Connecting with History

This isn't a long blog entry but I have been meaning to share this for while.  Our curriculum is full of rich, engaging literature.  It draws my children in and allows them to connect with events, particularly those historical in nature.  They think deeply about it, examine the events and converse intelligently over them.  I wanted to share a couple of times where I saw this active.  

My husband went to Boston on a business trip.  While he was there he realized how historical that particular port city was. He was face timing with the kids one night and began speaking about the Boston Common, historical churches and the USS Constitution.  The kids were so excited and proclaimed him as being so fortunate to see these places.  My husband was surprised that they knew exactly what he was referring too and my kids were beyond excited that he was able to see all these places.  It was truly amazing to watch it all unfold.  Made me realise that how we do things here makes a fundamental impact on them.

The second example came one day when we were reading a loud the book: A Circle of Silver.  The book was about a young English boy who came to Canada as it was being formed.  During the book reading a General received a letter about King George'a death.  My son immediately perked up and said: "Let's see, while this was going on in Canada, this ...........was going on in the United States." (He cited a few events).  Then he said to me: "The King who died must have been King George the Second."  He was indeed, correct.  As we chatted I was amazed at how much he recalled and how adept he was at fitting the information together, not only time wise but also how these events both in Canada and the United States related to one another.  We had not spoken about it in that manner before.  My son led the discussion and I joined in, asked questions and listening to his thoughts on these events.  

I truly love moments like this.  Teaching at home is not always easy, it can be tiring as a homeschooler seeks to impart their children with the idea that education is a life (as Charlotte Mason says).  It's not about spitting out facts, it's so much more then that.  And when these moments happen, you see it clearly, they are loving to learn.