Action4Canada - August 22, 2022


Geneviève Coulombe： Homeschooling Blessings


Episode Stats

Length

5 minutes

Words per Minute

151.79161

Word Count

843

Sentence Count

55

Hate Speech Sentences

1


Summary

In this episode, I talk about the good, the bad, and the blessings of learning at home. I also talk about how homeschooling has impacted my life and how I have grown as a person. I hope you enjoy this episode and that it encourages you to homeschool your children.


Transcript

00:00:00.000 So, to study or not to study, that is the question, and I ask myself this every day.
00:00:06.880 This is the story of my homeschooling journey so far, an honest look at the good, the bad, and the blessings of learning at home.
00:00:14.760 Let's look at the good first.
00:00:17.080 People have a variety of learning styles.
00:00:19.880 Some learn better by reading, some by listening, some by seeing, and some through hands-on experiences.
00:00:25.800 Homeschooling allows opportunity for each of us to learn in the way that best suits us.
00:00:32.900 Within our family of five, we notice the variety of styles.
00:00:37.420 Some of us are avid readers, and others need to physically experience learning for it to register.
00:00:44.160 One example is a particular math program that my brother enjoyed.
00:00:48.340 It was so wacky that it helped think about math through a different perspective,
00:00:52.300 whereas my sister thought it was so ridiculous, she couldn't take it seriously,
00:00:57.480 and then didn't want to do that math at all.
00:01:01.680 We plant a garden every spring, perfect botany time.
00:01:05.740 We watch perennials sprout back up, seedlings develop, observe leaf patterns, and count flower petals.
00:01:12.140 Even Fibonacci patterns become a familiar observation in nature.
00:01:17.300 Where to study today?
00:01:18.760 Having the option of where to study is such a blessing.
00:01:23.020 On gorgeous spring and summer days, to just be comfortable and learn in a holistic environment is amazing.
00:01:30.420 Sometimes we study on the grass, in the shade, on the swing, or even trampoline.
00:01:36.260 The sounds and smells of nature are very relaxing.
00:01:39.560 Then in winter, we just cozy ourselves up in front of the fireplace with a hot drink and study there.
00:01:45.520 What should I study today?
00:01:47.000 Of course, it's important to learn the basics, which mom keeps reminding me of,
00:01:52.360 but we also have the option to learn more about things we love.
00:01:56.900 For example, I really enjoy reading, especially historical fiction and biographies.
00:02:02.600 Real-life characters can be informing, inspiring, and teach us how to make choices in our life.
00:02:09.060 My favorite biography is Joan of Arc by Mark Twain.
00:02:12.580 He was an atheist, intrigued by the life of a 17-year-old girl, guided by God to lead an army.
00:02:20.400 Can you believe that?
00:02:21.880 A girl leading an army at 17.
00:02:25.340 Twain said,
00:02:26.160 Studying as a group can be encouraging, especially if we are working on the same topic or writing speeches together.
00:02:43.440 We can bounce ideas off each other.
00:02:45.360 It can also be a time where we admonish or encourage each other.
00:02:50.220 A time of sharing personal thought and life experiences, which helps us grow much closer as siblings.
00:02:57.920 Being with people who love us makes it easier to try things, make mistakes, and retry, so we can improve ourselves.
00:03:05.660 We don't get judged for using the wrong word or not doing everything perfectly.
00:03:09.780 We are just told to continue trying and improving.
00:03:14.720 Due to the state of our culture, we can be exposed to things that could completely destroy our innocent minds and souls as God's children.
00:03:24.260 My parents say they don't want to hide us, but rather strengthen us for when challenges do come.
00:03:29.740 We are protected from being exposed prematurely to important life issues and guided from things permanently harmful to positive choices for a spiritual and physical good.
00:03:42.940 When we lived in Kelowna, there was a large community of home learners, so we had no end to sports and learning activities with other families.
00:03:51.780 We live in a Soyuz now, which is a retirement community, and families are rare, so it feels more isolated.
00:03:57.780 Art, music, and sports clubs are all old people. Thank goodness for siblings.
00:04:05.540 Self-motivation and discipline is a huge struggle.
00:04:09.200 Waking up early in the morning or making ourselves sit at the table until we've done an hour of one subject can be challenging.
00:04:16.380 It's so easy to get distracted. There's always someone else to talk to or something else to do.
00:04:22.220 If someone walks into the room and makes a comment, we might get into a conversation for half an hour to an hour.
00:04:30.380 And math, oh well, I'll try again tomorrow.
00:04:33.120 My older siblings have mentioned that us younger ones have had less consequences, so as it is, we are less disciplined and aren't as dedicated to our studies.
00:04:44.600 Some days, I get up late, take my time to make breakfast, open my math book, chat with my sisters.
00:04:52.140 Oh, and then look at that. It's already lunchtime.
00:04:54.500 So when mom asks how my learning is going, fudging is inevitable.
00:05:00.260 Here's where we actually have to take responsibility for our own learning.
00:05:05.080 My brother is an example to me.
00:05:07.240 He is great at memorizing things because he practices techniques every day.
00:05:12.080 People say he's just lucky, but learning takes focused effort and consistency.
00:05:16.660 Our goal is to accomplish and get better every day because in the end, we will feel so much better about ourselves.
00:05:26.300 Even though it can be difficult and discouraging at times, I am very happy that my parents have made this decision for our family.