We're Kinda Sorta Done with School

Every year as March rolls past and April begins, my little scholars and I find ourselves happily doubling and tripling up in certain subjects so that we can finish school early; and this year was no different.  On April 30, we "officially" finished school; but I'll hasten to add that we basically only finished our Sonlight core materials.   Well, most of them.  We still have some read-alouds to finish up, but it will add to our summer break's joy to  continue to have regular times of reading aloud together.  :)

Josiah has worked a grade ahead in math; he's nearing the end of 6th grade math, so even though he would be quite justified in stopping now, he'll continue his math lessons until he's done with that level and can then start 7th grade math in the fall when he officially begins 6th grade.  David still has a few more lessons to do of his math, but he'll be done with those soon.

So when I say we're done with school, I really mean we're kinda sorta done.  ;-)

However, the further I go in this homeschooling journey, the more I realize that true learning can take place all the time.  It doesn't just happen during certain hours of the day, during certain months of the year, in certain rooms of the house.  With that in mind, I am so excited about all the learning that will take place during this "break" from school.  More than ever before, I have made some plans for a variety of educational "extras" this summer--to not only prevent boredom in the troops, but also to take advantage of the time away from our regular school routine to fit in some stuff we never seem to find time for during the rest of the year.

I hope to post more about all of that someday, but tonight I'll just mention three highlights from today.

First, we started reading Everyday Graces, a compilation by Karen Santorum of stories and poems that illustrate good manners and character issues.  In a selection from The Princess and the Goblin by George MacDonald, the king offers for the boy Curdie to come with him and be one of his guards, but Curdie refuses.  His mother says,

"But, Curdie, why shouldn't you go with the king? We can get on very well without you."

"But I can't get on very well without you," said Curdie.  "The king is very kind, but I could not be half the use to him that I am to you."

What loyalty!  I love it!

Earlier, the character of the king is described in this way:  "The king, who was the wisest man in the kingdom, knew well there was a time when things must be done and questions left till afterwards."  Like I tell my little ones, obey first, then ask questions.

Second, during lunch we listened to a CD we borrowed from the library called Beethoven's Wig, Volume Two.  I had not even heard about these CDs before, but they are FANTASTIC.  Such a FUN and easy way for kids (what am I saying? adults, too!) to learn musical facts about classical pieces they're likely to encounter in the future.  The lyricist is incredibly clever, and we had a ball listening to the CD.  But then, Grieg's piece "In the Hall of the Mountain King" was too much for my boys; they couldn't sit still and listen while they were eating so they all had to get up and start tiptoeing/marching/dancing around the kitchen and living room in time to the music.  You should have seen Moriah's face; she was enthralled as she watched them.  :)  As someone who once took music history classes and had to try to cram a bunch of facts about composers and pieces into my head, I can say that I heartily recommend these CDs...and wish that I had had them when I was young!  :)

Third, we read some from The Journeyman by Elizabeth Yates, one of the Sonlight read-alouds that we hadn't finished yet.  This section, in particular, spoke to me:

"Art, Jared," Mr. Toppan said then, "is to do just enough to satisfy, just enough to intrigue.  The spacing of your stencil reveals your skill more than anything else you do.  Crowd your designs, and you have bound the wings of fantasy; space them well, and you give it full flight."

Jared nodded.  He could understand that.  It explained why, when he lay on his back by his father's brook and looked up at the sky, he saw more beauty in the budding branches of early spring than in the leafy foliage of summer.  It was the beauty of space; and space--as Mr. Toppan said--gave freedom to thought.

"The beauty of space" - yes!

"Space gave freedom to thought." - yes, yes, and YES!

I am so eager to see what little tidbits of joy and wisdom the next few months of summer break will bring!