I originally wrote this in August 2011. Nothing has changed about where we learn {except my wonderful children are all a year older}since I wrote this except that we now have a beautiful large farm table {a gift from my in-laws} in our kitchen.
I don't have a special room.
We homeschool and we learn in my kitchen.
So we learn in the kitchen. And the living room. And on the deck outside. And on the couch downstairs. Or the desk outside my girls' room. Or in the car. And on the dining table. And, you know what, I'm okay with it.
I've had to realize that it's quite easy for me to get discontent with the way and space in which we homeschool. I'll look at all the linkups of rooms or the covers of magazines or facebook posts and I'll feel that twinge of jealousy in my heart. But you know what I've learned? The space doesn't make the learning. The learning will come no matter where you sit down and teach.
It's the love of learning that makes the learning.
So I guess I'll just hang a map in our kitchen, and have a chalkboard by the table. We'll cart our books around in totes and I'll scramble to the bookshelves in the office looking for that one book I misplaced. And I'll think to myself, "if only I had...." until I remember the blessings and gifts in what I do have. A table, maybe a bit worn throughout the years but full of character and memories, to sit around. Couches to read on. Bookshelves bursting with books. And a family that I love -- ones in who I share life and the love of learning.
And that's my homeschool room.
Learning without the dedicated room. And you know what? I've learned to be okay with it.
*****
linking with ihomeschool network and their 2012 not back to school bloghop. If you are interested in receiving finding joy in your inbox simply click subscribe to finding joy or simply join the finding joy facebook page.
I don't have a special room.
We homeschool and we learn in my kitchen.
For years I'd lament not having the room -- you know, the one with the cute bulletin boards, and bookshelves, and drawers for manipulatives, and reading corners, and little desks. Don't get me wrong -- if you're blessed with a room like that I think it's marvelous and wonderful. I just don't have that room. I guess I could turn our family room into a room like that, but for me, and my family I just haven't felt called to create a specific homeschool room. Part of it is simply due to space. The other part? The way we do life.
So we learn in the kitchen. And the living room. And on the deck outside. And on the couch downstairs. Or the desk outside my girls' room. Or in the car. And on the dining table. And, you know what, I'm okay with it.
I've had to realize that it's quite easy for me to get discontent with the way and space in which we homeschool. I'll look at all the linkups of rooms or the covers of magazines or facebook posts and I'll feel that twinge of jealousy in my heart. But you know what I've learned? The space doesn't make the learning. The learning will come no matter where you sit down and teach.
It's the love of learning that makes the learning.
So I guess I'll just hang a map in our kitchen, and have a chalkboard by the table. We'll cart our books around in totes and I'll scramble to the bookshelves in the office looking for that one book I misplaced. And I'll think to myself, "if only I had...." until I remember the blessings and gifts in what I do have. A table, maybe a bit worn throughout the years but full of character and memories, to sit around. Couches to read on. Bookshelves bursting with books. And a family that I love -- ones in who I share life and the love of learning.
And that's my homeschool room.
Learning without the dedicated room. And you know what? I've learned to be okay with it.
*****
linking with ihomeschool network and their 2012 not back to school bloghop. If you are interested in receiving finding joy in your inbox simply click subscribe to finding joy or simply join the finding joy facebook page.
47 comments:
I LOVE this!!!! I love the post, but I especially love that you've embraced homeschooling to this measure. Learning is truly accomplished *everywhere*. ;)
Yep -- so much like mine! I love it! :-)
It looks perfect. As I've learned from public schools, a flashy classroom does not necessarily mean the kids are learning anything :)
This is you being a doer of the Word. Contentment in action. I have to say that we used to do that, and it drove me crazy. We now share my office and the school room. But then again we migrate to the sofas, or whatever, depending on what's going on. :)
Beautiful! I don't have a room either, the kids use the living room and the truck.
I love your attitude; being content with what you have.
<><
Oh but you indeed DO have a room. The best room you could have....filled with love~
Beautiful post. Beautiful children. Beautiful photos. Beautiful life. You are blessed~
Yep! I've longed for the school room! Still kinda do sometimes.
Whenever I look at home floorplans, one of my first thoughts is, "what space can I use specifically for education?"..or basically, where can I put our desks and bookcases?
I'm finding that my children aren't asking for a designated spot to learn. More than not they rather take their stuff outside anyway. ha!
I do have only one request for our office space this fall...another bookcase and/or a "cubby" unit so that each of the kids have a specific space to put their things.
Beautifully said...learning happens everywhere. You are blessed!
Thank you. This post came at just the right time. I was looking at all the posts with awesome pictures of organized rooms that actually look like school rooms and I was getting a little anxious. I don't have one set up for our first year. I have the craft area in the basement where the bookshelves are located and I have the kitchen table upstairs which is where we will be a lot because of it being so hard to go up and down stairs on some days. God knew I needed your post. Thank you!!
You know what...we never had a "room" either. And I graduated. I guess it didn't hurt us! :-) I love those memories now,of sitting at the ktichen table with my Mom.
I would love to browse through all you wonderful books.
Rachel, I *love* how you find such joy in everyday life! It's a constant reminder to me to BE, right here, right now. (And we don't have a room either...how can you contain knowledge?) Blessings!
We will be new to homeschooling this year and plan on using our dining room and kitchen for our "classroom" too! Thanks for sharing, it helps me feel not so inadequate!
Whit
http://whitsworld-Whitney.blogspot.com
It's perfect! We did our schooling for at least ten years at the kitchen table, in the backyard, on couches, and in the van. I loved it that way! Last year, we had to convert our family room into a school room because of the needs of some of our kids. They needed it. But we still have many of our best homeschool moments around the kitchen table!
I love how you see the blessings and find the joy in everything!
Sounds like a lovely space! Learning can happen in SO many places :)
Love your post and your pictures are beautiful!!! Have a blessed year!! :-)
I love this! We homeschool in our finished basement. At the start of the week we set up chairs and tables and it works perfectly for us. We do have a school room but a few years ago it had to be converted into a home office...we don't mind as we love working downstairs. The wood burning fire is down there and during the winter months it is a wonderful little cozy place to spend the day.
You are totally right. It doesn't matter where you are sitting when you're learning! Those rooms are over rated! :D
In our sea of love
I loved this :) I'm starting to realize that just because we don't have a school room - I can still school my girls :)
Thank you for such an encouraging post!!
It's the learning that should be the focus . . . not the room.
I wish more TEACHERS could get their heart wrapped around this!
Merry Christmas!
The way you write is beautiful and I love this post! :)
What an inspiring post about what's really important in teaching and learning. You have it right!
Do hope the shoulder is doing better.
Always a joy to stop by! Hugs!
This is my kind of classroom as well. Hey we've even been known to be found sitting out in the grass doing our studies.
this is beautiful. what a wonderful lesson in it's self.
we started school in our kitchen/dining room! We still use it quite often. I do have a "Room" that we store our stuff in now with a big table for us all to sit at but it is amazing how much we still enjoy just sitting together at the dining table for school!
grace's sweet face has the cutest expression. she's so pretty!!!
i adore this post... it pertains to way more than homeschooling. i feel like our land is full of a deserving attitude rather than a thankful, humble mindset of truly being so appreciative for what we do have. instead of looking at the blessings, we look at our wants - whether it be a school room, playroom, a vehicle, etc, etc. and i'm really talking about myself here!!! it's so easy for me to be discontent; i always am thankful for your prodding - and reminding me to seek contentment.
and i do especially love that all of your lives are full of learning... not just a few hours at the kitchen table each day.
love you!
Thanks for this. I'm in the same boat... and you know what? Most of the links I clicked on the Not Back to School Blog Hop had the same thing!! We homeschool at the kitchen table and I think that's just awesome... if only I could keep the silly pencil boxes in order...
Praying in Seattle!
Psalms 116:1-2 I love the LORD, because he hath heard my voice and my supplications. Because he hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live.
Prayer Bears
My email address
Thank you for sharing your homeschooling space. As a full time mom who will be part-time schooling two of my kids this year, I am thankful for any space that I get. Mostly likely, it will be the kitchen table!
Thank you for sharing this post and sharing your contentment. It was a GREAT reminder to me as I try to get everything just perfect for school to start next week. It doesn't need to be perfect looking. I hope you have a very blessed school year!
Our space works well for us! I too tend to see all these "school rooms" and drool. But it isn't how we live nor how I desire our learning experience to be! I do not ever want to do "school" at home, I want to home learn, everywhere every moment! School rooms work for some, but for me I like having our stuff tucked away amongst our living spaces and easily tote-able to any space we desire to park our tush! Thanks for sharing contentment in your current situation!!!
We don't have a school room either. We learn all over the house. I am learning to embrace it as well.
Great pictures!!! Thanks for sharing. Despite the fact that we have a "room", it's my daughter's bedroom and we rarely actually do school in there. :)
Yes! I love your perspective...learning happens all the time and in all the spaces, yes? Beautiful! As is your photography. Thanks for sharing!
Beautiful pictures! I would be grateful for that lovely kitchen as well. But I understand it is so easy for me as well to become dissatisfied with my possessions, but what really matters are your kids and the love you teach them everyday by making the most of what you have.
What a great attitude! Even though I have space for "School" we end up at the kitchen table, the couch, the kids room etc. Love your pictures, too!!
I love this post! We had a school room. In fact, we had two different spaces in our home set aside for homeschooling. But, they just didn't work. Those spaces are now where we keep all of our supplies but we learn mostly in the dining room and living room, or, my favorite place....outside.
We have the same schoolroom you do. It's decorated slightly differently, but it's the same room.. and I love it! thanks for your great post!
-Catherine
Thank you for this. As we get ready to get ready to start a new school year, our"classroom" has been turned into a music studio. In place of a table is now a set of drums. But my son loves playing them and music is such an integral part of our lives that I would never suggest putting them away. So back to the kitchen table we go> Or the couch, or the floor or the park, or.....:)
I love the photography...your posts are so much more than photography...but I love them so much.
I like that you shared that you don't have a "room"...you don't need a room to homeschool.
But you do need bookshelves, which you have.
; 0 )
-Karin
Learning happens everywhere!
Thanks for making me feel better. This is my first year homeschooling and I keep getting asked if my schoolroom is ready/what redecorating or remodeling I've done as a result. And I never even thought of changing a thing. We live in our home and will homeschool in our home. just the way it is.
We homeschool pretty much the same way. Frequently kids can be found in all different kinds of rooms doing school and learning. As much as I would love a designated room, I really don't know how much it would be used other than to keep our school stuff organized in one room. Great post!
Love it!
Thank you for this post. The past few days I have been frustrated with the lack of space in our home (which I shouldn't be b/c we have more than most in the world). Your post is a reminder that space shouldn't matter. Being content can be so hard sometimes. What a gift to be able to share the love of learning with your little ones....anywhere!
AMEN!
I worked so hard to get our room together and then realized that we learn the same in there as anywhere else. Love this post.
I love the doodles on the chalkboard! Enjoy your year and finding contentment in where you are!
Post a Comment