Our world... our classroom http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/p31wife/ en-us Homeschool Blogger Sun, 17 Dec 2006 18:49:00 -0600 Sun, 17 Dec 2006 18:49:00 -0600 First, I wanted to let you all know that I am taking a break from online stuff during the holiday.  I'm not sure whether it will be a one or two week break since I seem to lose track of time over holidays.  Have you ever noticed that there is some kind of break in the time/ space continuum when there is a holiday?  This makes scheduling rather difficult.  Anyway, this brings me to my second announcement.  When I come back from the break, the blog will have a new home.  It's new address is apollosacademy.blogspot.com.  (Ugh.  The link doesn't seem to be working consistently. If you cut and paste or plain-old type this address above, it should work. Make sure you keep the http:// thing in front... there is no www, however.) When HomeschoolBlogger updated last weekend, there were some major glitches in the system.  This was a great source of frustration for me since I had just posted the Carnival of Homeschooling, and the Carnival usually gets 1,000 to 2,000 hits a week.  To try to alleviate some aggravation, I began a second blog and reposted the Carnival there.  This was intended to be temporary, but as I played with the site, I liked some of the layouts and options there that I did not have here.  Ultimately, I decided to move the blog to the new host. (That sounds like some kind of weird, sci-fi, alien thing, doesn't it?) I will keep this site open for awhile as Isave old posts and finalize the new site.  I will also repost some old posts from here at the new site... mainly so I have them all in one location, but also to be able to share them with you. One aspect of the new site that I like is that a blog can have multiple contributors, so hopefully Frodo will also contribute some posts.  I would ultimately like the kids to be able to add posts or pictures that they would like to share, and the organization of the site would allow them to do so as unique authors. I have been encouraged by how many people have requested to be alerted when I add new posts to my blog.  I hope to have a subscription service up and running at the new site when I return in January.  I'll let you know how to do that once it is set up. I hope that you all have a wonderful Christmas and a glorious New Year! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/p31wife/255866/ Sun, 17 Dec 2006 18:49:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/p31wife/255866/ It's that time again.  Time for the Carnival, yes.  But it is also that time of year again.  Time to haul out the boxes of decorations, dig the reindeer cookie cutters out of the back of the cupboard, and decide if you really have to run back to Wally World and fight the holiday crowds... you can get by with half a roll of Scotch tape and some gum, right? Well, first things first.  First, you've got to get yourself into the holiday spirit.  But where to start?  Angel at Aduladi' Homeschool has begun her search for The Christmas Vibe.  Let's join her and take a listen to Nat King Cole sing The Christmas Song. Better?  All mellowed out now and curled up in your favorite spot with a cup of tea or hot chocolate at just the right temperature?  Good.  Because the kids (using their innate "parental peace detection system") are about to come crashing into the room chanting that oh too common refrain, "We're bored!"  Don't panic (move your cup over to the table, though).  Beverly at About Homeschooling has some instructions for Reindeer Games that you and your kids can create and play together. Just click on over and get started. Now that your adrenaline is pumping and the kids have crashed for the night (how do they do that?!), it's time to start thinking about presents.   Some people are really easy to shop for... like me.  I'm a very practical gal when in comes to gifts.  Put together some bookshelves, wrap a big red bow around them, and hang a stocking filled with Amazon.com gift cards on it, and I'm happy.  Alasandra, on the other hand, has experienced a bit more stress shopping for her loved ones... many of whom have the nerve to have December birthdays which just adds to her stress. However, she shares with us her first-hand experience with "necessity is the mother of invention" ...or is it "that which does not kill me postpones the inevitable?" I can't remember.  Anyway, this Christmas Hack discovered a great craft idea that would make a great gift.  It's a wonderful kid project.  Not the crafty type?  Not a problem.  Carol, the HomeschoolCPA, has a great list of gift ideas for WAHMs (work at home moms)... and isn't that every mom? She has ideas to fit every budget, every schedule, and every level of creativity. Now that you've got the gifts out of the way, it's time to get those Christmas cards written and sent out.  (Don't forget to change the CD.  Let's try some Bing Crosby... and some more hot chocolate. Mmmmm.) Judy, at Consent of the Governed, reminds us to not forget our troops serving overseas as we send out our cards today.  Send a greeting to the troops.  And if you have a family member serving our country in the military, thank you... and thank him (or her) for us, too. After a good night's sleep, it's time to see how we are doing on our to do list.  Gifts made? Check. Cards ready to mail? Check. So, now it's time to head to the post office. You load the kids in the car, pop in the history CD (home school, car school... same thing, right?), and you're on your way.  This past week, Heather (Stepping Heavenward) and her boys learned about the Assyrians amidst the hustle and bustle of their Christmas preparations. Her son even made up a song! Too many times to count, you have turned over in your mind, "To homeschool through the holidays or not, that is the question?"  Elena at This Domestic Church has also been debating this. You arrive at the post office and get everyone out of the car.  (La la la la/ La la la la/ Shamshi's world... you are going to be singing that all day!) The kids help carry some packages and envelopes (it is the season of miracles) and you settle into your place in line.  All is well.  Then a sweet lady bearing a single envelope falls behind you in line, scans the angelic faces of your children, smiles and kindly asks them, "No school today?"  Your heart sinks.  "We are in school!" one of your cherubs replies cheerfully (although, to you, a little rehearsed). "We homeschool," you answer to the woman's puzzled look. "Oh. That's too bad. Don't you wish you had a break? Wouldn't it be easier to do this," she points to my pile of packages, "if they were in school?" Not now. Not while everyone is being peaceful and no one is crying or bleeding.  You just want to mail some packages.  Sigh. If you were the Whimsy Chick, you would not despair, however. She has the answer as to why she homeschools. And one of those reasons is socialization... cool, huh?  (In her post "America is an Idea",  Dana from Principled Discovery counters the "what about socialization?", anti-homeschoolers by asking of the government schools, "But what about unification through diversity rather than socializing to produce cookie cutter children?") Fortunately for you, Taz's Mom, from EternaLearning Academy, is right in front of you in line, and she has also prepared an answer as to why she homeschools.  Take notes... you never know who you're going to run into next. You finally get up to the counter, and as you negotiate the package placement system ("All right, all right!  You can each give a package to the postman.  Youngest gets the smallest package... oldest gets the biggest package.  Youngest goes first. Go.") the postal worker smiles at you and shares, "You homeschool? Cool.  I wish I could do that, but my wife and I..." You then hear the list of reasons why he feels they can't homeschool their own children.  You've heard many of these reasons articulated before (mostly inside your own head when you were a 'newbie').  Before you know it, you've morphed into Dana from Bureaucratic Daycare and find yourself quoting an article by John Turtel that answers the question "Homeschooling, can I do it?"  The kids have been behaving well, you are experiencing a 'confidence euphoria' after your conversations at the post office, you do have a couple more gifts to pick up (and more tape... you had to sacrifice your gum in the interest of quiet at the post office), so you decide to head over to the mall.  You are caught up in the spirit of giving and let the kids pick the music for the ride over. Well, you're not singing "Shamshi's World" anymore... is that a good thing or a bad thing?  As soon as you get to the mall, find a parking space, retrieve your toddler's mitten, convince your son that you won't let him starve (you never have before, why would you start now?), and tame the coats, hats, scarves, and mittens that everyone sheds as soon as you walk in the door, you head straight for the bathroom.  Experience has taught you to have your children not put off until you are in line with an armload of purchases what you can do now.  On your way to the bathroom, you see a sign bearing a life-sized image of a police officer striking an Uncle Sam pose with the message "Shoplifting is a Crime."  This inspires a discussion on Proverbs 21:2 you studied a few days ago. It's all about connections. (This episode inspired by the actual life experience of Kristina from On Fire.) After a couple of hours at the mall (there were more "last minute" gifts than you originally thought), you all come home ready to collapse... but you can't. You still have to get through some math and grammar today.  "But, Mom...!"  "Can't we just watch a movie?  My feet are tired!"  "And my brain hurts!"  You give in with a sigh.  This is going to put you a full week behind in grammar.  Maybe you can fit some in on the way to Grandma's house next weekend.  Who are you kidding?  You slump into a chair wondering how you are possibly going to get it all done.  Maybe the woman at the post office was right.  Welcome to burn out.  As The Thinking Mother points out, burnout is when there is a gap between expectations and rewards... and burnout isn't only for the 9-5ers in Manhattan, either.  Time to sit down and reassess. Got your cup of tea and some soothing music on in the background? (God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen always calms me.)  Alrighty, why did you decide to homeschool your children in the first place?  To keep your children from physical harm? Concern over how our government schools are run?  These were some of the concerns raised in a series of articles and reader responses read this week by Nicki at Home School Central.  In fact, the lack of safety and student control in the government schools also came up as concerns in another series of articles that Gena at Home Where They Belong was alerted to this week. But you also had positive reasons for choosing to homeschool your children.  You wanted to make them life-long learners.  "Teach a man to fish..." and all that.  That is one BIG reason Why (you) Homeschool.  Actually, it is a HUGE reason.  Experience tells you that you need to be able to inform yourself about the various, new experiences that you will encounter in the "real world."  For example, how can you give informed consent regarding your medical care if you don't know how to educate yourself about your body and those things that ail you?  The Hernandezes at APMFormulators remind us just how important this ability can be. You think back on some of the doubts you had (and sometimes still entertain). "I am hardly an expert in education, " you (and Andrea) told yourself.  You knew that you would have to Die to Yourself when you became a parent, and, as Jeana at Red-Letter Days reminds us, you had to recommit to that sacrifice when you chose to homeschool.  But it was a worthy sacrifice. Yours is a holy calling. Leader in a Domestic Monestary (where the two rules are No Fighting, No Biting). You realize, as the music on the stereo changes over to something nostalgic to match your pensive and cheering mood, that you have been neglecting your Mental multivitamin and not treating your job, your calling, with the level of professionalism that you should be.  You've been getting up late (even though you know your daughter is more teachable in the morning) and not showering until... well, not as often as you should.  So, now that the kids' movie is over, you call an all-school assembly and ask them to forgive you for the lack of respect that you have been showing for their schooling.  You tell them that you will begin your recommitment to their education by recognizing that you (and they) need a break. Lara, author of The Open Door, reminds us of the necessity of well-timed breaks... and when to read your children's cues that break time is over.  When your middle-schooler reminds you that you promised to read a book to her about the Winter Solstice tomorrow and do some Christmas crafts, you pull-up Unbridled Learning's post on The Winter Solstice and Christmas and tell her to pick an activity that the two of you can do together the next afternoon. So after encouraging your perpetual learner, you begin your break. You make everyone some hot chocolate (topped with whipped cream, of course) and cuddle up on the sofa in front of the fireplace to read a Neglected Christmas classic. (Thank you to Mama Squirrel in Dewey's Treehouse for reminding us about this forgotten favorite.)  After the story, the kids will go to bed, and you will haul the boxes of Christmas decorations out of the garage and the basement and bake some cookies to enjoy the next day while you spend well-needed family time decorating for the holidays. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! A note:  This week, much beloved and widely read homeschool blogger, Spunky, announced that she was retiring her blog.  Laurie at Trivium Pursuit reminds us in her Message From Spunky to thank Spunky by voting for her blog - which was the only homeschool blog to win a nomination for the Wizbang Blog Awards 2006 in the education category.  She became aware of her finalist status the day she announced her blog's retirement.  This calls for some music.  Join me in a round of Auld Lang Syne, won't you?  Just follow the bouncing ball. Thank you to everyone who participated in this week's Carnival of Homeschooling. As always, if you find any broken links or other errors, please leave a comment below or email me, and I will fix it ASAP. If you would like to participate in a future Carnival of Homeschooling, you can find information about doing so here. Don't forget to check out the Carnival next week over at Principled Discovery. Blessings! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/p31wife/253511/ Tue, 12 Dec 2006 03:09:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/p31wife/253511/ You know it's going to be a good day when you walk out your back door first thing in the morning and even your sidewalk is happy to see you! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/p31wife/253303/ Mon, 11 Dec 2006 12:24:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/p31wife/253303/ A library is not a luxury but one of the necessities of life. Most homeschoolers, myself included, read this quote from Henry Ward Beecher and say, "Amen!"  Most of us also assume that the library of which Rev. Beecher speaks is the home library. (Regardless of the fact that most of us are well-known to our local public librarians.  A few of us are even fortunate enough to have our own "hold" shelves at our local libraries.)  Books are portals to other worlds, minds, personas, and times.  They provide comfort, escape, conflict, insight, and knowledge.  In a recent interview with Reader's Digest, actor and fellow homeschooler, Will Smith, asserted: I know how to learn anything I want to learn.  I absolutely know that I could learn to fly the space shuttle because someone else knows how to fly it and they put it in a book.  Give me a book and I do not need somebody to stand up in front of the class. (Will Power, Readers Digest, December 2006) Does access to books make teachers unnecessary?  In my opinion, quite the contrary.  Such access simply increases the number of teachers to which we have access.  The Scriptures tell us that "where there is no guidance the people fall, but in abundance of counselors there is victory" (Proverbs 11:14).  An overflowing library is a great resource to both homeschool student and homeschool teacher (in our school, the teachers are just more advanced students).  It is this philosophy which causes Frodo and I to nod in agreement and empathy with Cicero who said, "A room without books is like a body without a soul."  It also causes us to have a house that looks like this: Books in the Kitchen:   Books in the Living Room: Books in the Schoolroom: Books in the Bathroom: Books on the Stairs: Books in the Bedroom: Books behind Books in the Bedroom: Books in the Kids' Room: Books on the Nightstand of the Next Generation: Obviously, to now steal an oft-quoted line from Erasmus, "When I have a little money, I buy books; and if any is left, I buy food and clothing."  Want proof?  Just say the phrase "library book sale" in our presence... then get out of the way. But why read any books?  To gain knowledge, you might say.  To get into a good college... paid for with academic scholarships. Or to get a better job which will allow you achieve a nicer standard of living.  As a Christian, I would have to say that the reason for reading books, for educating one's self under the tutelage of the many counselors embodied in the authors of those books, is to be able to communicate with the Living God through the primary means which He chose to communicate to us, His creation. He created the world with His words: In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.  The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters. Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light. - Genesis 1:1-3 He carved the words of His Law into stone: Now the Lord said to Moses, "Come up to Me on the mountain and remain there, and I will give you stone tablets with the law and the commandment which I have written for their instruction." -Exodus 24:12 He is the Word: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. -John 1:1 God chose to communicate to us through language.  Therefore, we have an obligation to master language, dialogue, and debate, so that we can understand the Scriptures He has given us and communicate the truths found there to others.  This was clearly understood by the founders of Harvard University who included in their 1642 copy of the student handbook: Let every student be plainly instructed and earnestly pressed to consider well: the main end of life and studies is to know God and Jesus Christ, which is eternal life. So, I implore you, buy books, borrow books, read books, study books, digest books.  Find your place in the Great Conversation.  Dialogue with the Living Word.  Teach your children well. And don't forget, since we are in the Christmas season and scurrying to buy gifts for our loved ones and trying to find the often elusive answer to the question, "What do you want for Christmas?", I leave you with this: I would be most content if my children grew up to be the kind of people who think decorating consists mostly of building enough bookshelves. -Anna Quindlen (author of How Reading Changed My Life), "Enough Bookshelves," New York Times, 7 August 1991 So, if you have a little money, buy books; if there is any left over, buy bookshelves... and a cup of chai.   http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/p31wife/253164/ Sun, 10 Dec 2006 22:24:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/p31wife/253164/ The busyness of life, school and Christmas prearations has established its foothold here at Apollos Academy. I don't even have time to type out the phrase "Carnival of Homeschooling" in the subject line, that's how busy we are! Fortunately, reading the Carnival this week doesn't mean taking a break from learning... au contraire! (I learned how to spell this phrase this week, so I am using it everywhere possible.)  Head on over there and pack your brain full of learning about homeschooling and Lincoln.  Does life get any better? Susan at Corn and Oil did a wonderful job.  (And you gotta love the photo of the diaper-clad babes standing in awe of the giant John Deere tractor at the top of the page!)And don't forget to spread the word and send in your posts for next week's Carnival... appearing RIGHT HERE!!!!  I want to host a wonderful Carnival, so please send me bunches and bunches of your wonderful posts.  You can find all the information you need about submitting here.  I can't wait to hear from you! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/p31wife/250389/ Tue, 5 Dec 2006 10:00:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/p31wife/250389/ On the way home from church yesterday, the kids and I were listening to a music mix CD that Frodo had made (Frodo was still at church waiting for Primo to finish her Christmas Play practice).  The second song on the mix is U2 (smile) and B.B. King performing When Love Comes To Town.  Terzo always sings along with music, but I never thought that Quarto payed much attention.  Then, out of the blue, in a very blues-y, gravelly voice (but clear as a bell), Quarto belts along with the chorus, "But I did what I did before Love came to town!"Since "Lucille" is taken, what would be a good name for a guitar?(You should hear Terzo sing the second verse.  He's pretty good, but it sounds odd coming out of the mouth of a six year old.) http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/p31wife/249746/ Mon, 4 Dec 2006 08:08:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/p31wife/249746/ I have discovered the soon-to-be-newest fad in exercise programs.  Trust me, it will be sweeping the nation. And just think, I'm letting you in on the ground floor.   The program has 4 easy steps:   1. Crash your daughter's square dancing class during line dancing time. If you don't have a daughter in square dancing, go to your nearest county fair, retirement home, or township singles night.   2. Grab the nearest toddler and attach him firmly to your hip.  (I cannot stress the word "firmly" enough.) It is helpful to bring your own toddler or to ask permission before grabbing a random toddler off the street.  I was fortunate enough to have Quarto  pulling on my jacket saying, "Dance with me, Mommy! Dance with me!" No coercion or permission needed.   3. Commence dancing the Cotton-Eyed Joe.  (Hang on to that toddler. He can really throw himself into those spins!)   4. Collapse into a breathless heap as soon as the music ends while the toddler yells, "Again! Again!"   That's gotta be good for at least 1000 calories, right?   Oh, and to add some entertainment to your workout (if you can possibly increase the entertainment value of watching 50 kids, ages 7-17, trying to do the Cotton-Eyed Joe in a room designed to hold 50 people only if they stand very still), wear a knee-length, medium-weight jacket with a heavy wallet in one pocket and a cell phone and key ring in the other.  Then, place yourself immediately in front of an uncoordinated 6-year-old. Watch the 6-year-old duck and sway to avoid being clocked by your wallet or keys while trying not to take his eyes off of your feet.  Trust me... this makes the chest pounding, unladylike perspiring and complete loss of equilibrium totally worth it.   I'm tellin' ya. It's gonna be BIG! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/p31wife/247985/ Thu, 30 Nov 2006 21:18:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/p31wife/247985/ This week's Carnival of Homeschooling is waiting for you over in the Common Room. The wide selection of posts will give you a nice glimps into the different types of homeschoolers (and their blogs).  Enjoy! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/p31wife/246238/ Tue, 28 Nov 2006 13:06:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/p31wife/246238/ Frodo and I were watching the eleven o'clock news on Black Friday (which Frodo was convinced was taped in advance since all the stories were rather generic with little to no detail and generally didn't seem very newsworthy... but I digress).  The lead story was the required "look at all the crazy people who slept in front of the Stuff Mart to buy the new and improved Tickle Me 'Til I Pee  Dancing Cockroach and Alarm Clock" story.  I was doing fairly well tuning it out until I heard a woman interviewed say this, "I got some great stuff. I got this monitor. I didn't know what it was, but everyone else was grabbing one so I got one too."What?!This brings keeping up with the Jonses to a whole new level. I guess what really shocked me about this was not that this woman bought something because it was "cheap" even though she didn't really need it (or even know what it was).  It was that she was admitting it to millions of people and didn't seem all that ashamed or embarrassed by it.Repeat after me:"I am only saving money on a purchase if I am buying something I was planning on buying anyway, but I buy it at a price less than I was originally planning on paying."Now if this woman was planning on buying a monitor anyway and was sharing how happy she was to have saved 75% by buying it on Black Friday, I would have no problem with the story (except that I still find it hard to beleive that someone buying something at a sale is news).  Frodo and I have braved the crowds on previous Black Fridays.  I love going out the day after Christmas to buy my cards for the following year.  But I was planning on buying those things anyway. This woman isn't saving money... she is just spending it less quickly than she would have if she had been buying random, unidentified things she doesn't need at full price.Ugh. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/p31wife/245627/ Mon, 27 Nov 2006 15:01:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/p31wife/245627/ Our living room is small.  We have always had small living rooms.  Thus, we have developed a Christmas tradition of two trees.  One in the living room (this is the "formal tree" with the pretty crystal, china and glass ornaments that looks all 'grown up' when it is decorated) and one in either the play room or the kids' bedroom (this one has the kids' ornaments, paper chains and popcorn strings).  We had to replace our living room tree last year when our basement flooded and ruined our old tree that was stored down there.  This year, we have to replace the kids' tree because it just plain-old broke. I took Primo out to Wally World with me yesterday and went tree shopping.  We looked through the trees on display then headed off down the aisle where the tree boxes are kept.  There we found a boxed set of three "spruce" trees of various sizes (4', 3' and 2') that we hadn't seen in the display area... this should have been our first clue.  We decided these would be cute in the playroom and would give each of the older kids thier own tree to decorate as they wished.  Primo promptly offered that since her and Secondo's trees were bigger than Terzo's they would let Quarto put his ornaments on thier trees.  Who could reject such harmony and Christmas spirit?  We grabbed a box off the shelf, and Primo carried it to the checkout... this should have been my second clue. As the kids were taking their baths last night, I decided to set up their trees as a surprise so that they could ooh and aah over them before bed then spend this afternoon after church decorating them.  I opened the box and pulled out the first little tree.  It had a very cute, wooden base... very rustic.  I liked it already.  I carefully unwrapped the cord to free the top then attempted to insert the top onto the lower section.  This took a bit of muscle, but I got it on... and the tree looked terrible.  Secondo comes in and squeels, "Yea! The trees!"  After looking at it for a minute, she adds, "Maybe it will look better when you fluff it."  So I begin fluffing.  This tree refused to be fluffed.  I thought maybe it was the tree, so I grabbed one of the smaller ones, muscled it together, and began to fluff... in vain.  In the meantime, Primo had come in and asked to try the smallest tree.  No amount of fluffing, bending, twisting, or grunting got those things to look like anything but pieces of wood with wire stuck with bits of green paper.        Aren't these the saddest excuses for Christmas trees you've ever seen?!   I don't have the patience or compassion level of Charlie Brown, but I do have a receipt.  These sorry things are going back to the store tomorrow, and we will find a different tree for the kids.   I think that to find the "perfect" tree, I would have to use a real one, and although I would like a real tree, I have to face reality and admit that  I am too lazy to water one.  Plus, I have a three year old.  If we had a real tree (especially one I wasn't watering), my house would look like Toddler Chainsaw Massacre.  ("There are needles and sap everywhere! Oh, the humanity!") That said, I have to agree with the poet, Joyce Kilmer, only God can make a tree (especially one that looks good with Christmas lights and paper chains).   I THINK that I shall never see  A poem lovely as a tree.    A tree whose hungry mouth is prest  Against the sweet earth's flowing breast;  A tree that looks at God all day, And lifts her leafy arms to pray; A tree that may in summer wear  A nest of robins in her hair;    Upon whose bosom snow has lain; Who intimately lives with rain.   Poems are made by fools like me, But only God can make a tree.   - Trees by Joyce Kilmer http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/p31wife/245117/ Sun, 26 Nov 2006 15:53:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/p31wife/245117/