Wednesday, September 05, 2012
Homeschooling
It's official! The Dowling household kicked off it's first official home school year with our sweet Annabelle as a Kindergartner today. (Pause for sobbing hormonal mama.)As I floated through the day with a bit of Johann Sebastian Bach on Pandora as our background (I have high aspirations in this little home school, you know) the simple statement from the only and only Mary Poppins continually popped into my fresh and eager homeschooling mama's brain: "In every job that must be done, there is an element of fun."
Annabelle's artistic version of art time with paint.
If I remember only one thing from the numerous wealth-of-knowledge friends I've chatted within the years preceding starting this great adventure I hope to always keep hold of this: a love for learning is far greater than a standard of what should be taught by a standard time frame. A great love for learning will not only heighten any knowledge that could be attained, but continue far past schooling years.
Today was logged in my little yellow notebook with lessons on alphabet and pioneers, a favorite leaf logged in a nature journal, painting and mazes, books and stickers and play-doh, and learning about God's love for us through His created world. More than that, I see in that little log, a girl who took today at her own pace learning about things she loves. I love this Kindergarten girl.
Ready for dance class this afternoon!
This homeschooling cap I've put on is, in all honesty, probably the biggest hat I've ever worn. Constantly I'm wondering if I could possibly measure up to give her the education I have dreamed for her and her siblings to follow. Speaking with R.Jay in weeks leading up to our big homeschooling adventure, I went on and on about how exciting and wonderful this will be: how grand it'll be to re-learn and learn new throughout the years and how wonderful it will be to watch a passion for something be birthed in her heart and mind right before my very eyes. But, the real beauty in this adventure is through this daily 'rhythm' my face and my heart will be turned to Jesus. Every. Single. Day. And in turn, hers too. No amount of lesson planning, great idea found on Pinterest, or curriculum will help me as much as God's constant presence as we take each step.
So, here it goes! It may be a "glorious mess" most days, but I'm going to purpose to love every bit of it. Even the hard parts. Especially the great parts. Like today.
Happy 2012-2013 school year!
Laughing with my big-girl Kindergartner over ice cream after dance class. We both deserved a treat today!
Heather Dowling at 11:43 PM