Posted in Homeschool
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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.
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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: Perspective From the Trail Less Traveled Related Tags: Seven Habits, planning, school |
Posted in Homeschool
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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? |
Posted in Faith and Formation
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Worship from around the world. |
Posted in Recipes
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Posted in Family
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You've been officially warned! |
We expect a painless delivery on August 4th!
The teens are learning to drive on our old vehicle.Posted in Faith and Formation
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Watch video about Posted in Work Travel
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This one shouldn't be TOO hard!Posted in Family
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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. |
Posted in Faith and Formation
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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. |
25th year anniversary as a priestPosted in Faith and Formation
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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 |
Posted in Faith and Formation
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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 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...... |
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