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Sunday, August 30, 2015

Keep Calm!


It's been ages since I wrote a blog...boy have I had loads to share. So much has happened over the last year...thank God we ARE unschoolers because otherwise my kids lives would have been turned upside
down. Since November, I have gone into Congestive Heart Failure, been diagnosed with End Stage Renal Failure (yup with dialysis) and somehow ended up with a Collaposed Lung all by May 1st.  In the midst of all of that...my kids still found a way to learn. The unschooling process allowed them to find their interests and tap into them on their own. I was with them in mind and spirit and always available for a bedside chat. Despite my journey through bodily dysfunction, I actually tried to return to work(2 jobs)...which kept me away from home (and blogging) as I tried to catch up. Still the kids continued to learn. Hardest part was end of the "school year" and encapsulizing their year into hours and portfolios...but we did it and my 17 yo daughter, Milan, graduated from high school and somehow managed to find a job and get her drivers license...and enroll in college for the fall. That's motivation...Qwyn got mega rest as she is still delivering newspapers (mentioned in previous blog) every morning at 3 am. However she still found time to write music and attend summer theater camp. I gave up on trying to work and decided to stay home and heal...which means Qwyn and I will have loads of fun...she might not agree. Hee hee...The summer is short and I knew I needed to decide what was on the learning menu for Qwyn...because she is so laid back and I felt that I would like to nurture her musical creativity while inspiring her with history of people whom are most like her...I think our general theme will be looking up and researching African (American or otherwise) women who have made an impact in the arts, music, science, history and so on. I felt it was really important to find women we don't normally hear about to hopefully inspire that "Ah Ha" moment in Qwyn. I will introduce 5 women then see who she can dig up. So far this is my list of women: Jackie Ormes, Daisy Bates, Marita Bonner, Jessie Redman Faust, Lil Hardin Armstrong...all of whom I have found lesson plans on. We are also going to do some jazz lesson plans which I found, that include women...and I think I want to cover the Harlem Renaissance...I think it's time. I have been spending so much time looking for potential lesson which I can introduce casually but I think I'm going overboard. Qwyn will learn regardless of what I lay in front of her. I am so glad to be back with her full time. But I have to remind myself to Keep Calm...it's called Unschooling...she's learning.