The boys LOVE playing and watching everything about Minecraft. Almost to the exclusion of everything else at times. Sometimes I struggle with this obsession of theirs. I fully understand what a fabulous learning resource it is but I miss doing other stuff together some days.
Both children are very much into Stampy and 'Squid Nugget'. I am pretty sure they consider them as friends ..mealtime chatter is often ( read always), full of references to them and all things Minecraft. We also follow Wizard Keen (Adam Clark) who does educational work on Minecraft too. The children ( and I) were very excited to hear that Wizard Keen had teamed up with Stampy and started making a series of videos called Wonder Quest. That's when I started to see a new and exciting development in the children's video watching unfold.
After pointing the boys in the direction of Wonder Quest they started running backwards and forwards from the PC screen, telling me about space and asking questions about Mercury. I could see them expanding their knowledge and it was presented in a format they related to completely. They were loving it! It was just the most perfect learning experience and the children, it was made for them.
As a home educating Mum whose family doesn't fit any type of 'norm' ( hence the failure of mainstream school) , I often run the gauntlet of trying to engage the children with 1:1 activities/learning opportunities without putting the them into 'defence mode' or mental meltdowns ( theirs and mine). I feel I am constantly walking a tightrope to keep the household happy, engaged and calm. I won't lie, it can be exhausting and at times I run out of workable ideas, due to the constant need to reassess what's working and what isn't.
I learnt long ago, through trial and error, that 'making' the children follow any sort of curriculm put me on a hiding to nothing. Hence, our decision to follow a more autonomous route ( google it if you are interested). It's not an easy route, it's unconventional and means I have to run with every opportunity. There is much negotiation between us and for a person like me , who loves routine and structure, I can find it stressful at times. There is no timetable the children can follow and the best I can do is have a running list of options to offer...many of which I have to accept will be rejected.
So, when something like Wonder Quest drops into my lap, I send an offering to the altar of the Autistic Gods of Autonomus Education. Why!? Well, the reasons are many. Getting my boys to engage is no easy feat and the series is a gateway. It stands alone as an educational resource, whilst remaining fun and interesting to my 'Mineheads', it is full of fantastic facts. Another big draw is it leads the children to ask me for further information on the topics covered, so I have an opportunity to expand on what the videos have shown them, building on their interest. Yet, (and here is the magical key for us), it's on the children's terms, it's fully child led in the best possible way. The boys are doing the asking, they are receptive, enquiring and they are not being led into something by me...which they hate. For us, the best type of learning happens, when the children's natural inquisitiveness is being tapped into.
But don't just take my word for it, here are some of the children's responses when I asked them:
"It's EPIC!. I like Wonder Quest because it's fun and there's Stampy and Wizard Keen and sometimes Squid pops in too, like he's visiting. I love that it's Minecraft and learny stuff, all in one thing...not like the learny stuff we did in school. It's just brilliant, episode 2 is my favourite one so far. I learnt about trees too what they need to grow, space and the water cycle.
"I learnt about how the earth tips on its axis. I like the animated ones too. At the end they say 'Always Keep wondering!'.
So give it a go ..I think it will appeal to all types of children , schooled or unschooled , Mineheads or not.
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