Again, with the reading

Have I mentioned how S drags his feet when it comes to reading? This is working for now, for reading, I'm making him randomly get a book a couple times during the day and read me a page or two out of it. He's reading more and more (cereal boxes, signs, from things Babe and I spell aloud to each other, t-shirts, etc.) and he gets excited when he reads those things. But "reading time" is a battle. Whatever.


Sometimes Carter and I sit down to read and S wants the attention so he asks to read with me. Those days are nice! 

The Moon

We talked about the moon in science group yesterday. I had a plastic ball globe and a golf ball we used as the moon to talk about orbit.  Then we talked about how the moon is not a light source. We learned different phases of the moon (new, crescent, quarter, gibbous, full) and put together a worksheet. We talked about the surface of the moon: it has mountains, valleys, craters, etc. All the info and the worksheet came from this website. We finished up with a moon snack: pb&j sandwiches cut into full moons, quarter moons, crescent moons and gibbous moons with a biscuit cutter.

Did you know that the footprints left by the boots of the Apollo astronauts with be visible on the moon for over 10 billion years because there is no erosion on the moon? Interesting fact I picked up yesterday. I guess I never thought about it before:)

Thankful Turkeys

We made these turkeys last week. We used the idea off of The Crafty Crow who found it on Preschool Daze (which the link actually takes you to).

Jett may have only been trying to get my attention, but I heard "Mommy" when I asked him what he was thankful for!

Physical Education

We live in a university town which is completely fabulous when it comes to home schooling. Our friends told us about a P.E. class that meets once a week for a semester at the university. Technically, they really want special needs children in their classes, but they've had enough open spots that they accepted my boys into their program. We've been going three semesters now. Some of the teachers are fabulous and really plan some games and teach some athletic skills and some just play with the boys for an hour. Either way, the boys have had a blast!

A couple of weeks ago, S started home school basketball. He thinks it's great and it is so cute how grateful he is that I signed him up. It's an hour, twice a week for six weeks and it was only $26 for the program and $8 for the t-shirt. Score!

No School Week

We've had no school here for the past week or so. It must be a "teacher workweek"! Between trying to figure out stuff for moving and trying to pack and clean--we've been slacking when it comes to school. Plus, I desperately need to get the next year in Saxon math and I keep putting it off, hoping to find it second-hand somewhere for a steal. That is one thing about home schooling: it can be as expensive or cheap as you make it. If you're cool with using toy soldiers or beans (that you already have) as manipulatives or finding your curriculum second-hand then home schooling isn't THAT pricey. But, if every educational book and toy entices you (as it does me) then home schooling can get expensive, QUICK! I've had to "just say no" to some books, especially if we can find them at the library. We'll get back on track today! Otherwise our no school week could turn into a no school month . . .

Tot School

It's late and I'll post on this tomorrow.

Tot School

Looks like some cute ideas for me to do with Jett baby!

The Dark Side to Home Schooling

Sometimes I feel like I glamorize home schooling in my own head and to other people. The truth is that like everything else some days are really hard. It takes a little more organization and a little more thought in a day. It takes a lot more patience than sometimes I have. To me it means letting some things go with an "oh well" which is hard.

We all know there are only so many hours in a day. So, if I am choosing to spend an hour or two with my kindergartner exclusively (usually means during nap time for my toddler) I have to give up my prime no interruptions time. When I do that things like mopping my floor get put off. I have come to miss my no interruptions time.

Also, because our schedule is so flexible, it leads to a hard time being consistent with lessons at a certain time each day (my fault). Then S thinks he can weasle his way out of lessons. "No, I don't want to do reading." or "After I finish this, Mom." It's really a work-in-progress. I'm learning more about how to keep my home running and take care of the schooling needs of my children. I'm tired of Babe coming home from work to a messy house and a tired wife who has no idea what she is going to make for dinner! Really, it could be resolved on my part with more planning, but the times that I used to plan menus and shopping lists (nap time) is now rerouted to schooling.

Then there's the fact that S begs to go to school. He actually told someone the other day that he was home schooling because his mom wasn't ready for him to leave the house. Some days that is completely true. I love seeing him play with his brothers and I love him being here with us during the day. Some days it's not true and I'm ready to ship him off to school for those seven hours a day, five days a week with a kiss, a lunchbox and a sigh of relief.

As I work out the kinks, I'll try to post about things that I'm doing to keep us on track. Like these:

• I try to clear the table from dinner and set his spelling book out ready for him to do a quick five or ten minutes of spelling before breakfast.
• Then at breakfast we work on our memorization. 
• In the car we count up to twenty and then count by tens to one-hundred. Now we are up to counting to one hundrend and counting by tens to two hundred.
• Sometimes before we start lessons requiring some sitting and focus, we do a child's exercise song to get us all moving. Their favorite is a dragon one that you shake your dragon tail, flap your dragon wings (jumping jacks), kick and roar like a dragon. They get a kick out of being silly and it's been a great way to spend a little time with ALL of them before I have to sit down with one and do a quick lesson.

Halloween Handwriting Printable

Check out the fun I found on Supermom Moments. The link should take you to the free printable. Side note: I'm adjusting to printing more than one copy of a handout. S and C could both use the practice forming letters and J would feel like such a big boy if I printed him something to do like his brothers. So number of copies= three. Number of happy coloring children = three! Am I the only one who sometimes forgets that the next oldest might now be tall enough to go down the big slide at the water park or might be old enough to start preschool? Or that the baby loves to color? (tear) They really do grow so quickly that it's hard for me sometimes to mentally keep up.

Signing Time

We just found "Signing Time" at the library a couple of weeks ago. It is completely genius! All three boys sit there mesmerized and the older two are trying signs in sign language. I only wish it weren't so expensive so I could have a home collection (I hate checking out DVDs at the library because I live in constant fear I'll turn them in late). The link is to the actual, official "Signing Time" website, but shhh I think the DVDs are less expensive on Amazon. Even less expensive when you check them out at your library--that is unless you accrue a massive fine!

The Story of the World

The way The Well-Trained Mind sets up the study of history makes so much sense. The study is broken up by into four periods of time:

1. Ancient Times--from the earliest nomads to the Last Roman Emperor
2. The Middle Ages: From the Fall of Rome to the Rise of the Renaissance
3. Early Modern Times
4. The Modern Age: From Victoria's Empire to the End of the USSR

These books are written by Susan Wise Bauer, co-author of The Well-Trained Mind, and are what they say they are: stories of history.

The Well-Trained Mind suggests studying Ancient Times in first grade, again in fifth grade but more in depth and then again in ninth grade, but by then mostly by writing papers and essays. So under that same idea, the middle ages would be grades 2,6 and 10. Early Modern Times would be 3rd, 7th, 11th. Then the modern age would be 4th, 8th, 12th.

This just makes sense in my brain. Especially because we did units all over the place in time frames when I was in school. We'd go from ancient Greece to the Holocaust to Texas history to the middle ages. I think that's about all we learned in history.

First Language Lessons for the Well-Trained Mind

We are using First Language Lessons for the Well-Trained Mind, by Jessie Wise, for our English and Grammar curriculum. These are simple lessons that teach a lot in a few minutes. This book is for first and second grade study. I just cannot gush enough about how much I love The Well-Trained Mind method.

The Periodic Table: Elements with Style!

Basher's, The Periodic Table: Elements with Style! is great fun. I heard about it from a friend and bought it for Sterling for a Christmas present last year. This would be a great coffee table book! If I had a coffee table. We got rid of ours when Sterling was a baby because we were worried about corners and bumps. In  the book, each element has it's own avatar and has a blurp about the element.  along with facts like color, density, place on the periodic table, etc. It's fun and it's chemistry.

The Well-Trained Mind: A Guide to Classical Education at Home

This book, The Well-Trained Mind: A Guide to Classical Education at Home, is a giant resource book for the classical education home schooling approach. I LOVE it. It's support, it's smart, it has guidelines for curriculum, it has lists of recommended methods and books. It was written by a woman and her grown daughter (whom she home schooled) and both (I believe) are qualified educators. It talks methods first, amazing, and then it is broken into three sections: Grades 1-4, Grades 5-8, and Grades 9-12. They also go over some things to do pre-grade 1. It's been a couple of months since I looked through it. Maybe I need to revisit that section because Carter is there:) Seriously, WOW, if you are thinking about home schooling, you like the classical approach and you want a find-it-all resource book this is it!

So the highlighted text is linked to the book's website if you want to find out more.

Why do I home school?

Most people think you are crazy when you mention home schooling. Some are excited for you, but it's very few. Bless the few! So when we have hard home schooling days I have to remind myself why I'm doing this and of course, everyone wants to know why you chose to go against the mainstream and be the oddball out. I still like to hear what brought parents to choose home schooling for their children. So, like yesterday when I my brother, in a comment under his breath (have I mentioned how much I LOVE teenagers) say something like, "You need to put these kids in real school." I remind myself why I like home schooling. Here are some of my top reasons:

1. I do not have to adhere to any schedule. I don't have to get my children up and off to school. I don't have to be home from anywhere by 3 pm or sit in a pick up line at the school for a half-hour and then, of course, there's the drive there time and the drive home time. Nope, we are as free as birds. We take a field trip to the science museum or the lake or the park and stay until we are ready to come home!
2. I love teaching my children! I love seeing the spark in their eyes as they grasp new concepts. 
3. My children's time is their own. They are not tortured with sitting through classes all day only to come home to an hour of homework and dinner and a little playtime and bed. They get to play, explore, relax and be children (and still learn).They have more than a fifteen minute recess in a day and they can talk in the hallways!

Maybe I'll have to add the things I'm struggling with home schooling next . . . 

Learn With Me

I have this eery feeling that I'm ripping off someone's blog or book with the title "Learn With Me" but I hope not. I decided when I created the blog that it made sense to me. As I have taken on home schooling, I feel like I am learning right along with my children. Yesterday, Sterling and I were reading about Alkali Metals and Lithium was the first in the series. In just emphasizing three facts about lithium and what it is used in I think I have a better idea of one more element on the periodic table, albeit a common one. Chemistry always seemed so out there to me. I loved the math parts of chemistry, but all the memorizing of the elements was overwhelming because I was memorizing names and places and symbols and electrons and neutrons and protons without the practical uses. I was trying to figure out what lost an electron in a compound. I missed a lot. Hopefully, by taking it slow and enjoying the Basher book about the elements and the periodic table (LOVE it) and by introducing my children to the elements a little at a time--they'll have a better base on chemistry when they study it more in depth at a later point.

In the meantime, I'll be better versed in those foundations that somehow I skipped over. I thought I was well-read until I saw the list of one-hundred classics that The Thomas Jefferson Education put together. I thought I knew a little something about history until I read the guidelines of important people your child should learn about in certain periods of history--and I knew maybe half of the names (and that's being somewhat generous for my pride's sake).

Humbled, I realized when embarking on my children's education I have so much still to learn. Hence, the "Learn With Me" title of this blog.

Poetry

Can I just say, without being judged, that I'm not a huge fan of poetry? I feel very uncultured saying such an indecent thing. I like poetry that is children's poetry, like the funny book of poems that I enjoyed reading as a child. And I like the poetry that is readily understandable. You know, "Two roads divulging . . . . I take the road less traveled by" kind of poetry. But any abstract poetry, not such a fan.

But, at our co-op last week, my friend did a quick explanation of poetry for the children and let them create their own poem (sometimes with a little help from mom for the younger ones) and the children just ate it up. They came up with some very unique poems! It was great. Maybe I'll read my children some more poetry and as they learn to accept poetry, maybe I will learn to like it a little bit more myself. That's part of my goal to be continuously learning myself to be an example to my children and a better person overall.

Science project

Yesterday, we had a science project playdate at our house. I've been wanting to get such a group together for a while now, but all our friends are so busy. We had fun with a short experiment and then the boys got to play with their friends. I got the experiment from a book that I think is completely awesome: Mudpies to Magnets.

Actually, I think our particular experiment yesterday was from its sequel MORE Mudpies to Magnets, but whatever, both are great. They have short science experiments that use mostly household items.

Like yesterday, we did a little experiment that involved water, cooking oil and food coloring. Of course I didn't take pictures because that would mean that I was actually on top of everything. But, maybe we'll do it again and I'll take some pictures. Who am I kidding? That's not me . . . . but it is the me that I dream of being. Doing things and documenting them.

PBS Kids

Can I just say, "Thank you PBS kids!!!"

Is it pathetic to admit that S learned his alphabet and was singing it by the time he was 15 months from Sesame Street? C also learned his alphabet and sounds from Sesame Street and Super Why. J doesn't get as much time watching PBS kids because TV time is usually older kids shows and I'm wondering if that's why he's two and so far behind his brothers. Poor third child. Completely loved and completely a little "big kid"!!

Anyway, I woke up with a mild migraine and lay on the couch with the boys this morning after breakfast and enjoyed some cuddle time. Then, my head feeling a little better, I moved to the computer to do a little "research" for our school day and got side-tracked on a craft blog (no, I'm not crafty, but I day-dream that I was) and the boys are still watching PBS kids.

I hear Carter yelling out letters, like "S" or "K". So he's learning, right? Someday I'm actually going to have to make a donation to PBS kids because really, they've taught my kids so much and . Completely embarrassing to admit--that my kids learned so much from television. 

Thank you, PBS Kids!

Playing catch-up

Have I been home schooling? "Yes."

Have I been home schooling well? "Umm. Define well."

I started this blog forever ago to give myself a little more accountability in all the flexibility of home schooling. I love the flexibility of taking a field trip or a day off. I love not needing to be home at 3 pm everyday or in a school pick-up line for 1/2 hour in the afternoon. I love not waking all three kids up to get ready for school before 7:30 am. But, it's really easy to forget about a blog that I never post on!

So where are we as far as school goes? Somewhere between K and 1st grade.

Penmanship--K.
Spelling--K
Reading--mid-K, but making progress. S is reading phonetically, just a little slow. We've turned a corner so now he actually wants to read (again) so I'm hoping it's just going to be smooth sailing from now on.
Math--1st grade. Addition, Subtraction. Counting by 10s. Next, counting by 5s. Ooh. But I keep forgetting to go over telling time. For some reason I skipped that in my lesson book. Make a note!
History--1st. Covering ancient civilizations currently. Although I do need to add a little more umph to history, although S is enjoying listening to it as a story with occasional projects or visuals, I'd like to make it even more enthralling.
Science--1st. Loving that we are about to start a science group with some other little scientists!
Grammar--1st. Also loving that S can give the definition of a noun and pronoun, as well as list about 20 common pronouns and is working on verbs (currently action verbs). We've also covered proper and common nouns. We are working on plot, setting, characters, etc in our story co-op.

Revise tomorrow.

Plan tomorrow.

Story: Learning is Important

This is a story about John Adams:

"When I was a boy I had to study Latin grammar; but it was dull, and I hated it. My father was very anxious to send me to college, and so I studied the grammar until I couldn't stand it any longer; and going to my father, I told him I did not like to study, and asked for some other employment. It was against his wishes, and he was quick in his answer, "Well, John, if Latin grammar does not suit you, you may try digging ditches. Put your Latin aside and try that!"

This seemed a delightful change, and to the meadow I went. But I soon found digging ditches harder than Latin, and the first morning was the longest I ever experienced. That day I was glad when night came on. That night I made some comparisons between Latin grammar and digging ditches, but said not a word about it. I dug the next day, and wanted to return to Latin at dinner; but it was humiliating, and I would not do it. At night, work conquered pride; and though it was one of the severest trials I have ever had in my life, I told my father that, if he chose, I would go back to Latin grammar. He was glad of it; and if I have since gained any distinction, it has been owing to those two days working in that abominable ditch."

Rick Walton and Fern Oviatt, Stories for Mormons, [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1983] p.60

The Holy Ghost: Wilford Woodruff

The following story is about President Wilford Woodruff, the fourth President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints:

"One night while President Woodruff, his wife, and their four children were on a journey, they stopped to sleep at a friend's house. Three of the children slept in the house while President Woodruff, his wife, and one child slept outside in the carriage.

President Woodruff said, "I had been in bed but a short time when a voice sait to me, 'Get up and move your carriage.' It was not thunder, lightning or an earthquake, but the still, small voice of the Spirit of God--the Holy Ghost . . . I got up and moved my carriage . . . and set it by the side of the house. As I was returning to bed the same Spirit said to me, 'Go and move your mules away from that oak tree.' . . . I moved them to a young hickory grove and tied them up. I then went to bed. In thirty minutes a whirlwind caught the tree to which my mules had been fastened, broke it off near the ground, and carried it one hundred yards, sweeping away two fences in its course, and laid it . . . where my carriage [had] stood. . . . By obeying the revelation of the Spirit of God to me I save my life and the lives of my wife and child, as well as my animals"

("Leaves from My Journal," Millennial Star, 12 Dec. 1881, pp. 790-791).

The Holy Ghost: Harold B. Lee

The following is a story about young Harold B. Lee, who became the eleventh President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints:

"I was probably about eight years of age, or younger, when I was taken by my father to a farm some distance away. While he worked I tried to busy myself with things that a young boy would. The day was hot and dusty and I played about until I was tired. Over the fence there was a broken-down shed that looked very interesting to me. In my mind I thought of this broken-down shed as a castle that I would like to explore, so I went to the fence and started to climb through to go over to that shed. There came a voice to me that said this very significant thing, 'Harold, don't go over there.' I looked about to see who was speaking my name. My father was way up at the other end of the field. He could not see what I was doing. There was no speaker in sight. Then I realized that someone that I could not see was warning me not to go over there. What was over there, I shall never know, but I learned early that there are those beyond our sight that could talk to us" (in Conference Report, Mexico City Mexico Area Conference 1972, pp. 48-49).

Sometimes the Holy Ghost whispers out loud, like he did to President Lee, but often he just gives us a feeling about what we should or should not do.

Heavenly Father Knows Me: an action rhyme

Heavenly Father knows me (point to self)
And what I like to do.
He knows my name and where I live (make a roof by touching fingers of both hands).
I know He loves me, too (cross arms and put hands on shoulders in hug).

He knows what makes me happy (put fingers on smiling mouth).
He knows what makes me sad (put fingers on down-turned mouth).
I know he wants to help me (point to self),
And that's what makes me glad!

Little Baby Moses: action rhyme

Little Baby Moses had a boat for his bed (cup one hand and place forefinger of other hand in it).
His loving sister watched him through the grasses where she hid (peek through fingers of hand held across eyes).
One day a princess found him (lean forward, looking down) and took him in her arms (pretend to lift a baby);
She said, "I'll take this baby and keep him from all harm" (pretend to rock baby in arms).

From Fascinating Finger Fun by Eleanor Doan c 1951. Used by permission.

Jesus Love Little Children: action rhyme

Some children ran down a dusty street (run in place),
Hurrying fast on their little feet (point to feet),
Through the crowd to find a place (pretend to push through a crowd)
Close to Jesus, to see his face (stand on tiptoe and look around).
Some grown-ups said, "Send them away" (hold hand out as if saying "stop").
"He is too busy for children today" (frown and shake head).
But Jesus said, "Let them come unto me" (beckon with hands).
"They are important and are loved by me" (hug self).

Adapted from Margaretta Harmon in Bible Story Finger Plays and Action Rhymes [Cincinnati, Ohio: Standard Publishing, 1964], p.27

The Creation: Young Child actions

I'm sure I got this out of a Primary manual, but I will look up the reference later. Right now I just want to "file" this on the blog so I can clean out some of my hard files!

Help the children act out each day of the Creation while you remind them of what was created each day (see Genesis 1):

Day 1: Pretend to be asleep and then wake up, to indicate the night and day.

Day 2: Stand, look up, and spread arms wide to indicate the sky.

Day 3: Bend over to pick a flower and then smell the flower.

Day 4: Make a large circle with your arms for the sun and a smaller circle with your hands for the moon, and then wiggle your fingers while moving your arms to represent the twinkling stars.

Day 5: Pretend to be a bird flying around the room or a fish swimming in the sea.

Day 6: Pretend to be an animal. Walk around the room several times imitating that animal. Then stand in a line and each say, "My name is (child's own name). I am a child of God."

Have the children sit down quietly.

Tell the children that on the seventh day, Heavenly Father and Jesus rested. They called this day of rest the Sabbath.

First Grade

These are the well-trained mind recommendations and remember to adjust to child's maturity and ability!

Language--

• Spelling 10-15 minutes a day.

• First Language Lessons 10-15 minutes a day

• 30 minutes reading per day and making the notebook page.

• 30 minutes per day reading "fun books". I'll say being read to at this stage for S.

• Practice penmanship.

Writing--

• Work on simple letters to relatives and friends twice a week.
• Copy short sentences two or three days per week for 5 minutes each day, working up to 20 minutes each day.

Mathematics-- 30-40 minutes per day

• Work on a math lesson for 30-40 minutes per day (either learning a concept or doing a drill).

History-- 3 hours per week

• Study ancient times (5000 B.C.-A.D. 400).
• Read biographies and easy history books to the child.
• ask the child to tell you what you've just read.
• Make notebook pages together for the history notebook.

Science-- 2x/wk, 1hr sessions

• Study animals, the human body, and plants, twice a week for 60 minutes each session.

Religion-- 15 min/day

• Learn about world religions through the study of history.
• learn about the basics of the family's faith for 10 to 15 minutes per day as part of "family time".

Art-- 1-2x/wk

• Do Drawing With Children, art projects, or picture study once or twice a week.

Music--

• Spend 1 hour per week listening to classical music
• Begin the study of an instrument
  

18 months to 3 years

Notes on Engelmann's, Give Your Child A Superior Mind paraphrased and emphasized by me. Hey, they are my notes! If you can get your hands on a copy of this book, you should consider reading it yourself. A friend who recommended this to me also shared a link to part of this that is online. Yea for friends who share knowledge!

Naming objects

Note to self: remember to TALK to the baby and talk the baby through doing everyday things like getting dressed or eating. It is so easy to talk to the older children and get distracted by the things they are doing that I think the baby is missing out on language for what is going on in HIS world.

Names for parts of the body
Names of animals
the names for letters in the alphabet

Note to self: Do not use the "A is for apple" way of teaching the alphabet.
Field trip after child has learned his letters, a reward: drive and read the letters on signs, "See, there are letters everywhere and YOU can read them!"

color
light-dark
hot-cold
action words
action words of the senses
geometric shapes
position relations
comparative words

Tip from book: identify object first and then quality, i.e. room. Room is light. Room is dark. Pan. Pan is hot (not too hot). Pan is cold. Mommy. Mommy jumps. Daddy. Daddy jumps.

Counting

• Recitation counting "one, two, three . . . " Don't expect your child to connect that 3 could mean 3 objects or that it is more than 2 or less then 5.

• Tip from book: make this part of your bedtime ritual. "Now I'm going to turn off the light on the count of five. One . . . two . . . three . . . ". Then have the child say it after you, then all by himself. "Now it's your turn to say it all by yourself . . . "

• Start with the first five, then after he has mastered those add the next five. Always begin with one.

Right and Left

• Tip from book: When dressing (or I add, washing in the tub) ask for a left foot or a right foot. Always squeeze the child's right hand lightly when asking for the right side but never squeeze for the left. Ask for it. Point to it. Squeeze (right)/do not squeeze (left) hand.
• Never use the word "right" when you mean correct. Always use "good", "fine", "correct", "that's it" etc. This may be a hard habit for me to break!
  
• Note to self: Show child that we always start reading on the LEFT side of the page.

Stories
Music

• Note to self: Set lots of time aside for stories, listening to music, singing songs and lullabies, and dancing, marching, clapping/tapping beats.
  

How Things Work

• vacuum cleaner, kitchen range, washer and dryer, computer, piano, light bulbs, beaters, toasters, can openers.
  
• Most of these things could hurt a baby. Make sure to have strict rules regarding these objects and enforce them!
  

180 days minimum

The law in my state is that in order to be considered doing right by your child in providing them an education yourself (home schooling) you must have a minimum of 180 school days in a year. Self: remember that's a minimum, but that could mean if you school 4 days a week all year, you could still take off 7 full weeks in there for holidays, vacations or let's face it "regain your sanity" holidays. Or if you schooled 5 days a week, you could take off a whopping 16 weeks. Now that's math that is music to my ears!

A Place to Store Notes

Hello, Reader! This blog is the start of my organizational process to get my own personal notes squared into one (hopefully) manageable spot. It will surely be better than bits of notes in my day planner and on the back end of my children's drawings. Learning with and from my children is one of my loves and truly a journey. Welcome!

3 John 1:4

"I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth."