Friday, January 27, 2012

SA Carnival of Homeschooling: Learning Spaces and Places

So it's my turn to host the South African Carnival of Homeschool Blogs at the beginning of the year. New Year, new ideas and new mom to host, and I am always up for a challenge.  And then I almost blew it and published this 3 days early, leaving out half the bloggers.  Talk about missing the connections in my rather challenged brain!  For those of you that watch NCIS, imagine a rather disapproving Gibbs smacking me on the back of the head like he does with Tony:)

OK too much info...

Firstly I have to say that I love the creativity of these mothers. I appreciate the fact that not one of them has homeschooling rooms that look like the other because each one of them has a unique style with their own child combinations.  There is no right way or wrong way for that matter.  We need to do what works for us.  I love the freedom of homeschooling - the freedom to do what works best:  Structured or unstructured - curriculum choice - how we manage our day - no two families are the same.

Here are some mothers, doing it their way.  And their intention and focus is to ensure the best environment for their children.  

Visit Nadene from Practical Pages , wow is this lady organised, with some lovely ideas for homeschooling like using a white tile for Spelling and Maths.  She'll let you peep into her homeschooling room. And all of this in the Karoo!! I am impressed.


Karen takes homeschooling outdoors, indoors and even on a trampoline at Karen's Clan.  And if you visit her blog for long enough you will discover a lady of many talents who runs Wonder Workshops with other homeschooling families - and if you're lucky their might be space for some more.


Donette at The Journey is revamping her school room, murals and bean bags, and some of those lovely old desks we used to use as kids.  I still love them. 

Taryn at Hayes Happenings has a diverse home school room … on the couch, in the playroom, at the dining table, at the kitchen counter, in the garden, on the bed, next to the fire place, outside at the park… and even in the car.
Wendy from Loving Learning is a homeschooling mom who has been homeschooling for 13 years with two teens and a preteen! This beautiful veteran homeschooling mom has seen how the age of her children has changed how and where she has homeschooled.  A reminder that homeschooling is organic and remains transitional.  We don't start with a plan and stick to it with gritted teeth and force our children into our own plans.  As Wendy will tell you, children change and we need to allow them the freedom to do be themselves and make space for them to grow in an environment that bests suits their age and personality

Trixi from Trixi'x HomeEd Academy has one, two, three posts on her homeschooling room.  An interesting journey of moving from the more structured environment to an environment that the children have chosen.  Moving into a space of freedom and liberation.  All of us had to do this.  We had to find what works.  Keep the good and throw out the rest or adjust it to make it work for our children.  Doesn't this photo just say it all - the joy of learning.
And to have a peek into our home school room pop over to Our Little Ol' Homeschooling Room in South Africa.

If you're still deciding what you want to do with your homeschooling room look at these inspirational ideas in Homeschooling Room of Dreams

And to see some other decor adventures go to Your Homeschool Rooms

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And before you head off, don't forget our great giveaway to win family tickets to the Cape Science Centre, head over there now and enter.


5 comments:

  1. Great job Mel! Thx for hosting. Can't wait to read them all!

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  2. Ah Mel, how sweet of you to talk of me like that, thank you! Just to let you know, we officially started schooling 13 years ago when our eldest was just 3 and stamped his little foot saying he was never ever going back there again (to the little school he was at). When I called the teacher after this happened two days running, she told me that he had not taken part in any activities at all the previous week...I was spitting mad that I had not been asked if there were issues at home which could have explained his behaviour.It was my hubby who said , "Right , he is not going back, lets start home schooling" and so we did! We have not looked back :)

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    1. Thanks for setting the record straight - only makes me admire you even more! I have edited thanks

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