had two sons just like me and wanted a daughter but never had one.

Here is what I don't know:  Did her Thing2 act like mine as much as he looked like mine?  Where did she buy their clothes or did she use hand-me-downs?  How did she handle daily life with the kids?  How did she handle discipline?  What was her relationship like with her husband, mother, siblings, etc.?  How about this:  Was it common for little boys to wear white socks with black pants when they dressed up, or was that just a cute mistake?

I love to look at these photographs, but I crave to see a journal or some letters or something that would tell me more than just what they looked like.  I am satisfied that if my kids or grandkids ever wonder what I thought, they can look back at journals or blog posts and learn a lot.  Maybe too much.  But if any of my descendents are like me, they will be happy to learn which challenges and joys are unique to them in their eras and which ones transcend decades and that they have in common with their parents and grandparents.

Meanwhile, I am happy to look at these priceless photographs and ask questions of the ones who might remember...

Question:  Do you keep a journal?  Please comment!

Shared with Gratituesday.

Something I read today from The Christian Pathway, February 2011 Issue:

Young gentlemen, the time in which you live and are destined to act your part in human affairs is more propitious than the period fo your fathers, who had to expel the enemy, establish our independence, and pay the vast debt incurred; all of which they have done, and left a rich inheritance to their children. your eyes, your countenances, assure me that you are now resolving that you will not waste what your fathers have left you; but, by observing their sentiments and imitating their manners, you will add thereto. Go on, adn keep in view that truth, honesty adn industry will conduct you throughj teh world with reputation. Should any of you be poor, mind one rule - let your expenses be less than your income, and never put off for tomorrow what shoudl be done today.

Watch the measures pursued by the rulers. Legislative usurpation over the rights of indiiduals is as dangerous as executive patronage. Give in your votes at the polls with sentimental independence, and acquiesce in the results of the election. A majority may vote wrong, but the right of free suffrage will correct that error when it is made manifest. (Elder John Leland, from an address delivered on August 16, 1839)

O Pioneers

I am preparing to homeschool my children. The concept is not new to me; I am a 12-year homeschool graduate. But something occurred to me recently with profound relevance. God used my parents, first generation homeschoolers, pioneers, to prepare me for this. They are the ones who figured out the basics such as laws, support groups, and daily logistics. They sampled a myriad of curricula, schedules, and methods. For their own reasons, they wanted to give their children something better. They wanted to give us something better than the status quo and better than their own educations.

I cannot tell if I would have chosen to homeschool my kids if I hadn't been homeschooled...But if I did, I know I wouldn't have as clear a direction as I do now. If I were starting from scratch, simply inquiring about the laws regarding homeschool would be daunting. Then I would have to start digging for information about support groups and homeschool-friendly extra-curricular activities. Thanks to the pioneers, I know where to go for state laws. Thanks to the pioneers, I have watched a support group built from the ground up and have personal acquaintances in groups that have choirs, bands, and basketball teams.

Perhaps the best advantage of being a second generation homeschooler is that the pioneers tried everything. Just looking at a Rainbow Resource catalog makes my head spin. I love books. Forgetting financial restraints, I would buy them all. But then what? Should I use a Classical approach or Montessori? Unschooling or traditional classroom? I know me. I would end up buying a curriculum in a box so I wouldn't risk leaving anything out and because I simply would not have time to research all the models and options. That would be okay. After all, it is what the pioneers did sometimes. But I have an advantage. I have already dabbled in most of them. I already know what I like and dislike. I know I would rather use something more stimulating than questions and answers but more structured than a relaxed approach. I choose Classical, as in The Well-Trained Mind (although I also learned from the pioneers that I have permission to change my mind at any time), but I wouldn't know this yet if I were not the second generation.

I do not think the pioneers would be insulted if I said I want to improve on what they gave me just as they wanted to improve on what their parents gave them. Following the paths they cleared proves their work was worthwhile, but I will do some building along the way that would not have been possible without the groundwork they laid.

Now when I get discouraged with facing seemingly endless decisions, sometimes I forget my advantage. I forget that I should thank the pioneers for charting the course, for trying out everything, and for improving on their own experiences so that I can improve on mine.