Our Homeschooling Journey: Portfolio Gala 2023

Last Saturday was such an amazing experience both for me and my daughter. Our Homeschooling provider organized an event where we gathered together and let our kids just show what they have learned so far during the last 2 quarters. The theme of this year's homeschooling was Transformation. I can very much relate to the theme because of how much our homeschooling journey this year has transformed not only my daughter, but also my parenting, as well as my teaching method. From stressed out and doubtful, I was transformed into the relaxed and confident homeschooler that I am today. My daughter now has been ever more talkative, inquisitive, curious, and very sociable.

To let you in on what went on in the event, the kids from kindergarten to 10th grade brought the highlights of their homeschooling. This not only encompasses the academic related learnings and highlights, they were encouraged to bring any of the things that they found really interesting and could not stop to talk about. Sort of like a show and tell but not just in one classroom, not just in one grade level, but for everyone willing to participate within the homeschooling provider.

I can't believe the awe-inspiring interactions I saw between other homeschooling parents and children. On the event, parents could roam around in the auditorium, check out other kids' works, not to criticize, but to appreciate them. We were instructed to ask open-ended questions like "Why did you choose to showcase this artwork?" or "Tell me about this paper mache" or "Which of these books is your favorite, and why?" At first, the introvert in me feels shy approaching the kids, but when I stood up in front of one table, the kid (perhaps around 6 years old) immediately talked about the little book that he made about Alexander the Great.

I asked my kid if she wanted to join. If it were up to me, I'd be content to just attend the event, take a look at the kids' work, then go home. My kid on the other hand wanted to showcase her artworks, the books she loved, her nature journal, her baybayin shirt, and her water color art journey. Being that our homeschooling journey is child led, I followed my child's lead. I immediately booked us tickets to the event and had her choose the things she wanted to bring.

Throughout the half year of 1st grade, we've had lots and lots of artworks, crafts, copywork, video presentations, and so much more. My little one found it hard to choose which ones she wanted to showcase in the portfolio gala. She can only showcase 4 books, and all she can fit in a little square table. She has finally decided on bringing Beautiful Stories from Shakespeare for Children, The richest Man in Babylon, Tito Doc Series #3, Diwayen and Business Boy Minggoy

She also brought in her Science Mini-workbook called My Marine Invertebrate Booklet, Science Journal, Nature Journal Bible Journal, English Literature Journal, as well as her Art Portfolio. The craft though that attracted a lot of attention was her baybayin art sando. This was actually the first craft we did this year. And there are more to come in the following months. Some also asked about Octie, her hand crocheted octopus.

On the event itself, parents were instructed to leave our kids behind their tables. The instruction was not to hover and just let them man their tables and do the talking. From the start, I was seated not too far away from her table. I still can't manage to be too far from her because she might need something, or that maybe she may need help talking to people. I worry, alright. I'm a mom, that's just it. When the kids were asked to go on stage for their pictorial, I saw my little girl just walk there by herself, just listening to the instructions, and just doing fine. When they were done with the activity onstage, I was a little bit panic stricken when I couldn't see her for a couple of seconds. But she managed to find her seat. I might be worrying a little bit too much, I am learning now to trust my kid will find her way.

The time has come for the Fellowship portion of the program where other homeschooling parents were asked to go from one table to another, ask questions about their works, and leave words of encouragement in their Encouragement sheets. At first, I did not leave just yet. I had to see how my kid would do. I was there when the first few people approached her table and I saw how she talked to them, answering their questions and telling them so much about how she did her arts and crafts. I felt comfortable to leave her. My sister stayed behind though, she stayed at her seat and took photos and videos of my kid just doing her stuff. When I went back, I took a look at the photos and man, I can clearly see how she had so much fun talking about her work. It left me a bit teary eyed. These photos are not just of her explaining her work, it's an affirmation that we are on the right track.

The kids were also given a chance to visit other kids' tables. My daughter has been so much interested with the other works too. I saw her talk to a teenager, she asked questions, left encouragement notes and was not shy to interact even if she doesn't know any of them. I can also say that she really is into ballet because she stayed really long at a table where she saw a kid on 7th or 8th grade showcase her ballerina dress. They talked a lot about what they both know about ballet.

This portfolio gala was indeed inspiring and when I asked my daughter if she wanted to do it again next year, she did not hesitate to say yes. I went home tired that day. My sister too. I know the little one was also tired but she was very much inspired and amazed at everything she saw and learned about that day. She felt like she belonged in a community even though she doesn't meet them everyday. I have often been criticized about my decision to homeschool her. Naysayers point out several flaws in homeschooling. That I am not qualified because I'm not a teacher, that my kid will grow up socially awkward, that she might not get the right education, and so on and so forth. But this portfolio gala validated me as a parent-educator, and my daughter as a homeschooled student.