Growing and Learning and Presenting

Change must come. Children don't stay little. And, learning is compounded upon past learning. I look around our small homeschool group, the ones my children grew up with, the ones they've loved, and been loved by. I steal candid shots when they're not looking, and when they are, a few straighten up and smile, while others hide their faces and bemoan yet another photo. There are a few newer families to our posse, but with most we've been presenting our projects since they could barely spell their names. A couple have moved onto high schools away from home. Nine years of homeschooling. My heart overflows. 

Day Ten: The Best Audience

Katie wriggles on her big brother's lap but she has her eye on what the children are presenting today. She already proudly held her painting against her chest and smiled shyly. Last year, her mommy did most of the talking but Katie is beginning to understand this is a safe place where big kids care for her and everyone says they like her work. Eden steps up to take her place at the front of the group and displays her box filled with rows of rocky soil, weeds, and good soil and proceeds to share her project on Parables, which her amazing momma mixed with botany and other subjects to round out her learning while receiving a lasting spiritual message. Katie likes it, I think, and one by one, our children report what they've been working on recently and inspire one another.

nature paintings by Katie

Amphibians and Metamorphosis by Oliver

 Bats by Sara

Africa by Emily

 Parables by Eden

Manatees by Samantha

E.B.White Study by Molly

 Renaissance by Caleb

Model of the Lungs by Caleb

 History of the Trebuchet by Jack

piano playing by Jack

(Oliver records because he's so impressed with his older friend)

 Flexibility For Seniors essay by Meghan

World Biomes by Brooke

water colour painting by Brooke

Jake shares how he began flying lessons and some of the "tricks" he learned in the air for emergency safety procedures. He tells of his dream to fly for a commercial airline someday. The kids are mesmerized. Our biggest kid in the group is now in the workforce and learning to pilot a plane! Time flies :)

 

 

I love how our little group contains varying ages and abilities. Young ones are challenged by older ones, older ones revel in being the heroes and desire to "step it up" next time to impress further. Each new project inspires our children to wok harder and find new subject matter. Grandmas, mommas and children eager to listen... now that's the best audience!

Presenting... Kids At Work

These are the days that inspire our children to achieve a higher standard and these are the days the mommas realize they are not alone in this home educating adventure. We gather every couple of months to present whatever they are working on and preschoolers to highschoolers listen intently to each bold demonstration and every quiet appearance. When these kids know this day is approaching, they work just a little bit harder so they can show off what they've learned. (excuse the phone pics)

Katie shows her alphabet work and we all sing 5 Little Monkeys with her. 

 Sara's project on whales was detailed and lovely.

 Oliver introduced himself like a professional and told how each of his winter art pieces were made. 

 Maysie read her book report on her favourite book, The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane and held up props to help us remember. 

 Emily also showed her art, focusing on slightly different areas than Oliver.

 Eden opened up Magellan's suitcase from his voyage and she read from the perspective of a slave on the ship.

 Each piece was significant to the voyage.

 Emma Grace shared her fox chalk drawing.

 She confidently talked about how she created it and a homemade chalkboard too.

 Calvin read his research report on Hiroshima and told us of the true story of Sadako. 

 Samantha asked us questions about elephants then told us what she had learned about them. 

 Molly shared her beautiful winter art too.

 Auntie Lisa, Olivia and Mama came to be a part of our presentations. 

 Jack made a stop-motion movie with Lego people and told us how stop-motion is made.

 Caleb showed us the beginnings of his Tudor house from his Renaissance unit.

 Chris is making a mock company on cross-fit training. He showed a video of a Christian Olympian performing.  

 Brooke shared her Shakespeare section of her Renaissance unit...

 and the detailed Globe Theatre she designed to go with it. 

Jake had a book of drawings that were his renditions of Da Vinci's.

 

He did a great job.

 Jillian proudly held up her fox chalk drawing. 

 Some of our crew :)

Enjoying the presentations

 

I'm so grateful for these families who parent and teach intentionally and spur me on to be a better mom and home educator.