Online geography with Seterra
Marble Mania Maze (Christmas gift from Grandpa and Grandma)
Reading time!
FIVE IN THE POTTER'S HAND
Showing posts with label Home Education. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Home Education. Show all posts
Friday, January 6, 2012
Friday, July 29, 2011
What is Learning?
As I prepare for the new school year, I have reevaluated my method of schooling our children.
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
What is home education? How do I define it and carry it out? These questions gnaw at me.
What do I want my children to learn beyond fractions, American history or science? What drives my desire to teach my children at home?
I have been reading a wonderful book that has tipped my, already teetering, ideas of formal education over and has strengthened my resolve to home educate. It is "Dumbing Us Down" by John Taylor Gatto. In this book he redefines formal education into "schooling". And he drives home the point that it is not what the children learn but what they are taught that is of the utmost importance in our society today. Children are prevented from being free-thinkers and are conditioned to have someone else evaluate their progress. They are imprisoned by the ideals of nameless, faceless bureaucrats whose standards are driven by greed for power or prestige.
His scathing unveiling of the madness behind the educational machine is riveting!
It also causes me to pause and wonder if I have been so conditioned by formal education (of which I had three years in public school and four years in private school) that its evil tentacles of conformity have crept into my own little home school. In all of societal interaction we have been conditioned to conform. And yet, as a Christian I have been warned:
If I am supposed to obey this command, why do I feel the pressure to do the exact opposite? Specifically in the realm of educating my children? The answer: it is easier to do what everyone else is doing. It takes no thought and little effort to flow downstream. But it takes great vision and much work to paddle upstream.
And so I go on carving out my definition of education. Elucidating what education means to me and for my children. It cannot be found in a text book, discovered in a new curriculum, or revealed in a new organizational method for optimal learning. Learning is simply the joyful gathering of knowledge that lay previously undiscovered until it was unearthed by curiosity. I believe that curiosity is a God-inspired desire. And I intend to cultivate it in my learners.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Caterpillars and Butterflies
Caterpillar painting in watercolors by Mr. Pliable
Caterpillar painting in watercolors by Mr. Resilient
Enthralled with color...painted in watercolors by Miss Moldbreaker
What an amazing example of shedding our old sin nature and putting on Christ! We are unrecognizable as the "caterpillar" we once were as we emerge from Jesus a completely new creation!
2 Corinthians 5:17
Did you know that the caterpillar's name means "hairy cat"?
Did you know that caterpillars have fourteen legs but butterflies only have six?
Caterpillars have legs with no knees, and they are short and stubby legs...butterflies have long lanky legs with knees that bend!
Caterpillars only eat leaves and butterflies only drink nectar.
Can you guess what we are studying here at Potter's Hand Elementary? ;)
I realize that autumn is not the best time of the year to delve into insects, but we found one in our backyard last week and the kids were totally engrossed in watching it for hours! I figured it was something that interested them, so let's go for it! :)
We are having a blast! God is good all the time :)
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Stranger Lessons in the Grocery Store
Homeschooling our children gives me lots of opportunity to combine practical application with education.
For example, yesterday we went to the grocery store. And while we learned how going to Winco creates a time warp and you will inevitably get sucked in for no less than an hour no matter how succinct your grocery list is, we also learned about Stranger Safety. Because what better place than the grocery store to learn things of this nature?
Actually, Stranger Safety 101 came to being because I saw a situation that warranted it. While in the bulk section, my kiddos were standing near the cart where I told them to stand and I was only a few feet away..completely able to see my children at all times. As I was scooping up the oatmeal, I heard a guy start talking to my sons. I turned around and gave him a half-hearted smile (why I smiled I don't know...overly polite I guess). We moved on to other parts of the store. And where we were he was. I still didn't notice. But when we went up to the cash register and he was there AGAIN, I started to get a little creeped out.
What happened next totally weirded me out and I nearly flipped out. In Winco, you bag your own groceries. So I was bagging and my youngest son, Mr. Independent, was on the far side of the cart. The forty-something, non-grandpa looking guy walked around my cart, started talking to my son again and RUBBED HIS SHOULDERS. I proceeded to call my son over to my side to "help" me load the groceries. And I made sure that I was between my sons and the guy. I quickly finished loading my cart and we left the store.
As I put my children in the van, I started thinking about the situation more intently.
At first I thought I overreacted, but then I started thinking about it. He probably followed us in the store and to our register. There were five other registers he could have used! Realizing this totally creeped me out by then. So I deemed our Most Important Lesson of the Day, Stranger Safety 101. First I explained that God puts angels responsible over their safety, so that the angels can protect them from things Daddy and Mommy can't. But I told them that God put us in charge of keeping them safe from things like bad people. I tried to carefully explain that there are people who are dangerous and can do bad things (I kept it very vague because they don't need to know about pedophiles yet). Then I drilled them on what they should do in certain situations.
Lesson 1: (Well I guess that teaching them about God's protection is lesson 1)
I taught them that they don't talk to strangers unless Daddly and Mommy tell them it is okay. It doesn't matter if the person looks really nice and friendly. DON'T TALK TO STRANGERS!
Lesson 2: If someone you don't know tries to touch you in ANY way, you say (very loudly so everyone can hear you): DON'T TOUCH ME!
Lesson 3: If Daddy or Mommy are a little ways off in the store and you feel uncomfortable around anyone you say: DADDY OR MOMMY I NEED YOU. And we will come running. (For the sake of clarification here: We NEVER leave our children unattended in the store. I meant we can still see our children and hear them but we are not right next to them.)
Lesson 4: Don't let anyone touch your sister either. Speak up for her like in lesson 2.
Lesson 5: If you are at home and some person keeps staring at you as you play in the backyard, GET YOUR SISTER, COME INSIDE AND TELL ME.
Lesson 6: It doesn't matter where you are (home, church, store, etc.) if anyone tries to touch you or talk to you, FOLLOW THE RULES AND COME AND GET US.
Lesson 7: Daddy and Mommy will deal with the strangers. You don't have to.
Lesson 8: Don't be afraid of people. God keeps you safe and we will keep you safe too. Follow the rules and obey and we can protect you better.
Lesson 9: If anything like the above examples happens, ALWAYS TELL US.
As I think back on it, I should have just told that guy "DON'T TOUCH MY SON" and then called my son over to me. Embarrassment would have served the creep right! If I get opportunity again, I know what I will do!
How come there aren't classes on what parents are supposed to do? :) Stranger Safety Response Classes for parents! Maybe there are and I just don't know about them.
So did I leave anything out? When did you have to talk to your little ones about Stranger Safety? How did you do it?
For example, yesterday we went to the grocery store. And while we learned how going to Winco creates a time warp and you will inevitably get sucked in for no less than an hour no matter how succinct your grocery list is, we also learned about Stranger Safety. Because what better place than the grocery store to learn things of this nature?
Actually, Stranger Safety 101 came to being because I saw a situation that warranted it. While in the bulk section, my kiddos were standing near the cart where I told them to stand and I was only a few feet away..completely able to see my children at all times. As I was scooping up the oatmeal, I heard a guy start talking to my sons. I turned around and gave him a half-hearted smile (why I smiled I don't know...overly polite I guess). We moved on to other parts of the store. And where we were he was. I still didn't notice. But when we went up to the cash register and he was there AGAIN, I started to get a little creeped out.
What happened next totally weirded me out and I nearly flipped out. In Winco, you bag your own groceries. So I was bagging and my youngest son, Mr. Independent, was on the far side of the cart. The forty-something, non-grandpa looking guy walked around my cart, started talking to my son again and RUBBED HIS SHOULDERS. I proceeded to call my son over to my side to "help" me load the groceries. And I made sure that I was between my sons and the guy. I quickly finished loading my cart and we left the store.
As I put my children in the van, I started thinking about the situation more intently.
At first I thought I overreacted, but then I started thinking about it. He probably followed us in the store and to our register. There were five other registers he could have used! Realizing this totally creeped me out by then. So I deemed our Most Important Lesson of the Day, Stranger Safety 101. First I explained that God puts angels responsible over their safety, so that the angels can protect them from things Daddy and Mommy can't. But I told them that God put us in charge of keeping them safe from things like bad people. I tried to carefully explain that there are people who are dangerous and can do bad things (I kept it very vague because they don't need to know about pedophiles yet). Then I drilled them on what they should do in certain situations.
Lesson 1: (Well I guess that teaching them about God's protection is lesson 1)
I taught them that they don't talk to strangers unless Daddly and Mommy tell them it is okay. It doesn't matter if the person looks really nice and friendly. DON'T TALK TO STRANGERS!
Lesson 2: If someone you don't know tries to touch you in ANY way, you say (very loudly so everyone can hear you): DON'T TOUCH ME!
Lesson 3: If Daddy or Mommy are a little ways off in the store and you feel uncomfortable around anyone you say: DADDY OR MOMMY I NEED YOU. And we will come running. (For the sake of clarification here: We NEVER leave our children unattended in the store. I meant we can still see our children and hear them but we are not right next to them.)
Lesson 4: Don't let anyone touch your sister either. Speak up for her like in lesson 2.
Lesson 5: If you are at home and some person keeps staring at you as you play in the backyard, GET YOUR SISTER, COME INSIDE AND TELL ME.
Lesson 6: It doesn't matter where you are (home, church, store, etc.) if anyone tries to touch you or talk to you, FOLLOW THE RULES AND COME AND GET US.
Lesson 7: Daddy and Mommy will deal with the strangers. You don't have to.
Lesson 8: Don't be afraid of people. God keeps you safe and we will keep you safe too. Follow the rules and obey and we can protect you better.
Lesson 9: If anything like the above examples happens, ALWAYS TELL US.
As I think back on it, I should have just told that guy "DON'T TOUCH MY SON" and then called my son over to me. Embarrassment would have served the creep right! If I get opportunity again, I know what I will do!
How come there aren't classes on what parents are supposed to do? :) Stranger Safety Response Classes for parents! Maybe there are and I just don't know about them.
So did I leave anything out? When did you have to talk to your little ones about Stranger Safety? How did you do it?
Friday, April 3, 2009
Avian Art
Here are the renderings of a Northern Flicker as drawn by my sons..
This one was done by Mr. Dramatic, age 6
This one was done by Mr. Dramatic, age 6
This one was done by Mr. Independent, age 4
They had fun drawing the "polka dots" :)
Birds, Birds, Birds!
(As an aside note, the word "birds" starts to look REALLY funny if you have typed it out ten or more times!)
In our school this past month, we have been studying birds. We have emptied our library of all Audubon encyclopedias and books that help you identify the different species. We have attuned our ears to hear the birdsongs around us. Making oneself more aware of the beauty and "wildness" that you can discover in your own backyard helps you slow down and appreciate what God created!
Here is just a smattering of what we have found and identified so far...
Male Red-Breasted Nuthatch. They are easy to spot even though they are tiny...just look for a little bird bouncing upside down along the trunks of the trees! They feed upside down, extracting insects from underneath the bark of the trees. And yes, this little fella is truly upside down, I have not adjusted the photo at all!
In our school this past month, we have been studying birds. We have emptied our library of all Audubon encyclopedias and books that help you identify the different species. We have attuned our ears to hear the birdsongs around us. Making oneself more aware of the beauty and "wildness" that you can discover in your own backyard helps you slow down and appreciate what God created!
Here is just a smattering of what we have found and identified so far...
Male Red-Breasted Nuthatch. They are easy to spot even though they are tiny...just look for a little bird bouncing upside down along the trunks of the trees! They feed upside down, extracting insects from underneath the bark of the trees. And yes, this little fella is truly upside down, I have not adjusted the photo at all!
Male Lesser Scaup. We went to our library to find this handsome guy. Our library has a man-made lake behind it and it attracts all kinds of waterfowl! What a treat in our own city. I just love the detail God put into the tiny feathers on the Scaup's back. And have you ever seen a duck with yellow eyes before?
Male Northern Flicker. This striking specimen made his presence known by drumming on our gutters! Apparently in breeding season they do that to attract a mate and make their territory known to other males. The boys had fun drawing this one!
Male House Finch. I have lived in this house for three years and I have never seen one of these before! Actually, I wasn't exactly bird watching at that moment. I was busy putting laundry away in my room and I startled a pair of finches into a nearby tree. Well, I grabbed my camera quickly and quietly snapped a photo of the dashing pair!
We have lots more photos. So far we have identified over 10 birds that frequent our neighborhood! Who knew there was such variety in modern suburbia?
This weekend the boys are going to the free Home Depot kids workshop to make, of course, birdhouses! Our unit study on birds is turning out to be a lot of fun!
We are using these fabulous books from the library to aid us in identifying the birds we find:
National Audubon Society's
North American Birdfeeder Handbook
By Robert Burton
The Audubon Backyard Birdwatcher
By The National Audubon Society
Birds of Oregon--Field Guide
By Stan Tekiela
The Backyard Bird Feeder's Bible
By Sally Roth
The Backyard Bird-Lover's Guide
By Jan Mahnken
Monday, October 20, 2008
Under Construction-- Again...
This week I am reconstructing our Potter's Hand Elementary schedule, curriculum, activities, etc. Basically, what we had been doing wasn't working very well. Too long of days, not enough fun stuff and a mother-teacher who has no idea how much learning her kids can handle!
I expect too much of myself and of my boys. I forget that they aren't little adults, they are little kids. My dear friend, who runs a FABULOUS preschool ministry from her home, took valuable time out of her day on Saturday to give me some pointers on how to organize the time, subjects and crafts. She has a wealth of information stored in her head and she poured some of that into me :)
(As an aside note, if I didn't feel called to be homeschooling my kids I would be sending them to Peaceful Beginnings Preschool! She does amazing stuff with her students!)
Because of her encouragement, I rediscovered my passion for homeschooling. So this week, I will be asking God what He wants my boys to learn. And I will be listening very closely! :)
Proverbs 3:5-6
"Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths."
Psalm 90:17
"And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us,And establish the work of our hands for us; Yes, establish the work of our hands."
I expect too much of myself and of my boys. I forget that they aren't little adults, they are little kids. My dear friend, who runs a FABULOUS preschool ministry from her home, took valuable time out of her day on Saturday to give me some pointers on how to organize the time, subjects and crafts. She has a wealth of information stored in her head and she poured some of that into me :)
(As an aside note, if I didn't feel called to be homeschooling my kids I would be sending them to Peaceful Beginnings Preschool! She does amazing stuff with her students!)
Because of her encouragement, I rediscovered my passion for homeschooling. So this week, I will be asking God what He wants my boys to learn. And I will be listening very closely! :)
Proverbs 3:5-6
"Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths."
Psalm 90:17
"And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us,And establish the work of our hands for us; Yes, establish the work of our hands."
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Ravings of An Insomniac...
How can I be wide awake at 1:37 am?
Why did I just wake up in the middle of the MORNING (it isn't nighttime any longer...)????
As if I didn't get enough of not sleeping well...
Sigh.
On a brighter note, I am excited and nervous about Biblestudy tonight. We are going to put feet to our faith and go outside of church to do our workbooks. We are believing for open doors and curiosity of those around us. This is supposed to bolster our courage for actual witnessing. I'm still scared. There I admitted it. I am scared I will come up with nothing when someone asks me for a reason for the Hope that is within me. I'm scared I'll say the wrong thing and offend someone and turn them away from Christ rather than leading them to Him. And yet, I know it has nothing to do with me, but everything to do with my obedience. It is not dependent on my words, but what He says through me. He will give me the right Holy-Spirit-inspired words to say. And I have had practice with my two boys! :) If I can tell a child about Jesus, surely I can tell a stranger!
The other thing that occupies my thoughts in the wee hours of the morning is school. I feel like a hypocrite. I say I am homeschooling the boys, but we haven't done any school for two weeks! That first week of no school, I had a very valid excuse: laryngitis all week long. This second week, what is my excuse? Fatigue. How do other moms do it all? I am barely staying afloat with my laundry! Sometimes, I feel like I just need a mommy vacation for a day or so. Do they have those? The worst part about not schooling right now is the questions, from my kids. "Mommy, are we going to do school today?" (picture this asked with sweet expectant faces...now you understand the guilt!) I feel so overwhelmed with all of my responsibilities right now. And I feel like there is so much change needed, but I am tired of having to improve upon myself. I am wearied with undergoing construction of my person. Do you ever get tired of fixing all of your shortcomings? Do you ever get overwhelmed with the amount of items that need changing that you see reflected in the mirror of your soul? Sigh.
And right now I am reminded of the words of a favorite song of mine (I cannot remember the title...lol...but it is still a favorite!):
Here I am once again,
I pour out my heart for I know that You hear every cry
You are listening
No matter what state my heart is in
You are faithful to answer
With words that are true and a hope that is real
As I feel Your touch
You bring a freedom to all that's within
In the safety of this place
I'm longing to pour out my heart
Say that I love You
Pour out my heart
Say that I need You
Pour out my heart
Say that You're faithful
Pour out my heart
And say that You're wonderful!
(sorry can't remember who wrote this, otherwise I would give credit!)
I love to sing it with arms open wide in surrendered abandon to the One Who knows me inside and out...
Psalm 62:8
"Trust in Him at all times, you people;Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. Selah"
The best part is that He is awake even at 2:01 am! :)
I know He knows what my children need in the form of education. I just need to ask. I need to take the time to ask. That's the problem, making the time to find out His heart on the matter. I guess that is in part where my frustration lies, I know that I am supposed to be homeschooling them. That is the reason we are making so many sacrifices as a family, so we can be the ones to educate our children. That is my main impetus for being a stay at home mom, so that I can be at home to educate my children. And I guess that is also the reason I feel so guilty too, my husband works hard at his job, am I working as equally as hard at mine?
**Side note here, how come the rest of this post is in italics??? I cannot get it to go back to regular font. Aggh!**
Anyway, do you, as busy mothers, ever feel like any of the above??
The other thing about home education that I am struggling with, is finding our rhythym and homeschooling niche. There are those that swear by the Classical education method, some rave about unschooling, other families love their curricula, then there are others that embrace the ideals of Charlotte Mason. How do you decide, without too much trial and error, what is the best "method" for you? The sheer volume of choices is overwhelming! We are somewhat constrained by our budget, so curriculum is out of the running. We love to read, but until they can read for themselves, it would be rather burdensome to make reading our number one vessel for education. (I must add a disclaimer here: I strongly believe that reading well-written literature can give you a far better education than most textbooks. I personally devour books by the month!) And still, my boys are too active to want to sit down to workbooks every day either. We believe, as a parents of our children, that education happens all around us every day. We just have to be alert to those teachable moments. And we have to be willing to grasp those snippets of time with enthusiasm.
Well, now I am getting sleepy, and since I have such a big day ahead of me...today, I had better take advantage of slumber while I can! :)
Why did I just wake up in the middle of the MORNING (it isn't nighttime any longer...)????
As if I didn't get enough of not sleeping well...
Sigh.
On a brighter note, I am excited and nervous about Biblestudy tonight. We are going to put feet to our faith and go outside of church to do our workbooks. We are believing for open doors and curiosity of those around us. This is supposed to bolster our courage for actual witnessing. I'm still scared. There I admitted it. I am scared I will come up with nothing when someone asks me for a reason for the Hope that is within me. I'm scared I'll say the wrong thing and offend someone and turn them away from Christ rather than leading them to Him. And yet, I know it has nothing to do with me, but everything to do with my obedience. It is not dependent on my words, but what He says through me. He will give me the right Holy-Spirit-inspired words to say. And I have had practice with my two boys! :) If I can tell a child about Jesus, surely I can tell a stranger!
The other thing that occupies my thoughts in the wee hours of the morning is school. I feel like a hypocrite. I say I am homeschooling the boys, but we haven't done any school for two weeks! That first week of no school, I had a very valid excuse: laryngitis all week long. This second week, what is my excuse? Fatigue. How do other moms do it all? I am barely staying afloat with my laundry! Sometimes, I feel like I just need a mommy vacation for a day or so. Do they have those? The worst part about not schooling right now is the questions, from my kids. "Mommy, are we going to do school today?" (picture this asked with sweet expectant faces...now you understand the guilt!) I feel so overwhelmed with all of my responsibilities right now. And I feel like there is so much change needed, but I am tired of having to improve upon myself. I am wearied with undergoing construction of my person. Do you ever get tired of fixing all of your shortcomings? Do you ever get overwhelmed with the amount of items that need changing that you see reflected in the mirror of your soul? Sigh.
And right now I am reminded of the words of a favorite song of mine (I cannot remember the title...lol...but it is still a favorite!):
Here I am once again,
I pour out my heart for I know that You hear every cry
You are listening
No matter what state my heart is in
You are faithful to answer
With words that are true and a hope that is real
As I feel Your touch
You bring a freedom to all that's within
In the safety of this place
I'm longing to pour out my heart
Say that I love You
Pour out my heart
Say that I need You
Pour out my heart
Say that You're faithful
Pour out my heart
And say that You're wonderful!
(sorry can't remember who wrote this, otherwise I would give credit!)
I love to sing it with arms open wide in surrendered abandon to the One Who knows me inside and out...
Psalm 62:8
"Trust in Him at all times, you people;Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. Selah"
The best part is that He is awake even at 2:01 am! :)
I know He knows what my children need in the form of education. I just need to ask. I need to take the time to ask. That's the problem, making the time to find out His heart on the matter. I guess that is in part where my frustration lies, I know that I am supposed to be homeschooling them. That is the reason we are making so many sacrifices as a family, so we can be the ones to educate our children. That is my main impetus for being a stay at home mom, so that I can be at home to educate my children. And I guess that is also the reason I feel so guilty too, my husband works hard at his job, am I working as equally as hard at mine?
**Side note here, how come the rest of this post is in italics??? I cannot get it to go back to regular font. Aggh!**
Anyway, do you, as busy mothers, ever feel like any of the above??
The other thing about home education that I am struggling with, is finding our rhythym and homeschooling niche. There are those that swear by the Classical education method, some rave about unschooling, other families love their curricula, then there are others that embrace the ideals of Charlotte Mason. How do you decide, without too much trial and error, what is the best "method" for you? The sheer volume of choices is overwhelming! We are somewhat constrained by our budget, so curriculum is out of the running. We love to read, but until they can read for themselves, it would be rather burdensome to make reading our number one vessel for education. (I must add a disclaimer here: I strongly believe that reading well-written literature can give you a far better education than most textbooks. I personally devour books by the month!) And still, my boys are too active to want to sit down to workbooks every day either. We believe, as a parents of our children, that education happens all around us every day. We just have to be alert to those teachable moments. And we have to be willing to grasp those snippets of time with enthusiasm.
Well, now I am getting sleepy, and since I have such a big day ahead of me...today, I had better take advantage of slumber while I can! :)
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
To Be Continued..
Sorry dear readers, I am just too tired to write about "Have a New Kid By Friday."
I will report that I have returned to my old, familiar parenting rut. No, I am not proud of it, but just thought I would be honest with you. Changing the way you've done something for six years is HARD work! But I am working on it.
For now, I am just trying to survive the sleep deprivation I have been suffering from. I have got to figure out a way to get Miss Precious in her own bed! (She isn't the main problem, my horrible mattress is...lol) But she is still very much attached to me and still nurses at night. Her frequency has lessened, but I doubt she could go all night without a comfort snack.
Oh, I know that exercise would help me with my energy levels too, but I loathe to exercise. I had a walking partner, but she and I are both wimps when it comes to our Pacific Northwest autumn weather! We don't particularly enjoy walking with all of our kids in the pouring down rain or bitter cold. So that has gone the way of our summer weather...lol.
Anyone have any ideas on how to re-motivate yourself for school when a whole week of laryngitis kept you from teaching? I think I am suffering from a lack of creativity, which translates into lack of motivation. I love my kids and I know I am suppose to be homeschooling them, I just have to find the right educational avenue that works for all of us... no small feat!
So, when I can put together a coherent sounding sentence, and when I have enough functioning brain cells to evaluate my parenting, I will resume our series. Again, I encourage you to get the book from your local library!
I will report that I have returned to my old, familiar parenting rut. No, I am not proud of it, but just thought I would be honest with you. Changing the way you've done something for six years is HARD work! But I am working on it.
For now, I am just trying to survive the sleep deprivation I have been suffering from. I have got to figure out a way to get Miss Precious in her own bed! (She isn't the main problem, my horrible mattress is...lol) But she is still very much attached to me and still nurses at night. Her frequency has lessened, but I doubt she could go all night without a comfort snack.
Oh, I know that exercise would help me with my energy levels too, but I loathe to exercise. I had a walking partner, but she and I are both wimps when it comes to our Pacific Northwest autumn weather! We don't particularly enjoy walking with all of our kids in the pouring down rain or bitter cold. So that has gone the way of our summer weather...lol.
Anyone have any ideas on how to re-motivate yourself for school when a whole week of laryngitis kept you from teaching? I think I am suffering from a lack of creativity, which translates into lack of motivation. I love my kids and I know I am suppose to be homeschooling them, I just have to find the right educational avenue that works for all of us... no small feat!
So, when I can put together a coherent sounding sentence, and when I have enough functioning brain cells to evaluate my parenting, I will resume our series. Again, I encourage you to get the book from your local library!
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Defining Beauty...
Today we are learning about beauty. I took the kids outside and took some candid shots.
After coming back in, Miss Precious was a bit unhappy and so her big brother, Mr. Independent, gave her a hug.
"Mama, is a hug beauty?" he queried.
"Yes, honey. Loving another person is beauty."
Today, beauty was redefined for me...
Ok, we are all squinting because it has started to rain during our little photo shoot...
Can you hear beauty?
Listen as it gurgles in a baby’s giggle.
Can you see beauty?
Over there, caught in a joyous grin!
Can you feel beauty?
Snuggle into the warmth of a hug.
Can you touch beauty?
Marvel at the softness of a little hand in yours.
Can you taste beauty?
Encased in a kiss so sweet and tender.
True beauty is discovered in loving another person.
©J. N. Gallegos 2008
After coming back in, Miss Precious was a bit unhappy and so her big brother, Mr. Independent, gave her a hug.
"Mama, is a hug beauty?" he queried.
"Yes, honey. Loving another person is beauty."
Today, beauty was redefined for me...
Ok, we are all squinting because it has started to rain during our little photo shoot...
Can you hear beauty?
Listen as it gurgles in a baby’s giggle.
Can you see beauty?
Over there, caught in a joyous grin!
Can you feel beauty?
Snuggle into the warmth of a hug.
Can you touch beauty?
Marvel at the softness of a little hand in yours.
Can you taste beauty?
Encased in a kiss so sweet and tender.
True beauty is discovered in loving another person.
©J. N. Gallegos 2008
Monday, September 22, 2008
Week Two: Letter 'B'
First of all I must mention that today is my son's birthday! My firstborn is six today....wow, time sure flies by! I remember bringing him home from the hospital and having a minor panic attack as I realized that I had no idea how to care for a baby! But God is good and my baby was a smiley, inquisitive and so sweet one :)
He has grown up so much. He is still smiley, inquisitive and sweet though. The first one to steal my heart...
I love you Mr. Dramatic! Happy Sixth Birthday!
So in honor of this birthday, we are going to Burger King for lunch AND we are going to meet Daddy at work so he can celebrate the birthday lunch with us. The kids are really excited :)
Oh and did anyone notice how b-irthday begins with 'b'? Perfect object lesson...lol! We will probably stop by the pet store to look at the animals, that was one of his requests as well. No, we will not be b-uying anything, we just go to look. After the pet store, we will probably stop by the library to pick up some b-ooks. I am going to try to find some with a focus on 'b'.
It will be a fun-filled day today!
Friday, September 19, 2008
Sorry for the Absence...
Wow, I just realized I have not been keeping up on my blog! So for those of you who have been thinking that I have been swallowed alive by homeschooling, you are right! It is more labor-intensive than I ever thought! My mom is amazing...she homeschooled my sister and I as well as working full-time. I think I would have blown a mental circuit if I had to do that. Anyway, I am working to find the rhythm in it all. Especially in the dance between me and the housework...
As for burnout, we have successfully avoided that since we decreased school hours. (Perhaps from 9-2 was a bit long for preschoolers.) Now we are 9-12, at the very most. And remember my carefully thought out unit studies, well I decided to go with something easier.
Enter, the Letter of the Week. It's not original, but boy is it a LOT easier to plan! We started off with 'A' because I am one to not think outside of the box. Begin at the beginning, you know!
However, I did throw a little something of my own into it. The ABC's of God's Character. So beginning with 'A' we have: God is Almighty. Mark 10:27 is our verse. But the hard part is explaining to preschoolers what almighty means. I came up with "God can do anything!" and that He is stronger and more powerful than anyone.
We practiced reading the word 'all' and any other words that contained it, for example: ball, tall, call, hall, mall, small, etc. And I made up a short story about a little boy who loses his ball and is looking everywhere for it. The story had all the 'all' words in it too. The boys loved it! And they remembered the words and the story.
Other ideas I have is to make lunchtime something that begins with the LOTW. Like apples for 'a'...
So God is good and faithful to bring creativity when I ask for it.
That is what we are up to right now. I'll keep you posted!
As for burnout, we have successfully avoided that since we decreased school hours. (Perhaps from 9-2 was a bit long for preschoolers.) Now we are 9-12, at the very most. And remember my carefully thought out unit studies, well I decided to go with something easier.
Enter, the Letter of the Week. It's not original, but boy is it a LOT easier to plan! We started off with 'A' because I am one to not think outside of the box. Begin at the beginning, you know!
However, I did throw a little something of my own into it. The ABC's of God's Character. So beginning with 'A' we have: God is Almighty. Mark 10:27 is our verse. But the hard part is explaining to preschoolers what almighty means. I came up with "God can do anything!" and that He is stronger and more powerful than anyone.
We practiced reading the word 'all' and any other words that contained it, for example: ball, tall, call, hall, mall, small, etc. And I made up a short story about a little boy who loses his ball and is looking everywhere for it. The story had all the 'all' words in it too. The boys loved it! And they remembered the words and the story.
Other ideas I have is to make lunchtime something that begins with the LOTW. Like apples for 'a'...
So God is good and faithful to bring creativity when I ask for it.
That is what we are up to right now. I'll keep you posted!
Friday, September 12, 2008
Burn Out...
Yesterday was the most awful homeschooling day and we were only into week two! I thought that my boys had gotten pretty well acquainted with their numbers 1-20 so I decided to see if they could fill in the blanks. I am so sad to report that they couldn't even follow the simple fill in the blanks with the ANSWER KEY! Needless to say it was very frustrating for all involved.
Throughout the torture, I mean math, session a lot of sighing, flopping the head back to look at the ceiling, laying head down on the desk and other subtle indicators of b-o-r-e-d-o-m were present. I finally gave up and told them to go play outside.
(To their credit, this morning they woke up and asked me when school was starting!)
I decided that today was going to be a no school day. Am I a wimp or what? I got some new books related to different styles of homeschooling and I am going to devour them this weekend. I want to do school that works for my kids and me. Right now, I think I have to adjust my expectations and remember that they may be bright, but they are still only 5 and 4!
Oh, and while we are on the topic of frustration, HOW DO YOU KEEP YOUR HOUSE CLEAN AND HOMESCHOOL YOUR CHILDREN???? If I even dared to show you the state of my home... well you get the idea.
There are a lot of bugs that I still have to work out...
I just want them to love learning and not be bored out of their minds...
So today is Burn Out Friday for me. Oh, and it is also Catch-Up-On-The-Laundry/Dishes/Floors/Bathroom/Etc-Day too!
Slightly discouraged, but not willing to give up, I persevere for a better way!
Throughout the torture, I mean math, session a lot of sighing, flopping the head back to look at the ceiling, laying head down on the desk and other subtle indicators of b-o-r-e-d-o-m were present. I finally gave up and told them to go play outside.
(To their credit, this morning they woke up and asked me when school was starting!)
I decided that today was going to be a no school day. Am I a wimp or what? I got some new books related to different styles of homeschooling and I am going to devour them this weekend. I want to do school that works for my kids and me. Right now, I think I have to adjust my expectations and remember that they may be bright, but they are still only 5 and 4!
Oh, and while we are on the topic of frustration, HOW DO YOU KEEP YOUR HOUSE CLEAN AND HOMESCHOOL YOUR CHILDREN???? If I even dared to show you the state of my home... well you get the idea.
There are a lot of bugs that I still have to work out...
I just want them to love learning and not be bored out of their minds...
So today is Burn Out Friday for me. Oh, and it is also Catch-Up-On-The-Laundry/Dishes/Floors/Bathroom/Etc-Day too!
Slightly discouraged, but not willing to give up, I persevere for a better way!
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Number Bingo...Works for Me!
Early this week, I happened upon a website that is chock-full of fun, creative ideas to help your children learn their numbers, learn to read, explore their world, etc. Check out www.education.com and you won't be sorry! Did I mention that it is all free, too? Oh, and they have things categorized according to age appropriateness!
We tried out Number Bingo yesterday....the boys were hooked! We "played" for about 30 minutes and then there was a lot of whining and complaining that we had to stop for recess!
You could adapt the Bingo to suit any educational need. We are going to do Letter Sounds Bingo next week.
For more helpful ideas check out Rocks In My Dryer!
Friday, September 5, 2008
It has only been three days????
Ok, I knew that teaching my boys at home was going to be a lot of work. I expected it to be a lot of work. I also expected it to be a lot of fun for me and them. Which it has been on both accounts!
Can I just say that I am exhausted and it has only been three days... (we took yesterday off to celebrate Daddy's citizenship!)
Lord help me! How am I going to survive a whole week??
We had fun in science today (my absolutely most favorite subject!) by creating water vapor...the kids were enthralled! I love it! They will remember what clouds are made of for a very long time :)
We also watched an educational video about weather today. Did you know that weathervanes started having a rooster on them when the Pope decreed that all churches weathervanes had to have a cockerel atop to remind the followers of Paul's denial of Christ? Also, I learned that the sun's energy heats up the troposphere thus creating our weather! Like I said, I LOVE SCIENCE!!!
There were some super video of lightning storms on the video too. Beautiful!
So today has gone well and now I put the pupils down for a nap... zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz (and maybe the teacher too...lol!)
Can I just say that I am exhausted and it has only been three days... (we took yesterday off to celebrate Daddy's citizenship!)
Lord help me! How am I going to survive a whole week??
We had fun in science today (my absolutely most favorite subject!) by creating water vapor...the kids were enthralled! I love it! They will remember what clouds are made of for a very long time :)
We also watched an educational video about weather today. Did you know that weathervanes started having a rooster on them when the Pope decreed that all churches weathervanes had to have a cockerel atop to remind the followers of Paul's denial of Christ? Also, I learned that the sun's energy heats up the troposphere thus creating our weather! Like I said, I LOVE SCIENCE!!!
There were some super video of lightning storms on the video too. Beautiful!
So today has gone well and now I put the pupils down for a nap... zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz (and maybe the teacher too...lol!)
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
First Day of School
How I wish my camera was working today...alas, the batteries I bought at Dollar Tree lasted about one minute before the display told me I needed to change them...boo hoo. So no pictures of the first day.
The boys adjusted to the change in schedule really well...as did their teacher....lol!
The only disruptive student was the youngest, but she really couldn't help herself. Any ideas on a way to entertain a one year old while trying to teach her older brothers???
Wishing my printer was up and running because I definitely need some coloring pages for them!
All in all, the first day has been great! They were so excited to start this morning. We opened with prayer for God to bless our day at school, and He answered. I can't wait to show Daddy what they did today!
We made weather logs and notated what today's weather was. Sunny. Illustrations of current weather too.
We read "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" during snack. And then as a God-afterthought, I recounted to them the story of the Israelites and manna. I told them that the food falling from the clouds in the book that we read was just a silly story that someone made up, but that food really did fall from the sky in the Bible. They seemed to really hang on every word of the story of manna. It gave me opportunity to discuss complaining and trusting God to meet our needs.
I love it when God steps in and throws in something good like that! :)
We learned how to write our names properly, as well as the month, day and year. We also worked on the words: one, two, three and four..because our focus on counting for the day was 1-4. We counted 1-20 and I discovered that they have 1-10 down already and just need a little help with 11-20. (Our goal for the month is to learn to count all the way up to 50). Oh, and we also worked on sounds for the letter 'a'.
Right now it is recess time, but we have to finish one more project before school's out for the day...
Today I learned that I am a great teacher and that my kids enjoy learning from me. I also learned that having a curriculum is probably a lot easier, but doesn't leave much room for God to step in and throw in a teachable moment here and there. I also learned that teaching with three kids under the age of five can be a challenge! And I found out that I really enjoy being their teacher!
The boys adjusted to the change in schedule really well...as did their teacher....lol!
The only disruptive student was the youngest, but she really couldn't help herself. Any ideas on a way to entertain a one year old while trying to teach her older brothers???
Wishing my printer was up and running because I definitely need some coloring pages for them!
All in all, the first day has been great! They were so excited to start this morning. We opened with prayer for God to bless our day at school, and He answered. I can't wait to show Daddy what they did today!
We made weather logs and notated what today's weather was. Sunny. Illustrations of current weather too.
We read "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" during snack. And then as a God-afterthought, I recounted to them the story of the Israelites and manna. I told them that the food falling from the clouds in the book that we read was just a silly story that someone made up, but that food really did fall from the sky in the Bible. They seemed to really hang on every word of the story of manna. It gave me opportunity to discuss complaining and trusting God to meet our needs.
I love it when God steps in and throws in something good like that! :)
We learned how to write our names properly, as well as the month, day and year. We also worked on the words: one, two, three and four..because our focus on counting for the day was 1-4. We counted 1-20 and I discovered that they have 1-10 down already and just need a little help with 11-20. (Our goal for the month is to learn to count all the way up to 50). Oh, and we also worked on sounds for the letter 'a'.
Right now it is recess time, but we have to finish one more project before school's out for the day...
Today I learned that I am a great teacher and that my kids enjoy learning from me. I also learned that having a curriculum is probably a lot easier, but doesn't leave much room for God to step in and throw in a teachable moment here and there. I also learned that teaching with three kids under the age of five can be a challenge! And I found out that I really enjoy being their teacher!
Friday, August 29, 2008
Do Over!
OK, since I started planning out my first week of school for the boys, I have been told that my scheduled day might be a BIT long for two little guys. Yes, I had them going from 9am-2:30pm. What? They got an hour lunch break and two breaks besides! *Ahem* Yes, I am a slave driver thank you very much! ;)
So I have decided to do over all of that meticulous first week planning. And, am I ever thankful that I procrastinated long enough to avoid planning out the whole month! All I have to re-do is one week.
Oh yeah, the other thing I didn't realize was that Monday is Labor Day. Which means it is a holiday and Daddy is going to be home. No one is going to want to do school if Daddy is home. So we officially begin PHE on Tuesday!
I'm off to see which subjects I have to cut out in order to squeeze it all into a three-hour timeblock. Ha Ha Ha!*laughing nervously and slightly hysterically*
By the time this is all over, I might be getting a new jacket. White, with loooong sleeves and pretty silver buckles....
So I have decided to do over all of that meticulous first week planning. And, am I ever thankful that I procrastinated long enough to avoid planning out the whole month! All I have to re-do is one week.
Oh yeah, the other thing I didn't realize was that Monday is Labor Day. Which means it is a holiday and Daddy is going to be home. No one is going to want to do school if Daddy is home. So we officially begin PHE on Tuesday!
I'm off to see which subjects I have to cut out in order to squeeze it all into a three-hour timeblock. Ha Ha Ha!*laughing nervously and slightly hysterically*
By the time this is all over, I might be getting a new jacket. White, with loooong sleeves and pretty silver buckles....
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Planning and Sleep-Deprivation...
I finished planning our first week out last night.....at 2 am! Sigh. I have to find a better time to plan, I will not be a happy or healthy teacher if I am up all hours of the night trying to stay ahead of the game.
I am excited for what we get to study though. We are doing unit studies for the first month. We'll see how it goes and modify as needed. This month's unit study is weather. Each week will have a specific focus on the weather...rain, sun, snow, hail, etc. We will check out books from the library that focus on the weekly topic. And there will be fun crafts and science projects/ experiments we get to do in relation to the focus topic.
So now I just have to get all the supplies together and plan out the rest of the month...lol!
It will be very interesting to see how homeschooling affects my housework *cringe*, hopefully I will be able to keep up with both :)
Thanks to all of you kind ladies who have commented...you were all so very encouraging and sweet!
Off to tackle the dishes before they take over the kitchen...you think I'm joking?
I am excited for what we get to study though. We are doing unit studies for the first month. We'll see how it goes and modify as needed. This month's unit study is weather. Each week will have a specific focus on the weather...rain, sun, snow, hail, etc. We will check out books from the library that focus on the weekly topic. And there will be fun crafts and science projects/ experiments we get to do in relation to the focus topic.
So now I just have to get all the supplies together and plan out the rest of the month...lol!
It will be very interesting to see how homeschooling affects my housework *cringe*, hopefully I will be able to keep up with both :)
Thanks to all of you kind ladies who have commented...you were all so very encouraging and sweet!
Off to tackle the dishes before they take over the kitchen...you think I'm joking?
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
School's Starting...
I won't be posting very much from now on.
My husband and I have decided to start school for the kids the beginning of September.
Potter's Hand Elementary will commence September 1st!
Please pray for the teacher (me) :)
I am little nervous but I am also excited to see how God helps mold my young ones' lives by using me as His tool. It is another adventure and journey that we get to travel as a family.
Don't worry, I will be sure to share how the first week went. For now I have to get things organized, work out a schedule for school, and put together the curriculum. I am going to be busy, busy!
My husband and I have decided to start school for the kids the beginning of September.
Potter's Hand Elementary will commence September 1st!
Please pray for the teacher (me) :)
I am little nervous but I am also excited to see how God helps mold my young ones' lives by using me as His tool. It is another adventure and journey that we get to travel as a family.
Don't worry, I will be sure to share how the first week went. For now I have to get things organized, work out a schedule for school, and put together the curriculum. I am going to be busy, busy!
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Thoughts of Clay
How do you cultivate your child's God-given talent?
With my thoughts on homeschooling and how I want the curriculum to go (curriculum, not necesarily meaning textbooks, but rather a form or schedule of study), I am also compelled to search out how to recognize and harness the God-given creative abilities of my two rambunctious boys. The more I include their natural interests, the more learning will be a pleasure rather than a pain---for them and me! But I really want to pay attention to the talents I see emerging in them. In Mr. Dramatic, the love of storytelling, a beginning love of photography (he got ahold of my digital camera and took some very good self-potraits for a five year-old!), verbal special effects (yes, there are special effects for everything...lol!), the ability to be in constant motion--that is a talent right?, his almost obsessive love of orderliness, and his affinity for drawing. Mr Independent often bursts into song, sometimes he sings known praise and worship, other times he makes up silly songs to sing to his baby sister. He loves to play guitar and drums. He is not obsessive about anything, but is rather the polar opposite of his brother! I can always tell which side of the room is whose...lol! (It reminds me of my sister and I when we shared a room!) Like his brother, Mr. Independent loves to draw. He is also very verbal but he likes to make up different voices for the characters he likes to play. My darling Miss Precious is still too young for me to get a glimpse of her talents. But she does love to giggle!
Both of my boys have an astounding ability to recall events with great detail. But they also share a love of embellishment as well...lol! Not lying, we don't tolerate that in the FITPH household, but shall we say "poetic license" with the recounting? Some of the embellishments they come up with tickle the funny bone! They both share a love for music that permeates everything they do.
I cannot help but wonder what God has planned for Mr. Dramatic and Mr. Independent. It is so awesome to be a part of the molding and shaping process. Such an awesome (and sometimes terrifying) responsibility Mr. Querido and I have been given. Such precious clay we hold in our hands as the Master Potter guides our fingers.
With my thoughts on homeschooling and how I want the curriculum to go (curriculum, not necesarily meaning textbooks, but rather a form or schedule of study), I am also compelled to search out how to recognize and harness the God-given creative abilities of my two rambunctious boys. The more I include their natural interests, the more learning will be a pleasure rather than a pain---for them and me! But I really want to pay attention to the talents I see emerging in them. In Mr. Dramatic, the love of storytelling, a beginning love of photography (he got ahold of my digital camera and took some very good self-potraits for a five year-old!), verbal special effects (yes, there are special effects for everything...lol!), the ability to be in constant motion--that is a talent right?, his almost obsessive love of orderliness, and his affinity for drawing. Mr Independent often bursts into song, sometimes he sings known praise and worship, other times he makes up silly songs to sing to his baby sister. He loves to play guitar and drums. He is not obsessive about anything, but is rather the polar opposite of his brother! I can always tell which side of the room is whose...lol! (It reminds me of my sister and I when we shared a room!) Like his brother, Mr. Independent loves to draw. He is also very verbal but he likes to make up different voices for the characters he likes to play. My darling Miss Precious is still too young for me to get a glimpse of her talents. But she does love to giggle!
Both of my boys have an astounding ability to recall events with great detail. But they also share a love of embellishment as well...lol! Not lying, we don't tolerate that in the FITPH household, but shall we say "poetic license" with the recounting? Some of the embellishments they come up with tickle the funny bone! They both share a love for music that permeates everything they do.
I cannot help but wonder what God has planned for Mr. Dramatic and Mr. Independent. It is so awesome to be a part of the molding and shaping process. Such an awesome (and sometimes terrifying) responsibility Mr. Querido and I have been given. Such precious clay we hold in our hands as the Master Potter guides our fingers.
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