In my opinion, teaching without tea is just 'ching. And what good is ching-ing. Honestly...
I like tea. A bit of an aficionado, really, but that couldn't matter less during our Twice/Thrice a Week Tea Time. These are moments during the week, usually mid-morning, where we choose a brew of peppermint or some other herbal-- i usually opt for an aged Pu Erh, Darjeeling, Formosan or Tulsi, sometimes Rooibos or a good Mate' though-- and take a seat in the front parlor. It' not unlikely to turn on an instrumental CD at this time.
With mugs in hand, we then start round-robin discussing what we've learned or observed recently. It's a nice little recapper to help things sink in a bit. Then we talk about what we're doing today and tomorrow, and where we'd like to go in our discoverings next.
I cannot tell you the value this has added, giving the kids a vested interest and crucial role in our learning. Responsibility, encouragement, teamwork and camaraderie are all tasty accompaniments to our drinks. Although a scone every now and then sure would hit the spot.
You should give it a try if you don't do something like this. It's something we really look forward to. And if tea isn't your cup of tea, we've also had success with Happy Hour-- I discourage the traditional alcoholic option though. Every now and then we do the same thing during an afternoon, complete with chips, salsa, Mexican sodas and Mariachi. Works just the same.
What... so we raise our family on Tex-Mex. Should've tried my chili last night. i'm usually not one to brag, but this batch was Mucho Good-o!
~Senor Padre
