All around me, school is in session.

Today, Wednesday, August the 16th, because we had gift certificates for such, we went together as a family and saw a movie from noon until around 2 pm, getting in at the bargain price.

Tomorrow, the three of us are heading for the TX State Homeschool Convention.  Back on Monday, perhaps earlier.

And school is still in session all around us.

I love homeschooling.

In my state we don’t have to have so many hours or days of “school.” The public schools have to have 180 days. I have always figured to use that as a “relaxed goal,” knowing if I hit it, that I’m doing pretty good. If I don’t, it’s not a horrible thing, since I truly believe that children learn 24/7, even processing & digesting information while they sleep. We go year round because of that. Well, because of that and because between Kindergarten age and 1st grade, my son lost all concept of what math was. Oh, and also because very few occupations give 2 months vacation every summer. Real life doesn’t stop like that. Real life also doesn’t have you amidst only those within a year or two of your own age, but that’s another column. Anyhow, we go year round.

We take breaks when we need them—usually a week off every 8 to 10 weeks, with 2+ weeks off around Christmas and New Year’s. We also take off as “real life” dictates. For example, my son will be starting back where he left off this next week. Three weeks ago, he went to Youth Camp thru our church. Two weeks ago, he spent the week with my father. This week, we’re all going to Houston.  I won’t technically count these 3 weeks as “school days,” but I know my son has learned valuable lesson with each of these activities.

Being an Only going to Youth Camp, he learns how to work together as a team, being a leader, having an abundance of “recesses” all rolled into a good 5 days, and having a focus upon the Lord while he was doing all of that. When he’s with his “Gramps,” he’s getting time that can’t be bought elsewhere. He’s bonding with his grandfather, and learning other things such as how to cook, hearing living history lessons, and dying to self as needed (when living with someone who has lived by himself for decades, one needs to die to self sometimes and defer to the elder). This is our first year to go to the state convention, but we have him signed up for the Teen Program. He’ll have volunteer work to do, but they’ll also have fun activities for the youth, as well as workshops and learning times, too. It’s all worthwhile things he needs to learn and be exposed to. We may also make a few stops down or on the way back, maybe even explore some back roads. In essence, it’s all school.

So all around me, school is in session.

But it’s in session every day of the year, no matter where we are and what we’re doing. Academics are important and are covered, but so are life skills and experiences, and character training is going on all the time.

We just take “school” with us, even if we don’t crack open a book. (Which isn’t very likely, since we three are all bibliophiles!) Remember, you’re a family more than an institution (school), and remember school is in session all around you whether you are inside 4 walls or not.

If you happen to be in The Woodlands (just north of Houston) this coming weekend, and attend the State Convention, look for me! I’ll be walking around with a “banner badge” (scrolling marquee on a business card-sized name badge), and speaking Saturday afternoon at 3 pm in “The Woodlands” room at The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Convention Center just off of Interstate 45.

Donna Conner lives with her husband, Glenn, their son, Mike, and their beloved dog, Lucia, and calls Fort Worth, Texas home. Donna and Glenn have been homeschooling their son since the beginning of his education. Mike completes his homeschooling within the next two years. Donna is an artist and has always enjoyed writing. She wrote Homeschooling Only One three years ago, after discovering that there were many other families homeschooling only one child. Her website is devoted to those with only one student in their homeschool, with listings of online resources. You can visit her website at http://donnac.com and read her blog at http://homeschoolblogger.com/DonnaC

copyright © 2006 Donna Conner
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