So, the fall did start off with less stress than the previous year. I had a better sense of what to expect and how to ease into the process. After her summer school trial my daughter did decide to stay home for school this year. I was very happy with her decision to stay home, but there was the added challenge of creating more room for her learning process on top of meeting my sons special needs. After a month of wiggling and playing around with different timing, curriculum's and approaches we finally settled into a decent routine around mid-October.
I started with just the basics and have continued to focus on those as the main part of my 'teaching' responsibility. I have explained to the children I feel responsible for ensuring they receive a solid foundation in the basics of reading, language, mathematical (logic) thinking, and social emotional ethical spiritual learning. This part of my job is not always 'fun'. I am not the best at coming up with games and playful approaches to learning basic math facts and spelling but they seem to learn despite my dry approach.
We did sign up for a few classes with a local homeschooling group that offers age grouped classes. My son took a lego robotics class and my daughter took and art and a science class. We were 'on campus' for lunch twice a week and we enjoyed being part of the homeschool community. We also have become regulars at one of the local homeschool park days which provides the kids with a full day of free playground play with lots of different children. We love Wednesdays!
Overall I am feeling much more relaxed and happy. I am coming to the end of my year long yoga teacher training course and I feel the practice of yoga (meditation, breathing, chanting, study, and asana) has really helped me find my calm center. It has given me the tools to allow me to sink into the chaos of learning how to 'school' my children. I am learning how to let go of being in control and figuring out how to go with the flow. I am learning how to work through my uncomfortable feelings with grace and ease of mind. I am carving a path to learning with my children and it feels great.
Showing posts with label balance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label balance. Show all posts
Thursday, January 7, 2016
Tuesday, May 5, 2015
Two roads diverged...
Today on our morning walk around the block we ran into a neighbor mom and her 3 year old son. She was curious about the kids being with me and I explained we homeschool our children. She commented that it must be a lot of work. I agreed but said I imagine she does more work being a full time working mom. She did agree to that point, but also felt it must take a lot of courage to take the leap removing our kids from the social norm. I replied that it was a tough choice but we have decided to see it as a lifestyle choice. We gave up some aspects of conventional life to gain other advantages in our non-conventional life.
A lifestyle choice. All our life we are faced with these types of decisions. Some seem much bigger than others, but at the end of the day they are our decisions. It is our life to live. We chose to remove our child from the system because the benefits did not outweigh the negatives. Anyone who has faced a system that is failing them will understand the joy of having a choice to continue on the same path or change course. We were fortunate to have the means to chose to change course. It takes courage sure, but all of life's big decisions take courage and commitment. Taking kids to school and trusting the system to meet your child's needs in the best way possible takes as much courage and commitment as deciding to homeschool.
The decision to homeschool often reminds me of Robert Frost's "The Road Not Taken".
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth; 5
Then took the other, as just as fair
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that, the passing there
Had worn them really about the same, 10
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back. 15
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
Hopefully we are able to enjoy whatever road we choose!
Blessings on your journey.
Shauna
A lifestyle choice. All our life we are faced with these types of decisions. Some seem much bigger than others, but at the end of the day they are our decisions. It is our life to live. We chose to remove our child from the system because the benefits did not outweigh the negatives. Anyone who has faced a system that is failing them will understand the joy of having a choice to continue on the same path or change course. We were fortunate to have the means to chose to change course. It takes courage sure, but all of life's big decisions take courage and commitment. Taking kids to school and trusting the system to meet your child's needs in the best way possible takes as much courage and commitment as deciding to homeschool.
The decision to homeschool often reminds me of Robert Frost's "The Road Not Taken".
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth; 5
Then took the other, as just as fair
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that, the passing there
Had worn them really about the same, 10
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back. 15
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
Hopefully we are able to enjoy whatever road we choose!
Blessings on your journey.
Shauna
Friday, March 13, 2015
Balance
The hardest poses for me to do in yoga are those requiring a lot of balance. I have strength and my flexibility is pretty good but balance, not so much. It is so interesting how the struggles we have with our bodies often mimic the struggles we have with our mind/self. There are so many directions to go at one time, so many things to be done, to do, to explore how do I know what to do next?! I feel pulled one way then I change my mind and go another. Unbalance.
If you have not tried yoga before I think you will be amazed at trying this simple exercise. Stand up with your hands at your sides take a strong stance but soft and close your eyes. If you can, great, next just take a moment to feel your motion your gentle sway. The next challenge is to try and do it on your toes, then standing with one leg lifted. For me these exercises take a lot of focus. The key to success in these posses is to let go and center in on the core of your being. Balance does take flexibility and strength, but it must be used gently to balance your core. Then you will feel the solid sense of all three powers coming together and you will be like the trees who can stand tall and balanced on this earth, whose roots are firmly planted in the earth, whose branches reach for the sky, and are able to sway with the breeze while remaining strong and rooted in place. I love trees.
Of course I find all of this a metaphor for my journey in home schooling. I feel like I have been in a storm and my roots were not quite deep enough. Luckily there have been enough calm periods between the storms to give my roots a chance to deepen and hold me standing strong. I have not toppled. I am becoming more balanced and my roots are getting deeper. I can see how this journey can work without seeing every stop along the way. I am trusting my roots, my strength and my core to provide the balance my kids need in their education.
If you have not tried yoga before I think you will be amazed at trying this simple exercise. Stand up with your hands at your sides take a strong stance but soft and close your eyes. If you can, great, next just take a moment to feel your motion your gentle sway. The next challenge is to try and do it on your toes, then standing with one leg lifted. For me these exercises take a lot of focus. The key to success in these posses is to let go and center in on the core of your being. Balance does take flexibility and strength, but it must be used gently to balance your core. Then you will feel the solid sense of all three powers coming together and you will be like the trees who can stand tall and balanced on this earth, whose roots are firmly planted in the earth, whose branches reach for the sky, and are able to sway with the breeze while remaining strong and rooted in place. I love trees.
Of course I find all of this a metaphor for my journey in home schooling. I feel like I have been in a storm and my roots were not quite deep enough. Luckily there have been enough calm periods between the storms to give my roots a chance to deepen and hold me standing strong. I have not toppled. I am becoming more balanced and my roots are getting deeper. I can see how this journey can work without seeing every stop along the way. I am trusting my roots, my strength and my core to provide the balance my kids need in their education.
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