I’d like to introduce myself – here is a virtual handshake for you! I’m the mom of our lovely just-turned-five-year-old, and we’re embarking on our educational journey.
Yes, I realize that learning starts from birth, and that’s one of the reasons that I want to continue the life that we’ve led so far. I love spending time with my daughter and she is somewhat of an introvert. Home and family are our safe and happy places. While we live next door to a school and may yet attend it in the future, we’re one of those new families who is shaping a hybrid homelearning experience.
What do I mean? I work outside the home several days a week, and the grandparents do child care for us during that time. For two years, my daughter attended a parent participation preschool where the children played with all sorts of wonderful materials and lessons provided by the teachers. The parents volunteered in the classroom and managed the school. This was ideal for us: six hours a week, parent involvement, wonderful teachers. I loved being able to shape my daughter’s school, and I loved it that she was still home most of the time.
This is what we’re looking to next year, too. I work at a nature center, but outside that I’m developing a forest and farm recreation program for homelearners. It will be seven hours a week, parent participation, and entirely outdoors with the occasional field trip indoors. The other times, my daughter will hang out with her grandparents or with me,unschooling and doing a little bit of school at home. We have plans for lots of music lessons too, since she loves those. It’s make your own education, and this is our plan for the next two years.
I welcome you to participate in our learning journey and to tell me about yours.