I think I have an idea...

I finished knitting Katie's sweater just before Karoline's First Communion. So, she got to wear it with her Easter dress on First Communion Day. She was thrilled. Me? Not so much. It's full of mistakes. I wish I knew what they were. I mean, I know they're mistakes, but I don't know why. A girl can't learn from her mistakes unless she knows why. My plan is to photograph all the mistakes and email them to a friend. 

I was thinking yesterday about how I learned to knit. True, Elizabeth came one weekend and overwhelmed me with knitting love. I didn't really get to learn much that weekend, though. Then, Ginny unraveled my knots in real life. That was good. But I still didn't know how to knit. It was important to Elizabeth that I learn, so it became important to me. Carmen became dedicated to the cause, too, and suggested a pattern and sent me the link. Elizabeth dyed and spun the yarn and then tutored me through 5 or 6 of those sweaters via email. Katherine has encouraged every step of the way, via email or Instagram. Ladies, I learned to knit on the internet! This makes me giggle.

 I'm going to email my mistakes to Carmen and try to learn a little more. 

The internet has exploded in the last ten years--there's so much we can learn here. I dug out a very familiar book the other day. And I started re-reading. I think I wanted my younger self to give my now self a good kick in the pants. It worked. I'm sprucing my education plans here.

Someone (actually, more than one someone) wrote to me and mentioned how much she'd like to see me update and republish Real Learning. I've been reluctant. For whatever reason (or for a myriad of reasons), I've never been inclined to re-publish.

One day recently though, Aimee offered an idea that does appeal to me. Actually, Mary Beth, Christian, and Aimee each offered the idea separately, but it didn't really seem feasible until I talked it all through with Aimee.

What if the new version of the book weren't a book at all? What if it were a workshop? Eight or ten installments with various chapters from the book, all updated with links and photos and video. What if the "Words from the Wise" section checked in with veteran homeschoolers and what if we created community? What if we set aside a small space online to encourage one another to educate our children wholeheartedly (whether homeschoolers or not)? What if we engaged in conversation and those of us who have been at this a long time recommitted to our ideals, while sharing hard-earned wisdom with younger moms whose enthusiasm is contagious? Yes! I'd like to see the book become a big idea like that one.

What do you think?

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