September Photo Journal

We have not long arrived home from a mini holiday, and the North Coast Catholic Homeschool camp, where Roo made his First Holy Communion.

Ready to recieve First Holy Communion.

It's difficult to get everyone looking their best!

 The medal  Roo is wearing belonged to my maternal Grandmother, who wore it on her First Holy Communion day, which is rather a special thing to still have, and be able to use. I was a little nostalgic on the day as Roo, is probably the last child I will prepare to receive First Holy Communion.

 After camp we spent some time with our good friends Sonia and Patrick and their beautiful family.

Bilby and our Godson. All the little ones just love Bilby. He is fantastic with little ones.

We spent a day at Dreamworld, and I am happy to say that  being over 40 has not stopped me from indulging in my passion for thrill rides! With the exception of rides that spin. Koala takes after me, which meant we spent most of the day together on some very scary rides. We had a blast! The photo below was taken on our last visit when Koala was just 5. The look on his face in the photo is priceless!

Koala aged 5. One of my all time favorite photos!

 We just had to take the photo again, 8 year later!

Koala ages 13

 We had a great time away!

Questioning The System.

A close friend of mine is considering home educating one of her five children as he has been struggling at school. As I have encouraged her that she can do  it, and calmed her many fears, I have been able to reflect upon how very dependent we are on the system to educate our children. This lady is highly educated, yet she doubts her ability to educate her nine year old son!

The experience has reminded me of the huge divide there is between those with kids in the school system, and the rest of us. It really is a total paradigm shift. After over eight years of home educating I now know that terms like "behind" and "failure" are only useful in a classroom setting. Just as I know the sun will rise, I know that my children are just where they need to be, and I am able to totally ignore the guidelines of the education department, and some members of my family and society at large, who would think that my children are "behind" in some areas, and that "they should be able to ..." They do not measure success the way that I, and most homeschool families do. My children are thriving, and have their self esteem intact as they are not forced to compare themselves with other children their age on a daily basis. I fully remember feeling as she does, and asking myself all those questions. Am I capable, what about maths, and university entrance, will they fall behind, and on and on, and on.

Attempting deschool a someone in a few phone calls and emails is a tough ask! She is not closed off to my opinions, which I know must sound strange and perhaps even slightly radical. I can imagine the confusion of being advised to allow your child seemingly do nothing for a few months when you have been told he is struggling at school! Being told that the final year of school is irrelevant to getting a place at university must come as a shock after a lifetime of being told how crucial it is.

I will continue to challenge her beliefs, and encourage her to question why it is that the education department's standards are her yard stick of success, and why she feels incapable when all evidence points to her competence. And I will continue to be thankful that I am able to see the world through the lens of home education.  

7 Quick Takes (volume 1)

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In an attempt to get back into blogging, I thought I would have a go at 7 Quick Takes. Here goes!

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Since I last blogged we have had some changes in our family life. Roo, is now homeschooled. I absolutely LOVE having him at home. He is thriving, and I am so much more relaxed than I was when Bilby first came home. No changing curriculum and stressing over getting it right. I now have the experience and confidence to relax and enjoy the time I have with my youngest! Last week I complimented him on having learned all the phonograms on his All About Spelling chart, to which he replied "I'm so good!" I just love the self believe kids at this age have.

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Koala, on the other hand has returned to school. I firmly believe that he is right where he needs to be, and I have once more learned to never say "I will never..." He is thriving, but I miss him terribly.

--- 4 ---

Today I was able to spend a few hours with my dear friend Tanya, whom I haven't seen for a while as she is hard at work with her university studies. Tanya is a real inspiration to me as she has so much energy and passion for Our Lord, her family, and her career.

--- 5 ---

In a few days we leave for a little holiday, and we are really looking forward to it! We will be relaxing by the beach in our little camper trailer for a few days, before attending a Catholic Homeschool camp, then visiting dear friends in Brisbane, then a day at a Gold Coast theme park to indulge Koala and my passion for roller coasters!

--- 6 ---

At the moment I am listening to "The Book Thief" on my Ipod which I am really enjoying. Audio books certainly make house work a who;le lots more enjoyable! We have recently discovered Audible. Bilby, Roo and I have been listening to lots of great books. I must say it makes reading aloud easier!

--- 7 ---

Fathers Day is tomorrow. DVDs seem to be the theme this year. Bilby remembered that James has often commented that he would like The Princess Bride on DVD, which we found despite my belief that it was inconceivable that we would be able to find it (sorry I couldn't resist). Then Roo saw The Incredibles which is James favourite kids movie. Koala's gift will be to help me cook James a special breakfast of poached eggs with smoked salmon and hollandaise sauce.

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!

It's Almost April.

This April you may notice that the world turns a little blue. April is Autism Awareness month. The Sydney Opera House will be lit up blue, Newcastle's City Hall clock tower will be blue, and some of your Facebook friends might be sporting ASD profile badges. Now you may be about to switch off, close my page, or groaningly say something like "Not another worthwhile cause to think about." Well please don't. Let me tell you why it is so very important to use April to learn a little something about Autism Spectrum Disorders.

You may not have a family member with an ASD, but I am sure that someone in the circle of your acquaintance is touched by autism. Perhaps it's a friends child, someone at church, or in your homeschool group.These people need you to know a little about autism so that they feel supported, accepted and understood. All too often families touched by autism feel rejected and misunderstood simply because people do not have a basic understanding of what ASD can mean.

Even in my own extended family there is limited understanding of what autism is, and how it impacts my children. I totally understand why this is the case. Autism can be difficult to pin down! You might know a person on the spectrum, and therefore think you know what autism is. You couldn't be more wrong! If you take something away from my post let it be this quote. "To know a person with autism, is to know ONE person with autism." My own two children with ASD are poles apart in how autism effects them.

Roo didn't speak fluently until he was about four and a half.
Koala spoke right on time.
Roo's sensory system needs a lot of movement. His engine is often running fast.
Koala's sensory system is under sensitive. He likes to be quiet and still.
Roo is very agile and walked right on cue.
Koala has low muscle tone and walked at 22 months.
Roo has never had a meltdown
Koala has frequent meltdowns

I could go on and on, but you get the picture.

So this April I will be writing a few short posts about autism. I invite you to come back and learn a little more about ASD, and celebrate (yes you read that right!) the diversity of autism!

For The Love of Books

Ever since I was a little girl I have always had a fascination with books. When I was in grade two, I remember looking with longing at the book my best friend, Kim, was reading. A real chapter book with a pink cover and an image of a girl on roller skates. Heaven for a little girl in the 70's!I desperately wanted to be able to read that book, but I knew it was above my abilities at the time. Unfortunately I wasn't a child who picked reading up easily.

Books have always held a strong attraction for me. I loved the book catalogues that came home from school. I loved book shops, and buying books even when I knew I probably wouldn't read them because they were too difficult. As a teenager I made sure that my books weren't dog eared, and I read them so that the spine wouldn't crease! My books were my treasures. When  I was supposed to be doing my maths homework I would set the textbook, exercise book, and pencil upon the bed covers with the doona neatly folded back so that I could quickly stash my novel under the covers and assume a studious expression if someone approached the door!

When I became a mum I knew that I wanted my children to love reading as I did. With Bilby, I knew it wouldn't be too difficult. The first time he saw a book he was hooked! His face lit up, and his little legs did the happy dance. He LOVED being read too. Unfortunately Koala was the total opposite. He hated being read to and wouldn't stand for it!

Like me, Bilby, wasn't a natural reader, and  while he enjoys reading, it's not *yet* his favourite activity! I am firmly convicted that if he had stayed at school he would detest reading as many boys do.When he was in kindergarten he would leave his reader at school and tell me that his teacher didn't want them to read it! Looking back he just wasn't ready to begin the reading process, but the expectations of school meant that he was pushed before he was ready which resulted in him beginning to think that he wasn't good at reading. I believe that many, many boys are turned off reading because they are pushed into it before they are ready, and because the way literature is pulled apart at school, is often enough to turn boys off.


My fondest memory of the short time I was a classroom teacher was when I had the privilege to teach  English to a wonderful group of year nine kids. This particular school tried to make the bottom class very small, so that the kids got extra attention. I started with a class of twelve kids which dwindled for various reasons to about eight or nine. I decided that we would begin each lesson with 10-15 minutes of silent reading of a book of their choosing. I wasn't sure how it would go as many of these kids really struggled with reading and writing, but they happily bought along their books each lesson which in itself was an achievement. There was complete silence as each child enjoyed their choice. I was so excited for them, as it was often difficult to get these kids engaged in learning. I was able to sit at the front of the room and enjoy the scene before me. I just loved watching their faces as they read! One boy choose a book about a female wrestler! It was a big book, and at first I wondered if it would prove too difficult for him, but as the weeks passed he kept at at, and I was rewarded with hearing him excitedly comment to one of his friends as he left the room "That's the first book I've ever read." I felt like doing the happy dance and shouting for joy! I believe they learned more in that fifteen minutes a day than anything else I tried to "teach" them.

When I watch Bilby quietly reading I am often reminded of that year nine class. He could have been one of those kids who never picked up a book. But homeschooling has meant he has been able to come to reading in his own time, and enjoy many books without me sucking the joy out of them by making a lesson out of the plot, characters, and so on. In the last year, Bilby has read over a dozen books. Books on World Wars 1 and 2, books about modern day refugees, historical fiction, and a book about a war dog.  For a boy who once found reading a chore it makes me want to do the happy dance and shout for joy all over again!

 

Good Goats!

This morning I had a few errands that needed doing, one of which was a visit to my local pathology office to organise some tests. The receptionist knows me, from years of visits, and she asks, "Are you still homeschooling, Trish?" I answer in the affirmative.

"Gee you're good." she responds " You must have to be so organised. I guess you have to do the same thing at a set time. It must be so difficult."

In my mind I see the image she imagines. Perhaps a room dedicated to schooling, a white board, me standing in front of the boys presenting a lesson, engaged and eager students, a tidy and well organised home.

For a moment I wonder if I should attempt to shatter her illusions, and tell her that it's not as difficult as she might imagine. Another image flashes before my eyes. As this moment one of my sons is no doubt lying on his bed doing "nothing". He will probably doing doing "nothing" for quite some weeks, until boredom takes over, and he finds some motivation, or when takes an interest in my strewing and suggestions . I picture earlier days of high stress, much shouting and defiance which went hand in hand with any maths questions, and most of the other "lessons" I attempted to force my son to complete.

I judge it best to keep my mouth shut on both counts, and allow the lady before me to keep her equilibrium! I imagine her reaction if she knew the truth. Even to tell her of how my eldest son spends his days, would be pointless. She would have no frame of reference in which to place the activities which makes up his days. A few maths questions, lots of read-alouds, reading for pleasure, a little science and copywork. How can outsider accurately imagine the flow of a home in which school is absent?

On my way home I once again think that home educators really are like goats. We refuse to go with the crowd like sheep, but stubbornly do our own thing in the face of a society which would like everyone to believe that there is only one way to educate a child. We question the norms, and cut a new path. I believe that home educators do this better than any other group I can think of. Let everyone else follow the school model. We'll take the path less travelled by!

Last night I was struck by how different my educational paradigm is from schooling parents. Bilby attends a Catholic youth group called Life Teen, and last night parents were encouraged to come along to hear about an upcoming retreat. Several times I heard how parents were not happy with the date chosen which happened to be the week end before exams begin. Not the HSC, but exams for years 8, 9 and 10. In my mind insignificant exams which no one will care about the week after they are finished! Yet the fun and spiritual growth to be had on the retreat will probably be remembered fondly, and drawn on for years to come! One parent shared with me that they originally were not going to allow their child to attend because of these exams, until her tears changed their minds. I looked at my son, and was so grateful that he has no concept of what an exam is. He has never had to worry where he will be ranked in relation to 150 other children his age, and judge his worthiness based on his results.

Parents who hadn't met me before questioned me about how I would manage high school, and the HSC. Hopefully I opened a door for one mum to see the final year of school in a different light. As is often the case, she seemed a little surprised when I said that there are many avenues into university. She agreed with me that too much pressure is placed on kids, and that she remembered asking people what mark they got in the HSC for some time after, and pigeon holing them based on their response.

So I am happy to associate myself with the noble goat! Funnily enough I even live on Nanny Goat Hill, a local nickname given to the hill on which I live, and where my own father played in freedom as a child, and where goats of the fury, and two legged kind still live and play today!

At The Beach.

Today I persuaded Koala to come to the dog beach with Bilby and I. Usually when we suggest such an outing he's not too keen. With a little gentle coaxing, the promise of a short stay, and ice cream on the way home, Bilby and I triumphed! We took our very timid one year old dog Peaches with us. As it was mid week we thought she might be less overwhelmed by lots of huge dogs anxious to play with her. The weather was also perfect!

In theory it sounded great, until an over sized boxer puppy came over to greet Peaches. She was so terrified she tried to swim out to Bilby! She spent the rest of our visit at my side refusing to play, even with the smallest of dogs.

What would a trip to the beach be without a water fight!

We didn't think the water would be warm enough for swimming, so no rash shirts. The boys however braved  it, and even went for a  proper swim!

Hopefully there will be many more days like this. We even did some cooking earlier in the day, complete with thickening cream the old fashioned way. With six arms between us, it didn't take long! So in one day we have achieved many of the things I was hoping for in my last post!