Saturday, November 28, 2009

So Much to Learn

After a year long break from homeschooling, here we are again. Only this time we have two young scholars and two wee ones. Can we do it? Of course we can. Will it be easy? Likely not. But we are here where we are supposed to be, where we have always planned to be.

The break was needed and afforded me some time to rest and recover and renew. With a refreshed spirit I am ready to walk with my children as they learn about life. They are just beginning their school careers and have so much to learn. It's a huge undertaking when I think about the scope of it all.

I
have so much to learn. My first lesson: Letting Go. Letting go of all the preconceived notions of what is or is not going to work in our home school. Letting go of my love of planning and controlling outcomes. Letting go of trying to fit into one box or "style" or "approach" or another. I have always had my heart set on a Charlotte Mason Education for my children. I've read all the books, researched all the CM curricula, even started a CM homeschool group a couple years ago. But that's something I must let go of too, as I realize that what works for me may not be the best for all my children.

So for now my focus is on learning about my two oldest children. What moves them? What inspires them? What helps them to stay focused when they are intently working on a puzzle or lost in a work of art? What triggers them to be crazy and hyper and unruly at times? What do they most want to learn about? What are going to be their big motivators? Yes, I do have so much to learn....