When is School Time?

Homeschooling is an ever evolving process. it took me some time to figure out that the typical teaching methods of planned units was less effective. Between differing interest and grade levels, it made it hard to reach both kiddos. It was difficult to give up my neurotic tendencies to plan and control everything. I began taking up rabbit trails as they came along. Watching I can't begin to tell the number of times I've been asked "when' do my kids do school. It's as if their learning is a scheduled item, something to be checked off. While we do do certain things like practicing reading or math and typing skills, (usually first thing in the morning) there is no definite school time.  I would like to think that learning really happens all day long.  Sometimes its cooking together, other times its when we're at the store pricing out items we need.  There are those time with other homeschool friends when I'm nearby and can help smooth social interactions and we can talk about what we learn 

My little helper setting the schedule for the day!



Earning money by caring for some pets while their owners were away.  While there we had a lucky find of a palo verde beetle who was sadly nearing the end of life.  It's the biggest bug we've ever caught.


Fun at the park, even Leora suprised us, climbing up ladders and swinging on the big girl swing!






On a cooler morning during Eli's therapies we went outside to do a little long jumping. (hooray for the Olympics!)  Bug-love found two bugs "making babies!" and decided to throw them a wedding.





Bubbalicious working hard at therapies!



Solar ovens with friends



So for this and many other reasons we no longer talk about 'school time'.  It's now learning time and sometimes it's structured, sometimes it's not but either way it happens all the time because living is learning and growing!