THOUGHTS: Focus

It seems we've lost it, focus. Thought it might have been hidden in the draw... not there. Checked the laundry bag... still no sign. It appears that after what felt like a 'big-bang-child-enthused-about learning-parents-feeling-like-they-have-a-clear-philosophy' occurred a couple of weeks back, S has given no signal that she intends to begin learning her letters any further. No request for reading eggs, not wanting stories during the daytime, not anything. Standstill. Did we become eager too quickly I wonder? Who knows, maybe it's simply a change of season, a period of downtime in which to absorb other topics... Who knows.

M and I had agreed that we should start a homeschool rhythm come the New Year, but with rest periods such as these I'm wondering whether a rhythm is an option? Surely having set opportunities to concentrate on letters/reading may create a feeling of 'chore' around it for her. Little steps I tell myself, little steps. I have to remind myself she's 3 and a half, with a lifetime ahead of her. But sometimes she talks and acts so skilfully that I think I apply too much emotional and intellectual understanding to her. I'm often impatient, with her, with life, and have to hold back to prevent overwhelming her with talk of the world, respect, and a thousand other topics that I want to enthuse with her about. But not now, maybe when she's older and we meet in a cafe for a coffee to talk of life. Maybe then I'll tell her all of the subjects that swim around in my head every time I see her learn, question, and jump up and down with excitement. A friend asked me once 'at what point do you think children stop demonstrating their excitement with their entire bodies?' I hope it's never. Whilst I'm eager for S to learn of herself and her world, there's a part of me that anticipates a part of her soul will still drive her to clap with glee when she sees Christmas lights or bounce around deliriously when she sees an old friend. 

Focus is shifting to the now... I hope. 
I'm learning to embrace it. 
With my daughter as my teacher.

"..she's small and very funny"

Playing 'Run, run, as fast as you can"

Cakes!

Trip to the library

Time to defrost from the wintery walk home

All too often, the important parts of life pass us by whilst we're busy 'doing'. And all too often my child reminds me of this.

We moved to Brighton a few moons ago, leaving behind the only family I'd really spent time with. My friends. Watching the girls today reminded me that true friendships last a lifetime, and that I'm thankful for those wonderful people around us. (Barf!)

EDUCATION: Trivium

It's been a long week... well, since the last post anyhoo. But do think we've made some headway, decisions made, fog now clearing..

I was fortunate enough to spend Saturday morning doing some further home ed research whilst S did reading eggs!! Yes, reading eggs! This child of mine had flatly refused to do them as she 'don't like them' about a month ago, then out of the blue requested to 'do some'. Holy smoke!! So, in line with the autonomous/child led approach we duly signed her up. She's done one lesson every day thus far.. slightly flabbergasted. 

And so, with all my looking around online I stumbled across many a suggestion to read "The well-trained mind". Initially I thought it would be one of those pushy American make-your-child-a-genius types of approaches, I mean 'Baby Einstein'... seriously?? However, whilst it does have a slight undertone of this, it's basically trivium (what a great word) teaching. It promotes that through laying the foundations of reading that the child can then study anything! In my eyes, thus aiding autonomous learning. Huzzah! I'm still working my way through the book, but regardless of whether it unfolds like a Quarantino movie, I think that in these early years our focus will be reading, handwriting and basic math. The remainder of topics should be offshoots from this, hopefully giving birth to a wonderful, wholesome home education. I should add that the backbone of the book seems to be history and repetition, studying the same historical period every four years but each time in further depth.

Hence, the planning has commenced!