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SallyT
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So much in our life has been surprising -- that we began homeschooling at all, that we've stuck with it, that it's undergone many permutations since we began, each one of which is surprising but fitting . . .
That we became Catholic several years into our homeschooling was an unforeseen surprise (when we started homeschooling, that is -- it's not like some priests kidnapped us and converted us at gunpoint!) which changed the whole landscape, as I can look back and clearly see. I should add that the books we read in our two years of transition, mostly from the Mater Amabilis list, and especially Amy Welborn's Prove It! books, have remained steadfast favorites and must-reads for everyone at the middle-school stage.
That we've ended up in a parish which plays a central role in our family life in the way that our former Anglican parishes did has been a surprise (having come into the Church in an enormous and rather impersonal parish, where not being involved in the parish school we were always outsiders). I've been amazed at how much even my teenagers love the parish's yearly All Saints party -- it's a HUGE fixture in our calendar.
And this isn't really a surprise in terms of how much my kids love it, but I forgot to mention earlier that in the three years we've lived in NC, a summer trip to the mountains with a big group of other families has become another immovable fixture in our year. It's always in August, it's always a picnic in a park with a creek on the Blue Ridge Parkway, and it's known by the code name "The Last Hurrah." Younger kids play in the creek, catch minnows, and generally run wild, while all the teenagers go on a five-mile hike with whatever dogs come along. This year I was afraid we were going to miss it, because we were leaving in mid-August to take our daughter to college in TX, and it was a huge relief to everyone when they moved it up to an early-enough date that we could still go. The year would have seemed incomplete without it.
I can't think of anything that I'm surprised that my kids are attached to, after the manner of Jen's pumpkin patch -- at least not anything that's specifically a homeschooling experience. But then, schooling and life get so intertwined that sometimes it's hard to tell the difference, right?
Sally
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Mackfam
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| Posted: Oct 12 2011 at 9:35am | IP Logged
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SallyT wrote:
| a summer trip to the mountains with a big group of other families has become another immovable fixture in our year. It's always in August, it's always a picnic in a park with a creek on the Blue Ridge Parkway, and it's known by the code name "The Last Hurrah." |
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Oh, I loved reading about your "Last Hurrah", Sally, as well as the surprise of entering the Church and the changes that brought to your entire vision and experience!
You know, when I was a child, we used to live in the Blue Ridge Mountains (in Winston Salem, NC) and trips to the mountains and along the Blue Ridge Parkway are among some of my favorite memories! Especially memories of the sweetest apples I've ever tasted from Fancy Gap, NC! What wonderful memories for your kids with the summer trip to the mountains!
Sally T wrote:
| schooling and life get so intertwined that sometimes it's hard to tell the difference, right? |
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Absolutely! I think this is probably a reflection of the unique way in which the families which frequent this board seek to undertake education - as a natural extension of life and learning within the family! So, certainly some/all of our reflections of our unique family, home, and homeschooling culture will blend to an extent that some boundaries and lines don't exist. But, I think that home education does offer some special opportunities to develop and grow into a family (or home) culture that is unique sometimes because of homeschooling, and sometimes just because we have more time afforded to grow and learn together as family.
Hmmmmm....an example -- having The Diary of an Edwardian Lady always open to a page which reflects the month and season -- I doubt I'd do that if we weren't homeschooling. I enjoyed the Edwardian Lady before we began our home education experience, and probably would have introduced her to the children through her diaries, but....would she have become a companion to our days in the way in which she has over the years...through her book always being open on a small table in the learning room? Probably not. And I think of that as part of our family homeschooling culture - this companionship with Edith Holden through her Diary of an Edwardian Lady. The way we visit her book each month and throughout the month, the way the children attend to finding a page that is inspiring to them and flip to it and leave it open to display, the little poems which often end up in a child's copywork or just spontaneously recited - all these are probably unique to our family, though not exclusively so (I bet there are others that appreciate her work!), and form what I'd consider a part of our unique family homeschool culture. Something that has become a custom or little tradition within our family's home education experience.
I don't see these things that one might consider as part of a family homeschool culture as being separate or isolated from home or family culture, but as something that has grown or developed within it and also within the experience and journey of home education...mostly because home education for us is a natural extension of family, life and learning, and does not exist within confines or boundaries.
So...it could be that I asked the question in the wrong way!   I was really just curious about little unique family customs and traditions that have developed within a family's home education experience over the years...things that in looking back begin to define days in the littlest, ordinary and sometimes extraordinary ways. Like a subscription to a magazine that now seems a part of the family. A particular book that has become a companion and friend. Living the Liturgical Year through special and now treasured books or crafts. Learning a subject (like Latin) that in spite of its sometimes odious presence has grown to be an entrenched and strangely loved part of days. (  another total puzzler for me!!!)
As I began reflecting across years and experiences, I began to be surprised at some of the little bits and customs that were really a part of our unique family homeschooling culture...and wondered if y'all had discovered any of these in your homes. I really do love hearing about these unique experiences! I find in them common joys and unique treasures!
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Jen Mackintosh
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Servant2theKing
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It's so uplifting to "take a peak" into everyone's homeschool family culture!
JennGM, your inclusion of dictionaries brings back fond memories of older generations who have definitely impacted our homeschool family culture ~ the tattered brown tabbed dictionary, which always resided on a side table next to my grandfather's worn leather chair, was in constant use in my grandparents' home. It now circulates, along with almost a dozen other dictionaries we've accumulated through the years ~ "Look it up" is a phrase my grandparents used often, which resounds in my soul every time we reach for a dictionary ~ along with "Always treat a book as a friend."
Sally, you are so very right; "schooling and life get so intertwined that sometimes it's hard to tell the difference, right?" Amen!
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JennGM
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Apparently, visiting our corn maze / pumpkin patch with our homeschoolers is a homeschool tradition, because we DIDN'T do it this year (so far) and my guys are balking. Our group didn't schedule it, and now I'm trying to see if I can do it on my own. I can't walk the corn maze, which is a big part of it.
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Mackfam
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JennGM wrote:
| Apparently, visiting our corn maze / pumpkin patch with our homeschoolers is a homeschool tradition, because we DIDN'T do it this year (so far) and my guys are balking. Our group didn't schedule it, and now I'm trying to see if I can do it on my own. I can't walk the corn maze, which is a big part of it. |
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I feel your pain!!! Hope you can find a time when your dh can join you and you can just sit and watch!
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Jen Mackintosh
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Wildflowers and Marbles
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Grace&Chaos
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This has been great to read. I think it's been hard to pin point things because we get so involved in what we do that we forget others don't do it too. I guess that's why its a "family homeschool culture"  .
Some of our favorites are:
- Nature hikes/walks
- Keeping nature journals
- Taking Advent off and celebrating the season with
great books & activities.
- Saint & Feast day teas (with a good book and treats)
- blueberry picking in June with Blueberries for Sal
- visiting the Butterfly Pavilion in July (we missed it
this year  )
- carving pumpkins with Pumpkin Moonshine(coming up
soon  )
- lots of reading and sharing
Just a few that I know the kids notice if they are missed  .
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Jenny
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Claire F
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That we are homeschooling at all is still a little surprising to me as well. Last year I was still silently arguing with God about it. He won. ;)
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Claire
Mom to DS 12/04, DS 5/07, DD 8/09
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amyable
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I've been reading this thread with interest, but wracking my brain to think of what is in OUR family homeschooling culture.
All I can come up with is talking. I have four girls after all! <---that is them, alllll day.
We read and talk, read and talk, all day long. (Did I mention I'm an extreme introvert and crave quiet? ) To the point where at the end of the year, when I go for my yearly review, I have much less to show than other moms. "Ummm, we read and talked!" "Here's a picture of us reading and talking." Luckily my reviewer is a Sonlight mom, she gets it.
We have done fewer read alouds this year for various reasons, and their absence is palpable.
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knowloveserve
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1- Walking (rushing usually) to daily Mass come wind, rain, or snow since church is half a block away. There are many plans that may go unaccomplished during our academic day, so it gives me great peace if we can get just this one important thing right.
2- Quiet/nap time. it's THE defining rythym to our day. We all separate around 1 pm and read or nap or build block cities etc... i avoid scheduling errands or visits during this time and you betcha that i don't answer my phone!
3- Jesse Tree during Advent. And going to a Christmas Tree farm and cheering Papa on as he cuts our prize down, ALWAYS on Gaudete Sunday.
4- Legos. Solid maple unit blocks. Hot Wheels. Very much a part of our home culture.
5- Oatmeal. Red Peppers. Vanilla Yogurt and Honey. Raw Almonds. Cheese. Pancakes. Jones Soda as a treat. Staples to our culture. :o)
Surprises? How into birds we've gotten! i never was interested in birdwatching until we got a field guide and some binoculars and curious kids!
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herdingkittens
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Claire F wrote:
That we are homeschooling at all is still a little surprising to me as well. Last year I was still silently arguing with God about it. He won. ;)
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So glad to hear He got the last word!
I love the idea of a HS culture. I was JUST thinking about this the other week, listening to my children talk with one another and noticing the little similarities in their speech and ideas and mannerisms. I can see a little of everyone in each child, and in me, as well! We all sort of meld together and have adopted so many traits from one another, that it occurred to me that we really are our own little culture! And how cool is that?!? I love that we are developing a true familial way that is not completely shaped by popular culture - it feels SO MUCH MORE REAL! You know? I am so in awe of this, especially because my upbringing was not Christian and not great - that something so good and pure and happy can grow from so little. hmmm....mustard seed anyone?!
Anyway, off the top of my head, our HSing culture looks very much like these two things:
-cuddling on the couch, reading together, one row of children behind me on the top back of the couch, and another row sandwiching me - my mug of coffee nearby. I could do this almost all day and not complain, and they could too, for that matter...
-coming up with excuses to drop anything formal and just play outside in the yard, woods, going for a walk, etc.. (guilty guilty pleasure )
Love to all!
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4Real Forums : Living Learning
Topic: Your family homeschool culture
