Trinity Prep School
Aug. 13, 2008
It's That Time of Year Again

Posted in Homeschool

Bringing back a popular topic this time of year......

Starting a new school year is sometimes filled with high levels of enthusiasm and high levels of trepidation too....and that's just the average mother's state of mind!  What can we as mothers do to encourage highly effective school years for our children?  I'm starting my seven ideas just off the top of my head.  But please join me, in encouraging one another, as we start the new school year.  Add your seven ideas to your blog and leave a comment here so we can visit your blog too.

 

copy and paste this button to your entry

 

The Seven Habits of Highly Effective New School Years:

 

Just for fun, mine is organized as a "literature approach":

 

1.  Plot:  Talk about the year ahead and the goals you and your child might have.  Prioritize the goals to establish how time will be spent toward meeting them.

 

2.  Setting: establish a learning-friendly environment.  Be sure your student has all the supplies needed to complete their work, keep their work organized, and a work area supportive of their learning style.

 

3.  Motivation:  model enthusiasm and curiosity for learning in your own everyday life.

 

4.  Conflict:  minimize distractions to learning whether it be TV, extrinsic activities or noise, and any type of "time-waster".

 

5.  Character:  Teach virtues, manners and positive character traits as lessons more important than grades and getting ahead in the world.

 

6.  Climax:  plan to celebrate successes along the way.  Outward affirmations from mom are often most meaningful.

 

7.  Resolution:  Rewards for high levels of effort, work ethic and academic progress at the end of the year are not bribes in my book.  The corporate world is merit-based...offer your kids a concrete reward for a job well done.

Visit participants at: 

Real Learning

The Common Room

Enjoy the Journey

By Sun and Candlelight

Perspective From the Trail Less Traveled

Karen Edmisten

Every Waking Hour

Studeo

Palm Tree Pundit

Cedar Creek Musings

Hawaii Catholic Mom

At The Moment

Musings of a Mentor

Learning Together As We Go

One Big Family

Trivium Academy

Local Homeschooler

Heidi Homeschools

Dumb Ox Academy

Barefoot Meandering

Northern Moments

Graced By Christ

The Opinionated Homeschooler

Spunky HomeSchool

Routon Family

A4givensinner

Young Mommy

Jam and Books

Elliot Academy of Excellence

Sprittibee

Faerie Dust

Rainbows From Heaven

Celebrate Him

Mandy's Ramblings

On The Road Back Home

Minnesota Mom

Liberty Home Academy

Castle of the Immaculate

Closeacademy

Ann 'Re at Home

Amyable

Bloom Where You're Planted

Homeschooling Is Life

Love2BHome

My Domestic Church

TwaddleMeNot

Writer Mom....Interrupted

Margaret Mary Myers

Related Tags: , ,


• Comments (1) • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link

Subscribe with Bloglines

Aug. 12, 2008
Back to School....Me Not Them!

Posted in Homeschool

This week , instead of school shopping for the kids, I purchased my own new school book.  I'm taking an online course called The Exceptional Child.

This course will focus on the following children: the mentally impaired, the gifted, the visually impaired, the hearing impaired, the emotionally disturbed, the speech impaired, the physically impaired, the health impaired, and those at risk. Each area of study will include a historical background, a study of characteristics, nonbiased assessment methods, and information about specialized services and educational adaptations.   I'm taking the course for personal growth and curiosity....it bridges my past experiences as an RN and my current experiences as an educator.

I finished my master's degree in 1991 and haven't taken a college course since then.  I guess I'll find out whether  I prefer reading/grading papers or writing papers!  My kids may soon be attempting a few online college courses, so I thought I would explore the experience and technology platforms firsthand.  We'll get a glimpse of how many hours/week need to be dedicated to online coursework, in addition to the technology requirements.

Anyone else have experience with online college coursework?


• Comments (1) • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link

Subscribe with Bloglines

Aug. 10, 2008
Sunday Singing from Singapore

Posted in Faith and Formation

Worship from around the world.


• Comments (0) • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link

Subscribe with Bloglines

Aug. 4, 2008
Back By Popular Demand

Posted in Recipes

Texas Caviar

 

1 can black beans 

1 can shoepeg corn

1 can black-eyed peas

1 can pinto beans

6 oz. chopped pimentos

1 small onion, chopped

1 cup celery, chopped

4-6 oz. jalapenos, chopped

 

Drain all of the above ingredients in a collandar.

 

In the meantime, combine in a small saucepan: 

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup apple vinegar

 

Boil for 1 minute and cool.  Mix all ingredients together in a serving bowl and refrigerate.  Great on your favorite cracker or Frito Scoops.  A good friend of mine served this last week and we absolutely  LOVED it! 

 

Another friend sent me a "lazy-day" version of Texas Cavier:...

 

"Lazy-Day" Texas Caviar

 

Paul Newman's Bean and Corn Salsa

1 can  whole corn
1 can black beans
bag of tortilla chips
 
Empty the jar of salsa into a pretty bowl.  Drain the corn and the beans.  Put 1/2 of the corn and 1/2 of the beans into the pretty bowl with Paul's salsa.  Stir.  Now THAT's my kinda lazy!


• Comments (0) • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link

Subscribe with Bloglines

Jul. 23, 2008
New Addition to the Family

Posted in Family

We expect a painless delivery on August 4th!

The teens are learning to drive on our old vehicle.

You've been officially warned!


• Comments (1) • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link

Subscribe with Bloglines

Jun. 22, 2008
On Our Way to Notre Dame

Posted in Faith and Formation

 

 Watch video about  ND Vision ...our destination for the week!


• Comments (0) • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link

Subscribe with Bloglines

Jun. 19, 2008
Where In the World is My Husband?

Posted in Work Travel

This one shouldn't be TOO hard!


• Comments (3) • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link

Subscribe with Bloglines

Jun. 9, 2008
Floods and Swimming

Posted in Family

We've had record rainfall after torrential storms, and without exaggeration, we could have gone swimming in our backyard....except that the "lake"  was actually a muddy, raging river.  This picture is from a few years ago, but the water was twice as high this last week.

In spite of some state-wide flooding we traversed creeks in our SUV, (once roads), to go to the 2008 Sprint Meet in Paris, IL.  Several roads were closed from washouts, but we zigged and zagged to our destination.  Over 100 swimmers from Illinois and Indiana made it to the meet.

My boys were glad we made the extra effort and put forth their own  EXTRA efforts, earning themselves a First Place Overall trophy for their individual age divisions.  Both sons beat some of their personal best times, which makes them even happier.  Our daughter also won several medals and bested her own times in several events.  What a day....and there is more rain on the way!  Swimming may turn out to be a life skill we really need at this rate.


• Comments (1) • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link

Subscribe with Bloglines

Jun. 8, 2008
Congratulations Father Joe Molloy!

Posted in Faith and Formation

 25th year anniversary as a priest

Thank you for answering God's call to Holy Orders and serving as our parish priest, Father Joe!  You are someone our sons look up to as a solid role model.


• Comments (0) • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link

Subscribe with Bloglines

May. 25, 2008
Catholic Homeschool Conference: Part II

Posted in Faith and Formation

The Illinois Catholic Homeschool Conference had an excellent Teen Track this year.  All three of my teens attended an opening pizza party with ice breakers, fellowship, and all the ice cream sundaes they could eat...a sure way to get a teen's attention! 

Following the fun, they shared Adoration, Rosary and a spiritual talk given by Father Pablo Straub.  Father has spent the last twenty years in rural Mexico, where he helped found two new missionary and contemplative religious orders. In the United States, Mexico and Guatemala, Father Straub directs missions, retreats, and Marian Eucharistic Conferences, and is a frequent presence on Mother Angelica’s EWTN and on Mexican Catholic television.  The kids thoroughly enjoyed his talk about the Glorious Mysteries of our Faith and his work in Mexico.

A teen Catholic Dance and Theater Troupe entertained us with a highly professional and beautifully choreographed show to close the evening.

On Saturday, the teen's keynote speaker was Father Burke Masters on "Discerning God's Call,"  followed by a workshop titled, "How to Promote a Culture of Life."

After more good food and ice cream, the teen boys had the opportunity to meet with Father Frank "Rocky" Hoffman.  Ordained as a priest for Opus Dei in 1992 by John Paul II, he holds a doctorate in Canon Law from the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross (Rome), a B.A. from Northwestern in History and an M.B.A. from Notre Dame.   He talked with the boys about "Being Catholic & American: The Best of Both Worlds."   Their closing workshop was "Chivalry: Become Knights in Shining Armor."   I can only say, I haven't opened a door since then!

My teen daughter enjoyed an interactive adventure with Regina Doman  (the author of one of my daughter's favorite books),  discovering the relationship between Faith and creativity.  They talked about writing faith-based stories, using Christian symbols of "good" and "evil" and the use of  "light" and "dark" in conveying a meaningful message through literature.  My daughter loves to both read and write, and appreciated this discussion.

She also had the opportunity to meet with Fr. "Rocky" and other teen girls to discuss, "Living for God, Living for Others, Living for Christ" following the examples of Our Lady, St. Martha and St. Mary Magdalene.  Fr. Rocky's question he posed to the girls:  "Why in Genesis, did Satan choose the woman to tempt?"  After much discussion, he explained, "If Satan can bring the woman down, he can bring the whole family down with her."  She was very impressed with this insight.  She also wrote in her notebook, "I can choose my actions, but not the consequences."

Mom's quiet response, "Amen!"

Catholic Homeschool Conference: Part I


• Comments (2) • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link

Subscribe with Bloglines

May. 24, 2008
Catholic Homeschool Conference: Part I

Posted in Faith and Formation

Notes from a great seminar.....

"Teaching the Truth to Our Children"  by Monsignor Dan Deutsch

1.  Teach children to be intimate with Christ, without inhibition through frequent prayer and reception of the sacraments.

2.  Teach children to encounter Christ regularly:  Adoration, Reconciliation, Mass/Eucharist.  "To encounter Christ is to be changed."

3.  Teach children to see the world through eyes of faith.

4.  Teach children conversion: 

The Intellect apprehends good

The Will perceives good and true

The Will orders the Intellect to act upon it

5.  Teach children to develop habits and virtues through many small acts of conversion.

6.  Teach children to share the gift of Christ with others; to be "spiritual warriors" in the world; "to align themselves with Christ in all matters."

7.  Teach children to praise God in all things.  "God does not need our praise, but when we praise Him, He redounds it back to us as the gift of intimate Truth."

Avoid all forms of RELATIVISM....in all things, seek His Face, the "Face of Truth

And what were the teens doing? More at......

Catholic Homeschool Conference Part II


• Comments (0) • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link

Subscribe with Bloglines

Links

• Home
• View my profile
• Archives
• Email Me