When we moved to Thailand a year and a half ago, this blog lost its purpose. My focus shifted from my attention being dominated by two young boys to what I hoped would be full-time ministry half-way around the world. We even created a new blog, Living Into Eventually, to chronicle our time there.
In a series of disappointments, we found that what we originally came to do in Thailand wasn't for us. It was a dream that was laid to rest, and we struggled to find a fit while we find ourselves here. Homeschooling our children was our main constant through the ups and downs of living in a different country.
Late in 2015, I found out about a small homeschooling coop in our little town. The teacher of this "school" of 7 children was no longer able to teach, and I realized that this would be a wonderful opportunity for me to use my gifts. Also, after having been pretty isolated, the coop would also be a place for my boys to have more social interaction with peers and a chance to get out everyday while I could serve parents who minister here but cannot put their kids in an international school.
In January 2016, I started teaching weekday mornings. I had 8 kids ranging from age 4 to 8 with ability levels all across the spectrum. It's been an awesome journey, but not without its challenges. One is the limited access we have to curriculum. We don't have NetFlix or Amazon Prime and NO LIBRARY!!! We have a limited budget, and a wide range of skills and interests.
N and Z have been doing other things that the younger kids just aren't ready for. For example, we have been using Story of the World for a few years now, but the content seems a bit heavy for many of the other students not to mention that we were already halfway through SOTW2 in January. We have continued our studies independently outside of class or during reading time when the other kids are busy.
I've found that I spend a lot of time on Pinterest weeding through potentially adequate material to use that would engage all the kids interests. I've found a number of sites that I visit regularly. I find that I do a ton of research, but I have a hard time organizing what I've found even though I have a folder on my computer and pin things on Pinterest.
Consequently, I've chosen to resurrect this blog with the resources that we have found. Both to keep a record of what we've done and to find what I'm doing easily. It may also be nice for the parents of our school to have a better grasp of what we do each week.
We also continue to dabble with "unschooling" or "project-based homeschooling" when we get the chance. This happens spontaneously, but it is often exciting.
I'm hoping that this blog can regain a sense of purpose again, if only for me to document our learning again.
In a series of disappointments, we found that what we originally came to do in Thailand wasn't for us. It was a dream that was laid to rest, and we struggled to find a fit while we find ourselves here. Homeschooling our children was our main constant through the ups and downs of living in a different country.
Late in 2015, I found out about a small homeschooling coop in our little town. The teacher of this "school" of 7 children was no longer able to teach, and I realized that this would be a wonderful opportunity for me to use my gifts. Also, after having been pretty isolated, the coop would also be a place for my boys to have more social interaction with peers and a chance to get out everyday while I could serve parents who minister here but cannot put their kids in an international school.
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| Our first "classroom" at one of the kid's homes |
N and Z have been doing other things that the younger kids just aren't ready for. For example, we have been using Story of the World for a few years now, but the content seems a bit heavy for many of the other students not to mention that we were already halfway through SOTW2 in January. We have continued our studies independently outside of class or during reading time when the other kids are busy.
I've found that I spend a lot of time on Pinterest weeding through potentially adequate material to use that would engage all the kids interests. I've found a number of sites that I visit regularly. I find that I do a ton of research, but I have a hard time organizing what I've found even though I have a folder on my computer and pin things on Pinterest.
Consequently, I've chosen to resurrect this blog with the resources that we have found. Both to keep a record of what we've done and to find what I'm doing easily. It may also be nice for the parents of our school to have a better grasp of what we do each week.
We also continue to dabble with "unschooling" or "project-based homeschooling" when we get the chance. This happens spontaneously, but it is often exciting.
I'm hoping that this blog can regain a sense of purpose again, if only for me to document our learning again.
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