Book Recap
Bogart is the creator of theBrave Writer curriculum and the founder of the Homeschool Alliance. She homeschooled her own five children and now coaches homeschooling parents. Her philosophical approach to learning at home is eminently practical, and yet, based on the idea that all learning begins with making room for surprise, mystery, risk and adventure. Parents who create a home filled with happy experiences while paying attention each child's interest are also creating a lifestyle of learning.
The book is divided into four sections:
Bogart believes parenting, as well as homeschooling, takes courage but that every parent can rise to the challenge and be enough for their children - my sentiments exactly! "Homeschooling - hell, parenting - is a journey of courage into the unknown with an audacious belief that you will be enough for your children: the ultimate brave learning adventure. It can't be any other way. Whatever you offer your kids - your best and your worst - they take it and turn it into fuel for their own blazing fires of blinding beauty." Uncertainty
In mid-July I wrote a post, The Brave Parent, predicting some significant future changes in how we educate our children. The underlying premise for doing so was that we - as a nation - were on the downhill side of the pandemic.
We are not -- the news if filled with statistics about the Delta variant and school closures. We face a third year of uncertainty about school for our children. Additional uncertainty in traditional education will propel changes in the systems we use to teach our children more quickly than I had thought just weeks ago -- the alternatives relied upon in the past two years will more quickly become norms. Homeschooling, virtual learning, learning pods -- once we are comfortable with "new" methods that are beneficial for our children and families, we just may continue to use them. Recommendation
I highly recommend this book for all parents -- not just homeschooling parents -- who want to build deep relationships with their children. Bogart's passion and pragmatism about education and family life are refreshing.
If this book had been available when we homeschooled our Daughters, I would have cut the binding off and put the whole thing in a binder with plenty of paper for my own notes!
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Pretend and Real Car WashesWhat a wonderful visit with Little Guy this week!! Whenever we are privileged to spend time with him, it's a bit like a play date! He is enamored of car washes. Yes, I said "car washes." We looked through the animal encyclopedia and the robot book, played cars and car wash on his floor-size city map and indulged in lots of silly word-play with the Boss. But the highlight of the day was watching Handyman Hal's Educational Kids Show about a car wash - Little Guy was mesmerized. He is so fascinated by car washes, my Daughter built a backyard mud kitchen where he can play with his toy cars in the mud followed by a quick trip through a car wash made up of a bucket of water and LOTS of pretend. Hours of pretend play! Recently, Little Guy accomplished a significant milestone in life; when asked what he wanted to do as a celebration, he chose going through the car wash. Five times! Thankfully my Daughter has a pass to the local car wash operated by people who really enjoyed - and supported -- Little Guy's delight in going through the wash over and over. Early LearningLittle Guy is learning so much through his pretend play about car washes, as well as when he goes through a real car wash or watches one on the screen. This kind of learning allows him to experience cause and effect over and over. He is also experiencing the physics and mechanics that go into a car wash. And when he builds a pretend one with his blocks for his toy cars or helps the adults in the room pretend to be sprayers and brushes as he moves through the "car wash," he is experimenting with concepts of relative size. This is why play is so critically important! By playing and pretending, children are controlling their exploration of the world and the new ideas and concepts they experience everyday. Creating Opportunities for Moments of JoyAs much as we enjoy playing and pretending with our Little Guy, we know he also needs time to play with other children. Free-play and play which is a bit more structured. Play dates offer many opportunities for social-emotional development, intellectual growth, as well as gross and fine motor skill progress. Focused, purposeful play dates create strong bonds between children, but the trick is to do so without over-managing their time together. Or creating too much stress for parents. Play dates are about fun and joy for everyone. “WE ARE CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR MOMENTS OF JOY & FUN” – tattoo this motto on your arm or post it where you will see it often. If you are stressed about the play date, your child will also be stressed. Recently, I created some themed play-date ideas; feel free to download either or both and to share with others. Certainly, parents can develop their own themes and plans, but it's nice to have some ideas and support at the ready. Enjoy your next car wash! |
Moving the Needle on the Concern-Guage
For some time now I've had an ongoing conversation with Little Guy's Mama about learning; specifically, Little Guy's learning style and needs. My Daughter has been asking lots of questions -- I hope I've answered well -- about the best learning environment for Little Guy. It's wonderful to talk with her because she is quite aware of Little Guy's needs and how he best interacts with the world. We've talked quite a bit recently about what learning at home would look like for pre-school, which would be quite a change from participating in a program away from home.
What is most fascinating is how one bit of information has moved the needle on my Daughter's concern-guage from anxious to excited about the possibility of teaching Little Guy at home. Turns out all she needed to feel more confident moving forward was a preschool plan she knows will fit her strengths and Little Guy's needs.
I firmly believe every parent has within herself what is necessary to parent well. I also believe every parent can educate children exceptionally well at home. Of course, I also believe learning paradigms must be chosen to the benefit of each child.
What is most fascinating is how one bit of information has moved the needle on my Daughter's concern-guage from anxious to excited about the possibility of teaching Little Guy at home. Turns out all she needed to feel more confident moving forward was a preschool plan she knows will fit her strengths and Little Guy's needs.
I firmly believe every parent has within herself what is necessary to parent well. I also believe every parent can educate children exceptionally well at home. Of course, I also believe learning paradigms must be chosen to the benefit of each child.
Kindergarten & 2039
I've been thinking about the children who enter kindergarten later this year graduating from high school in 2039 -- whoa! Little Guy will graduate in 2042! And I've been wondering what these kiddos will need to be able to live a life-well-lived in that future world. I asked my Daughter who teaches middle school what she thought and was surprised at her lightening fast response:
"Hope and flexibility."
Wow. That's a stunning thought. Hope as the first of the two most critical things to live well in the future. And flexibility to navigate whatever the future holds. She's talking character - the two most important things my Daughter believes the graduating class of 2039 will need are character traits.
"Hope and flexibility."
Wow. That's a stunning thought. Hope as the first of the two most critical things to live well in the future. And flexibility to navigate whatever the future holds. She's talking character - the two most important things my Daughter believes the graduating class of 2039 will need are character traits.
Reexamining Fundamental Values
It's the summer at -- what we hope -- is the end of one of the most challenging seasons in our lives and we may not fully know how the pandemic has transformed our world for quite some time. While it may take years to really understand the cultural changes, it is especially important to begin understanding now how education and school will be transformed by our experiences during the pandemic.
Doreen Dodgen-Magee has written a book -- Restart: Designing a Healthy Post Pandemic Life -- for moving into these somewhat unknown changes with intentional choices for how we live. She sees this time as an opportunity to incorporate healthy, positive choices in our lives rather than simply hoping we will get back to a pre-pandemic normal.
In light of the potential changes coming to our pre-pandemic education & school paradigms, it will take a brave parent to willingly reexamine her fundamental values about learning in order to ensure her children live with hope and flexibility.
But you've got this!
Doreen Dodgen-Magee has written a book -- Restart: Designing a Healthy Post Pandemic Life -- for moving into these somewhat unknown changes with intentional choices for how we live. She sees this time as an opportunity to incorporate healthy, positive choices in our lives rather than simply hoping we will get back to a pre-pandemic normal.
In light of the potential changes coming to our pre-pandemic education & school paradigms, it will take a brave parent to willingly reexamine her fundamental values about learning in order to ensure her children live with hope and flexibility.
But you've got this!
It is reassuring that parents and educators are already thinking and talking about and imagining what learning looks like after our pandemic,
Nonna
Purpose
Nonna's Thoughts are for busy parents who are looking for practical knowledge, and a bit of laughter, in growing strong, joyful families.
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