{ A FALL WE'RE BACCCCCKKKKK TO SCHOOL-ISH Q&A ... }
We made it to the first few weeks of fall and it feels so good. We are a fall kind of family… well except for Savannah, she’s a summer girl through and through! We love every part of the fall season. I could give you the play by play but I’m sure you already know what I mean.
We usually make any major changes in curriculum, resources and routine/schedule just before the start of the traditional public School year and this time around we decided to ease into those changes week by week starting in august. This means that, by September, we’ve made our way into a groove. Its been great and we’re heading into fall with so much confidence and excitement for days ahead.
We wrapped up the best family meeting and filmed our first q+a of the year. The kids hashed it all out, decided what they wanted to update everyone on and brought their game faces to the studio to film just before study time for the day.
For as long as i feel this to be true i will say this again and again, sharing on ya’lls internet is hard for me. I feel like i have so many unpopular opinions, I’m always growing and changing and that’s often hard to explain to the algorithm, lol. Annnnndddd, at this point i always feel like I’m too old for this… for the messiness that social media spaces can bring. But, when these cuties come to me and remind me, yet again, why i keep trying over and over again, it’s like finding the face of god through their sweet faces. Children are a gift!
My favorite thing about the start of fall this time around is how excited they are for the season to change. Pure gratitude for the miracle of what’s ahead. Its so beautiful to see. I want more of what they have to teach me, more of what he has to teach me. More pure gratitude for the days ahead.
Im excited about all of the things, but i am really overjoyed at the beginning of Cameron’s high school years. He’s a homeschool high school freshman and it’s our buddy year!!! A buddy year is his freshman year following his 8th grade gap year and yes I’m making this all up and we love it! I am finding that writing the vision by listing our goals, creating a description and giving it a good name makes the years so much sweeter.
We ask our friiiennnddddssss over on instagram for a few questions to include in our first q+a back and it was fun to pick a few and share…
(Q) What are your learning goals this year?
(A) explore & discover by faith & w/ love is our forever goal But this year, in particular, our goals have much more to do with renewing our creativity. 2020 was our year to head out on our first live & learn tour taking the foundations we’d established from years before and bringing it on the road to explore & discover with all of our friennndddsss. It was a big launching pad for the next steps in our creative homeschool lives. 2020 quickly became what we know it to be today and it turned our homeschool on its side. For the last three years we’ve been adjusting and adapting much more of a structured, and a bit more classical of a homeschool style. We started using curriculum a bit more like actual curriculum, adding in heavy sports schedules and a more “traditional school” like routine. It was a super hard season for me as their mom/teacher. But, they continued to thrive. We lived and we learned. We settled into the mundanity of it all and now we all feel the season beginning to change. Our learning goals for this year have to do with reviving our creativity & jumping back in. I’m excited…, and I’m scared. But, I’m placing all that fear at the feet of jesus.
(Q) How did you guide your kids towards more independent work?
(A) independent work has been a thing for us from the very start. Kids always want the chance/opportunity to “do it myself”. I tapped into that and it has grown from there. I guess the most challenging part is establishing routine that works for them & setting clear pathways and expectations so that no one is overwhelmed by discouragement wondering “what’s next”.
(Q) What do you use for grammar learning?
(A) soooooo… it’s been our trend to stop with more formal studies of grammar around year 5 (fifth grade), and begin to turn our attention toward building strong writing skills and establishing their individual writing portfolios. Their portfolios will include esssays, letters, poems, research papers, journal entries and articles where we develop our editing skills in order to produce better versions of our work. I’ve found that, by then, all the basics are covered and the foundation has been set concerning the purpose of grammar in our language studies. What we now have is a little library of resource books to reference, when needed, as we focus in on our portfolios.
(Q) Do the kids have a preferred studying style?
(A) whatever feels right at the time. We’ve learned that we all have seasons where we are more focused, more self motivated, more determined etc. Than others. We have learned thus far, and are continuing to learn how to identify, ask for help and advocate for what we need. Weather it is more quiet time, extra time, more creativity, or even less fluff and more structure… whatever is working is our goal.
(Q) Whats challenging you these days?
(A) this journey has been a ball of challenges from day one. As I’ve matured, I’ve learned to invite each days challenges and consider them joy. I’d say the thing that challenges me most in this current season is the business of it all. I’m an introverted, slow and steady kinda girl so learning to keep my calm in what feels like chaos is the actual goal!!!
Also, my health & overall mental fitness. I developed a habit of hoarding energy instead of putting a demand on my body and mind to rise to the occasion by stewarding it well. Im currently changing that and it’s hard.
(Q) Are you sharing this years unschooling plans?
(A) my plans are to follow their lead as always. To continue to pay attention to their strengths and weaknesses and look for opportunities for their growth individually & together as a family. I certainly want to share what that even looks like for us. It won’t really come in just one blog post or video, but rather as we share along the way. We hope you’ll stick around for as long as it blesses you.
(Q) How to you meet the social needs of your boys?
(A) I’m a social worker- not literally, but it is how i handle the idea of socialization. This is always an odd topic for me as it seems so complicated to so many and to me it is pretty simple. Firstly, i identify their actual need. Once i find it then i look for ways to fill it. Time w/ grandparents, clubs & activities, sports church, family functions, time to themselves, intentional time w/ those younger/older/opposite sex. Etc.
My oldest is more introverted like his momma. His current social needs have more to do with stepping outside of his comfort zone so we open our eyes to those opportunities & consider it a challenge. Youth camp away with his brother gave him a chance to do the social work he doesn’t enjoy as much. While a recent trip w/ extended family filled his need for more of the social work he loves.
(Q) What projects are the kids most excited to jump into?
(A) their individual series that we will hopefully share on our channel. We have developed ideas for each of their own personal “shows” or “series” that tap into a few of the things that have come to enjoy the most. Cameron will be hosting cam’s creative corner- a series exploring paper/cardboard crafting, everyday problem solving and simple engineering. Kendall will be hosting Kendall’s culinary cuisine- sharing what he loves about cooking, and eating food at home and beyond. And, Savannah will be sharing all about her sweet baby bunny Lucy on from Lucy, with love.
They are pumped to begin and watch what their series become.
(Q) What are you looking forward to most this year?
(A) Cameron’s buddy year is at the forefront of my mind. This time is incredibly precious to me and i have trouble putting into words what a priviledge it is to be in this moment with him knowing i am in such a position to impart wisdom, knowledge and patterns of grace into this part of his educational journey. Because Cameron and i are partnered for his official “buddy” year, kendall & Savannah are teamed up for the year in efforts to help encourage one another and grow together in their studies along the way. I am really excited to watch their relationship flourish during this season. And, lastly, i am excited to see how Brian will find his way amidst it all. Homeschool dad has been such a beautiful thing to watch unfold. I have seen him grow so much in his understanding of homeschool and the path that we have chosen together. He has been a huge anchor in providing for our family in more ways than simple income. He has created a stability that has laid the foundation that we build on, makes mistakes on, fall and get back up on and i am grateful. I am looking forward to see him walk into the position that god has shown me years before, truly embodying all that we image THEFALLCOdad to be.
(Q) What can you teach us about friendship?
(A) I’m gonna save that one for another day, lolllllllllll!
(Q) Who are these children… i remember when they were tiny?!
(A) exactly friiieennnndddd, exactly!!! Our babies are growing and in the whirlwind that is this world. i pray that they be anchored and immovable, with roots planted deeply by the stream of water that gives life. They are here to do beautiful things. Our kids have my heart. I’m rooting for them and it is my desire to give you whatever I’ve got. Let’s create space where we encourage our babies/young ones/ scholars/ creatives with the gifts we’ve been given and the hope for a future that is bright!!! I love ya’ll!
Head over an watch and hear the rest of our answers in our fall back to school-ish q+a and let us know what you are hopeful for in the days ahead. We love y’all. And, we are so grateful that you are here.
With all the love,
Syreena