December in Kula, Maui. Riding upcountry for Sandra’s 7th birthday.
“Be right back, life in session” —has been the status of my digital presence. I thought I would be fully capable of writing an update every week of this new year. Too ambitious.
We hiked out of December 2023 with a trek through grazing cattle up the Waihe`e ridge trail on the West Maui Mountains, celebrated the birthday of our 7-year-old riding up in Kula, Maui on horseback, flew home to spend New Year's Eve in our abode with new friends under a lit sky of fireworks igniting above our heads; then stepped into January 2024 holding fast to annual family traditions of feasting and gathering with relatives in Pupukea. Somehow between January and April— among the beach days, hiking trails, and family visiting from the mainland— the girls kept up with their math and reading, and we finished Mark Twain’s “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" and Kenneth Grahame’s classic novel “The Wind in the Willows.” My older girls joined literary clubs with friends on the Northshore, completed an 8-week ceramic class, and showcased their pieces at an Art Gala hosted by the visionary homeschool parents at a local church in Waialua. Evie breezed through all her literature for CC, attended the CC Protocol, and teamed up with her good friend/classmate, who proudly won the Challenge II debate at the end of the semester! I look back on all our accomplishments together in the 8-months of our school year, walked through valleys and climbed over mountains to get to where we are now, and I am reminded of this quote by Charlotte Mason:
“Our aim in Education is to give a Full Life.––We begin to see what we want. Children make large demands upon us. We owe it to them to initiate an immense number of interests. Thou hast set my feet in a large room; should be the glad cry of every intelligent soul. Life should be all living, and not merely a tedious passing of time; not all doing or all feeling or all thinking––the strain would be too great––but, all living; that is to say, we should be in touch wherever we go, whatever we hear, whatever we see, with some manner of vital interest. We cannot give the children these interests; we prefer that they should never say they have learned botany or conchology, geology or astronomy. The question is not,––how much does the youth know? when he has finished his education––but how much does he care? and about how many orders of things does he care? In fact, how large is the room in which he finds his feet set? and, therefore, how full is the life he has before him?”
-Charlotte Mason, (Vol. 3, p. 170-171)
Waihe`e Ridge Trail, an intermediate-advanced trail in the West Maui Mountains, makes it to top three on my favorite hikes list on the Valley Isle.
Sandra picked the largest, tallest, and most stubborn horse, Jimmy, to ride on her 7th birthday!
Once more: “The question is not,––how much does the youth know? when he has finished his education––but how much does he care? and about how many orders of things does he care? In fact, how large is the room in which he finds his feet set? and, therefore, how full is the life he has before him?”
These questions are profound, and a great self-reminder as a teacher, even as a mother. Early on this journey I struggled and took unsolicited advice and critical opinions about my children being homeschooled so personally, that so easily was I derailed and discouraged. Articles that put home educators in a negative spotlight comparing us to the rest of society in academic institutions, used to offend me, but I no longer feel the need to defend my calling and home life; maybe its because I just turned 39 and at this age of experience the above quote rings increasingly truer to me as the years go by and I witness my children discovering their passions and pursuing them.
My husband grew up in Kula, Maui, where his mother still lives.
One of my favorite places on earth is the Lavender Farm and meadow overlooking the island.
She was not afraid to trot around the stable on Jimmy.
Closing in on the end of May, I watched my niece graduate high school with Honors in Las Vegas in a stunning white cap and gown and stylish platform glossy black Doc Martens. I am a proud auntie of two brilliant nieces. I wish I possessed even half the discipline and ambition they possessed when I was that young! I can only imagine the success that awaits ahead of them and the mark they will impress on this world as they navigate the road with independence. They have already made an impact on my life alone.
When I began this blog, I had the vision to share about all the curriculum and books we were using; this would be a well of information for classical educators to pull from, but it has been challenging to keep to this content standard. Over the past year, I have been debating if I will change the name of this blog, and at this point, I feel my spirit beckoning in that direction for transformation. There would be a shift toward more personal journals than what it supposedly is— an informative academic blog.
Soon, my eldest will turn 15, and our summer break will begin on the 1st of June! In these summer months, my focus and desire is to refine my sewing skills and expand my garden. With that said, I am eager to turn over a new leaf!
x Jena