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One Day at a Time (Homeschooling and Moving)
April 7, 2011
I'm over at Simple Homeschool today talking about homeschooing and moving.
On the surface moving seems so straight forward. At least all of our other moves have been fairly straight forward. Make a plan, pack up, drive somewhere new, unpack.
This time around moving means DIY renovations, securing the rental of our two-apartment house, getting ready to leave paid employment (ie: spending lots of time writing and working on project proposal type stuff), organizing, downsizing and then packing every item we own, and taking care of each little detail of leaving a life of eleven years in the United States to return to Canada.
Like I mentioned in this post certain compromises needed to be made. My homeschool plans for this season were one such area I had to make adjustments. But I've noticed something:
Letting go of my plans, noticing the everyday learning and taking the time to adjust to change hasn't seemed like a compromise at all. It feels more like a much needed release of personal expectations and "shoulds".
Unschooling for this time has been totally freeing. Even for someone like me who is a very relaxed homeschooler to begin with.
On a daily basis the kids are exploring, reading, discovering, asking, answering, researching, and creating. Learning everyday.
I'm learning too. Learning to trust, learning to relax, learning to let go. And learning to take life one day at a time.
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mb on April 8, 2011, 3:15 p.m.
i love seeing your kids in their "home" mode, they look so comfortable (favorite ragged shirt sleeves, etc.) it's nice to hear this perspective on unschooling (i'm completely sold even though my boy is only four and we're just at the outset of the journey) from a mama who is more experienced and committed to homeschooling over a long period. it really is undeniable how much learning goes on by just being, especially i think in a household that is already so nurturing to that learning process. :) best wishes with the move!
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renee on April 8, 2011, 4:30 p.m.
Ragged shirt sleeves and mismatched clothing are the norm around here (smile). I regularly call my kiddos ragga-muffins and I find their "well lived in and loved" look endearing.
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Louise Johnson on April 8, 2011, 3:16 p.m.
Thanks Renee for this awesome post and the one Simple Homeschool--as you know we have a newborn ( 4 months old now) and I constantly feel like I cannot get my feet underneath me....all my plans for homeschooling have flown out the window with hours of nursing, and just trying to keep up with the dailies of running a household. BUT I loved the idea of making a list of what they are learning...without my help or interference....and so I did and I was so encouraged!!!! What the heck was I ever worried about? That my children will not learn? Ha. I didn't have to worry about it. Thanks!!!!
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renee on April 8, 2011, 4:34 p.m.
Exactly! Our children are wired to learn and if we build a nurturing environment for them to grow in they can't help but learn.
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Heather on April 8, 2011, 5:08 p.m.
So glad that unschooling is working out so well for your family! I'm reminded of one of my favorite quotations from John Holt: "What true education requires of us...is faith and courage - faith that children want to make sense out of life and will work hard at it, courage to let them do it without continually poking, prying, prodding,and meddling. Is this so difficult?"
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Francesca on April 8, 2011, 5:22 p.m.
Oh, Renee, good luck with all that packing, and letting go of so, so many things. But the new things will be so exciting!
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Leslie on April 10, 2011, 3:06 a.m.
Renee, I am slowly but surely finding my way to catching up on all that you are doing. Don't you just love that homeschooling so often means we are on just as important of a journey of learning as our children are? I find myself learning so much about myself throughout our unschooling journey as I am watching the way that they learn. I'm so glad to see that you are at peace with this journey through your move into a new life. Best of luck to you and yours!
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Rambling Heather on April 8, 2011, 2:09 p.m.
"Learning to trust, learning to relax, learning to let go. And learning to take life one day at a time." This is wonderful! I have had to come to this place since I have a reluctant reader. My lesson plans had to go out the window because it was not going to happen the way that I had assumed. Living in the RV also made it interesting in the homeschool department. But I kept remembering that the world was our classroom. Cant wait to read your post at Simple Homeschool!