Whether you home school your own children or you send them
off in a buss every day, we as parents know how important it is to be involved
in our child’s education. As the school
systems are growing increasingly more generic in their teaching methods, our
job as involved parents, grandparents, and community members will increase if
we want to raise successful individuals. A half hour playing a math game with
manipulatives can help a child who was previously struggling to bloom into a
math whiz. A little extra attention in the area of spelling, or reading, given
by a caring parent or grandparent can make an enormous difference in your child’s
confidence. These small, caring acts can
give your child a boost as they head back to the classroom more prepared for
learning. As for those home scholars out
there, we have a more flexible curriculum to be sure, but there are areas some
parents may not feel confident about. Sometimes a child has a talent that their
parents wish they could nurture further but are at a loss since it is not one
of their own strong points. Most important is the aim to teach children to
enjoy learning, while being sure not to neglect teaching them the things they
really have to learn that may not always be fun such as grammar and arithmetic.
Some of these are reasons I started my first after school
club, the Robotics club. Honestly, robotics is not my thing, nor am I some kind
of engineer. But my boys wanted to build robots almost non-stop, and I found
that a low cost robotics club in my area was nonexistent. So, we started our
own with the help of some great 4-H curriculum. Turns out there are quite a few
little boys who are hungry for connecting wires, learning about physics and
watching their motorized creations come to life. I have seen these kids
integrate math into their problem solving skills, and express an interest in
exploring their learned skills further, on their own time. From time to time
they bring in a brilliant creation to share with the rest of the club, or they
tell me how they’ve modified our latest project after they have taken it home. The children seem to enjoy the relaxed social atmosphere
of our robotics club, while also getting the chance to learn some new skills
and getting their hands on items that might not be readily available in their home,
such as motors, wires, and little light bulbs.
Some parents don’t have the luxury of home schooling or even
of being home when their child returns home from school. If you have a hobby or
talent that you can share with your own children, why not share it with five
other children as well, and spread your influence into the lives of others?
When I started our club, it was to fulfill a need for my
children. I was afraid it would cause too much stress since I am already quite
busy. However, I have found it to be an enjoyable experience that is worth
making time for. Since it is a “club” the boys and girls are always excited to
be there, curious to know what we are going to build today. They leave my house swelling with pride and
jabbering to their mother about the cool project they have just built. It has
inspired me to start a club for something I do know about- gardening. As we
continue to nurture our robotics group, I will be starting a gardening club
this spring, to encourage families to enjoy sustainable gardening as a way of
life.
What kind of club could you start? Is there something you or
your children enjoy that you would like to share with others? Do you need a tool for making friends? The
possibilities are endless. Math club, Chess club, knitting club, drama club,
singing club, entrepreneur club, Bible study club, book club,run around the back yard and play games club…
all you need is a little imagination and a few people to invite. Try offering
your club to your group of friends, local home school co-op, or the public
school on the corner. How many lives
could you touch? How many minds could you inspire?
