Posted in A lifestyle of learning - thoughts on education
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(from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) "The most important thing we've learned, |
Posted in A lifestyle of learning - thoughts on education
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Woo hoo!! I have just (last week) completed The Reading Lesson with my children and THEY CAN READ!! Ds-8 had 18 mths at PS from age 5, and came away from that reading at his 'age level', but only able to read very basic stuff - lame early readers etc, and HATED reading with a passion. So after I brought him home, we took a little over a year off formal reading and writing 'lessons' to allow him to learn to LOVE reading and writing again. Dd-7-next-week had 2 months at PS and couldn't read much at all...I had got half way through Learn-to-read-in-100-Easy-Lessons with her, but she hated it. We started using The Reading Lesson in the 2nd week of July on the recommendation of my good friend Cynthia Hancox (author of the awesome and FREE ebook Goodbye Chaos, Hello Peace) and they both just whizzed through it! We used stickers as a motivation & reward for completing lessons and mastering the accompanying words lists (which worked really well...it's amazing how much motivation a cute sticker can be!).
As well as getting a sticker on their progress chart for each lesson completed, they also got to choose a sticker for their sticker albums. Now the children are each choosing a short story to read to me each day - they usually choose a story from The Aesop For Children - with Pictures by Milo Winter (also available here as a free printable online ebook) which is an excellent book that we also use for narration (I would have to say that this book - which I brought cheaply 2nd hand, is by far our BEST, and most used, educational resource - apart from the Bible of course!). It has nice large print for easy reading with a great balance of words that they know and words that challenge them (without frustrating them). It is such a good feeling to have both my school-age children now reading well! Love & blessings
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Posted in A lifestyle of learning - thoughts on education
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Here are my newly developed yearly planner and weekly homeschooling record form (Charlotte Mason Style). They are in pdf format, as I don't seem to be able to post a Word.doc...but if you would like a copy you can modify for yourself, I will be happy to email one to you.
Yearly Planning Form Jan - Dec Yearly Planning Form Aug - Jul |
Posted in A lifestyle of learning - thoughts on education
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Now I have been struggling for sometime (actually, make that the entire 17mths we have been homeschooling!) with the whole homeschooling thing - as in actually getting some of the 'schooling' part done!!! LOL! It just seemed like life got in the way so much, and being the ADD girl I am, I get easily distracted and found that often the day would be gone and not much school got done (other than read-aloud's which are my major priority). Our school-age children are 7 (almost 8) and 6.5 years old. I had felt since the beginning of our hs that I wanted to do our 'own thing' and make up our own curriculum, I have found this to be extremely time-consuming and that it requires a lot of work from me because my children are not reading and writing fluently yet. So after much soul-searching I decided that I needed to give myself a break and SIMPLIFY. I didn't want to buy an all-in-one curriculum for several reasons (mainly being significant cost and the fact that I think I'd feel burdened and trapped by prepackaged curriculum)...so what was a girl to do??? I had been resistant to workbooks & worksheets, because I felt that it was just 'busy work' and like it was somehow cheating...silly huh? I loved the idea of a Charlotte Mason style curriculum (I still do!), but I also liked the idea of real-life based learning (does that mean we don't need to do school?? LOL!).
I have now realised that it's OKAY to use worksheets and workbooks. Not as the sole means of learning, but as a helpful tool to make sure that the basics get done. So what am I using you ask? How much did it cost you ask??? www.learningpage.com and the cost is FREE (you need to join, but there is no cost!) Now I know a lot of you will be familiar with this website - it's been on my favorites list for over a year, but I'd never really thought of using it on a regular basis. They offer LOADS of free worksheets and have themes that you can use as unit studies that include math, science & language worksheets. We are currently doing a Zoo unit study using their themed worksheets, a cool printable zoo mural with animal cut outs (we coloured it, added the animals and put it on the wall). There are also lesson plans you can use (or not!). The other themes are Oceans, Dinosaurs, Reptiles & Amphibians, Insects/Spiders and Space. They also have all sorts of worksheets for learning to write the alphabet, numbers, time, measurement, senses and season themed worksheets too. The worksheets are for Kindergarten to Grade 3 levels. I figure that each themed unit will last for around a month (longer if we repeat the worksheets), so that's at least 6 months of free curriculum.
The children are doing a Math, Science & Language worksheet each day, which takes a maximum of 30 minutes, and I have them colour & decorate the worksheets to put them into a binder (I've used a divider to keep the subjects separate). Easy as pie. We are also reading (me reading aloud to them) for 1 1/2 to 2 hours a day (Inc. Bible, literature, poetry and Aesop's Fables with oral narration). I am also going to be adding in 20 minutes a day of reading. So that's us in a nutshell. And I feel very calm and relaxed about the whole homeschooling now...there's a lot to be said for following the K.I.S.S (Keep It Simple Sweetie!) principle! I realise now that I had been putting WAY too much pressure on myself to make up own own curriculum using lapbooks (not lapbook kits where everything was done for you!), especially when the children are so young and require so much help. I really feel like I just need the mental break (from trying to do everything myself).
So...wow that was long, I hope that it inspires/encourages some of you (especially if you have young children like mine) to simplify your homeschooling a little and give yourself a break if you're trying to do it all on your own! I think that we will move into a season of using less worksheets etc when the children are older and have a good handle on the basics, but for now, I know that this is the best thing for us!
Love & blessings
 Ang |
Posted in A lifestyle of learning - thoughts on education
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Great article on Reading Aloud! Need more reasons to read aloud to your children? Need to know that it's OK for them to draw, build legos or stand on their heads while your reading?
http://www.ashbrook.org/publicat/guest/07/pitrone/reading.html Now if you haven't already signed up for the "You Need A Story" emails, you're missing out!! Ds 7 has listened to the "Rikki Tikki Tavi" (from Rudyard Kiplings Jungle Book) mp3 about 7 times, he loves it so much! Great unabridged, classic stories and a lovely voice to listen to as well (we really like his Southern Accent!). We just love audio books - they are great for those times when you are just too busy and the children want another story! Be blessed Love
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Posted in A lifestyle of learning - thoughts on education
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Okay, so I know I haven't been blogging much lately...not because I don't want to, just because I've been trying really hard to limit my computer time, and blogging is the easiest thing to cut down on!! Although, I must admit, that I'm always 'blogging' in my head LOL! Okay, so "whats the plan for this year" you ask? Well, I'm glad you asked, because that's what I'm blogging about today!! Isn't that a coincidence! Okay, so the 'plan' this year is to have a fairly informal, semi-unschooling, Charlotte Mason inspired, fun, everyday life learning kinda year! Clear as mud? My children (the 'school-aged' ones) are 7 & 6 and after reading Raymond Moore's book "The Successful Homeschool Family Handbook", I'm pretty into the whole delayed-formal-academics thing, so I want to keep this year pretty informal, with only a little reading and writing and lots of fun stuff...they aren't strong on reading and writing yet (although the 7yo can read pretty well, the 6yo can read the basics and they can both write fairly well for their ages) but I'm happy to leave off on the refinement of these skills until they are ready. So this is (in a nutshell) what we are going to be doing this year... We are using Galloping the Globe (GTG - Geography) & Considering Gods Creation (CGC - Science) as a 'frame' to hang our (more structured) learning on. They are very basic, flexible curriculum's, that I am using to give me a little structure and direction. We are starting GTG with England, and then we will be moving through the rest of the U.K and Europe. We are going to do lapbooks and notebook pages for each country, eating food from that country and other fun things like that. We brought the Global Puzzle...it took dh and I hours, but what fun! It was too hard for our children, but good for children over 9 and adults ;-) We also have the Geography Songs cd, book & wall map, which is another really fun way to enhance your geography knowledge! I'm learning heaps, and my children keep coming up and saying things like "I didn't know Australia was the largest island and the smallest Continent!" And the best part is, they don't even realise it's 'school'!!
The other thing that I'm going to be doing for my own 'homework' while we are studying England is reading Edward Rutherford's books, Sarum, London and The Forest they are brilliant historical novels (think Our Island Story for adults ;-) about England. He has also written books on Ireland and Russia. They are HUGE books, so it'll take me awhile, but at this stage I think we will be in Europe ALL YEAR! There is so much Literature and Legends that I want us to read, but at the same time, I am trying hard to remain flexible here, so if they lose interest after a few weeks, we'll move onto the next country!
I am currently reading Our Island Story (dh is reading it to the kids and I didn't want to miss out!) and I'm reading "English Literature for Boys and Girls" by H.E Marshall, which is a lovely introduction to English literature, written in her usual enthralling style! Well, I'm enjoying it anyway...the children are a little less enthralled...it's probably better for slightly older children!
Anyways...that's all I have time for right now, but I'll try and blog again soon!
 Love & blessings
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Posted in A lifestyle of learning - thoughts on education
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I just finished reading this part of a chapter in "The Successful Homeschool Family Handbook" by Raymond Moore, and I was so inspired and touched by it, that I had to type it out & share it with you! Apologies for any mistakes in the typing! I can type fast, but I make loads of mistakes ;-)
Love
Ang
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Running the Race with Endurance
As much as I glorify homeschool, I've very often been frustrated and wished for a virtuous way out. I do believe, however, that having formerly been a marathon runner has helped me to be mindful of the fact that the satisfaction is glorious at the end of a long grueling run. Unlike some marathon runners, I ran not to win but for the sheer satisfaction of completing twenty-six-and-
When I began homeschooling, I had a perfectly laid out plan for how it was supposed to be: how well behaved my two and five-year-olds were going to be as I taught the others, how enthusiastic the children were going to be with every new project I assigned, how orderly the house and household chores would be, how pleased family and friends would be.
Well, how many of us know the demand of undivided attention that toddlers and small children require? So I have learned to flexibly arrange my teaching schedule for the older children around the time I spend with the younger two. That has turned out to be much wiser. As far as the children's accepting every project I propose, I make concessions. I have a scientific background but know I can't force them to follow in my footsteps. So as long as some type of project is done regularly within a listed range of areas that exercise creativity as well as demand effort, I've learned to call a truce.
Trying to keep house has been a frustration. There is always that sublime worry that an unexpected and picky guest may arrive and condemn us, despite our lengthy explanations. I manage to rest at ease behind the fact that both God and my husband understand. And as for my family, God bless them. They've seen the incredible results. Yet the constant subtle as well as outright insinuations that we are denying the poor little darlings a chance to experience life as other children do eventually seep into their circle and caused confusion - sometimes serious conflict.
There there's that unsupportive church circle: "How dare you imply that our church school can't offer the best possible education available?" Some even report you to authorities and attempt to have you locked up. We faced this in Texas, Pennsylvania, and Alabama.
So why persist against the odds? What kind of person are you? If your marriage is troubled, do you leave or try to work it out? If you run a race, do you quit when the cramps start shooting or just keep on moving at a slower stride? How deep is your conviction, how ephemeral your purpose in the midst of difficulty?
Who are life's winners? In my opinion, those who hang in there through good and bad times. Total burnout does not occur because there is no terminal verdict for those who understand that boredom, frustration, exhaustion, and mini-failures are but facets, not an end within themselves, to so many of life's ventures. School, marriage, sports, and careers all have low points in which many are tempted to quit. I can't overstate the need to be flexible, to regroup if necessary, or to change speed while keeping your goal.
Most fundamentally, who or what is your motivator? Why do you homeschool your children?? God is my motivator, my lamp, the One who convicted me with this mandate for change. I homeschool, for it is better spiritually, socially, and academically. But when God guides our convictions, only He tells us when to quit. Better academics and socialization are just by-products of a very critical task He has endowed us with. I personally cannot separate my homeschool stand from Him, the Source of my strength and blessings.
Seeking Results, not Perfection
What about the quality of our homeschool? Can we expect a perfect school in an imperfect home? I’m sure all those who pursue homeschooling see a certain level of excellence above and beyond alternative schooling available for our children. But suppose my child really has organic brain damage? Or is seriously emotionally disturbed? Suppose our home/family life is troubled or broken? Suppose I can afford very little teaching material? Suppose it seems that I, their teacher, am just too inadequate. Many families I have talked to about the option of a home school have brushed away its feasibility, claiming that my family’s success was due to learning situations and educational background. How wrong they were, in my mind anyway. Being well educated in many areas is nice, but that’s all. The amount of education is not the key. Insurmountable statistics accrue to verify that. There’s a certain very special something that makes a good teacher. That special something is a spiritual quality, a firmness of character, and lies latently available to be used by any and all parents if they so choose. Love is basic in all this. What patience, an understanding heart, compassionate acknowledgments, and, yes, that very necessary discipline can do cannot be surpassed by degrees and certificates. Whenever I’m troubled, I remember: if there’s difficulty, even tough difficulty, the God who made and knows every star by name and purpose is capable of assisting me. I don’t expect perfection – I don’t know what it is anyway. I seek results and am flexible with that. When I think homeschool is just too frustrating, I am reminded of our family’s first graduate. I marvel at the happiness, hope and balance now in my daughter’s life. I am amazed at the direction she’s choosing. She feels it is largely due to her homeschool background, and so do I. To appreciate my amazement, you must understand that much of time in our early years she had put up a big fight against homeschool, and was only minimally cooperative. We are now in our second year of living in a cramped pioneer-style cabin in a remote area of Building a house from scratch from rough cut lumber, living without running water, doing constant emergency patchwork, baling hay, defending oneself against poisonous plants, snakes, and insects on a daily basis suggest just some of the ways our educational goals had to change. And we’re learning that even if you follow all the rules of the book, whatever book, you’re still not exempt from trauma that can shake your very foundation. Sometimes, perhaps devoid of proper spiritual Armour, I am tempted to feel that a conviction to homeschool is a mistake. But I seek discernment, look toward the glory at the end of the run, and prayerfully remember who can fight for us. And friends are always there, delighted at the gifted children God – and home teaching – have given us
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Posted in A lifestyle of learning - thoughts on education
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LOL, I've just realised that this is my very first post that's actually about HOMESCHOOLING!! (LOL, actually I did one post on our journey to home education but that's it!) So...I thought it was about time I did!
Actually probably the main reason I haven't posted about homeschooling is because we've been doing a lot more HOME than SCHOOL if you see what I mean! My children were in PS (the dreaded PUBLIC SCHOOL!) last year...my ds did 18mths hard time and my dd did about 8 weeks. My son didn't do well at school at all...I mean academically he did okay for his age, but he was ALWAYS getting into trouble...he's just one of those children who don't do well at school...he doesn't fit the mould, and the school system didn't suit his type of personality and needs...he always wanted to "help" the teacher and had trouble sitting, writing and reading for the amount of time required at school. He's very intelligent...but he wouldn't have learnt much if he'd stayed at school, although he would've gotten to know the principle pretty well LOL!
So this year as been more de-schooling than anything else! We haven't done a lot of academics...my son hated reading and writing at the beginning of the year (actually he hated anything that resembled school)...so I decided to back right off and give him a chance to get back his LOVE of learning, which is far more important to me than the fact that he might now be slightly behind his "peers" with his writing and reading skills. He actually picks up a pencil nowadays (of his own accord!!) and writes little notes and lists, and both of the children will sit down (or lie down at bedtime) and "read" for an hour or more at a time...they LOVE books!
I absolutely love this article by Raymond & Dorothy Moore, which is about education for under 8-10 year olds! I really agree with their philosophy of having more of a focus on physical work (chores, ministry and such) than academics in the earlier years. I think the most important thing at this stage is to cultivate their love of learning...I want them to have a life-long love of learning!
So although we haven't done a lot of academics this year, I can really see how much the children have grown...they are happier, their imaginations have just EXPLODED (they don't watch TV anymore, which really helps!) and they are developing a real love for God and His Word! One thing we do do (almost) every day is read aloud from our children's Bible (The Children's Bible in 365 stories...haha the children make me read about 10-15 days worth every day!) and I aim to read to them for 2 hours a day (okay, so I don't get there every day!).
We will be moving into more of a routine after Christmas and New Year's...at least that's the plan! I aim to take my routines to the Lord (on a daily basis) and ask Him to guide our learning and life! Anything that's not on His schedule for the day can go!! I am just learning to hand over all areas of my life to the Lord Almighty...it's hard to let go, but I'm trying.
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