Five Weeks Down, and an Announcement

 family, homeschooling, Reviews  No Responses »
Sep 122011
 

Well, we have finished five weeks of school already and are going into week six this week. Wow, time flies…But then we already know that, don’t we?

Bugs is dragging her feet on reading. She hates her phonics lessons. I mean dispises them. She says they are boring and I will admit, these are getting rather boring for me even. So, in an effort to create a bit more peace in our home, I’ve dropped them for the remaining time in the six week period, and I will say school is much more agreeable to both of us. I’m on the hunt for some phonics worksheets now. Bugs wants to read books and do worksheets. I figure that if I’m forcing her to do the phonics work out of her book, she isn’t going to learn anything due to her attitude and fighting with me. Yes, we have discussed the need to do our work diligently (her word of the week last week) and how we have to do things we don’t like sometimes, but if this isn’t what works for her then it isn’t going to work no matter her or my attitude. One of the many reasons we homeschool is because of how we can customize our children’s education to them. Bugs has been reading some and I’m sure she is capable of doing more than she has been the last week before we cut the oral phonics (she was sounding out j-o-b and said the word work for it…) and I think that a lot of the very repetitive work was driving her nuts.

I’ve caught the Beans trying to work ahead in her math book. I may have to put it up really high as I’ve caught her a few times trying to figure out the pages on her own. She adores doing it at least. I’m glad. And she loves her tracing workbook. I may end up with two little girls who love worksheets more than their mother does. Worksheets don’t fit into our Charlotte Mason/Classical education blend. Well, in my opinion, they shouldn’t…

Bugs and Beans helped make supper tonight. We had ham and bean soup with carrots and onions added to it. Bugs put all the ingredients into the pot after I had cut them, and Beans rinsed the beans for me. We then all made cornbread together. All I did for that was crack the egg and measure the milk. They did the adding, beating of the egg and mixing on their own. Every time I gave Bugs a direction to follow with the cooking, even with picking up the carrot peels that fell to the floor, she said, “It’s my pleasure.” We’ve been working on our attitudes when told to do something, especially with work. This all came out uncoached by me. We’ve been having her say, “Yes Mom (or Dad) I’m happy to obey,” or “Yes Ma’am (or Sir),” or “Yes Mommy (or Daddy) I will obey.” All with a happy tone of voice. This, “It’s my pleasure,” came as a shock. We haven’t been to Chick-Fil-A except once since the tornado (when the stand alone reopened two weeks ago). I’ll take such a pleasant attitude any day of the week from her.

Now, on to my announcement. I have had the privlege of reviewing several products recently that all entail giveaways. So, this week will be a week of giveaways on this blog starting with the new Ginny Owens CD, Get In, I’m Driving that will be posted in a few mintues after I get this one up. I’ll also have giveaways for a Theo DVD, The Shunning DVD and Jeremy Riddle’s new CD this week. I’ve also got a Crew review going up on Wednesday on Before Five in a Row. And hopefully I’ll get a few book reviews typed up too that I’m sure you won’t want to miss. Oh, and of course I need to resume my road trip series (sorry about not getting to it like I had hoped. The last post got spammed really badly and it’s been super busy here with the end of summer) and pictures of our attendance at Prairie Day. Bugs got to have a snake on her head. She loved it, Beans totally freaked out and nearly paniced, and I was careful to be enthusiastic, but not overly so (I’m not fond of snakes. I’m praying she doesn’t start to ask for one as a pet.)

Well, good evening everyone. I hope you are having a blessed start to autumn.

TOS Review; How to Have a H.E.A.R.T. For Your Kids

 homeschooling, Reviews, TOS Crew  2 Responses »
Aug 292011
 

Well, it is off on another voyage with The Old Schoolhouse’s Homeschool Crew. And I am delighted to review and perhaps introduce you to our first item of the year.

This year we kick off our review schedule with Rachel Carman’s How to Have a H.E.A.R.T. For Your Kids. Published by Apologia Press, you will want to rush order yourself a copy.
This book was based off talks Mrs. Carman was asked to give years ago at homeschooling conventions. Each time she gave it, she was asked to give it again and the talks just ended up being the essence of what this book is. Some ways of sharing things and the order of things got tweaked along the way into what is now the book.

Rachel Carman starts out with a bit of background about herself and their journey into homeschooling. Each chapter then is broken up into part of the acronym of H.E.A.R.T. It is only five chapters, plus the introduction and the epilogue. So, don’t think that this is another one of those HUGE books that you have to wade through. It isn’t. In fact, the way the book is divided up, you could easily stash it where you can sit down for a minute or two and quickly read some of it, then go on with your day and think about what was discussed in what you read (yes, I will admit to keeping short books like this in the bathroom. Not like we’re never interrupted in there, but at least you can bet on a minute, perhaps two until the children find you…)
Mrs. Carman discusses what is necessary for you to truly have a heart for your children and where your priorities need to lie. First with God and your relationship with Him, and then with your husband, and finally with your children.

This book wasn’t preachy, which is always a plus. I found this book to be a good mentor in the veins of Titus 2 for those of us who may not have access to someone to fill that role. I found Rachel’s wisdom and insights to be invaluable and very encouraging.
Rachel speaks from experience. She and her husband Davis have seven children of their own stretching from high school on down. So this isn’t a how to book, or a book full of advice by someone who has no or few children and isn’t very experienced in their subject matter.

Through this book I was reminded to live in the now. Not look at past regrets with choices we’ve made in regards to our children, but to always seek to do better now. I was also reminded on how important it is to not live for the future. Yes, we need to seek God’s will for the future, plan for it and such, but not live for the day when X happens. If we do, we’ll miss the wonder and joy of living now. Especially when you have younger children. Life travels by all too quickly, and it is important to savor each moment, then when you do reach that someday, you’ll have a magnificent tapestry of memories to hold tight.

I highly suggest that ALL mothers read this book regardless of how you and your husband have chosen to educate your precious blessings. It will change your attitudes towards your children.

At the time of this writing, you can purchase How To Have a H.E.A.R.T. For Your Kids through Apologia Press for $13.00.

To read what other crewmates had to say about this book, go visit the Crew’s blog.
I received a copy of How To Have a H.E.A.R.T. For Your Kids by Rachel Carman from Apologia Press as a part of The Old Schoolhouse’s Homeschool Crew. All opinions are mine and mine alone, and no other compensation was received.

Ready For School Mom!

 Bugs, homeschooling  1 Response »
Aug 172011
 

image

This was the Bugs yesterday after she had gotten herself ready to do school for the day. She kept saying she was so pretty and that she was a star. That was outfit one of like five for the day too.

Please ignore the messy desk in the background and HubbaHubba’s CAT5 cable on the chair.

Eeek, Time Keeps on Slipping Away!!!!!!

 family, girls, homeschooling  1 Response »
Aug 152011
 

Time sure does fly, doesn’t it?

Last month, the girls and I took my mother-in-law out to California to take care of some family business. We were gone for 11 days.

We got back, and it was decided that that we really didn’t need to be running the childcare for volunteers at the church any longer, so I was released from duty. Kind of bittersweet, however, it is good that it is time to move on. My family needs me to be more available. And my poor house needs me to clean it more often :P

I have spent the last two weeks at home, doing normal stuff, in our normal routine for the first time since May. You have no idea how good that feels. I was able to get my laundry done on laundry day, clean my kitchen up on kitchen day, stay home all day nearly every day. We have kept the car to run errands a few times, but it is the exception instead of the rule now. I could get used to this normal.

Granted, things aren’t the same. Nor will they ever be. But it has been wonderful to finally start finding our new normal. While I can’t go to places that we are accustomed to going, while that whole paradigm has shifted, it is nice to be finding the new normal.

We resumed school this last week with the girls (finally). They are both enjoying it immensely. Having the routine back helps to structure our days better. We typically do school in the mornings after Daddy leaves for work. It only takes about an hour for them to complete all their work right now. I am hoping that by Christmas at least the Bugs will be taking an hour and a half or so. However, they both just absorb their lessons and fly through their work.

Upcoming School Year Plans

 curriculum, homeschooling  3 Responses »
Jul 222011
 

The start of our school for the year has been delayed. As much as it drives me batty, I was hoping to be six weeks into the year by now. However, life took over. That and our Jr. Notebooking Journal for science that I preordered is now back ordered until the end of the month. So our target date for starting school is August 8th. I so look forward to it this year. It will be one step closer to reclaiming our lives.

This year, I’ve decided to do what my friend Renita does and school for six weeks, then basically take a week off and do light work and have a break. It worked well for her last year to do Sabbath weeks and I think it will help keep us from getting burned out and on information overload. I have no real intention of following the public school calendar anyway, so this is one step closer to our independence.

I pieced together our curriculum this year. The Bugs and the Beans are both all over the map with where they are operating, that no boxed curriculum would truly work for them. I figured if I bought Sonlight’s Core A along with Timberdoodle’s First Grade Core, sub in Mystery of History for Story of the World, add in Kindergarten level handwriting we might have a program that would work for the Bugs. Yet, that would have eaten up my homeschooling budget for the next two years…

So, here is what we’ve gotten. I’m still debating adding the Stick Figuring Through the Bible from Grapevine yet. We’ll see if I need to add to our Bible or not…

So, for the subjects we will mainly do together:

Bible: I have Leading Little Ones to God by Schoolholland. We will also be going through the Mighty Acts of God Bible put together by Star Meade. After we are done with Leading Little Ones to God, we will begin Who is God and Can I Really Know Him put out by Apologia Press. I am debating if we need the Stick Figuring Through the Bible by Grapevine Studies yet or not. I’ll make that decision after we’ve started if it seems that we aren’t getting enough.

History: We will be reading through the Mystery of History together. We’ll add in some of the suggested activities and I also have the reproducible CD-Rom. I chose this because it is a providential view of world history that starts with Creation. My husband and I believe that we really cannot separate our world view from any part of life and that includes the education of our children. Other history products totally neglect God and it is because of Him we have a history at all.

Science: we are using Apologia Press’s Exploring Creation with Astronomy by Jeanie Fulbright. The Bugs has been asking questions about the sun, moon and stars and begging to learn more about them. So that is what we are doing. We will throw in some kitchen science and do other things, but our main science focus will be astronomy. The girls are so excited. It is my Jr. Notebooking Journal that is backordered at the moment. I so can’t wait for it to arrive the end of this month after vacation.

Art: We will continue using Artistic Pursuits, The Way They See It (their preschool art book) that I got to review last year as a part of the TOS Crew. It is so gentle in introducing art concepts, theory and artists to young children. If we get through this book this year, my mother-in-law found the next two at a garage sale for me so we will just continue with the series. I really like how easy this makes it to teach art to children. Especially when Mom isn’t artistic at all.

Music Appreciation: We plan on introducing a variety of music styles to the children. We’ll spend some time listening to different genre’s and discussing how they sound. I also hope to start introducing them to famous composers and do some composer study. It depends on how busy we are with our other school work.

For the Bugs, we are going to continue along with The Ordinary Parent’s Guide to Teaching Reading for phonics. We’ve neglected the lessons since May in that book so I know we will have quite a bit of review to do. We will also be doing

First Language Lessons for a gentle introduction to English. The Beans can tag along with that if she is interested.

The Bugs’ math this year is a new item. I debated long and hard about math curriculums. Each company has things to recommend it, and yet deter me from it. I ended up going with JUMP at Home Math for first grade. It is a workbook (I can add manipulatives) that is making it’s debut in the U.S. this year from Canada. I like the way the book is laid out, how simple it is and the way it introduces concepts. That and it was pretty cheap. I figured if I tried this and it didn’t work out too well, then I won’t have as large a pill to swallow to replace it with something else than if I had bought the other product I was looking at that cost well over a hundred dollars for everything.

Handwriting for the Bugs is A Reason for Writing book K. Which I have the feeling she will simply blast through and I’ll end up having to order her the next book in the middle of the year. That child loves to trace and do workbooks.

I’m also introducing Geography to the Bugs this year. I have Beginning Geography by Evan Moor for her. She loves maps and is always asking to look at them, so I figure we can go off of her interest for it.

And we are continuing on with our studies in Latin. I will again be using Song School Latin from Classic Academic Press. The girls love it, and I love how easy it is to teach.

For the Beans, we are going to continue using All About Reading for her introduction to the world of the alphabet. She loves the stories that go with the letters and the puppet. It is a nice gentle introduction to the world of print and reading.

The Beans gets to use the I Can Trace book by Big Skills for Little Hands. Bugs loved that book when she got to go through it. And the Beans has been trying her hand at tracing various things. I just hope that I can teach this child how to write. It is looking like she is going to be the solo righty in our family (at least at this time).

We also got the Beans Mathematical Reasoning Beginning by Bright Ideas Press. She counts along with her sister and is showing an interest in early math skills. So I figured why not try it? If I have to put it away for a while, I do, but it will come back out. The book is reproducible, which is nice.

We also got the girls Building Thinking Skills from the Critical Thinking Company. I wasn’t really taught to think in the terms of logic growing up and I mean to rectify that with my children. I want them to be able to use logic and have it be basically second nature to them.

We are also planning on field trips. We are planning on making to the annual Prairie Days at the George Washington Carver site. That is something we’ve done the last two years and have always had a great time at. And I’m thinking about maybe a trip back to the Candy House. That is an incredible tour, they are great with the kids and you get yummy things afterwards and sometimes during. I’m contemplating other fun trip ideas. Maybe Bass Pro would count. It is nearly as fun as a zoo, and it is free to go and wander around in. Plus there are various places to go for field trips over at Grandma’s.

So, there is the basic plan for the year in a nutshell. Hope it works out!

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