Homeschooling From the Heart - Homeschool Blogger

Never too old to learn...

Tue, 8 Jul 2008 19:07:00 -0500

The past few months I've spent most of my free time learning about "urban homesteading" and have started a new journey toward simplicity. I've had so much fun dreaming and making plans. Lately I'm checking out more books from the library than my kids!

I have been VERY convicted that things are going to get worse before they get better. Our family has realized just how tied we are to the grocery store and how we are lacking in many skills - depending instead on other experts to feed, build, and fix things for us. What would happen if some of the services we've taken for granted were no longer available, affordable or both? What if there wasn't enough food in the grocery stores for everyone? I'm not living in fear, but rather waking up to the realization that things may not always be as they are. We depend on our heavenly Father to provide, but I am also reminded of the example of the industrious ant, and the life of Joseph who was told to plan and prepare for the coming famine.

We want to not only be more self-reliant for ourselves, but also so that we can be a blessing to others!

In case you're wondering, I've made a list of my growing "Journey to Simplicity" bookshelf and put it on my other blog: www.journeytosimplicity.com

Resting and Reflecting - Back from FPEA

Sun, 25 May 2008 10:47:00 -0500

We're recouping from a busy weekend at the FPEA Convention in Florida. While there we visited with lots of homeschool families who stopped by our booth and had a great time encouraging one another.

We're not traveling as much this year on the convention circuit, so it was nice to see other publishers and authors whom we haven't seen since last summer. Maggie Hogan was looking good and showing off the new "Mystery of History Vol. III", coloring pages for MoH Vol 1, and Christian Kids Explore Physics - wow, does Maggie ever stop? I'll have more to say about some of the new products from Bright Ideas Press over the next week or so..stay tuned!

We chatted a bit with Todd "The Familyman" Wilson - it's great to see their whole family ministering together!

I also had the treat of getting a sneak peek at Rebecca Powell's new book - literally hot off the press! "Season of Change" is a book full of encouragement and practical tools for moms of middle schoolers. She has done a great job of reminding us of just what it was like to be a middle schooler - it is indeed a season of change, both for our children and for moms. I'll have lots more to say about this great book when I get home and have a chance to upload some pictures.

Now we're spending a few days with hubby's parents and our nephew. We'll be at Disney for a couple days - just what my aching feet need (NOT!). Today, I'm resting up for the parks!

Celebrating the Biblical Feasts

Tue, 25 Mar 2008 15:01:00 -0500

I am excited to spend this year celebrating God's appointed times - His feasts. Each one points to either Messiah's first or second coming.

Passover is in April on our calendar, but it is the first month of the Hebrew calendar. I'm waiting to see when the moon is "new" to count to the 14th day of the first month. Lev. 23 and other references tell when God's people are to meet with Him for special times of remembrance and celebrating. I figure, we've celebrated all the worldly holidays for years...what about the special days God has chosen to meet with His people?!?

I've been looking for a Passover Seder plate, and a Messianic Seder "program", also called a Haggadah, to be used during our dinner. The day after Passover is the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. The Scripture gives some guidance on how to celebrate these two feasts (that are often referred to as one), and there are many wonderful traditions that have passed down. One thing you do to prepare for the Feast of Unleavened Bread is to remove all leaven from your home. For Christians, this is not only a remembrance of how the children of Israel had no time to prepare bread with leaven (couldn't wait for it to rise) before making their Exodus from Egypt, but also as a reminder to rid ourselves of the sin in our lives, and to be thankful for the redeeming work of Messiah for us. He has rescued us - we are no longer slaves to sin!

One book I've found especially helpful and that has inspired me to learn more about the Hebrew Roots of my faith is: Celebrating Our Messiah in the Festivals

I know some churches and synagogues offer a Passover Seder to the public sometimes, but I am really looking forward to celebrating with just our family. We'll all be learning together and I am praying that it will be a faith-building time for both my husband and myself, as well as our two teen boys. My oldest will be returning home from his first mission trip (he's going to Romania) right about the time of Passover. I his homecoming will make our time even more special.

Shalom!
Cindy

Getting Things Done

Thu, 20 Mar 2008 09:10:00 -0500

A friend turned me on to the book "Getting Things Done" by David Allen. I am organizationally challenged so at first I had a hard time wrapping my brain around the concepts. Actually, I put the book back on the shelf to read when I could think more clearly. Last week I pulled it out and skipped the first chapter, as I had a hard time getting it. From chapter 2 forward, I have finally "got it"!

I have started applying some of the concepts introduced in the book and my email inbox is - are you ready for this? - empty! Having my own business, leading a support group, being involved in church, etc., means HUNDREDS of emails everyday. I set up some folders and began processing emails in a similar way that Allen lays out in GTD, and it is so freeing! I'm working through my desk today and tomorrow. My kids can't believe they can actually "see" the top of it

So what is so great about GTD? Well, I think the thing I related to the most is the idea of all of the many projects and things we know we need to do that we keep in our head as "open loops". These open loops stay with us and interrupt our workflow. This is true for the executive (who GTD is targeted to) as well as a homeschool mom. By getting every project (that is anything that requires more than one action step) down on paper, and setting up a reliable system to check over our "next actions", we free our mind to be more productive. He does not recommend making a daily To Do list, but rather organizing all the "next actions" by whether that task can be done when running errands, at the computer, phone calls, etc.

Maybe this isn't news to the naturally organized, but for me the idea of having everything written down, files set up to take in every piece of paper so I don't worry about anything getting lost is revolutionary to me! I find myself really trusting my calendar, as I know if I put something on it, that thing will get done - as it isn't a To Do list, but rather, the items on my calendar are "must do" THAT day, or they wouldn't be on there!

I'm not sure I've done GTD justice in my little rambling here, so I'll point you to some other sites that have done a great job summarizing what GTD is all about:
http://www.coloradocollege.edu/library/Instruction/gtd.html Great summary with other useful links
http://www.minezone.org/wiki/MVance/GettingThingsDone Summary of GTD in outline form

Now back to clearing my desk! When I'm done, I get to do taxes - ugh!

Productively yours,
Cindy :-)

Slow but sure - catching up!

Mon, 21 Jan 2008 18:51:00 -0600

We're slowly getting back into the swing of things around here! It seems we've had a harder time getting into our full routine this January. "Things" keep popping up that distract us :-) Some of these things have been really good - like our field trip today to a Holocaust Museum. Other things were chosen because they were "easy" and then I didn't have to face all the stuff we needed to do at home - yep, procrastinating, guilty as charged!

Having older kids, it seems like I find myself feeling the pressure to "keep up" with the system so my oldest will be prepared for the A.C.T., college entrance, etc. We've been working on transferring more responsibility to my oldest in regards to time management. Since we've always been more relaxed, this move to more structure and the pressure to keep up, has been a bit of a paradigm shift! My oldest is actually enjoying having more structure. We've added basketball to our schedule (our first time doing organized sports since the boys were little). This has caused my oldest to have to do "homework" in the evening, so he can keep working on math - Algebra is going to kill one of us!

The co-op has been a good thing this year. It has given me more accountability :-) I really enjoyed teaching writing last semester. This semester I have 12 high schoolers studying "Thinking Like a Christian". I am REALLY enjoying it so far! I think we are all seeing how easy it is to just take in news and other info., without applying a biblical worldview and thinking through things.

God has really been opening my eyes (convicting) me of many things the past few months. I'm looking forward to sharing what He's been showing me as I have time. One BIG change has been that I have begun to wear a headcovering! I'm anxious to put my journey in writing :-) I've been journaling a bit - why is it that I can't stay consistent with journaling?!?

Time to run - I need to get a load of laundry going!

To Co-op or Not to Co-op? That is the question!

Wed, 24 Oct 2007 18:20:00 -0500

We're in a co-op this year and I'm teaching two high school classes this semester - it is definitely keeping me on my toes. The moms involved chose to make the upper grades more "formal". So, I have 16 students for a World History/Literature class and 22 young people in a semester-long High School Writing class. Next semester I get to teach through the wonderful course, "Thinking Like a Christian." I am so excited about that class! I am passionate about worldview education - the days are getting more and more evil and our young people must know how to stand and articulate their beliefs.

There are many pros and cons to participating in a co-op. In case you're wondering, I have been involved with a variety of co-ops since we started homeschooling over 10 years ago. We haven't done the co-op thing every year, but when we have it has been (for the most part) beneficial and enjoyable.

I have found the key to choosing to get together to learn with others is to find like-minded families. I also prefer smaller groups to larger ones. I'm in a rather large co-op right now and it is definitely more "schoolish" . The social aspect is great (well, it can be if you have like-minded families). I'm not just talking about the kids, but for us moms as well :-)

Another thing to consider is the homeschool philosophy of the moms in charge of the co-op. If you enjoy a living-book, Charlotte Mason approach, are you going to be happy in a Classical co-op?

Finally, are you willing to do your part to make the co-op successful? There are many jobs that must be done in order for things to run smoothly. Too often a few people end up doing most of the work - that is a recipe for burn-out.

We are only a quarter through our co-op year, and are already evaluating if changes need to be made. The key is flexibility and following God's lead for YOUR family!

Things I Wish I'd Known

Mon, 17 Sep 2007 15:39:00 -0500

Recently a new homeschool mom asked me if there was anything I knew now, that wish I'd known when I started homeschooling. An interesting - and loaded - question! The list is fairly long, but here are a few that immediately came to mind:

You don't have to bring school home. When I started our "official" schooling, we had the desk, flag, whiteboard, letter strips, etc. I quickly saw and felt how artificial that all was from what we had been doing naturally before "school" started at the magical age of 5! After that first few weeks, up until now, we continue to learn all over the house! My oldest is 15 and does choose to work at the table, his brother (13) prefers the couch (using a TV tray when doing his copywork and other writing), floor and bean bag chair in his room.
I don't need to worry about what the kids in school are doing - the freedom to homeschool is the freedom to tailor each child's education, moving at THEIR pace, NOT the school system's. I spent way too much time during those first few years worrying/comparing. We were fairly relaxed and I knew we were doing it the right way for us, but that didn't keep me from fretting!
You will make mistakes when purchasing curriculum, and it's okay! With so many options available to us, it is important to prayerfully consider our purchases. However, there will be times when you purchase books or resources that either don't "fit" your family/child or simply don't get used due to any number of reasons. I've learned over the years to go easy on myself and I've seen how my mistakes have been able to bless others who are looking for that item I have just sitting on my shelf.
Don't feel guilty when you spend hours ready aloud. I used to get mad at myself for allowing my boys to talk me into reading for hours, therefore not getting to all the "work" that needed to be done. Now, these are my most treasured memories, AND my teens still enjoy listening to me read aloud. Our favorite books these days are from Lamplighter Publishing :-)

As I mentioned before, my list could go on and on. It's good to reflect on these things every now and then. I am so thankful to have the chance to be with my boys through all the phases of their young lives. One thing is for sure - our homeschool journey has not been boring. Each year brings new opportunities and challenges!

So, what about you? Whether you've been homeschooling a year or a decade (or more!) - I'm sure there are things you wish you'd known before you started this journey. I'd love to hear what you've learned along the way!

Cindy

NEW Timeline Notebook Pages and Literature List

Tue, 28 Aug 2007 08:33:00 -0500

The Pages of Time - Timeline Notebook Pages and Literature List

After being asked by moms over and over again if they could buy timeline notebook pages like I use with my boys, I decided to create a special book so others can jump into using timelines in their homeschool:-)

The Pages of Time is a set of dated notebook pages for creating your own book of history! Dates range from 5000BC to 2020AD. All you need to build your timeline is a 1.5 - 2" binder and page protectors. One of the benefits of using Timeline Notebook pages is the ability to add more pages, maps, drawings, reports and more. Each child should have their own timeline notebook and each "book of history" they create can be uniquely their own! In addition to the dated timeline pages, The Pages of Time also provides a chronological, suggested reading, literature list. While not exhaustive, I hope it will encourage you to enhance your history studies with literature!

Moms who are using The Pages of Time have commented on the extra space allowed for "busy" times in history like the American Revolution. They also like the title page that is included - this can be personalized and slipped into the cover of your child's binder. Of course, many children prefer to create their own unique covers and title pages - that's what makes using a binder and notebook pages so cool, there are so many possibilities

It was important to me that this set of notebook pages be affordable! They can be purchased in printed format - ready to put into page protectors and into your own binder - OR as a downloadable ebook.

We use History Through the Ages Timeline figures in our timeline notebooks! These beautiful figures provide a brief description which serves to remind my children about the person or event as they look back through their notebooks.

I'm so excited to be able to offer The Pages of Time to those looking for a way to get started with timelines! If you have any tips or questions, feel free to contact me or leave a comment :-)

Blessings,
Cindy

www.HomeschoolingFromTheHeart.com

Mom's New Toy & A Chance to Win a Free Book!

Thu, 16 Aug 2007 21:10:00 -0500

At our house I'm the computer geek, so you'll have to excuse my gushing for a moment! I've been researching switching from PC to Mac for months and last week I bought myself an early birthday present, a new iMac! Although it is taking a bit of getting used to, I am already enjoying the stablility, no more messages about having to "end task" in order to shut down a program that's not responding. Almost instant power up and shut down, etc.

Actually my business purchased the computer and I can already see how much more steamlined and productive I can be on a system like this. Kind of makes me wonder why I waited so long...oh, yea...I had to wait until I could afford it :-) This is such a blessing from God and I am enjoying it immensely! My old eyes really like the big, bright monitor! My kids were giving me a hard time all these months I've been researching and dreaming about making the switch - well, now I have the COOLEST computer in the house. The first day I could hardly use it as my youngest (13) dear son was making music with the Garage Band software that came with the system!

If anyone has any favorite Mac OS tips, I'd love to hear them! It didn't take much research to learn that mac users are incredibly loyal to their operating system, and after using it I can understand why!

Oh, on another note, I'll be sending out my next newsletter sometime over the next 3 days. One lucky subscriber will receive the book, Homeschooling at the Speed of Life, by Marilyn Rockett. There's still time to SUBSCRIBE :-)

Great site for geography & history studies

Wed, 15 Aug 2007 11:28:00 -0500

Today I stumbled on a neat site that features historical maps, listed by time period. These are not outline maps for labeling, but they can still be viewed or printed for notebooks, reports, etc. Also listed are people, events in a timeline fashion, along with country profiles. There is A LOT of info on this site!

Here is the site: MacroHistory

Since we're using Exploring World History this year for my high schooler and in our co-op, I'll definitely be making use of this site. The internet is such a great tool for homeschoolers! I'll definitely be adding the MacroHistory site to the next update of my book, Using The Internet in Your Homeschool