DIVING INTO HOMESCHOOLING: Our Top 5 Rules
What Scuba Has Taught Me about Homeschooling
RULE #1 NEVER HOLD YOUR BREATH-as every good entry-level dive student knows, this is the most important rule of scuba. And for good reason — breath holding underwater can result in serious injury and even death.
RULE #2 PRACTICE SAFE ASCENTS- Almost as important as breathing
continuously is making sure to ascend slowly and safely at all times. If divers
exceed a safe ascent rate, the nitrogen absorbed into the bloodstream at depth
does not have time to dissolve back into solution as the pressure decreases on
the way to the surface.
Liam has a slower
processing speed. When he has been faced with rapid progression, timed tests, pressure (or perceived pressure) to get
it done FAST you can count on a meltdown in 3….2…1. We move thoughtfully,
intentionally and we are in no rush. Sometimes it takes us a 10 hour day to get
through the planned curricula with sensory breaks sprinkled all around. And
that is OK!
We START out knowing that we are going to set a pace that is unhurried and that allows for learning to be pleasurable.
RULE #3 CHECK YOUR GEAR-Underwater, your survival depends upon your equipment. Don’t be lazy when it comes to checking your gear before a dive. Conduct your buddy-check thoroughly —if your or your buddy’s equipment malfunctions it could cause a life-threatening situation for you both.
Our gear--do we have a sensory friendly home environment? AND the knowledge to adapt it to meet his needs daily as they shift. Some days, this means warming up on the trampoline to prepare for learning, others a sensory break in the hammock swing in his room and still others taking a meat tenderizer to the play dough or magic sand to expel some energy in a safe manner. We look like “that” family with swings, bouncy balls, trampolines, weighted blankets, lycra tunnels, tents and at least four sensory bins for fine motor.
RULE #4 DIVE WITHIN YOUR LIMITS - Above all, remember that diving should be
fun. Never put yourself in an uncomfortable situation. If you aren’t
physically or mentally capable of a dive, call it. It’s easy to succumb to peer
pressure, but you must always decide for yourself whether to dive.
The next day? He
totally unraveled from holding it all together. In the past, I might have pushed
to “get in some learning” so I would not have “homeschool guilt.” One guess how
that usually ended up? Sooooo…we had an official DUVET DAY. Liam was TOAST and
I did not want to push us both out of our limits. We did everything in bed….gluten
free macaroni, snuggled with our Pitbull—Darla—and watched Thomas the Train for
the first time in 2 years. We stayed WITHIN OUR LIMITS.
RULE #5 USE THE BUDDY SYSTEM- Although several training organizations now offer solo diving certifications, diving alone remains an absolute no-no unless properly trained. The old adage “when you dive alone, you die alone” exists for a reason. The majority of emergency skills rely on the presence of a buddy.
Our #1 buddy is Liam's long-time effervescent nanny, Ms. Britta without whom we would be LOST-she is a science whiz, craft wizard and Liam-whisperer.
I also am mildly addicted to Instagram, various websites, podcasts, blogs & books. A few of my online favorite buddy systems: The Homeschool Sisters, The Brave Writer, Not the Former Things (Shawna Wingert), Sally Clarkson.
PLUS as
fate would have it Liam’s former preschool teacher now homeschools too so we
recently joined galactic forces for some field trips.
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