This past week I’ve been somewhat occupied with listening in to the unschooling summit. The sessions have been extremely helpful although much of what has been discussed is a reminder of why and how we homeschool. There is a week remaining if anyone is interested in checking it out.
The summit has also really reaffirmed what now seems as second nature to our family which is planning our studies around community events and other local educational opportunities. This week I took it step further and we did some prep work ahead of time in anticipation of the community events. The girls and I had already planned on studying insects in order to earn a Girl Scout badge and patch because of the Butterfly Live! exhibit which opened this week at the botanical gardens. There were tropical and native butterfly species included in the exhibit this year.
Another fantastic family event which we planned for was the Celebration of Indian Art at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. Before the event the girls and I went online to the National Geographic Kids facts and videos about India and researched the country through library resources. The hands-on program was terrific as the children investigated Indian architecture, henna, textile art, Rangoli(ancient Indian folk art created with rice flour and flowers), and completed a royal riches gallery hunt for really cool prizes. This is really such a great alternative to exposing our children to other countries and cultures since we are unable at this point in our lives to actually travel there.
It was also a joy to see other Muslim families enjoying the event. Alhamdulillah, I am starting to see more and more Muslim homeschoolers as well getting out into the community and taking advantage of these open events. Our local community has so much to offer and we have always been welcomed with open arms.
Islamic Homeschooling in the River City 