You Learn Something New Everyday! - Homeschool Blogger

Summer is finally here!

Wed, 12 Aug 2009 09:14:00 -0500

I know this sounds like it must be an old post, but if you hail anywhere in the northeast, you know that we had close to 2 months of monsoon season. We haven't seen the sun since mid-June.

Of course now, it is muggy muggy MUGGY! (Uh oh - am I complaining?) The sun DOES still exist and we are really being blessed with not-so-hot temps. We haven't even installed the air conditioners yet. The line, usually a tower, that is the indicator of our kilowatt usage on the electric bill is half the height it was last year - praise GOD!

But I think the kids have forgotten that there IS an outside. We had to limit video game time because it had become a dawn-to-dusk activity during the rains. But they are no longer complaining of boredom. Hmmmm, what are those little rascals up to?

My 12 year old, Luke, comes bounding down the stairs from his room, "Finally! I finished Brisingr!!!" He's been reading all this time?

My 17 year old, Marley, reappears after vanishing 4 hours ago and demands, "Come see my room!" Okay, so the hallway outside her door looks like the inside of the garage, but her room looks like a magazine snapshot.

My 9 year old, Timmy, runs in with a multiplication Math Wrap and grabs my mouse, clicking on the computer clock icon. "C'mon - time me!" He makes the 20 second goal - amazing!

A little while later they ask me if it's okay if they all go for a ride down to the church and back. Outside? You're going OUTSIDE?

"Sure - look, there's not a cloud in the sky. So can we go?" They haven't forgotten °Ü°

The CPSIA Meets Dr. Seuss

Fri, 20 Feb 2009 09:04:00 -0600

There has been much controversy over the CPSIA law that was supposed to go into effect a couple of weeks ago, but has since been "postponed" for revisions.

This is a wonderful original story written by my friend, Heather Idoni, fellow homeschooler and owner of Beloved Books & Easy Fun School (among other great homeschool sites).

http://www.easyfunschool.com/the_CPSIA_meets_Dr_Seuss.html

Enjoy!

Family Game Time

Sun, 26 Oct 2008 19:57:00 -0500

I love being with my family - don't you? (I mean YOUR family, of course °Ü°)

We can choose how late we sleep, we can be flexible in when we do our book work and when we play. If we plan playtime thoughtfully, we can sneak in learning without our kids even knowing it's happening.

A favorite ritual at our house is a Family Game Time. We try to do it every week - Fridays are best, as it marks the end of the week with a "reward" of sorts for keeping on task all week. Sometimes we do it instead of bookwork on Fridays, although I like to do it at night when hubby is home and we cozy down with a movie, pizza, snacks, and a good rousing competition of wits. Bedtimes are meaningless, nutrition rules go out the window, and giddy over-tired children come up with some pretty funny one-liners.

Games that test your logic skills, spatial reasoning skills, and verbal skills are a great practical application of what the kids have learned all week. It also keeps Dad on his toes! Here are some of our favorite games to play as a family - all of them offer skills that are not necessarily age-relevant. They take quick thinking, keen observation, and practical problem solving skills. And of course, you can find them all at BRAIN-athon Emporium °Ü°

Apples to Apples (Party, Junior, & Kids versions) - This is a great game that helps build vocabulary for younger children, as well as help all ages make associations between "things" and descriptions (dare I say "nouns and adjectives'?) Taking turns as "judge", the judge draws a descriptive card (e.g. "creepy") and each player chooses a thing from his hand that he believes fits the description best, according to how the judge thinks. Players may then schmooze, argue, or otherwise persuade the judge that his card is the best choice, preferably without revealing which card is his. Hmmmm - sound interesting? Oh, yeah! Kids make connections that are obvious when they can - remote when none of their cards fits the description. They can draw from life experiences or anything at all to find the association that might convince the judge to choose their card. Lots of laughs - and language arts! With over 1,000 cards, even a big family can play together.

Freeze Up! - This is a great electronic game that talks to you. Players take turns pressing the button that gives them a category and a letter of the alphabet, starting the timer. The player must come up with a word that everyone agrees is acceptable for the category that begins with the given letter. Sound easy? Not with the clock ticking - while everyone else finds the answer 'obvious', your brain Freezes Up! Tons of fun and, of course - lots of laughs! Any number of players can play.

SET - SET is a game that tests your observation & logic skills. The object of the game is to identify a 'Set' of three cards from 12 cards laid out on the table. Each card has a variation of the following four features:

(A) Color:
Each card is red, green, or purple.

(B) Symbol:
Each card contains ovals, squiggles, or diamonds.

(C) Number:
Each card has one, two, or three symbols.

(D) Shading: Each card is solid, open, or striped.

A 'Set' consists of three cards in which each feature is EITHER the same on each card OR is different on each card. That is to say, any feature in the 'Set' of three cards is either common to all three cards or is different on each card.

Age of the players is NOT a factor in SET. As you play, your mind trains itself to find SETs. It is a great way to help your child develop the skill of paying attention to detail which is a great academic & life skill. Everyone plays at once. As cards are placed on the table by a dealer, the first person to shout SET shows the 3 cards that form a SET, followed by acceptance of the other players. Play until the cards are gone - the one with the most SETs - WINS! Up to 10 players can play.

The addition of a regular game time to your family schedule will build family bonds, give everyone a time to destress from a busy week, and help develop thinking skills that build confidence and a love of learning. Mondays are bound to go smoother, but the memories of Family Game Time will last a lifetime!

Why Critical Thinking?

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 18:23:00 -0500

Here I am in the midst of homeschool conference season: taking inventory, restocking inventory, packing the van, unpacking the van, setting up my booth only to tear it down again - did I mention packing and unpacking the van? I love the conferences, and I love meeting my fellow homeschoolers, many of whom I only know as ScrapHappy Mom, or VictoryinJesus, or even Rabbit. It's so fun to eventually put a face to a name - ever notice that they NEVER look the way you imagined they would?

Anyway, my blog entry today addresses the question of adding critical thinking as yet another subject to our already busy agenda. "How can I possibly add another subject when most days we don't even get through readin', ritin', and 'rithmatic?" you might ask. Believe me - many homeschool moms ask me this very question at my BRAIN-athon Emporium booth. Or they reason, "Isn't that best left for highschool or even college?" I know that you know that it's important for your children to be able to think logically, but adding critical thinking can seem overwhelming. And yet it can be accomplished in as little as 10-20 minutes a day!

I want to give you PEACE about this - you can do it! And you'll be SO glad you did. There are so many benefits to empowering our children with good critical thinking skills. For one, they will become more independent thinkers resulting in less cries for, "Mom, I need your help! I don't understand what they want me to do!" They will also become expert problem solvers. They will begin to "think" before they act. And as an added bonus, they will acquire wonderful COMMUNICATION skills as they think before they speak and learn to express their own thoughts and beliefs accurately and effectively.

The most important thing you will all learn is that logical thinking is FUN! As your children begin to analyze word meanings, solve figural puzzles, or play brain-teasing games, their confidence in their own abilities will soar and your own love for teaching will return. Nothing can IGNITE THE FIRE in your homeschool more than learning that seems more like play than work!

So turn that sour lemon that your curriculum has become into a HAPPY APPLE with fun critical thinking activities and games that you can do right on your own front PORCH!

Before you know it, both you and your children will begin to pour HEART N SOUL into learning again!

Back in the SWING!

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 18:22:00 -0500

I can't believe it! Has it really been a year since I've blogged?

This has been an exciting year!

Paul is graduating (has graduated actually). Marley just turned 16! Luke needs deoderant - lol! Timothy has made up for any "behindedness" he may have phased through. His reading has SOARED, he is a Math whiz, and his sense of humor and vocabulary astound me! Did this child really not utter a word until he was 3½?

The closing of the Bright Minds division by The Critical Thinking Company caused our family to make a major decision for 2008. We opened BRAIN-athon Emporium! TCTC welcomed me as a reseller and I expanded the product line to include SMART games which include single-player logic games and multi-player games like Blokus. I learned that my suppliers also carried a myriad of other brain-building products like manipulatives, science kits, and more and within 3 months we were truly the EMPORIUM we promised to be by the end of 2008.

In my world, play and learning are synonymous. Games should require problem solving skills, analysis, and critical thinking. I'm not sure what types of games are my favorite: word games or figural games.

Right now, we are loving Kanoodle. It is a puzzle game that involves placing different shaped pieces, comprised of connected "beads" into either the rectangular compartment of it's case as a 2D puzzle, or into a pyramid as a 3D puzzle. There are DOZENS of possible combinations. It's one of those games that you can't stop playing even when you've solved it once. There is a link to enter a drawing for a free Kanoodle game in the LINKS.

What's your favorite puzzle game and why?

That Clean Spring Feelin'!

Mon, 9 Apr 2007 17:45:00 -0500

I don't think our family spring cleans the way my mother did - or the way I did before children. I remember anticipating the fresh lemon smells, the look of newly lined cabinets and drawers, the KNOWING that the tops of the cabinets, fridge, picture frames and the 'unders' of dressers, sideboards and hutches were spotless - even if nobody could see them. The end result was so motivating - cleanness, crispness - ahhh purity.

OK, I almost fell for it. But, no, I'm in dread again at the thought. Yes, of course I'm tired of the clutter. Yes, I know, things have escalated beyond the "wiping stage" and have now entered the "scrub zone". But, do I really have to wash the windows (I have tilt-ins and I'm complaining)? I wonder what ever happened to the attachments for the upright vacuum.

Hey, I washed the van and vacuumed inside - does that count?

I really can't wait to get elbow deep in wash buckets. I know when I'm done I'll have the softest knees in town. I'll be THRILLED when it's actually warm enough to throw open all of the windows and let the fresh air filter through the stale house.

I'll bet the kids would LOVE to wash the windows! But can I just wipe down last year's shelf liner - or did I do that last year?

I guess I've lost motivation from knowing that with 4 children and homeschooling it won't last very long. But, I haven't lost my motivation completely - SPRING has sprung just in time. Who wants to come to a painting party?

HAPPY *CRISPY CLEAN* SPRING!

Enter the Spring Cleaning Blog Contest!

Say What You Mean Convention

Fri, 5 Jan 2007 20:30:00 -0600

Mark Your Calenders
for February 1-3, 2007

Defending the Faith 2007 -
Online Christian Homeschool Convention

You won't want to miss this opportunity to attend! Imagine attending workshops, listening to homeschool experts from the comfort of your computer chair - all coupled with fun contests, games, & prizes.

Plus, it's free! You can save your money for curriculum purchases!

I'm so thrilled to be co-hosting this event with JoJo Tabares of Art of Eloquence. This year our guest speakers include Gena Suarez (The Old Schoolhouse magazine), Dr. Jay Wile (Apologia Science), and Jeannie Fulbright (Apologia Elementary Science).

We have many wonderful sponsors who are offering specials for those who attend our event. We will also be offering free ebooks, available prior to the event, and each day will feature live chats, teleseminars, and audio seminars. Go to http://www.saywhatyoumeanconvention.com for a sneak preview of what you can look forward to at the 2nd Annual Say What You Mean Convention - Defending the Faith 2007

Stop me - I'm dreaming of charts again!

Mon, 25 Sep 2006 19:27:00 -0500

OK - anyone who knows me can tell you that I am the Queen of Charts. I have charts for everything (I don't necessarily use them, though - lol!). So many, in fact, it takes me a while to come up with new file names that will help me delineate one from another chart that may be similar.

I have charts and organizers named:

Daily Family Chore List

While I'm out...Chore List

Job Jar List

Things That Need to Get Done

Points Chart

Schedule - Specific

Family Chart Weekly

Schedule - All in One

Daily School Schedule

Exit Check Checklist

and on and on and on....

I crack myself up! I still have to open each one to be sure of what it is for exactly. And worst of all, I'm dreaming up another system! Maybe if I kept a chart of the times and circumstances associated with this mindset, I'd find that there's a pattern or that I run on a some sort of hormonal chart cycle.

I used to make these chart systems up in order to make all the kids more organized and accountable - keep them on their toes, so to speak. Now, whenever disruptive behavior becomes more the rule than the exception, all I need to say is, "This is great - I'm feeling inspired. I do believe this calls for a new 'system'."

I've never seen everyone's behavior change so fast!

Can I call THIS a system?

Carnival of FUNschooling Day!

Tue, 19 Sep 2006 08:43:00 -0500

WELCOME!!!

Thanks for stopping by to check out my blog during the semi-annual Carnival of FUNschooling, hosted by our own JoJo Tabares of Art of Eloquence!

If you haven't seen the Carnival of FUNschooling blog, be sure to visit today! JoJo has compiled the most creative and fun blogs, websites, curricula, information, tips and support sites for homeschoolers.

We use JoJo's materials in our homeschool and we really enjoy them - they make learning FUN, and are a great compliment to our critical thinking materials. After all, you need to know HOW to think and WHY you believe something before you can communicate that effectively to others!

During this special event, you may receive my Bright Minds customer special!

Get 10% off of our already discounted book & software bundles!

Choose a free item (up to $20) with your $45 purchase.

Get 2 free gifts to download as soon as your order of ANY size is processsed:

Free logic activity ebook & our Think Ahead software program.

To get started, simply browse my Bright Minds website and print out any of hundreds of sample pages available, and download any of our free software demos!

Specials are a part of this event, and are ONLY valid on email orders - do NOT order from the Bright Minds site, or I can't honor the specials.

Just send your requests to MamaPow@comcast.net

Enjoy the Carnival!............Cindy �ܰ

Is this a test?

Mon, 18 Sep 2006 22:27:00 -0500

Well, today my 10, 14, and 16 year olds took their first bonafide vocabulary quiz in - - - well - - - YEARS! ((((blush)))) It was based on words from the first few chapters of Tolkien's "Fellowship of the Ring". They were all an absolute MESS this weekend worrying about it. The scores were, from youngest to oldest, 86, 92, and 100%!!!

What were we all stressing about?

I mean...er...them - certainly not me.�ܰ

One of Luke's vocabulary faux pas was so cute. He mis-used the word 'malicious' to describe how Grandma's fingers worked the yarn while making a scarf - then he mis-used the word 'deft' to describe horrible things a sister said to her brother: "How could she be so deft?"

LOL - do you figure he was thinking of 'daft' and his OWN sister?

Tomorrow, the 2 oldest take their first test for Apologia Biology. I know they are REALLY nervous about that one. But, you know what? They begged me for this type of 'school' this year. So, I guess we'll all get used to it. I know my days seem longer and fuller (that's a good thing, right?) I have yet to feel like the day has been wasted.

I'm feeling quite deft myself - or was that 'malicious'?