The Go-Kart

Almost, the entire U.S. is 'home-schooling' due to Covid-19.  Our public school friends have found themselves in unfamiliar territory and are reaching out to homeschoolers for advice.

"How long should my son be spending on his school work?"
"What do you do for school work?"
"How often should we take breaks?"

Unfortunately, I couldn't really answer these questions.  Why?  We don't home-school.  We unschool or life-school.

The looks I get when I say this are pure shock.  What?  You don't do school?  How do they learn?  What do you do?  Are you allowed to do that?  Do they take tests?  How do you know if they are learning?

I tell them my kids learn the skills needed to succeed in life.  Everyday is different and new skills are always learned.  I talk to my kids and discuss their interest.  I guide them.  I don't indulge and do for them.

Here is a recent example of how unschooling works with the boy.

The boy saved his money and bought a used go-kart.  This happened just as the Covid-19 pandemic caused schools in our area to close.  This was the perfect opportunity to 'show' how unschooling works.

1.  Money management skills - having to work and save money to purchase an item, earn money to
                                                   replace parts, earn/save money for gasoline

2.  Engine maintenance - having to learn how the engine works, trouble shoot issues, change oil, etc.

3.  Research and Communication - using web browser to find information on the go-kart and engine,
                                                         calling various stores to see if they carried the needed parts,
                                                         convincing parents to drive to these stores for the parts.

4.  Math skills - measuring, money, gear ratios, chain sizes, speed calculations

The boy has spent the last month working on his prized possession.  He has learned most of this on his own.  Asking his dad for advice and help occasionally.  He can now take apart the engine and put it back together.  He still isn't finished fixing his machine, due to the fact he needs to earn more money for another part.  It is a work in progress.  The lessons he is learning are more important than those found in a textbook.  He is developing skills he will always remember and use.  There isn't a quiz or a test at the end of this project.  The test is ongoing.  There is a reward.  He will eventually have a fully functional go-kart to enjoy at the end of the test.

Kings Moutain National and State Parks

In March, we ventured up the road to Kings Mountain National and State Parks.  The weather was not wanting to be cooperative, but we decided to go and take a chance that it may clear.  We started at Kings Mountain National Military Park due to the rain.

Inside the visitor center, we looked at the uniforms of the American Over-mountain man and a Loyalist of the British Crown.  The men that fought in the battle of Kings Mountain were not normal military men.  These men were all colonist that happened to have their loyalties lie to different sides of the revolution.  This battle was more of 'civil war' than British troops versus the American troops.

We watched the movie about the battle of Kings Mountain in the theater of the visitor center.  We learned how the battle took place and how it, along with the Battle of Cowpens, changed the course of the American Revolution.

After the movie, we looked at the museum.  Unfortunately, the museum area was under construction and most of the displays were off limits.

We did not walk the trail, due to the weather conditions.

We decided to brave the mist and light rain to head to the state park section.  As we ate our lunch, under the picnic shelter, the rain began to dissipate and the sun started to poke out.  Yay!  We traveled over to the living history area of the park after lunch.

This area of the state park is a wonderful depiction of a back country farmstead.  We enjoyed looking at the different buildings and watching the horses.

Overall, we had a nice outing with friends to learn more about the lives of our ancestors.

Tiny Titans and Creepy Nature at The Schiele Museum

Our homeschool group headed to the Schiele Museum in early March for the Tiny Titans and Creepy Nature exhibits.  It was a great trip for such a nasty, rainy, cold day.  We had a wonderful time learning about the baby dinosaurs, regular dinosaurs, and creepy things in nature.

Tiny Titans exhibit:

Dinosaur exhibit: We have seen this exhibit several times, so I didn't take many pics.

Creepy Nature exhibit: