Shhhhhh.

Today is a good day to visit the local library.

This month, the Hull Homeschool Academy is focusing on US history between 1930-1950. We are reading a few historical novels; one deals with the Japanese internment camp of Manzanar. Another with a family's struggle during the Great Depression. We all enjoy good writing, and novels seem to be an effective way to make history real. At the library today, we will find other things to add to our knowledge: a book on photography from that era, a movie on the history of jazz, and a few unexpected treasures that book-lovers revel in.

To further plant and nurture a love for history, the students of this academy will be interviewing their grandmothers in the weeks to come. (There's some living history for you!) #1 Daughter may compose a poem or short story to demonstrate what she has learned. #1 Son may balk, but he will probably have to try the same. Learning doesn't always "just happen", I find. Allow me to demonstrate:

Although I tried to carve out the time, I haven't reviewed basic Spanish and French recently. It seems that my tourist's pocket-guide will be my companion on the flight over the Atlantic. (I hesitate to use the word "crash-course" here, as we will be thousands of feet above the earth.)
Helpful friends will fill in the gaps for us, but I'd like to order coffee and toast in the local lingo.
Hey, perhaps I'll find some material at the library to get me going.

There's alotta learning going on at this house.


N.B. I shall repeat a story handed down to me yesterday:
A new home-schooler joined the ranks this year. Kindergartener Baxter Brown was reluctantly tracing the letter "T", and bemoaned to himself," I just know it'll get harder than this!"
Welcome to the School of Hard-Knocks, Baxter.