This week I have done some soul-searching about how to proceed with the Outdoor Hour Challenges. Not only how to proceed but why we should keep going at all.Outdoor Hour Challenge History
- There are fifty-two challenges on the sidebar to freely choose from on a variety of topics.
- In addition, there is a whole series of bird challenges that are great fun to work through as a family.
- The first Outdoor Hour Challenge eBook was published and has far exceeded my expectations.
- We started a Flickr group to gather nature journal pages to share with each other to inspire and encourage.
- 1,175 links shared on Mr. Linky for all the challenges so far!
- Currently taking a short break to regroup and to organize the next series of challenges either about Crop Plants or Invertebrates, leaning towards Crop Plants.
- Two new eBooks in the works: Garden Flowers and Birds. Garden Flowers will be completed very soon if you are looking for a great summer series of challenges.
- More free challenges as soon as I get them pulled together.
The soul-searching part of this process is trying to decide why families should stick with the Outdoor Hour Challenges and not switch to some other nature study program available.
What makes the Outdoor Hour Challenges unique? How are they different from what is offered from other places?
I thought about this long and hard. One afternoon I was typing an email to a mom who was just getting started with the Outdoor Hour Challenges. As I was typing, it came to me like a flash.
The Outdoor Hour Challenges are challenges for the whole family.
They were written to encourage and challenge parents to get started with nature study and to participate with their children as they go outdoors for a few minutes each week. These challenges were not written for the children but to the parents. This sort of nature study allows the parents to develop a passion for nature study and that is what is at the heart of the Outdoor Hour Challenge. The parent is not the teacher but the co-learner when the whole family accepts the challenge.
Everyone goes outdoors together and you all are searching for things to observe and learn about as a family. Everyone can share their experiences afterwards and all can make their own nature journals. The challenges are not assignments for the children to complete, but the idea is to stimulate a curiousity about nature in your own backyard by having prepared some ideas for study ahead of time.
The Outdoor Hour Challenges are written in such a way that you can be flexible and adapt to whatever interesting subject comes your way. You are successful just for having spent fifteen minutes outdoors, even if you never complete a nature journal page. The time spent outdoors as a family is the precious gem that your child will treasure in the years to come.
Here are some quotes from emails that I have received recently about the Outdoor Hour Challenges.
"Although I have always wanted to know more about nature, it hasn't happened until now. Your guidelines and direction have encouraged me to make it my own...." J. in North Carolina
"Just wanted to thank you again for all your encouragement, and your wonderful nature study plans. I had really hit a wall in homeschooling, and had been praying constantly for renewal and inspiration, and relief from my burn-out. " C.
"I have always struggled with the nature study because I do not feel very competent, but I am very drawn to it, and feel that it is one of the most important things I can do with my kids. I had been praying that God would help me in this area, and I even get Comstock's book out occasionally but am overwhelmed by it. Well, your blog has helped me to wrap my mind around nature study, and to make it a part of school and life, more importantly. My boys, being boys, love outdoors, and my husband seems to know a lot about anything nature-oriented. And now, I feel more equipped to "lay the feast" for them." P.
I read every email and try to comment on every link entered in Mr. Linky. I also save every "thank you" email to go back through when I am having a rough day.
I truly think that as far as the Outdoor Hour Challenge, I have received back more in return than I have ever put into it. The photos people email me of different things they discover during their nature study, the comments made in blog entries that are shared on Mr. Linky, the community of encouragement that I see growing worldwide, and so much more are worth the time and effort I put into the challenges.
This week of reflection on the foundational ideas for the Outdoor Hour Challenge has given me a renewed spirit to continue.
I will take this opportunity to thank everyone who has encouraged me over the last year and a half.......you have been an inspiration to me.
If you have not had a chance to pop over to Lulu.com to see the preview of my Outdoor Hour Challenge-Let's Get Started eBook, here is the link:
Outdoor Hour Challenge EBook
Be sure to read the reviews of the eBook at the bottom of the page at Lulu.com.
Barb-Harmony Art Mom
Please Note: All of the photos in this entry are past "Outdoor Hour Photos of the Week". Each week, or just about, I try to choose a photo from a family's blog entry that I share on the right sidebar of my blog. If you do not have a blog but you would still like to send me a photo for consideration, please send it in JPG format to my email: harmonyfinearts@yahoo.com
Barb,
ReplyDeleteI just wanted to say, you've done so much for our family when it comes to nature study. Everybody in our home (even my husband, when he can) has found the bird challenges one of the most rewarding things we've done. We look forward to participating in more challenges (and we're working on planting our seeds today!) I agree with your comments about this involving the whole family. That is what's special about the OHC...well, one of the things at least.
Thank you so much for what you do. You're awesome!
Rhonda
Dear Rhonda,
ReplyDeleteYour family has been such an encouragement to me during the bird challenges. I loved your enthusiasm and I would look forward to seeing your entries on Mr. Linky. :)
Thanks for the kind words,
Barb
I've enjoyed reading about the challenges, even though I've not participated in any in several months. But they were a great prod in changing the way that I looked at things. I can't walk past a clump of weeds growing along a sidewalk now without pausing to notice if they have flowers that I haven't notice before. I don't know that I'd really noticed much beyone dandelions and clover before.
ReplyDeleteBarb,
ReplyDeleteYou have done a tremendous work in these Outdoor Hour challenges. I discovered them this spring, started a nature journal, and have had my eyes opened to all sorts of things outdoors that I never saw before (or thought were "icky").
I am looking forward to sharing some of these challenges with my young niece and nephews when we meet for "cousins camp" next month. In addition to early morning observing and "telling", each of the kids will make a "mini-journal" (using the twig/rubber band/copy paper idea you posted on your side bar) to record some of their observations.
Before I found your blog, I could not make good use of Comstock's Handbook of Nature Study, but you've helped me see how to use it effectively.
I was always intimidated by the beauty of "A Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady", but you've inspired me to make my own drawings to record my observations. I didn't think I could do it, but my drawings are better than I thought they'd be. I really like the watercolor pencils! Thanks for demonstrating how to use them.
You are a treasure, and your work is absolutely terrific. Thanks!
Cindy
You and your Outdoor Hour Challenges has changed my life and the lives of my children deeply. Thank you so much for what you have done for so many.
ReplyDelete-Phyllis
Barb,
ReplyDeleteOK, I got really nervous when I began reading your post that it might be the end of your nature study challenges - so glad to hear that it isn't! I am a relatively new blogger and nature study challenge participant, but I can't tell you how much my family enjoyed participating in your bird and flower studies this past spring. I do hope to go back and try your older challenges in your sidebar, but I also loved the weekly "live" challenges - being able to share our experiences and read about others doing the same thing was such an inspiration to get out and do it, where I might normally have put it off.
I'm sure it must take a lot of time and work on your part to publish these challenges, so I thank you profusely for all that you do, to get my family outdoors where we should be.
Like I said, I am relatively new to this, but I know that I wouldn't mind doing those same bird challenges again after a year or two has passed. Perhaps you could start running previous challenges "live" again if you get too busy to run new ones...?
Anyway, thanks for all you do to inspire a Charlotte Mason attitude in our home. I'm greatly looking forward to more nature challenges, and also doing one of your art and music studies in the fall. You give me that extra push I need to do those things that are outside of a "normal" curriculum, but that, I am learning, are so vitally important to a well-rounded education.
Thank you!
Casey
Hi Barb,
ReplyDeleteThis is Angie in Georgia =), it's been a while since I posted anything or added to Mr Linky. A lot has been going on here. I wanted to let you know that I do plan to pick up the challenges again, though I may start them over again because I plan on using the ideas with my Creation Club BUT I won't be posting about it. I will just send you e-mails with a pic or two. After much soul searching I shut down both the blogs I had. I miss it but I also feel like I have gained so much without the blogs. Anyway just wanted to say Thanks again for all you do for HS'ers!!! You are a huge blessing!!
It was very nice to read all your comments today. You all have made this journey so enjoyable.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your kind words. :)
Barb-Harmony Art Mom
I love what you've said in this post. These outdoor hour challenges are definitely a time when my daughter and I are co-learners. Actually, there are quite a few parts of our homeschool where we co-learn. :-) I love how we both get excited when we discover more of God's incredible world! Thanks for helping to expand our world!
ReplyDelete