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Finding my homeschool groove, Montessori style.So, I looked around I tried on some curriculum and realized that I would really have to suck my stomach in to make any of them fit. I needed something with a little more room, something I would be comfortable in and most importantly, something that wouldn't break the bank. That's it! I remembered I already had something in my closet.
Before I was married I worked in a Montessori preschool for a year. The teaching techniques are incredible and really click with me. I don't even know why I was considering doing it any other way. Montessori is all about kinesthetic learning. It brings in all the senses and speaks to just about any learning style. The gist of Montessori (I am no expert, just a mom with a little experience and a lot of research) is to set up an environment with many hands-on learning activities set on low shelving. So, we do our circle time (prayer, bible, singing, calender, counting, abc's...) and then the children are free to explore the environment that has been set up especially for them. I have a math shelf, literacy shelf, art shelf and many activities that require concentration and hand-eye coordination. I have not been able to purchase any "official" Montessori material, but I have creatively made some of my own.
I still try to work with each child individually. Especially with phonics and some math. But this really works for me because when I am with one child the rest of the children are engaged in a profitable activity and enjoying themselves. Basically, they are playing and learning at the same time (which is really how it works anyway, right?)
I want to get into more detail about this...but I will break it up into smaller posts. For now here are some great Montessori homeschool links I have found, be inspired! Any other Montessori homeschoolers out there? I would love to hear from you. Blog MoveHi there! I've decided to move my blog over to wordpress. I have a couple other ones there and it would just be nice to manage them all from one site. So, go to my new blog titled, "Out of the Cave" over at simplydar.wordpress.com.Frugal Friday....use what you have.
When you need an item, resist the urge to rush out and purchase it. First check around the house to see if you can use something you already have. Here are some examples: When cooking I will often not have all of the ingredients in the recipe...instead of spending a couple bucks to get what it says I need, I can often substitute something I do have or even leave it out all together. The food still will turns out nicely. (It helps to keep a well stocked pantry with all the basics, being prepared can definitely save money). Oh, that reminds me of another one. When you don't feel like cooking and you need a meal fast....skip McDonald's and Look around. Odds are you can slice up some cheese, fruit and veggies and pour a glass of milk....maybe there is even some meat in the fridge that you can add to the tray. Kids love these snacky meals and you've not only saved your family from fast food, but you've also used up what is in your fridge before it goes bad. Here is a good one. Often I am tempted to collect all the change around the house and head over to the dollar tree when I need a storage basket. But, if I rummage around, most the time, I discover that I have something that will work. This also works when I think I need more shelving, even just organizing and decluttering my stuff solves the problem without spending a cent. Also...before buying new clothing...check out what you have storage. Sometimes it is easy to forget what you have or something you disliked can come back into favor again. Also...for the kiddos...the item your thinking of purchasing could be in the next size up box. Well there are a few of my rambling tips...I hope that helps someone. For more frugal ideas....go to Biblical Womanhood. Mid-Week updateI know my updates are unorganized and erratic at best, but that’s just going to be the way it is for awhile. As I’ve said before, in one of my various blogs, that I think of many blogs in my head. They pretty much get stuck there. Sometimes they make into a file titled “blogs-in-waiting”. I have several there with all kinds of interesting titles like: What color is love? or Letter to the Quiet People. I wrote that last one after someone came over and I talked about myself the ENTIRE time. I didn’t even ask how he was doing! Can you believe it? I was so embarrassed. My husband told him of that incident when we saw him at the Sheridan days parade. I’m ashamed to say that much hasn’t changed. I am daily reminded of how I blabber about myself far too much. I have pretty much been working on editing photos. I’m 2/3 done with the June wedding. I told the bride that it was really to her advantage that it has taken so long. I know so much more about photoshop now. I’d like to be a purist and never use photo editing software, but I’m not. I’d have to invest in filters and such to create some of the cool effects, anyway. Now I am working on the ceremony pictures. Rachel and I took over 400. Wow. Then I have 2 family photo sessions I need to get done by the weekend. It has taken me far too long. After I finish those I’ll only have 3 more sessions to finish up before being done. Hopefully I’ll have more work to do. It is good to work for money. I ordered business cards yesterday. I did it as inexpensively as I could so it’ll probably be 3 weeks before I actually get them. I had an eye exam recently. It is good to see. It is also good to see without pain. I had forgotten what that was like. I also had about 6 inches of my hair cut off. So many things are changing around here. I feel like I’m in a whirlwind. The appearance of my house is slowly changing. My heart and spirit is being stretched, challenged, and smashed on a daily basis. In fact, I think that’s the biggest challenge right now. I know good stuff is happening. I know that I’m not alone and that I have the Holy Spirit. I like that Jesus calls it our Comforter. I’ve asked a friend to meet with me weekly to pray. I’ve never done that before. I’ve also agreed to be part of a group where we will hold each other accountable and pray for one another. We’ll also be praying for the lost. I don’t relish the idea of being so transparent with others. It is easy to look good on the outside, but to reveal my thought life is a totally different matter! And yet, I have asked Jesus to make me more like Him. I have asked Him for deeper relationships in the body. This is where the rubber hits the road, I guess. I am excited for Oct. 3rd. Okay, I’m excited for October in general. That’s when the leaves are really red and golden, the wind is blustery, and the rain has yet to really set in. I love walking down 3rd Street in McMinnville swooshing my feet through the fallen leaves. I’m not sure that there is anything better. I bet I would even choose walking through crispy leaves over eating Ol’ South Fudge Pie ice cream. Okay, so October 3rd I will be scrapbooking with a bunch of gals from my church. I don’t know exactly what I’ll be scrapbooking yet, but I will begin the planning process very soon. I have far too many supplies to go without a plan. Well, and I have far too many pictures as well. I’d like to start something fresh and new. I really want to make more of an effort to be creative every day. Putting on makeup can’t be considered creative anymore. (Did you know that I used to want to be a theatrical make-up artist? That is, if I wasn’t good enough to be in the actual theater production.) October is also my birthday month. That’s right. I’m reminding all of you. I know it’s silly, but I spent most of my life feeling important on my birthday. My dad and ALL my friends did forget my 19th birthday, though. I thought it was a joke, but nobody came out and said “Smile, you’re on candid camera!” Anyway, now I usually go to the Brew Pub with my friends, two of them have birthdays within a few days of mine so it is a little party. Wow. What a big paragraph all about my birthday. Okay, one more thing. I’d really like to this Swing Dancing thing in Portland on my birthday, but I won’t. It would be the coolest thing. I’ve always wanted to do swing dancing. Well, I must get back to editing photos, folding laundry, loading the dishwasher, looking at my haircut, clearing off my desk, balancing my checkbook, checking out my makeup job, edit photos, rearrange some more stuff, break up arguments, make dinner, and oh, I can’t forget to pick up Christopher. I better set an alarm for that one! Oh, and I’ll edit photos. You know what? For being a photographer, I don’t post many pictures. I don’t particularly enjoy sharing them. Isn’t that weird? Wordless Wednesday- How a two year old gets seconds.
Go HERE for more Wordless. Something incredible.Yesterday I had the honor of witnessing something incredible. I was blessed to attend the labor of a dear friend and the birth of her baby. It was so amazing to be on the other side of the spectrum. I was reminded of my own labors as she went through each contraction, I could empathize with her pain and yet could more clearly see the beauty in them. A beauty hard to see when you are the one in labor. She was strong and peaceful, honest when she needed help. I saw something incredible. I saw the Lord as I have never seen him before. I saw power and comfort. I saw pain and joy. I saw Love. Not mushy gushy love, I saw true love. The Lord spoke to my heart of the precious gift he has given us as mothers. He gently rebuked my attitudes of anger and frustration. Saying "There's no need, shhhh, calm down" I can rest in the arms of my savior, instead of breaking into a panic. Watching a new life emerge into this world....watching the work, the pain the patience. Reminded me of my five labors. Then my thoughts turned to each of my children individually. They (not cleaning my house) They (not playing on the computer) They (not cooking meals) They (not even homeschooling) They, my blessings, should be the focus of my day. There is no need to get angry, no need to yell. There is no need to miss the point. Look at them. More importantly, look at Him. I daily get to witness something incredible. God's grace to me in giving me children. I want to labor daily to teach them of Him and his love. 1 Corinthians 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. Phillipians 2:13-16 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain. Hebrews 6:9-11But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak. For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister. And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end: Kitchen tip tuesday....freezing smoothies.
Hubby likes to take a lot of food to work. Sometimes I struggle trying to figure out good snacks for him. That is where the idea comes in. Make up a big batch of your favorite smoothie or protein drink. Pour into pint jars (remembering to leave head space) Then screw on the lids and place in the freezer. The night before pull one out, put it in the fridge and by mid morning you have a slushy yummy nourishing drink. The drink I made is a simple one...It is simply fresh raw goat milk +Caprotein protein powder. I was glad to finally find a protein powder that did not contain soy or any bad sugars. I also like this product because it contains pro-biotics. So, anyway, try this out and check out more tips today. Sarah in action!No, not ME in action. "Sarah" (dyed by Dyeing to Fly) in action, modeled by Miss Maria!
Sarah is all knit up!Forget about all grown up, Sarah is all knit up!
I began "Sarah" (dyed by Amanda of Dyeing to Fly, and named after ME!) on our drive up to our favorite campground, and while I didn't finish on the trip, I did quite a bit. It was very relaxing to be sitting by the playground, watching the children play, and knit at the same time. You can see pictures of our camping trip - Parts 1-4 - at my personal blog here. Sarah turned out very nicely, I think! Stay tuned for action shots (these are a smallish-large, yikes!)! Also stay tuned for "Raspberry Harvest" ... it's done but I'll post a picture of that in a day or so. ~Sarah The whole-family learning approach!I love homeschooling. Where else can I study (M-TEC, Medical Transcription Education Center), Alayna can do Handwriting (Handwriting Without Tears), Aaron can do Math (Math U See), and Serena can do Handwriting (the Handwriting Without Tears "stamp and see screen")? It could only happen at home! Alayna and I at the table, doing our studying ...
Aaron and I, doing more studying ...
Serena (who was next to me while studying), makes a B with the magnetic pieces!
I love it! Praise God that He has equipped me to teach my precious children from home!
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Alright....So I have a frugal tip today. This may be obvious to most....but it is something that is easy to forget or you may have just not thought about it.
I have to admit that this idea is not original to me. I read it on a blog recently....I must also admit that I do not remember which blog. So if this is your idea, feel flattered, because I really like it.
