Meetings of a good sort
In the last post I wrote about the joys of Jolabokaflod. This time I’m writing about the joys of my new “book meetings” with Ray as we kick off her 3rd Grade year. She is making the transition in school from learning to read to reading to learn, and so she has many books to read on her own. Sonlight (our chosen curriculum) curates truly excellent literature ranging from historical fiction to biographies, all of them focused on American history this year. Along with the chosen books they send a short list of questions per chapter to go through. I’ve tossed those out in favor of a Book Club with open-ended questions that occurs once she has completed a book. It’s an experiment to see if this engages her imagination and delight more than reading a little bit and verbally answering a set of right/wrong questions.
We’ve done several Book Clubs so far and they’ve been better than I could have hoped for. I get to hear her thoughts and ideas and opinions while she develops confidence I was unintentionally scaring out of her with the binary questions during previous school read-alouds. Alongside the Book Club we have had one Word Meeting. As she reads on her own she writes down words she doesn’t understand or can’t figure out in context. Then we gather those up with the book, pull out our dictionary, and figure them out together. This picture was at our Word Meeting and her face is pretty much a mirror of mine. Honestly, homeschooling is so often a deep joy to us. My “I will never do that” has become delightful work filling my days.
Marsha Wolfe
I believe that when I was homeschooling my children a love of learning was reborn in me. I got to read all the classics that I did not read during my secular public school days. Enjoy your journey.
Hannah author
Oh yes!! I am just exactly there right now. I love getting a chance to “do it over” for myself!! We’ve embraced so many things I never did in my own education. It’s also such a good reminder on the days I feel like I must not be doing enough; no matter how or where you school your children, there will be gaps. I’m eating up this opportunity to fill in my own!
Vickie Garrison
Hannah, I am so proud of you. From one home schooler (we home-schooled our 2 sons through High School) to another, you are doing a great job! Instead of learning being a task, you are keeping learning as a wonderful adventure. That is what learning is all about. Keep the door open to discovery this amazing life God gives us. You go girl! keep up the great work, and one day your children will rise up and call you “Blessed!”. Love, Vickie Garrison (From Tramway Community in Albuquerque, NM back in the day.)
Hannah author
Oh, hello!!! It’s hard to believe how “back in the day” TCC was for me, but we do think of you guys often!! Brian has still never been to NM, but it’s our goal to return and see you guys again! This is such an encouraging comment. I feel as though I’m kind of “cheating” a bit, though that’s not really the word I’m looking for. The moms who homeschooled even just a decade or two ago had a much more challenging task than those of us doing it now. The resources and help and encouragement from all who came before and blazed the trail are indispensable. You have my utmost respect and gratitude. Much love to you guys!!
Esther C
Everything about this post just makes me smile. And I love your “word meeting”. I’d like to implement that with my students!