The Universe is Your School
After the conference I wrote about yesterday, Ray and I had the opportunity to accompany some of our grandchildren on a field trip to the Fernbank Museum in Atlanta. We were there before it opened and stayed until it closed. In one day, these homeschoolers got to do hands-on science activities, watch the Apollo 11: First Steps movie, see artifacts from cultures around the world, play and hike in the museum’s WildWoods, and drink in the amazing Traveling the Silk Road exhibit (on view until January 5, 2020).
“The Silk Road” is one of our World Landmark lessons in From Adam to Us for grades 5-8, so that part of the day was especially exciting for me. We got to see real live silkworms(!), plus room after room of artifacts. We all learned so much. The loaded camel replicas were fun, too.
I didn’t crawl through the rope tunnel like I did the first time we went to the Fernbank, but our granddaughter insisted that I try the rope bridge with no hands. Does resting my arms on the side count?
A couple of days later, I heard a story that contrasted vastly with our day at the museum. I’ll call the storyteller Kimberly and the person who told it to her Ryan. Kimberly and her husband are close friends with Ryan and his wife. The story is about Ryan’s brother who teaches social studies in a public school. Please know that I am not saying that this story is typical of every school. However, the fact that it is true in this school is disturbing. To this mama, it is heartbreaking.
Ryan has made many trips to Israel, including at least one trip in which he did field work in archaeology. When his brother did a unit on Israel, Ryan offered to let him use some of his photos in his class. His brother had to turn him down, explaining that, in his school, he can teach nothing except what is going to be on the tests.
I am grateful that today the whole universe is available to you. You can teach about any part of it that you want to. Enjoy!
My son, do not forget my teaching,
But let your heart keep my commandments;
For length of days and years of life
And peace they will add to you.
Proverbs 3:1-2