Belinda's Notes on Lifestyle Homeschool - Homeschool Blogger

Parenting Think Spots

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:51:00 -0600

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?

Internet Reading

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 02:39:00 -0600

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.

Our Homeschool Resources

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 15:08:00 -0600

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.

-oo0oo-

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

Life just happens

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 07:08:00 -0600

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!

Ready to Go

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 17:43:00 -0600

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.

Project: Christmas

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 17:16:00 -0600

freefoto

2 hours a week for 12 weeks -

Preparing for a relational, homemade Christmas -

Remembering Jesus!

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 28^th

Post all gifts where necessary

Plan menus for December, including an gifts-from-the-kitchen

Finalise Read alouds for December

Saturday 5^th

Decorate the house (not the tree)

Declutter hotspots

Start our Advent studies

Hospitality

Sun, 8 Nov 2009 16:01:00 -0600

Over the weekend I worked on some articles to do with Hospitality

My weekly, Live life with your Kids! newsletter. It is free to subscribe and then you can dig around in the archives. (This week's was titled "Show Hospitality")

Character Notes on Hospitality - these are just a collection of thoughts that I will be discussing with my kids over the next month.

Children need to be involved - an article listing some of the things that happen around our home.

It doesn't happen every day!

Thu, 5 Nov 2009 01:44:00 -0600

There are two incidents that have happened around here in the last week or so that I just shake my head over – it doesn’t happen every day – thankfully! Let me tell…

The other day Pete had an early start to his day. He was filling up with fuel at the 24hour BP at 3.00am. As he was at the bowsers he felt the car drop down – he just thought the car was adjusting to the weight of the fuel but then the car started up and started to drive away on him. He looked up and there was someone in his car – driving it away. Someone was stealing his car – and he was standing right there!! He had the presence of mind to pull out the fuel hose, jump in the back seat and whack the gear stick into Park. The car stopped. He realised the woman in the car was so ‘out of it’ drunk that he got out of the back and walked around to help her get out of the car. She was very drunk, very distraught and had no idea!! Obviously she was still able to steal a car though.

I am personally very impressed with Peter's presence of mind. I would have had no idea what to do.

Second thing happening in our life is that we have acquired a Bull – he’s not a pet bull, he isn’t even really our bull but he seems to like us. Next to our farm there is a scrub block and it appears as if this bull has lived there quite happily for some time. But he has since found our place and seems to like the company. He has been right upto the house yard fence, grazes down near the chook shed, and today has been enjoying the shade of the mango trees. We would like him to be gone! He is very big.

Bull near our house yard fence

Bull grazing on old bale of hay down near chook shed and veggie garden

Bull near backyard play area

Going Grocery Shopping - a Training Opportunity

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 15:43:00 -0500

This week’s newsletter talked about training each of our children even though they are all at different levels of skill and understanding. One of the ways that has worked for me is by breaking down a skill or moral truth into bite size pieces. Each step is progressive and therefore each of my children can be working at a different stage and yet I keep my focus knowing that we are working on one thing at this moment in time.

An example of working with these progressive steps is going grocery shopping. We do this every week; it is a fantastic training opportunity and yet we miss that opportunity because we want it over and done with real quick! And yet the learning that goes on is huge. Here is a progressive list (it may not be exhaustive) that will move our children through grocery shopping training.

Stay in the trolley or pram
Keep voices quiet, inside voices
Hold onto the trolley, don’t leave mum
Don’t ask for things!
Greet people politely, say a big hello to the checkout lady
Be patient if mummy talks to a friend
Follow instructions, help mummy by getting things off the shelf (the right things, the things I need!)
Help unload the groceries into the car, and then into the house and pantry once we get home.
Go off by yourself and get 2-5 items (initially in the same isle, eventually in a different isle than mum)
Understand comparing prices, understand quality for money
Go off by yourself and do ½ the shopping
Understanding the family budget and nutritional needs
Go off by yourself and do the whole shopping

When I look at this progressive list I can immediately see what Daniel, my youngest, can achieve and what I can teach him next. I can also see what training needs to happen for each of my children. This means I go into my weekly task of grocery shopping ready to teach and practice and I come out knowing that each of my children have grown in this area of responsibility.

These are some character qualities that we can train towards while grocery shopping

Obedience – do what I am told with a happy attitude
Gratefulness – be thankful for the many blessings I have
Respect – the other person counts
Thriftiness – being wise with my money
Responsibility – to be dependable in all that I’m asked to do

Yes, it is true, if we train our children while we do the grocery shop it will take longer, but in the long run you will have trained your children in a very valuable life skill. But grocery shopping is just one situation in our day where we need to be training our children.

Project: Christmas

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 16:42:00 -0500

freefoto

2 hours a week for 12 weeks -

Preparing for a relational, homemade Christmas -

Remembering Jesus!

I’m still revising my list on the run. I've tweaked my plans this week so that they are in keeping with what I can in all reality achieve. That is the purpose in starting so early - not only do you do your projects in small steps but you have plenty of time to tweak and change plans rather than rush around still aiming for the impossible as you run out of time.

Reviving my Christmas Tree:

I found some decorations to make for my tree from Martha Stewarts website. I will have to tweak some of these ideas as I have a naive country decorated tree though some of these ideas will give the lift that my tree needs.

Ribbon around the tree – though I’m tempted to make the frosted fruit I know I won’t have time so I’ll just use the idea here of a ribbon threaded around the tree – I think I’ll look for a wide red ribbon with gold edges to match the rest of my tree.

Wooden shapes – vintage gold in colour. This tree is all too frosty for an Australian Christmas tree but I’m inspired! I have a lot of wooden shapes so I may just repaint a few to give a bit of a lift. Here are some instructions for painting wooden ornaments.

Beads – won’t the girls just love making these with me!

Button Wreathes – these are just perfect

Ornament hooks – this article reminded me that I need to make more hooks this year. This will be Daniel’s job – to make a collection of hooks ready for our tree decorating day.

I’ll also need to redo the cinnamon stick bundles and raffia bows that have crumbled over the last few years.

So now I need to make another Spotlight order. It took me weeks to get around to making that first order!!

Other Ideas I came across:

I like this tree skirt but not sure I’m going to have time to make it. Usually I have a strip of hessian crumpled up under my tree.

This idea reminded me to find the basket we usually have on the table with cards. We like to share the letter together, then share our memories of these people with our kids (they don’t know the same people we do since we’ve lived here all their life) and we pray for our friends.

I love this idea for packaging homemade cookies

My kids love garlands stretched all over the place – I don’t particularly like paper chains so here is a good idea – paper star garland. A great math lesson to boot!

Now here’s something I didn’t’ know!

Still on my List to do

Make another Spotlight order
Checkout beads online and order some for our bead ornaments (girls also need a few beading bits and pieces for the beading they do)
Get my newsletter address list made – might enlist Jessica’s help here
Have decided no handmade gifts this year except for the two I’ve already started on and the baking I’ll do in December. Off to the shops to find something else.
I still want to make gift tags but have a Creative Memories workshop this weekend so I’ll work on them then.
I have two gifts still to organize for my family. One I know what I’m doing – the other I am still searching for that just right gift.
Though I am working on my Nativity scene quilt (which won't get finished this year) I have decided to work on a quick and easy project - 3 wise men applicqued in felt - for my Christmas project this year.