As need for quarantine is extended indefinitely, life beyond our front doors is becoming ever more screwy, which is why I believe parents throughout cyberspace may appreciate innovative ideas that may stimulate their creative genes to encourage family life to remain as harmonic as possible.
But first, here’s a thought of serious concern. It has come to light that people toting guns are beginning to act scary screwy about need to extend quarantining, and I believe we need to take a moment to consider discussing this next fact with our homeschooled children, grades four through high school: People who harbor defensive fear of being overwhelmed by poverty can’t help but obsess over personal need to reopen our sagging economy. These people are blinded by fear from envisioning the horrific numbers of those who will continue to fall ill to C-19 and die if quarantine lifts too soon. These folk are blind to the fact that in the absence of social distancing, the escalation of deaths is sure to reinforce common sense to stay home so as to diminish the risk of being counted amongst those families already ravaged by the tag team of C-19 and The Grim Reaper knocking indiscriminately at one door after another ...
As the hours of each day at home seem to l e n g t h e n, let’s make good use of our intelligence by calling forth creativity, thus initiating a sense of playfulness while homeschooling as families participate in imaginative moments of follow the leader—for example—what if a home schooling parent, being the family pied piper, stimulates each child’s imagination to eagerly direct members of the family to participate in a homemade play where parents act first as guides and later as supporting characters or audience while their children’s minds are actively encouraged to create costuming followed by acting out a scene from history concerning whatever timeframe each one’s class is currently studying. (Many years ago, in ancient times when I taught fifth grade, my class, which studied US history, took turns creating a ten minute play, each week.)
For example, Week one would see one child choose to be director and main character. The next Monday would see another child take a turn of leadership. And so on, each child being the leader over the span of a week.
In a small family unit, one week could be designated as Mom’s turn or Dad’s to choose to go to a child’s history text so as to edify herself/himself of factual info before encouraging the children to follow the parental lead character as youngsters assume supportive roles while, week by week, the family acts out gripping moments in history with extended family being the audience via zoom. Or perhaps, an audience made of stuffed animals offers all that’s needed.
Initially, the planning of each ten minute play would be discussed with decorum during a family meeting in which everyone—making good use of a talking stick to pass respectfully from one to another—takes turns discussing how best to conjure up the ten minute play for the next week, and if this new and playful way to ‘study’ remarkable characters in history appeals to you then this change for the better may be all that’s needed to ignite imaginative thinking necessary to lighten up and liven up the hum drum existence of every day study sessions in your home.
Just a thought based in the success oriented method with which I chose to make American history come alive for my class of fifth graders when I’d thoroughly enjoyed assuming the role of their pied piper. 🙋🏻♀️❤️
PS
My niece’s family, comprised of four children and two adults, made talking sticks out of durable cardboard, which each individual decorated to his/her liking. Each time it was a child’s or adult’s turn to be the lead in the next ten minute historical play, that child’s talking stick was put to good use during each family meeting in which plans for that child to assume the role of director and main character were eagerly, yet respectfully, discussed around their kitchen table.
If a child wants to be a director but not a main character, he/she can freely offer that role to another. In short, no hard line rules existed except for two—firstly—mutual respect defined every step of the entire creative process beginning at the kitchen table until the curtain descended upon each ten minute play. And secondly—everyone participated in brainstorming sessions concerning how best to mix fun with each other into learning.
Let’s end today’s post by chewing on one more tasty morsel of food for thought: If kids invite their families to play productions in school then why not produce plays for families to enjoy during home schooling?
Sure does make sound use of common sense to this pied piper—Vonce a teacher, alvays a teacher!
🙋🏻♀️❤️😊🌈🌻Annie
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