Learning happens everywhere

Tuesdays - Fridays we spend doing typical school work....workbooks, computer work, songs etc but Mondays are a little different. Mondays are our 'nature walk day', a day to get out, explore and find new things, ask questions and find answers. My hubby is off on Mondays so he gets to go too. It's family day. :0) Today we went to the Austin Nature and Science Center. What a great place! It reminds me alot of a biology classroom in high school or college.....but for kids of all ages and with very few limits on what they can't touch, look at and handle. There is also a huge outdoor area complete with rescued animals, ponds, creeks and trails. Here are some pictures of our excursion.

Found an airplant

Wyatt showing Jonah bees. They can come inside through a clear pipe and into a plexiglass box so people can see the hive, honeycomb and bees.

Yes, that's a bowl full of shed snake skin.

So much to see

Jonah looking at the snakes

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Wyatt's completed project about our nature walk with a glued feather from a hawk and an airplant included. :)

Week 1 under our belts

We successfully completed the first week of homeschool and there were no fatalities or serious implications. That's not to say there wasn't some frustration as times. Such is life.


I'm finding out that I'll have to tweak somethings as the year progresses. For example, our school day seems to go better when I insert a 20 minute break in the middle that I didn't originally intend on having --- a time for free play and a time for me to throw in a load of laundry, call a client back, read to the boys or all of the above. Another thing I may change is our history lessons. Right now the lessons are about the Middle Ages....Rome, The Celts, etc. That neat and enjoyable but also some of it seems a little....ummm....boring. (especially for a 7 year old) So, I found another history program that is geared more towards a visual learner where not only will we HEAR about history but Wyatt gets to DRAW things that happened. Sounds FUN! Part of the greatness of this is that I have the flexibility to be able to change things as we go.


The biggest challenge so far is homeschooling with a toddler in the house. After asking some of my fellow homeschool moms, I'm not alone here. This is apparently the #1 challenge for homeschoolers. I feel like I need to help Wyatt with his schoolwork (reading directions, reading chapters, dictating spelling words etc) and I don't have the freedom to devote to Jonah - age 2. And, because he's 2, the thought of him sitting still and playing or coloring for more than 10 minutes is unrealistic. I'm finding a balance and activities that he can do and soon, this kink will be worked out. I hope. :0)


The biggest joy is seeing Wyatt's face literally LIGHT UP when he learns something! Today during spelling he was struggling with word and then it clicked and he was SO proud...........I was too! Of course then he automatically played it off like it was no big deal but I knew. A mom always knows. ;0) I am SO happy to get to learn alongside him and see him learn. That must be the biggest benefit and it makes all the work, planning & frustration worth it.


Happy Labor Day everyone!
Blessings
Shannon