One's Submarine Story

Every now and again it happens. The Lord gives me a moment of reassurance that builds my confidence in the choices we've made for our children: specifically the homeschool route. They aren't grande moments; they don't come with a flouish. They aren't punctuated by trophy presentations or blue-ribbon awards; they don't come in black and white -- they aren't wrapped up in a neat and tidy test score that the educational community reveres.

These validating moments are very ordinary, but that's what makes them so great. They are simple, integrated moments of learning. My children own the knowledge that is exhibited in these moment. I'm so happy to have them, and commit them to this "remembrance stone."

Today we read some history at lunchtime. We quickly reviewed where we left off last week -- the treaty and construction of the Panama Canal in the early part of the century. From there, I began to read about WWI and the impact that the new developments in submarine warfare would have on the fighting between Germany and Great Britain. Somewhere in the middle of all this, One began to interject what she knew about submarines -- that the first one was used way back in the Revolutionary War! She continued to explain that the vessel was developed by a man named David Bushnell and was comparable to a very large barrel.

What I liked best about the moment was that no one told her that the Bushnell invention was the first submarine. She heard about it, and made the connection herself when the subject came up today.

This is education for life, through living books and plenty of time for play. I hope I can remember that until the next affirming moment is brought my way.