Mar. 8, 2007 - Routine?
Well so much for getting back to "routine". I came down with a bad sinus cold, we had some plumbing problems again, and the dryer went out. So we weren't exactly doing school the way we normally would, but once again that is the joy of homeschooling.
When I was sick, I didn't have to trek out in the cold to get the kids to and from school. I couldn't read aloud to them though either, I spent much time on the couch for a week, so they took extra time to read to me.
When our hot water pipe went, two of my boys were out there under our mobile with my husband's friend learning about how to repair water pipes. Being the thrid time we've had trouble with the same pipe, this time the boys knew just what tools to have ready to go and how and where to turn off the water main and water heater.
When the dryer went, we spent time online together looking at possible new dryers to purchase; reading the consumer report reviews and comparing prices. The kids went with me to purchase the new dryer on our way back from a trip to the library . Even my almost ten year old said he was amazed that the best deal was from a small local appliance shop and not from a major retail store with flashy sale ads on tv. I think he will always take to heart this lesson of taking the time to shop around and not just be drawn in by ads that claim "lowest price guaranteed". The boys were right there too, last Friday, when the man came to install the dryer, asking him questions about the new gas valve he installed- what was different about it from the old one and why it was important to have.
And that brings me to today. This week has been very "routine" for us so far. We put in a full day of school, and all it's basics, on Monday- reading, math, history, Spanish, science. We went to co-op classes on Tuesday. We put in a full day of school at home here again yesterday. And this morning, before the kids even started to emerge from their beds, I was able to go online and order what books and materials I figured out that we need to purchase for next year! I had started browsing the catalogs for materials just as soon as I had ordered for this year. I am proud to have that done! I know I won't be scrambling come August or having to listen to the kids whine about why we won't be going to the pool two days.
As soon as I sign off here, we will be off to the post office to send back our lending library materials and then be back home here before ten to get on with our day!
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Feb. 17, 2007 - Snow! Snow! Snow!
This week was one of those weeks where we just did not get much done as far as "planned" academics goes. Monday the PS kids were out for Lincoln's birthday. So my kids were off too so they could play with friends and shovel the first round of snow. I worked on finishing up the spackling in our bathroom and on making a big pot of chicken soup. My youngest was in much of the day so she was my assistant carpenter and cook. Monday night, after we took my oldest daughter to bell choir practise, we took soup to my dad, visited with him for a time, and the boys shoveled his drive for him. We finished off the day with reading before bed.
Tuesday we normally have co-op classes. Classes were cancelled due to the weather. We went early to the store, spent some time reading and working on math, and then the rest of the day we spent keeping up with the snow. It didn't seem like it would ever end. And when it wasn't snowing, it was blowing! We need a new storm door, so we literally had snow blowing up in between the two doors. At one point I opened the inner door to find snow about eight inches up bewteen the doors. I had to put a towel down to keep the snow from blowing in.
My two younger boys, of course, had an instant business. Over the course of the week they each made about eighty dollars from shoveling. This became an instant economics lesson as they coutnted their money and planned out a budget for what they want to do with the money.
The boys also shovel, for free, for many in the area who cannot do it themsleves. There were questions asked one nght about why some of the kids around thought it was strange that they would shovel and not get paid for it. I am glad that my boys think nothing of helping those who truly need it, without asking for pay or giving it a second thought. I told them straight out that I was proud of them! I told them that those jobs are far more important than the paid ones. In doing those, they are doing the Lord's work. This became our topic of discussion for devotions this week.
Yesterday, with the snow done and the PS kids back at school, we decided to just spend the day cleaning the house. It seemed silly to start on Friday muchof what we'd planned to start on Monday. We could get the house clean and start fresh this coming Monday. We cleaned, went grocery shopping, spent time reading, and watched two Schoolhouse Rock videos.
This week while my neighbors grumbled about having their kids home for snow days, I was lamenting the time we usually do school together. I missed it! I missed the kids being home here more than not. Yes, it was great to have one whole day to get caught up on the kids' picture albums and my scrapbooking (I had pics from last summer still to get done) and to take a whole day to clean well, but I will be glad when we will get back to routine again. That is unless we get more snow!
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Jan. 30, 2007 - Ups & Downs
Yesterday was Monday. I often dread Mondays. It just seems like on Mondays it can be hard to get back to routine after two days where eveything changes. Well I was up in plenty of time to get my paperwork for 4-H done, do my yoga, some reading, and shower before the kids began to wake up for the day. I was more than confident that we were going to have a great day because my attitude was so good! The kids tend to reflect mom's attitude, right? Wrong.
Two of my four, that are at home during the day, were up quickly enough and in seemingly good spirits. They dressed and ate and were ready to begin school. My oldest daughter was next to get up and, for whatever reason, immediately began to itch at them. She was debating everything they did and said. I had to strongly urge her to get on with her own business and not worry about them. Then I had to go and rouse my nine year old from his bed where he had proceeded to begin watching a movie instead of getting himself fed and dressed. Within two hours I was feeling like I should have left him where he was, or have been able to ship him to another planet!
My six and eleven year olds were finishing up with their math and some reading when the nine year old was just finishing his breakfast. I asked him to go get paper for his math and a book to read aloud. He took about forty-five minutes to find a book to read and then whined that he couldn't read much of it because it was too hard. The same went for math. Never mind the long division problems, he was complaining about the simple addition problems in his lesson. Most of the remaining morning went by in much the same manner with him. I was then feeling I wanted to go to another planet!
I was hearing those voices in my head that say 'If he was in school he wouldn't do that!" And yet also I was feeling "Thank goodness he is at home! He would just have been brought down even more, on an emotional level, with a few failing grades!" So for the afternoon I let him just go read quietly in his room. It was obvious he needed quiet and space.
Before bed we try always to take time to read aloud. This time it was my nine year old who was first to bound onto the couch and who was urging me to let him read first, and from a book MUCH more difficult than the one he'd chosen in the morning. He was just bubbling over with excitement and enthusiasm! He was the total opposite of the boy he'd been just twelve hours before.
It was truly a great feeling to end such a topsy turvy day in such a positive manner! And I'm hoping today will begin so positively as well, so we can leave Monday behind us!
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Jan. 19, 2007 - Consumer Math
This year my two highschool age children are doing a consumer math program. The section they are currently working on is automobile insurance. Great! My son got his license back in September and so was added to our policy driving the one car we had. He is responsible for paying for his own insurance. It has been great that he has been working on math that calculates how much insurnace costs for various types of vehicles, ages of vehicles, for various ages of drivers, and accordingto driving records. It gives him a general idea of how insurance works and to know just what he's paying for. In the book, everything is calculated from a chart. It is not difficult to figure the premiums.
Our own policy premiums are now due this month. However, the car my son was driving needed some repairs that would cost more than we paid for the car. My son decided he would just begin to put money away to buy his own vehicle and we junked that car that he was driving. I had called a few days ago to cancel the insurance for that car. I was told that my son could, and should, still be carried on the policy as an occasional driver (to maintain insurance so his rates don't go up) on my husbnad's work car for a minimal amount. Ok, sounded good to me. Well today I go online to pay my premiums now that the changes went into effect and find that the insurance company had meesed everything up and the quote I was given the other day was no where near what was listed as due payment.
It got me to thinking that something is definitely missing from the consumer math program-working with service providers and also what you need to do if you have a problem with a service provider. That is where real life just has to come into the picture. It really cannot be learned just from pages in a book. I am going to wait to call my insurance company tonight when both of my children can be present to listen to my call and get bird's eye view, so to speak, of how the conflict gets resolved. I think it could make a world of difference for them for when the time comes that they are on their own with such issues to deal with.
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Jan. 6, 2007 - Just who decides which is best?
With the holiday season, and the PS holiday break, many homeschool families come into contact with more public schooled kids and thier families- friends, neighbors, relatives. It's one of those times of the year when comments on homeschooling seem to be more frequent. So I thought I would share a story about my son when he went, a few weeks back, to the local PS winter program with his public school friend (who was in the program) and another friend who is homeschooled.
My son asked one day if he could go watch the holiday program at the local school. I was shocked at first because he said the kids were going to be singing and dancing and playing instruments for the program. The school only offers such activities in "paid by parents" after school programs. I did not think there were enough kids to have an actual program. I did say that he could go though.
After the program was over, there were refreshments offered. My son and his other homeschool friend were approached by the school principal who asked if they were from out of town visiting since he did not think they went to the school. They both answered that they homeschool and always have. That prompted a tour of the school so they could see how "great" school is and all that they do and have at the school. The principal ended his grand tour by saying "We have all that you could ever want to do and learn about here, and you could be with other kids your own age too. You might want to think about going here." My son, who has wanted his own lawn care business since he was four and who also helps to work on mowers & such with a neighbor, asked where the class was for small engine repair. His friend, who wants to be a botonist, asked how frequently they go on nature hikes and to where do they hike.
My son came home and was laughing as he told me his story. He said that when he and his friend asked the principal their questions, the pricipal's face went blank. He could not answer them because, of course, he had nothing to reply with. He simply stated that he would walk them back to the gym at that point. It would be time for everyone to be getting on home.
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Jan. 3, 2007 - New Year
It's the start of a whole new year! Happy New Year!
All of the holiday decorations are down and the house is back to bare bones once again. I do love the cozy cottage feel the house gets when we put up fall decorations and then at Christmas, but at this time of the year I do so love even more the refreshing feeling that comes with just the minimum.
Following the PS schedule so my kids can play with thier friends, we have been off of official "school" since Christmas. So while the kids have gone out to play, I have been mostly busy with getting the house reorganized while I have the extra time. (It's amazing how far items can get from their designated home when at the end of busy school day even mama doesn't want to try and put them back!)I have also taken time to empty out the filing cabinet, do some deeper cleaning, get caught up on the kids'records, and spend extra time just reading for myself.
Then in the evening, when the kids have come in at the end of the day, we have taken time for read alouds, played games-new and old, and stayed up a little later than usual and watched some tv. We even spent New Year's Eve watching a show on Food Network about an unusual cake bakery. The chef bakes cakes that sometimes use welded forms to hold them up. My boys sure got into that!
Yesterday we had taken a trip to the store and I finally bought what we need to get our bathroom repainted. The wallpaper in there was peeling and so several months ago my six year old spent time, and had great fun, pulling down that first layer. The paper backing still remains. Last night my eleven year old took time to score it so, hopefully, it will scrape off much easier. The kids, of course, think they are just having fun but in the back of my mind I'm silently screaming "Home-Ec 101"! I think my future sons & daughters-in-law will thank me at least. I know my husband is scared to death of painting because as a young person he was not allowed to try his hand at such intricate, "grown-up" work. I figure that the worst that can happen in the process is that we might have to do a little repainting.
Tomorrow we have a 4-H meeting where the kids are bringing individual projects to work on. So today we will get out those crossstitch patterns that they've chosen and get set up so they can begin work on those.
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Dec. 12, 2006 - December Days
We have set aside our science studies for this month in order to take more time for Advent devotions. For my busy hands-on boys, along with our daily readings, we are doing a devotional scavenger hunt each day where the kids have to find a specified item in the house and then we discuss it's relevance to Christmas and also the many reasons why we should be thankful for the item.
We are also doing the Thanksgiving Box activity where the kids count the number of certain things we have in the house, like pairs of socks, and then they put the same number of coins in a jar to later be given to a charity. This we have done for five years now. My youngest, who is learning to count coins, is really enjoying this activity this year. I like that by the time Christmas comes, our jar is full and the kids can see just how much we have and be extra thankful for what gifts they get for Christmas.
My youngest three children and I are reading the book, A Little House Christmas. It is a compilation of the holiday stories from the Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilder. I had read the book with my older two childeren, many years back, and found it makes a great introduction to the series, which I will begin reading with my younger ones in January to go along with studying early American history.
Yesterday we read about the Ingalls family's first Christmas at Plum Creek in which Laura is worried about having no snow for Christmas. It was perfect for us as we are having unseasonably warm weather here right now and it has been raining since Sunday night. The kids could really relate to Laura and her longing for snow!
On Sunday, we spent the afternoon making up five batches of cookies. We are making up one batch each day this week too. Usually when we make cookies any other time of the year, we do pan cookies to save on time (and dishes). It is a real treat for us to make them in actual cookie form!
At a dollar store close-out last week I found a book, for only $.70, entitled Under God for my oldest son(and history buff) to read. I had never heard of the book before I saw it on the shelf. I am so glad to have found it! It is a compilation of historical accounts, biographies/personal stories of historical figures, and faith stories from the pre-American Revolution era to modern times. My son and I have both started to read it. It makes a great little review of American history as well as a glimpse into the faith life of our nation and it's people; how interwoven faith is into our beginnings and how also our country has contradicted so severly, at times, the principles of Christianity.
My oldest daughter plays in the bell choir at our church. They are busy now with extra practice for the Christmas season. Usually they practice for forty-five minutes to an hour each Monday night and then play the bells during church service once a month, or every few months.This month they are playing every Sunday for Advent and also for two Christmas services. They have stepped up their practice time to two nights a week for an hour and a half. She says she wouldn't mind if they kept up this schedule for the whole year. I don't know that I would like to take her so often each week all year, but I'm sure enjoying the extra listening time right now! The bells make such a beautiful sound for Christmas music!
Next week my husband will have three days of vacation time.He is looking forward to joining in on our school days for a bit. He has worked much overtime during this past year and so has only joined us on our learning adventure when we've worked on 4-H projects over a weekend or when we read at night. And gee! We just might be able to go get that Christmas shopping done too when he's off! We haven't even started on that yet.
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Nov. 25, 2006 - Christmastime
It's here again already! I can hardly believe it. The Christmas holiday season is upon us once more.
I look forward to the holiday season, as a Christian, as a time of preparation and reflection. It is a time to prepare my heart for the Lord, to think about his humble birth and to reflect on whether or not I have lived up to His request of making my own life like the life He lived. Have I been a true gift-giver, in every sense of the word, all year long? What can I do differently that I haven't done before to make it so? As a Christian homeschool mom, have I taken the time we've been afforded to devotion fervently and to serve?
We look forward to the holiday season, as a family, as time to savor our special traditions and one another. We know we are blessed when we can add an ornament to the tree each year for each one of us. And when putting up the ornaments from years past, we can reflect on how each of us has grown.
I have to admit though that just yesterday I was probably a bit more angered and prideful than I should have been for this season of humility, peace, joy, and love. Still, what caused the pride is what diminished my anger. You see, I can never even think about the commercial end of gift giving until after we have put up those things in our home that help us to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas-the creche and the advent candle wreath. It angered me on the first day of the season to be bombarded with all of the ads in our daily paper and then to watch the news clips about the people who camped out in parking lots for a special deal on the hot gift items for this year. Then I had relatives calling, who were shopping yesterday, to ask what to buy my children. Inside I was saying " Can't you all just put that aside for a time? I don't want the gifts to be the first thing my children think about!" One by one each of the kids was a given a chance to respond to the requests for gift ideas and to my surprise they did not know what they wanted. My youngest actually said to her aunt "I don't know what I want for Christmas but I know I want to put up the Christmas tree tomorrow and we are going to ring the red bell next week for to get money for gifts for kids who don't have a Santa that comes to their house."
Wow! It brought new meaning to "a little child shall lead them" for me. Whatever the rest of the world does this time of year should not be the focus of my concern. I should not be angered nor should I judge-those are very simple Christian principles to live by. I should simply set an example by what I do and how I live so that others can see Christ in me. I felt quite inadequate knowing I had been both judgeful and angered. I did not feel I was getting this advent season off to a very good start. But then I could tell by my children's words and actions that somewhere along the line I must have set some very good examples by my words and actions. Reflected back to me, I learned my first lessons of this year's season-be joyful in how I/we celebrate, be proud to share those ways with others, be thankful for the opportunity to do so, and be joyful and thankful for the gift of those people in our lives who care enough about us to want to give gifts to us, that we have them to call on us no matter the day or time.
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Nov. 15, 2006 - In Awe
Yesterday I wrote about how hard it must be for PS teachers to teach in a large classroom setting and still allow children the opportunity to be diverse, unique contributors and to learn in a manner that best suits their individual interests and strengths. Well, last night I stayed up to watch an Independent Lens documentary on PBS. When I tuned in I didn't know what the topic was going to be. I wanted to watch simply because I generally enjoy the shows portrayed on that series.
It didn't take long, perhaps five minutes into the show, before I was mesmerized by the program content. It was a documentary about a teacher, Albert Cullum, who taught in the New York PS system beginning in the 1940's. He didn't believe in dumbing down, he believed that kids would step up to the plate to learn even the most complex subjects/topics if given the chance. And he proved it by bringing the classics back into the classroom and by making the learning fun through interactive play. He believed the classroom was not just his, or the childrens', but that everyone in the class worked as a team, a family, and that all present in the class had great things to contribute to the work of the team.
It was truly amazing to watch the filmed footage of his classroom; his unique lesson ideas put into action and the eagerness of all the students to participate. Even though I have hands-on learners myself, I am not creative in that manner, as I have said before. I myself am a bookworm. I like to learn by reading. And as a child I was quite shy. I backed away from group activities that were interactive and hands-on. So I find it hard sometimes to come up with unique ideas to incorporate hands-on learning into subject areas that I myself would rather just read about. In this documentary, the teacher was so very creative. His ideas for hands-on learning seemed endless. I think anyone, young or old, would have loved to have learned under his direction.
This morning I took time to learn more about Albert Cullum on the PBS website and a few other sites as well as to request several of his books from my library. I know my little hands-on learners will gobble up his lesson plans if I can begin to use them here at home.
I am surprised though too that I have never before heard of Albert Cullum or his teaching methods. I would have thought that in all my years now as a homeschool mom I would have. Though I'm sure I have probably come accross at least a few of Cullum's lesson ideas through the years, ideas that others have borrrowed and shared. I just can't wait to get the books I requested from the library so I can learn more.
If you are seasoned to Cullum's ideas and methods, great! If not, I highly reccomend learning more about him.
Live, laugh, learn, & love,
Amy
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Nov. 14, 2006 - Surfing
So, I am still doing the random blog search thing and I am enjoying reading all the blogs. It's so great to see all the diversity and to know that it is one thing that makes homeschooling so great! Every family is different- we all have different beliefs, interests, learning styles, different family sizes, different home styles & settings, different different geographical locations, etc. I often hear, from those outside the homeschooling realm, that homeschooling only shuts kids out of "the real world". But the longer I homeschool, and the more homeschooling families I know, it seems to me that homeschooling truly brings the real world back into the lives of children.
I can't imagine how teachers in PS, with such large groups of children all working under one general fast-paced agenda, could even begin to corral all of the differences that kids have and make it work, while still allowing the kids to have diversity. I know I struggle sometimes with the differences that my own children have, and I only have five. Though a big part of homeschooling them, I believe, is to be able to afford them a way to be themsleves and to learn and grow along with and in the world around them. And I am just so glad I am blessed to be able to try and do so, even when it is a struggle for me as a mom to find that balance.
Homeschooling is truly an always-changing, always-anewing, ever
eye-opening, learn & grow as you go experience!
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Nov. 9, 2006 - Changing Seasons
There are many things that can mark the changing of one season to another. In the fall, before I had children, I only noticed the changing temperature, the colors of the leaves, the brown tips on the grass, and the farm fields suddenly brown and bare. Now in our house the one thing that gets noticed the most are the birds.
First the robins disappear. Then the jays and the cardinals take to making winter nests in the evergreens. They seem to fly less, preferring to save their energy and sit most often perched on a branch. The kids like that they can take time to look at them for more than a few seconds.
Next the sounds of geese become increasingly louder. We can look out the window to see large flocks fly overhead and swoop to land at the nearby pond. Sometimes they even walk right down our street!Then by the end of October, we may only hear faint squacking and see only one or two stragglers flying above.
The sparrows take to buiding winter hide-outs too, anywhere they can. This year a few have tried to take refuge in our kitchen fan vent. We have sat at the table and listened to them flutter just outside as they stuffed grasses between the loovers. The kids have begged me not to move them. "Just don't use the fan mom, they need a warm home."
A few miles from here an open field, that used to have many trees, was cleared for the development of a new subdivision. So this year there is an overabundance of starlings as well. Two weeks ago we awoke to what sounded like running water outside. The kids rushed to windows to see what all the noise was and were amazed to see the noise was caused by all of the starlings flying from tree to tree. We notice now that they fly in a pattern each morning, coming to rest in our tree by nine o'clock. The kids wait on the porch for them. With the real leaves from that tree now all fallen, the birds make the tree look as if it has black leaves. When they fly away to the next tree, they leave a shadow that looks much like a cloud on the ground below.
Yesterday, as my six year old was ooing and aahing over what she was priviledged to watch while sitting on the front porch, my heart was aching for the kids in classrooms everywhere. I couldn't help but think that they would have most likely been told to return to their seats if they had gone to the window to watch birds. (I think I even remember that happening to me as a young grade school student).
Here in our homeschool, the birds become part of school. We watch them. We talk about the changes from season to season and from one year to the next. The kids get books from the library on birds. They draw pictures. Our nature study handbook becomes a permanent fixture on the living room table again. We read stories and poems about birds.
We don't ignore them for the sake of doing something "more important". For a time, the birds become the center of all our learning. And I'm so glad my eyes were opened to all of their magical glory!
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Nov. 1, 2006 - Beginnings
Our homeschool journey began, well, when my oldest child was born really. I chose to be at home with him. I could not have imagined sending him to daycare. Then when it came time for him to go to preschool we had only one car . Would it be worth my walking two miles in the middle of winter with a toddler in tow for a two hour program? And I still couldn't bear to send him "off to school" either. Yes, I guess I was "selfish", but three years still didn't seem like enough time to have him all to myself. We decided to co-op preschool with a few other families instead.
When my son turned five then I figured that public school would soon be inevitable. Private school and homeschooling seemed to me at that time to be totally out of our financial realm. I had seen all the catalogs for homeschoolers and was blown away by what I thought I would have to purchase for that endevor. We reluctantly enrolled our son in the local public school.
The week before he was about to start kindergarten at the PS, his enrollment papers came in the mail and I found they had spelled his name wrong, first and last. How could I trust the school with my child if they couldn't even get his name right? I spilled my anxieties to a close friend who just happened to be a seasoned homeschooler of five herself. She told me that all I really needed was a little bit of creativity, some determination, and a library card. Wow! I already had all of those! The day our son was to start his first day of kindergarten we went to withdraw him from PS and we went to the zoo instead.
I have never regreted our decision to homeschool our children. I love spending so much time with my children and I like that they get to sepnd time with each other too. Yes, they do squabble sometimes but I know they are closer for being at home together. Well anyway, the myriad of positives are of course too many to mention. Every homeschool family could go on for days with all of the advantages to homeschooling. Each and every day brings new & different blessings.
This week I have been especially grateful for our life as homeschoolers. I have been sick and I may even have to have minor outpatient surgery on Friday. I am so glad I have not had to try and get five kids to and from three different schools (PS does not give excused absenses for a parent's illness), or worry about homework, or with keeping up with the house all on my own. We have simply cuddled on the couch, the kids taking turns reading aloud, they have worked on math skills on the computer, we've watched the many documentaries on Native Americans that we got in the mail last week from the lending library, and the kids have helped with the laundry and cooking too. Anything we have missed this week, because I have taken extra time for resting, will get caught up with later. If I do have to go for surgery, then my oldest two children (ages 16 & 14) will take over helping the younger ones for a day. What better adult education class is there than than actually having to take on real adult responsibilties from time to time? :)
Live, laugh, learn & love!
Amy
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