Welcome to The Educating Parent Beverley Paine's archive of articles about homeschooling and unschooling written over a period of 30 plus years

HomeAbout Blog Articles Curriculum Resource Directory Shop Kids Pages Facebook

Download our FREE The Educating Parent Resource Directories today! Plus... more FREE resources!

Free download a quick guide to getting started with homeschooling and unschooling by Beverley Paine The Educating Parent in this excellent Resource Directory

 

Free directory of Australian homeschooling and unschooling support groups organised by national, state and territories

 
Plan, record and report all in the one document! Always Learning Books planners available in each year level to suit your homeschooling needs, includes curriculum checklists
Australia's original homeschooling manual from veteran home educator Beverley Paine, how to write your own learning plan and curriculum to meet your child's needs
Let Beverley and friends help you design and write your own curriculum to suit your child's individual learning needs, learn how to prepare lessons, unit studies and more, record and evaluate your children's learning in this series of 3 parent workbooks developed on Beverley's popular homeschool manual Getting Started with Home School Practical Considerations
Introduction to
Home Education
  National and State
Support Groups
  Yearly Planner, Diary & Report Beverley's Original Home Ed Manual Series of How To
Parent Workbooks

Support Groups: National SA VIC NSW QLD TAS ACT NT
Registration Guides: VIC NSW QLD SA WA TAS ACT NT

Looking for support, reassurance and information?
Join Beverley's The Educating Parents Homeschooling and Unschooling Facebook online group.

 

An Inspiring Story Telling Technique

© Grace Chapman

I recall bedtime with our first born. Life was different then. We'd spend an hour in bed together, singing songs and nursery rhymes we knew, making up songs, telling stories, reading stories, playing games and eventually drifting into sleep. When our second child was born I still did all that - but not quite as often. I had a left and a right side so that each child could still snuggle in close to Mum. I didn't always lead the singing - sometimes I was tired enough to just let the eldest child lead the singing and often she sang us to sleep.

Just wondering..

If Industrialism  removed the man from the house, Schools removed the children from the house and Feminism removed the woman from the house, will Technology make home based learning easier and thus help the family return to the home?

With the third child, life is much fuller and by the end of the day, I still tuck them in to bed, but singing songs and telling stories is so much harder, less frequent. Sometimes I'm so tired that I don't even want to speak! Actually, it isn't the singing and storytelling that is difficult, once we start they are quite refreshing. It's feeling like it that is so hard. Lying on the bed with them, feeling the engulfing tiredness, it's as if I can't find one creative thread to inspire me to tell a story - especially one that is energetic, exciting and adventurous. Thankfully our eldest is usually ready to share one of her stories. Also, I realise, that it's OK for me to take a back seat. They tell the stories  through their conversation. As they're nestling into bed, they say what comes to mind and the gentle chitter-chatter of conversation leads them to a peaceful entry into sleep.

However, I've discovered a storytelling technique that truly does inspire and refresh me and satisfies the children - as well as being in alignment with my values. Here's an example of what works for me.

I'll begin with, "Once upon a time, not so long ago, there lived a ..." And in that pause, one of the children readily volunteers an object. If all three of them suggest something, I use all three! It doesn't matter - it's a story - and you can do anything with stories. I'll then lead to brief descriptions of each of the objects. For example, "Once upon a time, not so long ago, there lived a horse . That horse's name was . "P ooh. " (Accompanied by mischievous giggles. There is no editing of these stories. We accept what is offered, not necessarily agreeing with it but still accepting.)

 "Pooh was the colour of .purple (giggles!) and chestnut. He lived most of his days in a fenced paddock, eating grass and being a horse. When it rained, he . climbed a tree (giggle at the visuals ) or stood in the paddock with his back to the wind and rain. Pooh had a companion that would often stand on his back, also feeling the wind, the sun and the rain. It was a willy-wag tail. Little Willy would stand on Pooh's back, wagging his tail, picking at insects that lived in Pooh's mane, and doing whatever else it is that wag tails do. At other times, Little Willy stood at Pooh's feet. They were companions, they didn't try to be. They just were.

Little Willy became mates with a girl wag tail. Together they built a nest in the tree in the paddock. They chose a spot that was far out on a branch, away from snakes searching for eggs, but under cover of branches,  to shelter them from the wind and rain,  and to shelter them from currawongs or other birds that might prey on their eggs. They collected small twigs, .. dry gra ss, . hair from Pooh's mane , feathers, fluff from thistles.

When they'd built a sturdy nest, the little girl bird laid two eggs. The eggs were the size of the tip of your big toe. She sat over those eggs, keeping them warm and dry. Little Willy shared sitting over the eggs too. They each were able to collect food for themselves and to feel the sun, the wind and the rain, as well as sitting on Pooh's back or standing at Pooh's feet.

Eventually the shells of the eggs became thinner, as the birds inside grew bigger. One day there was a tap, tap, tapping sound from inside the eggs. The hatchlings were making their way out. They were ready to see the outer world. When they came out, they were wet and floppy. They couldn't hold their heads up. With every breath, their skin became drier and their bodies stronger. Their bodies became covered in feathers. All the while, Little Willy and his mate fed the little birds until they were strong enough to fly and feed themselves. ..And that's the end of the story.

What I basically do is frame the stories around cycles of life. Examples of this are endless! As I tell the story I feel myself using all of my senses, imagining how things feel. As I describe how a seedling grows up toward the sun, I imagine myself feeling the warmth of the light and I feel my body moving.  I feel the roots moving through the soil. I can smell the earth. I feel the footfalls of an ant along my stalk. All of this imagining and feeling isn't there when I first begin telling the story. I'm tired remember. All I want to do is be in my own quiet space, but somehow, as we progress through the story, the visualization nourishes me, allowing the thoughts of the day to be replaced by an understanding of how truly wonderful life is.

Grace is a home educating mother of three in far north Queensland. Until recently, Grace was the editor and producer of Stepping Stones For Home Educators. Her articles have appeared in magazines such as Byronchild Magazine and Education Choices .

Was this article helpful? Was it worth $1.00 to you? Your gift of $1 or more helps to keep this site operating offering encouragement and reassurance to families wanting better outcomes for their children.

Thank you for your gift contribution!

Beverley Paine with her children, and their home educated children, relaxing at home.

Together with the support of my family, my aim is to help parents educate their children in stress-free, nurturing environments. In addition to building and maintaing this website, I continue to create and manage local and national home educating networks, help to organise conferences and camps, as well as write for, edit and produce newsletters, resource directories and magazines. I am an active supporter of national, state, regional and local home education groups.

"You've been an inspiration to me, I love the way
you really listen to people."
Vanessa

"Whenever I read your writing I always come away
with increased confidence in my ability to provide and
share a wonderful learning journey with my family!"
Davina

"Your guidance, understanding, support and words of
wisdom changed our lives. We now offer support and
organise many homeschooling events for others."
Lesley

"Thank you once again for your prompt and friendly service.
I am convinced that your books are going to add
quality and peace of mind to my journey of teaching my kids
at home! Just from studying your website, until almost
2am in the morning, I 've been encouraged!"
Louisa

"Thank you for all your many,many reassuring words
over many, many years. You probably don't know exactly how valuable you are to the Australian Home Education community. I've been reading your stuff for maybe 8 years or more now. And I'm very grateful."
Gythaa


CLICK HERE if you want to learn
how to write your own education plans
to suit your unique children's individual learning needs?

Or you are looking for quality curriculum and teaching tips...

Welcome to the World of Home Education
and Learning without School!

We began educating our children in 1985, when our eldest was five. In truth, we had helped them learn what they need to learn since they were born. I am a passionate advocate of allowing children to learn unhindered by unnecessary stress and competition, meeting developmental needs in ways that suit their individual learning styles and preferences. Ours was a homeschooling, unschooling and natural learning family! There are hundreds of articles on this site to help you build confidence as a home educating family. We hope that your home educating adventure is as satisfying as ours was! Beverley Paine

3 ESSENTIAL STEP BY STEP GUIDES

Getting Started with
Home Educating Series of

PARENT WORKBOOKS

#1 Create Your
Own Curriculum

#2 DIY Lesson Plans
& Unit Studies

#3 Recording and Evaluation Made Simple

$10.00 each (includes postage)

let experienced home educators Beverley, Tamara and April walk you through HOW to create a learning plan that builds on solid foundations that works for YOUR family AND ticks all the boxes for home educaton registration with part 1 of this getting started with home educating serioes of parent workbooks, Create Your Own Curriculum!
Let experienced home educators Beverley, Tamara and April walk you through HOW to create a learning plan that builds on solid foundations that works for YOUR family AND ticks all the boxes for home educaton registration!

To see the full range of Beverley Paine's books on homeschooling, unschooling and natural learning visit Always Learning Books

Tap into Beverley's experience
through her books

"Your books, your blogs helped me beyond words... they helped me to find comfort in knowing it is ok to choose exactly what is best for my family." Nisha

"Your books and information are mind blowing and already I am feeling good about this new experience." Diane

"Your guidance, understanding, support & words of wisdom changed our lives." Leslie

"I feel specially inspired by Beverley's words and, the more I read her comments, the more inspired I feel, since my need for support, respect for different parenting styles, and information are fully met." Marijo
purchase Beverley's practical and common sense books on homeschooling and unschooling
Connect with Beverley and ask questions
through her online The Educating Parents Homeschooling and Unschooling Facebook support group
.

The information on this website is of a general nature only and is not intended as personal or professional advice. This site merges and incorporates 'Homeschool Australia' and 'Unschool Australia'.

The Educating Parent acknowledges the Traditional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Owners, the Custodians of Australia, and pay our respects to Elders past and present and extend that respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people viewing this website.

Advertise on this site.

say goodbye to home education registration stress with this ultimate rego bundle from Fearless Homeschool

complete comprehensive step by step program that teaches you how to craft your ultimate homeschool

make homeschooling a lot easier, zero to homeschool's excellent course is here to help

Australia's best home education consultant, let Tamara Kidd guide and help you prepare your home education registration application or review

Twinkl downloadable Home education resources helping you teach confidently at home

Online science lessons for primary school aged home educating children

30% discount for purchases from ReadyEd Publications when you use the code 'homeschool' at  the checkout

reset your mindset for homeschooling success with deschooling essentials a quick course to help build your confidence as an educating parent

200 pages of templates, planning pages, tables, prompts and record sheets to organise your whole year!

subscription video art lessons by Australian artist

Australia's premier online annual conferences, lifetime access to video and audio recordings, freebies, notes and associated resource guides.

EVERY SUMMIT IS UNIQUE!

$29 each 2023 2022 2021
$25 each 2020 2019 2017

"Biggest and best Aussie homeschool event of the year!"

Home education is a legal alternative
to school education in Australia.
State and Territory governments are responsible
for regulating home education and have different
requirements, however home educating families
are able to develop curriculum and learning programs
to suit the individual needs of their children.

animated Australian flag

Without revenue from advertising
by educational suppliers and Google Ads
we could not continue to provide information
to home educators. Please support us by letting
our advertisers know that you found them on
The Educating Parent. Thanks!

Support Centre
Contact Us | Join a Support Group | Beverley's Books | Resource Directory | Blog | Donate

About The Educating Parent
Beverley Paine | April Jermey and Always Learning Books | Advertise with us

Sitemap

What is Home Education Why Home Educate Getting Started & Registering Different Ways to Home Educate
Life as a Home Educator Resources & Support Teens and Beyond Curriculum and Teaching Tips
Unschooling & Natural Learning Travelling & Home Educating Record Keeping Children's Pages

animated smiling face Thank you for visiting!

Beverley Paine, The Educating Parent
The opinions and articles included on this website are not necessarily those of Beverley and Robin Paine,
nor do they endorse or recommend products listed in contributed articles, pages, or advertisements.
This website uses browsing cookies and conducts other means to collect user information in order to display contextual ads.
Text and images on this site © All Rights Reserved 1999-2023.