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The Byrd's Nest
Apr. 22, 2008
A Great New Home Schooling Book!
| I recently came across a book in my local library called The Well Adjusted Child: the Social Benefits of Homeschooling by Rachel Gathercole. Much has been written on the academic advantage that home schooling can provide. Yet despite these advantages and despite the fact that home schooling has grown exponentially in the past decade, most home school parents will still be confronted with questions regarding the "S" word - socialization. It is often the first objection well-meaning (and not so well-meaning) people throw our way.
The Well Adjusted Child is a much needed book that focuses exclusively on the social benefits of home education. It confronts the misconceptions people often have about home schoolers and uses both research and interviews with home school children and parents to address these misconceptions. Reading this book should reassure new home schooling parents, family members and friends that home schooling is won't stunt children socially and, in fact, provides great benefits to a child's self concept and social ability.
This book is written is a way that is appropriate for both religious and secular readers.
I highly recommend this book |
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Apr. 17, 2008
My homeschool room
Apr. 11, 2008
My husband, my hero.... thank you for slaying the dragons, baby.
Apr. 11, 2008
Daddy Daughter Dance 2008
Apr. 11, 2008
Daddy Daughter Dance 2008
Feb. 8, 2008
Making plans and making orders: confessions of a curriculum junkie
The past few weeks have spend evaluating various curricula to use next year. I love this process but it is so difficult to decide. There is so much out there! I need to have at least five more kids so I could use all the different curriculum options that I find interesting. I'll be and sure and tell my husband!
Right now I'm concentrating on choices for my 8 year old who will be in 3rd grade next year. I've decided on McGruffy Language Arts 3. I previously used Growing With Grammar when my other daughter was in 3rd and loved it. Originally, I just assumed I'd use this again. It is a wonderful curriculum for grammar and I have no complaints about it. However, McGruffy LA has all the components of 3rd grade language arts contained into one program. McGruffy contains phonics, reading, spelling, grammar, and handwriting. There are also creative writing assignments. I'm planning on using IEW for writing so these assignments will just be extra fun for us. My language arts choices have previously been piecemeal ( one thing for grammar, another for spelling, etcc.) so it will be a nice change to have all of language arts connected into one program. I'll still use GWG 5 for my other daughter.
In addition to McGruffy, my daughter will be reading several novels. I'm looking into using Teaching the Classics or Reading Strands to guide me in using the Socratic method in our discussions of literature.
My girls did Winter Promise American Story 1 last year so we will continue with American Story 2 next year.
For math, I am divided between Singapore, Teaching Textbooks, or Horizons. I'm currently clueless about science.
My kindergartner will continue with TATRAS and Explode the Code, Handwriting without Tears, and MUS ( I love Math U See for provided a solid foundation in conceptual understanding). I want to add some other fun things but I havent' even begun looking for her yet.
For my daughter who will be in 5th grade, the only firm decisions are Winter Promise AS2, Growing With Grammar, IEW, and Mosdos Lit. I'll turn the focus on her curricula after I finish with her sister.
Isn't this fun? I love choosing and box day feels like a holiday.
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Nov. 12, 2007
My mom..... 1935-2007 Always missed, never forgotten
Nov. 12, 2007
I miss my mom
| My mom passed away on November 1. It was so sudden and unexpected; I'm just now coming to terms with it. People always say that they are sorry for my loss and that is what this truly feels like - loss. The grim reality that I can't see my mom anymore or hear her voice stuns me; it feels cruel and wrong. I do take comfort that my mom is with her Lord and Savior, Jesus. It helps to know she no longer suffers with emphysema or bad knees and that she is no longer tethered to her oxygen tank. I know how joyful she must have felt at seeing her own parents again and her brother. This comforts me but the profound sense of loss remains. I have good days and bad days, good hours and bad hours. Your mom is the person who HAS to love you. I miss her. The primary reason that I began this blog was so that the grandparents could keep up with what the girls were doing in school. It means so much to me that mom came around when it came to the whole homeschooling thing. She thought I was nuts when I first attempted it; she supported me in the end. In fact, she did not want me to enroll my middle ones in public school this year! I appreciate her eventual willingness to have an open mind about, what was to her, a very strange idea.... parents educating their own children. I just really miss her... |
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Oct. 31, 2007
Time flies and nearly a year passes...
| Wow! I can't believe it has been a year since I updated my blog. What a difference a year makes.... Currently, I am only home schooling one of my children now. I recently started doing kindergarten work with my 4 1/2 year old, although we are proceeding very slowly and gently. She is working through Math U See Primer, along with the Singapore Math Earlybird series. For phonics I'm using a wonderful, free program called "Blend Phonics" that I found on the website DonPotter.net (a wonderful site full of free goodies and valuable information). I'm also using TATRAS (Teach America to Read and Spell) as I did with two of my other children with wonderful results. She isn't ready for writing yet so I'm postponing formal handwriting lessons for a few months. We read Bible stories and play lots of educational games. She is learning and progressing but most of all I want to instill in her a love of learning. My teenager (wait a minute..... I'm not old enough to be the mother of a teenager, right?) is attending a wonderful Christian school. It was such a tremendous blessing to spend last year with her. I don't regret for one second bringing her home. I do feel, however, that the decision to send her back to a traditional school setting was the correct one for her. I know many people who home school throughout the high school years but I felt that I'd reached the limits of my teaching abilities. Plus, it has been good for my teen in other ways. I love the school; they take their Christian mission to heart and it shows in the way the teachers conduct themselves and the curricula is presented. My better half wanted to allow our middle children to try public school. Lacking a money tree in our backyard, the tuition costs prohibited all of my kids from attending the Christian school. We had such a great year home schooling that I wanted to continue with my children until high school, placing each one in the Christian school as they entered 9th grade. However, my husband wanted my kids to have a taste of traditional school now. Developing friendships with children that live close to home was a primary factor in his thinking. My kids made friends at the co-op we participated in last year. Unfortunately, they all lived at least 15 miles from our town. As a result, we never saw our home schooling friends outside of co-op. I do see my husband's point and I wanted to respect his opinions and desires. After all, he showed great faith in me and permitted me to home school in some capacity for the past four years. Public school has been a mixed bag...... more on that later.... Right now, I'm grateful for the one on one time I'm getting with my youngest. With me home schooling her three siblings last year, she got less a lot less of me. It has been fun showering the attention on her and doing some of the things that I did with her sisters when they were young, things I rarely had time for last year. We've taken long walks. We've attended the local library's story time hour. We've gone on picnics. We've taken classes. It is my prayer that the Lord will bring my middle two children back to the nest and we will continue our educational adventures at home. For now, I will count my blessings and pray for my little Byrds. |
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Nov. 7, 2006
What a great lesson...
| Last night my children and I were privileged to attend the GOP rally for Gov. Rick Perry in which President Bush spoke. We were part of a large group of homeschoolers who were able to attend thanks to our wonderful state group, the Texas Home School Coalition. It was a wonderful civics lesson for my children. We've spent this week discussing elections, political parties, candidates, etc. Attending the rally really infused some life into these lessons. Plus, it was just really cool to see the President and the Governor in person and to hear them speak. I don't know if it was because he spoke in his home state in front of a crowd of supporters, but this was one of the President's better speeches, in my opinion.
We also got to see a fairly large group of protesters which opened up discussions of freedom of speech and the right of citizens to try and affect changes in the government. One protester, however, shook a sign in our face that read "I don't like you." I found it amusing but my younger daughter couldn't understand why this stranger didn't like us!
Casting Crowns also played several songs at the rally which was a wonderful surpise. I had no idea they would be playing and I love their music.
All in all, it was a terrific experience for my children and myself and I'm grateful to the THSC for making it possible for us to attend.
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Nov. 7, 2006
President Bush at the GOP rally in Dallas
Nov. 7, 2006
President Bush at the GOP rally in Dallas
Oct. 25, 2006
Winter Promise Activity: Making Indian Pottery
Oct. 25, 2006
Winter Promise Activity: Make a Dutch windmill
Oct. 25, 2006
Future student..... currently the boss of our home!
Oct. 25, 2006
Our newest student
Oct. 24, 2006
Ah..... reality
| Our homeschooling days have been blissful and the kids happy and eager....... until yesterday. Yesterday was one of those days that make me daydream about public school. Of course, I am not serious about that, however, those difficult days can be oh - so trying. Yesterday, my oldest supplied a steady litany of complaints, my second professed difficulties with almost every assignment and my third child cried off an on all day. I did not get a shower until after school ended. Unfolded laundry began forming mountains in my laundry room and the house generally was a disaster. Everything in my vision was a reminder of what I still needed to do. Add to that an afternoon orthodontist appointment, shopping that had to be done, a trip to the library to return late library books and the snacks I volunteered to make for our homeschool meeting last night and I was ready to head for the hills. Psalm 46 states:
"God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging."
Well, the earth has not given way yet and the mountains have not fallen into the heart of the sea (although I wouldn't mind if those mountains of laundry fell away of their own accord). If the Lord can sustain during those kinds of trying times, then I suppose He can sustain me through a bad day of homeschooling and beckoning housework. The good days return....... today is already a vast improvement! My kids finished all their morning work early and now we get to have lunch with Dad! The fantasies of public school recede and once more I'm grateful for this blessing of being able to homeschool my children. |
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Oct. 14, 2006
Adjusting.......
| Well, my oldest has been home for two weeks and we are beginning to settle in. She just seems more relaxed. Being in the hostile environment that her school had become just sapped all the joy from my daughter's demeanor. It is difficult concentrate on learning when your school doesn't feel safe. She may never have been in any physical danger, but she was pummeled emotionally. What a blessing to see a smile on her face again!
I fretted about integrating her into my schedule. My previous schedule had evolved into a well-oiled machine with every day efficient and predictable. Now, I am learning to juggle but nothing has been dropped thus far. Adding another child, with different needs, is a challenge but not an insurmountable one. It is imperative, however, that my 3 year old get attention, too. Ahh.... if only I could clone myself on school days. When my oldest was three (and an only child at the time), she received so much attention. We played for hours, attended the library's story times, took walks, went on outings. Everyday seemed open to whatever possibilities life might present because time seemed in plentiful supply. Now, with four kids, the days seem too short to accomplish what needs to be done and spontaneity a rare luxury. I have to remind myself that my youngest also enjoys the fun of having older sisters. You lose something; you gain something ....... I just need to remember to enjoy these days of having a young child around the house; they are so fleeting. |
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Oct. 1, 2006
Prayers answered! I'm homeschooling ALL my children now...
| Friday was my oldest daughter's last day of public school. She will join her sisters in our homeschooling adventure. Making this decision was extremely difficult and many tears were shed. I am saddened that my daughter will miss out on some of the opportunities provided my our local middle school. There are many teachers that will be missed. Ultimately, none of that could make up for the suffering my daughter had to endure being bullied and feeling friendless. When my daughter was told that she could be homeschooled, the sense of relief was palpable. Now she can concentrate of developing her mind as her learning environment will now longer be a place of fear and anxiety. |
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Sep. 16, 2006
I need prayers for guidance...
| When my oldest was still in elementary school, she was bullied by a mean girl and it was a primary factor in deciding to homeschool her. After homeschooling her for the rest of that school year, we put her in a classical, Christian university model school (going two days per week and homeschooling the other days). This school was a huge blessing because her classmates were so kind. The atmosphere was a supportive one and my daughter needed this to overcome her mistrust of people. Now my oldest is back in public school and, lo and behold, that very same bully resumed her torment during the PE class they share.
As of Friday, they are no longer in the same class so I hope that things get better for my daughter. Still, in my heart I just am not convinced that this is the place for her.....
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