• Oct. 24, 2007 - Checks and Balances=School and Home
I keep hearing from so many different places that people think they duplicate school in their home school. I suppose some people would think that by having a schedule like mine that I am in a sense duplicating school because I have a set "year". However, I guess I look at it more as a series of checks and balances. The school year keeps us in check with the Paces and learning levels so he doesn't get behind in a particular subject. It also gives us the way of keeping track of those 180 days required by our State. The balance is the break where we can just relax and learn by living and enjoying each others company. The school year puts us in check by making him focus on writing and learning the rules of Math and Spelling and the laws of physics and society. The breaks give us a chance to put all those rules into practice and practicality by observation and living...creating a balance.
I think the whole idea of people re-creating school in their home because they have a strict schedule or a "classroom" or take a certain approach is flawed. No matter how you approach school at home it is by nature different than going to a school because you are AT HOME being taught by mom and dad and having little sister at your shoulder bugging you. That is definitely NOT something that happens at a regular school. Now for me to say something like that is truly unique. I went to a private school where my Dad was my teacher and I quite often shared a classroom with my brother. However, there were certain rules in place that kept me from sitting at my brothers side bugging him and required me to call my Dad Mr. Shinn. I had friends I went and sat with for my breaks and lunch. I didn't go hang out with my Dad and brother for these the way my son hangs out with me or his little sister. My school experience was very different and if I can recognize the difference between my private school, public school and the way I home school, I find it hard to understand why people would think doing school at home is in any way similar to being at school. I understand the "unschooling" approach and I can understand why some people think having a basic school schedule may be too rigid, especially for those with learning disabilities. Yet, I don't think it is in any way "wrong" to have a extremely rigid schedule if that is what works for you as a parent. Yes, I said as a PARENT, not necessarily what is best for the kids. You already have their best interests at heart if you are home schooling them, but you have to remember to keep your own interests in check too. If you don't feel that you can adequately teach them without having some sort of a system, then you shouldn't and no one should tell you otherwise or tell you to "relax".
More and more often I feel like I am hearing that people need to "relax" with their homeschooling, because it is what is "best" for the kids. I couldn't disagree more. I think it should not just be about what is best for the kids but works for the parents as well. Put it another way...what works for the FAMILY, the Whole family. Children are flexible. They will learn no matter what situation they are in. Really as long as they know they are loved and that it's ok to make mistakes in that learning process, there really is no way to "break" them. You might feel you need to repeat a subject or two, but that is ok too. Quite often, repetition is the key to learning.
I don't say this in order to offend anybody or to argue a certain point of view. I simply think that homeschooling is more an extension of how you run your home. Some people are flexible with their children's bedtime, others are more rigid. It all has to do with what works best for your family and children just knowing they are a part of that family will strive to make it work because you are instilling in them the value of that family by simply being there.
Now that I've rambled on...let me leave you with this thought and two definitions I got from The Oxford Desk Dictionary.
Homeschooling in itself is a check and balance by the fact that you are merging the two ideas-Home and School.
School=Discipline, train, control. Time of teaching, educate. CHECK.
At Home=In one's house, at ease. BALANCE |
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• Oct. 24, 2007 - YAY! Session 1 is almost complete!
| We are almost done with our first 6 week session. YAY! This means that we will have 2 weeks off before going back into another 6 week session. I set my school year up in 6 six week sessions. It's helpful for me to have a basic schedule to work off and keep track of "school days". It keeps me in line to make sure he is doing a steady amount of work. Last year I kept getting off my schedule and found that in order to get things done so we could have time off when we needed it for holidays, we had to cram. That was no fun for either of us. This year has been much easier so far. By setting up the 6 sessions into 6 weeks I can make sure he is doing 2 Paces per session. That means he basically has 3 weeks to do one Pace which then breaks down into approximately 3 pages per subject 4 days a week! Three pages seems like a much more attainable goal for him so he doesn't get tired of doing the school work too quickly and he usually finishes within a couple of hours.This also leaves day number 5 open to playing games, getting caught up on chores, playing outside, playing computer games, doing science experiments or just doing whatever. It gives me a day to run errands or set up play dates or go on field trips. It also gives me some flexibility to the other 4 days so I can make that "free" day any day of the week. I find that by the time the 6 weeks is up, we're both burned out and in need of a break despite how easy and flexible I try to keep it! I have also found that it gives Alex something to look forward. He knows that during our breaks I am far more likely to just have a lazy day spent in bed watching movies together or get up and do a baking day and make cookies or candy or just get up and go to the park or lake and run around. It's good relaxing time where we can still learn but do it in a more easy going way taking a different approach. Even more important to me is that it's bonding time. |
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• Sep. 30, 2007 - The day I get caught up on my chores!
My son is old enough to do chores, and he does. He empties the dishwasher, picks up the toys and laundry Lindsay has strewn about the house, cleans his room, washes his own laundry, wipes off the table, feeds the dogs and takes out the trash. So how come I find myself still behind on washing dishes, sweeping, mopping and dusting?! Oh, I can make excuses...my daughter is potty training so I'm constantly running to take her to the potty so she won't go on the floor, I am always being interrupted so I can never get anything done in a timely manner, inevitably that phone rings right as I'm getting started on a project....oh yes, I can make excuses. Those things are all true, but I also have to admit. I spend too much time on the computer. I take anywhere from an hour to two a day "just for myself" (that is to say I get a little exercise and a shower!). My worst depravity? I just don't care that my floors are dirty when I can be spending precious time with my children while they're still of the opinion mom is fun and still "cool enough" to play with me! I enjoy my hugs and kisses and lap time with my daughter (alas, those days are mostly gone with my son anymore). Is it wrong for me to not care? Maybe, but I guess I just figure that someday it will all fall into place and it's not like I don't EVER do these things. I just don't necessarily do them on a daily basis. Someday I won't have a little one running around pulling her diaper off and laughing at me. That will be the day I get caught up on my chores!
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• Sep. 23, 2007 - photography and buggies
Every morning during the week, we take the dogs for walks. We usually try to take the camera at least once a week for Alex to shoot pictures of whatever he wants. I have given him his own folder on my webshots page.The rest of the stuff is whatever I decide to shoot. Some of it is for schooling purposes like the slide show I'm about to link below, but a lot of it is just hobby. Here is a link to my page.webshots I will feature some photos here either embedded or as a slide show, but you can always find everything else we decided to take pictures including Alex's album which is appropriately titled "Alex's photos". I think he has a pretty good eye and he photographs things I would never even think of photographing. It is truly proof of the unique perspective of a 7 year old.
Anyway, I wanted to share these photos. Alex has been very interested in bugs lately and for some reason we have had an influx of spiders. I always try to take pictures of these things so we can look them up online and try to figure out what kind they are. The slide show doesn't do them justice. You can get a better look at them if you go straight to the album, but this works well enough for my intentions! After all, not everyone wants to see these guys up close and personal! There are some good shots of a butterfly at the end though so stick around for the whole show! Hope you enjoy!
buggies, critters and other things |
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• Sep. 20, 2007 - Alex-isms aka I wouldn't trade homeschooling for anything!!
Alex-isms
Current mood:  amused
Category: Life
Over the course of the last few years, Alex and I have had many conversations about God and life in general. I wish I had written some of them down so I could still remember them word for word. Some have been very funny. Some have had the wisdom that only children can have with their simple points of view. I decided to make this blog so I can have a place to write them down when they happen.
September 22, 2007
We were driving home and went through an area that smelled strongly of natural gas. I mentioned that it was so strong I could taste it. Alex pipes up from the back seat and asks what the smell is. I told him "natural gas". His response? "It must be farting gas!" hahahaha! Natural gas indeed!
September 19th, 2007
I have been wondering how long it would take for Alex to understand that the resurrection of our Lord is a miracle. Apparently today was the day. The conversation went something like this:
Alex was working on his Science pace. If you are one of my friends that have been through them, you know that they are pretty simple. It has never occurred to me how profound some of their teachings are until today. The page he was reading was discussing how God lives before creation. How He made everything. How He still is alive today. That Jesus is God and that Jesus lived before creation and He is still alive today. As Alex was answering the comprehension questions that went along with his reading , he suddenly turns to me and says:
"Mom, Jesus isn't alive today, is he?" a puzzled look on his face.
Me: Yes, Alex, He is.
Alex: But he died on the cross, right?
Me: Yes, but he also rose again, remember?
Alex: Yeah, after 3 days.
Me: That's right. Good I'm glad you remember that.
Alex: But I thought that was just His spirit that rose.
Me: No, it was His whole body. He got up and walked around and talked to people.
Alex: But that can't be true.
Me: Why not?
Alex: Because men can't get up and walk after they died.
Me: Yes (very slowly as I think of a way to answer his question clearly), that's true, but most men aren't God are they?
Alex: No.
Me: And Jesus is God right?
Alex: Yes.
Me: That's why he can do what regular men can't, because he is not just a man, but is also God.
Alex has a thoughtful look on his face. I can see him processing what I'm saying, so I decided to continue and let him really think it all through.
Me: Just like men can't make the world, can they?
Alex: no.
Me: You couldn't create the world, could you?
Alex grins and says no.
Me: Jesus is a man but he is also God. He can do things men can't like walk around after He died and create the universe.
Alex obviously is following me now and in complete understanding. He grins.
Alex: He can fly too!
Me: yeah, I'm sure he could.
Alex: I know he can because he flew up to heaven and he looked like this (he stands and puts his arms out like and airplane)
Me: How do you know that?
Alex: I saw it in a picture.
Me: (laughing) well, maybe he did that, but maybe he went to heaven so fast you couldn't even see Him go. Maybe it was in the blink of an eye. That picture was just one person's idea.
Alex: Yeah, Maybe he jumped up and was just gone!
Me: you mean like superman?
Alex: No! I don't like superman. Jesus is cooler than that!
July 6th, 2007
Our backyard has a chain link fence separating our yard from our neighbor's. Our neighbor has 10 dogs and there are always several dogs outside at any time. Sometimes the dogs start barking for no apparent reason, usually early in the morning. My guess is the early morning birds get them started. This morning I asked Alex to feed our dogs. He went out to check their water and shortly after all the dogs started barking. Alex comes back inside and says to me, "Mom, the reason the dogs are barking is because they're having a meeting."
May 11th, 2007
Walking out the door to go to PE
Alex: If there is something that can hurt you, it hurts me. But if there is something that doesn't hurt you, it doesn't hurt me.
Me: You don't say, Alex. What made you come up with that?
Alex: Well, I'm strong and I don't get hurt very easy, but some things do hurt.
May 8th, 2007
First thing in the morning.
Alex: "Mom, can I have a hug"
I give him a hug
Alex: "Mom, can I give God a hug?"
Me: "Well, I suppose when you get to heaven you'll be able to"
Alex: "Yep! My spirit will come out of my body and hug him. That will be a good day. Mom, can I write God a letter?"
Me: "Sure, if you want to, but you know you can pray to him and he'll hear you right now."
Alex: "OK Mom! Will you pray with me?"
Me: "Of course."
And we did....
Awhile later.....
Alex: "How do snails kiss?"
Me: "I don't know. Maybe they use their antenna"
Alex: "Do they bite?"
Me: "Snails? No."
Alex: "What about slugs?"
Me: "No. Slugs are just snails without shells."
And a little later, while reading a sentence in his Word Building about God and strong.
Alex: "Men's arms are strong, but God is stronger.....but Dad is even stronger!"
Me: "Stronger than God? No I think God is stronger, but Dad is really strong too"
Alex: "Well, I'm going to be strong like Dad someday."
Me: "I'm sure you will."
April 30th, 2007
Alex to Alisa. "Are boogers sugar free?"
Alisa "No, they have lots of sugar. So much sugar they cause diabetes and heart disease."
March 12th, 2007-We are in the car. James and I are talking about going somewhere without the kids. Alex is listening to only part of the conversation.
Me: I'm willing to go do that if we can get rid of the kids.....
Alex pipes up from the back soundly somewhat disturbed: Mom, you don't have to get rid of us. You can just get a babysitter!
March 4th, 2007
Alex: Mom, God is really heavy
Me: Why do you say that?
Alex: Because he's really really big. He's even bigger than adults.
Me: Are adults heavy because they're big?
Alex: Yeah. But God is even bigger. He's a giant. |
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About Me
Supplementing basic textbook style curriculum with unit studies, science experiments, computer programs and research and just plain living. Curiosity breeds Imagination which expands into Exploration and causes Rumination. Knowledge is not just a journey but a way of life.
There will be stories here of my experiences, conversations and probably more than a few ramblings on various thought processes I am going through as I attempt to teach my 7yo and 2yo about life .
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