Field Trip "How To"

When our older boys were younger we went on some field trips with the home education group we belonged to.

I know that some folk love groups for various reasons, but for our boys it was a drudgery and spoiled the potential for a good time when we met with others to look through a historic house, or visit the local animal park etc.

With this memory in mind I watched to see what would happen yesterday as I let the children set the pace at the animal park.

Two of the little boys had trouble slowing down, wanting to race from one place to the next, hardly seeing any detail, another boy was more careful about his observations, and the girl with the lovely camera needed time and space to interact with the animals slowly.

The challenge for me then was to meet all the needs as best I could.  And take photos with the 2nd best camera.   And look after the baby.

The solution saw us pretty much racing around all exhibits to the start again, then going a little slower the 2nd time missing the animals they had no interest in, and then separating to allow the older ones to stand quietly and study their favourite animals. 

There was, fortunately, a large springless trampoline installed in the playground and so the guy with far too much energy was able to stay relatively happy enclosed in one spot.

I would like to encourage each family to look at what works best for them in relation to field trips.  Do the children enjoy the company of other families?  Do you enjoy the company of another adult?  Are you still able to happily interact with your children if there are too many people/distractions?    If there is a conflict of interests can you find a solution if you have a meeting about it?

Let me know how your family does "field trips".   All comments welcomed!

Let's talk about "phases"

Whether a phase lasts a day, a week, a month or years and years phases are WONDERFUL.

We often hear the use of the word "phases" in a negative way as in "He's going through a very disobedient phase" or "she is going through a phase of rolling her eyes at me".

Not so in our house!    Phases, to us, are a time spent being involved somehow in something of interest.

Our oldest son, now an adult, and still enjoying phases thanked me the other day, for allowing him the space and encouragement to be involved in various phases.

Look at your children now, unless they have had all the life and enjoyment sapped out of them they are SURE to have at least one phase, one thing they are interested in at the moment.

Is it:  underwater creatures, space, cowboys, the great plague, model planes, Spanish, the Artic, collecting and using art equipment, the digestive system, teabags, Action Men, rocks and minerals, permaculture, German folk music, vintage tractors, doodling, helicopters, war machines, chickens, collecting and reading books, photography, natural skincare, aromatherapy, Japanese architecture, bones, piano, stationery, pregnancy and childbirth, motors, steam trains, paper planes, Gerry Anderson and every series he made, everything he said and all the books he is mentioned in ...???

Our daughter has many phases on the go at one time, going back and forth as the desire strikes.  If her interest in one wanes, she turns to another, ensuring that her enjoyment and  receptability (is that a real word?) for more and new information is not squelched.

All phases have the potential for learning so much rich information.  If you are able to keep the lines of communication wide open, and discuss things with your child then if they start to be interested in something inappropriate I suggest you pray for wisdom in how to deal with it, and discuss that WITH them too.

A WARNING - I believe some children's lovely phases can be wrecked by an overzealous parent turning the phase into something "schooly".


However, providing materials or opportunities for the phase, allowing time and listening to the person talking about their phase is a FANTASTIC way to support and encourage phases.

In The Real World and Have The T-Shirts! A post by Toni

A question we were sometimes asked when we told people we home educated was "How will you teach your daughter to get on in the real world?" I believe our day to day lives have answered that question.

Recently we joined the "Friends of Rotoiti", a group of volunteers who go out on a fortnightly basis in the winter and a weekly basis in the summer, to trap mainly rats in the Nelson Lakes National Park.

Amber is very interested in birds and she enjoys this activity not only for the social contact but because it helps to protect something which she is passionate about. Through our involvement with the group we have met interesting people, local people, people of mixed age, people who work for DOC, and people from other related organisations. We have been to meetings (very grown up) and experienced how things are done in a "worky, real worldy" environment.

We love the freedom to spend our time on this, Amber's delight lead interest.

Now is normal, however, in the future "now" will be the past

When I think of "the past" I think of what was "normal" -  the house I grew up in, people we knew who lived near, school, Girls' Brigade, shops like Curries in Stoke where I bought pencils and little books to write in, Hurst and Taylor the chemist where, after some serious saving up I bought a "grown up" handcream set, and Tratherns in Nelson where there was always a sale on.

When I was in my late teens and early 20's "normal" included going to Polytech, working in the city, whizzing around the shops in my lunch hour, taking the bus to work every day ...

This is now totally foreign to how I live now.   What happened to "Granny Scotts Bakery" where I bought my favourite blueberry pies?   And that beautiful hushed, thickly carpeted jewellery store with the expensive trinkets and baubles where I purchased probably the cheapest thing they had, but in my eyes, the most beautiful - a cut-glass teardrop shaped pendant.

With these thoughts running around my mind recently I stood in the supermarket, watching my wonderful seven year old unload the trolley and put everything onto the conveyor belt.  The other children were sitting on the bench seat at the end of the checkouts, swinging their legs and looking around,  and I thought "This is NOW.  This is what the children are going to remember "going to the shops" was like when they were young.  This is normal for them. This is THEIR TIME."

So on the way home we took a photo account of "their neighbourhood" from the shops home.  One day it won't be like this for them.

I guess Mummies can be so caught up in the moment that we forget that the moment passes so very quickly.  Some afternoons it can feel like years since I got out of bed in the morning, and weeks till bedtime.

But it isn't.  Time is an unusual thing, created by God for humans.  When our older boys start to talk with Daddy about time and space it gives me a headache and I am happy to remain trustingly clueless on this subject.

But, for now, here are some of our photos for you to enjoy.

CELEBRATING THE SEASON

For a few years now I've been looking for a resource to teach us about the seasons.  Not just the four seasons, but the intricacies of every little bit of each season.   I haven't found anything suitable, and resigned myself to the fact that I would have to make it!

 We were reading a children's story once about a kid that was born on a farm (kid being baby goat - NB my mother taught me that young people are children, not kids, and I stick to that!) - well, the kid was born on the farm, and at the same time the farmer was picking apples.  Something seemed a bit odd, so I thought about it ... kids are normally born in either mid-winter (although that is not the best idea) to early summer (unless the buck has escaped his paddock ... but I don't think that would happen in a children's story), and apples are picked in late summer through to late autumn ...

When I think of all the seasonal knowledge that country folks of old had I am sad we are losing the ability to remember when things happen during the year.

I wanted the children to be able to remember when our favourite foods were in season, when lambs were born, why we like spring and autumn so much ...

And so last year in September we started our "Seasons" poster.

It's been really fun adding things as they happen - seasonal doings plus family events.

Here are some of our entries:

September:  early spring
willow trees start to get leaves
lots of pollen
mandarins finish
spring bulbs flowering
swallows visiting

December:  early summer
heavy rain
lots of bees
tree fell on driveway
picnic area is lovely and shady and cool


February:  late summer
Daddy cut trees down
bird scaring guns going off in raspberry gardens over the back
very windy
we got a piano
making small hay bales with the machine Daddy made

April:  mid autumn
first snow on mountains
wasps!  horrors!
collecting leaves for raised garden
lots of fallen apples with wasps and chickens


July:   mid winter
first calves
weather bitterly cold
still planting trees
paradise ducks
we all had colds

I encourage you to have a go at this - we're getting ready to make another one for the next year.

A TRIP AND A TREAT

Due to a few factors we've been rather housebound lately.

Today we set off for one of our favourite spots.

  

After a while one of our little guys thought he saw a dog swimming in the water, I wasn't watching too closely, I was supervising what was going into the mouth of the baby.

Very soon I heard delighted squeals "It's a seal!  IT'S A SEAL!"  Almost right!  It was a sea lion. (we looked it up again when we got home to be sure).

A little cutie.

The seal enjoyed the company of the children for quite a long time, then he/she headed off with the tide around the corner.   What a treat!

Many years back, at this same spot when our older boys were young we saw Orca!  It's a fantastic spot.

We had a nice play, then a snack then the baby needed to sleep, so we headed off.  To everyone's surprise he did actually fall asleep, after a fair amount of noise. 
   

We found a nice spot to explore on the way home - somewhere we'd never stopped before.    I stayed in the van with the baby and did a little artwork.  I'm working on a piece for a friend.   It's helping me calm down when things get too stressful.

I'm using a black Sakura Micron Pigma 03 pen for the outline, and Sakura Metallic Gelly Roll pens for the colour - I love those pens!

Baby woke, and cried all the way home - then remembered one reason we've been more or less housebound for the last 8 months!    Some babies travel well,  others don't.  It's just a short season hopefully.

IF YOU CAN BEAR TO CUT UP A BOOK

We have been given a few books - the photographs were lovely, but I didn't like the written content or the illustrations.  So this gave me the perfect excuse to cut the book up!

I started to make these small posters, then ran out of time, so my daughter finished it for me, and then one of the little boys helped me pin them up on the board we have in the bathroom.  Very nice!

People are reading, or not reading, and looking, or not looking - depending on who they are and what mood they are in.  I am not going to spoil lovely pictures by making people have a "reading lesson".

 

A PLAY FOR ONE ACTOR OR ACTRESS

Just recently our daughter has been going through a "I want to put a play on" phase.   None of the little boys have been willing to join with her on this venture, so far, so we looked for some "one person plays".   Nothing suitable.  As usual.  

However, last week she performed her first play for us - "The Parable Of The Lost Coin".  The set was delightful, the acting perfect, and of course, the actress was stunning.

This week she is working on a play that I whipped up for her during quiet time today whilst she held the baby.

In case any of your children are looking for a one person play, perhaps this might encourage them to start.

Happy acting!


Stage is empty except for chair and table. On table is small cup with a candle in it.

  (actor looks off stage, speaking, as if to other actors just leaving the stage)


ok then, see you later. Pardon? (cups ear)


Yes, yes, I'll meet you about 7. I just have to stay behind and practice a little more. The director was NOT happy with me tonight, just give me half an hour …


(laughs as if someone said something funny)


… I know! You wouldn't think so would you!! Ok, sure, see you.


(turns back towards a chair on the stage.)


Right. I am going to do this over and over until I can get it right. I really don't think I warmed up enough tonight, no wonder I was in trouble for getting my lines wrong.


  Oh – I know what the problem is … the chair is too far away from the table.


(fiddles around with the chair, putting it on different angles, standing back, looking at it, moving it again)


That's better, yes.


(sits down on chair, stands up, moves it again, sits down)


Right – oh, and the table didn't have a cloth on it! That's what put me off! Where was that cloth last night? Did someone take it home to wash … I can't remember – OH! I see it. Yes, yes, yes, now … here we go.


(takes the cup and candle off the table, puts them on the chair, spreads the cloth square-wise puts everything back on, sits on the chair. Looks at the table, leans arm on table.)


Dramatically The trouble with you Perciville - OH!


(stands up quickly, removes the cup and candle, puts them on the chair)


The cloth was the other way!! Of course, now it's better. Yes, much better. And the cup went there, and the candle was there, but it was lit of course, nevermind I can just pretend


  (squints at candle)


  Yes, I can pretend … or should I light it?


(rushes off stage, comes back with a large bag, rustles around in bag, can't find what she wants)


Hmph! Alright I'll pretend.


(Throws bag to the side, not realising the handle is sticking out)


(sits on the chair. Looks at the table, leans arm on table. Pauses)


Dramatically The trouble with you Perciville is that – OH NO!


(hits table with palm of hand)


Now I've forgotten the next bit. Where's the script?


(Jumps up and goes to run off-stage but gets foot tangled in bag strap and lands flat on face)


ARGH! Oh dear, at least nobody saw me.


(looks up in horror over the heads of the audience)


Oh, hello! I thought everyone had gone



(gets up, brushing herself off, forced laughter, picking up bag, sorting things out, moving chair)


no, no I'm fine, just a little spill, really, quite fine, no problem, yes, that's right, they're all going to the library and I'm going to meet them there – just wanted to practice a bit more, get it right – you know, yes that's right opening night tomorrow. Ok, thanks then. See you later!


(waits till she is sure they have gone then sits down again in the chair and stares into space for a second).


That's right! I've got it now .. finally. Ok


Dramatically The trouble with you Perciville is that one never quite knows when you are telling the truth.


(Breaks out of character - jumps up from chair! Clapping hands and then packing everything off the table into the bag)


Hurray!! I did it, I got it right. I was brilliant. I am READY for opening night!! Off the library to celebrate!


(drops the candle, doesn't notice, knocks over the chair, doesn't notice, puts bag down to turn light off, and leaves bag there by accident. Exits stage)

LEARNING CURVE

Well, this has been an interesting start!

The first few blog posts for Christian Natural Learning are over at Weebly  I will try and copy them here for the sake of tidiness - but lack of time may prevent this!!

Due to extreme frustration with the Weebly site we've come back to good old Blogspot.

My 12 year old daughter has set this up for us and when I have time I will be posting like mad to keep up with the interest our blog has attracted!

Thanks for reading ... watch this space!