This is a homeschooling journey and an educational journey, but most importantly, this is a family journey. You don’t have to homeschool to get something out of this, or to share and take part in our journey. You just have to enjoy learning and exploring together as a family.
When I attended school as a child, I remember studying history before ever learning about the region, land, people, customs and cultures of the area we were studying. We were learning about a story before having developed a bond or relationship with its characters. The first thing a good author does, when sitting down to write a book that will survive the ages, is develop a bond between the reader and the main characters. This way, as a reader, you feel the trials and tribulations of the characters involved. You root for them to prevail. You feel it in your heart when they don’t. And you grieve for their losses. I believe that having that kind of relationship with our fellow citizens of the world is vital and could possibly lead to generations that sincerely care for the welfare of all.
This understanding led me to change things up when I decided to homeschool my children. Rather than filling their early years with social studies or history, I decided that we would take a journey throughout the world. Through our studies, slowly but surely, continent by continent, we would learn about the land, the waters, the wildlife, and the people. We would focus in on chosen countries on each continent and make maps, learn about the terrain, the ecosystems and species that make that region come alive. By incorporating the nature and wildlife of the region, a global environmental awareness would be nurtured. We would read folktales, learn about the languages, the customs, beliefs, traditional food, and the music and dance that make that culture unique. We would do traditional handwork and make traditional meals, and hopefully….. TRAVEL. My children have fallen in love with each country we have studied. As they get older, that love will grow and become a bond created through respect, honor, and appreciation. The elements of compassion.