RealLifeLearning

School is (among other things) a series of artifical learning experiences.
Real life is full of opportunities. It took me a while to stop thinking in terms of school subjects – you see I went to school and my main understanding of education was naturally based on what I experienced there. I had to learn to *live*!
As I pursued these I ideas, I started considering the fact that my kids might NOT one day open seventeen textbooks and be "learning properly", but that one or two of them at least, may well "just" learn from life. To ease my slightly troubled heart, I thought about whether this would be possible and came up with the following representative and obviously incomplete list. Of course no-one would do all of these things in a week; there are enough ideas here to last a lifetime…..which brings me to one other point….schooling left me with the thought that you “finished” your education after you’d gone to tech or university. I’m encouraging my kids to be learners for life.

* bake for an elderly person * build a website * make a quilt * join a theatre company * write a Scripture memorisation plan and do it * repair a car * play a sport * learn sign language * embroider a tablecloth * grow plants from seed and sell them * go camping * read stories onto a CD for children * join St John’s ambulance * plan an excursion * do a word study related to a topic you are interested in * interview your grandparents and write up their biography * build a garden shed * visit an art exhibition * research world religions * join a choir * keep a finance record * design a recipe book * sew your own clothes * mow the neighbour’s lawns * make a gift for someone * run a summer camp in your back yard for the neighbourhood’s children * try your hand at sculpture * tour historical sites * reorganise the garage * pick berries * interview people involved in a job you are interested in * raise chickens * set up a filing system for your papers * build a motorbike from scraps * make a Bible story book for young children * learn to ride a horse * volunteer at a museum * write a letter to the editor * create an exercise programme and stick to it * read * train a dog * provide computer support for the elderly * attend a community meeting * scrapbook * go duck shooting * be a “mother’s helper” for a mum with young children * watch a movie and talk about it with someone * create a board game * learn to drive * go orienteering * preserve peaches * attend a seminar * join a debating club * collect supplies for a food bank * tutor a younger child * work on a farm * attend an orchestra performance * take part in a triathlon * host a formal dinner * learn to play an instrument * do the grocery shopping * visit an old folks’ home * make a powerpoint presentation of family photos * make a weather station * visit children in hospital * cook for your family for a month or at least once a week! * build a telescope * write a letter * grow your family’s vegetables * knit bootees and hats for premature babies * write articles for your local newspaper * research how much it would cost to leave home! * organise a progressive dinner * go fishing * study different kinds of music * do volunteer fire fighting * run a business * plan an overseas holiday * organise a children’s party * photograph important people in your life * phone a friend * fix a clock * observe creation *