Tag Archives: flexibility

When its time to stop homeschooling

Posted on May 20, 2015 by

I was a bit saddened and a bit disappointed to hear that after a year and a half of homeschooling, a friend of mine is sending her kids back to school. Like the decision to start homeschooling, there are lots of … Continue reading →

Posted in Life experiences, Teaching and learning | Tagged , , , , , , | 8 Comments

On the tools

Posted on March 30, 2015 by

We have been taking things pretty easy from a purely academic point of view lately. Even though our year runs to a general kind of plan, it is not rigidly fixed. We are actually ahead of schedule on the bits … Continue reading →

Posted in Teaching and learning | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The vaka

Posted on November 7, 2014 by

Our usual routine was thrown into disorder this week when I stumbled onto the news that a fleet of Pacific Island ocean going canoes were due to arrive at the harbour. The Pacific Islands largely sit on the sidelines of … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Life experiences | Tagged , , , , , | 7 Comments

Dangerous toys

Posted on October 7, 2014 by

‘Take a look at this piece of wire. It’s a very heavy gauge, nearly as thick as your finger. It’s very strong. We can hardly bend it. But now look. If we put it into the bolt cutters and give … Continue reading →

Posted in Teaching and learning | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Euclid’s Elements

Posted on September 9, 2014 by

My teaching style tends to rely quite a bit on the application of concepts first, and then filling in the details as we go. It seems to fit more naturally to the pattern of how people learn. I also try … Continue reading →

Posted in Math | Tagged , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Teddy bears picnic

Posted on August 16, 2014 by

I had never considered that a teddy bears picnic would be something I would be involved in with the boys. The other day, however, it surfaced that the two teddies, Hottie and Licorice Bone, were having a birthday. It was unclear … Continue reading →

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Halted

Posted on July 22, 2014 by

I haven’t posted anything for a few weeks because for a while, we all just ran out of enthusiasm for the whole idea. We made it to the mid year break, and then just couldn’t summon the energy to start … Continue reading →

Posted in Teaching and learning | Tagged , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Up the creek

Posted on June 21, 2014 by

My wife is planning a career change, and as part of this, she is studying to get her next degree online. She has set up a small room as a study, and often works from there. One of the things … Continue reading →

Posted in Nature, Science | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Teaching themselves algebra

Posted on May 1, 2014 by

In purely practical terms, I have never actually had to know the adjusted speed of a 40 tonne submarine previously travelling at 50 km/hr through a friction-less ocean, having just discharged a 100 kg torpedo with a velocity of 80 … Continue reading →

Posted in Math, Teaching and learning | Tagged , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

My first lesson

Posted on February 14, 2014 by

So it’s the start of the school year.  If my oldest boy was not being homeschooled, he would be starting kindergarten.  After several years of pushing the idea around, we decide to commit to it.  We don’t send him to … Continue reading →

Posted in Nature, Teaching and learning | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments