• May. 17, 2009 - Welcome
Posted By Janne
• Apr. 6, 2009 - In The Swing Again
Now that life is returning to normal again I will have more time to devote to this blog. My step-dad recently passed away so I was busy with helping my mom with things.
Today, after almost a month of not doing a whole lot of learning in our home (book work that is), I had expected my kids to just be able to get back into it. That plan backfired like an old truck. The kids could not find their math books or pencils. We forgot where we left off on our units studies. The cubby holes where the kids keep their learning materials were a total mess. I quickly found myself getting frustrated and so were the kids.
I knew if we kept going the smoke from the backfired truck would quickly fill the room. It was time for a pow-wow! I gathered my kids around and I apologized to them and admitted that we all got off to a bad start. We all then decided to take today to organize the cubby's and find their learning materials. We all agreed that it is much easier when things are organized and clean.
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I have had a lot of ideas for what to write for this blog. Stay tuned.
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• Mar. 4, 2009 - I will return!
Posted By HappyApple
• Feb. 25, 2009 - Extras
I've been thinking a lot lately about extra things my children can do outside of our "home school walls. You know, like martial arts, sports, art class, dancing or music lessons. As much as I would like my children doing more of those things I also have to take into account the monetary cost. It's not easy during these times in our country.
Besides park and rec. programs, scouts, local support groups or co-ops what are ways that you give your children "extra curricular" activities without spending your milk (or non-dairy) money? |
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• Feb. 19, 2009 - Reading Comprehension
• Feb. 10, 2009 - Got Journal?
I have kept journals for as long as I remember. I enjoy sitting down and just spilling words out upon a blank piece of journal page.
Journaling is something I wanted to pass down to my children. Each year I get them brand new journals. They really like the ones that you can close with a clip or a magnet. Each day we all take time to journal. Myself included which sometimes ends up being blogging or making grocery lists. We've been doing this for at least five years. Even my little ones journal by doodling or scribbling on paper.
My daughter and I also have a journal (three ring-binder) where we write to each other. It's precious.
It always puts a smile on my face when we walk out the door and a child brings their journal.
I have a box of writing prompts that we use each day when we cannot think of something to write about.
Teacher Created Resources Writing Prompts. They offer different grade levels if that is something that floats your boat. Otherwise, if you are not concerned about grade levels then have fun with them. I enjoy them even no matter which grade level we pull from. Journaling is about writing and enjoying it.
Online Writing and Journal Prompts:
Writing/Journal Prompts at CanTeach.
Daily Writing promts at The Teachers Corner
A Goldmine of Journal Writing Prompts
How about you? Do you journal? Do your kids journal? |
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• Feb. 9, 2009 - To-do
Home school to-do list for this week.
- Finish planning this week.
- Think about planning next week.
- Move bookshelves.
- Library run.
My eldest decided that he wanted to work on his math everyday at 2:00 rather than in the mornings. We'll see how this works. Hey, if him setting his own schedule for his learning routine helps, I'm all for it. He may be more like his dad and will strive on schedules.
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• Feb. 5, 2009 - Treasure links
Great on-line learning aids.
"Hundreds of worksheets. Millions of combinations." at Worksheet Works
Free on-line books, poems and short stories at Read Print.
On-line graphical dictionary and thesaurus at Visuwords. This has become one of my new favorites. Being dyslexic I can "see" the words by getting a neat picture. Seeing this site for the first time was pretty exciting for me.
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• Feb. 3, 2009 - Teachable Moments
I have been learning a lot today! I had composed a heart felt post about when I am a sour apple the whole bunch (my family) are also rotten.
Then the blog post monster ate my words! Really, I meant to hit "Ctrl C" but pushed "Shift C" instead. Poof!
This will be the shortened version.
Our attitudes affect more than just ourselves. When we have sour attitudes they usually end up spreading to our spouse and to our children. Children can read feelings well. I have learned that when I am a sour apple my children act out, they don't obey, they are rude and often will not listen. It has been in these times where I have had to take a mommy time out, calm down and then humble myself and apologize for being rotten.
As homeschoolers we are on the lookout for teachable moments to teach our children, but more-so we as the teacher need our teachable moments, too.
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• Jan. 30, 2009 - The Plan is to Plan
'Tis the season to start praying and thinking about purchasing new learning aids. (Books, workbooks, ya know that stuff that helps aid in learning.) It's time to start planning what direction we want to go this year with our learning. Fun times, I tell you.
My 12 yo and my almost 11 yo are wanting more self-directed learning aids. I am planning a day when I can take them out to our local get-your-homeschool-supplies-here store so that they can look and touch learning aids, and I can get ideas.
My almost 8 yo (in two weeks) is getting into reading more. Reading has finally clicked with him. It is exciting when reading "clicks" for a child. I am so thankful that I am the one that gets to see that "click" and not some stranger.
My 5 yo is wanting his own math book. Yes! I'll be making another mass order to Math-U-See again soon because my other children are almost done with their books.
My 2 yo, well she is happy with a stack of blank paper and a box of crayons. She is quite good at making scribble. |
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