2 Shining Eyes

Poland Extravaganza

2009-03-30T03:00:00.000-07:00

My daughter is participating in a Geography Fair next week. She is focusing on Poland since we rowed Mrs Katz and Tush during the month of March. ("Mrs. Katz" is a Jewish woman who lived in Poland and immigrated to America.) Because my daughter is in kindergarten, it has taken a full month to complete our display. She does a little at a time.

A few weeks ago she created a map of Poland. The map took 4 days to complete, but we are very pleased with the results.

Day 1 - Making the salt dough, shaping it into the country of Poland and baking it.

Day 2 - Painting the baked Poland.

Day 3 - Painting the rest of the map - Defining water bodies versus land masses.

Day 4 - Labelling the map through copy work.

Now please don't be going and checking the map to scale!

Some of Why I Homeschool ...

2009-03-27T21:21:00.000-07:00

Every day in a life fills the whole life with expectation and memory. ~ C.S. Lewis

I took a piece of living clay
And gently formed it, day by day
And molded with my power and art
A young child's soft and yielding heart.

If a child is to keep his inborn sense of wonder ... he needs the companion of at least one adult who can share it, rediscovering with him the joy, excitement, and mystery of the world we live in. ~ Rachel Carson

The imagination should be allowed a certain amount of time to browse around. ~ Thomas Merton

Harold and the Purple Crayon ~ Crockett Johnson

2009-02-23T03:00:00.000-08:00

Harold and the Purple Crayon Folder ~ Crockett Johnson

2009-02-23T02:58:00.000-08:00

Front of Folder ~ I have started to use folded file folders to store completed work. It saves space and is well organized. It also provides little "spaces" to place extra information such as a scripture reference or a narration.

Dictated narration ~ The inside flap of the folder is a perfect place to put this.

Artwork ~ Purple Crayon Drawing - Going from a random thought (squiggle) to a more concrete thought/ image; City Scene Collage using perspective - fireworks are in the background and the buildings are in to foreground. A great activity to reinforce 2-D shapes; Another Purple Crayon Drawing - Using near and far perspective.

Transportation collage ~ Some pictures are printed from the computer while others are labelled directed drawings. And yes, an elephant can be a means of transportation! :)

Just for a Smile ...

2009-02-11T03:30:00.000-08:00

To view a larger version of this cartoon, click here: Homeschooling Funny

2-D Shape Placemat

2009-02-10T03:00:00.000-08:00

Use cut paper in the shapes of circles, squares, rectangles and triangles to create a quilted image.

The Snowy Day ~ Ezra Jack Keats

2009-02-09T03:02:00.000-08:00

So teach us to number our days, That we may gain a heart of wisdom. ~ Psalm 90:12

The Snowy Day Folder ~ Ezra Jack Keats

2009-02-09T03:01:00.000-08:00

Front of folder ~ Snowflake colourings of various flavoured snowflakes.

Cut and paste snowman, art creation using cut paper and water colour paint, snowman chalk drawing (directed drawing), story sequencing booklet, and copy work of Psalm 90:12.

What I Love About Winter

2009-02-03T03:00:00.000-08:00

Frozen lakes
Hot pancakes
Lots of snow
Hot cocoa
Skates and skis
Evergreen trees
Funny hats
Thermostats
Sunsets blaze
Holidays
Snowball fights
Fireplace nights
Chimneys steaming
Winter dreaming

~ written by Douglas Florian - Winter Eyes

Words to Consider ...

2009-01-30T03:00:00.000-08:00

There is no nobler career than that of motherhood at its best.

There are no possibilities greater,

and in no other sphere does failure bring more serious penalties...

To attempt this task unprepared and untrained

is tragic,

and its results affect generations to come.

On the other hand

there is no higher height to which humanity can attain

than that occupied by a converted,

heaven-inspired,

praying mother.

~ Elizabeth Eliot

Snowman Art

2009-01-29T03:00:00.000-08:00

Left snowman ~ completed by 3 year old; Right snowman ~ completed by 5 year old (materials were pre-cut).

A great activity to explore a wide variety of materials and textures:
~ blue background ~ construction paper
~ tree ~ corrugated brown paper
~ ground ~ green flannel
~ snow and snowman ~ cotton batting
~ moon ~ aluminum foil
~ eyes and buttons ~ buttons
~ hat and scarf ~ scraps of cloth

This activity was found in:

Story Writing Jumpstarts

2009-01-28T03:00:00.000-08:00

Writing Idea #1 - Round Robin Stories - Using a round robin strategy for story writing can help motivate the unmotivated writer. It also works well with children who are just learning to write. In a round robin strategy, the first writer starts the story and then passes it along to the next writer who continues it. The story continues to be passed between writers until it is completed. The amount of writing done during each turn is usually pre-determined before the story writing begins. For more round robin story writing ideas click here: Round Robin Writing

Writing Idea #2 - Picture Prompts - Story writing needs to start with an idea and sometimes that's the hardest part. Pictures from magazines, newspapers or a personal photograph collection can be used to jump start creative ideas. Pictures of people can encourage character ideas, pictures of places can encourage setting ideas, and pictures of action can encourage plot ideas. Here's a website that has some picture prompts available. You can check it out here: Picture Prompts

Writing Idea #3 - KidsCom Write Me a Story Contest - At the KidsCom website there is a neat story writing opportunity for children. Children are encouraged to write a story using the provided character, prop, and place prompts. Children can submit their stories online where they will be voted on by other children and then possibly published on the KidsCom website. Click here to see the writing prompts for this week: KidsCom Write Me a Story

Writing Idea #4 - Comic Strip Story - If your child loves to draw, then a comic strip story may be a hit. A comic strip still includes all of the story elements (characters, setting, problem, solution, etc.)but the pictures play a larger role in the telling of the story. A comic strip story needs to be planned out well. A good place to start is by folding a piece of paper in half (hot dog style) and then folding it in half twice more to create 8 boxes. In each box your child can plan a story by writing little notes about what will be happening in each box of the comic strip. Have fun with this one!

Writing Idea #5 - Model a Story - Have your child choose a favorite story to use as a guideline or model for his own story writing. For example, many stories include a journey of some sort. Encourage your child to think of a starting place, an ending place, and a problem that may occur along the way. Most stories end with some sort of resolution, and so should your child's. :)

Writing Idea #6 - Tell a Story - The mind of a child is bursting with ideas. However the task of putting the ideas on paper can often be laborious. Encourage your child to think about a story and practice telling it orally. Then have your child tell the story to a tape recorder. During short periods of writing, have your child write out the recorded story editing and revising as needed.

That's all the ideas I have for now. If you have any story writing ideas that have worked for you and your child, then please share in the comment area at the bottom of this post.

Marshmallow Geometry

2009-01-27T03:00:00.000-08:00

Hiding God's Word in Your Kid's Heart

2009-01-26T03:00:00.001-08:00

Kendra from Preschoolers and Peace first inspired me with this scripture memory idea. I love how visual and "rewarding" it is as young children memorize scripture. Here are a couple of photos that show how to set up a scripture memory folder. It is super simple - once your child recites the passage of scripture independently, he/she gets to put some fabulous stickers onto the chart. It also works great for reviewing previously learned scriptures!

Your word I have hidden in my heart,
That I might not sin against You. ~ Psalm 119:11

Praiseworthy Thoughts

2009-01-23T03:00:00.000-08:00

Pleasant words are honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones. ~ Proverbs 16:24 NIV

The gift of praise is the best gift you can give a child, any time of the year.

99 Ways to Give Some Praise

Making Reading Fun

2009-01-22T03:32:00.000-08:00

· Reading Glasses ~ Buy a pair of large or silly sunglasses from the Dollar Store and push out the lenses. Your child can wear these glasses when it’s time to read.

· Googly Eye Stick ~ Glue a pompom onto the tip of a popsicle stick or a chopstick. Then glue googly eyes onto the pompom. Have your child use this “reading buddy” to follow along under the words at reading time.

· Become a Character ~ Let your child dress up like a character in the story or have reading time with some stuffed animals that resemble the book’s characters.

· Read the Wall ~ When your child is just beginning to read, rewrite “early-to-read” books on strips of paper (one page of words per strip). Stick the strips of paper at eye level along the wall. Have your child read the wall book while using his/her reading glasses and googly eye stick.

· Reading Voices ~ Encourage your child to use different voices when reading. There’s no rule that says reading has to be done using a medium volume, monotone voice. How about reading one page with a whisper voice, the next page with a rumbling voice, and the next page with a squeaky voice?

· Find an Audience ~ Have your child practice reading a book in preparation to read over the phone to grandma as a bedtime story.

· Keep an Account ~ Have your child set a reading goal and use a sticker chart to record his/her progress. An appropriate reward can be given once the goal has been achieved.

· Tape Record a Book ~ Have your child choose a book to create an audio story. Your child will need to practice reading the book many times until he/she can read it fluently. Then have your child create sound effects for certain words in the book. Even early-to-read books can have sound effects. For example: “Run, Bill, run!” can have pitter patter hands making a “running” sound effect. Have your child practice reading the story with sound effects and then bring the tape recorder out!

· Create a Reading Spot ~ Find a space in your home that can be reserved for reading. Use blankets and pillows to make the spot comfortable. Have a basket of “able to read” books readily available. For the more adventurous, set up a blanket tent and bring out the flashlight.

What is 5?

2009-01-21T03:00:00.000-08:00

This is one of my daughter's favourite Math activities. I hang a large piece of paper on the fridge door and label it with "What is 5?" (or any other number that we are working on). Then we sit on the floor and take turns thinking of and then drawing things that represent 5. Throughout the week, more items are added to the poster as they are thought of. Lots of fun and lots of thinking!

Little Do-Dads

2009-01-20T03:00:00.001-08:00

For most of us, we like to home school on a budget. This means scouring second hand stores for treasured books, popping into Dollar Stores for construction paper and pencils and finding a multitude of uses for everyday items - Who knew a cookie sheet was really a magnet board, a foundation for a rock and water world and a musical instrument???

Recently, I purchased a couple of inexpensive schooling supplies that have me and my kids a little bit giddy.

The first item is a clipboard. We love the clipboard for taking our work on the road i.e. field trips, car rides, and nature walks. We tie a pencil through the clip at the top and the kids are good to go.

The second item is a magnifying glass. With a magnifying glass my kids are able to get "close-up" to bugs under a rock, the veins in a leaf or the 6 points of a snowflake that has fallen on their mitten.

Below is a photo of my daughter exploring the needles from a pine tree. With her magnifying glass she was able to better see the shape and texture of the needles. We cut a needle open and she was able to see the texture inside the needle as well. Oh look - she's using her clipboard too! :)

What are your favourite homeschooling supplies. I would love to read about them in the comment area. :)

2009-01-19T03:00:00.000-08:00

This video clip is a little retro, but it gets me all teary eyed when I watch it. It includes a narration by Gloria Gaither and then a song by Bill Gaither. Although the Gaithers were not a homeschooling family, I think that Gloria Gaither speaks a lot of truth with her narration about her own family life. Be blessed.

Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. ~ Deut. 11:18, 19

Eco Kids

2009-01-16T03:00:00.000-08:00

Recently I was introduced to a new favourite website: Eco Kids.

There is a kids area and a teachers area when you first arrive at the website. As a homeschooling parent, you can register as a "teacher" and get access to all of the neat resources available. You just need to provide an email address to use as your log in.

One of the resources that I am enjoying with my kids is the calendars. Each month has a different Eco theme, and each day has a little fact, riddle or activity related to the theme.

For example:
January - Winter Wonderlands
February - Global Village
March - Water
April - Earth Day
May - 3 R's - Recycling, Reusing, Reducing
June - Looking At What We Eat

The calendars are easy to print off, hang on the fridge, and use as a new way of learning about environmental ideas.

There is much more available on the site, so take a moment to look around at Eco Kids

Winter Links

2009-01-15T03:00:00.000-08:00

Animal Tracks
Snowflake Photography
Snowflake Bentley

We're Enjoying Jan Brett ...

2009-01-14T03:00:00.001-08:00

A Wonderful Winter Nature Study

2009-01-13T03:00:00.000-08:00

I recently purchased a delightful winter unit from the Five in a Row digital store. The unique thing about this unit is that it is digital. As a customer, I purchased the unit online and received it within a few moments as an attachment in an email. It was quick and easy to download and once opened, it was jammed packed with tons of great ideas. Some of the ideas included tips and printables for winter nature studies (including animal studies), read alouds, poems, songs, quotations, art ideas, etc. The cost of the unit is $16 and is well worth every penny. It can be used across grade levels and can be easily integrated along with any curriculum. It is definitely something that I will go back to year after year during the chilly winter months.

Miss Rumphius ~ Barbara Cooney

2009-01-12T03:00:00.000-08:00

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths ~ Ephesians 4:29
I adore Miss Rumphius! We rowed this book in the Fall and it was wonderful, but it would be ideal as a Spring unit since there is a focus on planting seeds.

~ directed quail drawing, narration, booklet of various places that Miss Rumphius visits

~ multi-media art (watercolour paint and felt pen), ways to make the world more beautiful, letter to grandparents and their responses

Favourite Activity ~ Letter Writing:
In Miss Rumphius the grandfather tells his granddaughter stories about when he was young. We decided to reenact this storytelling through letter writing. My daughter copied a letter to 2 sets of grandparents and to 2 sets of great grandparents and asked for them to write her a letter about "when they were a kid". Her grandparents rose up to the occasion and wrote amazing letters about the good ole days.

Nothing can replace these letters. I was crying through several of them as I read about the memorable moments in my parents and grandparents lives ~ many moments that I had never been told about before.

The wonderful thing about this activity is that my daughter now has an incredible keepsake that goes beyond words. A keepsake that I hope will be treasured forever!

From the Teacher in Me ....

2009-01-09T06:00:00.000-08:00

Following are some ideas and website links that may prove useful in helping to increase your child’s reading fluency:

Oral Reading and Fluency:
A. Instructor models fluency.

B. Student reads same passage four times as instructor offers guidance.

C. Engage in other activities.

1. Student may read aloud along with a taped book.
2. Student and instructor may read some passages in unison.

(Taken from notes from “The Good Reader: Teaching Reading From Birth On” ~ by Jessie Wise)

Activities for repeated oral reading practice to help increase fluency:
Student-adult reading--reading one-on-one with an adult, who provides a model of fluent reading, helps with word recognition, and provides feedback.

Choral reading--reading aloud simultaneously in a group.

Tape-assisted reading--reading aloud simultaneously or as an echo with an audio-taped model.

Partner reading--reading aloud with a more fluent partner (or with a partner of equal ability) who provides a model of fluent reading, helps with word recognition, and provides feedback.

Readers' theatre--the rehearsing and performing before an audience of a dialogue-rich script derived from a book.

(Taken from “Fluency Instruction”)

Some Sight Word Website Links:
For those students who need to sound out almost every word, getting them to learn their sight words is essential. These two sites have the Dolch sight word lists available. Have your child practice reading the words on list 1 until he/she masters it, and then move on to list 2 etc. There are 11 lists in total to master!
Dolch List
Jan Brett’s Dolch List

Some Reading Fluency Website Links:
Put Reading First
Fluency Activities
Educational Links: Fluency

We're Enjoying ...

2009-01-08T02:00:00.000-08:00

The Snowy Day ~ Ezra Jack Keats

Some Thoughts ...

2009-01-07T03:00:00.000-08:00

Just prior to the Christmas break, a colleague blessed me with a reading recommendation: Educating the WholeHearted Child by Clay and Sally Clarkson. I am one of those people who loves to learn from the wisdom of those who have gone before me and thoroughly enjoyed the insight of the Clarksons.

As I spent time reading, I felt God speaking to me in the area of peace. Peace within my home. Peace within my relationships. Peace within my conversations. Peace within my attitude.

Right alongside the desire for peace was the reminder of my need for Grace.

Daily Grace.

Grace to make it peacefully through this day, this week, this term, this year.

In God's perfect timing, He had another fellow colleague send me an email that directed me to this beautifully written excerpt on how to maintain Peace within a homeschooling home. I encourage you to take some time when your home is quiet and your mind is still, to read these words of encouragement: How to Parent: Just Guide Gently

Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace always in every way. The Lord be with you all. ~ 2 Thessalonians 3:16

My Reading Nook

2009-01-06T23:34:00.000-08:00

Sally Clarkson's inspirational blog: I Take Joy

A New Coat for Anna - Harriet Ziefert

2009-01-05T10:35:00.000-08:00

Memory Verse: Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth ... but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven ... For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. ~ Matthew 6:19-21

Lots of great discussion! We discussed:
~ being poor
~ families during war times
~ giving to those who are in need
~ being content and worry free no matter what the circumstance
~ patience - how Anna waited a whole year to get her new coat
~ the seasons (through the illustrations and text)
~ the difference between buying with money and bartering

Our favourite activities:
~Role playing through the story
~ Sequencing the story using picture cards (I used my scanner to scan key illustrations from the book and then my daughter put them in order, dictated what was happening and then put together as a little book)
~ Planning, purchasing items for and putting together a package for a Thanksgiving food hamper for new moms with babies.
~ Sewing a small bag.
~ Measuring various parts of our bodies.

Here are a couple of photos of the paper pencil type activities:

~ back and front portraits, narration, body measurement booklet

~ directed drawing, sequencing booklet, scripture reference, swatch of material used for sewing project

Calendar Time

2009-01-03T15:56:00.000-08:00

Here's a great way to get your children learning through living. I hear that ALL calendars are on sale right now - everywhere! My kids are loving this one so far. They can design their own page and add stickers for special dates - How fun is that?!?!

Nature Walk Extravaganza

2008-10-27T23:05:00.000-07:00

Instilling a LOVE of nature in my children is a priority since nature is a reflection of God's awesomeness. I like to take time to be awed at His creation and I like to bring my kids alongside in this experience.

Tomorrow I have an autumn nature walk planned. To help with our discoveries, I am going to have the girls use this picture checklist from abcteach : Nature Walk Checklist

Recently I came across some other neat ideas to use while exploring nature:
Painted Egg Carton Discovery Chest

Using your 5 Senses

Top 10 Things to Do on a Nature Walk

Awe-Tumn
When summer's seams
Have come undone,
Then greens to reds
And purples run.
A palette falls
To forest floor,
And autumn leaves
Leave me in awe.

~ Douglas Florian ~ "Autumnblings"

A Milestone

2008-10-25T00:02:00.000-07:00

Get Ready for the Code - Explode the Code Primer Book A is officially completed - October 24, 2008.

There were moments of "letter writing trauma" as m's looked like seagulls flying across the page and k's's looked like flat-headed crocodiles with their mouths wide open. But truth be told, my heart delights and the corners of my lips curl up in response to the flying m's and wide-mouthed k's.

I'm not sure if I should be aiming for "perfection" in the area of writing or not. But so far, I'm not. - I'm aiming for legibility.

This is my daughter's first attempt at a workbook and to be honest I'm pretty proud of her. She showed perseverance and looked almost studious at times while working away at the exercises. Next week we'll bring on Book B ... Get Set for the Code!

2008-10-05T09:33:00.001-07:00

We're not trying to do School at Home. We're trying to do home school. These are two entirely different propositions. We're not trying to replicate the time, style or content of the classroom. Rather we're trying to cultivate a lifestyle of learning in which learning takes place from morning until bedtime 7 days each week. The formal portion of each teaching day is just the tip of the ice burg. ~ Steve and Jane Lambert

A Forest Scavenger Hunt

2008-09-27T15:45:00.000-07:00

This is a fun little scavenger hunt that I came across in a local environmental magazine:

~ a mushroom
~ lichen (like hanging hair)
~ a cedar tree
~ a seed
~ a feather
~ a non-native species
~ a sign of the season
~ a sign of humans
~ a branch or stick shaped like a letter
~ a squirrel or chipmunk chattering
~ something red
~ something round
~ a conifer cone (like a pine or fir cone)
~ a scat (animal droppings)
~ somebody's home
~ a bird song
~ a stream or creek
~ a nurse log (a log with plants growing on it)
~ a wildflower
~ a sign of a woodpecker
~ a rotten log
~ a worm or an insect
~ something yellow
~ a river worn rock (smooth and round)
~ moss on a tree trunk or log
~ an old growth tree (takes 3 kids arms to wrap around the trunk!)

Wee Gillis ~ Munro Leaf ~ FIAR Unit Study

2008-09-17T08:27:00.000-07:00

Memory Verse: Proverbs 9:9 ~ Instruct a wise man and he will be wiser still.

Day 1
~ listened to bagpipe music
~ talked about the months of the New Year and January
~ went through a calendar learning the names of the months and an occasion that corresponds with each
~ sung the months of the year (made up a tune)
~ compared "oatmeal eating" pictures
~ made homemade oatmeal

Day 2
~ looked at the picture of Wee Gillis blowing the bagpipes and talked about how the "cross-hatching" lets us know that his cheeks were red
~ tried cross hatching on a square piece of paper
~ glued pictures of a hairy-cow and a stag into our animal classification chart

Day 3
~ looked at the shadows in the illustrations and discussed where the sun was coming from (my daughter also looks for her shadow and the direction of the sun when outside)
~ completed a directed drawing of a hairy-cow and it's shadow

Day 4~ placed a sticker on Scotland on a world map
~ created a Scotland flip book - the pages included a flag of Scotland and of our own country, pictures and labels of a kilt (and a swatch of plaid material), bagpipes, a hairy-cow and a map of Scotland

Day 5
~ narrated the story of Wee Gillis ~ my daughter dictated and I typed (she needed a little prompting but for the most part it is her interpretation)
~ cut and assembled scrapbook pages with the completed Wee Gillis activities

And the Winners are . . .

2008-07-31T19:40:00.000-07:00

Here are the curriculum winners for this school year(Kindergarten):

Unit Studies - Five in a Row (presently working out of Volume 2)

Math Bags and Activities - I am making these up. Each bag/activity will focus on a specific Math skill (e.g. number correspondence, numbers up to 100, patterns, 2-D shapes, measurement, sorting, adding and subtracting).

Get Ready for the Code, Get Set for the Code, and Go for the Code - The Primers for the Explode the Code Series.

I have also picked up Handbook of Nature Study by Anna Botsford Comstock so that I can participate in:

Enjoying the Classics

2008-06-20T11:38:00.000-07:00

Here are a couple of tried and true picture books that we have been enjoying lately:

The illustrations are excellent and allow for imaginations to go to another place. The relationship between the mother bunny and the child bunny allows kids to relate to the story even more. There is a text pattern and rhyme that can be used as a model to guide children in adding their own verses to the story. A very sweet read.

I love this book. There is so much learning that occurs by simply reading the text and discussing the illustrations. The illustrations are not in color but somehow they captivate the hearts and minds of both children and adults.
As we have read through this book several times, we have:
~ learned the difference in appearance between a mallard and a drake
~ counted the baby ducklings on each illustration to make sure none has been lost
~ recognized the need for a mama duck to find a place to nest and sit on her eggs
~ learned what molting is
~ compared the park in the book with the park that we go to to feed the ducks
~ established who a cop is
~ reviewed along with the ducklings the rules of safety when walking near traffic

A wonderful read!

A Poem, Two Quotes, and a Verse

2008-06-10T23:10:00.000-07:00

I took a piece of living clay
And gently formed it, day by day
And molded with my power and art
A young child's soft and yielding heart.

If a child is to keep his inborn sense of wonder . . . he needs the companionship of at least one adult who can share it, rediscovering with him the joy, excitement, and mystery of the world we live in. ~ Rachel Carson

The imagination should be allowed a certain amount of time to browse around. ~ Thomas Merton

Be an example . . . of good deeds of every kind. Let everything you do reflect your love of the truth. ~ Titus 2:7

Summer Lessons

2008-06-07T22:55:00.000-07:00

Song of Summer by Margo Petterson
Summer is quickly approaching and even though the school doors are closing, the curious minds of our children never shut down! As I look ahead to July and August, I am starting to think about the lessons that I will be teaching my children during the lazy, but inevitably crazy days of summer. Here are some of the lessons that have come to mind:

How to pick strawberries without smooshing them.
How to pack a healthy picnic lunch.
How to paddle a canoe.
What the summer solstice means.
How to make others feel special on their birthday(we have a lot of summer birthdays).
How to swim safely at the lake.
How to make a bird feeder out of a giant sunflower.
How to spot the Big Dipper and Ursa Minor.
How to make homemade ice cream.
How to pack a backpack for a sleepover.
How to can peaches.
How to make and sort a collection of rocks, shells, and flower petals.
How to build a stable sand castle.
How to play hopscotch.
How to jump rope.
How to pit a cherry and make a fresh cherry pie.
How to keep our petunias and marigolds alive and well.
How to harvest lavender.
How to count their many summer blessings.

Truth to Cling to

2008-06-04T20:28:00.001-07:00

Mother and Child by Francis Coates Jones

She opens her mouth with wisdom,
And on her tongue is the law of kindness.
She watches over the ways of her household,
And does not eat the bread of idleness.
Her children rise up and call her blessed;
Her husband also, and he praises her.

~ Proverbs 31:26~28

Tidbits and Tips: A Homeschooling Binder

2008-06-02T16:35:00.000-07:00

Every homeschooling parent needs a "homeschooling binder" - a place to stash (I mean carefully organize) all the homeschooling paraphernalia that inevitably will come your way. Paraphernalia that you don't want to throw into the recycling because you just might need it. . . one day.

I have recently designated a lovely orange binder to be my official homeschooling binder. I already have a few homeschooling tidbits that need a home. Some of the tidbits are from a homeschooling convention that I attended in the Spring. The other resources are outlines from some of Susan Wise Bauer's convention workshops - nuggets of information about instilling the love and skills of language into children at the K-4 level.

The cover of my homeschooling binder houses my personal homeschooling convictions. As well, I plan to include some of my favorite Bible verses relating to the training, discipleling, and raising up of my children.

Blessings!

To Choose or Not to Choose

2008-05-26T10:04:00.000-07:00

I'm talking about curriculum here. There are so many choices to choose from when deciding on homeschooling curriculum that it truly can be overwhelming. At a recent homeschooling convention the keynote speaker, Debra Bell, realistically revealed that as a homeschooling parent it is inevitable that we will choose the "wrong" curriculum . . . sometimes. It's not so much a mistake as an opportunity to learn what doesn't work for our families.

Over the last couple of years I have been experimenting with Jane Claire Lambert's Before Five in a Row (FIAR) curriculum. I will admit - both the kids and I love it. This curriculum focuses on quality literature based unit studies and is very open ended. Suggested activities are provided that correspond with the "book of the week" and I can choose which activities I feel will best meet the learning needs and abilities of my children. It is very hands-on which requires more time commitment from myself, however the results are delightful! I have been using Before Five in a Row (for ages 2-4) for the past 2 years in a very unstructured way. My kids have been "doing school" but haven't even realized it. I plan to continue to use some of the Before Five in a Row units during my daughter's Kindergarten year just because the books are so . . . wonderful.

I have recently been searching for blogs of other homeschooling families who are using Five in a Row. There are a lot of them! I am so excited about this newly discovered online community of other "rowers" (that's what they call themselves!). I will be adding "Rower" links to my sidebar . . . soon.

Living to Learn or Learning to Live?

2008-05-21T21:40:00.000-07:00

Part of my philosophy of homeschooling is to live to learn. Life is saturated with learning opportunities and if we grab hold of these opportunities our minds are broaden, our hearts are opened, and we live more abundantly. The more we experience life, the more knowledge and wisdom we acquire.

Today my children and I read a book together and they discovered what the word "basking" means. Last week we made "I am Special" books and my 2 year old (almost 3) wanted to write her name on her book. She did - for the first time! Yesterday we learned that cream of tartar is the magic ingredient to make "the best" play dough. And recently my oldest learned how to float, glide and swim during her swimming lessons. We didn't plan to learn these things, but together we are taking hold of life's opportunities and as a result, learning.

Here's that fabulous play dough recipe:

1 cup flour
1 cup water
1/2 cup salt
2 tablespoons cream of tartar
1 tablespoon oil

Cook ingredients on medium heat until they become formed. Have fun!

Let's Do Activities!

2008-05-16T22:40:00.000-07:00

This past week we did "Activities". This is when I clear off the kitchen table and choose 4 activities to set up on the 4 sides of the table. The girls can choose a starting activity and then rotate around the table as they please. Sometimes they rotate to all 4 activities and sometimes they choose only 2 - and that's okay. This past week, I set up more playful activities and went with somewhat of a dinosaur theme.

Mini dinosaur land with rice. This gave lots of texture experience for my 2 year old especially when the water pond mixed with the rice fields.

Dinosaur tracer - self explanatory. I usually try to include at least one "pencil-paper" activity and this was it.

Animal Rock Land - This was the hit of the week. The girls played with this for 3 days before their attention span waned.

I usually don't include books because they don't get chosen during "activity" time. They didn't get chosen this time around either, but we did get to share one over snack later.

There you have it.

A Little More on Faith and Character

2008-05-14T21:58:00.000-07:00

As a mom, I have been a "home educator" since the moment my firstborn came into this world. It started off with the Baby Einstein books and the Discovery Toys stacking cups. Then crayons, construction paper, building blocks and dress up clothes got added to the repertoire. As my daughter grew older activity bags, ABC's and counting everything became part of her learning routine.

My daughter was getting "educated". - At least according to society's standards.

The problem with this type of education began to arise when I started to ask myself:

If I teach my child to count, but not how to be kind, then what have I taught her?

If I teach her all of her letter sounds, but not how to love, then what have I taught her?

If I teach her how to write neat little messages, but not how to be self-controlled, then what have I taught her?

Amidst all of her "education" I wondered how is her faith and character developing? Bedtime prayers and Bible stories, Sunday school and Veggie Tales are all important in her spiritual growth, but is the realness of God evident in her daily life? Did she come to the end of the day without being reminded that she is "fearfully and wonderfully made"? Did she hear me thank God for the promise of the rainbow after the rain stopped? Did I choose to punish rather than to discipline when she disobeyed?

Recently I'm feeling challenged to deschool myself. Maybe it's time to put away the magnet alphabet, close the writing practice booklet, and open my eyes to the world God's created. Maybe it's time to start focusing a little less on the temporal and a lot more on the eternal. I don't want too many days to end without striving to love the LORD our God with all of our hearts, and souls and strength. I don't want too many days being wasted.

My Conviction

2008-05-13T18:43:00.000-07:00

As a homeschooling mom it is essential that I know why I have chosen to home school. It is not a good enough reason to say "because it is the more 'noble' way". I know that in the days ahead there will be moments when the public school down the street looks very inviting and the whole idea of homeschooling will seem utterly ridiculous. It is on days like these when I will need to go back to that little piece of paper stuck on the inside of my cupboard door and read it aloud. I will need to remind myself about my original convictions of why homeschooling is the best choice for our family at this time. I will need to read something more realistic than "because I want to be a good mom".

So here I sit on the brink of officially homeschooling my oldest daughter. Conviction writing time is here. My convictions are several, with some being stronger than others, but nevertheless each one is important and will be essential in the days ahead. So here they go . . .

Conviction #1 - Living Without Regrets. I have the opportunity to home school and a large support group is already in place. I don't want to look back on this time and wish that I had, when I hadn't.

Conviction #2 - Age 5 is Toooooo Young. Someone, somewhere decided that age 5 was the appropriate age for a child to leave the influence of his home and start being influenced by 20 other 5 year olds and an adult stranger. I personally feel that 5 is too young to leave home. Just my own personal conviction.

Conviction #3 - Faith and Character. No matter what I do, my kids are going to learn their ABC's and how to count simply by being alive. But will they learn how to love God with all their heart, soul, and strength? Will they grasp an understanding of God's love, faithfulness, and forgiveness? Will they learn that God cares about the big things but also the teensy, tiny things? As for character, we are presently talking a lot about the Fruit of the Spirit and trust me, we have a looooong way to go!

So there you have it. I may come back and revamp occassionally, but for now these are the convictions that stand. Now I just need to tape them to the inside of my cupboard door.