Getting Back to Our Routine

This past week I decided to try and slowly get back to homeschooling. I didn't have very high expectations but was surprised with the ease with which we fell back into our routine. Not every day went smoothly but the most important thing is that we were able to get some things accomplished. With a bit more organization on my part and self initiative by Munchkin (these are the habits we will be working on for the remainder of the year), I feel we will be back on track in no time. The things which we did manage to accomplish this past week include:

• Reviewed analog and digital time telling and telling time using the 24 hour format.
• Began learning about Alexander the Great. Munchkin has started reading Alexander's Great March by Hans Baumann.
• We started our Zoology Unit. Munchkin practised classifying living things into the five kingdoms using picture cards and charts which I created. She also read Life in a Rotten Log (A Little Ark Book).
• Munchkin has read The Magic School Bus Chapter Book #06: The Giant Germ (Magic School Bus)
• We attended Group Learning. This weeks lesson was on the artist Rodin and sculpture.

Here are some photos from the past week:

12:48 PM - Nov. 25, 2007 - comments {0} - post comment

Charlotte Mason Blog Carnival - First Edition

The First Edition of the Charlotte Mason Blog Carnival has been published at The Educational Life blog. This edition is all about nature study... Don't miss it!

10:54 PM - Sep. 19, 2007 - comments {0} - post comment

New Favourite Websites and Blogs

Lately I have been spending some extra time online and have come across some wonderful websites and blogs. Many of them have been around for quite some time and I'm surprised that I have stumbled across them only now. I have only managed to scratch the surface of many of them and they have already given me plenty of inspiration and ideas. So here is the list of the websites and blogs that I will be spending more time on:

• Real Learning Blog by Elizabeth Foss
• By Sun and Candlelight
• 4 Real Learning Forums
• Taste of Home
• Cozy As Spring
• Life in the Onion Dome

Some of my favourite posts from the above blogs include:

• Craft Kits from As Cozy As Spring
• Foss Family Home Companion from the Real Learning Blog
• My File Folder System from By Sun and Candlelight
• The Learning Room Revisited from By Sun and Candlelight
• Our Bulletin Board, Close Up from By Sun and Candlelight
• Completed Continent Boxes from Life in the Onion Dome

These posts all pertain to organizing. This is something I'm still working on (and will probably continue working on indefinitley as there is never an end to organizing). However, with the birth of my next child nearing, I am feeling more of an urgency to get my act together.

Also, since discovering the Real Learning forum and blog, I now also want to purchase the book. It has had rave reviews everywhere. Whenever I think I have all the books I could possibly need or want, I come across another one...

7:32 AM - Sep. 5, 2007 - comments {0} - post comment

Holidays Are Over

The holidays are over and we are back into our homeschooling routine. I'm finding that Munchkin is working a lot better and putting more effort into her studies. I was also expecting her reading to slow down again but instead it has increased. I've read that some children don't begin to really read until they are about 11 or 12 years of age. This seems to be the situation with Munchkin and, for the first time in our homeschooling journey, I am no longer worried about her reading. Nevertheless I am going to continue focusing on this aspect of our lessons for the remainder of the year. Next year I think we will tackle her writing skills.

1:01 PM - Jul. 24, 2007 - comments {0} - post comment

End of Term Field Trip

Today was the last day of term. Normally I don't follow school terms but, as we already had school holiday activities booked, I have decided to take this break as originally planned. So, for our last day of term we went to see Dinosaurs 3D at the IMAX Theatre and then we went to the Special FX Exhibition at the Powerhouse Museum.

Both the activities were enjoyed immensley. The Special FX Exhibition is going to send us a DVD recording of the different interactive exhibits which Munchkin tried out. She enjoyed herself so much that she took part in some of the interactive exhibits several times.

9:49 PM - Jun. 29, 2007 - comments {0} - post comment

The Reading Bug

Over the years I have read that children who struggle with reading don't become fluent readers until they reach the age of 11 or 12. At that stage, they also usually become prolific readers. As Munchkin has been a reluctant reader and has struggled with learning to read, I've often worried as to whether she would ever actually become a reader. By that I mean a person who loves reading and doesn't just read out of necessity. Well, in the last week or so I have noticed a dramatic change in Munchkin. It has been so dramatic that I can only compare it to a lightning flash. There has been no sign to indicate that this change was taking place.

It all started with the Boxcar Children. These are the books that I have instructed Munchkin to read to build her fluency. She began the first book with the usual complaints. After about three chapters she admitted to liking the book and continued reading even after she had completed the assigned number of pages for that day. She then proceeded to reading the other books in the series. She even stayed up until 11pm one night reading under her covers with her torch. I didn't find out about this until the following morning when she stumbled out of her bedroom with puffy eyes. Then to my amazement she asked whether I would mind if she continued reading the book during breakfast because she really wanted to find out what was going to happen next.

I told her that she has officially caught the reading bug! Here is a photo of her reading her book during breakfast.

11:00 PM - Jun. 24, 2007 - comments {0} - post comment

Homeschooling and Socialization

The whole subject of socialization is a constant topic of conversation in our home. It is one of the biggest concerns that we had when we began homeschooling. Also, because Munchkin is an only child, this is something that is always at the back of my mind. What is socialization? How much socialization is enough? What sort of socialization do we want for our children?

There is an abundant amount of articles and research available online on this very topic. Here are some articles which I have read recently:

• School's Out and Homes In, Says Education Rebel by Bridie Smith
• Socialization and Homeschooling by Bonnie and Laurence Williams
• Socialization: A Great Reason Not To Homeschool by Karl M. Bunday
• Social Skills and Homeschooling: Myths and Facts by Isabel Shaw

In my opinion it comes down to the difference between positive socialization and negative socialization. The more I read about socialization and the longer we homeschool, the more confident I feel that what we are offering Munchkin is positive socialization.

10:16 PM - Jun. 15, 2007 - comments {0} - post comment

Nice Relaxing Day at Home

Today was a perfect day for staying at home rugged up in a blanket, with the heater on, and reading lots of books. It was so cosy that we didnt actually follow our schedule completely, but added things that allowed us to stay nice and comfortable on the couch. This is what Munchkin did today:

• Read a chapter from the Boxcar Children
• Read 1/2 of chapter 2 from The First Australians: Prehistory - 1810
  • We still have to complete a written narration for Chapter 1
• I read chapter 2 -3 from The Little Black Princess
  • Munchkin is really enjoying this book. She especially finds the parts about the debills debills amusing. I must add that the Aboriginal customs described in this book have certainly made her realize the differences between our cultures.
• Watched a documentary on Aboriginals: Mystic Lands: Australia - Dreamtime
• Coloured in some pictures for our Book of Centuries on Aboriginals. We still have to stick these into the Book of Centuries.
• Completed her written narration about the greek myth Pandora's Box.
• Completed the Where do Magnets work science activity.
• Read Chapter 2 from The Magic School Bus: Amazing Magnetism Chapter Book.
  • Munchkin still has to complete a short written narration about what she has learned from chapters 1 - 2 from this book. Specifically I want her to note down which metals are magnetic and how magnets were first discovered.

We skipped Maths and Word Study, but after having my reluctant reader ask me if we could read all day I couldn't say no. The day was finished by baking some choc chip cookies. I wish every day was like today.

6:42 PM - Jun. 14, 2007 - comments {0} - post comment

Advent and Christmas Unit 2007