It always makes me laugh when Tara Cain says “this one’s a toughie” on The Gallery, because it usually means I’ll find it really easy. And this week’s theme is “education”. I’m an ex-teacher; I see education around me every single hour of every single day. The only thing that is difficult is whether I snapped a photo of it.
Isaac and I were out in the garden this afternoon; it was FINALLY warm enough to do so without him whining every 5 minutes.
Any time those boys go out in the garden, it doesn’t matter what they’re doing, education is in full force. I thoroughly believe education should be fun, and I have done since I was about 9 years old and had decided I wanted to teach music. I didn’t last long as a school music teacher – turns out red tape and I unsurprisingly don’t get along. Education requires freedom; who am I to curtail what a child will learn? Who am I to dictate how much input a child needs? Sadly, the children I taught were thrown into this and I had no freedom.
Neither did they.
So when my boys go out in the garden, I love seeing what they get up to, because instantly they (and I) are learning. All the time. The education in force is fantastic, if not always realised by all. So what did Isaac and I learn yesterday afternoon in the garden?
Isaac learned about watering cans, and how you have to be careful tipping them out in case the water just goes everywhere.
He learned to get in and out of his toy car. And that leaving your foot hanging out will mean it gets stuck. And that honking the horn is great fun. And that he can drive surprisingly similar to how his Mom drives – in that he thoroughly enjoys it, of course.
Of course I learned stuff too. Both Noah and Isaac educate me every day, as well as what I learn by myself. Every time I pick my camera up, I learn to improve on technique in photographing something I don’t photograph very often. I learn to look at things around me differently, see them from a different view point. And of course, Isaac teaches me to see the world through his eyes.
I don’t know about us educating them, frankly I think it’s them educating us. I can’t be the only one to see this, right?
Great post!
Thank you!
Won't bother to comment on how good those pictures are: you know! But thanks for reminding us that education is (mostly) not about the classroom or even schools.
Heheh Thank you anyway!
Damn yiou and your perfect photographs
Top marks! And I couldn't agree more.
Heheh thanks
Gorgeous pictures and post. And I totally agree, I feel like my almost 3 year old teaches me thing every day, too! x
Lovely photos – the watering can ones really sum up his curiosity. Before kids, I had no idea about how they learnt stuff – the life type stuff and I am still fascinated to watch them learning through trial and error, experimenting, and you're right – we can learn an awful lot from them.
He is sooooo cute, I could just eat him up
Adorable, you must be squeezing him all the time 
)) @Kahanka
I confess I know it's only a matter of time before he's telling me to leave him alone and stop embarrassing him ;D
I have to say i was hoping for a dodgy school pic but what a beautiful post.
You are right, my children teach me new things every single day.
Lovely to see you on Friday. x
Heheh all school photos of me are hidden on facebook. I'm pretty sure you'll find them!! Great to see you too
x
I LOVE that photo of him looking down the spout..so, so cute.
Gorgeous post Jay…although I have to confess I was hoping to see a bad old school pic
And you're so right – we are all continuously learning. Although most of the time I learn I can't just eat one piece of chocolate!
Love this post!
!
The phrase 'structured play' really annoys me! How on earth can play be structured! I think my son and I have far more fun when we take an activity, run with it and end up with a completely different result . . . I don't apply rules to games unless they involve mud and black paint
TOTALLY agree!
Hear, hear! Gorgeous photos of learning in action and a brilliant post. Couldn't agree more!
Absolutely LOVE the photos! Fab post!
You're such a brilliant photographer and helped by the gorgeous model you have…what plants is he watering???? Tomatoes?
Ah thanks so much!
They're his big brother's sunflowers, started them off in TEENY tiny pots in the bathroom!
Lovely post
I learn plenty everyday from the pupils in my classroom… although generally it's not repeatable ;D xxx
LOL! Thank you, I often used to think the same… ;D x
first up, I am insanely jealous of his watering can.
second, I totally agree. The day you stop learning is the day you give up. Fact.
Lovely post! With stunning photos, as ever! I totally agree with the sentiment!
Great post – and beautiful photos too
I'd like to eat you children they are gorgeous. Best play and best way to learn and it should always be FUN! damn that red tape I guess the kids lost a good teacher
I LOVE your pics and your little chap is super scrummy!!
Utterly agree with your sentiments, so much so have decided to Home Educate my twins for as long as I can. They are just sucking up new things everyday without knowing they are learning and I am really enjoying getting to know them really well and learning an awful lot about myself ( usually when they think I'm not listening ha ha!)
right with you about them educating us – its been the best, hardest, challenging, frustrating, brilliant education that could NEVER have been taught in school