Dare to be different!

As I sat in the car waiting for my daughter to finish her stint at the kennels today , I caught sight of a heron in my mirror as it swooped down into the brook .It stood for a few minutes and once again I was reminded how lucky I am to live the lifestyle  I do.

My muscles are aching today.After a long walk yesterday, I walked to The Manjushri Centre, round the beautiful gardens which are filled with camellias at the moment and back to the leisure centre where my daughter was doing gym. It couldn't have been much further than three miles but I could feel the muscles pulling as I walked along.

Last night a group of us went to see Divergent at the cinema..We really enjoyed it although my daughter,who had read the book, said there were some parts missing.What struck me was the theme running through,namely that if you're different you pose a threat.Being different frightens and threatens people.That's certainly been the experience of my son with Aspergers,it's the minority of people who are open minded and non judgemental- difference frightens most of society and there seems to be a need to suppress it.

Ironically that's exactly what I am trying to promote in my children.
The confidence to believe in themselves and to stick to their principals, even when everyone around disagrees  with them. It's the harder option, but the peace it brings when you know you've made the right choice is incalculable.

Recently I read about a book called Wreck this Journal and I bought it for my daughter. The idea is to encourage the reader to do things which would normally go against convention,such as throwing the book across the room or reading it in the shower, or drawing on tne cover.It's about stretching your boundaries, doing things you normally wouldn't have the guts to do, which you have been taught are 'wrong' and to question why? If we all did it more often life would be so much more exciting for everyone.

Home Education gets our vote!

I had plenty of time to think back over the week as I set off for Broughton on my C2B preparations today.

It's been a busy week. My husband has just taken his last exam in his diploma for the Institute of Fire engineers which should mean that he is an accredited engineer if he passes. Learning at home seems to have become a habit for all of us. The other day he sent me a text "Have you heard of  Sugata Mitra?Google him!"
At first I thought he must be someone sinister but then I realised he was the Indian professor who introduced a computer into a whole in the wall in a street in Delhi and watched the Indian children as they played with it.You can read about it here:- http://www.ted.com/talks/sugata_mitra_shows_how_kids_teach_themselves
His ideas are similar to those of John Holt- children learn for themselves, you just need to facilitate them.

I smiled as I remembered back to  when my Autistic son was struggling so much at school . I began to read about home education and a weight was lifted off when I realised it would work. My husband took longer to convince but he is a convert.He is now advocating autonomous education because he knows that it works- he's seen the evidence!

My daughter came back from her trip from London even more convinced, having attended a performance of Wicked that she wants to study drama and dance. Her brother meanwhile has struggled with his dad being away and has stuck rigidly to routine to help him through. Food has been an issue for a couple of days- he's hungry but refuses anything you offer and ear defenders have been firmly planted on his head. He managed a KFC but offers of a meal at the Brewers Fayre or Pizza Hut were refused as they are places you eat "as a family". Teaching has mainly been through discussion although a new World War 2 book has been devoured.

My daughter spent the day curled up in bed yesterday reading Divergent . She wanted to finish it before we see the film tonight. It's lovely to see her enjoying books so much. Meanwhile, I've been gardening, planting seeds, making plant lables and cutting back.

Home made plant labels

Wall flowers

The wallflowers are doing well too in the fish crate we rescued from the beach last year!

I also took part in the ladies choral class of the South Cumbria Music Festival too. We didn't win but we got our highest mark ever and a fantastic feeling of achievement. Perhaps the judge's best comment was that we " Brought lots of Joy". We can't really complain at that can we?

Why teach others when you can teach yourself?

Sometimes you blink and when you open your eyes you are in a different place from where you expected to be. That's where I am right now. I'd actually rather not be right here but I've learned lots along the way. Most importantly to be patient. 

Things won't always go in accordance with my time scale. There is a reason, I just don't know what it is yet. So I'm living in the moment and enjoying the now.

I've been in the garden splitting perennials.The daffs are in full bloom and the forget-me-nots are flowering.

I caught sight of a sheep after it had just given birth the other day,a sight that really lifts the spirits.It's a lovely time of year.

My daughter left for London early this morning to watched 'Wicked' at the London Apollo theatre and visit the Science museum.

My son went off to work- hopefully he won't be sent home today because he has a cold and might give it to someone(We rarely do ill in this house- so that went down like a ton of lead)

and my youngest is asleep on the sofa, having been up all night AGAIN.

I have sheets of music on the table as I'm singing in a music festival tonight and I have a book to read about the last Chinese Empress. so today is 'Home ed yourself day'. It will be my son's turn later at some unearthly time of night.It takes all sorts!

Special moments

Some times when life is hectic,you need to just stop for a moment and ponder. I may not have blogged much but I've had many treasured moments which have kept me going. Here are just a few of them....

It's amazing what you can do when you set your heart on something!

I love the spring,The countryside comes alive and there are lambs in the field behind the house now.This morning as I went walking I spotted a moor hen in the rushes.It was too quick for me to take out my camera!

It's been a busy weekend. We spent yesterday tidying the Mill Lane Garden. There is still lots to do. The base has been laid for the patio which will be laid next week before a base is prepared for artificial grass and chippings to go under the special disability swing. My son stained the arch ways.

My friend's daughter concentrated on planting planters

and my friend and I brushed paths and weeded borders. Friday sees an open garden event to thank all those who have helped so far and to show how far we've come.

The apprentices, in a few short weeks have raised over £1000 and procured donations of resources and time worth several thousands more. No mean feat!

If you haven't yet visited and liked their facebook page please do.Nine young apprentices have achieved a great deal and can be proud of themselves.

Gardening in our home education

Well we had an early start this morning as we are off to paint tyres to make garden planters in the Mill lane garden.It has been an exciting time building this garden.A time of highs and lows,of extreme stress,worrying about whether it will be ready for judging, and even more importantly not wanting to let the day care users and their parents down , but also a vibrant example of people coming together,combining talents and working towards a goal.We've had paint and tyres donated and all we've given is our time.

From a personal perspective it has renewed my desire to create a beautiful wild garden space out of our one and a half acre plot at home and I have already been clearing brambles this week, they grow so rapidly when spring arrives.

I have obtained free wild flower seeds, seed potatoes and even rescued a washed up tyre from the high tide at the weekend and my daughter rolled it back through the village.

 I've also joined a lovely facebook community called The Friendly Gardeners who have so many ideas and are full of encouragement..The project has shown me that it is possible to garden on a shoe sting budget even to the point of making a green house or cold frame out of plastic bottles if you put your mind to it.After all that's what true cottage gardening is all about.

We have always used our wild space for home education.We have found dunnocks and blackbirds nests,stumbled across a pheasant's nest, rescued wood pigeons and magpies.Watched slugs and a mole as it buried itself into the soil and there has been many a time when the children had to shepherd springy lambs back into the field behind us.

The twins are thirteen now and my son is less inclined to go into the garden,particularly to 'learn' anything but I realise that in fact he understands the food chain because he sees it in his daily life, he has lived with chickens for the last four years and was there when we collected them,built the coop and their enclosure and he knows exactly how to encourage them with pellets to come home if they decide to go on a recce round the village.There's nothing funnier than watching a hen scurrying back to its coop alongside a little boy who is going to feed it.

He has stood in the field watching lambs being born,called the farmer when a sheep had a difficult birth and witnessed the sadness of a still born lamb , (all part of the circle of life) but it is something than many children never have the opportunity to experience and he and his siblings are exceptionally lucky to live where they do. The daffodils in the garden are just coming into bud and the lambs in the village are due next week so I guess that spring is here.

Taking ownership of our education

I've been out for a walk today. I needed the break. It feels like I have been battling the system for a week now. My son went to college on Tuesday as he had an exam. When he got there his training provider had failed to enter him despite the college reminding them.

It wasn't until that point that I realised that we were losing control of his education, three layers of bureaucracy from his immediate employers , our local council who in turn contract out training to a company who don't do motor vehicle maintenance and who have therefore subcontracted my son's training still further.

The delays and mistakes made through lack of communication have in fact put my son's training back by about 4 months. It's a learning curve and it's not all doom and gloom, my son is on the point of being able to drive, has thrived in the working environment and has seen how the local authority works because he's been at the sharp end and it's shown him how budget cuts, lack of staffing ,disagreements about which departments pay for what leads to an inefficient oiling of the system. For me with a background in the private sector it has been an eye opener. What should be an establishment of opportunity and self advancement (which in fact it sets itself up to be)  in fact has a culture of disillusionment and mistrust which is getting in the way of those who want to succeed.

Any way we are on the case now and our aim is to get my son's education back on track. He had no intention of finishing his education at 18  but it's one of those situations where someone has dumped an unwelcome and unnecessary mountain in the way and we are going to have to circumnavigate it.

Fortunately home education has given us the necessary qualifications we need and we are beginning to lop off the diseased branches impeding my son's path to personal success. Buffalo coming through.......Watch this space!