Learning in the Absence of Education
Essays on Homeschooling
© Beverley Paine
Index
Homeschool
Australia
A Day at Home with the Paines ....
(continued)
Sometimes, not often, I get the boys to do some 'book work' for an hour. Thomas has learned to read this year, and to help this process along, because I was starting to get worried (I am only human after all), I prepared an exercise book of reading and writing exercises. It keeps my nagging critic at bay, and Doesn't do a lot of damage if Thomas is compliant. Roger does some maths from a text book, just to show me he can. Sometimes he learns something new. I never make them do this work - it isn't worth the hassle. If they are happy to do it, we work together. Sometimes Robin will sit with Roger and they will work on Roger's correspondence course in Personal Computer repairs. I am really impressed with the way in which Roger applies himself maturely to his studies. A year ago he would not even think of working in this way. Transition from child to adolescent to adult?
I have found over the years the children will usually happily do whatever we ask, provided we stay nearby to give them guidance and to take an active interest. I wonder how the 'self- instructional textbook' homeschooling crowd would react to that? Learning in this way, as we do, seems to occupy very little of our time, giving us the rest of the day to pursue our own interests. Not a lot of burn out here.
For the boys, this means playing outside if the weather is inviting. Climbing trees, falling out of trees (a favourite 'game'), playing on the rope swing, building cubbies, pushing their growing bodies to the limit, stretching their imaginations with games, investigating the natural world - they keep themselves busy. I often take their observational and physical skills for granted, until they have friends come to visit, and I see them acting as natural leaders, mentors and tutors.
Inside, they are dedicated to their Lego. Thousands of dollars worth of Lego lie strewn across two bedroom floors, stored on shelves or neatly in April’s camphor wood chest. A collection spanning at least fifteen years. If ever I had doubt of the value of play in education it has been dispelled by this plastic 'toy'. I could rave lyrical about its mathematical, technological, scientific, blah, blah, blah - but it is true. Lego has not restricted the boys' imaginations re the world of natural objects and play - it has even enhanced and encouraged their ability. Roger taught himself to read on Lego catalogues, and both boys have mastered budgeting, saving pocket money for Lego! Everyone is very impressed with Roger's ability to look at any real object and reproduce it out of Lego, and he is not restricted by instructions, and has even produced artistic murals from his favourite art medium!
Thomas is Roger's admiring apprentice, if somewhat frustrated by his lack of ability. I often have to reassure him, telling him Roger has had four years more of Lego practice and play. It is hard being the youngest sometimes.
The boys are allowed 45 minutes of computer time. We have a time restriction because of our alternative power set up. It has good and bad points. We don't have game junkies, but they can't have the opportunity to explore a favourite tool to the best of its abilities. And I would like them too. They seem to have a natural ability.
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Excerpt from Learning in the Absence of Home Education: Essays on Homeschooling
© Beverley Paine, 1999
