Interaction Education

So I think CJ might be a writer.  He told me an entire story start to finish, starting with Once upon a time, finishing with The End, and he told it appropriately.  It made sense, and he used proper transitions telling it.  It was crazy good.  Absolutely amazing.  Eliza listened, showed appropriate responses and asked pertinent questions while he was telling the story.  They really know so much, and they are able to show it in so many ways.

We had a wonderful playdate today.  It was great for them to play with someone other than each other, and they behaved so well.  It was great for me to talk with another mother who has many of the same views on the world as our family.  All around great day, except for the short period of time where their friend Mason decided that Eliza made a better canvas for his markers than his paper.  She had marker in her ear, on her tummy and back, ankle, and all over her face.  Thank goodness it was washable, though her ear is still a little blue.  It was so hilarious, and Eliza just sat there playing in a baby bouncer letting him draw on her!  She won't hold that still when I try and fix her hair. . .

While we were in the car today, we talked all about the savannah in Africa.  We talked about all the mammals that we know that live there.  We saw several at the zoo, zebras, wildebeest, African wild dogs, lions.  We talked about other habitats, such as the desert.  We counted things all the way to and from our playdate, and we spelled words throughout the day.  While we didn't have any official lessons it was a great day for learning.  And tomorrow the journey continues with number work at home, and some kitchen projects.  We will also reread the parts of CJ's book he started, and continue another couple of pages.  It will be good to be home to get some things done, and Friday is playgroup.  We are also looking forward to another playdate next week.  Starting next week, we are going to try to do playgroup every Friday, library one day every week, and playdates when their friends are available to do so.  We will spend one day each week doing a science project, and learning to make observations and hypotheses.  Rich is very excited about that one.  We are getting to such an exciting and amazing stage with the kids.  They are independent, and intelligent, and wonderfully interested in so many things.  Today Eliza wanted to know how to write a word.  She hasn't been interested in writing before.  I wrote the word she asked me to, and showed her how to make the letters, and she spent some time just sitting and trying to write the letters.  I love being able to use those moments when they come, and having the flexibility to go where their imagination and questions lead.  I love letting them help decide where the journey will lead next, and by doing that allowing them some responsibility for their learning.  It is that intrinsic motivation that most children are missing today.  Eliza told me that she was proud of herself for trying to write, even though she can't do it well yet.  She told me she would like to practice more tomorrow.  That is what this journey is all about.