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Homeschooling Through High School ~ The Teaching Behind Holiday Planning To Our Students!One of the greatest things about homeschooling is the way we can emphasize life skills and worldview in addition to academics. We are not raising our children for the glory of the University...we are raising them for the glory of God, and to be ambassadors for Jesus Christ, the soon-coming King, before whom every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess His Lordship! As we enter the season of Advent and then Christmas, I desire to be mindful of the worldview I espouse, and the messages I send via my actions, my traditions, and my decisions. All of life is a classroom for our young adults, and they are learning from everything we do, even when we don't think we're teaching. I do not wish to lay a "guilt trip" on anyone regarding holiday traditions, or the cleanliness/guest-readiness of their home, the "beauty" of their home decor. Quite the opposite! Many homeschooling families, as a matter of fact, are choosing not to celebrate Christmas because of the overwhelming commercialism the holiday has come to represent to the world, among other things. A dear friend of mine has come to this conclusion, and her family simply doesn't "do" Christmas. Although I won't personally be following that practice, I do understand the reasoning behind their decision. And, as a result, I have thought long and hard about the Christmas "practices" in my own home. The following is a brief glimpse into what I've been contemplating, and you are invited...if you'd like...to join me in answering these questions: 1. What am I teaching my children as I go about my holiday planning? There should be an intentionality about my work, about our traditions, which is not focused on the world but rather on Christ's incarnation and the reason for His coming to Earth. If I am putting decorations up inside and outside of my home, why am I doing it? Sometimes traditions are just that--they're traditions, handed down through generations. My sons know that I do the things I do, decorate the tree the way I do (actually, they do it now!), bake the cookies that I bake, because it is how my parents did, decorated, and baked. My personal thoughts: Traditions aren't bad. Christmas trees aren't bad. Cookies aren't bad...in moderation! But do they show or reflect the miracle of God Incarnate? Can they? So where should my priorities be, given a choice of decorating and baking vs. spending time on a missions or outreach activity? 2. What is the overall "focus" of Christmas in our home? When my sons speak to their children someday (Lord willing) about what Christmas was like when they were growing up, what will they say? What will stand out in their minds? Going to Wisconsin to cut down a tree (we live in Illinois), a 7 t 8 hour event, big yellow dog included, will be a highlight! But will they remember the outreach activities? Hospitality? Missions? Hymns? Or will they talk about presents, food, vacation from schoolwork? My thoughts: I didn't grow up in a Christian home. We were faithful church-goers, but the church of my younger years was a spiritually-dead church. So Christmas was focused on Santa, the cookies, the tree, the presents. There was church, there were Christmas carols and candlelight, and I loved all of it, but I didn't comprehend the intensity of what God was doing when He came to us as a babe in that manger. All I knew was that "Jesus was born on Christmas," according to the Christmas carols. I praise God that He found me, and that He drew me to Himself, and that I have been able to share so much more with my sons about that babe in the manger! But again, where has the main focus appeared to be? I know my heart is thinking about Christ, but what are my actions showing my sons? More is "caught" than taught. Within the practice of holiday decorating, a key for our family is to get that decorating done in one fell swoop, even though it's a three-day-long-fell-swoop! Our tree was cut and brought home from Wisconsin on Saturday. It was decorated on Sunday after church, and today (Monday as I write this) I will pull out and put up the last of the special things we use only once a year in December. From tomorrow on, then, our focus can truly be on remembering and reflecting upon Christ, and His first-coming...with our eyes and and our hearts FIRMLY fixed on His second-coming. Our "holiday busyness" can be because of missions and outreach activities, not "decorating." We can be praying, worshipping, and fellowshipping with the saints, rather than racing around at WalMart. We can enjoy relaxed fellowship with one another, as a family, in the baking of traditional German cookies to share with loved ones, rather than in haste and impatience. Should the latter become the atmosphere of our home at Christmas, then the activity should cease. I pray that some of these thoughts might be a blessing to you as you go about your holiday activities with your high school-age children! May we all seek to honor Christ Jesus throughout this Advent Season! And may God bless you and your homeschool this week!Lori PS: Since last thursday was Thanksgiving, you may have missed my message about a brand new meme over at Plans4You...join me on Thursdays for  Lori Havens has been married to Kevin for 24 years. They live in Illinois with their two sons, Bryan (17) and Nathan (16), and dog Sunny (9). Lori enjoys writing, gardening, reading, and the outdoors. She hosts the "Thursday Talkin' About Teenagers" meme at her HSB blog, "Plans4You," and is the author of "Should I Be A Nurse? A Journey of Self-Exploration for Those Considering a Career in Nursing" and "7 Essential Questions Every Future Nurse Must Ask." You can find her blogging at both Homeschool Blogger and Homestead Blogger .
Home Where They Belong ~ A, B, C, D, & F Too Hard for Parents?Apparently the Spokane School system thinks letter grades are the cause of ongoing problems with communicating how a child is doing in their subjects. Numbers on the other hand make everything clear. Read the article to find out how.I have nothing against numbers, and I have nothing in favor of letters--as grades, but the problem the Spokane schools are hoping to solve won't be cured because of their preference for numbers over letters. They could do the exact same report card using the letter system. Nor will telling parents how their children are doing after the term help. Parents need to know how their children are doing during the term. Unfortunately many teachers never communicate that at all and leave it to the report card to do their "dirty" work for them. Just a few weeks ago I spoke with a mom whose son had been placed in a new school. She thought her son was doing well. She had signed up to be a substitute teacher's aide and one day she was called in to help in the remedial math class. She was shocked to find her son in it. At first she thought he'd lost his way or something, but he soon let her know that this was his math class. It was a rough day for her as she waited for the day to end to find out the answers as to why her son was in this special class and why hadn't she or her husband ever been told? While the parent should always be the one to keep tabs on their children and not leave it up to the teachers to relay how a student is doing, parents have been conditioned to believe that they have put their children in safe hands and that until they are notified, by report card, everything is fine and dandy. Communication among parents and teachers is bound to get worse, not better, no matter what grading system is used as long as parents continue to blindly follow the blind. Tia Linschied Senior Editor of HSB - Home Where They Belong A, B, C, D, & F Too Hard for Parents?Apparently the Spokane School system thinks letter grades are the cause of ongoing problems with communicating how a child is doing in their subjects. Numbers on the other hand make everything clear. Read the article to find out how.I have nothing against numbers, and I have nothing in favor of letters--as grades, but the problem the Spokane schools are hoping to solve won't be cured because of their preference for numbers over letters. They could do the exact same report card using the letter system. Nor will telling parents how their children are doing after the term help. Parents need to know how their children are doing during the term. Unfortunately many teachers never communicate that at all and leave it to the report card to do their "dirty" work for them. Just a few weeks ago I spoke with a mom whose son had been placed in a new school. She thought her son was doing well. She had signed up to be a substitute teacher's aide and one day she was called in to help in the remedial math class. She was shocked to find her son in it. At first she thought he'd lost his way or something, but he soon let her know that this was his math class. It was a rough day for her as she waited for the day to end to find out the answers as to why her son was in this special class and why hadn't she or her husband ever been told? While the parent should always be the one to keep tabs on their children and not leave it up to the teachers to relay how a student is doing, parents have been conditioned to believe that they have put their children in safe hands and that until they are notified, by report card, everything is fine and dandy. Communication among parents and teachers is bound to get worse, not better, no matter what grading system is used as long as parents continue to blindly follow the blind. Tia Linschied Senior Editor of HSB Kitchen Moments ~ Holiday PlanningWhen planning meals and menus for the holidays, my best advice is strive for simplicity. Plan menus that are simple to prepare and don't require a bunch of ingredients that you do not regularly keep stocked in the pantry. As much as I enjoy trying new recipes and Kitchen Adventures, I avoid those with long lists of exotic ingredients because I know the cost of buying all those little extras will add up quickly, and chances are, I'll never use some of them again. Simple food prepared with love will be a blessing. The most elaborate of dishes, if it stresses you to the max to create, isn't worth the trouble. And, if your crowd is like mine, the familiar foods are usually the best received. One family tradition that my sister-in-law and I started a few years ago, and one that we plan to continue is a soup & sandwich buffet on Christmas Eve. We ask everyone who wants to bring food to make either a soup, a plate of sandwiches, or a simple dessert like cookies or candy. We serve coffee, tea, and spiced apple cider to drink. Everything gets set out buffet style, with the soups kept warm by crock pots, and people can serve themselves as they wish. Coffee mugs make great easy to carry soup "bowls" for this type of gathering. We have had a large crowd in a very small space, and this worked out very well, as everyone isn't sitting down to eat at one time. If you are planning to give gifts of food this year, again strive for simplicity. Make foods that are easy to create, and don't worry about the latest "thing" in the magazines. Get the children involved and make simple, fun treats like pretzel rods dipped in melted chocolate or almond bark and rolled in nuts or sprinkles. For great gift giving ideas, the book Homespun Gifts from the Heart by Karen Ehman, Kelly Hovermale, & Trish Smith, is an excellent resource (check your local library for a copy). Finally, if you haven't already done so, be sure to download The Old Schoolhouse Digital Holiday Supplement. This great holiday freebie from TOS is filled with wonderful ideas and planning helps.
I hope your family has a simply blessed holiday season! Catherine
Catherine Love lives in the heart of Texas with her husband Carl, and their 3 daughters, Sarah, Hannah, and Cana. They enjoy cooking, gardening, and learning new things as they seek to live a lifestyle of learning together as a family. You can read Catherine's Kitchen Adventures and more on her blog- Seeds of Love. Classical Education ~ Racing OdysseusThe title of the book, Racing Odysseus, caught my eye before I even knew what it was about. I think I ordered it from the library without ever knowing the topic. It wasn't until I got into the car from going to the library and had a chance to read the inside cover that I realized that I had picked up a book about a liberal arts education. One can hope with a title like this one but, these days, that doesn't mean anything.The premise of this book is intriguing. Racing Odysseus is the memoir of a 61 year old college president, Roger Martin. after a victorious struggle with cancer, he decides to go back to college as a freshman. This book journals his experiences. Martin decides to enroll at the Annapolis campus of St. John's College. St. John's is a liberal arts college. Their teaching of every subject is based on the Great Books. The method of teaching is based on the Socratic Method. There is very little lecturing but much discussion. The facilitators ask a question to start off the class and then the discussion may go in any direction. There are few rules to these classes. The main one, though, is that everyone must participate in the class discussions. If you don't, then you face failing that class. The facilitators are there to make sure that everyone gets a chance to talk and that the discussions do not get side railed on to a non-related subject. Liberal Arts people do not like rabbit trails. Martin's book talks a lot about the Great Books that he is assigned to read for class. As is common, Martin finds many analogies in the Great Books that coincide with his life. We are given a glimpse of Martin's early life via the Great Books. We are also shown that liberal arts' colleges are still needed and important in this day and age. Liberal arts colleges provides an excellent foundation for anyone that wants to pursue any kind of education. St. John's has turned out to be the first educational stop for many students who want to go on to be doctors, businessmen, and lawyers. The Great Books education teaches them perseverance and how to learn through hard work. It also teaches them how to think and express themselves. Martin had doubts about this kind of education but his experience proved to him that a liberal arts education is a good foundation for any kind of line of work or vocation a person may decided to follow. I found this book to be an exhilarating read. Another vote was cast for the side of a liberal arts education. It was nice to see this vote being pledged by someone like Roger Martin.
Julia lives on the Canadian Prairies with her husband, homeschooling their 3 children (10,8,6) and is attempting to give them a Classical Education. You can read more at her blog. Homeschooling Through High School ~ Turkey Leftovers Plus a Brand New Meme to Join!Thanksgiving Greetings and Blessings from Chicagoland! I want to take this opportunity to share with my Homeschooling Through High School readers a new meme which you (and parents of all our awesome homeschooling teenagers) can join! Hop on over to my HSB blog, "Plans4You" to learn all about...
LEFTOVER TURKEY MASTER BLEND
This "Master Blend" can be used to make a number of dishes,
or you can serve it "as is" over rice, toast, or in a pastry shell. The recipe calls for 4 cups of shredded turkey...if you don't have that much, you can either add some shredded chicken to make up the difference, or cut the Master Blend recipe in half, and be sure to cut any recipes and baking dish sizes you use the Master Blend in by half, as well. 4 cups shredded turkey
4 Tbl. unsalted butter (1/2 stick)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups chicken stock (may use canned chicken broth, but not bouillon)
1-1/2 cups whole milk, half-and-half, or light cream
Lemon juice, salt & pepper, nutmeg to taste
Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat.
Add flour, and whisk until smooth. Cook for 1 minute, whisking constantly.
Add chicken stock and whisk until smooth.
Whisk in milk, half-and-half, or light cream. Increase the heat to medium and bring the mixture just to a simmer, whisking constantly.
Remove pan from heat; scrape the inside of the saucepan with a wooden spoon or heat-proof rubber spatula, and whisk vigorously to break up any lumps.
Return the pan to the heat and, whisking, bring to a simmer and cook for 1 minute.
Stir in the shredded turkey (4 cups worth), and cook for 1 minute more. Remove from heat.
Season to taste with a few drops of lemon juice, salt and pepper, and a couple pinches of ground nutmeg.
That is your "Master Blend." You can use this immediately in one of the following recipes, or you can save it for use another time. Here are four recipes to choose from:
Turkey Pot Pie
Prepared dough for pastry crust (use your favorite recipe...you can use biscuit dough, too...even the pre-made doughs you buy in a tube at the grocery store, like crescent rolls or "Grands" type doughs will work here! You'll be covering a 13X9 pie.)
2 Tbl. unsalted butter
1 medium onion, chopped
3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced 1/4-inch thick
2 small celery stalks, sliced 1/4-inch thick
3/4 cup frozen peas, thawed
3 Tbs. fresh parsley, minced
1 egg, beaten
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 13X9-inch baking pan.
Heat butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until foam starts to subside. Add onion, carrots, and celery; cook, stirring often, until barely tender--about 5 minutes.
Stir the cooked vegetables into the Turkey Master Blend along with the thawed peas and the parsley.
Pour the turkey/vegetable mixture into the prepared pan. Now you'll cover the mixture with your dough:
Brush the top of the dough with about 2 Tbs. (1/2 an egg) of beaten egg for a goldeny-brown glaze. Bake 25 to 35 minutes until the turkey mix is bubbly and the topping is nicely browned. TURKEY TETRAZZINI 1-1/2 Tbs. unsalted butter Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 13X9-inch baking pan. Heat butter in large skillet over medium-high heat until the foam begins to subside. Add sliced mushrooms and cook, stirring, until tender...about 5 minutes. Stir the mushrooms into the Turkey Master Blend. Cook pasta according to package directions in a large pot of salted water until tender. Drain well. Stir pasta into turkey mixture along with almonds. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake 25 to 35 minutes until sauce is bubbly and the cheese is golden brown. TURKEY CHILI PEPPER CASSEROLE One or two 4-1/2 ounce cans of chopped mild or hot green chili peppers, drained (the amount you choose is determined by how hot you want this!) Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 13X9 baking pan. To the Turkey Master Blend, add chili peppers (be sure to drain them first!) and cumin. Mix well. In the prepared pan, layer the turkey mixture alternately with layers of tortilla chips and cheese. End with a layer of tortilla chips sprinkled with cheese. Bake 25 to 35 minutes until the sauce is bubbly and the cheese is golden brown. TURKEY AND RICE CASSEROLE 1-1/2 Tbl. unsalted butter Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 13X9-inch baking pan. Heat butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat until the foam begins to subside. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring until tender--about 5 minutes. Stir the mushrooms into the Turkey Master Blend along with the cooked rice and toasted nuts. Pour the mixture into baking pan. In a bowl, mix together breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, and melted butter. Sprinkle over top of casserole. Bake 25 to 35 minutes until sauce is bubbly and the crumbs are golden brown. Enjoy your Thanksgiving, enjoy your leftover turkey (or make every single one of these with chicken and enjoy that!), and enjoy your teenagers! Be sure to visit me at Plans4You to check out the new meme. May God bless you and your homeschool this week! Lori
Lori Havens has been married to Kevin for 24 years. They live in Illinois with their two sons, Bryan (17) and Nathan (16), and dog Sunny (9). Lori enjoys writing, gardening, reading, and the outdoors. She hosts the "Thursday Talkin' About Teenagers" meme at her HSB blog, "Plans4You," and is the author of "Should I Be A Nurse? A Journey of Self-Exploration for Those Considering a Career in Nursing" and "7 Essential Questions Every Future Nurse Must Ask." You can find her blogging at both Homeschool Blogger and Homestead Blogger .
NEA Puts Power Ahead of KidsIt's really no surprise to anyone ever that the NEA was more interested in protecting its power than educating children. What is surprising is that they actually feel confident enough in their power to admit it. Here's the NEA's General Counsel admitting as much in his retirement speech this past summer."Despite what some among us would like to believe it is not because of our creative ideas. It is not because of the merit of our positions. It is not because we care about children and it is not because we have a vision of a great public school for every child. NEA and its affiliates are effective advocates because we have power.... (View YouTube video on this subject here.) If you're a parent with children in the public schools you can voice your objections here. But the best way to object is by removing your children from their schools. Without your children they have no real power. In a related story, future teachers in Minnesota are being "reducated" and become "culturally competent" Hat Tip: Michelle Malkin in order to obtain a teacher certificate. -Spunky Cross-posted, with permission, from SpunkyHomeSchool Kitchen Moments ~ Thanksgiving FavoritesI've been sharing my family's favorite Thanksgiving recipes on the HomesteadBlogger Front Porch . Stop by to see how our Texas family celebrates Thanksgiving. I've invited the other bloggers to share their family favorites as well, so you are certain to find many delicious recipes posted throughout the community. Here's a link to a great sounding Mandarin & Cranberry Relish at Nourished Kitchen, a blog I visit often for healthy, delicious recipes. I pray your family has a wonderful Thanksgiving. We truly have much to be thankful for. And now, I must get back to my own Thanksgiving preparations ... some last minute shopping, a little baking, a bit of holiday decorating, and lots of family fun! Blessings, Catherine
Catherine Love lives in the heart of Texas with her husband Carl, and their 3 daughters, Sarah, Hannah, and Cana. They enjoy cooking, gardening, and learning new things as they pursue a lifestyle of learning together as a family. You can read Catherine's Kitchen Adventures and more on her blog- Seeds of Love. Happy Thanksgiving to You! Happy Thanksgiving!
Last week the Porch Team had some great posts for you on the subject of Thanksgiving. If you haven't read any of those yet, look in the archives and check them out! A few of them may have more to offer for this week. Since November 1st I've seen a lot of posts about being thankful. Several bloggers have taken up a be thankful challenge where they have to list each day, the things they are thankful for. Here is a short list of my thankful fors:
I pray that each of you will have safe travels this Thanksgiving weekend, that you will be a witness to all you spend time with, and that your hearts are full of the blessings that the Lord has given to you. I can't wait to read your posts about how you spent the Thanksgiving weekend! Tia Linschied Senior Editor of HSB Featured Blogger ~ AmandaBennett Why blogging is so great reason #5,287: You get to meet some of your favorite homeschool celebrities without having to attend a conference! Amanda Bennett has been blogging here at HSB ever since it started back in 2005. Blogging builds good business, but it also builds good relationships, and Amanda is very friendly and relational. You may think that the author of numerous unit studies has her life perfectly organized and that all of her science experiments turn out with nary a problem. Not so! Even Amanda learns from her homeschool lessons. This Christmas will be a meager one for many families. Yet we can still make it special. The first step is remembering what it is that makes the season so important to us, aside from Christ, it's family. Amanda shares a story about a tough Christmas she had as a little girl. Be sure to also read Christmas: A Study of Love. As this week, and next, we are talking about Thanksgiving I thought this post, Thanksgiving Learning--Gratitude? would be of interest to you. Next week there won't be a new Featured Blogger, so you get two whole weeks to explore Amanda's blog and wish her tidings of comfort and joy! (Such greetings aren't just for Christmas!) Tia Linschied Senior Editor of HSB { Last Page } { Page 2 of 5 } { Next Page } |
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