|
The Johnson family's discoveries regarding classical education
Feb. 18, 2006
God hath not promised ...
I love this hymn, and I just came across it this morning.
God hath not promised skies always blue,
Flower-strewn pathways all our lives through;
God hath not promised sun without rain,
Joy without sorrow, peace without pain.
But God hath promised strength for the day,
Rest for the labor, light for the way,
Grace for the trials, help from above,
Unfailing sympathy, undying love.
God hath not promised we shall not know
Toil and temptation, trouble and woe;
He hath not told us we shall not bear
Many a burden, many a care.
God hath not promised smooth roads and wide,
Swift, easy travel, needing no guide;
Never a mountain, rocky and steep,
Never a river, trubid and deep.
But God hath promised ...
This is such an encouragement to me. Thank You, O Lord, for promising to be all that we need. Praise Him!
|
• Comments
(1) •
Permanent Link
|
Feb. 17, 2006
Surprise!
OK,
well, I guess I still want to experiment with color and such
things. I readily admit that this one clashes a bit, so I don't
expect to use it often.
Had a most unexpected thing happen this morning. I was being a
lazy mommy and enjoying a soak in the bathtub, when we all heard a loud
"thump-eddy-thump" upstairs. After checking that everyone was OK,
my daughter informs me that sink in the upstairs bathroom fell
down!! 
Thankfully, I heard no water running and the cat was not near by, so it
was not an extreme emergency. The kids were able to get some
containers to catch the water that was dripping, and turn off the knobs
for water under the sink.
The landlord lives across the street, so I called him and he came over
after a few minutes, and took the old sink away. He will try to
replace it within a day or two. But ... wow!
|
• Comments
(0) •
Permanent Link
|
Feb. 14, 2006
A bit of nonsense
Once
in a while we need to break out of the form -- at least I do. So,
I've been experimenting with text color, and having fun with other
things.
ELE-TELE-PHONY
Once there was an elephant
Who tried to use the tele-phant.
No, no! I mean an ele-phone
Who tried to use the telephone.
Dear me, I am not certain quite
That even now I've got it right!
Howe'er it was, he got his trunk
Entangled in the tele-phunk.
The more he tried to get it free,
The louder buzzed the tele-phee.
I fear I'd better drop the song
Of ele-phop and tele-phong.
Hope you all have a great day!
|
• Comments
(1) •
Permanent Link
|
Feb. 8, 2006
Learning to summarize what we read
I love to read with my kids, always have. I was glad to read in the Bluedorn's book (Teaching the Trivium) that she has always made it a point to read to her kids also.
But this year we are trying to do a little more with what we
read. I am somtimes surprised to find that after a year or three
have gone by, one or another of the kids can barely remember "that
book" that I thought was so great, or so important to their
education. I've never been too good at the standard book report,
so ... what to do?
As I've probably mentioned in a previous post, I read a new-to-me book this year, titled, A Thomas Jefferson Education,
in which the author strongly advocates using literature in teaching
every subject. There is a list of "classics" as well as sample
questions to cover. I can't do that book justice in one short
post, but this one aspect -- writing something about what has been read
-- really stood out to me. We don't have to do a far-reaching
synopsis of each book, but I am trying to do *something* with at least
some of the books we cover.
So, we started with a Redwall novel (by Brian Jacques). These are
long, involved stories involving mice and other woodland creatures, who
are periodically threatened by vermin (rats, weasels, etc.).
There are brave heroes, shady villains, and good always triumphs over
evil in the end. Well, we each wrote out a list of the main
characters, with a brief description of each one. And this is an
important point: as the "mentor," I need to do the same work I assign
to my student. Since it involves reading, I don't mind too much
(grin). I was pleasantly surprised to find that as we described
the main characters in the book, the main story line was also brought
out. This makes sense, of course, but it was neat to watch it
happen right under my pen, so to speak.
Now we have finished reading Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt
by Elizabeth Payne. We read this book together, over the course
of a couple of weeks. And we are trying to go back and write a
brief summary of the main points of each chapter. The later
chapters mainly cover one or a few Pharaohs, so the names, approximate
dates, and a few facts about each should suffice. But the earlier
chapters cover long spans of time, and it is a challenge to summarize
these into small paragraphs. Of course, I also find that this
process helps me "get my facts straight." In my last post I
omitted Thutmose IV, as I was a little confused as to who came after
whom. I have since summarized that portion, and I *think* that I
have them a little clearer in my own thoughts now.
There are a number of different ways to look at a book. With some
books, we may simply make some lists. For example, name 5 things
you liked, and 5 things you didn't like about this book. Or, who
was your favorite character and why? Over time we can get to some
pretty thought-provoking questions, but we are still early in this
journey, and we can take this slowly.
I guess my point is that I'm finding it to be very helpful to me, and I
hope it will also help my son, to get something in writing about at
least some of the books we are reading. I hope it will help him
to learn to retain and organize the information that he is getting
here. And I am enjoying the process of going back and reviewing
what are a few of the main things I want to get out of such
books. It seems to help me solidify everything.
|
• Comments
(3) •
Permanent Link
|
Feb. 1, 2006
Neurotic Cat, Today's Plans, and the Exodus
Ah
yes. Let's just say that our dear little cat has figured out how
to get our attention when her litter box is not as clean as she likes
it.  Our couch!! Again!!
Er ... ahem ... thank You,
dear Lord, in everything. But what are we going to do?
There is the obvious: clean the litter box more often (2x a day,
maybe?) and change it out more often, too (2x a week, maybe?) The
kids will be thrilled with these demands, but I am, shall we say, less
than pleased with the consequences if she's *unhappy.* This is a
great time to remember that we can always rejoice in our Lord,
unceasingly pray, and in everything give thanks. Yes, thank You,
Lord Jesus!
Ten or eleven of us came together
for about an hour of prayer time this morning (as every Wed.) and I am
expecting a few guests for dinner tonight. So, now to read a bit
with ds, and get busy with the cleaning and cooking, along with some
laundry (including the cover for the couch).
I am still trying to compare the
dates in Egyptian history with the Exodus, and am having a little
trouble trying to make everything fit together. Of course, all
the dates have to be approximate, and maybe I'm trying to be too
exact.
Some say that Amenhotep II may
have been the Pharaoh of the Exodus. It is known that he did have
a son, but something must have happened to him, as he never became
Pharaoh (could have been when all the firstborn were slain in the 10th
plague). These scholars seem to put the Exocus at about 1445, or
1447 B.C. Yet these same scholars (I presume) have put the end of
Amenhotep II's rule at around 1425 B.C. He should have died at
the Exodus, 20 years earlier. Streams of Civilization
does point out that this Pharaoh seems to have died unexpectedly, which
could be explained in the biblical record of the crossing of the Red
Sea. It seems plausible to me. If this is the case, then
Hatshepsut could indeed have been the *Pharaoh's daughter* that raised
Moses in the Egyptian palace.
Some scholars go on to surmise
that the plagues and the death of the Pharaoh could indeed have
influenced Amenhotep IV (who ruled after Thutmose III -- I think that's
the Pharaoh who took over after Amenhotep II). Amenhotep IV
eventually changed his name to Akhenaton and demanded that Egypt
worship one God, the physical sun in the sky, or the Aton. He was
later criticized as a heretic, and succeeded by his son, Tutankhaton,
later called Tutankhamon (sp?). Urgent pleas for help and defense
began coming into Egypt, perhaps near the end of the reign of
Akhenaton, from many lands that had been under Egyptian control,
including Palastine, which was being invaded by "Hiratu." There
are scholars who wonder whether these could have been the Hebrews
taking over the good land. It appears that Akhenaton came to the
throne more than 40 years after the Exodus, however, so those dates
don't quite match up as nicely. But, since we are talking about
dates from so many centuries ago, the difference may be fairly
small. Then too, it took quite some time for the Hebrews to
really take possession the good land.
So ... I still like this
viewpoint. However, I know that other scholars place the Exodus
at an entirely different time in Egypt's history, and I would be
interested in learning more about the reasons for this.
Well, I need to sign off for now,
as I have a full afternoon ahead of me. But I like to think about
some of these kinds of things from time to time. Know what I mean?
|
• Comments
(1) •
Permanent Link
|
Jan. 31, 2006
A slow, tired day
Well,
actually it isn't the day that's tired. We left here before 5:30
this a.m. to take my mother-in-love to the airport. When we came
home, ds and I went back to bed, to reappear around 9 a.m. My
whole focus has been thrown off all day. We listened to a couple
of stories from homeschool radio, and we finished reading our chapter
on Pharaoh Tutankaton, later Tutankamon (not sure of the spelling), and
2 chapters in our current novel, Ocean-born Mary.
But I still feel out of sorts. 
Oh, sorry about that!
Meanwhile, my daugher in college has been sick, with her asthma acting
up, and she is falling behind in her studies. I hope she can
rebound enough to keep her grades up.
Hmmmm, let's see. Dinner may be quite a casual affair
tonight. I have a meal planned, but ... we'll have to see
what happens there. We might just have sandwiches tonight.
I guess that's it for now. My brain is a little fuzzy. ... zzzz ....
|
• Comments
(0) •
Permanent Link
|
Jan. 30, 2006
Busy with mil
Well, I *thought* I was going to be more consistent here, but, not so!
My mother-in-law has been here, and we've been pretty busy. She goes back tomorrow.  We'll miss her, and are wishing she could stay longer.
I haven't had much computer time (or time to myself in general), but it has been so nice to spend time with her.
So that's why I've been scarce of late. I'll try again to post
more regularly, after things settle down here a little (will that ever
happen?).
|
• Comments
(1) •
Permanent Link
|
Jan. 19, 2006
Two Mothers
This promises to be a busy day, so my update may be short.
I'm still hoping for some comments to my question about the timing of
Exodus in relation to Egypt's history. (See previous blog)
My mother-in-law, whom I love dearly, has arrived for a visit.
Her plane came in yesterday evening, and we took her out to
dinner. She will be visiting us for 2 weeks.
Meanwhile my mother is having cataract surgery this morning (on one eye
-- the other will be done next month). My sister will be getting
her to the clinic, while I run some other errands. I need to
drive my daughter to campus this morning, since she and I are sharing a
car for the time being. My mil is planning to come along for the
ride, and we will meet up with my sister at the clinic. She will
need to leave to go to work, so I will take Mom home and make sure she
is situated there.
Then it will be home again and get things ready here. Meal prep.,
etc., before I go to a church meeting this evening, and check what I
need to pull together for tomorrow's dinner, ... things like that.
I'd better get a move on.
|
• Comments
(0) •
Permanent Link
|
Jan. 17, 2006
Egypt and the Exodus - Question
Hi, I think I'm here again. 
Thanks
for the comments and interest. We are currently in Eugene.
We are thinking about settling in Cottage Grove, or we may stay in this
city. Both are nice.
Yes, another Bluedorn fan, that's me. A lot of what is in their book, Teaching the Trivium,
makes sense to me. And their homeschool email loop often
has some very helpful info. I'm also beginning to make use of
their Ancient History from Primary Sources.
Well,
as I have mentioned, we've been learning about Egypt, and are beginning
to look at timelines and how they relate to each other. Of
course, a big question is: just "when" did the Exodus occur, and who was that evil Pharaoh, anyway?
I think that Streams of Civilization and The Greenleaf Guide to the Old Testament
both suggest that Hatshepsut may have been the "daughter of Pharaoh"
who raised Moses when he was young. That would put "the heretic
Pharaoh" in power not long after the Exodus of the Hebrews. He
may have been impressed that there is truly one God, although he wasn't
so clear about His identy. And then there are the bits of letters
from lands under Egypt's rule, (at around the same time as that
"heretic," or a little later) pleading for help as they were being
invaded. Some scholars surmise that those could have been from
the land of Canaan, as the Hebrews were conquering the land.
But
there are other scholars with different views, who place the Exodus at
a later point in the Egpytian timeline. I would like to
know more about their reasons. So ... does anyone
have any thoughts on this? I'd be interested to learn more about
this whole subject, from any sound viewpoint.
|
• Comments
(0) •
Permanent Link
|
Dec. 19, 2005
I'm back!
Wow! It has been a long time. Thanks for the kind comment. :)
Yes, we are now living in a
house! We are still looking for a place to buy, but are renting a
nice big house for now. We moved in at the beginning of November
(just as the weather was turning colder). After getting a little
bit settled, I came down with a "monster" cold. I think I am
mostly over that now, but am still taking it kind of easy.
Our formal homeschooling is on
the rocks at the moment. We did get some neat books on Ancient
Egypt, which we have been trying to make our way through. And ds
has been trying to keep moving through his math books. So, in
spite of the setbacks, learning is still taking place!
This week we will be sorting and
packing up to go and visit friends in sunny southern California, and
attend a kind of Bible-based conference while we're there. So I
may not be around much until sometime after the first of the
year. Looking forward to rejoining the fun then.
|
• Comments
(2) •
Permanent Link
|
Oct. 8, 2005
A great day
They said it might rain. (Of course, this *is* Oregon)
We went for a bike ride, with young people from church. Most of
them had to drive about a half hour to meet up with us. There
ended up being nearly 20 of us.
The weather was perfect, cool, a little cloudy, with the sun breaking
through after a bit. It was only about 6 miles, on a paved bike
path (12 miles, round trip). I parked our truck part way up, and
then rode the 4 miles or so to reach it. A couple of us drove the
rest of the way, bringing sandwich fixings and other good things to eat
and drink.
It seemed like a perfect day for this kind of outing, and everyone
seemed to have a good time. I definitely need to ride my bike
more often. This felt like a good way to start getting back into
it. I think that the weather for at least the next few days is
expected to be nice enough for bike riding.
Anyway, I just wanted to share our really nice day.
|
• Comments
(1) •
Permanent Link
|
Oct. 7, 2005
Encouraged, a little
I
think keeping this blog may prove to be a good idea, if only for
myself. It seemed to be helpful to go ahead and acknowledge
yesterday that I have been floundering a little. Now that I can
see the problem more clearly, I can see where I need to focus my
attention. This morning I began looking through the Greek Hupogrammon
a little more, and I am really liking what I see here. We have
been sort-of working on learning the Greek alphabet for at least a
year, with ... ahem ... frequent pauses. This may help provide
the missing link, for us. I hope to be through the alphabet part
before the end of December. Then we can begin to actually use the
alphabet in reading and writing simple Greek sentences, and
whatever.
I also began, again, reading through the beginning of Streams of Civilization
and remembered that I like how this begins. We can begin reading
through this next week. I feel like I may actually get somewhere
now. While I was at it, I took another look at Ancient History from Primary Sources, and will probably begin to incorporate some of that material as well. I have been waiting for Mystery of History
to arrive, to see how it would mesh with my other references, but that
got shipped to my California address (finally called them about that),
and will be re-shipped to me, so it should arrive before too
long. Meanwhile, I am no longer in limbo, but can make some
forward progress.
I still need to bring in the composition, spelling, and grammar, but
these books are not quite so accessible to me just now, and I have no
problem waiting a little longer for these subjects. I'm a little
afraid to take them out of the boxes, 'cause I'm not sure where I can
keep them. I suppose I could make a little room here at hubby's
workshop, if I need to. Hmmmm, I'll have to think more about that.
|
• Comments
(0) •
Permanent Link
|
Oct. 6, 2005
Where does time go?
I'm
honestly not beating myself up ... well, not too badly. But ...
here it is Ocotober, and our schooling is, shall we say, not very
impressive, imo. We are concentrating on catching up on our
math. He is making good progress here. And we have been
reading G.A.Henty's book, The Cat of Bubastes. Actually, we just
finished that today. A great read, and it helps give us an
impression of Ancient Egypt, and surrounding areas.
I have been waiting for my copy of Mystery of History to arrive.
I *finally* called them today, to learn that it had been shipped to my
old address in California. So ... they will reship, and hopefully
we won't need to wait too much longer.
We did just receive our Greek Hupogrammon today, and it looks like it
will be just what we need to get back into our study of the Greek
alphabet, and on into simple reading. That's encouraging.
On another front, we are still looking for a home. We are hoping
to find property where we can put a manufactured home, and we are being
choosy about where we want it. I personally would be happy to buy
a house already in place, and get out of our *cozy* trailer. I
think hubby is more open to that idea, but ... well ... things are not
moving along as I would like them to. Amen, O Lord, You do all
things well! We are still trusting in You!
I guess that's where we are at the moment.
|
• Comments
(0) •
Permanent Link
|
Sep. 24, 2005
Daughter Ready for College (I hope!)
This
is it! Classes begin on Monday. I have been as involved as
I can be with her class selection, scheduling, etc. But I am
realizing that I will need to allow her some space to work out her own
time tables, make a few mistakes, perhaps, and be available to her as
she feels she needs my input. We are very close, so I don't
expect to be pushed completely out of the picture, yet. We are
providing the funds for her schooling, and so are going to be
pretty involved, at least for now. I went with her to sign up for
classes, to get her books, to locate the various buildings on campus
together. I am considering trying to take a couple of classes
myself--although not this term. She does know a few students at
the campus, Christians, so that is really nice. I expect to go
there with her early for her first day, to help resolve student I.D.,
parking permit, bus pass, questions, as well as see what further books
she may need for classes we just added. Then I will leave her to
learn to find her own way--and I'm sure she will do just fine.
She still tends to lean on me a bit when encountering new situations,
and I'm OK with that. I am working to encourage her to try things
for herself, and she seems to be getting a little more comfortable with
that as she grows. I don't see any real problem for now, and am
sure that she will be finding her own way more and more as time goes
along. So, for now, I'm glad to still be able to help her a bit
in some of these matters. I'm realizing that things are changing,
and those special times we have shared are precious memories. Our
relationship is changing and growing, as it should be, and I'm feeling
a few tugs at my "heart-strings." I am glad to have had so much
time with her over the years, reading together, working on school
subjects together, playing and laughing. Some things will change
while some things will stay the same. She is 18 now, but still
likes to be with us, even in a small, "cozy" 30-foot trailer. And
I am happy to have her here for a while yet. I have done my best
to give her a good foundation, not only for college study, but, even
the more, for her life. She loves the Lord Jesus, reads His Word,
and has her life's direction in view. I am finding myself more
and more in the supporting role, less in the directing role, and that
takes a little getting used to. But I am happy to see her
continue to grow and mature, physically and spiritually, and feel
privileged to be a part of it all.
I think (hope) that *I* am ready for my daughter to begin college, and a new chapter in her life.
|
• Comments
(0) •
Permanent Link
|
Sep. 18, 2005
Son's *lightbulb* moments :)
Have
you ever struggled to get your child motivated in some subject, and
feel like you're hitting a brick wall? Getting Nathaniel to work
on his math was kind of like that, which is why we had gotten
behind. Well, this week math has been a high priority for us, and
I think some *lights* have started to go on in his head. He was
really understanding, and even enjoying, learning how decimals
work. He especially seemed to like division (gasp!! is this
really my son??) and checking to see if the problems were done
right. I'm not sure exactly what clicked or how, but I am so glad
to see forward progress, not just in pages of a book, but in his
understanding, and in his attitude toward working with numbers in
general. 
|
• Comments
(1) •
Permanent Link
|
Sep. 15, 2005
My Family :)
I
finally figured out (one way) to check for comments. And I found
my *assignment* to tell about ... my family. 
Lessee... Wayne is self-employed, doing Internet sales.
Which is why we are able to relocate without doing a job search.
He is busy all the time, always managing to devise some new version of
a product that customers "need." He is my real-live hero!
I am, obviously, a SAHM, whose birdies are beginning to leave the
nest. I am trying to learn how to help hubby with the bookkeeping
end of his business, on top of managing the *nest.*
Tim is 24, and has recently gotten out on his own. At the moment
he has more living space than the rest of us put together. He has
been working nearly full-time for his dad, and it has been a real help
to him. The last couple of days he has been out sick, though.
I suppose I should try to do the chicken soup thing for
him. He was homeschooled nearly his entire life, except for
2nd grade.
Elizabeth just turned 18, and will be starting at a community college
this term. She has never been in a public or private school, but
has had to put up with her parents her entire life. She is still
mostly staying at home, but has a standing offer to stay at a friend's
home anytime she likes. This friend, a grandma, owns a 20-acre
ranch with some horses, and just got a few other animals. She is
teaching Elizabeth to ride the horses and train the animals. She
also helps around the house somewhat in exchange for her room and
board. We can't quite figure out why she would prefer that to
living in our spacious 30-foot trailer with her parents, little
brother, a dog and a cat. 
She loves animals, so this is a great opportunity for her to work with
a few of them. She also was on the swim team laste year, and is
looking forward to joining one up here when we figure out just where we
may settle. She has to deal with asthma, and the swimming is
something she is usually able to do. She surely built up her
muscles; her brothers called her *buff.*
Nathaniel is 12, the last one at home, and he is all boy (as the saying
goes). He loves to ride bikes, climb trees, test his strength,
etc. He has found a great companion in another 12 yo, named
Daniel, who likes many of the same things. He does test his
limits, and keeps me on my toes a little, but is an all-around great
kid (excuse the brag moment!). The RV park where we are staying
has a nice swimming pool, and we like to swim there whenever we can fit
it in (his sister joins us when she is around). He found last
year that he likes baseball, was on a couple of really good Little
League teams, and is looking forward to getting hooked up with a team
up here. Again, we need to see where we may settle down.
(Lord? We're ready anytime You are!)
We have a long-haired dog (Hairball, Wayne calls him), a *mixed breed*
who looks like he has some husky, perhaps, along with who knows what
else. Our cat is a small black female, afraid of her own
shadow. And that, for now, completes this chapter of the saga.
|
• Comments
(0) •
Permanent Link
|
Sep. 14, 2005
Slow beginnings
I
have known all along that our beginning would be anything but
exemplary. We are still in the process of relocating from
California to Oregon, still living in a 30-foot house trailer in a
trailer park, with most of our belongings packed away. I *did*
manage to keep quite a few of our school books within reach, and have
ordered a couple of other miscellanious items. I will need to
order a couple more books, etc., down the road.
Meanwhile, our plan is to study the ancient civilizations this year,
and we have no time to waste (in my opinion). At the moment we
are in the Greenleaf Guide to the Old Testament, beginning with 1
Samuel (since we have recently covered the earlier books). We
have also begun readin a G.A. Henty book, The Cat of Bubaste, set in
Ancient Egypt. So far it is very interesting (2 or 3 chapters
in). I am expecting to receive my copy of the Mystery of History
any day now, and our approach may change as a result of that book.
We are also trying to catch up on our math, which is still a bit
behind. But he is beginning to realize that if he wants to go
into a science major, he'd better have a good understanding of number
concepts.
I have assigned a 1-3 paragraph paper describing one event from a
camping trip he just took with friends before Labor Day, but I don't
think he has actually begun that process yet. (Ever have that
situation? grin)
Today we took most of the day off from formal school. In the
morning is a time of prayer with some church sisters (30-minute drive,
one way), and then went on to a friend's ranch to learn to ride
horses. She is an excellent teacher, and Nathaniel and I had a
lot of fun, and challenges, with those horses.
Now we are hungry, and need to figure out something for dinner.
Bye until later.
|
• Comments
(0) •
Permanent Link
|
Aug. 30, 2005
Corrections to my last blog
I guess that's what I get for being in a hurry. I should have checked my info more carefully before posting. 
The Living Books for the Ears site is a lot of fun. The url is:
www.homeschoolradioshows.com
If you haven't signed up for their weekly free offerings, you are missing out.
As for Trivium Pursuit, I really bungled the name of their book.
Let me try to set the record straight. The book I plan to order
is:
A Greek Hupogrammon: A beginner's Copybook for the Greek
Alphabet with pronunciations, by Harvey Bluedorn. This is
supposed to be a companion to their Greek Alphabeterion, which we
already have.
I could just mention that Nathaniel has
become motivated to catch up on his math (which fell behind due to our
relocation efforts, from So. Cal. to Oregon, but which still need to
worked on). He is looking forward to joining a family we know up
here for a camping trip in the Cascades. Sure sounds like
fun. I'm wishing I could join them, but no, I've got too much to
take care of here. Escpecially, my dh needs as much support as I
can give him to keep the business running. Maybe another time, if
the Lord wills.
Gotta go for now.
|
• Comments
(0) •
Permanent Link
|
Aug. 29, 2005
New Materials
It's
always fun to order new schooling materials. I've just ordered a
couple of things for now. I am fairly well prepared for the
upcoming school year, at least for now.  That *is* a rather amazing feat.
I have ordered the Mystery of History, and am hoping that it will be
helpful for us over the next year or 2. I just ordered some audio
CD's from the living books people.
(www.homeschoolradio.com) (I do hope I remembered their link
correctly, I love their broadcasts.) And I am about to order the
Bluedorn's Greek ... uhhh .... huppogram (I know I haven't
spelled that one correctly.)  But anyway, I hope it will help us in our study of the Greek alphabet, and in beginning to learn the Greek language.
I've gotta run. Need a few things at the grocery store, and we
have a home meeting with a church family this evening. Their son
and mine are great pals. More later.
Mrs. Johnson (ahem!)
|
• Comments
(0) •
Permanent Link
|
Aug. 25, 2005
Welcome to my blog
Hi!
Here is my first attempt on this blog. I have been homeschooling
for years, but find that I always have a lot more to learn. We
have just moved from Southern California to Oregon, still house
hunting. But, education must go on, at least in some form.
Let's see, we can learn some new plant and animal species here, learn
some geography, while enjoying the beautiful scenery. We have
math and some science to finish up from last year, since we moved
before the end of our school year.
I must say at the outset, that I am grateful for the helpful information found in the book "Trivium Pursuit" found at the website of the same name.
This year we are planning to study ancient civilizations. I am
preparing to obtain the Mystery of History, to add to my other
resources. We have Streams of Civilization, vol. 1, a few Greenleaf Guides (some of my favorites), and a book/CD set: Ancient History from Primary Sources (I
think that's the title, don't have it in front of me). Plus some
other reference materials. I need to sit down with Nathaniel and
work out how our studies should go. I have a rough list of about
7 civilization groups, and another list of the types of things we need
to learn about. We need to refresh our geography of these places,
make sure they are on our timeline, and continue to learn about their
cultures, languages, some of their writings, including lettering,
philosophy, foods, etc.
We are a little behind on the math, and I intend to push a little
harder this year. His older sister is taking remedial math at a
community college this fall, and it is costing us some serious
money. I should have never allowed her to let that slide.
It is an expensive lesson for me. This cannot happen again, and I
need to make that clear to Nathaniel. Besides, he is looking at a
science major, and will need higher math than his sister to meet his
course requirements.
We also have some science plans, including, for the short term, a
couple of electricity kits I picked up last year. They look like
they should be fun as well as educational. I have our next text
ready, as soon as the math is caught up on a little more.
English, including reading (which he loves), writing, spelling,
grammar, etc. I am looking at a spencerian handwriting course, in
hopes that it will improve my handwriting, as well as my son's.
Elizabeth would also be interested in that, if she has any time to
devote to it.
We will continue to learn the Greek alphabet, and hopefully some simple
syllables and words. Also, we have been picking up some Latin
phrases, without much (if any) formal grammar yet. Just trying to
get a feel for the sound of the language. I hope that this will
help lay a base for a formal study of Latin in the not-too-distant
future, and I hope that that will help him when he needs to learn Latin
names in science studies.
Well, I am out of time for today. I need to get to the grocery
store, and get ready for a home church meeting this evening.
I look forward to getting to know this online community more in the near future.
|
• Comments
(2) •
Permanent Link
|
|
