Our Busy Little World
Aug. 26, 2006 - Seven Habits Of Highly Effective New School Years
Thanks so much for all the happy birthday wishes, everyone. I had a lovely day of rest and celebration with my family! Matt let me sleep in as long as I wanted (I think that was the biggest highlight in some ways!), then pampered me with flowers, made me breakfast, and did all the dishes. We took a little jaunt around town to my favorite antique store (where I found two lovely, well-priced antique books - I'm such a sucker for pretty old books!), the ice-cream parlor, a car show (it happened to fall on the same day), then grabbed some Chinese food for a relaxing dinner. After all of this, Matt brought me a glass of wine to enjoy with him. This was a perfect ending to the day, and I must tell you why: I've been trying to acquire a taste for wine, so I can enjoy a glass with Matt on our fifth anniversary in a few weeks. Let's just say this is a sloooooow process for me, being totally unaccostomed to the taste until fairly recently. I've worked up to being able to *enjoy* about a half glass at the most. So when he brought me a full glass, I had to smile of course, but I just didn't think I could do it. He said just to trust him. So we sat down to read (simple, I know, but I've just been wanting to have a relaxing evening of reading and haven't had the time recently) and I took a sip - Oh, it was so yummy! Matt sneakily went and got some Martinelli's Apple-Grape sparkling cider to make sure I actually enjoyed every minute of my birthday - ain't he a sweetie?
Although I'm a bit late, I thought I'd join in Maureen's Seven Habits Of Highly Effective New School Years. I'm still pretty new at all this, but I thought I'd take a stab at it, just for fun.
1. I'm sure this is a common one amongst the other lists, but I think it's so important to have a plan. Choose whatever type works best for you: a specific schedule with all the gaps filled in, page numbers written down, etc; a basic flowchart of the week; or something in between. I like to have a basic schedule/routine for my whole day (based off of the Managers Of Their Homes ideas), and then I tailor it each day to suit the uniqueness thereof. For my school plans, I have each book written down that I want to read from, but not page numbers, as our weeks are always changing a bit. I just keep a little list of "approximately" how many pages we try to read through from each book (unless it's just a little storybook - then we read it all). As a caviat to this, though, remember it's just as important to know when to (and be content to) skip the plan for the day!
2. Enjoy your unique family culture. Being the impressionable person I am, I've struggled plenty of times over the years with trying to do things just like someone else I admire. This has often caused frustration and discouragement, and I'm glad God has been showing us how beautiful diversity amongst families really is (as long as the principles each family is following are firmly established in God's Word, of course). We are blessed to live in a community of many, many like-minded people - many of whom are fellow homeschoolers. I think when we moved here, I subconsciously assumed everyone kind of did things the same, but I was amazed to realize it just isn't true! I've become so thankful for the way our family is, while being able to appreciate all the more how other families run. Realize that what works best for one family's schooling (schooling styles, curriculum, schedules, which books they choose, etc) may be totally different than what is best for yours, and enjoy that!
3. Seek and appreciate the advice of your husband (in addition to other wise people.) I love to ask people questions! I love to glean from the wisdom others have accumulated, and sometimes I wonder where I would be without the wise counsel of faithful followers of Christ. But I try to remember that in all of these things, I need to seek my husband's counsel first (as well as seeking the Word, of course). Sometimes I forget to just ask him what he thinks I ought to do. I know he is the head of our home, but since much of our daily schooling falls into my role as part of helping him, I sometimes just try to figure it all out on my own. Even in simple things, I love to go over all of it together with Matt (and I do mean *all* of it, being the overcommunicative sort!). Sometimes his fresh eyes will provide just the perfect answer. Here's a little example: I told him I was feeling flustered in the mornings while I got Naomi and Hannah dressed, because since Isabelle dresses and finishes her beds so quickly she has a bunch of time to get a bit goofy. He just suggested I have her start filling up water sippy cups for everyone and get all of the bibs snapped and ready. It solved it perfectly - she's kept happily busy and the morning runs so much more smoothly! Even when he's not sure what's best to do, the responsibilty for making a diffulty decision is taken off of my shoulders and I can rest in his leadership.
4. Remember what is most important in schooling our children. I know we all have different reasons for homeschooling, but for many of us a very important reason is that we are best able to bring them up teaching them of our Lord through all we do(Deut. 6 & Eph. 6:4). For years I've looked into curriculums, choosing things I did and didn't like, but last year I read the book "When You Rise Up" by RC Sproul Jr. and was SO blessed and encouraged. It was a wonderful reminder of what is truly important as we seek to teach our kids. I especially liked it because I know RC Sproul Jr is anything but light on the academics, yet he was reminding us of the most important part. I have to remind myself about what Christ said "But the Lord answered her,
5. If Nothing Else, Read Aloud - As I said, I'm still new at this, but I've already become so convinced of the great benefits of reading aloud. My girls are still so little, but they have excellent vocabularies, and they tend to use words pretty well. I can't take credit for this, as I'm still learning to use words well myself, but I know they must pick much up from the myriad of books we've read to them. What a fun way it is to teach so many sorts of things: grammar, vocabulary, morals, etc, etc, etc. Even if I was still unsure of what I wanted to do for school times, I know I could start just by choosing some wonderful books and beginning to read through them aloud with my girls.
6. Try to finish up random projects before you start - I am the sort of person who gets very distracted by unfinished projects. I think I'd rather start my school year a week or two later, if it meant I could start it having finished any projects that would weigh on my mind. For examply, I've FINALLY finished sorting out every piece of little girls' clothing in this house. That project was almost overwhelming, and it's such a relief to have it done. I know I could not have started any schooling if I had something like that hanging over my head.
7. Trust Christ to be your sufficiency - It can be so easy to feel overwhelmed in my tasks, and all the more so if/when I forget the many promises throughout God's word. His Word says "do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. . .I can do all things through him who strengthens me. (Phil. 4); "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths." (Prov. 3:5-6); "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work." (2 Tim. 3:16-17).
Comments
Aug. 27, 2006 - Untitled Comment
Posted by heartathome
Very, very wonderful habits and refreshing to read as we gear up for our next school year here in a few weeks! Thank you; your post really blessed me!
Aug. 27, 2006 - Untitled Comment
Posted by Love2BHome
Hello, sounds like a wonderful birthday 'celebration'. : ) I too love a quiet evening w/my hubby. I am currently reading 'When You Rise Up' and so far it's a good read...
Aug. 27, 2006 - Thank you so much Melissa...
Posted by kampsplete
for visiting my blog. I know you don't get much time to do that, so that meant a lot to me. I was so happy to have a "place" this year to share Madison. I have never shown her pictures to anyone other than family, and close friends. It was so nice to be able to share her here. I got several comments from people saying they were ministered to, and that means a lot to me. She passed in and out of my life far too quickly, but I'm grateful for the time I had with her. God has a purpose for her life, and if it is to touch other lives through her death, than I am happy to share her story. I still have much to tell....you'll have to pop back sometime. I have all of these remembrances in a category called "In Memory". Her funeral was on August 31, and I'm planning on sharing some things up until that day. This has been so healing for me......
Have a wonderful week my dear. I will never forget when your birthday is! I'm glad it was a good one. Your last post was wonderful as always, and I am greatly encouraged by you. Thank you again for your sweet words...
Love to you, Kathy
Aug. 29, 2006 - Great list!
Posted by TRINITYPREPSCHOOL
Best practical advice I got when I was a new homeschooler was about reading aloud....forget everything else if need be! Thanks for the wisdom in your Seven Habits and for contributing to this project!
Maureen
