Amazingly, neither of the boys remember this, but one day we were on a tram in the city of Melbourne going somewhere [I don’t remember why].
We were up one end of the tram and at the other end of this sparsely populated tram was a young woman with a Cello case.
I pointed her out to the boys and we made our way down the tram to where she was sitting.
She was very shy but she still spoke to us.
I explained that we were home schoolers and that the boys would love to see her Cello.
She very kindly opened the case and talked a little bit about her experience with the instrument but when it came down to it her shyness would not let her take it out and play something for us, which was a shame.
None the less, it was an excellent experience for us, one of those situations you only get because you are out and about looking for life.
Good on you for undertaking such a task, Terry. Tell us: did they grow up to be what you thought they might be (or Dianne) or what they thought they might be? Just wonder how the more flexible approach to learning and experience in the home environment might influence – or not – career choices.
A very good question. Right from the start our goal was to turn them into people who saw learning as a life long experience. That is exactly who they are. It’s a very long story to explain how it worked out but some of it is in the book and I think that I should post that and a bit more as it is the kind of thing that people want to know about something like home schooling. Watch this space, I guess.
Terry.
Well, my first reaction (on reading your initial post) was to ask how the hell you did it. But then I noted your book and figured that you clearly had a lot more material on the subject than just a quick response on your blog. And, since my guys are now graduates, the broad topic wouldn’t persuade me to buy the book (I hope you know what I mean!) and I was in a bit of a quandary. Don’t want you to cannibalise sales but there are areas of interest that would no doubt intrigue some of us likely non-buyers. I’m gonna shut up now – think I’m rambling. Cheers, mate. Dasvid.
Sales??!! Seriously niche market…….. a few but not a lot of sales…… mind you there are two copies in the library system and they have never been on a shelf…….. so someone is interested……. even sold a book because someone wanted a copy of their own. Small successes.
Actually, the most fun is talking to interested groups…. they let me talk!
Terry
As a child I got chucked out of the school band because I could not master the triangle!!! Fortunately I can appreciate music if not actually make it.
Glad you like the story. Shame I could not talk her into playing it, it would have made a heaps better story [I’ve been known to talk people into stuff so I know that she REALLY didn’t want to play it for us that day].
Terry
I agree Marsha. It’s one of the few stories that I wish had a different ending. I really did try but she was painfully shy. I wonder if she remembers this incident? I wonder if she is still playing the Cello? Maybe I should write that story.
Thanks for taking the time to comment.
Terry
There is something magical about trams, more so than busses tho’ I don’t know why. Pity your boys don’t remember, glad you captured the moment for the rest of us.
That is one of the jobs that parents do I guess. My mum was the custodian of stories in my family. She had heaps of them and I took it all for granted at the time. I used to love hearing stories about when I was really little, and she loved telling them.
Trams are unique, I agree. Lots of happy memories of riding on them, mostly to school but later on they took me into the city….. always an adventure.
Thanks for the comment.
Terry
araneus1 
My middle son plays cello. Other kids love to look at it. 🙂
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It is a beautiful shape.
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Good on you for undertaking such a task, Terry. Tell us: did they grow up to be what you thought they might be (or Dianne) or what they thought they might be? Just wonder how the more flexible approach to learning and experience in the home environment might influence – or not – career choices.
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A very good question. Right from the start our goal was to turn them into people who saw learning as a life long experience. That is exactly who they are. It’s a very long story to explain how it worked out but some of it is in the book and I think that I should post that and a bit more as it is the kind of thing that people want to know about something like home schooling. Watch this space, I guess.
Terry.
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Well, my first reaction (on reading your initial post) was to ask how the hell you did it. But then I noted your book and figured that you clearly had a lot more material on the subject than just a quick response on your blog. And, since my guys are now graduates, the broad topic wouldn’t persuade me to buy the book (I hope you know what I mean!) and I was in a bit of a quandary. Don’t want you to cannibalise sales but there are areas of interest that would no doubt intrigue some of us likely non-buyers. I’m gonna shut up now – think I’m rambling. Cheers, mate. Dasvid.
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Sales??!! Seriously niche market…….. a few but not a lot of sales…… mind you there are two copies in the library system and they have never been on a shelf…….. so someone is interested……. even sold a book because someone wanted a copy of their own. Small successes.
Actually, the most fun is talking to interested groups…. they let me talk!
Terry
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Reminds me of when my sister left her cello on a bus!!! How could she?? Of course we got it back the next day but still…
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Wow! Glad you got it back!
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If the lady had played , maybe your sons may have remembered 🙂
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I think so too. The event would have been magnified because of the reaction of the other passengers.
Terry.
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That is a lovely story. I murdered a couple of instruments on the road to self-knowledge. Her cello sounds a luckier possession.
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As a child I got chucked out of the school band because I could not master the triangle!!! Fortunately I can appreciate music if not actually make it.
Glad you like the story. Shame I could not talk her into playing it, it would have made a heaps better story [I’ve been known to talk people into stuff so I know that she REALLY didn’t want to play it for us that day].
Terry
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I wish she had played for you. The cello so closely matches the human voice and can be such a beautiful sound…
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I agree Marsha. It’s one of the few stories that I wish had a different ending. I really did try but she was painfully shy. I wonder if she remembers this incident? I wonder if she is still playing the Cello? Maybe I should write that story.
Thanks for taking the time to comment.
Terry
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Sounds like a story waiting to be written…
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There is something magical about trams, more so than busses tho’ I don’t know why. Pity your boys don’t remember, glad you captured the moment for the rest of us.
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That is one of the jobs that parents do I guess. My mum was the custodian of stories in my family. She had heaps of them and I took it all for granted at the time. I used to love hearing stories about when I was really little, and she loved telling them.
Trams are unique, I agree. Lots of happy memories of riding on them, mostly to school but later on they took me into the city….. always an adventure.
Thanks for the comment.
Terry
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