Since we didn’t have a clear start to the school year (will they go to school? will they stay home? what would either of those look like?), we thought we would mark the end of the school year with some school pictures.
Both kids have spent a lot of time at these desks throughout the year. Thanks to the art class they’ve taken in town, they’ve also been able to fill their walls with creative work. Today we closed up the math and language books, they celebrated the end of their Spanish lessons with me (they have grumbled about just how hard it is to learn a new language), and they proudly tucked away their history research papers. Their desks are now empty and ready for whatever next year brings, but they’re currently keen on free reading, time outside, and a trip to their Iowa grandparents next week (Katherine corrected me: 3 1/2 days and 4 nights!).
They will both be headed back to public school in the fall. As much as I’m looking forward to seeing what new topics they learn about in school, we all know that there are some things that they’ll miss from their year at home:
sleeping in
hot oatmeal and tea breakfasts
morning math work in a quiet room and at their own pace
doing English projects that are more than just two paragraphs of reading and two sentences of writing
being able to hum or sing quietly as you work
flexible schedules that allow for morning hikes
good lunches
more family time (including kitchen collaborations)
seeing birds and flowers right outside your window
birdsong
and homework done with a cat on the lap.
Erin
Alan Schmierer