A Busy Day of Homeschooling

When my children were little we lived in Boston. Boston is an idea city for homeschoolers because there is so much to offer. The museums and public libraries love homeschoolers and provide special services and classes with homeschoolers in mind.

We woke up and read a few picture books. Then we hopped out of bed, slapped some peanutbutter on whole wheat bread, added some carrots and a bottle of water, threw in a chapter book and hung the cloth tote bags off the stroller. We were headed out for the day and would not be back until bedtime. As homeschoolers, the world is our classroom.

We walked down to the subway and checked to make sure that we had received the correct change and then we would check out the art work in the subway. In Boston, each stop has its own artistic twist. Our favorite is at Kendall on the Red Line, with a Watermelon Seat. We also like to play the chimes there.

Next we are off to Central Square Public Library for play rehearsal. The two kids are involved in a production of The Song of the Gargoyle put on by the Puddlejump Players, a gathering of over 75 homeschooled actors, their moms and younger siblings. The director is a homeschool mom who also wrote the script for the play. While some kids rehearse, moms and younger siblings read stories, chat and discuss what its like to be homeschoolers. When play rehearsal is over, with a couple dozen new library books in tow,  we head to a park to play with other homeschoolers.

This time it is a park in Arlington where there is a huge field for playing capture the flag, a playground with slides and swings and a brook for exploring. The teens play Ultimate Frizbee, the kids play soccer and the little ones play in the sandbox. Then we all drift back together while and weave the Maypole while a few homeschoolers and parents play guitar, flute and fiddle.

From there it is off to the Cambridge Library for story hour before walking a few blocks to a school where another group of homeschoolers meet for an evening of contra dancing. The dads are now coming home from work and show up with potluck contributions and a chance to dance as well. The potluck is across the street at another homeschooler's home where we share vegetarian and vegan recipes and great conversation.

Too soon, it seems, it's time for bed and we head home, tired, ready for bedtime stories and thoughts of what we will learn tomorrow.

The picture is of my daughter and her friend during shooting of the movie Fruitlands 1834. One of the reasons they were chosen for the part was because they were homeschoolers and had time to be on the set during the day throughout the weeks of shooting.

Fruitlands 1834 was a film produced by a BU graduate student as her final project. It was about Louisa May Alcott's father and his beliefs in which turned out to be so strict that the family nearly died of starvation. My daughter was chosen to play the part of the younger daughter, Louisa May Alcott. She got to dress up in period costume, eat out of period dishes, and interact with professional actors.

This opportunity sparked an interest in Louisa May Alcott's life so we read Little Women, researched Louisa's father and discussed the oral history of when my great grandmother, a neighbor of Louisa's went to her house for tea.

What an opportunity for the two girls who got to not only learn about movie production but also about the life and times of Louisa May Alcott in a uniquely hands-on way.