Walking Therein

Where Are You 'Home' Schooling?

   We have tried several different methods as far as where we homeschool:

1. We tried individual desks. This was me at the pinnacle of 'emulating the ps.' Hmm.... I really didn't know of any other way to do it. We have come so far since then!  Actually, it worked with 1dd16, and she rather liked it.  I think it worked with the first 2 or 3, but, after that, it becomes as impossible as a "real school setting" - well, it did for us, anyway. It didn't allow the children to all learn together, which we do now.  1dd16 does still have fond memories of it, though.
2. About 5 years ago, dh, Matt, fixed up the old detached garage into a quaint little room for us to house all of our homeschooling in. It worked well in the warmer months, but we lacked adequate heating and found ourselves in the house. After a couple of years, we had collected so many books that we found the space just wasn't adequate and moved inside permanently. However ~ now we use it as our CropShop, so it still worked out dandy!!
3. The Kitchen Table - What can I say? It works well, until it is time for lunch or we run into the dinner hour. We love doing it all together around the table. We can do one project together or allow some to do things on their own while I work with individuals or the Littles all together. Then comes lunchtime, and we have to put everything away and prepare lunch, only to get it all out again.
4. Our School Table - ok... well, it is actually in the "Parlor", just another room where we put a large table. We can leave our books and projects and such out when we go to prepare and eat lunch. It is also in a room where we can shut the door and keep out the Littles. We clean it up after "school-time" each day. If any one the children want to do a project or schoolwork or even to color pictures, it is a place to do so. It is also where we have sat and read the Bible. prayed, memorized Scripture.  Whenever we have to use a table to learn on, this is where we do it.
5. Our Family Room - It is a toss-up between this room and the Dining Room Table (or outside, some seasons) as to what is most-used or our favorite.  Probably this room. Only because we can spread out on the couches or the floor; I can sit at the sewing able; we can all relate and talk and learn about so many things. This is also where we watch videos or programs we can discuss as a family.
6. The Dining Room Table - I am happy to say that we do all sit together for dinner, whether here at this table or in the Family Room on trays. Mealtime is probably one of the best places to teach children social graces and manners that they will use for the rest of their lives.  Of course, children will be shaped in every area of our homes as homeschoolers, but, the dinner table is a time where we can all come together and eat and drink and be merry... sharing our interests, loves, hopes, discouragements. We can all give thanks to our God for his provision and love for us, laugh together, learn together.
7. Outside - Wow.... when I started this list, I did not realize that we really do homeschool ALL OVER the homestead! There are so many things our children have learned outside. We have sided, roofed, etc. our home. We have a good-sized garden with so many lessons learned. It's no wonder Jesus used so many examples in His teachings of planting and reaping, etc. We do science projects outside. We can teach our children how to take care of our home inside and out. How to make a beautiful place to live and still use all of the space God gave us. We study His creation and all about it; drawing, catching critters, watching weather. So much to do!!

I am thankful God has brought us to where we are today in our homeschool. There have been many changes, and I am sure there will be many more. We have also done school in 10 different places. Since some of them were relatives' homes, our homeschooling has sometimes been creative, but God is all-knowing in where He places us. It has been a fantastic journey so far, and I am looking forward to graduating our first, then 2nd, 3rd.... as well as planning high school for our first boy.  Then, there are the other 3 to start.... What a lot to look forward to.

Untitled Comment

9:40 PM, Tuesday, July 25, 2006 .. Posted by babymakers

It is amazing how you change as the time goes by. I know when I started we also copied the ps and now we have slowly changed and become alomost unschoolers. We also started out with desks. Now who knows where we are learning. It is nice to know there are others out there that change as much as we do.

I love how you showed....

10:17 AM, Wednesday, July 26, 2006 .. Posted by Canadagirl

that a learning is NOT confined to a desk. It is everywhere and in everything. PTL ! I was soooo amazed at how much I learned about God's word by gardening. Verses would pop in my mind as I would see things grow . God really did come down to where we are and show his wonders. Our God is Awsome God and he Does Reign. I am sooooooo missing my garden and I can't belive I am saying that. In the past I Always refered to it as my Husband's Garden and I was just a helper here and there. I watered mainly and weeded a little bit. My main job was to harverst and preserve. I think God let this happen so NEXT year I will be more than willing to go help with the garden Wow, there you go God was changing my heart again. LOL. Love ya SSIC .
In Him,