Anchorage Life Learners

Creating

2011-09-08T23:47:00.000-08:00

This summer, we stuck with the Read, Create, Play idea. We mostly played, did a little creating, and reading is always somewhere in our day.

The above picture is Oliver and Benton in tissue paper monster masks they made. They are not really impressive pieces of art, but they really wanted me to take their picture. Actually, the reason I thought to share it, is that it wasn't at all my idea, but they didn't just come up with it on their own. We have lots of books, art supplies, and manipulatives around the house to support their learning. And, several boxes that I have yet to unpack.

Some of our project idea books-from art to science, there are plenty of colorful pictures to inspire

Anyway...The masks are based on a project they found in a book, but modified to fit their desires and skill levels. This one required a fair amount of hands on time from me, which is probably why I hesitated a little when they showed me the picture, but then I reminded myself that my job is to say yes to projects and "how can I help?"

The point of all this is that I was busy and Oliver wanted something to do. So, I said "Just go look through the books and find something you want to do." By the time I had finished cleaning up my kitchen, he was back and had a plan. I like that. Actually, I am a little jealous. I wish I could make a plan to create something and complete it in one day, but so it goes. Parenting is a long term project that is keeping me pretty busy at the moment and I like that too.

Math at our house

2011-08-31T01:28:00.001-08:00

I feel like I get a lot of questions about math. Granted we are not talking about calculus, but thought I'd share how our kids are learning what they need right now.

Learning basic math skills is as natural and interesting to my kids as it was to learn to walk or learn the alphabet. We want our kids to think mathematically and continue to love playing with math. For me, that means, just like learning to read, we let our kids learn what they need when they need it. Math is everywhere and we have math moments everyday. We have been having them everyday since our kids were little. Here are several examples from the last 2 days:

As I write this, I am sitting on the couch with my laptop. Benton and Oliver decided to sit next to me and each other with their magnetic boards. This is a gift they got as little guys, but is still used nearly everyday. Today, they were drawing, but it just turned to number writing. I missed the transition, but they were writing together: 100, erase, 200, erase, 300, erase, all the way to 1000. They did it together, discussing their numbers and how to write them properly. At 2000, they decided to write the year, 2011. Then on to 3000, back to 11, then 4000 by thousands up to 10000 and then back to drawing people.

Last night, I had my digital scale out on the kitchen counter. When I was done, Oliver started weighing various things in the room and looking at the total. He had two things, a Lego project and a bottle opener on the scale and asked our friend Alex how much one of them weighed. So, Alex walked him through taking one item off and how to determine the weight of the item he took off. It was 6.15 ounces with both items, and 1.15 ounces with just the Lego item. Oliver figured it out in his head and announced his answer and moved on to something else. Later, Alex and I were talking about how math is part of our everyday conversations and he said that he had fallen into one of those moments with Oliver and enjoyed Oliver's enthusiasm.

My husband Dan is always a great resource for the kids. He works and thinks mathematically everyday. He enjoys working with them to figure things out. One night Oliver and Benton got an intro to the geometry of a circle. They had a compass and were drawing circles. It turned into a conversation about measuring circles, circumference, the diameter, the radius. Someone went to get a ruler and a piece of string. Next up was 2 PI x r and PI x diameter. Oliver is only 6, but was loving it.

Before I could finish this up, I caught Oliver in another math moment. He asked "How many days until my birthday?" I said "I don't know, go get the calendar." "What's today?" "Monday, in the last week of August." "August 29th." and he started counting, while I grabbed my camera. :) Only 28 days until his birthday, 29 days until his brother's birthday and 22 days until his sister's birthday (that one he just subtracted 6 from 28). He talked about what day of the week the birthdays would be on and then moved on to the next month. He sounded out October and flipped through the calendar and back to January through August. He read all the months, noticed some holidays and then announced to his brother the number of days until his birthday. Then it was over.

So, those are just a few examples of what I mean when I say math is part of our everyday life. Math is part of our daily play too. Just as we have easy reader books and other language arts items, we also have many items that support math exploration, some I purchased, some were gifts.

In the above picture, the kids are playing Pirate Arithmetic from Haba. A great game that should work for us for a long time. Benton (age 4) uses some counters to check his work and Oliver does everything in his head or on his fingers. Just to give you an idea of some of our math toys, we have the basic stuff, like the compass and ruler, as well as pattern blocks, real and fake money, "What Time is It?" clock game, "Make a Pie" fraction game. We also have some math bingo games, as well as number cards that Oliver has used to make up problems (addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division) to solve for himself.

All of those items are used just like other toys. They decided when and how long they want to play with them. Sometimes I play with them, sometimes they play on their own.

What is math like at your house?

Embracing Unschooling

2011-08-28T22:31:00.002-08:00

I searched and googled, trying to find a local homeschool group that I thought would be a good fit for us. I was looking for diversity, which the few other groups I found, didn't offer. I figured others might be looking for something different too. So, I decided to start a.l.l. The prevailing idea behind the group is secular and inclusive with the hopes of creating a diverse group of home learners where everyone feels welcome.

As my husband recently shared on Facebook, we picked the group name and the acronym because it describes our family and our style of learning, but also addresses my desires for a secular and inclusive group. It might not be the right group for everyone, but I hope anyone who appreciates diversity, will find our group welcoming. Admittedly, I kind of hope that a.l.l. will lean in the unschooling direction, but at the same time, I want a.l.l. to support all homeschoolers.

So, as it turns out, when you get a bunch of Alaskan homeschoolers together, two questions regularly come up: "What program are you with?" and "What curriculum do you use?" Being at the unschooling end of the homeschooling spectrum, my answers often surprise folks.

Not only are we life learners, aka unschoolers, we're independent. I often get a blank look or simply "Why? Why wouldn't you want the money?"

In the past, I have often used the fact that I am a former classroom teacher as a quick out. I usually add that I have boxes and boxes of education material left over from my teaching days. In other words, I don't want the funding to buy curriculum. We use a lot of that material, but not like they might imagine. It is my kids' decision, not mine, whether we do something or not. We're independent because I believe in my children's innate desire to learn. I want to support them in their learning, not direct it. I also do not want testing to have any bearing on how I support them. I think standardized testing is one of the biggest problems with public school, but that is another post altogether.

Many people think unschooled is equal to uneducated. It absolutely is not. Dealing with those blank stares and the occasional criticism has made me reluctant to embrace the term unschooling. Lately though, I have felt a responsibility to speak up for child-led learning. I really believe it is what is best for my kids and quite frankly, for most kids. So, call us life learners or unschoolers, I am ok with either one.

A New Rhythm to Our Days

2011-05-17T14:45:00.000-08:00

A quick confession, I recently considered preschool for Benton. Seriously considered it. I wondered if he need a place of his own and if the social situation could help him improve his speech. So, I visited the local Waldorf school and thought it was lovely. Everything they said to sell me on the program, I could believe in. By the time I got in my car I was thinking about enrolling both Benton and Oliver and felt terrible about it. I fundamentally believe kids do not need preschool, so why was I suddenly feeling like our home was not enough for my kids?

After that visit, I came home and talked with Dan and I felt inspired to do better. By better, I mean that I felt like I was just treading water this past year. There was so much to do, as we settled into this house. Dan and I talked about what we had imagined as homeschooling parents, and why I thought we were not there yet. Between moving in and back out for a remodel, and back in again, plus having a nursing child, it was very difficult to stick to any sort of schedule, but we've moved on from all that now. I don't know how many times this year I tried to pencil out a schedule. I could never figure it out. There was just too much going on. That is how I came up with Read, Create, Play. I just had to keep it simple.

Well, now that things feel a little more predictable in our house and our daily life, I was able to sit down and come up with a schedule. It is a little for the kids and a whole lot for me. There is so much to do as the mom, I have a hard time devoting my full attention to my kids. I mean there is always laundry to do, dishes to deal with, cleaning and then there is all the stuff I feel like I am constantly trying to put away.

Anyway, in case you are curious, here is a pretty honest schedule. It is not exactly what I typed up, but when we get there, I'll share that one. :)

8:30 am - wake up, kids pick 1/2 hour show to watch while I check my email and then start breakfast (coffee first)
9:00 am - hot breakfast, usually we have eggs and toast or oatmeal
9:30 am - kitchen cleanup and sometimes a 2nd cup of coffee

One morning we read some books about vegetable gardens. Oliver and Benton made a list of the vegetables they want in their garden this year. As a former teacher, I loved how this activity came about naturally and with so much more meaning than what I would have done in the classroom.

10:00 am - Focused Learning time - this when I want to give my kids my full attention and really be a resource for them. We head down to our playroom and read books, play games, do some art, whatever. Sometime a question will come up so we've look for more info or videos on the internet. Sometimes they do their own thing without me, but we always start with reading aloud. I pick some books related to a theme for the week and they pick books too. Lately, Ollie reads a few books to me, which I am really enjoying. If they are busy playing without me, I might start some laundry or tidy up the playroom.

Noon - They are usually ready to do something different at this point and lately, they go outside while I make lunch.

I wrote out a schedule for the rest of the day, but really, it is still fairly fluid.

1:00 pm - might head out for our a.l.l. activity, meet friends or to the library. If we stay home, the kids are usually outside or playing on their own.

2:30 pm - Quiet hour - Linnea takes her nap, the boys get 1 hour of computer time and this is my quiet hour too. :) I am usually on the computer, sometimes I watch a little tv while I fold laundry. There are lots of things I should be doing, but I need a little down time too.

3:30 pm - Oliver and Benton usually work with playdough, draw or write in their journals. I am usually moving around tidying up around them or checking and responding to emails, making plans for a.l.l. or blogging. Ideally, I would journal with them. Hmm, need to put that on my to-do list.

4:00 pm - Right now they are big fans of Wild Kratts on PBS, so they watch that at 4pm and I try to remember to turn the tv off after it is over. I am always trying to clean up my house, but it is never really clean, because there is so much to do and I am easily distracted.

They might go back outside and Linnea and I will go out for a bit, but then I head in to start figuring out what to feed them when they come in hungry. Linnea pretty much hangs out with me.

6pm - dinner and Dan is done with work and we all settle into our evening routine of family time and eventually getting ready for bed.

I love this warmer weather because the boys are outside so much. Maybe this coming winter will be a little easier on them than their first winter here. Anyway, it is not too exciting and, as any mother knows, there a ton of things that don't fit into any schedule, but I know it is kind of nice to see what other home learning families are doing.

Read, Create, Play

2011-05-11T11:46:00.000-08:00

This was quite a year for our family. First of all we moved across the country. As some of your know, moving is no small affair. Although, we had visited many times, my kids and husband, were not Alaskans yet and we are still settling into who we are as Alaskans. I kind of know who I am, but being the mom, makes it different. We remodeled our house (still working on that one). I started a secular homeschooling group. :) All while caring for a family of five, including a nursing baby and a giant puppy. I was just trying to get through the day and could barely think any further.

Meanwhile, Oliver became an official homeschooling Kindergartner. Having been a Kindergarten teacher, I had big plans for Oliver. When he was about 2, I could barely wait to start teaching him. Ha ha. That kid made it very clear that I would not be teaching him. He does the learning on his own. Having children greatly changed what I believe about how kids learn. To Oliver, I am a valued resource, but he is in charge of his learning. I believe my job is to give guidance and inspiration, opportunities, supplies, books and to say "yes" when someone wants my help to learn something in particular.

So, with everything that has been going on this year, I set a simple goal for us. A daily to do list:

Read
Create
Play

It was and is perfect for us. Most days, if we did 2 of those items and everyone was fed and dressed (at some point), I was doing well. I recently added two more things I would like Oliver to do every day: Help (with caring for our home and family) and Write (he has a journal and likes to send letters).

I love how simple, yet complex Read, Create, Play can be. Read - includes listening, reading alone, reading to someone else. Create - usually means art, building with blocks, train tracks, baking, cooking, etc. Play - go outside, please! or playing with toys. I kind of like to get them outside everyday, when possible. For Oliver, this has been his to-do list as a kid.

For me, it is a reminder that I need to fit those things into my day too. Right now, I am working on the create part (I want to organize my sewing room) I am also working on the writing in a journal right along side of them.

I never quite fit in

2011-05-06T14:41:00.000-08:00

So, I went to the IDEA fair and felt strangely out of place. Only one of the workshops appealed to me, it was kind of an intro to Waldorf, but even in there, I heard so many questions about how to do it right. I wanted to speak up and say "You are the only person who knows what is right for your kids. Relax, believe in your children's natural ability and desire to learn. Be confident in yourself and your kids! You can do this and everyone will turn out fine." Thankfully, the presenter kind of said that, but I am not sure the person who asked the question was satisfied.

The conference hall full of stuff and salesman, actually made me feel anxious. I am more of an online shopper. I like to take it all in and then after days of research, make a purchase. That goes for everything, from clothes to furniture. I did show some support for the Alaskan toy store - Enchanted Forrest, co-owned by the Waldorf presenter. I ignored the packaged (and often scripted) curriculum they gave me as a classroom teacher and can not fathom buying it as a parent. I didn't even stop at any other booths. Maybe as my kids get older, and need credits for diplomas, it will make sense. For now, we are doing fine with a simpler approach.

I in no way mean to offend, if those things appeal to you. I believe strongly that every parent and child are different and support choice of all sorts. We all must seek out the best for our families, whether is unschooling or school-at-home. The reason I started a.l.l. was to find open minded folks, so we can support each other and learn from one another, no matter what style of learning we choose.

I lean towards the unschooling end of the spectrum, which really just means child-led to me. During these early years, I don't think my kids need workbooks or even lesson plans. I want them to love literature and believe they are writers, not be stressed out focusing on the the minute details of sounding out letters or painfully writing sentences, one letter at a time. They are naturally creative and artistic and they can create beautiful things without precut pieces or me directing every step. My kids do sound words out, write everyday, and figure out mathematical equations but not because I said it is time to do it, but rather because they are natural learners and work at it for their own intrinsic rewards.

I thought I might get something out of the IDEA fair, if nothing more than the general support from being in a room full of homeschoolers. Surprisingly, I left there feeling disconnected from the local homeschooling scene. Oh well, I am grateful to have our small, but growing group of families that do make me feel supported and understood.

Playroom /Homeschool room

2011-03-28T11:38:00.003-08:00

Back in December, I mentioned that we finally got our playroom organized. Three weeks later, we moved everything from the upstairs of our house to the downstairs and started a remodel. Just as we were settling in to our playroom, we filled it up with furniture and headed off to Gramma's house for the next 5 weeks. Yes, 5 weeks out of our house. It was a little rough. When we got back into the house, it took me another 3 weeks to get everything back in order. What an adventure. The remodel is not quite done, but everything is functional.

There are a lot of things I don't like about this house, but I love our playroom. I love having a place for everything. If I can't find a place for it, it doesn't take long for me to get rid of it. (Confession - I do have a lot of stuff in closets and the garage that I plan to go through this summer).

It doesn't look like an HGTV playroom, but it is real, very functional and a pleasant room to hang out in.

I started by replacing the carpet, painting the walls, painting the wood paneling, and all the molding. I would love to replace the lighting, but it'll have to wait.

In this first picture you'll see our reading area, dress up area, and Linnea's shelf.

Our versatile and comfortable futon. A great spot to read books together, fold laundry while the kids play and occasionally, a nice spot to lay down. Oh, I totally borrowed the wall art idea from here. We had all these covers from hardback books in the closet. I saw that, and had an a-ha moment. The large piece of art is from Noelle Dass . I saw a small print of it and loved it. I contacted the artist and she made an original painting of her original piece (does that make sense?). Every time I walk downstairs, it makes me smile. The blue bookcase under it was built by Dan and painted by me. It holds a lot of Linnea's toys and board books.

The other side of the room...the computer, full bookshelves, board games, and our toy organizers. I would still like to organize the book better`, but for now the boys are enjoying rediscovering their books, many of which they haven't seen since we packed them up in Georgia. The computer is used everyday. I love the new desk, particularly the sturdy keyboard drawer. I let the kids have about and hour each on the computer. Sometimes it is more, especially if it helps me help Linnea get her nap. They mostly play on PBS kids and a few other kids sites.

We have a lot of fun stuff stuffed into and on those organizers. Wooden train parts, wooden road system, parking garage, big and little trucks, animal and people of various sizes, lots and lots of blocks, building toys, camping toys, the doll house, several rockets, and more. The part I like is that they all have a spot and when the kids are done with them, we know where to put them.

Next up, our art area. All three kids are crazy about painting, so I had to figure out some way to make this room paint friendly. I buy washable paints, crayons, etc, but still, getting paint out of the carpet daily, would be too much for me. So, I got a waterhog rug that contains any liquid and can be hosed off. Any paint that gets on it dries and can actually be easily vacuumed.

The table, wall shelves, and art shelf were all in our breakfast nook in Atlanta, I repainted the shelves in the lighter blue. I also stapled oilcloth to the top of the table. It looks good and makes for an easy cleanup. I added the cable with clips for wet artwork - very nice. The puppets are tucked in the corner over there.

There is another matching shelf with legos, the marble track, among other things. Musical instruments are trucked onto that corner and puzzle are on the shelves under the table

The easel has had a various stories on it and the white board is available for whatever, including magnetic letters. I have some frames I need to finish painting for the kids to put their work in. My plan was to have those three colors you see there. One color for each kids, but I am afraid it will be too colorful We'll see.

What is left to do? Fabric stuff. I need to organize my sewing room and then I can work on some curtains and pillows. I have a lot of the fabric, but not the time, yet. Curtains always make a room feel finished to me. I'd also love a large rug for the room, but not sure we really need it right now. Plus, the kids love the feel of the open space.

That's pretty much it. I gave a few links for stuff, but if there is something you want to know more about, just let me know. I most likely bought it online, because that is just how I am. :)

Do you have a playroom or schoolroom? Do you use your living room, dining or kitchen for your learning time?

Dr. Seuss Celebration

2011-03-22T23:31:00.000-08:00

I have to say, that this little party turned out pretty fun. The day before, my kids and I decorated with balloons and streamers and a welcome sign. I did my best to tidy up the house and did not worry about any of the unfinished projects, but did put away the tools that had been laying around. We also made cupcakes together.

The kids (a fairly young group) arrived and made Cat-in-the-Hat hats out of construction paper. Why I don't have pictures of these, I don't know. We played a few games, including pin the green egg on the ham, I Can do That (a Dr. Seuss box game - kids had to do little tricks), and we read a lot of Dr. Seuss books (thank Hilkka!)

I did my best to keep things in check. Call it a "party" and I have a hard time keeping things to a minimum, but I think I did pretty well. The kids and I made the (simple) cupcakes. I made sandwiches to share, pb-n-j, and ham and avacado. The kids loved the little Dr. Seuss toothpicks in the sandwiches and used them to eat all sorts of stuff. I put out a bunch of fruit and called it "done." We had some Dr. Seuss pencils and little books to share. And of course, paper products, because that always says party to kids.

It was just right.

Thanks to all of you who came. We talked about making it an annual event, but choosing a different author/book each year. I am curious to see what we come up with for next year.

Ready to Read

2010-12-07T23:00:00.005-09:00

Oliver loves all things math related. He'll add or subtract just about anything. He counts in multiples (I think they call it skip counting at schools), he loves coins, multiplies and divides simple numbers, all in his head. Meanwhile, he has shown no interest in learning to read. Now, don't get me wrong, he knows all his letter sounds,way beyond the basics, he sounds out words, reads familiar words etc. But, if you ask him to read something or suggest that he can read, he scoffs at the idea.

It took me a long while, but I got our playroom organized (finally). We now have a better rhythm around here. We have all been spending more time in the play/learning room and Oliver has started asking me to teach him. He wants me to get stuff out of my boxes of teaching supplies. I put up a pocket chart with some beginning reading stories.

As I expected, he didn't real need me to teach him anything. He really enjoyed reading something that seemed "easy." He quickly and enthusiastically read 4-5 stories and poems and asked for more. I suggested we slow down and maybe work with the new words we learned. Benton was reading along with us, as well.

I love giving kids tasks they can feel successful at, instead of making them work really hard and feeling frustrated. This approach always works well with Oliver. He is a bit stubborn, so say the least.

So, we stopped there for the day. We read them again the next day and while laying in bed that night, Oliver started telling me about the story he wanted to write.

All of this leads me to this morning. Oliver was ready to write his own story. Instead of him suffering through the handwriting and sounding out words, I went the "reading and writing is fun" route. I typed up his sentences, printed the pages and then he illustrated them.

Meanwhile, Benton was painting, his favorite thing, ever.

Here is a video of Oliver reading his story, "My Favorite Foods," and a hello to Nonna and Papa in Georgia!

Ice Skating at Cuddy

2010-12-07T23:00:00.004-09:00

I took three kids ice skating, none of whom no how to ice skate.

Linnea, rode in my stroller. Completely content.

Oliver held onto my stroller a lot, but ventured out on his own too. He actually got better after a bit and stopped clinging to me.

Benton decided to ride in Hilkka's stroller, skates on. He only got out once to play in a pile of snow. Benton was the one who made it clear it was time to go home. One second he was fine, the next, he was crying. After what felt like an eternity, I got everyone's boots on, stroller and skates in the truck, kids buckled in. After a few minutes in the truck with the heat on, Benton stopped crying and I asked if he could tell me why he had been so upset. I suspected cold hands (he took his mittens off at the end), but he said "I wanted to listen to some music." Ok.

Thanks to our friends who joined us! Spike, in full hockey gear, Finley, and Charlie are all great skaters! We'll have to go again soon.

Aviation Museum

2010-12-07T20:09:00.000-09:00

I am not sure what I have been doing, actually, I do know, but it is not that exciting. We are still trying to settle into our house here. I have been doing a lot of painting and I'm still unpacking a lot of boxes.

We had a great turn out at the museum a few weeks ago. I can't say that I learned much, because the kids were too busy moving around and checking everything out for me to stop and read any of the fine print. We did have a great time though. My boys really enjoyed the flight simulator. I am sure Oliver could have sat there for a long time.

There an Alaska Airline plane outside. You can't go in, but you can look inside. There is also a big hangar outside the museum, full of different kinds of planes.

"Jeep alert!" For some reason, unknown to me, Oliver loves Jeeps. This one was pretty cool.

We ended our day there with a quick, but super annoying movie. In effort to make the movie kid-friendly, they added a character that made the movie hard to watch for parents. I don't think the kids minded, but I don't think they would have missed that element at all.

Anyway, all and all, it was a great outing and I hope everyone else enjoyed themselves too. Thanks for coming out to play with us!

The Learning Farm

2010-12-07T19:56:00.001-09:00

I must have been busy, because I forgot to post about this place. We went on a cold and wet day in October. The boys and the other kids who were there that day (a mix of homeschoolers and preschoolers) got to meet all the farm animals and then got to ride the horse and buggy and a horse.

It was Oliver and Benton's first experience with a horse. They were both so excited to get to ride her and wanted more time on her. I love seeing how confident they were and comfortable on the horse (wish I knew here name).

It was planned that we would have lunch there and do a craft, but by the time the all the horse riding was done, there was only about ten minutes left and I opted to head out. I felt chilled (cold and rainy) and I was sure the kids were probably a little chilly too. Also, Linnea had been in the backpack the entire time, without a single complaint.

We were all pleased with our experience at the Learning Farm and hope to go back. It is a little expensive, but they did offer a discount for siblings and it is right here in town, so no long drive involved.

Check out, if you get a chance.

Another gorgeous day out at Eagle River Nature Center

2010-11-09T23:41:00.000-09:00

Alaska Zoo - Hands On Detective Class

2010-11-09T23:35:00.000-09:00

We had a small turn out, but the zoo held the class for us any way. The instructors were wonderful and enthusiastic teachers. They had several tubs full of animal pelts, horns, antlers, quills, and feathers.

My kids are still new to Alaska, so although they have read a lot about Alaska's animals this was the first time the got to touch most of the items.

Linnea, who is just barely one, loved all the fur! It was kind of funny how much she wanted to feel the furs and did not want to pass them back. :)

It was the first real snowfall in the city, not just up on Hillside. So, the zoo, was practically empty. We only saw one other mom and daughter the whole time we were there. It was so lovely to walk through the quiet zoo. Many of the animals were out to see us. The wolverine came over several times to check us out, the foxes were very social, the tigers were enjoying a cool spot and didn't seem to notice us at all.

The falling snow soon changed to rain and luckily, we had already visited everyone's chosen animal so we dashed home to warm up and have some lunch.

Another great day spent learning with my kids.

Potter Marsh

2010-09-30T15:04:00.000-08:00

As we were getting ready this morning, I was talking with Oliver and Benton about the marsh. Since they hadn't been there before, I was telling them a bit about a marsh and what they might see there. Oliver sounded interested and was excited to spot birds. I added, "Maybe we should get a book about marshes." His response, "sounds boring." Thankfully, it turns out that actually going to the marsh wasn't boring at all.

It was a great fall day, lovely colors and not too cold.

We looked for and spotted fish in the creek.

We saw cranes fly by and then watched ducks land.

Read the informational signs.

and only used the binoculars for the intended purpose.

Spotted an eagle.

Watched birds fly over our heads.

Enjoyed the company of friends and fellow homeschoolers!

I am excited that we had such a nice turn out today at Potter Marsh! Six families came, with a total of 13 kids. There was a lot of running down the boardwalk, but also a bit of learning about the marsh and its wildlife.

First day of Kindergarten

2010-09-02T01:20:00.003-08:00

I took this picture on a sunny, fun-filled day when I realized it was the first official day for local Kindergartners and Oliver's first official day as a homeschooler.

It is a rite of passage, the first day of school. I have seen so many pictures lately of friends' kids going off to school. Cute outfit, new lunch box and backpack, big smile.

My son won't have that, but I hope to give him more. More sunshine, for starters. It was finally sunny after a month of rain. Seriously, a whole month of rain. My little kindergartner was livin' it up.

At the sand table durning centers? No, on the beach on the Turnagain arm.

Sitting quietly during a read aloud? Nope, taking a break on the coastal trail to admire the mountains and hear the story of the Sleeping Lady.

No uniforms, no shoes, even.

No limits to what he might learn out in the world.

I like that.

I am pretty sure he does too.

Alaska Zoo

2010-09-02T00:36:00.000-08:00

Oliver can never get enough time with a map. The zoo folks forgot to give us one at the entry gate, so Oliver was thrilled to come across this one. He and Benton made sure they got maps on their way out. When we got home Oliver and Benton both drew pictures of the camel. One of the few animals on the map that we did not see that day. I had to promise that we would go back soon to check in on the camel.

Checking out the brown bears with our homeschooling friends.

A great day at the zoo. I hope more folks can join us next time.

The sun came out!

2010-08-19T17:54:00.000-08:00

What a beautiful day in Anchorage! Two sunny days in a row! Yesterday was the first sunny day in over a month and it was the first day back to school for local kids. What a bummer, but not for us! Yay, life as a homeschooler definitely has benefits.

I think the Not-Back-To-School Play Day was a success. Unfortunately, I did not take one single picture today at our very first Anchorage Life Learners event. I even ran back in the house after everyone was in their car seats to get it. Oh, well. I have to say, that I was pleased that people came out today. I met some new folks and a few others said they couldn't make it today, but planned to catch up with us another time. I have mostly made contact with families with young kids. I suppose the older kids out there already have their routine, but maybe some will find us later.

I really found it encouraging to meet up with other homeschooling families today. I hope others did too.

We're off and running. Now, I just have to keep up.

Look for more event postings on the website or join the email group.

Well, here we go...

2010-08-10T16:54:00.002-08:00

I am a not a fearless leader. If anything, I am a reluctant one. I am actually kind of shy. You definitely won't catch me speaking in front of a group. In my former life as a classroom teacher, I never volunteered to head up a committee or start something new. Oh, I am also a bit of a homebody. But here I am trying to organize something little, that I hope will grow into something bigger. I guess it comes from being the mom, not a teacher anymore. The mom who has decided to educated her kids at home.

We, my husband and I, decided to homeschool because we wanted something more for our kids. More than what we thought school could offer. A less scheduled day, but full of more adventures, more self-directed learning, more outdoor time, more free-time, more friends and socializing, maybe even more time with us (the parents).

In wanting more for my kids, I imagined a diverse group of friends and families to play and learn with. Unfortunately, I can't seem to find one that is secular and inclusive.

So this is my all-call, as they'd say over the PA at my old school, my announcement to Anchorage homeschoolers, unschoolers, relaxed schoolers, child-led learners, autodidacts, think-for-your-selfers, if you are looking for a group where you will fit in, this might just be it. So, no matter what program you have signed up for, or not, I am asking you to help me create a diverse group of local homeschoolers. A group where everyone feels welcome.

Let's start with a simple get together. A Not-Back-To-School Play Day on Thursday August 19th starting at 11am. Bring a lunch or a snack to share. It's just me organizing this, so don't expect a bounce house or anything. But, come, let's meet, and play.

I figure, worst case scenario, it is still just me and my kids, but at least we'll be out having fun and not stuck in a chair at school.