I'm not sure what my family is going to do now that the Summer Olympics have ended.

It feels as if there's a bit of a hole in our lives now, one that I didn't realize was there before we turned on the TV set one evening and watched in amazement as Michael Phelps swam his way to yet another gold medal. (Did you catch the race where he won in what appeared to be the space of a fingernail? Absolutely riveting.)

We're going to miss the excitement of watching athletes compete who have devoted their lives to becoming the best they can be, to developing the potential within themselves. To be sure, the Olympics are about striving to see who is the "best." But hard work and preparation can only take you so far. 

Just ask the talented swimmer who came in second after Phelps in that fateful race.

There will always be someone stronger, brighter, or more gifted.  There will always be an "off" day. What matters in the end isn't whether we win or lose but whether we've made the most of what we've got--that we've learned how to recognize the opportunities in front of us and put them to good use.  That, to me, is the mark of a champion.

A "gold medal" education for my son will contain the very same elements that drive Olympic athletes--perseverance, high standards, and a love of the game.  It is my belief that a love of the game (in this case, a love of learning) will ultimately drive the other two.  My hope is that by teaching him to see the incredible array of learning opportunities in front of him, he will become a person who focuses on the possibilities, rather than the daunting odds. This is what makes an Olympic athlete great.  And, I believe, this is what will make for an Olympic-style education for my son.

Thank you, Dr. Van Eck, for recommending this video!

    

On a whim, I've decided to dabble in "unschooling" for a while to see what would happen. I realized that trying to hold to what most folks consider the proper way to do education has been a huge contributor to the stress in our home, which in turn contributes to my son's anxiety. 

Two days into the experiment and I'm beginning to wonder what planet I'm on.  I have a kid who actually complains because there isn't enough time to learn everything he wants to learn, is pleasant to be around (for us, this is a major deal), and jumps right into his work without any outside prompts. My own stress level has plummeted.

Not sure if I'm dreaming or if this is for real. School usually means a lot of hassle and trying to find new ways to get lessons across. Granted, we're in the very early stages but I'll take what I can get, when I can get it.

Keep your fingers crossed. I'll report more as we go along.

My son went to a family party last weekend. One of the kids walked up to him and asked if he wanted to play football. My son looked at the kid and said, "What's that?"

Yes, we 're a little illiterate in my family when it comes to team sports--at least my son is anyway. My husband and I used to play baseball, football, basketball, and the like when we were kids and we still maintain fitness routines. But, we're not the kind of family to take in a ballgame on the weekend. The result? Our son is totally clueless when it comes to this segment of society.

My son is not a couch potato--he enjoys swimming and biking and the kid can absolutely wear me out on a hike through the woods. But when it comes to team sports, he gets completely overwhelmed by the social demands. Still, we'd like him to have at least an intellectual understanding of what all the fuss is about.

So, long story short, I bought a Wii system yesterday--my sister-in-law insists I got a good deal--and we're going to try this out.  If you're not familiar with the Wii, it's Nintendo's latest gaming technology--amazingly interactive and designed to allow players to participate in popular team sports such as tennis, golf, baseball, and bowling.

My goal is to integrate it into our homeschool phy ed program this school year.  My 12-year old nephew and his buddy gave me a crash course in how to use it (I decided to go to the experts to get help figuring this thing out.) Now, I just have to find a way to introduce it to my son so that it piques his interest. 

Now, I wonder if Guitar Hero would meet the requirements for his music curriculum...

I spent the better part of yesterday smearing joint compound all over the walls in my family room--sort of giving it a "plastered" look, if you know what I mean.  I'd been struggling to find a way to get rid of peeling wallpaper that had been directly applied to the drywall by the past owners of our townhouse. This seemed a more convenient alternative to ripping out the sheet rock and starting over. But, I digress.

Not being one to let an opportunity to multi-task slip by, I decided to listen to some podcasts while I worked. To my delight, I came across an entire category related to educational technology on iTunes. Interestingly, several were from folks in Canada--Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Ontario specifically.

In among these, I stumbled across a fellow by the name of Rodd Lucier who podcasts and blogs out of Komoka, Ontario, under the moniker "The Clever Sheep." An experienced educator, Rodd shares thoughts and tips for integrating technology in education.  I sampled quite a few of his podcasts--each is relatively brief, perhaps five minutes or so--and found myself feeling as if I were talking with a friend. Rodd has an engaging style and his expertise in both education and technology is a real goldmine.

But, hey! Why don't you listen for yourself?  You can access "Teacher 2.0" at thecleversheep.blogspot.com.