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. Let s look at some of the good and the bad.
00:00:00.000Hi, my name is Genevieve. To study or not to study? That is a question. I ask myself this every day. 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.
00:00:20.600Let's look at the good first. People have a variety of learning styles. Some learn better by reading, some by listening, some by seeing, and some through hands-on experiences.
00:00:32.600Homeschooling allows opportunity for each of us to learn in the way that best suits us. Within our family of five, we notice the variety of styles. Some of us are avid readers and others need to physically experience learning for it to register.
00:00:49.600One example is a particular math program that my brother enjoyed. It was so wacky that it helped think about math through a different perspective.
00:00:58.600Whereas my sister thought it was so ridiculous she couldn't take it seriously and therefore refused to do that math.
00:01:06.600We plant a garden every spring. Perfect botany time. We watch perennials sprout back up, seedlings develop, observe leaf patterns, and count flower petals.
00:01:16.600Even Fibonacci patterns become a familiar observation in nature.
00:01:21.600Where to study today? Another question I ask myself.
00:01:26.600Having the option of where to study is such a blessing. On gorgeous spring and summer days, to just be comfortable and learn in a holistic environment is beyond amazing.
00:01:37.600Sometimes we study on the grass, sometimes in the shade, on the swing, or even the trampoline.
00:01:44.600The sounds and smells of nature are very relaxing.
00:01:47.600Then in winter, we just cozy ourselves up in front of the fireplace with a hot drink and study there.
00:01:56.600Of course it's important to learn the basics, which mom keeps reminding me of, but we also have the option to learn more about things we love.
00:02:05.600For example, I really enjoy reading, especially historical fiction and biographies.
00:02:11.600Real life characters can be informing, inspiring, and teach us how to make choices in our life.
00:02:17.600My favorite biography is Joan of Arc by Mark Twain.
00:02:21.600He was an atheist intrigued by the life of a 17-year-old girl guided by God to lead an army.
00:02:28.600Can you believe that? A girl leading an army at 17.
00:02:56.600It can also be a time where we admonish or encourage each other, a time of sharing personal thought and life experiences,
00:03:03.600which helps us grow much closer as siblings.
00:03:07.600Being with people who love us makes it easier to try things, make mistakes, and retry so we can improve ourselves.
00:03:14.600We don't get judged for using the wrong word or not doing everything perfectly.
00:03:19.600We are just told to continue trying and improving.
00:03:23.600Due 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.
00:03:32.600My parents say they don't want to hide us, but rather strengthen us for when the challenges do come.
00:03:39.600We are protected from being exposed prematurely to important life issues and guided from things permanently harmful to positive choices for our spiritual and physical good.
00:03:51.600When we lived in Kelowna, there was a large community of homeowners, so we had no end to sports and learning activities with other families.
00:03:59.600We live in a Soyuz now, which is a retirement community, and families are rare, so it feels more isolated.
00:04:06.600Art, music, and sports clubs are all old people. Thank goodness for siblings.
00:04:12.600Self-motivation and discipline is a huge struggle.
00:04:17.600Waking up early in the morning or making ourselves sit at the table until we've done an hour of one subject can be challenging.
00:04:24.600It's so easy to get distracted. There's always something else to do or someone else to talk to.
00:04:31.600If someone walks into the room and makes a comment, we might get into a conversation for half an hour to an hour.
00:04:38.600And math? Oh well, I'll try again tomorrow.
00:04:41.600My 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.
00:04:54.600Some days I get up late, take my time to make breakfast, open my math book, chat with my sisters.
00:05:01.600Oh, and then look at that, it's already lunch time.
00:05:04.600So when mom asks me how my learning is going, fudging is inevitable.
00:05:09.600Here's where we actually have to take responsibility for our own learning.
00:05:14.600My brother is an example to me. He is great at memorizing things, because he practices techniques every day.
00:05:21.600People say he's just lucky, but learning takes focused effort and consistency.
00:05:26.600Our goal is to accomplish and get better every day, because in the end, we will feel so much better about ourselves.
00:05:35.600Even though it can be difficult and discouraging at times, I am very happy that my parents have made this decision for our family.
00:05:43.600I will become a better person because it pushes me to take responsibility for my own life and gives me the best opportunity to truly succeed as God's daughter in life.