Every Other Tuesday
A friend of mine mentioned several weeks ago, "Public, private, and homeschooling have their pros and cons." Having been educated in public and private and having taught in private and public settings and am currently homeschooling the girls, I would definitely agree. Whichever choice we make for our child(ren), intentionally "filling in the gaps" is so important.
One of our attempts in this regard for H's kindergarten year was meeting regularly with another homeschooling friend and her children, which pleasantly turned into several friends and a small herd of children by the end. Every other Tuesday morning, we shaped our time with subject themes, such as African American history, St. Patrick, or Easter, and each of us moms created/chose an activity to lead.
I think I can speak for all the moms here by saying, it has been a really fun year of learning how to make our together-time meaningful and enjoyable.
I captured a taste of the year when I brought the camera on "'Easter' Tuesday":
Our meeting place: one of the lady's small, friendly, neighborhood rec center
Starting time: 9:15
First: listening to the "Good Friday" and "Easter morning" versions in The Jesus Storybook Bible.
Second: relays outdoors
[The youngests, 1, 2, and 3 years old, stay close to moms while the big kids show their coordination.]
Third: making homemade "resurrection eggs"
[Judas betrays Jesus for money.]
[Jesus was found in the garden by soldiers and Pharisees and was bound as a criminal.]
Fourth: making "resurrection crescent rolls"--Jesus is the marshmallow here; He's oiled, spiced, and carefully wrapped for the hot oven-tomb...
...and as time passed, we read a different version of the Easter story and created scratch art crosses...
...until "3 days" passed, and "Jesus'" tomb is found empty!...and quite delicious.
Finally: we finish our time with picnic lunches and the rec center's playground.
For H and AF, I have been so thankful for this regular group of children with which to learn, try, and play. Also, it's another place where they can learn from other teachers' perspectives...and so can I.
One of our attempts in this regard for H's kindergarten year was meeting regularly with another homeschooling friend and her children, which pleasantly turned into several friends and a small herd of children by the end. Every other Tuesday morning, we shaped our time with subject themes, such as African American history, St. Patrick, or Easter, and each of us moms created/chose an activity to lead.
I think I can speak for all the moms here by saying, it has been a really fun year of learning how to make our together-time meaningful and enjoyable.
I captured a taste of the year when I brought the camera on "'Easter' Tuesday":
Our meeting place: one of the lady's small, friendly, neighborhood rec center
Starting time: 9:15
First: listening to the "Good Friday" and "Easter morning" versions in The Jesus Storybook Bible.
Second: relays outdoors
[The youngests, 1, 2, and 3 years old, stay close to moms while the big kids show their coordination.]
Third: making homemade "resurrection eggs"
[Judas betrays Jesus for money.]
[Jesus was found in the garden by soldiers and Pharisees and was bound as a criminal.]
Fourth: making "resurrection crescent rolls"--Jesus is the marshmallow here; He's oiled, spiced, and carefully wrapped for the hot oven-tomb...
...and as time passed, we read a different version of the Easter story and created scratch art crosses...
...until "3 days" passed, and "Jesus'" tomb is found empty!...and quite delicious.
Finally: we finish our time with picnic lunches and the rec center's playground.
For H and AF, I have been so thankful for this regular group of children with which to learn, try, and play. Also, it's another place where they can learn from other teachers' perspectives...and so can I.