Robots and Fishing

I can’t believe how fast these past two weeks have flown by.  Hannah’s and Yahya’s first two week career academy session is already over. For Hannah it was  her first course away from home.  I think it was more challenging for me than it was for her.  She really enjoyed the “It’s A Zoo” class.  It was very hands-on and she visited the zoo as well as went fishing.  One of the assignments was for her to make her own fishing pole out of bamboo.  Even her sisters were excited for her and begged me to take them to the park where she was fishing so they could experience this with her.  Those are the rest of the girls crowded around her in the picture.

Yahya’s robotics course seemed to go very well too.  He came back enthusiatic each day describing how he was working together with some other boys to program a robot to pick up rings.  His team’s robot was the only group’s robot to work at all.   His next session is called “How Things Move” and will cover how to fix remote control cars, scooters, bikes, skateboards, etc.  He can’t wait.

Whirlwind

It has certainly been a whirlwind around here this last week (literally and figuratively).  I haven’t been able to keep up with the blogging as Hannah who usually babysits the little ones while I am blogging on the computer and Yahya are enrolled in a 4 week career academy program through the public school system.  She is taking zoology and culinary arts and Yahya is enrolled in robotics and a how things work class.  They are enjoying the courses as well as benefitting from them. 

So, the while they are attending class the little ones and I have been off on our own learning adventures. Their morning and afternoons have been spent exploring science, outdoors, arts and crafts, literacy, and history through out of the house activities including a hands-on shark exhibit(touching shark skin and teeth) and  garden art(making beaded bubble wands). I have been focusing the  read alouds on the younger girls and the books have included Emmaline and the Bunny, Cat Diaries, and Dog Diaries. Jennah and Hawwa have also adopted a squirrel which follows them around in the yard.  They have turned this adventure into a squirrel study! The older girls have been learning to use the sewing machine, hand mending, and working on  webrangers(an online junior ranger program for kids of all ages).  We have also been socializing with some homeschool friends.

My husband and I also managed to sneak in some special time together at a local park riding trials. We explored the park and had the opportunity to observe some wildlife as well.  Thank you, love! 

Finally, we were in actually in a tornado like situation this week while we were out at the botanical gardens.  The storm came up on us so fast and by the time we had made it back up to the building, we were all herded into the basement.  Hawwa was a bit shaken up and crying while the older girls were trying to make the best of it as we did get a behind the scene tour of the restaurant and kitchen.  Ahamdulillah, everyone was well and our house was spared.  We did lose electricity for some time, but all’s well that ends well.

Summer Adventures So Far

Now that the blog is private once again, I want to thank you all for continuing to follow our life’s journey.   I have come to the realization in the last month that we really needed to make some changes.  We have always been electic homeschoolers and I would still say we probably fit into that category for the most part, but I am really feeling the need to follow the natural flow even more so after our evaluation.  I am very burnt out and have been for some time now.  I’m tired of pushing as well as their tears and my tears.  

So, now since the blog is private once again, I feel like I can be much more open and honest in addition to use this space to explore my thoughts and feelings.  After listening in to an interview with  Dr. Grey (Freedom to Learn/Psychology Today during the unschooling summit a couple of weeks ago, I learned that humans are actually more playful than animals.  This made so much sense to me and I realized why I had been feeling so much resentment towards the children.  It was because I also wanted to play and have fun right along with them, but for me homeschooling had become a chore and full of drudgery.  So, I am truly rethinking everything about how I have gone about their education.  I’m freeing up. 

Not only am I doing this for their benefit but for my health as well.  I’ve been noticing symptoms of illness here and there, but I didn’t really connect the dots until recently.  It all came to a head about a week ago when I became very sick for the fifth time in less than a month.   After reflecting on the last year and all that has happened, I  came to the conclusion that my poor health was due to chronic stress. I’ve decided to take charge of my health and well-being.  Homeschooling and life once again have to become intertwined for my family and I.  For us, they aren’t seperate and it is when I tried to seperate them that things started to fall apart. 

I am also learning to treat myself more gently and kindly.  This isn’t easy for me, but it is necessary.  I’ve been my own worst enemy.  So, I decided to begin some self therapy which includes viewing the world like a child again.   Also, doing some of the things we used to do as children such as going barefoot in the dirt.  Spending more time in the direct sunlight.  Sunlight=happiness!

This past week the children and I along with another homeschooling family met at a creek several time for some playing, exploring, and breathing.  These playdates have been a great source of therapy for me too!  I am picking and choosing wisely the activities we participate in from now on. 

Wishing you all plenty of fun-filled sunny days!

 

Blog Going Private Again

I’m sorry to keep flip flopping this blog from public to private back to public and now private again.  My family decided that the blog should become private again.  If you would like to continue to follow, please leave it in the comments or email me as soon as possible.

Outdoor Weaving

Jamilah decided to carry the camera along with her on a recent excursion to the botanical gardens.  She recorded her outdoor weaving experience through photographs and requested that we share them here. 

Handmade Giveaway

I’ve been feeling really excited about new possiblities as a result of our positive evaluation, so I felt like passing on some love to my readers in the form of a giveaway.  I handknit this cellphone pouch and would love to send it to one of you.  Please leave a comment by Saturday, June 16 12pm EST and a winner will be chosen randomly. 

 

Taking a Knee

After being sick for the fourth time in a month with what I finally figured out was a food intolerance to KALE of all things, I have been forced to take a break.    I realized that Allah has a way of making us take it down a notch and there is such wisdom in His will for us.

Even after the evaluator described me as relentless and suggested that I chill out, I still felt the urge to keep pressing on with the homeschooling.   The evaluation got me all hyped up and I wanted to immediately start researching and planning for next year.  But, after being ill with severe gastrointestinal flu-like symptoms today, I realized that I must give myself and everyone else time to relax, regroup, and rejoice in their accomplishments. Allah is the best of planners.  The children as well as myself deserve a vacation and some time to reflect on this past year.  Sometimes it takes me being bedridden to realize this. Happy summer break everyone!

End of the Year Evaluations 2012

Alhamdulillah, we have reached the end of another homeschool year. For the legal purposes, we have to provide proof of progress to the county.  Today was evaluation day for these purposes as well as for receiving feedback off the record. 

Let me begin by explaining that I have nicknamed our evaluator as our “homeschool midwife.” She was truly here to  provide support and offer positive feedback for us in addition to offering helpful suggestions for improvement.  I felt like I had finally found someone whom I could trust and open up to about my fears and insecurities. It was a very emotional experience today especially for my poor husband who I have tortured through stressing him out beyond belief with my anxieties.  He was so happy to hear that the girls were doing well that he actually cried tears of joy, subhannallah. 

Our evaluator explained that she really liked how we were able to balance between the concrete and the abstract and well as between the visual and expressionism.   Creating this balance has always been one of my goals and it felt fabulous to have an outsider recognize this accomplishment. 

She did give some suggestions on ideas that might help the girls improve such as using interactive notebooks and looking into a new way of learning math for Jennah.  We use Right Start math and she felt it was much too abstract for her which I totally agree with.  She also suggested that I provide more positive reinforcement for my girls because learning should be fun and upbeat.  I really do need to work on that aspect of their education. 

In addition, we agreed that the older girls, Hannah and Jamilah, should be able to take greater ownership of their education.  This means getting them more involved in their weekly planning and goals. 

I was never really nervous about this meeting, but I do have to admit that I feel a sense of relief after receiving her feedback.  She has offered to be available to us throughout the year with suggestions and support.  She agreed that until you are homeschooling numerous children using such an individualized program for each of them, it is difficult for other homeschooling peers to really be able to provide adequate support.  So, I am ecstatic for an educator with 30 years of experience to have become our new homeschool midwife.

The Highlight of My Week-The Fishing Fair

I wasn’t even planning on fishing today at the free fishing fair.  Most of our family activities are children centered and fishing is no exception.  Preparing the line and hooking the worm for all the little ones is just too much work on its own.  But, my husband, a volunteer, and a few other Muslims were there helping the children, so when the sister offered to let me fish for a few minutes with her rod, I accepted. 

It has been a few years since I’d been fishing.  Our outdoor activities had almost come to a halt when Isa was born.   My husband and I didn’t even bother paying for a fishing license last year.  We are trying to get out more now, so we tried fishing today.  Anyway, after a few casts I felt a bite and with a bit of a struggle I reeled in a nice size catfish.  It was so empowering.  My husband offered to help, but I stubbornly refused as I really felt the desire to pull that fish in myself.  I don’t know why, but I was so proud of myself.  I loved every minute of it.  I have to admit I didn’t pull the hook out of its mouth.  Still working on that skill…

Slimies and Creepy Crawlies

This past week the little ones and I have been focused on slimy animals including snails and slugs. You might think that little girls wouldn’t be interested in this type of things but my little girls are breaking  stereotypes.  This interest stemmed from our recent insect investigations, so I’ve just been feeding their curiosity in these creatures which are so plentiful in our backyard.  I’ve instructed them to remove these critters from our experimental garden as they are the “bad” bugs which will eat up all the leaves.  Now they have become intrigued by the “good” ladybugs and know to place this species in the garden anytime they find one.

Another slimy creature they have honed in on is the earthworm.  We dug up some from the old compost pile and placed them in a glass jar for observation, but since they weren’t able to observe them easily, they lost interest quickly in that project.

As a result of spending time outdoors and in the woods, Jamilah found a tick on her stomach area.  For some reason, the ticks seem to be attracted to her more than the others as she has counted this as the tenth tick she has found on her body in her whole life.  I suggested that she research ticks and the diseases caused by ticks.  Fortunately, she discovered that this tick wasn’t the type that carries Lyme disease.

Several weeks ago, they enjoyed a petting another slimy animal in my father-in-law’s pond.  This was my first experience petting a fish.  His koi were absolutely beautiful and I was shocked how friendly they were.  They were certainly slimy though and Hawwa especially loved every moment of that experience.