Monday Musings on the Creator in Me

Best Homeschool Tip

When I first read the theme for this week at Homeschool Blogger, I thought it said "best homeschool TRIP" and I was going to tell you I'M ON IT AS YOU READ THIS!!!! 


I'm in El Salvador with my daughter and a bunch of other great people!!!!! AND we're meeting Jeanci, our Compassion sponsored child, today!!!!!


{Are you praying for me????:)}

Anyway, you can be sure I'll write about that later, when I get back. (No technology with me! ;)


In the meantime, my best homeschool TIP is this:


Don't sweat it!


I won't tell you that I always follow my own advice, but I know it's good advice;) 


So . . .


Plan, but don't stress if things don't go as planned. Don't worry if you get blown waaaay off course and your plans end up having been for naught. I mean no disrespect when I say, the plan was made for man, not man for the plan -- KWIM? If we let the plans we create dictate our "success" as homeschoolers, we're bound to bomb! ( Proverbs 19:21 has something to say about the plans we make.)


See what others are doing, but don't set them as standards for your family. It's good to get ideas and learn from others about what works for them. The problem arises when we start thinking, "I should be doing that . . ." Comparison just breeds discontentment. (1 Timothy 6:6 reminds us that contentment is a far better place to dwell.)


Explore new curricula, but don't worry if you don't have the latest and greatest products on the market. Some of the most respected minds of history were home educated with just a few resources that were accessible to them. (Here are a few -- but you can skip #1 in our context;) The fact of the matter is, with a library card and a computer, we have access to far more educational resources than a large percentage of the rest of the world's learners. Relax and enjoy what God has brought your way. (Philippians 4:19 holds a promise that includes your curricular needs!:)


Look at standards and educational benchmarks and "measurements of success,"  but don't panic if your child does not conform to "the norm." You know -- with every fiber of your being -- that every child is different, so there is no accurate assessment of "normal." Academic success is important, but it is not what defines a person's value -- to a homeschooling family, to society, or to God. In the grand scheme of life, character is far more important than any kind of academic achievement. (1 Samuel 16:7  applies here.)


You get the picture, right? There is nothing wrong with organizing and planning and assessing and doing all manner of schoolish things. We are created to create and do and be industrious. But bottom line, only what matters for eternity really matters. 


Do you have any other homeschooling tips you'd like to share? Leave a comment below :)

Monday Musings on the Creator in Me

"First Day" Traditions

The first glimpse of August skies (so distinguishable from June and July, don't you find?) have tied knots in my stomach for as long as I can remember. That's because after August comes September, which means summer is over, and the routine of school resumes. (At least that's typically how it has worked in my lifetime -- though things are changing.) Don't get me wrong -- I have always loved school and the fall season in general! But for some reason, the anticipation of the seasonal shift stresses me out -- perhaps because I never manage to do all the things I had hoped to do in the summer, and so I feel unprepared for the fall. Therefore, it is with that familiar knotty feeling that I reflect on this week's topic at
Homeschool Blogger : first day of school traditions.

I will say that as a homeschooler, the first day of school is one of my favourites because we always try to do something fun that none of the other school children can do simply because they're "at school." Here are some of the things we've done just because we can:

* had an elaborate archaelogical dig in our backyard sandbox
* went for a picnic and "explore" in the "Hundred Acre Woods" behind our home, wading in the creek and catching crayfish and butterflies
* visited Daddy at his workplace, bringing lunch with us
* explored the gardens and picnicked at a beautiful, historic estate and began reading one of our history novels while we were all perched on tree branches
* spent the day at the zoo

We have yet to decide what we'll do this year -- but maybe you have some ideas! HSB is hosting a linky party for you to link up your ideas, or you can leave a comment here :) I'm looking forward to being inspired by your ideas and experiences!

Monday Musings on the Creator in Me

School Planning 

You would think that as a former high school English teacher and a seasoned homeschooler, I'd be a great planner. And in many ways I am. But school planning is something that has always stressed me out. That's why I debated whether to join in the discussion about it at Homeschool Blogger (HSB)  this week. But as I reflected a little bit, I realized how well the theme fits in with my whole Monday Musings on the Creator in Me meme. . .

You see, there's an element of who I am -- the creator (small c) in me -- that really enjoys making plans and gathering materials and designing schedules and establishing control over my children's education, as well as the expenditure of our time, energy, and resources. I can delight in making a mighty master plan of how we will spend our minutes and days, what we will eat for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and two snacks, and how we will grow in family harmony, wisdom, and knowledge. I revel in the fact that I can command my printer to spit forth lovely colour-coded schedules and charts and menu plans so that I know our family vessel will sail smoothly on our charted course.

Trouble is -- when I do all this magnificent planning, the end result is always frustration -- for everyone! Life has a distinct way of -- well -- getting in the way! Sicknesses, sadnesses, interruptions, inconveniences, moods, messes, challenges, choices -- a whole alphabet of counter-calendar obstructions can blow us right off course, and set us spinning in a whirlpool of negative emotions. As the creator of that master plan, I inevitably become defeated and discouraged -- and we all know that "if mama ain't happy -- ain't nobody happy!" (I know I'm not alone in this; just this morning I read this post with some good insights.)


So this is where the Creator (capital c) in me comes in to this Monday's musings. As I was reflecting on the topic, Jeremiah 29:11 came to mind: "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." And it struck me -- this whole school planning thing is a spiritual issue as much as anything else! Like any other plans we make in our own strength, we're doomed to experience failure and defeat if we're not following His plans for our life, and the lives of our children.

Does that mean we just lie down on deck and let the waves of life wash over us, carrying us hither and yon? I don't think so. But we certainly need to apply the same spiritual principles to school planning as we do to every other aspect of life: we need to allow ourselves to be led by the Spirit. This  will look different for each of us -- but ultimately it will consider the God-given bents and needs of every family member, and it will result in people's needs being met with prosperity, with hope, and with a promise of a good future (Jeremiah 29:11).

If you're anything like me, allowing myself to be led by the Spirit in my school planning also means an on-going guarding of my heart and mind against the invisible antagonists that would have me believe I'm not doing "enough," or I'm not doing it "right" compared to all manner of other educational models. The already-defeated-defeat-artist would like nothing more than to make me feel like a failure -- make me believe that my children will have no hope for a good future if I'm the one responsible for their education.

So, as I approach the charting of our swiftly approaching new academic voyage, I am determined to be armed for the battle with the brain birds that are bound to peck at my peace while I'm way out at sea. For example, Kat at Inspired to Action, well, inspired me to establish a morning routine that will enable me to be better equipped to face the flow of waters that will tilt and twirl our family vessel, and keep me more in tune with the Spirit's whisper, especially on those windy days. More important than any educational plan will be my ability to respond to the Spirit's leading -- every moment of every day. HE has already made the perfect plan! I just need to learn to follow.


How will you plan for smooth sailing in this coming school year?

Monday Musings on the Creator in Me

Educational Vacations

At HSB, the topic of conversation this week is “educational vacations.” I suspect that’s a bit of a misnomer; unless we turn our brains off, we’re always learning. We never really finish our education. This conviction is so significant to our family that we have named our homeschool “Learners 4 Life Academy” (with a play on the word “Life,” which also refers to our source of life, Christ.)

Yet I think when it comes to formal teaching and direct instruction, most of us take “breaks” at various points in our lives. And summer is a great time to do that!

Our family rarely schedules traditional academic “schooling” during the summer, but we certainly do strive to take advantage of learning opportunities. When we’re blessed to travel somewhere outside of our region, we often visit museums and art galleries – just for the sheer pleasure of it (knowing full well we’re all going to learn something about whatever captures our interests). We also take advantage of local festivals and town fairs; they always provide fun fodder for brains and bodies.

(These pictures are from a recent trip to a shoe museum. Who knew shoes could be so interesting?!?!?)

In addition, we use the looser schedule of July and August to plan out-of-the-ordinary learning opportunities. This summer, for example, three of our children will participate in a VBS program (vacation bible school) with a “Survivor” theme. DD9 will also be attending a dance camp because she loves music and movement, and DS12 will hopefully be attending a robotics camp because it’s one of his interests. He has also recently discovered the wonderful peace that presides at our local library, so he will likely be riding his bike there quite frequently this summer just to sit and read (without his library card, so he is not tempted to do any unauthorized surfing on the internet). In addition to our missions trip to El Salvador, DD13 will be working with children in the neighbourhood because she wants to have a career helping people, and I suspect DS4 will be spending a lot of time online with me following links in our Usborne Beginners series because he has a growing passion for learning about animals. We all love to learn when we’re interested in something, don’t we? Education can be such a delight that we don’t wish to take a vacation from it! J

Because learning outside of the usual way can be so much fun, we are always on the look-out for new opportunities. Just yesterday, DD9 noticed an advertisement at a local grocery store for some cooking classes with a wide variety of themes – offered right in the store. She wants to sign up! I can tell you that I would never have thought to look at the grocery story for a summer learning activity – but there it is!

The break from academics also affords time for entrepreneurial development, which is an important part of educating for life. Even simple things like lemonade stands and yard sales provide fun learning opportunities – about business as well as charity (not demanding payment for every glass of lemonade, donating leftover yard sale items to thrift stores, etc.).

The “free time” can force us all to be creative in coming up with ways to spend our time productively. And of course, it affords us the time to dream about the future . . . to reflect on where we’ve been -- and where we need to go.

What kind of educational vacations do you take? Do you have any creative ways to inspire continued learning throughout the lazier, hazier days of summer?

Monday Musings on the Creator in Me

Teaching the "Hard Subjects"

The question being asked at HSB this week is, "How do you teach the hard subjects?"

It's all a bit relative, isn't it? What's hard for me may not be hard for you. But we can learn from each other nonetheless.

For me, the "hard subjects" are not academic; they don't revolve around reading or writing or projects or assignments. (Wait. That's not entirely true because I do find all those things hard, too. But they're not the hardest.)

The "hard subjects" at our house are life skills: cleaning up after ourselves and each other (dishes, laundry, cleaning bathrooms, etc.), treating each other with kindness (putting others first, following the golden rule), controlling emotions (especially frustration and anger, but also sadness and fear), and speaking nicely and respectfully at all times.

We had a rare blessing this past Friday: we enjoyed a fit-and-fight-free cleaning day. In fact, it was so fit-and-fight-free that we got done in a morning what usually takes us A-L-L--D-A-Y--L-O-N-G! (Dealing with fits and fights consumes so much time and energy!!!) Why was it so successful? I think it was because we all treated each other with kindness, controlled our emotions, and spoke nicely to each other!!!!!

We started the day right by immersing ourselves in the Word. Actually, I started my day right by immersing myself in the Word. Then we did it together. What a difference that bathing of our souls makes!

And as I've been reflecting on the success of that day, I've been reminded of what I already know. The teaching of those hard lessons starts with me learning them, through and through. I can get righteously upset about the way my children speak to or treat each other; but I oughtta look at my own words and actions first. (You know -- the log vs. the splinter in the eye!) Too often, their tone and treatment reflects my own -- maybe not in that moment -- but certainly at some point in time. When DD9 melts down claiming that she's "had enough" and that she's "not going to listen," I can sometimes hear a distant echo of my own words and angry tone. When DS12 snaps at his younger brother and refuses to let him do something he wants to do, it's often not far removed from his own experience with me. Shame on me. (Oh, and I am ashamed! Always humbled.)

I want my children to learn to practise grace (Ann Voskamp describes it so much better than I can in her wonderful posts); but I need to practise it with them first. I need to be modelling the gentle tones and the patient repetition of the same instructions, day in and day out (even though I may not understand why a 12-year-old needs to be asked time and time again to clean up his medical bag, or a 13-year-old can't remember to rinse her dishes before putting them in the dishwasher). I need to be demonstrating the kind actions and respectful words. I need to be showing what it means to be gracious and merciful, even though it goes against my human sense of "justice."

So -- how do I teach the "hard subjects" in my home? I need to humbly admit that I don't always do it well -- I need to bathe myself in the Grace of the Cross -- and then I need to teach by my example.

What are the hard subjects in your home? How do you teach them?

Photos for this Friday . . .

Blogger has been down for the better part of a couple of days, so I haven't been able to post these pictures from a little nature study outing I took with two of my children recently.

Most of the wonders speak for themselves . . .

A blue jay is perched on the post . . .

He's hard to see, but there is a woodpecker in the tree below . . .

What wonders have you witnessed lately?

Monday Musings on the Creator in Me

Favourite Homeschooling Resource

This week at HSB we are asked to share our favourite homeschool product(s). Hmmmmmm . . . with a good decade under my belt, it's hard to choose! BUT, I think I can safely say that The Old Schoolhouse Magazine is my favourite resource.

No really -- I'm not just saying that because I'm writing this post for TOS and the HSB community. Quite honestly, I resisted subscribing to the magazine for a while because, well, so many of the homeschooling resources available are American, and I wanted to draw on as many Canadian resources as possible. But I finally "let" ;) my mother give me a subscription for Christmas one year -- and now I wouldn't dream of letting my subscription expire! I love The Old Schoolhouse Magazine! (Oh, and my mom has come to love it, too! She reads all my back issues:)

I know it has become true of other magazines in recent years, but one of the things I first fell in love with was the interactive nature of TOS. Virtually every article has a means of contacting the author -- and those authors actually respond to readers who write to them. I just think that's so awesome! The real people who write the fabulous articles actually engage with their readers :) I like the fact that they are accessible and that they truly desire to support fellow homeschoolers in their journeys. And since TOS has created the HSB community, and a facebook community, I feel like I have a cheering section virtually all over the world. When discouragement sets in, I know that there are real people out there who will turn my eyes to Truth -- even though most of them don't know me personally.

I also like the fact that TOS offers all kinds of resources between issues -- like the Homeschool Minute and Teacher's Toolbox and Econobusters and the Homeschool Crew Reviews. Four issues per year doesn't seem like a lot -- but when the issues are supplemented by these great resources, it seems like the magazine just keeps on giving and giving! (Oh -- and then there are the digital holiday issues!)

Finally, TOS is a homeschooling resource that meets a variety of needs. First and foremost, it offers encouragement to homeschooling families. It acknowledges the hard aspects of the journey, offering wise council and helpful resources, and it celebrates the victories. It also provides thought-provoking information and opportunities for further learning -- for parents and children. Even its advertising is helpful and inspirational as I seek to find innovative and creative ways to expand my children's education.

As I said -- I love TOS and am grateful for the opportunities for personal growth and friendship it has given me, as well as the educational tools it has provided. I can't think of another homeschooling product that has given me as much! (BTW -- TOS is celebrating its 10th anniversary! If you'd like to see what other people have to say about this great magazine, visit this blog hop.)

What about you -- do you have any favourite homeschooling resources/products?

Monday Musings on the Creator in Me

Children's Authors and Illustrators

This week at HSB Front Porch, we're celebrating Children's Authors and Illustrators Week. Initially, I thought, "I really don't know much about children's authors and illustrators." And I don't, at least about many specific authors and illustrators and their lives. BUT, I do know that they intrigue me. I've even tried my hand at writing children's books and have the rejection slips to prove it! ;) I also have a huge library of children's books with which I can't bear to part either because the stories are so lovely OR the illustrations are so beautiful. And as I thought more about it, I realized that enjoying the stories AND the art work is a huge part of what DD8 and DS4 and I enjoy about sharing a book. DD8 often examines a picture in a book and says, "How do you think they did that, Mom?" Even DS11 will see an illustration in a book and say, "Hey, Mom -- I think this was drawn by [an illustrator he recognizes]."  So, perhaps I do have a bit to say about children's authors and illustrators . . .

How can we learn to appreciate authors and illustrators?

• First of all, we can draw our own and our children's attention to them. I think it's been since first reading John Bianchi's book, Young Author's Day at Pokeweed Public School that I began reading the title of a book accompanied by its author and illustrator before reading the story. Prior to that, it had never really occurred to me to draw this information to the attention of my children -- I just dove right into the story. Silly me! It's fun learning about authors and illustrators, recognizing names as we select books from the library or our home collection!
• We can discuss the features of the illustrations. Even if we don't know the answers, we can ask: Did the illustrator use watercolours? Acrylic or oil paint? Simple charcoal? Clay? Paper cutouts?Cartoons? Realistic figures or child-like representations? Did the illustrator use lots of colour, none, or only a little bit? Why did the illustrator make the choices he or she did in the way the story was represented by the pictures? How do the illustrations help us to understand and/or enjoy the story more?
• We can ask questions about why the author made the choices he or she did, and try to find out the answers. For example, why is the story set in the mountains of British Columbia? Is that where the author lives? Is this book based on a true story? If so, what are the facts in the real life version?
• We can find out about the authors' own lives. Chances are, the value we place on the stories we love will increase. Books like Meet the Authors and Illustrators (three of which I own and have never used -- shame on me!!!!!! Guess what I'll be doing this week!) will assist in this endeavour. For example, I've always loved Jan Brett's books because of their richly detailed illustrations. When I opened a Meet the Authors and Illustrators book, my eyes fell on this paragraph: "As a child, Jan often felt frustrated by book illustrations that didn't give enough information. That's why she likes to put in all the little details. Jan often uses borders to get all her ideas into the book. In The Mitten, the borders show Nicki trekking through the woods and scaring different animals out of their hiding places. When you turn a page in the book, you can see the animal that comes next" (pg. 15). To me, knowing how and why she does what she does helps me appreciate her work all the more. And I can make a personal connection to her when I read, "Jan was a shy child. Uncomfortable with large groups or children, she preferred the company of pencil and paper" (pg. 14). Personal connections to authors and illustrators enable us to appreciate them more, and often inspire us to learn even more.
• We can make use of the available resources online to extend our knowledge and appreciation of authors and illustrators. When I googled the title of Meet the Authors and Illustrators to find a link to it, I stumbled upon a website called Children's Literature: Indpendent Information and Reviews that offered a huge list of links to information about hundreds of children's authors and illustrators. Having just written about Jan Brett above, I clicked on her name and was taken to her website. Here's a glimpse of what she offers -- and remember, she's just one on the list:

• We can use curricula that assists us in encouraging the appreciation of authors and illustrators. One of my favourites is Five in Row. Over the years, DD8 and I have learned a lot about how artists create by studying and imitating illustrations in the books we've read as we've been prompted by the FIAR study guides:



Studying Storm in the Night, we learned about layering acrylics in a painting. Unlike watercolours, light colours are applied after dark colours.






While examining the illustrations in Katy and the Big Snow, we practised drawing bare trees.



• When we study art, we can include the work of illustrators in the list of artists to be studied. Last  year, we had a homeschooling Art Fair and DS11 (at the time) had a hard time selecting an artist knowing that he was going to have to try to imitate one of the artist's pieces to gain an appreciation of their work. He finally decided on studying Quentin Blake, the illlustrator of Roald Dahl's books, and succeeding in producing a fun imitation of this artist's child-like drawings while getting a good appreciation of just how difficult it is to create even the simplest of illustrations:

 

The boys are digging a hole to secretly get at the cookies they can see through the window ;)



• Once we've found an author we or our children enjoy, we can make an effort to find more of his or her work. Sometimes the fact that an author has become familiar by reading one book inspires our children to want more -- and who doesn't want their children to want to read more?

Do you have any other ideas for developing an appreciation of authors and illustrators? Have you done anything with your children in the past that has challenged them to learn more about the people who write and illustrate their favourite books?

Freebie

You may have guessed by now that The Old Schoolhouse Magazine is my favourite homeschooling magazine. Well, once again they're offering an amazing digital issue all about the upcoming holidays! And IT'S FREE!

Even if you don't homeschool, I'm sure you'll be inspired for the season! Get  your copy here: http://www.thehomeschoolmagazine-digital.com/thehomeschoolmagazine/holiday2010#pg1

Enjoy!

Just Because We Could

I just realized that I forgot to post about our first day of school!

Here's the hip, happenin' 8th grader who doesn't especially like having her picture taken anymore:

We have a tradition of going somewhere special when all the public school people are heading indoors to class-- just because we can : -) This year we decided to visit the zoo. Here are a few of the highlights . . .

In the "caves" that mimic the homes of the ground hogs above:

In the interactive/play area:

One of the silly little monkeys at the zoo:

In the petting zoo area:

Can you find the froggy?

My favourite part -- watching a mama gorilla nursing her baby:

This looks like it could be the daddy . . . suffering from a headache:

A traditional photo spot:

Do you have any favourite "back to school" traditions or memories? How do/did you and your family make the day special?