New Market Battlefield Homeschool Open House

On Saturday we went to the New Market Battlefield State Historical Park for their Homeschool Open House sponsored by Home Educators Association of Virginia. New Market Battlefield is the site of a Confederate victory on May 15, 1864. 257 cadets from the Virginia Military Institute participated in the battle, some of these boys were only 15 years old and 10 of them died in the battle or from wounds received during the battle.

The weather was overcast on Saturday, but it did not rain. It was very muddy due to the previous day's rain, but we decided that was more akin to what the soldiers had experienced during the battle in 1864. The battlefield was nicknamed the Field of Lost Shoes because many of the soldiers lost their shoes in the ankle deep mud, but went on fighting.

I am glad we went for the Homeschool Open House. It was a great experience. They had lots of activities and living history displays. There were scavenger hunt sheets for the museum and the battlefield. I attended with a group that included 3 boys, aged 4, 8, & 9, and one 7 year-old girl. It was a fun day for everyone.

We started our visit with the museum, watching the film, "Field of Lost Shoes." This film was a little dry for the youngest children, but engaging for the older children and adults. I found the boys were looking for things, around the battlefield and farm that had been mentioned in the film. It also gave me something to reference during the rest of our visit.

We then proceeded to the "military camp," which the kids liked alot. They set up their tent, dug out the "sink," and practiced rifle drills. They learned about rations and got to try on uniforms and haversacks.

We then walked the battlefield and checked out the river overlook. The boys liked the replica canons. Afterward we wandered down to the Bushong farm. There were crafts in the barn that kids and adults enjoyed. Outside the house they had games that the kids really liked playing. The girls learned to dance the Virginia Reel. (We couldn't cajole the boys into dancing.) We walked through the house, listened to a re-enactor tell us about cooking in the 1860's. We checked out the cellar where the Bushong family hid with their cow and chickens during the battle.

By the time we finished touring the house and outbuildings, we had been there nearly 5 hours. We'd been having so much fun the time had flown by.

The staff and volunteers at the event were terrific. Everyone was very helpful, knowledgable, and enthusiastic. I'd definitely recommend this activity. This was the first year we attended, but I believe it is an annual event. The battlefield hosts events throughout the year. You can visit www.vmi.edu/newmarket to find out more about the battlefield and museum.

Why I Homeschool

1. My kids will only be young once. I want to cherish this time with them.

2. I can focus on their individual strengths, weaknesses, and interests.

3. I can make sure they learn how to do more than regurgitate facts. I can ensure they learn how to think and how to apply their knowledge.

4. I can help them learn to be good people. I know I can't block every bad influence or experience, but I can control the kind of behaviors they perceive as rewarding.

5. I can try to make learning fun, rewarding, and part of our daily lives, so as the boys grow up they will continue to be curious and excited about the world around them.

6. With just a little effort I can provide more diverse experiences than anything that would be available to them at a traditional school.

7. If the weather is beautiful we can have "class" outside!

Getting Started

I am new to this. But, I hope to share my experience with homeschooling my two children. I do not claim to be an expert. In fact I'm fairly new to homeschool--we are still in our first year. However, I do know that there are a lot of misconceptions about homeschooling and that it can be difficult when you are getting started. I'll try to share activities we do, strategies we've tried, anecdotes. We'll just have to see how it goes.