Occasionally, when I have a good photo on hand to explain a German term, I will post a mini German lesson.

Today’s word is:

Altweibersommer (lit: old women’s summer), or Indian summer.

Origin of the term: The term weiben (used as a verb), in German mythology, stood for tying spiderwebs in old German.

Indian summer in Germany

For the past few days, we have had blue skies, sunny afternoons, cool mornings and evenings, dewy grass, and sparkling spiderwebs.

Nadine Slavinski, a long time friend of mine and the author of several books, has just published a new title. Her latest book Lesson Plans Ahoy! is for sailing families who want to undertake educational activities with their children – but the practical, hands-on units she describes can be applied to many other contexts. It’s really about learning outside the classroom and in the real world.

Nadine writes:

Lesson Plans Ahoy! is a resource for sailing families heading out on a short cruise, an ocean crossing, or a year of home schooling. The book includes detailed instructions for six units in Science, Math, History, and Physical Education; all are designed to be fun, practical, and relevant to sailing children. Dissect a fish, graph resource use, and even exercise on board – have fun while learning! What were the consequences of Columbus’ “discovery” of America?  Why isn’t there a lunar eclipse every month? All units include tips on how to adapt the lessons to each child’s own level through a section called Age-Appropriate Adaptations.

My website, www.sailkidsed.net, lists many free resources for families interested in education, including recommended books and educational projects described online, as well as tips from families who home school their children aboard boats. Reviews of my book and links to recently published articles can also be found on the website.

Nadine is a sailor, teacher, and parent. She holds a Master’s Degree in Education from Harvard University and she has been teaching in international schools since 1996. A lifelong sailor, she took a 10,000 mile, year-long sailing sabbatical with her husband and four-year-old son. On their 35-foot sailboat, the family explored the Mediterranean, crossed the Atlantic, cruised the Caribbean, and sailed on to home waters in Maine.

More on Lesson Plans Ahoy!: Hands-on learning for sailing children and home schooling sailors (where a “Look Inside” feature allows browsing) from Amazon.com.

The German writer Gotthold Ephraim Lessing once stated, “Schreibe so wie Du redest, so schreibst Du schön,” (Write the way you talk, and you will write well) and there is a lot of truth to it. But now I have discovered a more innovative way to improve my writing, a more universal way to write creatively in this day and internet age.

Like most good finds I stumbled on it by accident and sheer teenage revolt. My son and I were on our way to the supermarket one day, and I happened to take some photos of autumn trees in full color. He had to question why I took pictures of such boring objects (in not so many words), and closed his question about whether I intended to put them on my blog by stating, “Mom, nobody is looking at this anyway.” My initial thought was disappointment, though not in him. His statement inflicted self-doubt.

After a few days of bouncing his observation around in my head, I came to this enlightening conclusion. If nobody wants to see these photos nor read my writing, what is holding me back? It was a true Geistesblitz (flash of inspiration) and from then on, my writing seemed to flow naturally. I would focus more on my writing versus the readers’ reactions. I felt like there was nothing to lose, which was a true liberation.

Additionally, I also associated this experience with the adage:

Work like you don’t need the money.

Dance like nobody is watching.

… and here comes my claim:

Write like nobody is reading it.

There is nothing better than constructive criticism, but at times even teenage perception will bring forth something positive.

Of course, my son had to object when I told him I would write about this. I had to promise to let him edit. If you are able to read these lines, you know I probably didn’t.

I have learned a valuable lesson. Write like nobody (not even your children) is reading it. This will avoid their censorship and your self-doubt.

This writing advice is only intended for bloggers, not for students. Students should follow their teachers’ instructions.