If you are a football fan, you have more than likely heard the term ‘take a knee’ in reference to the actual game and not protests in recent years. It’s when the play starts, the ball is handed to the quarterback, and the quarterback goes down on one knee. This act ends the play and in most cases the time clock runs out ending the game. The team who has the lead preserves the win and they don’t have to play until the very last second of the game. You essentially finish and win the game without putting forth any additional effort.
We found ourselves doing this last Friday. We took a knee. We have been going strong since mid-August. Things are going great. The kids have adjusted well. We just needed a little break from the everyday monotony of lessons in the living room, independent reading by the bookshelf, etc. We needed a chance to learn and explore without the effort of dragging out book bags, worksheets and crayons. We needed to finish the game so to speak without putting forth our usual amount of effort.
So, we took a little nature/education time in the park. The kids played and had an awesome time exploring our surroundings. We talked about the types of trees at the park and identified the leaves. We collected magnolia leaves and their seed pods. We discovered the colors we saw. We found a few hornets nests and observed their behaviors. We compared the colors of pine needles that fell to the ground and the size of pine cones. There was lots of play and dialogue about all we saw and experienced.
It was a great time of learning, exploring, and getting lots of fresh air. The kids loved it and so did I. You can: go to a state park, visit a farmer’s market, go to a museum, visit a local lake, or tour a university. Let this be a time of hands on exploration and dialogue. You can then extend what you all have learned by finding books to get further information on a subject or write an essay or journal entry for older students.
Sometimes you just need to ‘take a knee’. Get your days in, get educated, and get a break from your run of the mill homeschool day. I encourage you today to take a break in the coming weeks, and find a special way to take learning outside the four walls of you home/classroom.
Naja Coles
I’m most importantly a follower of Christ by who’s blood we believe there is salvation. We believe in biblical Truth only. Being led by the Spirit of God, we seek to raise our family by that Truth. I am a wife of 7 years, and mom to 8 wonderful children ages 6-7 months. We have been homeschooling for 2 years officially (6 if you include preschool). I enjoy music, gardening, and learning to live a healthy, non-toxic lifestyle.
Matthew 4:17