Homeschooling in the Homestretch: or: Don't Worry

 

 

 

Don’t worry about tomorrow. It will take care of itself. You have enough to worry about today.

Matthew 6:34 (CEV)

 

 Next week starts the final school year of Rory's homeschooling life.  He is officially a senior.  Yesterday, he went to take the ASVAB test to begin his pre-enlistment process into the Army.  I'm getting a little sentimental here, as I think of the little kindergartener that we pulled out of school so many years ago.  I was so scared I was doing the wrong thing.  I didn't know what he was supposed to learn, or how to teach it to him.  I pushed too hard sometimes, and not hard enough others.  He learned things that other kids in his grade didn't know, and didn't learn things that they did.  His sister came along and learned everything at a completely different time and in a completely different manner.  We fought, we cried, we hugged, and we laughed.  And the whole time I secretly worried that I was doing it all wrong.  I worried that when all was said and done, he wouldn't be prepared for the next step.  I worried that he wouldn't know what he needed to know after high school.  I worried a lot.

 

Yesterday I brought my "little boy" to a recruitment center to drive for an hour and a half each way with three people he didn't know to take a three-hour-long test.  My sheltered, homeschooled 17 year old went off in a huge Ram truck with instructions to call me when he was on the way home so that I could pick him back up.  He was left off at the door of the MEPS building by the recruiter who couldn't go in with him because of Covid-19 regulations, with instructions to call him when he was done for a ride back to the recruitment center. 

So all day I worried.  I worried that he'd get lost.  Or in an accident.  That he wouldn't know anything on the test.  That he would freeze up or take too long or fail.  That I hadn't done what I should to prepare him for this.

He came back.  He got his scores.  His scores were high enough in all categories that he can basically pick any job in the army that he would want.  He told me that one section would have been impossible if he hadn't taken the robotics course last year.  One section he knew almost everything because he had spent so much time watching car videos (not part of my curriculum!).  He wasn't sure about human biology (which he never took), but scored very high on the science test anyway.  

So what was the use of all of my worries?  I had no idea as I was planning curriculum each year that he would want to enlist in the Army.  He didn't either.  Even if I had known, I wouldn't have had the least idea what to do about it.  But God knew.  He made sure that Rory had the information and the skills that he would need to do what he was meant to do.

We aren't completely done yet.  There is still a physical to get through, and a year of waiting.  But I'm starting to worry a little less.  If God means for Rory to do this, then He will make it happen.  We just need to trust him, and go forward with the process.  And if He doesn't mean for Rory to do this, then all of this preparation is a way to get him where he truly needs to be.

So, to all of you homeschooling parents out there, I want you to know that you're not ruining your kids.  God knows so much better than you, because He can see the end from the beginning.  We just need to trust him day by day. 

School's In!

I know it has been a while, but we've had a crazy couple of months.  Both of the kids were diagnosed with Lyme Disease this summer, and we've been dealing with all sorts of medications and doctor appointments.  We also finally got our summer vacation in the first week of September.  Oh, well - better late than never!  Anyway, we are now back to "normal" to some degree, and are a few weeks into our homeschool schedule.

It seems to be in vogue this year for people to post pics of their homeschool rooms.  Well, our homeschool room looks suspiciously like our kitchen and living room, so I'll spare you the visuals.  I would like to tell you about the schedule we're using, however.

This year, Rory is in 7th grade and Lily is in 2nd.  Obviously, they have different requirements for math and language arts.  I have found a way to do many of the other subjects together, though.  So each day we have two subjects that we do together.  I tried to figure out a weekly schedule that would cover all of the subjects in a week, but that has never really worked for us.  The problem I have is that some weeks we have to miss a week day and make it up on Saturday, or we only have half a day to work because of an appointment or field trip, or we get really involved in one subject and run out of time for another. 

Enter the "Loop Schedule!"  I figured out at the beginning of the year the subjects we were going to do together, and then figured out approximately how many times we should do each of these subjects in a week.  Then I put them together in a list, which looks like this:

• Science (Insects)
• World History
• Science (Birds)
• American History
• Health
• American History
• Science (Benjamin Franklin Experiments)
• American History

So for the first day I schedule the first two items on the list.  If we finish both, I go on to the next two for the next day.  When we reach the end of the list, we start back at the beginning.  This has worked really well so far!  If we only have time for one subject in a day, I simply move the other one onto the next day and go from there.  If we have a regular week, we can finish the list in four days and start again at the beginning.  If we miss a day, we simply continue the list on the next day we have school.  Each of my kids has four different books they are responsible for reading on their own each week, so I scheduled them in a loop also.  We spend around an hour on the together subjects, and then they each spend the time they need on their individual reading, math, writing, piano practice, etc.  Depending on the day, they may work on some of these things before we work together, or we may start out together and then they work individually.  Either way, they know what needs to be done each day and are getting very good at making sure their own work is completed. 

I hope you enjoyed a little peek into our day!  So here's the obligatory homeschool room picture -

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lily making a birdhouse with Dad in our other "homeschool room," the big outdoors!

The "Future" Trap

We have a painting smock for kids at our house.  It is very useful for keeping paint off of clothes.  It is made of plastic, ties around the neck and under the arms, and covers both the front and the back.  It's saved countless outfits in its time.

Lily's masterpiece

The only problem I have with it is that it says "Future Artist" on the front.  So, at what point will Lily become a "Present Artist?"  I would argue that she already is one.  And was one even at 3, when this picture was taken.  She's also a musician, an athlete, a writer, and many other things.

Kids have it rough in some ways.  Rory is 12 years old and feels like he's in limbo.  He can't wait to get older, because he feels like he'll finally be "something."  He talks all the time about what he wants to do when he grows up.  He sees himself as having no real life until he is old enough to get a job.

Rory and some of his plants

In some ways, he's right.  Our society puts very little importance on what children do or think.  They are expected to go through the motions as a group until they are old enough to think for themselves.  But at what age does this happen?  Is there some magical time when we have all the answers and can run our own lives without help?  Should there be?

In my state, school is compulsory until age 16.  Most kids attend until 18, when they graduate from high school.  They are permitted to go to public school until the year they turn 21 if they don't graduate before then.  So, according to state law, kids are able to run their own lives somewhere between the ages of 16 and 21.  Until then, someone else knows what's best for them.  After that, they're on their own.

Part of going to school involves learning whatever the school thinks you should learn exactly when the school thinks you should learn it.  To look at it in a simplified way, someone decided what people need to learn and divided it up into 13 years of school, portioning out the instruction so that it all gets done in a logical sequence and also takes the whole 13 years.  Of course, it used to be 12, as kindergarten was more like preschool is now.  And people are trying to make it 14 by making preschool mandatory, at which point I suppose they will start teaching the current kindergarten curriculum to the four-year-olds.

I have to wonder whether constantly being told what to do and when to do it is best for kids.  I don't mean to say that children know as much as adults or shouldn't ever be instructed in anything, but I can't imagine that every kid in America needs to know the same things by the same time, or that they all take the same amount of time to learn it. 

Benjamin Franklin attended grammar school for 2 years starting at age 8, was an apprentice typesetter for a newspaper at age 12, and left his hometown of Boston on his own at age 17 to go to Philadelphia and become an independent printer.  Thomas Edison started school at age 8, and attended for three months before his mother withdrew him because his teacher thought he was "addled."  He spent time at home experimenting until age 12 when he got a job selling food to train passengers.  He spent the money on more materials for his experiments.

Where would we be if Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Edison had been forced to spend 12 - 14 years sitting in classrooms during the day and playing organized sports and doing homework until bedtime?  Is all of this age-graded, scope-and-sequence organized, planned-out-to-the-minute instruction necessary?  What if our kids are being forced to wait for life to start, when they have ideas that would make a difference now?  What if, instead of learning who they are and what they can do, they are learning to compare themselves to each other?  What if they are learning to follow instructions given by authority figures without having the opportunity to learn how to think for themselves?  What if the revolutionists and inventors of our time are being dumbed-down to function with all the other cogs in the wheel?

Our society tends to treat children as if they are empty, and we have to put in the right ingredients to make them "right."  But what if children are already full?  What if they are born ready to learn and we just have to make sure that they are given the opportunity?  What if they are all gifted in their own ways, and will learn what they need to know in their own time?  What if some of them take 2 years and others take 20?  What if some are ready to learn something at age 4 and others at age 10?  What if they are not "future" anythings, but are already the people they are destined to be inside?  They may need more experience or more information, but how can anyone know exactly which experiences and information someone else will need?  What if children, and adults for that matter, were given tools to find these things out for themselves, rather than being fed the things that other people think they need to know?  And what if they were able to share the things that they were passionate about with others who were interested in what they had to say?  Not as "future" teachers, but as people who are useful members of society right now?

What if no-one has a point where they begin learning, or a point where they end?  What if life is a constant process of learning and growing, from the time we are born until the time we die?  What if?

Perseverance!

I am so proud of my boy!  He is working on Geometry this year for math, and has really enjoyed drawing the geometric constructions in his curriculum.  There have been a few tears, but he is gaining more confidence in his abilities.

Well, his history/literature curriculum required him to learn about the Quakers and write about them in his notebook.  During his research, he found this (ignore the pencil marks!):

Quaker Star

So, he decided to replicate it for math.  He thought he was getting away with something...heeheehee... by not working in his actual math book.  It turned out a little trickier than he thought.  So, one day and several failed attempts later, he finally came up with this:

Rory's Quaker Star

I am so proud!  This is the kid who got so irritated with his Draw Write Now book in first grade that he never finished it, because he couldn't make the pictures look right.  He is finally learning to keep trying, to not get upset, and to accept his best as good enough.  This is the only "school" subject he did today, but he learned so much more than geometry or history, don't you think?

How to Make and Explode a Volcano - by Lily

This is how you explode a volcano.  You pour some water into a container, and then you put in baking soda.  Then you have to put in food coloring and dish soap.  Then in a different jar, you put in vinegar.  And then you take both the lava and the vinegar outside to erupt your volcano.

First, you stick the jar of lava in your volcano.  Then, you pour in the vinegar, and your volcano will explode.  The end.

My Dream Space: A Homeschool Resource Center

I have an idea.  And I happen to think it's a good one.  Even exciting.  But I have absolutely no idea how to implement it.

Here's my idea.  I would like to have a homeschool resource center.  A building or storefront or even a room somewhere that could be used by homeschoolers in the area.

•  I envision a lending library, where people could donate curriculum that could be loaned out for long periods of time so that a family who couldn't afford to buy it could use it for the whole year.  
• I envision a large, cheery multi-purpose room which could be used for anything someone could come up with.  Maybe for a class or co-op.  Or a parent's meeting.  Or a kid's club.  
• I envision some smaller, comfy rooms where kids could come to study or read, or even practice an instrument or work on a project alone or with a few friends.
• I envision a drop-off center which would be open for parents to bring their little kids who couldn't be left home alone when they need to go to the store or take another child (or themselves) to the doctor, or just have a few minutes alone.  There would be games and toys and art supplies for the kids to use, or they could bring their schoolwork.
• I envision a place where kids could meet with tutors or teachers or each other to learn anything they would like.
• And I envision a place where parents could get help and information and support and community as they go through their homeschooling journey with their kids.

My problem, as I said, is I have no idea how to implement a dream like this.  Especially how to fund it!  Or even if anyone would use it.  What do you think?  Are there any other homeschoolers out there who would love something like this in their neighborhood?

Ring in the New

So it is three days past New Year's Eve.  We all saw the ball drop this year - even Lily.  Mike, Rory and I managed to stay up due to a very exciting Iron Man DVD marathon.  Yes, we watched all three in one night.  Lily fell asleep on my lap about 9:00, but I promised her I'd wake her up, so I did.  Somehow a big ball which didn't appear to be moving because of the camera angle wasn't as exciting as a man in a red and gold suit flying around and blowing things up, but hey, we did it! We had a Sparkling Cider toast, finished the last movie, and went to bed.

Iron Man!

Does your focus change at this time of year?  Mine does.  It really does seem like the start of something new.  Maybe it's the winding down of all of the holiday hoopla, just as much as the date on the calendar.  The past month or so has been filled with shopping, planning, travelling, and celebrating with family and friends.  We actually still have one more "Christmas" to go on Monday, which I found out is actually Epiphany, the day the wise men came to see Jesus, and still technically Christmas (thank you, Pastor Russ!)  This was the day we are celebrating with my husband's family, so it seems very appropriate.

I don't like New Year's Resolutions.  For me, they seem destined to fail. I believe you can decide to change something on any other day of the year just as easily.  But I do like to take the time to reflect and plan., and the start of a new calendar year seems like a good time to do this.

One thing that is changing a bit is our school plan.  I know, this is a constantly changing entity, but I am kind of excited about this change.  I had a big plan for this year back in August.  It is the first year I have been very specific about the curriculum I picked, and the schedule for getting it done.  Well, by about Thanksgiving everyone was burning out.  So we spent the holiday season kind of "deschooling."  I took down the schedule, and we spent time doing stuff we wanted or needed to do.

I also let Rory sleep when he needed it, whether that meant staying up late and sleeping in, or getting anywhere from seven to 12 hours of sleep a night.  His health is still not the best, and one of the admonitions of his doctor was to keep his stress low.  I've also researched a bit about adrenal function, and have realized that he really needs to be able to sleep when he's tired.  So, getting up in the morning in time to start a timed schedule does not work well for him.  One day, he'll be up at 6:30 raring to go, and the next, he'll need to sleep until 10:00.  He has always had trouble going to sleep, partly because he starts thinking about things when the house quiets down at night.  So I'm spending extra time with him some nights, finishing an exciting book we just can't put down, hashing over the day, or solving the world's problems.

I've researched "unschooling," and am still trying to figure it out.  There is something called "radical unschooling" which I really can't quite grasp, which seems to allow the child to decide everything for himself, including when and what to eat, and whether he would rather watch tv all day or learn his times tables.  Many people claim this works, but I'm afraid I would be put in a mental hospital if I went that far with it.  I'm also concerned that my children's health demands that I keep a good watch on what they are putting into their bodies, and what they are doing with their days.

So I'm trying to take a middle ground, here.  There are some things that I think are necessary.  One of these is math.  Actually, I'm excited about math, as is Rory, believe it or not.  We have struggled over the past years to find math that he actually wants to do.  At all.  But I think we've found something.  It is Khan Academy.  This is a free online system, which was started by Salmon Khan to tutor his young cousin in math long-distance.   I recently read his book, "The One World Schoolhouse:  Education Reimagined".  I was very impressed with his ideas, and the research he has done in education.  So, I decided to check out his website.  To make a long story short, Rory loves it!  He gets prizes, doesn't have to write much on paper, and can go at his own pace.  Win-win-win!  Granted, it's only been a few days, but he's actually excited to do math.  Lily wanted to do it, too, so she's started with addition and subtraction.  And I, just for fun, took a pretest and found out I'd forgotten quite a bit of math!  The problems looked familiar, but the solutions were a blank.  So I'm trying it out, too.  I figure I have to keep ahead of the kids!

Our new "schedule" looks a bit different.  We get up and have breakfast.  We generally do our Bible time with breakfast, to start the day.  Then everyone does their own thing for a while.  Today, the kids took turns doing their math on the computer while I went grocery shopping, and Lily did some handwriting, and then they played a little Minecraft until I got back.  We had lunch, and have finished cleaning up the kitchen.  Actually, Rory has decided that the china cabinet needs reorganized, so he is working on that, and I'm taking a few minutes to finish this post!  Then, he still has to do writing (we're doing grammar today), and we are all going to do music, our Lighthouse book, and some reading.  I've taken out the time element, and the strict schedule of what is done on which day.  I'm letting the kids each choose a subject to work on each day.  Yesterday, Lily chose art and Rory chose a book called "Seabird" that we've been working on.  So, they used "learn to draw" books while I read.  Lily drew a chihuahua and a golden retriever, and Rory drew a platypus swimming in the water. And we finally finished Seabird!  Then Rory finished reading "Squanto," which we started just before Thanksgiving, and Lily started reading Peter Pan to me.

It's still too early to decide if this is working, but it feels less stressful to me, and Rory actually said he had a good day yesterday even though he had to do school work.  I think that it helps to go with the flow of the day, rather than try to fit the day into a box.  There is no rule that I know of that school needs to start at 8:00 and end at 3:00, or that you can only learn through schoolbooks.  So my new recording device is a duo of single-subject notebooks, and I'm simply going to keep one for each kid, recording what they did each day.  I'm not sure how this will work come reporting time, but I'm sure I'll figure it out!  For now, it's helping my children to enjoy learning again, and that's what matters most.  It's very hard to remember things you were forced to learn, or weren't interested in.  I wonder if that's my math glitch?  I don't remember disliking it at the time, but I don't think I thought about it too much.  It just had to be done.  I know I didn't have as much fun learning it the first time, as I am now that I have a reason to do it.  I hope that I can find the secret to learning that will stick, for me and my kids.

Educating our Children: My Thoughts on School, Homeschool, and the Common Core

Before I get into this, I want to make something clear.  I am not an expert on the Common Core, I am not an expert on homeschooling, and I am not an expert on public school.  I am a parent who is concerned about my children getting the education that is right for them.  And I am an American concerned about the future of all of the children in our country.

There has been a lot of buzz about the implementation of the Common Core standards in New York State.  There are a lot of people who are unhappy with it.  There is a lot of propaganda out there on both sides of the issue, and it is very hard to sort it all out without specific information.

Here is my take:

I believe that parents are ultimately responsible for their own children's education.  

We began homeschooling because our son was having a very difficult time in kindergarten.  It was not the work that was difficult - he was actually a little bored, because most of it had already been covered in his preschool.  His difficulty was in concentrating within a group of 20-something other five-year-olds.  He was constantly in trouble for being too "bouncy and noisy," and had begun to believe that "There is only one good boy in my class, and only one bad girl."  This was not the way any of us had pictured his first year of "real" school to be.  We found out that kindergarten was not actually required in our state, so we pulled him out of school for the rest of that year.  He did so much better at home, that we have continued homeschooling.  He is now in 5th grade, and our daughter is home learning kindergarten material at her own pace. 

I have many friends whose children are in the public schools.  I do not believe that every child should be homeschooled.  All parents have to make decisions about what is right for their own children.  For some, this is homeschool.  For others, it is public school or private school or another kind of education.  For some, the right thing changes from year to year or from child to child.  But the ultimate responsibility for making sure their children are learning falls on the parents.  And for parents to carry out this responsibility, they have to be informed about what their children are learning.  This is easy in homeschooling - we pick out the materials to use, and spend time with our kids helping them to use them.  This becomes more difficult when the child is in school most of the day, but it still needs to be done.  The children bring home homework, and the parents need to be able to support them in finishing it.  The parents need to know if there is something being taught which is different from their own beliefs, so that they can help their children to understand the different points of view.  It is sad when professional people are unable to help their fourth graders with math simply because they learned a different way of coming to the same answer, but that perfectly valid way is not acceptable for the new "standards."

The Common Core takes power away from the parents by keeping them uninformed about what their children are learning.  They are unable to help their children with their homework, because there is no explanation of how things need to be done.  This undermines respect, as children can determine that their parents are not "as smart as a 5th grader."

I believe that teachers want children to learn, and have the training and the creativity necessary to make that happen.  

One of my many "lives" has included being a classroom teacher.  I am also the daughter of a public school math teacher and the sister of a college professor.  Children do not all learn the same way.  That makes teaching large classes in school difficult, because you have to constantly evaluate the group and try to meet each of the kids where they are.  This means that some kids need more help, and some kids need more challenge.  

I am a part-time substitute in my local school district, and have been required to teach lessons from the common core-aligned math curriculum to several different elementary grades.  The system is scripted, which means the teacher's manual tells you exactly what to say and how to teach.  There is a large amount of written work each day, some of which requires writing skills rather than math skills.  I have taught in the regular classrooms and the special education classrooms, and they are all required to use the same format.  This means that the child in the kindergarten special ed class who cannot yet count is responsible for the same material as the child in another kindergarten class who is already capable of first grade work.  They are using the same books, in the same manner.  It is very difficult for the teacher of either classroom to give extra help to the child who needs it, or challenge the child who craves it.  

When I was in middle school, many many years ago, I had my mother for my math teacher.  She taught a unique math class.  Her class included, any given period, an eclectic group of students made up of 5th through 8th graders who were either above or below the general level for their grade.  She used the very basic Spectrum math books for all, giving each student a book based on his current level.  She then worked with each of us individually to help us learn at our own pace, explaining things as necessary.  We also did extra projects, like finding the volume of different containers by pouring water into them, creating geometric designs, and experimenting with a very rudimentary computer - we were actually connecting wires to see what would happen...who knew I would be typing on one today so that people around could read my words the minute they are published?  

When I was in 8th grade, the school district discontinued the program, and my mother was transferred to the high school to teach.  She has since retired, but continues to help students (including her math-phobic grandson) to learn in their own way.  She still has former students thanking her for explaining things so that they could understand, as she was still able to help them individually while teaching large classes algebra and geometry.

The common core takes power away from the teachers by making it impossible for them to have a personal impact on their students.  They are unable to meet their students' needs, because they have to spend all their time making sure the students can pass the tests instead of making sure they understand the material.  This undermines respect, especially because students now have the ability to get teachers fired simply by not doing well.

I believe that children are individuals, and have individual educational needs.

I had a conversation with my stepmother yesterday.  We are both having trouble with our computers, and need to get new ones.  We were discussing the merits of laptops, desktops, and all-in-one's for the different things we use computers for these days.  We also had a brief discussion about the telephone party lines we had grown up with.  Talk about change!   She had been on a line with six houses, but when I was young our line only had two.  Now, many families have a different phone number for each family member!  My generation has had to teach ourselves to use computers, VCR's, DVD's, video cameras, MP3 players, microwave ovens, and programmable coffee pots.  There are countless job opportunities that didn't exist when we were in school.  There was no way for our teachers to teach us everything we would need to know for the world we live in now.  We had to know how to learn things on our own.

What will our children need to know by the time they are adults?  We don't know.  Teachers don't know.  And politicians don't know.  There is all this talk about "skill sets."  Supposedly every child needs the same one.  Do they really?  Do a chemist, a rock star, and a cashier need the same skill set?  What about a nurse, a computer programmer and an archaeologist?  I'm thinking probably not. What they all need is the ability to learn how to do their job.  That learning will look different for each of them.  The common core prides itself on getting children "college and career-ready."  How can you do that if there is so much emphasis on everyone knowing the same thing?  Colleges and careers require countless variations of skills.  What happens when there is so much time spent on testing a narrow set of skills, from the time spent teaching what will be on the test, to practicing taking the test, to actually taking the test?  There is little time left for anything else.  When can a musician practice, or a scientist experiment, or a carpenter build?  Children need to have time to try all of these things, so that they can make choices for their own futures.

The common core takes power away from children, by fitting them all into a common mold.  They are unable to develop their own interests.  The bright ones are pushed down, and the struggling ones are pushed off.  This undermines self-respect, because they are all expected to be good at the same things, and have no way to let their true abilities shine.

In temporary conclusion...

As I said, I am not an expert.  I believe my experience has given me a little insight, but I am sure I do not know the impact the Common Core will have on this generation of students or those who will come after them.  I think it will weaken our country, in the long run.  I don't really have a problem with a standardized list of things that should be taught to children in our country.  There are things everyone should know, such as history so that we don't repeat it, and respect for others.  I do have a problem with people who are not educators themselves dictating how things need to be taught.  I have a problem with holding teachers responsible for the test results without consideration of the real needs of the children.  I have a problem with children being so stressed out from testing that they hate school, and learn that learning new things is painful.  I have a problem with families having their personal lives monitored in the name of education.  And I have a problem with a government that thinks throwing more money at a problem is the only way to fix things.

I realize that I have only mined the surface of what is happening in our schools, and that there is more that can be said on every side.  I also realize that I am speaking from small amounts of information and large amounts of emotion, here.  But hey, it's my blog so I can say what I like, right?  I would love more conversation about this topic, but please be respectful of everyone!  What do you see, from wherever you are?

Ready for School!

As I mentioned yesterday, I've finally submitted the paperwork required by our state so that we can homeschool for another year.  This involves putting together a plan for each child including the coursework planned for all of their subjects, and the dates that you plan to submit quarterly reports.  So, I have to have a basic idea of what materials we are using, along with what our calendar will look like for the whole year.  This year I also had to work around that I might not be here on Monday or Tuesday, as I plan to substitute at the local school again.  That means that certain subjects need to be planned for certain days, as my husband will have to take over on those Mondays and Tuesdays that I'm not here.

So, anyway, I thought it would be fun to give you a visual of our plans for this year.

Our "Schoolroom"

This is our schoolroom, AKA our kitchen.  And here are our books!  This is a bit misleading, as we also have bookshelves in almost every room of the house, and huge maps and a timeline on various walls in the hallway.  But these are basically the things I told the school about.

Poetry and Bible

We've been using "The Golden Children's Bible", but are almost finished reading the whole thing!  This year, we will start "The Bible Story" which is a 10 volume collection by Arthur S. Maxwell, which covers the entire Bible.  These are books from my childhood, and I'm excited to read them to my kids.  Lily will also be starting "The Early Reader's Bible."  Rory read this when he started school, and has passed it down to his little sister.  We're also going to add in the poetry of Robert Louis Stevenson, using "A Child's Garden of Verses."  This book actually has a dual purpose, because it is illustrated by Thomas Kinkade, and we will be studying painting this year for art.

Lily's books

Lily loves workbooks!  It's confusing to me how two kids in the same family can be so different, but she will do page after page.  So a lot of her kindergarten work includes workbooks - phonics, math, and handwriting.  She'll also be learning to read, using phonics books like the Bob Books, along with the Early Reader's Bible and various other beginning reading book (Big Egg was one of Rory's favorite first books!).  She has also requested to learn about "planets," so we'll be reading about the solar system, and completing a coloring book I found free online from "Windows to the Universe."

The Arts

As I said, we'll be studying painting and painters this year for art.  I found this book called "Paint Magic" and I am so excited to dig in!  In fact, I'm going to make sure I have a set of brushes of my very own, because I want to do the projects with the kids.  It introduces tons of painting techniques, with step-by-step instructions for a finished painting, along with other ideas for using the same technique.  Rory wanted to study about John James Audubon (he's a fledgling birdwatcher), so each of the kids has "Audubon's Birds of America Coloring Book" from Dover Publications, and that tiny little book standing up there is a copy of Audubon's Birds of America.  We're also planning to continue using "The Story of the Orchestra" by Robert Levine.  We actually started this last year, but it is really a good book for introducing kids to all types of orchestral music.  It gives information about different musical periods, with several composers for each, and also a section about the instruments of the orchestra.  It comes with a CD which includes musical excerpts to go along with the information, and even directs you to listen for certain things in the music.

Rory's books

So, as I said, my kids are very opposite in their ideas of school!  Rory hates workbooks.  And writing, in general.  He will write if there's a reason to write, and that's about it.  But he absolutely loves to read, and to "do stuff."  So we do have a math book - Math Mammoth, which we finally started halfway through last year.  I wish we'd done it sooner, as it is a much better fit than what we had been doing.  However, because we started the book late, he is still in the same grade level.  Oh, well, he'll either catch up, or he'll never take Calculus.  At least he's understanding it now!  We're also going to be using Noah Webster's "The American Spelling Book", which I found free online here.  We'll use it for spelling words, and copywork and dictation exercises, as there are sections with word lists and sections with sentences and paragraphs, which get harder the farther you go.  Rory is also going to continue using "Harvey's Grammar and Composition," which can partly be done orally.  He'll be reading biographies of Nathaniel Bowditch and Davy Crockett, "Treasure Island", "Seabird" and "Tree in the Trail" by Holling C. Holling for American history and geography.  We'll also be continuing "The Mystery of History, volume 1".  If you've noticed a slight bent toward the sea, it's sort of planned.  I found this Kaleidoscope Kids book called "Lighthouses", which tells about lighthouses all over North America, with experiments, art projects, and writing projects to go along with the information.  Rory also asked to study Chemistry this year, and we were really excited to find out that Apologia has come out with a brand new addition to their "Exploring Creation" series for the elementary level.  In fact, it's so new that we haven't received the book yet, so you are looking at a copy of the title page there.  Thankfully, I was able to download a two-chapter preview from their website, so we can start before the hard copy arrives!

Our "bulletin board"

Okay, it's really our kitchen wall, but hey.  It works.  I rearranged it a bit, partly because I found this adorable owl-shaped blackboard.  It was only $3 at Family Dollar, believe it or not!  It has two strings along the bottom with little owl-shaped clothespins attached to hang notes on.  You can't see it here, but right off the right side of the picture, we have a shelf which was made by my Uncle Walter to house my husband's owl collection.  You can see the owl pictures which were a project from last year.  We also have a beautiful watercolor by Lily (above the chalkboard), a hundred chart, and some new additions - an August calendar and Alphabet poster by Jan Brett, also free online, to go along with our artist theme.  The watercolors in her books are amazing, and I'm looking forward to borrowing many of them from the library.  She also has a new book out, called "Cinders, A Cinderella Chicken" which I'm thinking of getting for Lily, as Cinderella and chickens are some of her favorite things!

So, we've come to the end of our tour.  You know, this was much more enjoyable than the report I had to submit to the school.  Maybe next year I'll send them a blog post!

Do Schools Teach ADD?

This is just a question, and I'm not sure I know the answer, but here is what I observed.  As I said in this post, I recently began substitute teaching in the local public school district.  So far, I have subbed in the elementary schools which cover grades kindergarten through 5th grade.

One day, I was subbing for a teacher who split her time teaching small groups and helping in both a second grade and a kindergarten classroom.  So, I was bopping around the school all day, covering different subjects in different rooms.

During one of my "bops," I was helping the kindergartners with math.  This particular day, they were working on a practice test for the state tests they would soon be taking.  Each page of the test had about four questions on it, with instructions for the questions written in small print on the bottom of the page.  The idea was that the teacher would read the instructions, and the children would fill in the little circle next to the correct answer.  Because this was a review, the teacher had a copy of the test page on the computerized white board at the front of the class.  So, the teacher would read a question, the other aides and I would go around and check to make sure the kids were getting their papers marked, and then the teacher would call one of the students up to show the correct answer on the board.  Then, they would go to the next question.  When they were all done with the page, we would go around the room and draw a star on each of their papers to show they were finished, and then they would turn to the next page.

Needless to say, this was a rather drawn-out process.  When I got to the room, I was assigned to help four specific students.  I quickly realized that one of them needed help with each problem, reminding him to think about it, and to mark the correct circle.  One of the students was a different story altogether.  He was seated in the back of the room, behind all of the other children.  Since he seemed to spend a good portion of his time dropping things on the floor and leaning upside down out of his seat, I could see why.  He would have distracted anyone he was sitting in front of.  When I went to check his paper, however, he had the whole page completed.  And it was correct!  Now, mind you, the printed instructions at the bottom of the page were things like "Which shape is next to the triangle," and "Which picture shows 15 items?"  These were not questions that you could guess by looking at the problems, themselves.  So here was this little boy, who had obviously read all of the small print and answered the questions quickly, waiting for the rest of the class to catch up and for someone to star his paper so he could continue.

Now, what did this boy learn during math class?

He learned that it doesn't pay to know more than the rest of the class.
He learned to go into his own little world to avoid doing things that would get him into trouble.
He learned that the only way to get attention was to do inappropriate things, because no one needed to spend time helping him with the math and there were other kids who needed all sorts of help.

He also learned that I have an "Angry Birds" coffee cup, because I couldn't resist whispering with him just a bit.  Unfortunately, I had to tell him that I would not be getting him one, because mine was a gift from my sister, at which point he asked if my sister would get him one.  Probably not.

I don't know anything about this boy other than his first name and that he likes "Angry Birds," but he seemed a little familiar to me.

My son started out in kindergarten in that same school, several years ago.  His desk was by itself, near the door so he wouldn't be bothering the other kids.  He spent his time making noise to get attention from the other kids, as he told me.  Part of his schoolwork consisted of coloring pictures which started with whatever letter they were working on.  For the letter "T," he had to color a small picture of a turkey, along with other pictures, and cut them out and glue them to the paper.  He hadn't finished his work in class that day, and brought it home to finish.  He painstakingly colored each feather a different color, and did a beautiful job.

Get me out of here!

One of the last pictures my son brought home before we withdrew him from school and started homeschooling him was a picture in which every item drawn on the page started with the letter printed there.  The entire paper was colored brown.  I guess it was considered correct, but this seemed to be going downhill to me.  I suppose it was good that he finished it in class.

I don't have an answer for this.  I honestly believe that teachers are doing the best they have with what they have to work with.  There is surely a better way, but not with the way schools are presently structured.  I just wonder how many kids have eagerly gone to kindergarten to learn, and have graduated 13 years later relieved to be out of that prison?  Again, I thank God that I am able to homeschool my children!

A Fluid Life

You can't stop time!

One thing I have learned - things change. All the time. Children grow and become new people on what seems like a daily basis. My little baby girl is now 5 years old, and ready to start kindergarten. Where has the time gone?

Circumstances change, too. Earlier this year my husband changed positions at his job. As a result, his work schedule changed, and this changed the rhythm of our whole home life. Actually, we're still getting adjusted. To add to this, I went back to work part time. Because Hubby is off on Mondays and Tuesdays consistently, I was able to apply to the local school district to substitute teach two days a week. That has really thrown things off!

It has been hard for me to keep things together at home as well as they were before - my menu planning and shopping are sporadic, as are the laundry and housecleaning, and our schedule is a bit of a mess. I am having to plan further ahead for homeschool, because I may or may not be here any given Monday or Tuesday, and Hubby may have to substitute for me while I'm substituting for someone else!

Thankfully, I've noticed once again that God prepares everything in advance. Just about a month before I started subbing, I found a method for helping Rory keep on track with his schoolwork. It is a simple checklist, which includes spaces to write down assignments, chores to be done, and places to go that day. It is easier for Rory, and now Hubby, to see what needs to be done each day. In fact, Lily liked it so much that I had to make her her own version! I had also planned out the subjects for the rest of the school year, to make sure we would be able to finish everything, and had assignments planned for each subject on the days they should be done. It is much simpler to just look at my plans and transfer them to the daily sheet.

Rory has also requested to do his own laundry, on Mondays. He has done laundry before, helping with the regular laundry or washing his blankets, but this is a new step. The good thing is that it frees me up to do laundry less often, as there is less laundry overflowing the laundry sorter!

Assuming I will continue subbing next school year, I am working on a do-able schedule for the fall. One thing that has not worked well is having certain subjects scheduled on days that Hubby is teaching as well as days that I am teaching. Some of them just don't work as well if they're not done consistently with the same person. So I've decided to try a modified "block" schedule for the fall. This year, we worked on short time periods, in the hope that it would keep Rory motivated and help him to keep his attention on his work. And I think it has been beneficial. We will still do that for some subjects, doing them every day, such as math and spelling. However, certain subjects like science or history will probably work better if done in an intense block once a week. So I'll be scheduling those on certain days, trying to put the more adaptable subjects on Monday or Tuesday when either one of us could be teaching. I'll let you know how it goes!

The one thing I have learned from subbing is that I'm so grateful to be able to homeschool my kids!  That little bit of "maybe they'd be better off in school" thought is completely gone, now.  I like working with the kids at school, but I can't imagine sending my kids there every day.  I am so thankful that we have a choice!

As you've probably noticed, this new life of mine makes it difficult for me to find time to write, but I will keep updated as much as possible!  Until next time...

Our Martian Ecosystem

We have been studying Mars this week.  Believe it or not, scientists are actually trying to design something, called an ecosystem, so that people can live on Mars.  Of course, there is no oxygen or water, but hey, you can't have everything, can you?  

The assignment in the book for yesterday was to draw a picture of an ecosystem on Mars.  So, Rory peeked into the book and noticed that another option was to build a model of an ecosystem.  The book instructions were to use things like paper, plastic wrap, and salt dough to build a model on a piece of cardboard.  I said, "Sure, let's get you a piece of cardboard."  Rory said, "I don't need cardboard."  Um...okay.

Rory began running around the house and garage collecting "stuff" to bring into his room.  About an hour later, he presented me to his ecosystem.  He couldn't present it to me, because it takes up half of his room and is immobile.  So, his assignment today was to produce a video tour of his ecosystem.  I'm posting it here for your education and enjoyment.  I think if NASA ever starts up their space program again, they'll be wanting to talk to him. What do you think?

What Children Need to Learn

Have you ever thought about what your children actually need to know, to become adults?  As a homeschooling parent, this question is on my mind a lot.  But I don't think you have to be a homeschooler to think about it.  Schools teach a lot of things, but can they, or should they, teach a person to be a grown-up?  I don't really know the answer to that one, but since I am the teacher for my kids, I know that it is up to me.

I've spent a lot of hours over the past few years looking at books and curricula.  I've read many books about educational philosophies, homeschool and otherwise.  And all this on top of a Bachelor's degree in music education.  But I've come to the conclusion that knowing a prescribed set of information will not turn a child into an adult.

So what do our children need to learn?  Here's my list:

1. Children need to learn how to find truth.  I can't say that I know all truth.  And I don't believe that the schools do, either.  In fact, I can't point to one person who knows the truth about everything.  But it's important to be able to know when something is true or not.  As I've gone through life, I've constantly come across different opinions about everything from politics and religion to science and history.  I've had to evaluate the things I've heard and read.  Children need to know how to research, and especially how to think for themselves, because everything they hear is susceptible to falsehood.  It's like those multiple-choice tests.  A lot of times you can figure out the right answer by determining which ones are wrong.  And sometimes they're partly right, so you have to think carefully.
2. Children need to learn how to get along with people who don't believe as they do.  The flip side of knowing the truth is that there are always going to be people who disagree with you.  In fact, it's unlikely that you will find someone who agrees with you on every point.  I don't mean to say that "everyone has their own truth," as the current philosophy has it.  But there can be different ways of looking at things, and our children need to know how to courteously agree to disagree.  It is important that they aren't swayed by every new idea that comes along (see point 1), but it is also not necessary that they convert everyone to their own way of thinking.  Living in this world sometimes means letting others have their own opinion, and also being open to change if you realize that they are actually right!  This involves humility mixed with strength...difficult for even us seasoned adults!
3. Children need to learn how to direct their own lives.  Hopefully, our children will grow up to be productive members of society.  And sometimes this means following the directions of others (especially their boss!)  But being productive involves being able to do what needs to be done even if no one is telling you what to do.  At this stage of life, I am not working outside the home.  But I am responsible for getting work done each day, from keeping the house to taking care of the finances, and especially taking care of the kids and the animals.  I also have responsibilities at church, and in my community.  It is very easy for me to get distracted and let things slide, or do them haphazardly at the last minute, so I am still learning this one!  
4. Children need to learn how to learn.  I come from the generation that basically had to teach ourselves computers.  I never took a computer class in school, and don't remember using one until I was out of college.  And then, it was a glorified typewriter for years!  Just this fall, I taught a class about the United States electoral process for our homeschool group.  That was a challenge!  I realized that I knew next to nothing about it myself, and spent many nights burning the midnight oil with huge, dusty books from the library about history, democracy, and the constitution.  I also spent hours of research on the internet to get more up-to-date information.  My grandmother used to say "you can learn something new every day," and I believe her.  We never need to stop learning.  And the world is moving faster than it did even when I was young, so our children will need to be able to learn even faster than we do.  Who knows what they will need to know by the time they are our age?
5. Children need to learn to be content.  This is another hard one.  And in our society, it only seems to get harder.  The whole point seems to be to make us discontent with what we have and who we are, so that we will buy more stuff and "help the economy."  The media plays on our desire to have a better life by showing us all of the things that we don't have.  There is always someone who has more.  The gospel of physical beauty, even perfection, is preached from every  TV set, magazine rack, and toy shelf.  But we are none of us perfect.  And we won't be, even with expensive clothes and creams and exercise machines.  In this day and age, it is difficult to discern true needs from mere wants.  They kind of get mixed up together until we feel we will not survive without a big house, fashionable clothes, and cable TV.  The idea of doing without something that we want is painful to us.  But our children need to learn that they will not have everything they want, and everything will not go their way.  
6. Children need to learn how to express themselves.  Our children may not get everything they want, but they need to be able to stand up for what they need.  They may not agree with everyone, but they need to be able to state their opinion clearly and logically.  When they have the truth, or as my pastor says when they "know, that they know, that they know," they need to be able to communicate that truth to others.  I am fearful that this skill is getting lost in our world of text messaging and social media.  We now major in the trivial, rather than the profound.  Everything is broken up into small, easily digestible pieces, much like pureeing peas for a baby.  No one is dealing with the T-bone steak and corn on the cob anymore.  But the world needs people who will deal with the big issues, and will communicate them effectively to the rest.  

Okay, that's my list for today.  There are probably many things that I've missed, so if you have something to add, please leave a comment!  And yes, I still make my kids learn reading, writing, arithmetic, history, science, and literature, and (the dreaded) piano!  But I'm trying to learn how to use these subjects as ways to get to those greater goals, rather than as goals in themselves.  Because as much as I enjoy my little children, my responsibility is to train them to be adults some day.

Conscious Living - Homeschool Edition

This is a sort of continuation of my previous post - A Call to Consciousness.  I've thought more about this in the past week or so.  Partly because we have started school again, and being conscious and present each moment is important for my children and for me.

I've never been too good at multi-tasking.  I know that women are supposed to be better at it, but it just doesn't work well for me.  It tends to lead to "Keys in the Fridge Syndrome (KFS)."  And then I have to waste half a day trying to figure out where I put everything.  So I've found it better to do one thing at a time, and to pay attention while I'm doing it.

One Room School

This is the first year I'm homeschooling both of my kids.  To make it interesting, Rory is in 4th grade, and Lily is in Pre-K.  So, I have to somehow keep my attention on two lessons at once.  But instead of working with both of them at the same time, which doesn't work for ANY of us, I'm pretending we're in an old-fashioned one-room school.

Lily needs one-on-one teaching for most things right now.  She needs to be read to and with, to be helped with her writing and piano practice, and to be given short instructions for everything.  Rory does much better when he can do his work out loud and with someone else.  So, he reads to me, we work on spelling and grammar and math together, and we all do Bible lessons and science projects as a group.

Lily doesn't spend as long on her "schoolwork" as Rory does, and spends part of the day playing by herself, which gives me time to spend with Rory.  Rory has read-alone time, writing time, and piano practice time that he always does by himself, which gives me time to spend with Lily.  I do some of my chores while listening to Rory read his lessons, which helps the time go faster for me!

School time cuts down on "me-time" quite drastically.  I don't have much time to read what I want, to watch TV, or to surf the Web.  Computer time is usually spent working on things for school, Sunday school, or our homeschool support group.  But the things I gain are much more important.  I am getting to really know my children.  I am being molded into a better mom, and a better Christian.  I am trying to live out 1 Corinthians 10:31 - Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.  Because in the end, books and TV and the internet don't really matter, do they?  I think this poem says it all.

Only One LifeBy C.T. Studd (1860-1931)

Two little lines I heard one day, Traveling along life's busy way;
Bringing conviction to my heart, And from my mind would not depart;
Only one life, 'twill soon be past, Only what's done for Christ will last.

Only one life, yes only one, Soon will its fleeting hours be done;
Then, in 'that day' my Lord to meet, And stand before His Judgment seat;
Only one life,' twill soon be past, Only what's done for Christ will last.

Only one life, the still small voice, Gently pleads for a better choice
Bidding me selfish aims to leave, And to God's holy will to cleave;
Only one life, 'twill soon be past, Only what's done for Christ will last.

Only one life, a few brief years, Each with its burdens, hopes, and fears;
Each with its days I must fulfill, living for self or in His will;
Only one life, 'twill soon be past, Only what's done for Christ will last.

When this bright world would tempt me sore, When Satan would a victory score;
When self would seek to have its way, Then help me Lord with joy to say;
Only one life, 'twill soon be past, Only what's done for Christ will last.

Give me Father, a purpose deep, In joy or sorrow Thy word to keep;
Faithful and true what e'er the strife, Pleasing Thee in my daily life;
Only one life, 'twill soon be past, Only what's done for Christ will last.

Oh let my love with fervor burn, And from the world now let me turn;
Living for Thee, and Thee alone, Bringing Thee pleasure on Thy throne;
Only one life, "twill soon be past, Only what's done for Christ will last.

Only one life, yes only one, Now let me say, "Thy will be done";
And when at last I'll hear the call, I know I'll say 'twas worth it all";
Only one life,' twill soon be past, Only what's done for Christ will last.

What is Your Child's Learning Style?

Today at Harlem Valley Home Educators, I introduce you to a website I've found helpful in choosing curriculum for my children.  Hop over to "Learning Styles" to read more!

Looking for Reviewers - Free New York History Curriculum Offer!

Here in New York, we've just officially finished the new "school year."  Our state's regulations give us from July 1 through June 30th as a school year.  So, now that we're through with one year, it's time to think about what we'll teach for the next!

I'm hoping to get my New York State History curriculum out to as many people as possible for this school year, so I've decided to give away some free copies to people who would review it for me on Currclick and/or their blog.

I'm very excited to be able to offer this curriculum, and also to find out what people think of it!  Writing it and getting it published has been a little like having a child, and now I want to see what it will do in the "big wide world."

If you are interested, you can see the curriculum here.

Available now at Currclick!

  Included in the PDF is a link to a website which has more resources, including a printable word document for reading out loud, and a store where many of the recommended books can be purchased.

I would also appreciate it if you would share this offer with your friends and blog readers!  Happy reading!

Can you have School without Books?

I'm posting today over at HVHE again.  Can you really have school without books?

     I think one of the most daunting things about homeschooling your children is the worry that they won't learn the things they're supposed to.  That they'll fall behind the kids in school.  This can lead to a rigid schedule of "school at home,"  read more...

Posting at HVHE Today!

Art Appreciation

Today was REALLY hot.  Not having air conditioning in my house (which is okay about 360 days of the year), I was racking my brain to find somewhere COOL to go.  So, I remembered that Shauna had recommended the art museum at Vassar College. Read more...

Woo hoo! I'm an Author!

I am sooooo excited!  My curriculum finally went up for sale at Currclick!  It was a bit of a process, because I missed some aspects of the application somehow the first time around, but when I hadn't heard anything for a while, I contacted the publishing department, and a very nice and patient lady named Leah e-mailed me through everything step by step!  So, you can now buy "The History and Geography of New York State:  A Literature-based Guide" by Robin L. Wheatley at Currclick!  I also now have an "official" publisher's account, with an "official" logo:

What do you think?  I spent most of the morning trying to design this thing.  Pictures are NOT my forte!

So, now all I need is for people to buy it, and to leave a review if possible!  

Actually, it's a huge relief, and also a bit of a let-down to have this finally done.  It's been hours and years of work, but I kind of feel like one of my kids grew up and moved out on their own!  I'm actually thinking of starting another curriculum for "For Love of Books" to publish (heehee), this time about music.  What do you think?

All the News that's Fit to Print

The end of the school year is always a bit busy.  Rory finished his last book for the year yesterday, and is now officially on vacation!  He read in the car (I don't know how he manages this, as I feel sick the minute I look at a page) between getting his Baseball Team picture taken, reading a poem he wrote at a literary festival, and attending a friend's birthday party.  Whew!

We got through the day pretty well, aside from forgetting his baseball hat (he's the kid in the picture with the bare head), and getting slightly lost finding the birthday party (we were almost always in the same town, at least!)

Now, we're looking forward to the first overnight trip our family has taken apart from going to a family member's house.  (And that time we broke down and had to stay in a hotel, but that was not particularly enjoyable.)  We're actually going to Lake George overnight!  I want to see Fort William Henry, and take a ride on the steamboat.  Rory wants to buy souvenirs, Lily wants to ride in a canoe, and Mike wants to go fishing.  Hopefully, we can accomplish all that in two days!

I spent about a whole day trying to find a place that had a fridge and stove in the room (for Rory's diet) and was on the Lake (for Mike's fishing), but I found a place that would let us stay for only one night on short notice.  Woohoo!  I also found a website for a Mexican restaurant which serves some gluten-free and vegetarian (read:  Dairy-free!) selections.  So, we're planning on eating out once, and cooking or packing the rest of the trip.

After that, it's getting ready for Rory to go to summer camp, then Vacation Bible School at our church, then our trip to visit my family in Pennsylvania.  Then it will be the end of August already, and we'll wonder where the summer has gone!

What are your plans for the summer?