fair

We joined other "homespun learners" at a project fair yesterday.

We are interested in long-term projects. Projects that are borne out of each girl's interests and for which the girls have ownership over. I may act as co-creator, presenting provocations and documenting their questions, to act as a map for further investigation, but the girls hold the reins on where it goes.
It's their learning journey.

Ruby has held an interest in nice-smelling concoctions for a while now.

This may have been provoked when we and a group of our friends began making our own body products earlier this year. Ruby was enticed by the delicious smells. So "Ruby's Potions" was an obvious choice.

She managed to display her lip balm, face cream, body scrub, bath fizz and soap and the ingredients we used. She had also wanted to make eye-shadow but we hadn't managed to find a fairly easy, non-toxic recipe for this. Any ideas?

If you have been reading this blog for a while, you will know that Sky's main method of investigation has been drawing (yes, that is her drawing in the corner of the top photo). This is how she processes her world and where she expresses her interests. So a presentation of her drawings seemed like a good idea to her.
The morning of the fair was a huge success; a wonderful chance to share a glimpse of what goes on at home and in our daily lives with the wider community of children who don't go to school. The girls enjoyed the external feedback and the enthusiasm from the other children and adults. There was a lot of interest in creating even more opportunities to share some of the knowledge and skills we are gaining with others.
Of course this isn't necessarily the end of the project but a point along the way where the girls shared with others their investigations. "Holding the space" in which these investigations can develop or evolve onto new pathways is really what I see as the main part of my daily work.