Monday Morning Meeting!

We had our first official Monday Morning Meeting this morning, something that I saw on Instagram a few days ago and loved the idea of. I don't remember the page I saw it from, so do call it if this was your idea!

In a way, we already did this, but I streamlined the theory after reading the Instagram post so that I wrapped a few jobs into the meeting and got the boys involved a little more, trying to give them a bit of a say so that they have an element of control over their week.

I made a page to fill in with questions to ask them, which included some of the routines we already have. Things like our calendar and page-a-day quote which they both help move and keep up to date. We also have a handmade, velcro Weekly Calendar that is used as a visual representation of roughly what we are planning during the week. This has been on the go since long before Bear could read the events on the main calendar, so that he could see what days we were off out, etc. 

This morning, we talked over breakfast, thinking about what we had booked in for the week that was non-negotiable, like appointments and Home Ed Groups/activities, then added in learning based plans and outings. I also asked them what they would like to do, and included them where possible, or made notes and explained why they would have to wait a little while, but will get them into the plans for the upcoming weeks.

Our morning meeting was a great place to introduce something else that I had created ready to use with the boys. I want them to start to take some steps towards initiating learning, so I put together a list of things that I like us to accomplish in a week in one of their old routine checklists so that they can tick things off as we get to them during the week, and Bear can initiate plans for items that haven't yet been ticked off.

It was a lovely way to start the week, and a nice way to hear their thoughts and see what they'd choose if they got to make the plans. I think my favourite part was knowing that one of Bear's choices for things to do this week was actually learning based!

Do you do anything similar to a Monday Morning Meeting? I'd love to hear the variations :)

Mama Bear x

Nature Study

Since before Bear was compulsory school age, we started a nature study where we looked at seasonal changes throughout the year. The first year, we chose a tree and checked in on it each season and took some photos, talked about what was different, and we recorded our finds in a journal. The following year, when he was compulsory school age, we chose a different tree, so that we could look at different changes, and we also chose a pond with the intention of looking at the life cycle of frogs. However, I never actually located a pond with frogs in, so we just checked out the pond in general.

Both boys loved the pond study, and we quickly amassed a nature study bag with lots of tools to check out our tree and our pond, including their magnifying glasses, microscopes, bug jars, a thermometer for the water temperature and so much more! Last year, the boys loved this and they always looked forward to going and seeing the pond, and the tree, and getting involved with the checks, photos and the journal entries afterwards.

This year, the tree we chose was the one in our own back garden because it is a type of tree that the boys have never really had any contact with, but I think, because it is there every day, the idea of checking it out for the season has become a little boring. Likewise, the pond we chose has been mega boring! There have been very few changes to see or record, other than the temperature of the water. We didn't make it out to see it during the coldest part of winter, so they didn't get to see it frozen, and there is very little happening there at all... We also haven't done any of the journal pages because they just haven't been interested.

So... I have laid off the whole theory for now, and I am going to alter the outlook ready for summer. We are going to choose a "spot". We are going to find a place where there is a bit of everything to see; trees, plants, flowers, bugs, birds... you name it, I want them to have a little more freedom with it.

We are going to go in the height of summer and decide the boundary of our chosen spot, and identify the trees and flowers etc. See what bugs and birds are present. Possibly even note the weather and what effect that it having. I plan to take all the nature books and their nature journals so that we can record our findings; stick in some pictures, draw the bugs and label them, etc. Spend the afternoon in our spot rather than just half an hour doing the same few things.

Then I want them to think about what changes might happen between the current time and the following season. We will discuss the changes and make some notes with their guesses, and then do a couple of check in visits before the big visit during the next season, where I will aim to go there during a "typical seasonal day" for that season. So, for example, in autumn, the day would be jumper weather, dry, warmish, light breeze etc so that they can record that alongside any and all changes to the trees, flowers and wildlife they see.

I have high hopes for this being much more open project-based and led by their interest and curiosity, rather than a set idea that they follow each time we visit. I want them to explore the things that they find intriguing, check out the bits that they notice and see what feels important to them. They both love being outdoors and being in nature so much that I want them to enjoy the learning linked to it rather than see it as a repetitive activity. 

Of course, I will write some updates, but for now, I plan to keep a look out for a nice spot that has a bit of everything... any recommendations will be visited and added to the list of possibilities :)

Mama Bear x

 When he got a little older, we added a pond to this study too and we picked a new tree so that we saw different changes.