Raising Maine

We are getting into the full swing of our homeschooling schedule, and although I have to admit I'm a bit strung out with all of the activities, I'm pleased with how everything is coming along.

Yesterday we had our homeschool geography class. We have eleven boys and girls ages 6 to 10 participating. Yesterday the kids completed various geography puzzles together (different levels of difficulty for different ages and ability levels), made needle compasses after talking about the magnetic North Pole, played a little with Aaron's "Smart Globe" (a very cool toy, indeed), became cartographers and drew their own maps and finished up with a song I dredged from my years in elementary school chorus that helped me to learn all fifty states in alphabetical order.



(I'm good entertainment at a cocktail party, let me tell you).

The kids were busy learning for a good hour and a half, and the moms were able to share ideas about homeschooling and get an idea of what other classes and homeschool events are going on in our community.

The networking and parental involvement is what really differentiates homeschooling from school-schooling. We have different groups for different classes because one size does not fit all. To get this class started, I posted to a few of the online Maine Homeschool lists that I was willing to teach the class, and moms who were interested contacted me to learn about it. Most homeschool parents become really good at networking with the larger homeschool community and then pick and choose classes that suit the needs and interests of their individual children.

Busy? Yes... but it allows an educational flexibility that I really appreciate as I watch my kids enjoy learning.