Nov. 23, 2009 - Intentional Training - Bootcamp
This morning I looked through my blog for some links for a friend so I thought I would share them here with you too.
Intentional Training - bootcamp - an intense period of training for a purpose.
These blog posts are simply my thinking processes. I share them on my blog not so much to be copied (as each child will have different heart attitudes) but rather to share the thought process and the intentionality that is needed if we are to help our children succeed.
Training Notes - Boot camp - Obedience
Bootcamp – final report and here
Training notes – Boot camp – Diligence
Nov. 21, 2009 - Parenting Think Spots
I've just created a new page on my website: Parenting Think Spot - a collection of short parenting tips, ideas and thoughts.
Two short thoughts are already uploaded
5 Keys to Consistency The key to training our children is consistency - but how do we maintain that?
Instructions or Example? When we are teaching our children what is more effective? Our Instruction or our Example?
Nov. 20, 2009 - Internet Reading
I’ve had several pages open in my browser for the last little while waiting to share them with you. Since I have to shut down my computer for a while now seems like a good time to post them.
I love the idea of these Narration bookmarks. These prompts help the children to think as they are reading. Most of my children are sharing their narrations in their reading journals these days, but they go through seasons of needing prompts. This post was listed in the Charlotte Mason Blog Carnival – if you haven’t read it yet – there’s plenty to read!
I love this list of what a true friend is like – as per scripture. These are good scriptures to remember for anyone – not just us ladies!
Not sure how I came across this site though it has been open for a week or so – neoK12 – Educational videos and lessons for k-12 school kids. This will be a handy link to keep!
I’ve printed this off to keep in my Bible study folder. Not sure when I’ll get to this study but I’d like to do it myself or help my older ones to do it as their Bible Study. Getting to know God through His Names and Titles. I like the list in that it is just some prompts/scriptures – you have to do the thinking and applying.
Also need to be more diligent with Scripture Memorisation with my younger two – not sure how I’m going to do this yet, but with AmblesideOnline’s list and this one I think we’ll have enough to work with.
Nov. 18, 2009 - Reflecting on my boys birth day.
The boys birthdays are always extra special for me. Yep I said me, probably more so then for the birthday boy. It's a day I spend reflecting on the day of their birth, my pregnancy with them and how they are growing. Am I making each day count, am I taking every opportunity to show them how far and wide the love I have for them flows.
Do I take the small moments to create lasting memories. Birthdays are always joyful with a tinge of sadness; they are growing up too fast. My time with them feels like sand slipping through my hands, it runs out fast.
Today is Ashton's 5th Birthday, he is my tiniest boy weighing 5 lbs less than his younger Brother Noah (2). He is my feistiest and funniest of the 4. He is precious in every way if I do say so myself! :-)
We had an early Birthday party on Sunday so that Troy could celebrate with us. Today we had our Birthday breakfast with Ashton's favorite... cinnamon rolls and hot cocoa! :-)
Find more photos like this on The Homeschool Lounge
Nov. 17, 2009 - Our Homeschool Resources
I was recently asked what do we 'use' for homeschooling so I've compiled a list. It isn't a complete list as it would take me forever to walk around the house and list everything that the kids use, or have used over the years. I prefer to use resources other than curriculum (at least I make this distinction in my head). When you use a resource you are in control, you use what you want, what you find helpful and what solves your problem and then you move on. With a curriculum we tend to have this inner commitment to use it all, to be solely dedicated to it, to be honour bound to it (obviously that is a bit extreme but there is a glimmer of truth there!) So we these are some of the resources we use:
Bible - I have not used a set curriculum for Bible though I have drawn heavily from Heart of Wisdom's approach - read, discuss, research, record etc. We've done both chronological readings as well as topics. We cover a lot of our language arts in the writing/notebooking/narrations that happen in Bible. By older two (15/16) have been doing Bible independently for a year or so - they have used various studies but our main goal has been to teach them to use Bible study tools for themselves.
Character - we study one character trait a month and have done so for many years. We use primarily Character First material.
Language - We've used a variety of methods for teaching to read, but largely guided by Ruth Beechick (even if we were using a curriculum such as Jolly Phonics, or an Australian one - LEM) For writing we've used Charlotte Mason's ideas of oral narration and then written narrations. We use notebooking or Lapbooks. Once the children are comfortable with writing we've used Institute of Excellence in Writing.
Math - our core is Math U See though I supplement that with math literature, drawing on livingmath.net
Science - this is one of my weakest areas. I have largely relied upon Magic School Bus dvds, and anything Peter (dh) wants to show them. He is the scientist. We have probably focused on Creation Science in the primary/elementary ages and used magazines, dvds, audios to help the children see the importance of this aspect of science. As the children have got older we've used Noeo Science and Apologia for different children. Next year I intend to use God's Design for Life by Answers in Genesis as my spine/core guide. I also use Topscience intermittently - it also covers some math concepts.
History - Josh has used Diana Waring as a spine/outline. Jess is using Mystery of History. We read lots of historical fiction, biographies and non-fiction books. Notebooking is our primary output for history (and science)
Geography - another weak spot for me and a strong point for Pete. We do a lot of this by talking around the dinner table as well as taking notice of things in the books we read. Currently we are reading through Exploring the World around you by Gary Parker.
Each of our children pursue a variety of different interests and we've all sorts of curriculum and resources but this covers the main stuff.
If you are thinking about homeschooling I have some thoughts and ideas for you over on the homeschool section of my website, Lifestyle Homeschool
If you are looking at curriculum and wondering, then this article may help you: Choosing Curriculum
Nov. 16, 2009 - Life just happens
As my previous post said, I had my plans all laid out for today. We were going to have a good day. Well, we did have a good day, but it had nothing to do with my plans!
Pete had to get his plane back into town and pick up his car so that meant a trip to town for me. We got talking and it was so tempting to head out for coffee but because I'd made plans I decided to head back home and carry on with whatever we could.
I wasn't home long before we got a phone call from a friend who was able to drop in to help Nomi with a craft project she is making for my Christmas present (which is why I couldn't help her!). So there went Nomi's study.
Then Pete needed help down in the paddock and Daniel was the best kid for the job so there went Daniel's study!
Josh was processing mangoes and listening to an audio and Jess was busy with her studies. After lunch Jess took over with the mangoes and Josh took in a little study. Then there was "Bedroom Bless" the time when the kids deep clean their bedrooms, and then we headed over to a friend's house for swimming practice.
While I was in town the kids all (except Josh) worked on their independent work so their basic skills were covered today but the Bible lesson, the character lesson, and the living math lesson I had planned just didn't h\appen! But lots of good stuff did and that is what we have to remember when life happens - that if it is good stuff then we need to make the most of it, if on the other hand it is drivel that happens we need to get control of our day - but for us today, it was good stuff.
Tomorrow is a new day!
Oct. 24, 2009 - Lessons Learned
We just heard that those ridiculous pictures that we did last week, under the gun; the pictures that were crazy hard that took A LOT of thought and had us all thinking we should NEVER do another contest again in our lives, the contest that started my 3day migraine headache, that we turned in with the paint just barely dry, 10 minutes before the deadline,
well......
My two older sons BOTH got 2nd place!!!!!!!! My 7th grader won $125 and my 5th grader will receive $50 --- oh man I wish I could spend their money LOL And even though my youngest didn't place, when I asked him what he learned from this, he said, "I learned that G-d has given me gifts and talents and I need to use them more often" --- lessons learned and as the commercial goes... PRICELESS!
The pictures had the theme "Our Destiny, Our Culture for Now and the Future" and these are the what they submitted:
© Copyright 2009 Jacque Ward http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/wacque/
Nov. 16, 2009 - Ready to Go
I've had a good prep time over the weekend.
I listed all the lessons I wanted to cover this week.
Collected all the books
Glanced over all the lessons so I won't be caught on the hop this week.
It feels good.
My main focus for Nomi and Daniel this week is to ask them questions - and teach them how to find answers. My goal is to help them see that to learn you need to ask questions.
Nov. 16, 2009 - Project: Christmas
2 hours a week for 12 weeks -
Preparing for a relational, homemade Christmas -
My plans are all over the place – my energy levels have failed me so I’m rewriting my goals.
The thing I like about starting to think about plans early is that I have time to tweak.
This week – Saturday 14th
Make some online orders – tableware, decorations, gifts, books for our devotions
Set up Gift Wrapping center – buy paper, ribbon, tags (yep, goodbye to handmade tags!)
Write Newsletter – each child will write a section – this will be their writing assignments for the week.
Finish gifts that I’m making
Next week – Saturday 21st
Bake Christmas cake
Organise clothes for Christmas
Send invites for Christmas party
Saturday 28th
Post all gifts where necessary
Plan menus for December, including an gifts-from-the-kitchen
Finalise Read alouds for December
Saturday 5th
Decorate the house (not the tree)
Declutter hotspots
Start our Advent studies
Nov. 13, 2009 - TDay could be Dday
Well, I’m getting hit with a double whammy but I guess it could be worse. Aunt Flo arrived this morning kicking and screaming and she is being a real pain. I really need to just have a “Free Be Me Day” but I’ve already taken my allotment of those this month with being sick. Mine and dh's cold have settled in our chest so we sound like rickety old rat-a-tat cars that sputter and wheeze. plus it hurts. I’m thinking about doing a chest plaster but it is soooo hard to take care of your own self when Aunt Flo just wants someone to take care of her and when your kids don't seem to be effected by any of it. in anyway. Man, I truly don’t have time to be feeling rotten even though I know the best thing for me to do is rest. It is hard to let things go knowing that Thanksgiving is nipping at my heels and Christmas is right around the corner. I am starting to feel like taffy with everyone pulling on me. Thinking Christmas in the Bahamas sounds like a nice way of dismissing the whole event at the moment. Heck let's just go for the whole winter.
Okay so the good news is that (we *think -- it is not official at the moment) the 12-7p shift that dh thought he is working is actually the shift he is getting on Christmas day (I don’t mind that because then he will here in the morning and be home for a late dinner) and he will be off on Thanksgiving all day which is good and bad. Good because now we can celebrate Thanksgiving but bad because now I can’t host -- all the hosting jobs are already taken. Now most would think not hosting Tday would be a good thing but remember the vent I didn’t send about divorcing our immediate family? Well, that seriously comes into play here and dh working on Tday gave me the excuse to host either lunch or dinner and that would have put some barriers on that day that our families wouldn’t be able to cross. I know holidays are supposed to be about family but I think I am just sick of defending my every thought at every moment and being criticized for everything I do on both sides. And honestly if they really thought about it they would all know why I don’t want to spend Thanksgiving with any of them -- sad isn't it! Now it will just be another battle so yep… be careful what you wish for because you *might have Thanksgiving off -- "jezz, there is no pleasing some people", she said to her self who is probably just stressed out.
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