Creative Homeschooling - Garden Science

From the Artist: In the spring, the pandemic abruptly changed our lives and forced us to slow down and adapt. As a mother of a then 2 and 5 year old, I decided to practically ignore remote learning and embrace the extra time at home together. For the 2020-2021 school year I decided to homeschool my then 3 and 6 years olds, with the hopes to foster their natural creativity and curiosity. My goals included spending as much time outdoors as possible with them, following their interests, and making the most of this unique opportunity. The daily grind and journey thus far has been a roller coaster of emotions and experiences but reviewing photos of this past year remind me of all the silver linings and bright spots that have made the choice one I don’t regret. Our typical week includes hours of reading together, playing legos, exploring outdoors, and their independent art- making among many other activities. I’ve selected photos that try to capture the small victories, happy surprises, and favorite moments from our creative homeschooling: front porch art, pajama math, garden science, and recess in the bathroom. I make this
submission to purposefully challenge and expand the definition of “creative works” to include homeschooling, since I consider it one of my most demanding and rewarding creative pursuits. I also consider it a collaborative art with my children as co-creators and wish to celebrate their creative minds at work while they learn through play.