Wednesday, March 4, 2009

If I were a Sunbeam

Abby is reading "If I were a Sunbeam," from McGuffey's Second Eclectic Reader out loud to me. She is curled up on the couch, I in the blue chair, and I am so enjoying just watching her. I usually will sit and listen all attentive, but this is so cute and I am so reflective that I just had to blog it as it is happening.

I love homeschooling. I didn't until this year. Actually I didn't until I "unschooled" myself. There is a difference you know, between "learning" and "schooling." You who are homeschooling or are thinking of doing so, the quicker you delete the mental picture of rows of desks, a teacher's desk, and alphabet cards lining the ceiling of the "school room," the happier you will be. Home is a school house, and learning happens all day, not only from 9-3:15. After I came out of my ABEKA depression I have enjoyed our days of school at home. No family will work well being run the same as another, so with home educating. This one is hands-on, this one is a book learner....do what works for you and for goodness sake get your Hubby's approval so you are a team working together. (More on this later, I am going to get to me enjoying Abbs..)

(Yes I totally need new lampshades.....pretend not to notice!)

So back to the sunbeam...... the words are flowing out of her delicate mouth whistling as they reach the whole where her bottom middle tooth used to be. It.is.precious. She is telling me the sunbeam is going here and there, and I begin the reading thinking that if I were a sunbeam I would get into Dunkin' Donuts asap. Then half way through the poem she wins me over. The frustrations over lunch are gone, the extra cleaning due to clumsiness on my part this morning are all but forgotten, and I am watching her and telling her how to pronounce, "hovels." Her hair is extra curly this afternoon since we gave it a trim after breakfast and I am just loving her in her sweetness and white socks and jean jumper. And from her neck hangs a sparkly locket which holds a picture of her Dad and I which you would think was the earth's most prized possession. "As God has blessed you, scatter light divine, for there is no sunbeam, but must die or shine." She finishes looking at me for the okay to go on to the next page, smiling half-mischievously,



But I ask her to read it to me again, and I enjoy her. This afternoon SHE is a sunbeam to me.


4 comments:

  1. Isn't it wonderful to feel free!?!?! :D

    Homeschooling is a breeze, and lo and behold even a JOY, for me this year! There was a point {as you well know ;)} when I seriously doubted my ability to survive this whole homeschooling experience with my sanity in tact, and I'm being totally serious here. Josh can vouch for the fact that I almost didn't make it. Words cannot express my dislike for A Beka.

    I'm so glad we get to go through all these learning experiences together. Don't know what I'd do without you!

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  2. I am fascinated by the idea of not using a set curriculum, but horrified at the same time. Maybe it's because I have only one in school. I like knowing for sure what level we are at, and I'm just a little intimidated by the idea of winging it. I'm happy for those who are able to do so, though, as it does seem like a much more carefree way of doing things. For right now I'm going to stick with the flashcards and desks. ;)

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  3. We do use things out of curriculums, just don't make things a huge production, or bigger and more expensive than they need to be. Saxon Math is great and we also like the Phonics beginning from ABEKA. Many places just make you "FEEL" like you are not a good teacher, when in reality you have been teaching your children since birth. You didn't need any special curriculum to teach them to talk, did you? Anyhow, do what works for you, and when you know your state's requirements and scope and sequence, (what they should know by the end of whatever grade)then how they learn all that is up to you as a parent...and some imagination! I totally believe that what you are doing you need to do decently and in order, but goodness sakes, it can be fun for the whole family and you learn more as well. If you give kids a love of learning that will keep them learning all their life. Anywhoo....just some thoughts!!! :-)

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  4. Someone at our homeschool group was just telling me about a curriculum called World Adventure. I haven't looked it up yet, but it sounded very interesting. It's a unit study system and you do a lot of reading (books that you can get from the library). The whole curriculum is based on history (from a Christian world-view). I'm going to check it out. A Beka is fine for us for kindergarten, but I have a feeling that I'm going to want to start exploring other options. It's just that I do enjoy having that teacher guide as a fall-back.

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