Spring break for everyone else is still school in a homeschooling household.
Today, Pensacola’s Blue Angels were practicing at the NAS Museum. So we took the kids out to watch the show.
It’s always a treat. The sheer thrill that runs through you as those F-18’s soar over your head is incredible. After watching the show, we hopped over to the old lighthouse and ate lunch by a shade tree there.
I was impressed by the teaching moments we had. Even though the kids were not reciting Math facts and studying philosophy, they were spending time in the top school called the big wide world.
- We learned the art of navigating crowds. Thousands flock to the base even if it’s only a practice event. Keeping a big family together and safe is no joke. It takes a lot of concentration on the part of the parents, as well as focus from each child. We worked on watching the leader of the group, keeping our eyes focused on our surroundings, and never losing sight of our family.
- We built the mindset of sticking out a situation till the end. We parked half a mile away from the runway. In Florida’s direct sunlight, it’s a challenge for young children to carry a camp chair the whole way to a destination. But we focused on one step at a time, and got to the runway with color in our cheeks and determination in our eyes.
- We honed our observational skills. On the way home, we stopped by the local Advance Auto Parts. It was empty, and the kids amused themselves by hiding in the aisles and finding each other by the use of the convex mirrors on the wall. Child’s game? Maybe. A learning moment? Absolutely.
It got me to thinking. These mindsets are key to life. But we don’t think about them in our overview of school.
Qualities like observational skills are often overlooked in traditional education. Yet we are as lost without them as we would be without the ability to read.
Many times, experiences are the best tools for learning if you only open your eyes. Make every moment a teaching moment!