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A "Plan" for Nature Study?
by Michelle Duker
Charlotte Mason recommends it. Therefore,
we've attempted it. Backpack-clad, field
guides in hand, we've marched forth,
regularly, whenever it fit into my plans.
I'm a planner. Rather a neurotic one, at
that. When I was in school, I planned my
days down to 15-minute increments, seeking
always to get the most from every moment.
Teach a class? Volunteer at Special
Olympics? Sure, I'll plan it in, it'll work.
Naturally, I carried that same approach into
my homeschooling. Lord, You want me to
homeschool? Okay, I'll pencil it in my
planner, it'll work. Piece of cake.
Are you laughing yet? I found, as most of
you doubtless have already discovered, that
something about children, all day long, day
in and day out, works against my planning
tendency. And, as Debra Bell pointed out at
a recent homeschool convention seminar I
attended, homeschooling is, at any rate,
God's plan to bring the self-sufficient
woman into dependence upon Him.
So, somewhere in the last three years, I
began to suspect that the plan I needed for
this venture, homeschooling, was perhaps NOT
to be found in my planning sessions, but in
my devotion sessions. This is a welcome idea
for me, a comforting one. But, somehow, even
though I understand this with increasing
depth and meaning, I still have quite a gap
to traverse to make it WORK.
Take nature study, for instance. Charlotte
Mason recommends it. Therefore, we've
attempted it. Backpack-clad, field guides in
hand, we've marched forth, regularly,
whenever it fit into my plans. "Look at
this!" I'd urge. "Let's draw that! What kind
of tree is this? Can we all find two
interesting things to identify?" And, in
short order, the children's eyes would begin
to glaze over, and they would beg to be
allowed to play. Discouraged, I would go
inside and peer at my books, hoping to
divine the reason such a good and lovely
idea wasn't working.
Along comes a curriculum fair. Aha! Armed
with notes and lists, I come home carrying
materials---cute little nature journals, a
"how to nature journal" book, A Pocketful of
Pinecones, more Charlotte Mason references.
I'll just study all this out, and I'll
figure this nature study stuff out yet!
So, today dawns, a perfect, beautiful day.
Neither too hot nor too cold, the weather
beckons us outside. Of course, I haven't had
time to read all that new material yet. But
it's an unusual day, and so far we've only
worked in the garden, built a fly trap,
painted on "frescoes" like Michelangelo--not
much "real" school. So, let's salvage the
day! "Everyone, outside!" I announce, to
cheers. "We'll do nature study!"
Cheers turn to groans as I pack journals,
pencils, field guides, blankets---and out we
go. My mind is racing---we can draw that
chipmunk we saw earlier. Identify leaves and
flowers. Catch that fly! I hand everyone a
journal and a pencil and urge them to find
something to draw. We're going to do this
right for a change!
But one son grabs a feather, and, while I
frantically try to identify the bird who
left it, dear son begins tickling his
brothers with it. After a bit, I give up.
The moment is gone. Sighing, I lie back on
the blanket.
Discouraged, I let the boys run around. I
listen to the birds singing, with one part
of my mind wondering if we could identify
the birdsongs. Sigh. Once again, I petition
my Father for direction.
Gradually I become aware of a growing peace.
So, for a change, I stay put and listen to
the birds. Before long, up runs a son with
something in his hand. "What's this, Mom?"
It's only a walnut shell, I tell him. But,
in amazement, my son reminds me that the
nearest walnut tree is across the street, in
a neighbor's yard. (I guess he was paying
attention during one of those "forced
excursions" last fall).
How did the walnut shell get behind our
garage? At that exact moment, a squirrel
runs nearly up to us, chattering and
scolding. Laughing, we all scatter in search
of more shells, and find them everywhere.
Walnuts under a pine tree. Acorn shells on
the fence line. Our squirrel friends have
been busy; the nearest oak, we recall, is
down the block. We marvel at the industrious
little creatures, now chasing each other in
circles around a tree trunk. Before I know
it, rubbings of walnut shells, leaves, pine
needles appear in the boys' journals. They
bring me flower petals for mine.
I sit down hard, in awe of what has just
occurred. Now, THAT was nature study!
Label our rubbings? Identify bird songs?
We'll get around to it, eventually. But
today, we'll bask in the sunlight, awash in
grace, and marvel at Him Who created what is
around us. Who better to plan our study of
creation than the Creator?
His plan is always the perfect one.
Especially that plan for the self-sufficient
woman.
Originally published at
www.homeschoolingboys.com. Reprinted with
permission.
http://familyclassroom.net/hsboys/articles/10.html
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