Day One: I'm a control freak

We headed out to Michael's to buy a sketch book for this project. I had no idea they were so expensive! We're going to have to rethink the sketch book or find it cheaper somewhere else. Automatically, I stepped in... dictating everything from the thickness to where and how it was bound. Soon, she backed off and let me pick it out... and stood around bored. NOT a good start. On the way to the store she got out her sketch pad and pencils and started to draw. She drew a spool of thread and how she thought that the thread was woven together to make fabric. I loved this. Ella grabbed my sketch pad and started working on her own "project" she said. She drew a trash can and some worms crawling out of it and said, "I want to know how worms get in trash cans!" Oiy. She's started young!

I prompted Anna, just a little:), on speaking politely and clearly... totally psyche her out for this... like I thought that she would be impolite??? She's the sweetest girl ever! I just felt the need to put in my two cents. CONTROL. When we got there, I tried to follow her lead. She wandered over to the fabric and started feeling stuff. Immediately I started talking about what is this fabric made of and what does this one say that it is? She was interested for a nano-second. I wrote down words like, "Organza, mesh, rayon, cotton... 100%... 60% 40%..." My mind raced a mile a minute. I had visions of fabric swatches and magnifying glasses and math lessons dancing in my head. Anna... not so much.

She wanted to find a lady and ask her question. We scoped all the workers out and she finally settled on the lady that sells the sewing machines. Anna spoke in a nice, clear, polite tone... "Excuse me, could you tell me how fabric is made?" The lady looked a little shocked and immediately asked, "Is this for school?" So what do I do? I open my big trap and say, "Yes!" If there were ever a book written about 101 ways to kill a project, I would be the author! The lady went on to say that threads are woven together on a loom. She said she didn't know how to explain it any easier. She looked at me and told me to look online or at the library. She mentioned that we could probably find a hand loom that would give us a better idea of how it's made. I was all on this. Anna... not so much. I dragged them through every aisle. They both clearly wanted to go home. Finally, I relented my control and said, "OK. Let's go."

When we got out, I couldn't resist... "Well, what's next?," I say. "Well, now I want to know how to make thread."

BUT... we aren't through exploring the fabric issue yet. Let's go online and find out how to make our own loom. Let's find a book about how Indians use to do it and compare it with how they do it now. How about finding out how they make fabrics with such cool designs.

I resisted.

So, I'm not sure how this going to go. Her mind doesn't think logically enough. She's not asking the right questions (or the ones I would have her to ask.) If she goes to the library and finds some boring pictureless books or gets on the internet and has to sift through useless garbage before she gets to a good sight then won't she loose interest? Don't I need to find these things for her first? Is she too young to look this stuff up herself?

The point is for HER to find it, her to ask the questions, her to explore, her to develop sifting skills, reason and logic. Not me. (Although, I sure could use some help in these areas myself.)

I think her interest in this is minimal at this point. I'm wondering if I should just let it go or keep on? What do I do next that won't be leading her, but opening up her mind to explore?

I think that I might set out some fabric and a magnifying glass and see what she does. She did ask to go to the library tomorrow, so I'm going to take her there.

Clearly, the hardest part of this project learning is ME... getting over myself, getting over my control issues, getting over my own disabilities.

Right now, the girls are playing together in their room. I hear Ella yelling, "All aboard! We're going to Haiti to save the children! Let's go!" Not many kids find themselves playing "save a life." I love that their hearts are being opened to compassion and helping others at such a young age.

I still have questions about whether this style of learning will teach the girls the things they "need" to know. I can see how projects could include different aspects of science and history and math, etc. But history is chronological. Shouldn't it be learned in that manner? Math concepts build on one another. Shouldn't they start at the basics first? More questions then answers. We'll follow this where it leads and find out.

I am debating about whether I should set up some math "activities" and lay them out for her to choose what she wants to do. Perhaps, adding a bit of a montessori flavor to this would be a good idea.

This is a great experiment.