Learning

We’re five weeks into our home schooling adventure and I have so many feelings about how it’s going.  I suppose it might not seem like sharing this has much to do with our adoption, but to me, it’s like all the home preparations we did before we got started on this process.  Our home had to be modified for this future we are working toward. Part of that future includes me staying home and schooling both of our littles.  I am thankful for this time of exploration and figuring things out with Josie so we have a good routine and plan when we add G to our little ‘classroom’, before this school year is over. And now that we’ve met him, I can see how he is going to love our school time too.  

Reflecting over these five weeks, there has already been so much joy and many moments that completely reinforce all the reasons we decided to start Josie’s education at home.  

• I have seen my girl make connections and feel comfortable enough in this setting to tell me all about it. We have the freedom to run with her own ideas and make those into a learning opportunity, even if it wasn’t on my ‘lesson plan’.  
• We’ve already rearranged our 4-days-a-week learning plan to accept an invitation to the petting zoo.  Which we then got to incorporate into our weekly learning and it made everything so much more meaningful.  

• When she got invested in the caterpillar transformation activity, I was able to let her explore and observe.  We had time to delve deeper, learn more than I had planned, and I didn’t have to rush her on to the next activity.  
• I get to teach the Bible and talk about our faith and work on kindness projects and giving back, which we feel is some of the most important learning there is.  

• Her sick day didn’t result in double work the next day or skipped learning.  It was doing a little here and a little there until she was better, and turning one week into two, instead of moving on before she was ready or had the opportunity to fully learn the concepts.  
• We get to have a library day every week, time that she gets to spend with other kids and the excitement of new books to read every day.  
• I am able to meet her where she’s at, and build upon what she knows, and most importantly…school isn’t pressure, it’s FUN! 

I know she’s only doing preschool, but these are all the things I had so hoped school would be for her and I really do see us being able to keep this momentum going, even as the content gets more involved and the topics get a little harder.  I also see us being able to incorporate G into our days with learning that will mesh her levels and his levels and meet them both where they are.  

I also know that not all days are going to be great, I’m excited but not delusional! But I’m so glad that we’re going to be able to work through those rough days together.  I’ll keep you all posted as the year progresses, but we’re certainly happy with the way things are going right now.  I’ve been sharing some of our school day activities on Instagram if you’d like to take a peek into our days.  https://www.instagram.com/loveworthy18/