Alyssa and her husband chose home learning for their daughter Lupine (grade 6) and son Sawyer (grade 3) because it gives their family much-needed flexibility. She loves that they spend so much time outdoors and that home learning made Alyssa and her husband’s summer-heavy workload more manageable.
The couple works in forestry, so they are considerably more busy in summer. “Having the kids wrap up school in May allows our schedules to be open and free for the summer. It’s a huge bonus for us,” says Alyssa. “The flexibility of home learning is a huge appeal.”
HomeLearners Network (HLN) was recommended to Alyssa by a friend and her SelfDesign® Learning Community learning consultant. Lupine and Sawyer have participated in over 50 fun and educational HLN activities, and Alyssa loves having time throughout the week to pass the reins over to a passionate educator.
Lupine and Sawyer enjoy more of the outdoors and participate around the house and workshop
“Our kids are very involved in everything we do,” says Alyssa. “They’re super skilled and capable. They’re out in the garden, they’re in the kitchen, and they’re in the workshop. Their abilities surprise a lot of people.”
Lupine enjoys creating art and performing in musical theatre shows and is often praised for being able to cook anything she wants in the kitchen. Sawyer loves being in the workshop using tools for building and fixing things. “He’s super hands-on, and he loves to do projects. He can show me around the shop and how to use the tools,” says Alyssa. The kids also participate in sports like hockey, soccer and swimming.
The family spends as much time outside as possible and is grateful they can incorporate outdoor activities into the kids’ learning. “It was one of the reasons we chose home learning in the first place. We do lots of hiking, biking, and field trips in the area,” says Alyssa.
HLN activities allow Alyssa to pass over the lead so her kids can learn new skills
HLN is an online platform for interactive learning activities. Qualified and passionate guides lead every activity, and new ones are added monthly in the form of Singles, Series or Camps.
Lupine’s favourite part about HLN is taking art activities with her favourite guide, Amber Santos. She loves them so much that sometimes she participates in three activities in a day. The family also converted their downstairs spare bedroom into an art room. Sawyer loves STEM-related activities. “He got so much inspiration from the STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) activities that I would find him rustling through the recycling to find materials to build all sorts of things.”
“The kids have learned so many skills through HLN that I don’t necessarily have the ability to teach,” says Alyssa. “I do a lot of art with the kids, but if Lupine can do a watercolour class with someone who actually teaches watercolour, she’s learning those skills and can use them on her own time. It’s neat to see them realizing things they can do with the skills they’re learning and expanding on them.”
Most HLN activities can be done without Alyssa’s supervision. “It’s pretty easy for them to be independent,” says Alyssa, who remains nearby during Sawyer’s activities if he needs anything, but can comfortably leave Lupine in her art room.
“It’s really nice to have that bit of time during the day where someone else takes the lead on a project for them,” says Alyssa. ”I also like that they communicate with other kids, often who have been in the same activities repeatedly. They get to know them, and they get to know the guides. Sawyer is a little shy, so it’s an excellent way for him to get comfortable speaking in front of people and sharing with a group.”
If you are the parent or guardian of a homeschooler or home learner, check out HomeLearners Network and sign up for a fantastic hands-on, educational, and fun activity today!
