We might need to come up with a catchier title for this. This is now a very long time ago in my head, so I’ll keep it properly brief. We reformed for an ad hoc day of trying out some new things and a different way of getting the kids together to enjoy some education and company.
First up (mainly as I was late :blush: ) was science from HH which was chromatography. The first version, from the book, didn’t work too well, so my late book signers got to do the working version from HH’s head 😀 Michelle had worksheet word puzzles and spelling tests, which rather amazingly, they all liked 😆 Chloe was persuaded to run a shop in French and everyone had to take turns in buying things from them. I think a bit of Skoldo got done too. HH did Latin Secundus with them; I’ve not really heard much of the Latin up to now, so was really impressed by how much had evidently been learned at Latinetc. I love the idea that they all think of Latin as something to be yelled out and laughed about, in a very living way, not tests and translations and exams. But then, I really don’t care much about those things or value them, so I like to see them living the moment and dipping into so many other things.
I did the poetry; with the younger ones (and French R) I did The Owl and the Pussy Cat. We read it a few times, hunted for nonsense, talked about the rhythm and the type of poem and I got them to describe what they would draw if they had to. R did particularly well… although she did them point out a drawing of it on the front cover 😉 😆 With the older ones we did The Road Less Travelled and they has some brilliant thoughts about it. I got them to listen twice, trying to imagine the physical side of the poem first and then listen again to decipher what the poet was saying. We discussed the language, the mood of the poem and the impression it left, the beat and the use of language. We talked about the difference in what was being said and what was meant.
I asked each of the children to come up with, if they could, a time when they made a choice or had an experience which would permanently change them; they are a diverse bunch, with 6 month exchanges, joining and leaving school, going on holidays alone, losing brothers, leaving important groups and talk about why the change altered them in a way that meant even when the moment reverted to the original status quo, they could never be the same. I was really impressed by how eloquently they spoke, the depth of understanding they had of the poem and their interest levels. It’s a poem often used to describe HE and we discussed why that was a bit.
After that Zoe got them doing some sewing and I brought out the Fimo bit box and they crafted, played and bounced. I have no photos of the day at all, so will leave you with the dragons made after the previous week!
Loving the pink dragons!
Not so amazing about the word puzzles and crosswords.
The French shop added an extra dimension.
Yes, the “copying” is looked on rather differently than it would be in a more purely Anglophone setting. It is more like the Japanese and the Chinese gaining model expertise.
(Would probably draw the river, the boat and the tree and the “light of the silvery moon” with silver pencil and glittery colours).
Probably could tell which learner had which experience.
The third verse twists things! If you just look at the two paths, you miss it.
It was interesting that most of them picked up very quickly on the third verse and discussed that a lot; the idea that you can’t go back and walk the first path as you were was very clear to them.