A recurring bit of advice for new homeschool moms is to look into homeschool support and co-ops.  In addition to giving parents a break, a homeschool co-op enables children to experience different teaching styles, make friends, and learn something that perhaps mom can’t or doesn’t want to teach.  We are fortunate to have the Homeschool Plus Co-op in Norfolk.  The class schedule at Homeschool Plus is deep and wide, offering academic as well as visual and performing arts for elementary through high school ages.  Knowing that I wanted to cover the academics for at least a year to get a better grasp on Grace’s strengths and weaknesses, we looked at the schedule for enrichment opportunities.

The Daughter, like her Grandma Honey, and Papa Garner loves art!  As a child, she would draw, and draw and draw.  If she was happy, she would draw.  If she was sad, she would draw.  If she was mad, she would draw.  (Mom often didn’t look too good in the mad drawings…) If she was penitent, she would draw.

I love art, and enjoy my layout and design freelance opportunities, but The Daughter and I sometimes disagree on creative efforts.  It seemed to me that perhaps a professional would know better how to handle Grace’s creative choices and expression. So, once a week The Daughter goes to Homeschool Plus for a Studio Art class taught by an enthusiastic teacher with a real art degree!  We are also grateful that Ms. Sawyer shares her love of God and His creation through her teaching and assignments.  She has done some wonderful work in this class and we are quite proud of her!  Here is her Christmas piece – note that the angels have formed a rock band called “God Rules.”

In the category of what mom “can’t teach,” would be any form of dancing.  However, the choice of Worship Dance on the schedule right after Studio Art made us curious!  After checking out the class, we decided to give it a try. The Daughter’s first homework assignment was to choreograph a verse from the Bible, and she chose the first 3 verses of Psalm 103!  (It was lovely!) Also, she loved the flowy outfit!  Thanks to K-Love , we are familiar with quite a few praise and worship songs, so imagine our excitement when we learned her group would be performing an interpretive dance to “The Lost Get Found” by Britt Nicole at the Homeschool Plus Open House in November.  Find the text to this song here.

The Daughter’s group, which incorporated girls of different ages, and levels of dance experience (some with none!) convincingly and beautifully conveyed the text.  A group of older girls performed a more complicated dance with moves requiring attention to timing and group awareness.  It was extraordinarily compelling.  All of the Worship Dance offerings were very moving and very worshipful. My hands were not the only ones searching for a tissue in handbags or coat pockets!