Oh, it is that time of the homeschool year, isn't it. We look back and think, "What happened to my carefully crafted plans?", and "Well, ok, it wasn't quite what I'd planned, but did something good come out of it?" (And if we believe in God's power to work in our weaknesses, of which we homeschoolers have many, we can be sure something did.) Slowly, from those thoughts we begin to try determine, "What does all this mean for next year?"
And, sigh, that is where I am.
A very dear friend, and fellow homeschooler to three truly delightful daughters, gave me great encouragement when I was gently lamenting this year's disorganization and slack schooling, but trying mightily to see the positive (which I do see!). She said, "Well, it sounds like you've been unschooling!" (Really?! OK!) She went on to encourage me when I was talking about how this year was a bit of an exhale after 3 years of lots of change and high-level stress in our family (all good, but still stressful) with an international adoption and a new home by saying, "It seems that this year was exactly what you needed!" The Lord provides! Even when I didn't pray for a "year of relaxed learning", the Lord provided it. I need only accept as a blessing. (And I'm reminded of another friend's story about two monks growing trees: one prayed for every need, and had those prayers answered exactly as requested. Sadly this monk didn't know the trees real needs and it died. The other monk prayed, "Lord provide for my tree," and it flourished.)
Of course, we do have some catching up to do.
And so I'm focusing my thoughts with articles like these:
-- How to Teach an Idea
-- Martha, Martha
-- How to Destroy a Love of Literature
And the more nitty-gritty:
-- Organizing Mom's Homeschool Notebook (or re-organizing in my case. I've kept a couple notebooks like these for years and they are a bit outdated and messy now.)
And reminding myself why we homeschool:
-- Changing Education Paradigms (Sir Ken Robinson) (ok, this has to be taken with a grain of salt...and recognizing that this is a persuasive piece not a strictly factual one, but it is good.)
Showing posts with label Home Education. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Home Education. Show all posts
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Thursday, February 24, 2011
School so far this morning...
After yesterday's post, I thought you might enjoy seeing just what school is like around here right now.
This morning I woke much too late after not sleeping well last night. Hubby and I flopped out of bed and down the stairs around 8am just in time to get the youngest one off to school (and I stayed home to check email and get my day going). Baby and a grouchy and tired middle son was up around 9. His mood, brought on by sleeping most of the night on the couch before moving up to his bed at 4am, was Not Sunny. His dad helped brighten the mood a bit and then I fixed breakfast while the coffee brewed. While warming sausage, I drilled middle son on a few math facts.
Little girl was down by 9:30 and, while happy, was also very tired seeming. Everyone ate and got chores done.
I'd had a thought that middle son could work on his math facts by using legos to "make" the math facts. We hauled down the lego box from the third floor only to realize very quickly that my idea wasn't going to work. So, we decided instead (or maybe middle son had the idea) to have him make a clay-mation video of his math facts. This is his current favorite past-time. (Yes, I'll post it later if we can get it uploaded to YouTube.)
The girls decided the legos looked interesting, so I let them play and middle son work while I read the last two chapters of Adam and His Kin. I'm not sure they caught every word of the story, but I think they got the "gist" of it.
I'm now finished reading, but the girls are still playing and middle son is still in the middle of making his video. It may take another hour until he's done. I need to do math with middle daughter, but I'm not entirely sure when that will happen. She is hard to corral today it seems.
The girls have gone upstairs to dress and I'm going to try to get middle daughter to sit and do her math with me when she comes down.
Middle son: math video, history reading, some grammar practice (adverbs) and maybe writing (IEW)
Middle daughter: lego building, history reading, math lesson, and I'll have her read me a Dr Seuss book (to practice her reading) - then Ballet and Tap this afternoon.
That's school around here today. Do I make you feel better? :)
This morning I woke much too late after not sleeping well last night. Hubby and I flopped out of bed and down the stairs around 8am just in time to get the youngest one off to school (and I stayed home to check email and get my day going). Baby and a grouchy and tired middle son was up around 9. His mood, brought on by sleeping most of the night on the couch before moving up to his bed at 4am, was Not Sunny. His dad helped brighten the mood a bit and then I fixed breakfast while the coffee brewed. While warming sausage, I drilled middle son on a few math facts.
Little girl was down by 9:30 and, while happy, was also very tired seeming. Everyone ate and got chores done.
I'd had a thought that middle son could work on his math facts by using legos to "make" the math facts. We hauled down the lego box from the third floor only to realize very quickly that my idea wasn't going to work. So, we decided instead (or maybe middle son had the idea) to have him make a clay-mation video of his math facts. This is his current favorite past-time. (Yes, I'll post it later if we can get it uploaded to YouTube.)
The girls decided the legos looked interesting, so I let them play and middle son work while I read the last two chapters of Adam and His Kin. I'm not sure they caught every word of the story, but I think they got the "gist" of it.
I'm now finished reading, but the girls are still playing and middle son is still in the middle of making his video. It may take another hour until he's done. I need to do math with middle daughter, but I'm not entirely sure when that will happen. She is hard to corral today it seems.
The girls have gone upstairs to dress and I'm going to try to get middle daughter to sit and do her math with me when she comes down.
Middle son: math video, history reading, some grammar practice (adverbs) and maybe writing (IEW)
Middle daughter: lego building, history reading, math lesson, and I'll have her read me a Dr Seuss book (to practice her reading) - then Ballet and Tap this afternoon.
That's school around here today. Do I make you feel better? :)
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Where is the reset button?
Through tears I asked my middle son, "Well, what have we done right? What is the most important thing for you in homeschooling? What is the main reason you want to continue?"
He tearfully replied, "Because I like being with my family. I don't want to go elsewhere because I like being with you all." On a day when I was feeling very defeated about continuing to educate him in particular, but the whole family in general, this was a very welcome reply. His response was like a reset button reminding me of the reason we set out on this home education journey in the first place.
Somewhere way back in my homeschool career, I remember someone saying that you should make sure you know why you are homeschooling - make sure it is a worthy reason, because it is what your children will remember and value. I am so thankful that developing strong family bonds was one of our main reasons for home educating our children. It has proven a very worthy cornerstone. And I am thankful that despite their normal bickering, our children have learned to enjoy each other's company and value being together as a family.
In a recent email discussion with a group of like-minded home educators we were discussing the late-winter blahs. Our bright summer-inspired plans are now gathering dust, literally, and we've all seen way too much of the inside of the house. This is the time of year that I often find myself feeling discouraged and enervated. I am so thankful to be reminded of the simple reason that we began homeschooling: being a family. Thank you, Lord, for that reset!
Are you feeling the need to hit the "reset" button? It is so tempting to ditch all those plans and start over. At least for me it is - if something isn't working, start over. But sometimes it isn't the plans that need resetting, it is the heart. I think Sandy really hit on something important in her post, "Unthinkable Luxury" (please read her whole post and the one she's linked to).
In that word "reset" is a word we are so quick to miss: REST. We need to stop being so busy planning and just REST in Him. Before you begin to re-organize, re-plan, re-work your homeschool, take a moment and rest. Spend some time contemplating why you began this journey.
My plans don't need to change, I just need to change. I needed to be reminded of the cornerstone of our homeschool. And I needed the true deep encouragement that can only come from Him (in this case it came through a little him).
How are you doing in this late-winter season?
He tearfully replied, "Because I like being with my family. I don't want to go elsewhere because I like being with you all." On a day when I was feeling very defeated about continuing to educate him in particular, but the whole family in general, this was a very welcome reply. His response was like a reset button reminding me of the reason we set out on this home education journey in the first place.
Somewhere way back in my homeschool career, I remember someone saying that you should make sure you know why you are homeschooling - make sure it is a worthy reason, because it is what your children will remember and value. I am so thankful that developing strong family bonds was one of our main reasons for home educating our children. It has proven a very worthy cornerstone. And I am thankful that despite their normal bickering, our children have learned to enjoy each other's company and value being together as a family.
In a recent email discussion with a group of like-minded home educators we were discussing the late-winter blahs. Our bright summer-inspired plans are now gathering dust, literally, and we've all seen way too much of the inside of the house. This is the time of year that I often find myself feeling discouraged and enervated. I am so thankful to be reminded of the simple reason that we began homeschooling: being a family. Thank you, Lord, for that reset!
Are you feeling the need to hit the "reset" button? It is so tempting to ditch all those plans and start over. At least for me it is - if something isn't working, start over. But sometimes it isn't the plans that need resetting, it is the heart. I think Sandy really hit on something important in her post, "Unthinkable Luxury" (please read her whole post and the one she's linked to).
In that word "reset" is a word we are so quick to miss: REST. We need to stop being so busy planning and just REST in Him. Before you begin to re-organize, re-plan, re-work your homeschool, take a moment and rest. Spend some time contemplating why you began this journey.
My plans don't need to change, I just need to change. I needed to be reminded of the cornerstone of our homeschool. And I needed the true deep encouragement that can only come from Him (in this case it came through a little him).
How are you doing in this late-winter season?
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Latin for Preschoolers
How can I exlpain to my husband about why 4year olds need to learn latin? He wonders why they can't learn a more practical language like Spanish. AND he doesn't even see that Chinese IS the new spanish...HELP!
This question was posed to me recently in email by a reader. I gave her my answer, which I'll share below, but I would love to ask you all how you would answer her. Leave a comment and let's give this sweet mom some support!
Here's my answer to her . . .
Oh, my, I don't think you are going to like my answer.
I honestly don't know why your 4 year olds need to learn Latin either. They have plenty of time for that later. However, if your question is why Latin over Spanish, that is a different question. Spanish is a great language for anyone to learn, as is Chinese. Highly valuable and worthwhile. Latin is a worthy language to master, too. It gives you a better grasp of the English language, helps with anyone going into medicine or science or classics, and does help develop the mind in logic and thinking skills. But I don't think it needs to be started so young for it to be valuable.
My eldest started some basic Latin memory at 11 (in CC Foundations) and took Latin in Challenge A and B. Hated it, but did very well. He's taken Spanish this year and loves it. If he does return to CC next year, I'll require him to do well at Latin for one year and then I'll let him do Spanish in addition to Latin.
I don't see anything wrong with a young child learning a fun language like Spanish or Chinese. Nor do I see anything wrong with your young children learning Latin, but I don't think it is required. Of course all this is just one homeschool mom's opinion! (And I would add here that I think there are far more important things to be learning at 4, like Winnie-the-Pooh and what frogs do in the winter and how to make the color orange and how to make their bed.)
Here is a video you might share with your husband about the value of learning Latin. But I would keep in mind that he has a good point, knowing a practical language is valuable and worthwhile.
A YouTube Video - personally, the 5th reason is really the most important, but they are all good.
So, do you agree? Can Latin wait until later? Should Latin wait until later?
Friday, January 28, 2011
A Year Without Classical
The subject of Classical Conversations has been quite absent from this blog in the past year...and even then it was a mere mention. I think a number of my subscribers were originally brought here by a CC post back early 2008 and I am amazed they've stuck around for so long when I have lately offered them so little of what they originally sought.
I haven't talked about it much on the blog, but we have had a "year without classical conversations". Well, not exactly a year, but a long season.
Our eldest has been attending a small, private Charlotte Mason-based school for his first year of high school. In order for us to afford the tuition, it made sense to have the other kids at home and save the CC tuition. They seemed to need a break from CC...or perhaps just a season at home after so many changes in their lives (adoption, best friends moving away, a pending move, divorce in the extended family). And they have enjoyed this "season at home". We all have. It was definitely necessary as we adjusted to a new schedule with one out of the house each day.
A couple of weeks ago those two at-home kids asked, "When could we go back to CC, Mama?" So, we are considering a return next year.
As I said earlier, our eldest has been attending a private school. We'd thought he would be there for his whole high school program. We were all very excited about that, but it isn't looking likely. He's had a good year and it has been a positive experience for him. However, for a number of reasons, he'll be returning home next year. Thus, he will most likely return to the Challenge program next year.
Around the time we began considering all these issues, I received a comment on that original post ("5 Questions about Classical Answered"). The commenter had some great questions and I hope my answer was helpful. As I finished writing my response I thought it pretty well summed up my thoughts on CC. Perhaps you are one of those readers who has wondered when I'd post about CC again. Maybe this will give some food for thought about CC.
She asked:
I currently homeschool through an online charter school. I really like the curriculum. Though it isn't Christian, I can interject my thoughts on the topics. We go to a co-op once a week with about 30 other families, most of which are Christian, and the kids do art science and history there. I am hesitant to completely change what we're doing because my daughters have made great friends and are doing well.
I am curious though, to understand a bit more. Is the "memory work" the "tools" used in later years (challenge?) in the dialectic stage? Is memory work the main focus in the elementary years and do they truly memorize the information? I'm trying to understand how the kids are "taught to learn" and "taught to think."
Finally, if I wanted to incorporate CC into my current homeschool and not completely change curriculum, what would you suggest? Any certain activities or CC products?
Thank you for your time and insight.
I answered:
It sounds like you have a positive learning experience your are involved in. I'm not sure I would change it if it is working well for your family. Unless there is something *you* aren't happy about...or if you are feeling the need to do something different for your children (ie just because they like something doesn't mean it is the best). So, I wouldn't be quick to change unless you really feel a need to do so.
The tools that are learned in the grammar stage, which for CC are probably most importantly fact memorization and presenting one's thoughts and ideas, are the very things that undergird the upper levels of learning.
It is often described as learning "pegs". You place the "pegs" in your child's mind through memory and then later when they learn something that relates to that "peg" they have a place to hang it.
For example, my son had been working on learning all the countries and capitals. One day he was listening to the news with me and he exclaimed, "Hey, I know where that is!" I wish I could remember what country it was, but I remember thinking it was a fairly obscure country. Certainly one that many people would have to look up to fully understand the story being reported. My son had a "peg" on which to hang that information and thus his learning was enhanced. Because he had that fact, he was then FREE to think about what he was hearing.
That is the basic idea.
And it is how we learn. We learn the basics, then we begin trying them out, then we become masters at it. I want to learn crochet. First I learn the basic stitches and their names. I memorize them. (Grammar) Then I begin putting them together, trying them out. I make a scarf. Mostly, I still need a pattern. (Dialectic) Eventually, I become a master and can create my own patterns. I share them with others. (Rhetoric) So, that is how we learn to learn and learn to think. Through the process of learning to crochet...I've learned a good pattern for learning ANYTHING else in life. But I've also learned to think up my own patters - to think. I am FREE from patterns of others, I can make anything!
But this idea is NOT exclusive to CC. It is part of the classical model of education and you could use that ancient wisdom to enrich any educational models you are currently using.
CC helps by doing a great deal of the leg work for you - gathering facts and showing you ways to present those facts in a way that is engaging to your students.
I'd suggest perusing the CiRCE Institute and Christine Miller's Classical Education websites for more information on the classical model. Both are excellent resources!
Oh, and you asked how Christ is incorporated? Well, Christ is The Word and The Truth. So, if you are studying Truth, you are studying Him. (In retrospect that was a bit of a flippant answer. But I do stand by it. I think I was just running out of steam.)
There is a specific scripture memory component to CC.
What are your thoughts on Classical Conversations?
I haven't talked about it much on the blog, but we have had a "year without classical conversations". Well, not exactly a year, but a long season.
Our eldest has been attending a small, private Charlotte Mason-based school for his first year of high school. In order for us to afford the tuition, it made sense to have the other kids at home and save the CC tuition. They seemed to need a break from CC...or perhaps just a season at home after so many changes in their lives (adoption, best friends moving away, a pending move, divorce in the extended family). And they have enjoyed this "season at home". We all have. It was definitely necessary as we adjusted to a new schedule with one out of the house each day.
A couple of weeks ago those two at-home kids asked, "When could we go back to CC, Mama?" So, we are considering a return next year.
As I said earlier, our eldest has been attending a private school. We'd thought he would be there for his whole high school program. We were all very excited about that, but it isn't looking likely. He's had a good year and it has been a positive experience for him. However, for a number of reasons, he'll be returning home next year. Thus, he will most likely return to the Challenge program next year.
Around the time we began considering all these issues, I received a comment on that original post ("5 Questions about Classical Answered"). The commenter had some great questions and I hope my answer was helpful. As I finished writing my response I thought it pretty well summed up my thoughts on CC. Perhaps you are one of those readers who has wondered when I'd post about CC again. Maybe this will give some food for thought about CC.
She asked:
I currently homeschool through an online charter school. I really like the curriculum. Though it isn't Christian, I can interject my thoughts on the topics. We go to a co-op once a week with about 30 other families, most of which are Christian, and the kids do art science and history there. I am hesitant to completely change what we're doing because my daughters have made great friends and are doing well.
I am curious though, to understand a bit more. Is the "memory work" the "tools" used in later years (challenge?) in the dialectic stage? Is memory work the main focus in the elementary years and do they truly memorize the information? I'm trying to understand how the kids are "taught to learn" and "taught to think."
Finally, if I wanted to incorporate CC into my current homeschool and not completely change curriculum, what would you suggest? Any certain activities or CC products?
Thank you for your time and insight.
I answered:
It sounds like you have a positive learning experience your are involved in. I'm not sure I would change it if it is working well for your family. Unless there is something *you* aren't happy about...or if you are feeling the need to do something different for your children (ie just because they like something doesn't mean it is the best). So, I wouldn't be quick to change unless you really feel a need to do so.
The tools that are learned in the grammar stage, which for CC are probably most importantly fact memorization and presenting one's thoughts and ideas, are the very things that undergird the upper levels of learning.
It is often described as learning "pegs". You place the "pegs" in your child's mind through memory and then later when they learn something that relates to that "peg" they have a place to hang it.
For example, my son had been working on learning all the countries and capitals. One day he was listening to the news with me and he exclaimed, "Hey, I know where that is!" I wish I could remember what country it was, but I remember thinking it was a fairly obscure country. Certainly one that many people would have to look up to fully understand the story being reported. My son had a "peg" on which to hang that information and thus his learning was enhanced. Because he had that fact, he was then FREE to think about what he was hearing.
That is the basic idea.
And it is how we learn. We learn the basics, then we begin trying them out, then we become masters at it. I want to learn crochet. First I learn the basic stitches and their names. I memorize them. (Grammar) Then I begin putting them together, trying them out. I make a scarf. Mostly, I still need a pattern. (Dialectic) Eventually, I become a master and can create my own patterns. I share them with others. (Rhetoric) So, that is how we learn to learn and learn to think. Through the process of learning to crochet...I've learned a good pattern for learning ANYTHING else in life. But I've also learned to think up my own patters - to think. I am FREE from patterns of others, I can make anything!
But this idea is NOT exclusive to CC. It is part of the classical model of education and you could use that ancient wisdom to enrich any educational models you are currently using.
CC helps by doing a great deal of the leg work for you - gathering facts and showing you ways to present those facts in a way that is engaging to your students.
I'd suggest perusing the CiRCE Institute and Christine Miller's Classical Education websites for more information on the classical model. Both are excellent resources!
Oh, and you asked how Christ is incorporated? Well, Christ is The Word and The Truth. So, if you are studying Truth, you are studying Him. (In retrospect that was a bit of a flippant answer. But I do stand by it. I think I was just running out of steam.)
There is a specific scripture memory component to CC.
What are your thoughts on Classical Conversations?
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Contemplating Liberty on Memorial Day Weekend
This weekend I've seen many political cartoons and emails about the price of liberty - lest we forget on this Memorial Day weekend. All important things to remember...memorial and all that. But these have brought to mind the question...what is the price of lost liberty? Are we willing to pay that price to gain certain "perks" in our daily lives?
When we buy and buy and buy and max out our credit cards, we've lost liberty...and we pay a price. When we fill our days with busy-ness leaving no time for relaxation and true rejeuvenation, we've lost liberty and we will pay a price. When we rely on the government to do what the Church should be doing (taking care of the poor, for example), we've lost liberty and we will pay a price.
Just some thoughts running through my head this Memorial Day weekend. Another thought is how much I'd love to be attending this year's CiRCE conference: A Contemplation of Liberty. Many people said last year's (Contemplation of Nature) was one of the best, but I suspect this year's just might top that one. Are you attending? I'll just have to settle for some conference CDs this year - but the good thing is I can listen to them over and over!
The reading list for the conference has been posted! I can't wait to start reading!
And subscribe to the blog - Andrew always has some great posts. Here is a small sampling:
The Art of Freedom
Freedom and Planning
Freedom begins at Home
Freedom: Aesthetic and Ethical
Have a wonderful weekend...I'm off to shop for a new refrigerator.
When we buy and buy and buy and max out our credit cards, we've lost liberty...and we pay a price. When we fill our days with busy-ness leaving no time for relaxation and true rejeuvenation, we've lost liberty and we will pay a price. When we rely on the government to do what the Church should be doing (taking care of the poor, for example), we've lost liberty and we will pay a price.
Just some thoughts running through my head this Memorial Day weekend. Another thought is how much I'd love to be attending this year's CiRCE conference: A Contemplation of Liberty. Many people said last year's (Contemplation of Nature) was one of the best, but I suspect this year's just might top that one. Are you attending? I'll just have to settle for some conference CDs this year - but the good thing is I can listen to them over and over!
The reading list for the conference has been posted! I can't wait to start reading!
And subscribe to the blog - Andrew always has some great posts. Here is a small sampling:
The Art of Freedom
Freedom and Planning
Freedom begins at Home
Freedom: Aesthetic and Ethical
Have a wonderful weekend...I'm off to shop for a new refrigerator.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
How to be a radical home educator
When you started home educating, I bet you thought you were doing something really radical didn’t you?
What if I told you that most home school and Christian educators are not educating in a way discernibly different from their secular counterparts? That doesn't sound very radical does it?
I’d like to share with you something I’ve recently learned (and therefore can take NO credit) that will make your home education efforts truly radical. It is a simple and yet, complex subject: Nature.
What is Nature? No, I don’t mean trees and grass and bugs and clouds (that is "little-n" nature)…I mean Nature. For example, what is the nature of Man, of children, or of education? This is a pivotal concept for the Christian. You must understand the Nature of the thing (children, men, education) before you can know God’s purposes, and thus, determine what is appropriate for each.
Have you considered the Nature of your children? Not just their “bent”, although that is important, but the God-given, universal Nature of a child?
This past summer, in Andrew Kern’s first talk at the CiRCE Institute Conference, A Contemplation of Nature, he challenged educators (home and private) to judge if we have truly considered the Nature of children, of the subjects they are learning, and of education in general, or if we have unknowingly bought into the world’s faith in Utility. In fact, he exhorts us that we, as Christians, are even guiltier than secular educators! (One expects the secular world to act like the secular world, but why have Christians lowered their standards to the world's?)
We say we “homeschool” and that somehow inoculates us against the affects of a secular, God-ignoring world. We feel unfoundedly superior because we use “God” freely in our lessons. And, yet, we neglect considering the Nature of our children. How can we as educators nurture eternal souls if we neglect the nature of those souls?
We may be Christians striving to bring our children up to know and love God, but we cannot be blind to the affect our culture has had and continues to have on us. We must be humble enough to recognize that we may not be so different from our counterparts in other schools.
But, you ask, why Nature?
Why? “Because the understanding of Nature is the lever by which the world has been moved,” explains Andrew. How we understand Nature affects, literally, everything. Education can only be done well if we understand its nature, the nature of the thing we are talking about, and the nature of the student in front of us.
So, what is the Nature of children? By that I mean, the pre-Fall Nature? What God had intended for them from the beginning of creation?
They are curious. They have great absorbent minds. They are imitators. They ask good questions (when not made to feel that questions indicate some lack on their part). They want to know about their world. God intends them to learn about their world by exploration, experimentation, examination, and excogitation. A desire to learning is their Nature.
I don’t think many secular educators would disagree with that, do you? So, where is the disconnect? It is in our emphasis on utility.
How often do you hear (or say), “But when will they use this?” The implication being if they aren’t going to use the lesson, then there is little value and time would be better spent on something they can use. Thus music class gets replaced with something more “useful”. (Unless the child shows aptitude in music – something useful, they might make a career out of music, after all – then music lessons will be continued.) Poetry is neglected in favor of more “useful” subjects, except for a brief unit in English class each year and even then the lessons are directed only toward dissecting, understanding and producing rather than appreciation and delight.
But what is wrong with utility? It is good to learn something useful, right?
Prior to the modern age, Andrew tells us, education was for the formation of Virtue. All philosophies agreed upon this. But this is not so today. Now education’s main (and only goal, often) is preparation for the economy. This modern emphasis on Production has infiltrated every aspect of life and thought. If an object or action has no measurable value (it cannot produce), it is useless. That is UTILITY and, when applied to education or a child, it is destructive. Utility will ignore Nature. It does not matter to the Utilitarian mind what a child IS (curious, etc), it matters only that the objectives (of the parent, teacher, school, state) are fulfilled.
Makes me wince a little, and you? How often have I pushed my kids in order to achieve my objectives? Of course I meant only good for them, but I’ve allowed Utility to ignore Nature.
Objectives have results that can be measured. It is a radical thought to realize measuring or assessing has negative implications for the educational process. But consider “teaching to the test”. Consider how often you learned the information for a test, made an “A” and promptly forgot that information. Measurement has implications on education that have to be weighed.
As home and Christian educators, we should strive for nurtured souls (how do you measure that?) and transformed minds (how do you measure that?). And yet, in our schools, Contemplation has been replaced by Production.
The question for me as a home educator is: How do I free myself and my kids from production and to contemplation?
That is all for today. Next time, I'd like to talk about the key thoughts Andrew presents: Nature, Purpose and Propriety.
Want to see who this Andrew person is? Curious what the heck the CiRCE Institute is? Or how about hearing this talk for yourself (where the these ideas are much more elegantly presented). Then run, do not walk (or at least click the links really fast), to the CiRCE website. Donate any amount and receive a free download of this talk plus 7 more!
What if I told you that most home school and Christian educators are not educating in a way discernibly different from their secular counterparts? That doesn't sound very radical does it?
I’d like to share with you something I’ve recently learned (and therefore can take NO credit) that will make your home education efforts truly radical. It is a simple and yet, complex subject: Nature.
What is Nature? No, I don’t mean trees and grass and bugs and clouds (that is "little-n" nature)…I mean Nature. For example, what is the nature of Man, of children, or of education? This is a pivotal concept for the Christian. You must understand the Nature of the thing (children, men, education) before you can know God’s purposes, and thus, determine what is appropriate for each.
Have you considered the Nature of your children? Not just their “bent”, although that is important, but the God-given, universal Nature of a child?
This past summer, in Andrew Kern’s first talk at the CiRCE Institute Conference, A Contemplation of Nature, he challenged educators (home and private) to judge if we have truly considered the Nature of children, of the subjects they are learning, and of education in general, or if we have unknowingly bought into the world’s faith in Utility. In fact, he exhorts us that we, as Christians, are even guiltier than secular educators! (One expects the secular world to act like the secular world, but why have Christians lowered their standards to the world's?)
We say we “homeschool” and that somehow inoculates us against the affects of a secular, God-ignoring world. We feel unfoundedly superior because we use “God” freely in our lessons. And, yet, we neglect considering the Nature of our children. How can we as educators nurture eternal souls if we neglect the nature of those souls?
We may be Christians striving to bring our children up to know and love God, but we cannot be blind to the affect our culture has had and continues to have on us. We must be humble enough to recognize that we may not be so different from our counterparts in other schools.
But, you ask, why Nature?
Why? “Because the understanding of Nature is the lever by which the world has been moved,” explains Andrew. How we understand Nature affects, literally, everything. Education can only be done well if we understand its nature, the nature of the thing we are talking about, and the nature of the student in front of us.
So, what is the Nature of children? By that I mean, the pre-Fall Nature? What God had intended for them from the beginning of creation?
They are curious. They have great absorbent minds. They are imitators. They ask good questions (when not made to feel that questions indicate some lack on their part). They want to know about their world. God intends them to learn about their world by exploration, experimentation, examination, and excogitation. A desire to learning is their Nature.
I don’t think many secular educators would disagree with that, do you? So, where is the disconnect? It is in our emphasis on utility.
How often do you hear (or say), “But when will they use this?” The implication being if they aren’t going to use the lesson, then there is little value and time would be better spent on something they can use. Thus music class gets replaced with something more “useful”. (Unless the child shows aptitude in music – something useful, they might make a career out of music, after all – then music lessons will be continued.) Poetry is neglected in favor of more “useful” subjects, except for a brief unit in English class each year and even then the lessons are directed only toward dissecting, understanding and producing rather than appreciation and delight.
But what is wrong with utility? It is good to learn something useful, right?
Prior to the modern age, Andrew tells us, education was for the formation of Virtue. All philosophies agreed upon this. But this is not so today. Now education’s main (and only goal, often) is preparation for the economy. This modern emphasis on Production has infiltrated every aspect of life and thought. If an object or action has no measurable value (it cannot produce), it is useless. That is UTILITY and, when applied to education or a child, it is destructive. Utility will ignore Nature. It does not matter to the Utilitarian mind what a child IS (curious, etc), it matters only that the objectives (of the parent, teacher, school, state) are fulfilled.
Makes me wince a little, and you? How often have I pushed my kids in order to achieve my objectives? Of course I meant only good for them, but I’ve allowed Utility to ignore Nature.
Objectives have results that can be measured. It is a radical thought to realize measuring or assessing has negative implications for the educational process. But consider “teaching to the test”. Consider how often you learned the information for a test, made an “A” and promptly forgot that information. Measurement has implications on education that have to be weighed.
As home and Christian educators, we should strive for nurtured souls (how do you measure that?) and transformed minds (how do you measure that?). And yet, in our schools, Contemplation has been replaced by Production.
The question for me as a home educator is: How do I free myself and my kids from production and to contemplation?
That is all for today. Next time, I'd like to talk about the key thoughts Andrew presents: Nature, Purpose and Propriety.
Want to see who this Andrew person is? Curious what the heck the CiRCE Institute is? Or how about hearing this talk for yourself (where the these ideas are much more elegantly presented). Then run, do not walk (or at least click the links really fast), to the CiRCE website. Donate any amount and receive a free download of this talk plus 7 more!
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Finding Excellence in Home Education Resources
My family began our home education journey nearly 7 years ago. If you are a home educator, you probably remember all the resources you devoured as you tried to wrap your head around this crazy idea called Home Education. I was blessed to have access to a great local church's library that stocked quite a number of home education resources which I quickly worked my way through.
There were so many resources that had a great influence on our home education journey, but the one that has had the best and most enduring influence is the CiRCE Institute.
The CiRCE Institute is committed to promoting and supporting classical education in the school and in the home. CiRCE's president, Andrew Kern, is a man with a great sense of humor and humility. He's written books, articles, blogs, and each year presents a knock-out conference that features speakers like:
Dr James Taylor
Martin Cothran
Ken Myers
Cheryl Lowe
John Hodges
Tracy Lee Simmons
James Daniels
Evan Wilson
Wes Callihan
Cathy Duffy
Bryan Smith
Vigen Guroian
Laura Berquist
Andrew Pudewa
I've had the privilege of attending one of the conferences and have purchased 3 of the conference CD sets, which I listen to regularly for inspiration and encouragement. I cannot recommend CiRCE as a source of inspiration and information for home educators highly enough!
So, how would you like the opportunity to enjoy some free resources from the CiRCE Institute? Read ON!
CiRCE has just recently launched their 2009 Fundraising Campaign called "Further Up, Further In". If you make a donation of ANY amount, you will be able to download SEVEN conference talks. The conference talks usually are priced for download at $6 a piece, so this is an excellent opportunity!
The talks available are listed on CiRCE's Fundraiser page. There are some excellent speakers! (Harris, Kern, Pudewa, Taylor, Berquist, Myers, and Daniels)
I hope you'll take a moment to follow those links to CiRCE's home page and Fundraiser page and consider supporting this organization that does so much to support classical educators.
I'm not getting any payment or freebies for this promotion . . . just the joy of sharing CiRCE with you and the pleasure of helping them keep doing the work they do.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Fun Latin Phrases
While I'd like to start my kids on Latin early in their academic careers, that hasn't happened, yet. So, instead of kicking myself, I've found another way to at least get some Latin into their heads. Memorizing verb conjugations, noun declensions, and vocabulary is certainly another way, but we are having a blast with fun Latin phrases.
Want to give it a try? Here are some resources:
- Latin For Fun this blog has a link to the list I use.
- Modern Life Latin Phrases (there is at least on curse word, so don't just print this and hand it to your kids)
- For older students
- Quotes with a sense of humor
Friday, October 23, 2009
A new wind blowing in our homeschool
Yesterday was one of those homeschool days you'd like to encase in plastic and pull out every now and then when you need some encouragement. I'm not entirely sure how it happened, but it did, and it was delightful!
I'm quite committed to the classical model, but there are aspects of Charlotte Mason that go along well with that model: nature study, picture study, composer/music study, poetry memorization, and some others.
On Thursday, I rolled out a new plan for my younger students incorporating these. Here is our basic plan (new stuff in italics):
Morning Time
Bible reading (at breakfast)
Music (just enjoying while we do our chores: Brahms' Hungarian Dances this week)
Tongue Twister (for enunciation)
Poetry (reading)
Memory: a bible verse and short poem for DD7, and Pslam 23 and "Song of Mr Toad" for DD10
Latin Phrase (we are "memorizing" a latin phrase each week, some quite funny)
Saints & Seasons: Reading from _Trial and Triumph_ each day, or a saint bio on their feast day
Individudal Studies with each student
Math and English Studies, now including narrations and eventually dictation
and what I am calling "Copia", meaning abundance. One of the following each day:
Shakespeare (_Tales from Shakespeare_ for DD7, 1 play per semester, slowly read with DS10. ),
Historical Tales & Bios (_Fifty Famous Stories_ for DD7, _Augustus Caesar's World_ by G Foster for DS10),
Literature (_Winnie the Pooh_ - DD7, _The Hobbit_ - DS10), and
American History stories (various biographies for DD7, starting with _Pocahontas and the Strangers_, and _This Country of Ours_ for DS10).
CC Memory Work and Literary/Classical stories
Quick review of Timeline, Math, Science, Bible on Th, Fr and Timeline, Math, History, Geography on M, Tu.
Alternating between worthy children's literature and classical stories: _Wind and the Willows_ and _The Children's Homer_
Afternoon Time
Science reading and activities (Th, Fr) and History reading and activities (M, Tu). These readings go along with our CC history and science memory work.
Composer Study (Tu)
Nature Study (Tu, Th) - very brief observations, but with "Park Days" here and there.
Picture Study (Thurs)
Book of Centuries (Fr)
Most of this new stuff comes from Ambleside Online's suggested rotations and resources. If you are not familiar with Ambleside and would like to add the poetic to your day, you'll find Ambleside an excellent resource. And it is Entirely Free.
This post is part of Weird, Unsocialized Homeschooler's Weekly Wrap-Up.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
8 Habits of a Happy Homeschool Mama
For most homeschoolers, school is in session and has been for a number of weeks. We are on week 8, which is about the time I usually start pulling out my hair a bit. How about you? I think what happens is we start to let our habits slide a little bit in the busy-ness of our day. So, in an effort to refresh my memory, I'm looking back over my habits to see where the slide might be occuring.
Good habits help keep me sane and our homeschool happy. Here are some that I've found particularly helpful:
Habit #1 - Routine is your friend!
Some people like those wonderfully detailed MOTH schedules. Others abhor them (that'd be me). My family needs a routine, and I bet yours does, too. However, our family life also requires a good deal of flexibility on a day-to-day basis. So, instead of adopting a time-based schedule, we use a task-based routine.
I've orgnized our day around certain "hard-stops": breakfast, baby's nap, lunch time, read or rest time, dinner, etc. After breakfast, we have devotions and then finish chores. When the baby goes down for her morning nap, we start school and work hard. After lunch, we have "read or rest" time. After "read or rest" everyone gets their chores done, etc. You get the idea.
However you decide to order your day, by MOTH or "hard-stop", keeping a routine gives your kids an expected pattern to their day. You save yourself and them a lot of frustration.
Habit #2 - Don't answer your phone just because it rings!
I do not answer the phone during school hours. In fact, in our home we rarely answer the phone because we are almost always in the middle of something (school, chores, a meal, a nap). When my phone rings and I answer it, it can easily derail my day. The kids scatter while I talk and then I have to spend 30 minutes corralling them back to their tasks.
So, instead, we listen as the caller is leaving a message and if it is truly an important and/or urgent call, THEN and ONLY THEN do we pick up. During our next break, I sit down and return any calls necessary.
So, if you have an answering machine, USE it...if you don't seriously consider getting one.
Habit #3 - Know what you are having for meals each day.
Having a house full of kids all day, every day can mean a lot of time in the kitchen between snacks, meals, and more snacks. They have to eat, so there is no getting around that, but it sure makes life easier when you know what you are having at each meal and for snacks, too.
Dinner is the most important meal to plan, then lunch, and then breakfast, and then snacks. If you can only handle planning for one, make it dinner. Donna Young's website has wonderful planners, including meal planners. Spend some time each week planning out your meals for the week.
At the very least, make sure you know what you are having for dinner each morning. Allow yourself the time needed to do any prep work, defrosting, marinating, etc. In fact, many times you can get some of this prep work done during the day rather than waiting until 5:00. Also, make sure you have all the ingredients on hand!
Always keep the ingredients on hand for an easy, family favorite dinner. Ours is Tuna Tetrazzini. Everything can be kept in the pantry and needs no defrosting or prep. Other ideas: "Taco Night" and "Breakfast for Dinner". These favorite easy meals are wonderful to pull out when you need to "punt" (see the next habit for an explanation of "punting"). And don't forget keeping meals in the freezer! There are many websites and cookbooks that have great ideas for "freezer meals".
Consider making a master schedule of meals. One particularly busy year, I set up a 4-week rotation of about 15-20 simple meals (dinner). Then I didn't even have to plan each week - it was already done for me!
Habit #4 - Know how to PUNT.
Ok, you are going to have many of THOSE DAYS during your homeschooling career. If you are like me, that might be once a month or even once a week! :) On these days you have to know how to "punt" - a term that means, "setting aside the lofty plans and just getting the job done any way you can". Plans fall apart, kids get sick, moms get sick, friends need big favors, etc.
So, how do you know when to "punt"? Anytime you are feeling overwhelmed and "normal" seems beyond your reach it is time to punt!
How do you "punt"? Keep a PUNT plan in your head - maybe even make a special PUNT box. In this box, keep fun, educational games, activities, books, movies. Throw in some special art and/or craft supplies, too, if you like. This is a good time to plan simple meals (like the "family favorite" mentioned above). Remember, kids CAN live on cereal for a day or two if they have to!
Habit #5 - Nurture the Nurturer
Take care of yourself. I repeat...TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF.
Get good rest. Do not feel guilty about taking the appropriate amount of time for rest that you need. Keep in mind this can change depending on your activity level and your season of life. If you are not well-rested you will be more prone to grouchiness. And, did you know, overeating!
Refresh yourself. Introverts need time alone to be refreshed. Extroverts need time with others to be refreshed. Get real and accept that this is the way the Lord made you - and it is GOOD. Find ways to provide this time for yourself on a regular basis.
Cultivate your own mind. Read books and magazines of interest to you - only for you. Spend some time learning something new or researching a subject you are interested in. There are some great online magazines and blogs that will challenge and inspire you - and most of them are FREE!
Habit #6 - Refuse to feel the need to defend your choice to homeschool.
Sharing your reasons for choosing homeschooling with someone is one thing, but don't feel that you need to defend the whole of homeschooling everytime someone questions or disparages your choice. A simple, "We find it works best for our family and our children," will surely suffice. And if not, just change the subject. "Oh, Norma, have you been doing something different with your hair? It looks just lovely!" Develop a thick-skin and a healthy sense of humor - you really can't homeschool without either.
Habit #7 - Find an "accomplished task".
With motherhood and homeschooling come many, many tasks that are never ending: laundry, meals, kitchen clean up, cleaning the house, planning school, etc. All of which are tasks that have no completion point. (Oh, you complete them for one day, but have to repeat them again the next.)
Find an activity that you can point to at the end of each day or week or month to see an "accomplished task". Try scrapbooking, painting, sketching, photography, crochet, knitting, quilting, etc. Whatever you enjoy!
This blog is one of my "accomplished tasks". Each post is complete and finalized when I'm done. I can look back and see what I've accomplished. Another hobby that I enjoy is crochet. I've always got a project or two going!
Habit #8 - What habit do you have that keeps your homeschool a happy place? Leave a comment!
Did you enjoy this post? Be sure to subscribe via email or RSS to receive my blog updates.
Good habits help keep me sane and our homeschool happy. Here are some that I've found particularly helpful:
Habit #1 - Routine is your friend!
Some people like those wonderfully detailed MOTH schedules. Others abhor them (that'd be me). My family needs a routine, and I bet yours does, too. However, our family life also requires a good deal of flexibility on a day-to-day basis. So, instead of adopting a time-based schedule, we use a task-based routine.
I've orgnized our day around certain "hard-stops": breakfast, baby's nap, lunch time, read or rest time, dinner, etc. After breakfast, we have devotions and then finish chores. When the baby goes down for her morning nap, we start school and work hard. After lunch, we have "read or rest" time. After "read or rest" everyone gets their chores done, etc. You get the idea.
However you decide to order your day, by MOTH or "hard-stop", keeping a routine gives your kids an expected pattern to their day. You save yourself and them a lot of frustration.
Habit #2 - Don't answer your phone just because it rings!
I do not answer the phone during school hours. In fact, in our home we rarely answer the phone because we are almost always in the middle of something (school, chores, a meal, a nap). When my phone rings and I answer it, it can easily derail my day. The kids scatter while I talk and then I have to spend 30 minutes corralling them back to their tasks.
So, instead, we listen as the caller is leaving a message and if it is truly an important and/or urgent call, THEN and ONLY THEN do we pick up. During our next break, I sit down and return any calls necessary.
So, if you have an answering machine, USE it...if you don't seriously consider getting one.
Habit #3 - Know what you are having for meals each day.
Having a house full of kids all day, every day can mean a lot of time in the kitchen between snacks, meals, and more snacks. They have to eat, so there is no getting around that, but it sure makes life easier when you know what you are having at each meal and for snacks, too.
Dinner is the most important meal to plan, then lunch, and then breakfast, and then snacks. If you can only handle planning for one, make it dinner. Donna Young's website has wonderful planners, including meal planners. Spend some time each week planning out your meals for the week.
At the very least, make sure you know what you are having for dinner each morning. Allow yourself the time needed to do any prep work, defrosting, marinating, etc. In fact, many times you can get some of this prep work done during the day rather than waiting until 5:00. Also, make sure you have all the ingredients on hand!
Always keep the ingredients on hand for an easy, family favorite dinner. Ours is Tuna Tetrazzini. Everything can be kept in the pantry and needs no defrosting or prep. Other ideas: "Taco Night" and "Breakfast for Dinner". These favorite easy meals are wonderful to pull out when you need to "punt" (see the next habit for an explanation of "punting"). And don't forget keeping meals in the freezer! There are many websites and cookbooks that have great ideas for "freezer meals".
Consider making a master schedule of meals. One particularly busy year, I set up a 4-week rotation of about 15-20 simple meals (dinner). Then I didn't even have to plan each week - it was already done for me!
Habit #4 - Know how to PUNT.
Ok, you are going to have many of THOSE DAYS during your homeschooling career. If you are like me, that might be once a month or even once a week! :) On these days you have to know how to "punt" - a term that means, "setting aside the lofty plans and just getting the job done any way you can". Plans fall apart, kids get sick, moms get sick, friends need big favors, etc.
So, how do you know when to "punt"? Anytime you are feeling overwhelmed and "normal" seems beyond your reach it is time to punt!
How do you "punt"? Keep a PUNT plan in your head - maybe even make a special PUNT box. In this box, keep fun, educational games, activities, books, movies. Throw in some special art and/or craft supplies, too, if you like. This is a good time to plan simple meals (like the "family favorite" mentioned above). Remember, kids CAN live on cereal for a day or two if they have to!
Habit #5 - Nurture the Nurturer
Take care of yourself. I repeat...TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF.
Get good rest. Do not feel guilty about taking the appropriate amount of time for rest that you need. Keep in mind this can change depending on your activity level and your season of life. If you are not well-rested you will be more prone to grouchiness. And, did you know, overeating!
Refresh yourself. Introverts need time alone to be refreshed. Extroverts need time with others to be refreshed. Get real and accept that this is the way the Lord made you - and it is GOOD. Find ways to provide this time for yourself on a regular basis.
Cultivate your own mind. Read books and magazines of interest to you - only for you. Spend some time learning something new or researching a subject you are interested in. There are some great online magazines and blogs that will challenge and inspire you - and most of them are FREE!
Habit #6 - Refuse to feel the need to defend your choice to homeschool.
Sharing your reasons for choosing homeschooling with someone is one thing, but don't feel that you need to defend the whole of homeschooling everytime someone questions or disparages your choice. A simple, "We find it works best for our family and our children," will surely suffice. And if not, just change the subject. "Oh, Norma, have you been doing something different with your hair? It looks just lovely!" Develop a thick-skin and a healthy sense of humor - you really can't homeschool without either.
Habit #7 - Find an "accomplished task".
With motherhood and homeschooling come many, many tasks that are never ending: laundry, meals, kitchen clean up, cleaning the house, planning school, etc. All of which are tasks that have no completion point. (Oh, you complete them for one day, but have to repeat them again the next.)
Find an activity that you can point to at the end of each day or week or month to see an "accomplished task". Try scrapbooking, painting, sketching, photography, crochet, knitting, quilting, etc. Whatever you enjoy!
This blog is one of my "accomplished tasks". Each post is complete and finalized when I'm done. I can look back and see what I've accomplished. Another hobby that I enjoy is crochet. I've always got a project or two going!
Habit #8 - What habit do you have that keeps your homeschool a happy place? Leave a comment!
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Thursday, September 3, 2009
Classical Conversations Cycle 1 History Resource
Hi, friends! Well, I do not know how I finished this this week (baptism, celebration picnic, first birthday, visit from my mom, and first day of CC), but I did! As of now, this is only the first semester. When I finish the second semester, I'll update the file (and post a notice here).
CC Cycle 1 History: Discussion questions, Teaching Points, and Activities. (This is a Google Document. You should be able to download directly from that link to your computer. ) Let me know if you download the file, and if you find this helpful!
The Discussion Questions were designed to be somewhat open-ended and spark a bit of discussion in your home. I hope you enjoy them! If you have any suggestions for other questions or activities, please email me or leave a comment.
The Teaching Points are culled almost entirely from World Encyclopedia.
And the Activities are merely suggestions for ways to expand your students' interaction with the history material. Choose those that sound interesting, but don't try to do them all! I don't even do an activity every week!
Enjoy!
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CC Cycle 1 History: Discussion questions, Teaching Points, and Activities. (This is a Google Document. You should be able to download directly from that link to your computer. ) Let me know if you download the file, and if you find this helpful!
The Discussion Questions were designed to be somewhat open-ended and spark a bit of discussion in your home. I hope you enjoy them! If you have any suggestions for other questions or activities, please email me or leave a comment.
The Teaching Points are culled almost entirely from World Encyclopedia.
And the Activities are merely suggestions for ways to expand your students' interaction with the history material. Choose those that sound interesting, but don't try to do them all! I don't even do an activity every week!
Enjoy!
Did you enjoy this post? Be sure to subscribe via email or RSS to receive my blog updates.
Friday, August 14, 2009
Weekly Wrap-Up: Aug 14
Highlights from the school week:
Right now Mathematics for my elder daughter (7) consists of playing the game "Countdown" and practicing telling time. We'll get back to the textbook when she gets her addition and subtraction facts a bit more cemented. (Countdown is helping her with that.)
Our verse for the week: Be devoted to one another in brotherly love, Honor one another above yourselves. Romans 12:10
Trying to muddle out iambic meters with eldest son and having the discussion, "Why do we need to know about poetry anyway?" "Because it is beautiful and expresses in language what prose cannot. And, if you can't appreciate it on a basic level, at least, you aren't quite a truly educated person!"
"In the embracing light and warmth, warm and dry at last, with weary legs propped up in front of them, and a suggestive clink of plates being arranged on the table behind, it seemed to the storm-driven animals, now in safe anchorage, that the cold and trackless Wild Wood just left outside was miles and miles away, and all that they had suffered in it a half-forgotten dream." p. 57, Chapter 4, The Wind in the Willows
About my post-it note schedule: it has worked so well for us, that I've made it a bit more permanent. I cut 3x5 index cards in half and use each one for a half-hour slot. On these I've written a basic activity (Meet with S, Read with H&E, Morning Time, Break, etc) and have them in a display that I purchased last year from a teacher supply store. It has transparent plastic slots in which I place the cards in whatever order I need them for that day. When needed I can even re-arrange the schedule in a jiffy without missing something important. It works beautifully for us! Sometimes we do Morning Time first. Other days I meet with my eldest son while the three younger kids play together.
Check out more Weekly Wrap-Ups at Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers!
Did you enjoy this post? Be sure to subscribe via email or RSS to receive my blog updates.
Right now Mathematics for my elder daughter (7) consists of playing the game "Countdown" and practicing telling time. We'll get back to the textbook when she gets her addition and subtraction facts a bit more cemented. (Countdown is helping her with that.)
Our verse for the week: Be devoted to one another in brotherly love, Honor one another above yourselves. Romans 12:10
Trying to muddle out iambic meters with eldest son and having the discussion, "Why do we need to know about poetry anyway?" "Because it is beautiful and expresses in language what prose cannot. And, if you can't appreciate it on a basic level, at least, you aren't quite a truly educated person!"
"In the embracing light and warmth, warm and dry at last, with weary legs propped up in front of them, and a suggestive clink of plates being arranged on the table behind, it seemed to the storm-driven animals, now in safe anchorage, that the cold and trackless Wild Wood just left outside was miles and miles away, and all that they had suffered in it a half-forgotten dream." p. 57, Chapter 4, The Wind in the Willows
About my post-it note schedule: it has worked so well for us, that I've made it a bit more permanent. I cut 3x5 index cards in half and use each one for a half-hour slot. On these I've written a basic activity (Meet with S, Read with H&E, Morning Time, Break, etc) and have them in a display that I purchased last year from a teacher supply store. It has transparent plastic slots in which I place the cards in whatever order I need them for that day. When needed I can even re-arrange the schedule in a jiffy without missing something important. It works beautifully for us! Sometimes we do Morning Time first. Other days I meet with my eldest son while the three younger kids play together.
Check out more Weekly Wrap-Ups at Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers!
Did you enjoy this post? Be sure to subscribe via email or RSS to receive my blog updates.
Friday, August 7, 2009
Weekly Wrap-Up - Aug 7th
In lieu of another long-drawn out dissertation on "what we did this week", I thought perhaps you might enjoy a few snapshots.
First day of school for 2009-2010 was Wednesday!
Picking figs, considering selling them, and then deciding that a batch of fig ice cream would be nicer. We just love those figs too much to part with them for mere cash!
From House on Pooh corner: Pooh looking for breakfast at Kanga's home and "beginning to feel a little eleven o'clockish." And Pooh discussing writing poetry: "It is the best way to write poetry, letting things come."
A Post-It note schedule that works with our family's need for flexibility.
Deciding that our week can start on Wednesdays if that works better for my planning purposes. So, instead of my planning sheets beginning on Monday, they go: Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Monday, Tuesday. (Our Classical Conversations group meets on Wednesday, so I was always finding myself planning by half-weeks: CC Week 1 on Mon and Tues, then CC Week 2 on Thurs and Fri. For some reason it annoyed me!)
Overcoming my perfectionistic tendencies that would have me wait to start school until everything was in perfect order. We are winging it a bit, but it is good to be started.
An impromtu magic show by our two sons. They are getting quite Magical, those two!
Visit Kris' blog for more Weekly Wrap-Ups!
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Thursday, August 6, 2009
First Day of Homeschool
Wednesday was our first day of homeschool for 2009-2010!I wasn't all together ready for the first day, but if I didn't start on the 5th I might have found reasons to wait until September. My goal is to get our school work in before the end of April 2010, so that we can enjoy the outdoors before the heat of summer hits us.
I managed to get our school cabinet all cleaned out and re-organized. Didn't take a "before" photo (why don't I think of it until after?).
So, our first day . . .
We started by going outside to pick figs from our fig tree. Seemed like an appropriate way to start this year for some reason! I don't have our daily schedule all hammered out, yet. Instead I've posted a routine using post-it notes that I can shift around as needed while we see what works for us this year. I've already made some changes in just the past two days!
The kids enjoyed looking over their new books, some of the books that still needed to be finished from last year, and decorating some old pencils. I know, decorating pencils? I don't get it either, but they had fun.While it was a little bit of a low-key start, we didn't miss our traditional ice cream dinner (followed by dinner for dessert).
Yes, some of us opted for milkshakes.
Have you started school yet? Or when is your first day? Anything special planned?
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Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Carnival of Homeschooling: Loving Summer Edition
SmallWorld is this week's host for the Carnival of Homeschooling. Don't miss out on some fun, inspirational and useful homeschool blogging!
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Did you enjoy this post? Be sure to subscribe via email or RSS to receive my blog updates.
Friday, July 24, 2009
Homeschool Questions: What do you use?
Last month I started what I'd hoped would be a series of posts on "Homeschool Questions" in response to some questions I've gotten from new homeschoolers. I've been a bit slow in getting to the rest of the series, haven't I? Well, what can I say, summer has gotten the better of me and I'm ok with that!
The past couple of days I've been giving some thought to the year ahead and looking over curricula. It just so happens that Kris at Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers is having a Weekly RoundUp with a "What are you using?" theme, and I thought I'd join in!
So, in answer to "What do you use?" here's an overview of our curricula for this year:
Grammar Level Students
(5th grade son and 2nd grade daughter)
Math:
5th: Saxon 5/4
2nd: Singapore 2
Language Arts:
5th: Easy Writing (5th grader) - which oddly enough I'm using for Grammar. Possibly adding one of IEW's writing programs later this year (All Things Fun & Fascinating, probably). I'm considering adding a spelling unit using K. Stout's Natural Speller. HWT's Cursive and copy work.
2nd: Explode the Code (Books 2 - ? as far as we need to go until she is reading fluently). Adding some Bob Books or other simple readers as her fluency grows, which I expect will happen quickly at this point. Lots of games: Phonics Bingo, Sight Word Bingo and Starfall.com. HWT's Printing Power and copy work.
Classical Studies:
This year we are in Rome: The Aeneid for Boys and Girls (AJ Church), Galen and the Gateway to Medicine. If we get through both of these, I'll also add Famous Men of Rome
Modern Studies:
Classical Conversations history sentences, timeline, and geography locations. Story of the World and various children's fiction/non-fiction supplemental reading - quite a few from the My Book House children's literature collection. God's World News for current events.
Science & Nature:
Nature notebooks (I've yet to do this consistently, but I'm hoping this will be the year!). Science reading, experiments, and projects to coincide with CC's science sentences. Our source material will be Great Science Adventures: The World of Plants and Discovering Earth's Landforms & Surface Features. I've found various books to cover the Animal kingdom, too.
Languages:
Latin for Children
Tutored French for the 5th grader
Literature:
We have a booklist for our kids that I compiled from a number of online sources. We just read whatever is next on the list. Here is what we are currently reading:
5th Grader: Lord of the Rings (read aloud with Dad)
2nd Grader: Chronicles of Narnia (read aloud with Dad)
Together with Mom: Story of Dr. Doolittle, Wind in the Willows
Logic:
Building Thinking Skills - this is a maybe. I really like these workbooks, but we'll see if we have time to include it.
Arts: Artist and Composer study with Classical. Attending Children's Symphony concert and Children's Theatre productions. Possibly tutored art lessons - or mom-tutored. Picture study with National Gallery teacher resources. I try to keep a fair amount of art supplies on hand. We often pull out art supplies, listen to good music (folk, world, and classical), and just enjoy some free creation time.
Dialectic Level Student
My 8th grader
Math:
Jacob's Algebra with Dad
Language Arts:
Jensen's Punctuation
Poetry unit (Grammar of Poetry)
Newbery Literature and essays with CC Challenge B
The Short Story (reading classic short stories and writing their own) with CC Challenge B
Classical Studies:
Finish Wanderings of Odysseus, The Aeneid for Boys and Girls, Dragonslayer (retelling of Gilgamesh), Arabian Nights (selections from this), other selections from non-western cultures: China, India, Africa
Modern Studies:
Challenge B: current event research/discussion and Mock Trial
Science & Nature:
Challenge B: History of Science, study of origins
Languages:
Latin's Not So Tough 5, 6
Literature:
Newberry Literature (with Challenge B), plus selections from our family booklist.
Logic:
Introductory Logic, Intermediate Logic (Nance & Wilson)
Arts: Drama with local drama program. Children's Symphony and Children's Theatre productions. Possibly attending some of the Metropolitan Opera performances being played in our local movie theatre (and these).
Earlier this week I looked over our annual, weekly, and daily schedules and I'll post more about that in the next week or so to answer the next "Homeschool Question": "When do you homeschool?"
Did you enjoy this post? Be sure to subscribe via email or RSS to receive my blog updates.
The past couple of days I've been giving some thought to the year ahead and looking over curricula. It just so happens that Kris at Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers is having a Weekly RoundUp with a "What are you using?" theme, and I thought I'd join in!
So, in answer to "What do you use?" here's an overview of our curricula for this year:
Grammar Level Students
(5th grade son and 2nd grade daughter)
Math:
5th: Saxon 5/4
2nd: Singapore 2
Language Arts:
5th: Easy Writing (5th grader) - which oddly enough I'm using for Grammar. Possibly adding one of IEW's writing programs later this year (All Things Fun & Fascinating, probably). I'm considering adding a spelling unit using K. Stout's Natural Speller. HWT's Cursive and copy work.
2nd: Explode the Code (Books 2 - ? as far as we need to go until she is reading fluently). Adding some Bob Books or other simple readers as her fluency grows, which I expect will happen quickly at this point. Lots of games: Phonics Bingo, Sight Word Bingo and Starfall.com. HWT's Printing Power and copy work.
Classical Studies:
This year we are in Rome: The Aeneid for Boys and Girls (AJ Church), Galen and the Gateway to Medicine. If we get through both of these, I'll also add Famous Men of Rome
Modern Studies:
Classical Conversations history sentences, timeline, and geography locations. Story of the World and various children's fiction/non-fiction supplemental reading - quite a few from the My Book House children's literature collection. God's World News for current events.
Science & Nature:
Nature notebooks (I've yet to do this consistently, but I'm hoping this will be the year!). Science reading, experiments, and projects to coincide with CC's science sentences. Our source material will be Great Science Adventures: The World of Plants and Discovering Earth's Landforms & Surface Features. I've found various books to cover the Animal kingdom, too.
Languages:
Latin for Children
Tutored French for the 5th grader
Literature:
We have a booklist for our kids that I compiled from a number of online sources. We just read whatever is next on the list. Here is what we are currently reading:
5th Grader: Lord of the Rings (read aloud with Dad)
2nd Grader: Chronicles of Narnia (read aloud with Dad)
Together with Mom: Story of Dr. Doolittle, Wind in the Willows
Logic:
Building Thinking Skills - this is a maybe. I really like these workbooks, but we'll see if we have time to include it.
Arts: Artist and Composer study with Classical. Attending Children's Symphony concert and Children's Theatre productions. Possibly tutored art lessons - or mom-tutored. Picture study with National Gallery teacher resources. I try to keep a fair amount of art supplies on hand. We often pull out art supplies, listen to good music (folk, world, and classical), and just enjoy some free creation time.
Dialectic Level Student
My 8th grader
Math:
Jacob's Algebra with Dad
Language Arts:
Jensen's Punctuation
Poetry unit (Grammar of Poetry)
Newbery Literature and essays with CC Challenge B
The Short Story (reading classic short stories and writing their own) with CC Challenge B
Classical Studies:
Finish Wanderings of Odysseus, The Aeneid for Boys and Girls, Dragonslayer (retelling of Gilgamesh), Arabian Nights (selections from this), other selections from non-western cultures: China, India, Africa
Modern Studies:
Challenge B: current event research/discussion and Mock Trial
Science & Nature:
Challenge B: History of Science, study of origins
Languages:
Latin's Not So Tough 5, 6
Literature:
Newberry Literature (with Challenge B), plus selections from our family booklist.
Logic:
Introductory Logic, Intermediate Logic (Nance & Wilson)
Arts: Drama with local drama program. Children's Symphony and Children's Theatre productions. Possibly attending some of the Metropolitan Opera performances being played in our local movie theatre (and these).
Earlier this week I looked over our annual, weekly, and daily schedules and I'll post more about that in the next week or so to answer the next "Homeschool Question": "When do you homeschool?"
Did you enjoy this post? Be sure to subscribe via email or RSS to receive my blog updates.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Ideas for memory work
Several of my kind blog readers have asked me to share how we review our memory work for Classical Conversations. Obviously, many of these ideas can be used for other types of memory work and not only for CC!
You'll notice I have a common theme based on a simple penny game. I keep a stock of coins in my school supplies. I give out pennies for right answers and then the kids can trade the pennies in for larger coins. They LOVE this!
Timeline cards
This is one of our favorites! We use the Veritas Press history cards. Each week CC works on about 8 cards. We memorize them a few different ways. First, we go through the stack to be memorized and talk about each card (background info and such). Then, we go through them and say the main fact ("The Flood", "Tower of Babel", for ex.). Next, we lay them all out in a row and pick out clues from the images on the front (ex 1st week: God, garden, brothers, ark, tower, shield, big pyramid, small pyramid). Now the fun begins! The kids hide their eyes and I mix up all the cards. They begin trying to get them back in the right order (usually I let the oldest child go first - this allows the younger ones more time to memorize the order). Once the first child lays them out in the order he thinks is correct I place pennies on the ones that are correct. Then he keeps reorganizing until he's gotten them all in the correct order and collects his pennies! We follow up by chanting all the cards quickly in order ("Creation, Fall in the Garden, Cain and Abel, The Flood, etc). Then the next child gets her chance to try.
We don't always do all this on one day. Sometimes we just get up to the image part and then start the penny game the next day. On subsequent days we do the penny game only and do the chant - reviewing the image clues, if needed.
History Sentence
I find the CC powerpoints helpful as they have good visual cues, and of course the CC songs are always good! I usually print out the powerpoint slides and keep them in a binder. We flip to the the current week's and play the music while looking at the slide. I often find that hand motions of some sort are very helpful, too, especially with non-readers! I don't review these every day, but about twice a week and then play the audio CD in the car here and there.
Math
This consists of simple skip counting set to music (CC provided, but if you don't use CC, you could find skip counting songs elsewhere, I'm sure). We print out the powerpoints (kept in the same binder), but could just as easily create our own charts. We look at the powerpoints and listen to the songs, singing along. Another time (or the same day, if we wish) we write the skip counting on a white board and one by one erase the numbers having the kids say the skip counting and filling in the missing numbers from memory until all the numbers are erased and they are doing it entirely from memory. I give pennies everytime they get the whole skip counting series correct.
Science
Here the powerpoints (binder again) are quite helpful and we also use hand motions of some sort. We have done this in the past and will again, but this year I'd like to also incorporate something hands-on for the science memory work. My plan is to use some of Dinah Zike's ideas for "books". I'll share my ideas for those as I get them figured out, but if you don't know about Dinah Zike's "Big Book of Books", check it out! For example, using a Venn Diagram to display the facts about the differences between animal cells and plant cells (weeks 3 and 4).
Geography
This is pretty simple: get a map, call out the places to be located, pennies given round for correct answers! I usually start by going clockwise around the map, or in some other expected pattern, and then start switching it up a bit. Another good idea, if your kids are able, is to let them trace a blackline map and color in the locations on their tracing. If that is a breeze for them, they can try drawing them free-hand.
Bible
We use hand motions, rebus charts (using images for keywords in the verse), and pure repitition. Of course, pennies for good work!
We try to quickly run through the timeline, math, geography, and Bible on each of our four non-CC school days, and alternate between science and history, spending two days a week on each. My goal is to get through the memory work in about 30 minutes, but sometimes it takes much more or much less time. While I highly value the memory work, my higher goals are the basics (math and languages), the beautiful (literature and arts), and the fascinating (science and history) and I will sacrifice memory work time for these other goals.
I'd love to hear YOUR ideas for memory work and other readers will benefit, so please leave a comment!
Did you enjoy this post? Be sure to subscribe via email or RSS to receive my blog updates.
You'll notice I have a common theme based on a simple penny game. I keep a stock of coins in my school supplies. I give out pennies for right answers and then the kids can trade the pennies in for larger coins. They LOVE this!
Timeline cards
This is one of our favorites! We use the Veritas Press history cards. Each week CC works on about 8 cards. We memorize them a few different ways. First, we go through the stack to be memorized and talk about each card (background info and such). Then, we go through them and say the main fact ("The Flood", "Tower of Babel", for ex.). Next, we lay them all out in a row and pick out clues from the images on the front (ex 1st week: God, garden, brothers, ark, tower, shield, big pyramid, small pyramid). Now the fun begins! The kids hide their eyes and I mix up all the cards. They begin trying to get them back in the right order (usually I let the oldest child go first - this allows the younger ones more time to memorize the order). Once the first child lays them out in the order he thinks is correct I place pennies on the ones that are correct. Then he keeps reorganizing until he's gotten them all in the correct order and collects his pennies! We follow up by chanting all the cards quickly in order ("Creation, Fall in the Garden, Cain and Abel, The Flood, etc). Then the next child gets her chance to try.
We don't always do all this on one day. Sometimes we just get up to the image part and then start the penny game the next day. On subsequent days we do the penny game only and do the chant - reviewing the image clues, if needed.
History Sentence
I find the CC powerpoints helpful as they have good visual cues, and of course the CC songs are always good! I usually print out the powerpoint slides and keep them in a binder. We flip to the the current week's and play the music while looking at the slide. I often find that hand motions of some sort are very helpful, too, especially with non-readers! I don't review these every day, but about twice a week and then play the audio CD in the car here and there.
Math
This consists of simple skip counting set to music (CC provided, but if you don't use CC, you could find skip counting songs elsewhere, I'm sure). We print out the powerpoints (kept in the same binder), but could just as easily create our own charts. We look at the powerpoints and listen to the songs, singing along. Another time (or the same day, if we wish) we write the skip counting on a white board and one by one erase the numbers having the kids say the skip counting and filling in the missing numbers from memory until all the numbers are erased and they are doing it entirely from memory. I give pennies everytime they get the whole skip counting series correct.
Science
Here the powerpoints (binder again) are quite helpful and we also use hand motions of some sort. We have done this in the past and will again, but this year I'd like to also incorporate something hands-on for the science memory work. My plan is to use some of Dinah Zike's ideas for "books". I'll share my ideas for those as I get them figured out, but if you don't know about Dinah Zike's "Big Book of Books", check it out! For example, using a Venn Diagram to display the facts about the differences between animal cells and plant cells (weeks 3 and 4).
Geography
This is pretty simple: get a map, call out the places to be located, pennies given round for correct answers! I usually start by going clockwise around the map, or in some other expected pattern, and then start switching it up a bit. Another good idea, if your kids are able, is to let them trace a blackline map and color in the locations on their tracing. If that is a breeze for them, they can try drawing them free-hand.
Bible
We use hand motions, rebus charts (using images for keywords in the verse), and pure repitition. Of course, pennies for good work!
We try to quickly run through the timeline, math, geography, and Bible on each of our four non-CC school days, and alternate between science and history, spending two days a week on each. My goal is to get through the memory work in about 30 minutes, but sometimes it takes much more or much less time. While I highly value the memory work, my higher goals are the basics (math and languages), the beautiful (literature and arts), and the fascinating (science and history) and I will sacrifice memory work time for these other goals.
I'd love to hear YOUR ideas for memory work and other readers will benefit, so please leave a comment!
Did you enjoy this post? Be sure to subscribe via email or RSS to receive my blog updates.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Carnival of Homeschooling - Founding Fathers Edition
The Carnival of Homeschooling, Founding Fathers Edition, is up at Why Homeschool (the carnival's original home blog). It is great to read encouragement and good ideas as we gear up for the new school year, isn't it?
Head on over - you'll enjoy it!
Head on over - you'll enjoy it!
Friday, June 26, 2009
Story of the World and CC Cycle 1
Well, do I have good news for those waiting to get the Story of the World/Classical Conversations Cycle 1 list. Someone at CC has already done it! Ask your CC director to get the file from the CC director's portal online. It even has readings from SOTW matched up with the geography memory work, too!
Thank you to the sweet commentor who emailed me to let me know that this work was already done! You've saved me (and the other CC families) quite a few hours and I so appreciate it!
Did you enjoy this post? Be sure to subscribe via email or RSS to receive my blog updates.
Thank you to the sweet commentor who emailed me to let me know that this work was already done! You've saved me (and the other CC families) quite a few hours and I so appreciate it!
Did you enjoy this post? Be sure to subscribe via email or RSS to receive my blog updates.
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