Welcome to the wonderful world of Plasticine!
M was very industrious today making more objects for mini pretend play with her 6 year old brother. She is a wonderful leader and they have had a very happy, fun filled first day back at ‘school’.
Along with this we also covered telling the time, reading and M also converted fractions to decimals and decimals to percentages. D put a load of washing on while M put away the dishes (that was their ’2pm job for the house’ which has really helped me to keep on top of things as well as including them in maintaining their own space).
Before we launch into a very studious Term I thought I’d share some images from what we’ve been up to this past two weeks. Cold and wet wintery days mostly but we managed to squeeze out some sunny days to go to Town Hall to soak up a Choir concert and then run around in pure excitement,
eat healthy bananas (see the long hair! I’ll save you that drama!) needless to say my fussy eater can handle having to eat bananas to make up for not eating other healthy food… he lives mostly on vegemite sandwiches!
Also during the two week break we got to climb in the Tree Tops, go to the beach, climb a net at Joeys, attend a family wedding, catch up with two very special mates and travel down to Sydney by train with some equally special mates to see Disney on Ice at the Acer Stadium where the 2000 Sydney Olympics was held! D even got wet running under the waterfall that used to be the lit ring of fire during the games.
M blindfolded walking around the circuit… amazing!
Can you see how proud M is of D… their relationship is WONDERFUL!
We’ve really missed our mates… watching M and D so effortlessly slip back into their very easy friendships was inspirational to say the least… real friends really are the ones you don’t HAVE to see all the time, but when you do… ahhh it’s golden!
He did it!!! Go you Joey you!!!
and then he did it again, and again and again!!!!
D has really transformed since turning 6 years of age… it’s reminded me of what Maria Montessori wrote about each age and the transformations that occur at the end and the beginning of each 3 year period. As he is moving from the Absorbent Mind to a more Reasoning Mind we are seeing how beautifully his personality is remaining intact. I felt the same when M turned 6, taking many photos of her at that age too! Such a happy age for both of them. The only significant difference is that D has no desire to attend school, whereas his sister wanted to try Kindergarten at the age of 4 3/4 years. By the time she was six we were exclusively unschooling her at home (her and I). We’ve continued to ‘work together’ as really it’s more about her education than my experience teaching. She asked me to send her to school, to then home educate her, then to another school and then home again. I did send her to a very good local primary school for a whole year however that only strengthened her resolve to self-educate and use me as a resource. I’m VERY happy to do that for them both. D has had an easier time, knowing all along that he doesn’t want to attend a school. He’s very happy within his family, friends and larger social group and is free to learn how he wants, when he wants.
D is a reluctant reader still but is almost there! He is beginning to decode words and guess what they might say… today we played a quick 5 minute game of ‘eye spy’ where I said “I spy with my little eye, something in this room and it’s a…” then I would write the word on our white board we have in the kitchen… here is a picture of it that I took in Term 1 while M and I were brainstorming a story/script/movie/animation.
After being able to work out…
banana, apple, fridge, pot, rug, bottle, floor, his confidence really shot up…
back to the holiday news!
Three hours on the train down to Sydney, it was the first ever train trip for the youngest one!
The Incredibles with Micky and all of the crew!
D and yet another mate watching from our very special ‘suite’. Having the chance to view this from our own balcony, with lunch in our room behind was VERY special!
The pirates were AWESOME!
Then it was off to play in the park before getting the train home. My Friend C and I took turns taking each of our collective four to the toilet! Four trips!!!
D had a blast going in and out of the massive fountain. On a cold winters day!
Tiny Timmy seemed to enjoy the 3 hours back home!
The very next day we attended a very special wedding… after walking to the beach nearby to take in some air and rest from yet another long trip
I love the water… just seeing it eases me, slows my breathing, helps me to relax completely.
Congratulations to a lovely couple, a wonderful family and now part of my extended family.Thank you for sharing your special day.
It’s been a very rewarding day and I’m so grateful to be home educating my children. I wonder what tomorrow will bring!?
We’ve really missed our mates… watching M and D so effortlessly slip back into their very easy friendships was inspirational to say the least… real friends really are the ones you don’t HAVE to see all the time, but when you do… ahhh it’s golden!
Congratulations to a lovely couple, a wonderful family and now part of my extended family.
