(Originally posted on my other blog 3-17-2008)
Recently we were blessed to be able to visit with renowned children's biography writer Diane Stanley. Her work is used extensively throughout the homeschool world. Have you used her books? She's written on Joan of Arc, Michelangelo, Da Vinci, Shakespeare, Queen Elizabeth, Cleopatra and many more. We have most of her biographies.
She had a very interesting presentation; shared about her childhood, her early career as a medical illustrator and how she researches and creates her books. She travels extensively, visiting sites where the person lived and uses the actual architecture photographed to construct her paintings. Everything included in the illustrations is historically accurate down to the smallest detail. She even gave us a tour through her newest biography: Mozart. It is a lovely book with an interesting detail, his story is told through a play performed using marionettes. I learned quite a bit about him from the preview she gave.
She autographed all our many books with a kind smile and thoughtful words to the children. We enjoyed our visit with her very much.
(Originally posted on my other blog 2-24-2008)
I use Ambleside with six of my eight children. I have my very nearly 12 yod in Year 4, my 10 yod in Y3, my just turned 9 yod and nearly 10 yos in Y2, my 6.6 yod in Y1 and just turned 6 twins in Y0, with his twin sister listening in, but not doing any academics. I also have a 2 yos and I babysit a 2 yog.
My day can be long, as I read everything to the Y2's and under, and some to Y3 and 4, but much is done together. In fact, my older children often sit in on the stories of the youngers, since they enjoy them so much!
Here's my usual routine:
We start the day with breakfast, then clean-up, then we gather together. I read the Scripture, and the commentary (I use J. Vernon McGee) and then we practice out memory verses (currently Ps. 1) After prayer, we do math, all together. Then the older children begin their independent reading, and I call one group of kids to me for aloud reading. When they are done, I send them to do copywork or drawing and read with another group of children.
We do this until lunchtime. The older children who are not reading with me play things with and supervise the babies quietly. I have certain toys and activities set aside for schooltime. They are usually within eyesight of me.
After lunch and clean-up, we gather together for more together studies, like Shakespeare, Pilgrim's Progress, art or something, then we get back to the individual readings/work. The Babe's nap time is 2:00-2:30 until 4:00 or so, and during that time we finish up, then have free time outside if possible. I get dinner ready for 4 PM (but it's often closer to 5..). The Lambies have free time all evening, after kitchen cleanup.
I broke the AO schedules up into four days of work, and made check off sheets, so they always know what to do each day. Anything not finished by Thursday can be finished on Friday. Fridays are service day and Park Day with other homeschoolers. I haven't ever had anyone miss service projects or parkday for not finishing school.
It took awhile for us to get into the swing of this routine, but it works really well for us now! I do take one week "off" every six weeks, and use it to catch up with housework that may not get done otherwise. Things like shampooing the carpets, The Great Toy Sort, The Great Clothes Swap, gardening, painting, dusting (one of my hated chores!)etc.
(Originally posted on my other blog 1-31-2008)
We have been busily finishing our last week of our second term of school. I am stunned at how fast this year is going; we have just a trimester left of our school year!
Wrapping up books is an interesting thing using Ambleside. It's like the end of a visit from a dear friend. We are saying goodbye to Otto, to Richard, and dear Emily, the poet. A. A. Milne's funny poems will be replaced with a strangers, and we won't be hearing from William, Humphrey, Arrietty, Bess, and the rest.
But, as I told my Y1 daughter, Polly, today, we can meet them again. We can go during free time and visit Christopher Robin. We'll be seeing Paddle next term, too. We will always be friends with the books we read. And we can visit any time we want!
I had to remind her that she felt the same last term about "losing" A Child's Garden of Verses. She protested getting "The World of Christopher Robin" out instead. I told her, "Perhaps in the evenings, we can read again the lines of Robert Lewis Stevenson and swing high over the garden , but now we need to meet someone else". Now it's repeating. A. A. Milne will make way for other friends.
The turning of a page...
(Originally posted on my other blog 11-19-2007)
After going through public school myself, I worked in the school system from the time I was sixteen until I was twenty four years old. I was an aide in special education classes, taught speech and language to preschoolers, worked with mentally and physically disabled people from birth through adult, and was sign language interpreter. I have worked in many, many different schools in two states and saw many things that disturbed me.
Even before I had made a commitment to Christ, my husband and I KNEW that out children wouldn't go to public school. Since we met when I was fifteen and he had just turned sixteen, we were able to grow together to that decision as I worked and shared my experiences with him.
Besides the obvious reasons relating to being Christians, being sure then Lord called US, and not the State to teach our children, and not wanting all our values undermined and ridiculed at school, some of my experiences helped form our decision:
I saw kids as young as fifth grade making out "on the sly" during recess. Kids in first and second grade had "boyfriends" and held hands.
There was a pregnant 12 year old in one class.
I interpreted high school lessons that made me wish I could afford to stand up and walk out. Disturbing values clarification taught before my very eyes, and going off my fingers into the brain of a teenager. I *wish* I had been brave enough to refuse to interpret that stuff...
I saw a first grader stab another first grader with a pencil in between the eyes. It was done in anger because the victim answered a question the stabber could not. By the grace of God the pencil hit the bridge of the boys nose and did not go in his eye.
I saw the Pledge removed from the morning routine in a fourth grade classroom. The memo from the principal said not to mention it, just stop doing it. And we did. And not one child asked about it, nor did any teacher do anything more than complain in the staff room for a day or two. Nor did I do anything...
I saw the special education kids be herded out after lunch time to clean the campus. Regular kids would throw their trash all around, leave half eaten food on tables, gum on the ground, spit everywhere... just generally trash everything, and then go to class when the bell rang. Out came the "re*ards" to clean up. Every day, day in and day out. Is that what the parents sent their kids to school to do? Be unpaid janitors? They called it "Life Skills" and gave the students class credit for their time served. Sheesh!
One teacher stands out in my memory. He wished-outloud- that a particular students mother had aborted him. Told him the world would be better off without him. Can you imagine?
I could go on and on. Please don't get me wrong...most of the teachers were great people, and really cared about the students. They just had to teach the worse things! The relationships between the kids were just sad. You could see the way kids were "classed' as early as kindergarten. The nerds, the popular ones, the tough ones...so sad! The loving teachers couldn't do much about it, either. The class hierarchy reigned.
I'm so glad the Lord used my years there to shape me and ready me to teach the gifts He would give me in the future. He showed me the gutter so I wouldn't end up sending my kids into it!
This post, by the way, was inspired by Ginger at Clark Chatter. Thanks for your great blog!
(Originally posted on my other blog 10-9-2007)
My eldest son, Vic, has had a new hobby the last few days. He has been disassembling our old VCR. It was nearly dead, and refusing to give up a VHS tape that it had inside. My Honey asked him to take it apart and get the tape.
He used a screwdriver and pliers and enjoyed himself greatly!
Dad got in there and explained how all those things worked together to make the VHS play.
(originally posted on my other blog 10-3-07)
Monday we visited the Monterey Bay Aquarium. It was Homeschool Day so it was filled with lots of other eager children running from exhibit to exhibit. My Honey brought his camera and took many pictures, but I only captured a few good ones. My camera was set to 2 instead of 6, so most of mine were grainy once I could see them on the computer screen. Sniff...
Here is BabyJ. He climbed up this rock "cliff" all by himself. I don't think he knew Daddy was behind him... just in case. He was so proud when he got to the top! The folks at the scope were nervous and seemed a little disapproving as they watched him climb. "I hope that baby doesn't fall!" she said loudly. She doesn't know he's been climbing things for 'years' now!
We told the Lambies not to get wet, since it was a long trip home, and they were very good. They only got a very little wet. Who can go to the ocean and not be chased by the waves??
And finally, BabyJ is learning to wink. How adorable is this??
We had a long day, but it is well worth it! I also met a fellow blogger! My Lambies were walking past her on their way to the shore area and she recognized them! She stopped me and greeted me and we chatted for a few minutes. How fun to meet a reader!
My eldest thought to grab and pour some of the fog (the pouring shot was blurry, though).
