Write Inspiration

Out of the blue the other night, a fellow homeschool mom suggested I create something like http://www.time4writing.com/, where students have assignments, submit them, and receive real-time feedback from a real writing instructor. Of course, this got my wheels turning! I would love to do something like that, but I'm having a problem figuring out just where to get started. This website offers eight-week classes for $99. I would have to create age-appropriate writing exercises, figure out how to get the word out, and then figure out all the business aspects. Don't get me wrong--I definitely want to do something like this and it has, in fact, been a goal of mine. I believe the Lord gave me a love of writing and learning for a reason, and I only want to serve him, so I will be in prayer about this. This will be extremely time consuming to get started, but I'm interested to know: how many people would like help with developing their children's writing skills? I have been an essay/literature/English tutor for almost two years, but I would love the chance to create my own assignments and truly invest myself in their work as they do the same. What do you think?

P.S. The title of this post is the title I was thinking of for writing courses

*Photo by _StaR_ DusT_

College Influences

No surprise here! An article I just read on a survey that asked if college-educated people become liberal or conservative states more of these students approve of abortion on demand, same sex marriage, and are less likely to favor prayer in school. Most professors ask students to read a variety of materials that offers different perspectives, to show the different points of view, thus teaching students to be open to possibilities.

This is just another reason why we need to rear our children by instilling strong faith and belief in God before they enter college. We homeschool to ensure a quality education, and we also homeschool to teach what we feel is important. The stronger children are in their beliefs, the stronger they will be when pressured to concede to professors' arguments or slanted essays. As a college graduate, taking Introduction to Judaism was one of the hardest classes I had to take, simply because the professor prodded us to argue and degraded our beliefs at every turn. Instead of conceding to his arguments, I sat in awe as I learned more of what I was taught as a child because I was able to look through a Christian lens. However, it was still an extremely tough class, so our faith muscles must be strong!

Classical Education, Part II

I'm still doing more research into classical education, but here is a typical classical education 1st grade student's day (Grammar Stage), taken from A Well Trained Mind by Susan Wise Bauer and Jessie Wise:

Language: Do Spelling Workout A and Handwriting…Grade 1 for 10 to 15 mins per day, begin English for the Thoughtful Child for 15-20 mins per day when you begin Spelling Workout B, spend 30 mins per day reading and making notebook pages. Spend at least 30 mins per day reading fun books.

Writing: Work on simple letters to relatives & friends twice a week. Copy short sentences 2-3 days per week for 5 mins each day, working up to 20 mins per day.

Math: Work on the math lesson (either learning a concept or doing a drill) 30-40 mins per day.

History: Ask child to tell you what you just read; make notebook pages together for history notebook. Do 3 hrs per week.

Science: Study animals, plants, & human body twice a week for 1 hour each session.

Art: Do Drawing with Children, art projects, or picture study once a week for 1 hour.

Music: Spend 1 hr per week listening to classical music; begin the study of an instrument if possible.

**Now, I give you a glimpse of a 1st grade reading list**

Ancients, 4000 B.C.-400 A.D (1st Grade)

Stores & poems by, about, or from….

The Bible
Homer
Hutton, Warwick. The Trojan Horse
McCaughrean, Geraldine. The Odyssey.
Greek & Roman Myths
Fisher, Leonard Everett. Theseus and the Minotaur.
The Olympians
Cyclops
Geringer, Laura. The Pomegranate Seeds.
Hutton, Warwick. Theseus and the Minotaur.
Perseus
McCaughrean, Geraldine. Greek Myths.
Aesop’s Fables
Plato
Aristotle
Egyptian myths
Indian folktales
Turnbull, E. Luica. Fairy Tales of India
African Folktales
Courlander, Harold. The King’s Drum and Other Stories
Confucius
Chinese and Japanese Folktales
Ancient Chinese & Japanese Poetry
Bishop, Clair. The Five Chinese Brothers.
Cicero
Virgil
English, Irish, & Welsh fairy tales
Bennet, Richard. Little Dermot and the Thirsty Stones, and Other Irish Folk Tales.
Steel, Flora Ann. English Fairy Tales.

Keep in mind, this is only the reading list! The history/geography/life sciences lists are pretty long as well. However, the beauty of this method is that if students find a certain subject interesting, they may concentrate on that subject and spend less time on the next. Since this is the trivium, students will study these subjects at least two more times, so they will be able to get further in-depth in the following years. You just have to remember this is 1st grade, so they don't need to know/understand/comprehend everything to the fullest, but this list gives them an introduction on what is to come. In first grade, they are only introduced to the subject--the grammar stage. Next, they will encounter the subject in the logic stage or the dialectic stage, when children are learning to reason. Finally, they will encounter it in the rhetoric stage, when they learn to communicate effectively. I think of it like this:

Have you ever turned on PBS and said, "Hey, I remember learning about that in school!" Only, now you can actually think about the consequences of the subject matter. In fact, you could probably write an original paper regarding the subject, if given a little more research. Also, I've found that if I had a good experience with a subject as a child, I'm more likely to pay attention to it as an adult just from the fondness of childhood memories.

Oh, and Latin doesn't begin until 3rd grade...

Little Treasures Kid's Sale, Cont'd

Phew! I finally got everything tagged, organized, and dropped off at the sale! It took a little while to get everything inspected (no stains allowed!), but I was very pleased once I walked into the building. The racks are very full, there are a ton of toys and baby gear, and overall, it looks like I can spend a fortune! They had a bunch of clothes in all the sizes I checked, which included size 12-14 in girls. I don't know if I'll make much money after all of this effort, but at least I cleared some clutter from my house. In fact, I'm wishing I had gotten a little bit more ready, despite my girls' frantic objections ;-) The sale starts on Thursday, and I'm sooo looking forward to shopping!

Little Treasures Kid's Sale

Ok, I had to write a post to talk about what's been keeping me so busy the past two days. The Little Treasure's Kid's Sale in Louisville starts on Thursday, so I've been ironing, washing, tagging, and organizing stuff for the sale. I also plan on shopping, since I get the majority of my kids clothes at sales like this. It's awesome to be able to go to one place and find piles of stuff, while only spending around $50-100.00! I usually buy several books as well (you know me, the book addict), along with some toys and shoes. This is the spring sale, so bring on the spring weather!

This year, the sale is two weeks long, so I'm free to shop away! There is always a half-price day at the end of the sale, but it's on a Sunday, so I won't have time to get over there. The sale is located in the old Circuit City building on Shelbyville Road, in Shelbyville Plaza, next to Bowling Lane (that's the name of a street). It's from 9a.m.--9p.m. Weekdays.

Experimentation with Design & School Breaks

As you can see, I'm trying out new designs for this blog, and so I am regretting not getting a degree in graphic design after all! Let me know what you think--there may be more changes in the days to come. There are just too many templates out there to choose just one, but at the same time, no one template is "popping out" to me. I'm interesting in creating my own background and banner, but my Photoshop isn't working right now (I think my computer is about to explode), and I just don't have the time. Perhaps I'll have more time this summer on the school break.

Speaking of breaks, do you take a full summer break, or do you take a smaller break and complete school on a different schedule than public schools? At this time, we're on schedule to finish Kindergarten by the end of April, but I'm hesitant to wait until August to begin again. I'd like to do some summer school to keep dd up to speed--what are your plans?

What is Classical Education, Part I

On my quest for a homeschool curriculum that works with my family, my interest was instantly sparked by the phrase "classical education." However, I don't want to just pick a curriculum based on thoughts of me being classy or because it sounds good, considering I've always liked reading classic literature the best. Thus, I began my investigation into the topic by flipping through a catalog from Classical Conversations, browsing their website, and then checking out A Well Trained Mind: A Guide to Classical Education at Home by Susan Wise Bauer and Jessie Wise, a mother and daughter team. As soon as I saw the reading list, I was impressed. To be honest, I want to re-learn what I already know and learn what I don't know, just by glimpsing through the list. However, I'm getting ahead of myself.

Classical Education follows the trivium, which tailors the curriculum to the cognitive development of the child. Education is broken down into three sections, the first of which focuses on concrete thinking and memorization skills. The second focuses on analytical skills, and the third focuses on abstract thinking. Children are taught from real books that offer real education. They learn through historical texts that aren't watered down, as many public school texts are today. History is broken into three sections, and children will study each period three times. For example, my student will study 4000 B.c.--400 A.D. in 2nd grade, 5th grade, and 9th grade, but in greater detail each time, centering around their cognitive development. History is taught from 4000 B.C. through modern day without going back and forth from this period to that period.

So far, this model sounds like something I would be interested in teaching, and therefore, I hope to pass on my enthusiasm to my children. Did I mention you learn Latin as well? More to come on that...

A Thomas Edison Education

My mother was the making of me. She was so sure, so true of me" (Edison as qtd. by Woodside, 5).

Several homeschool resources have mentioned giving your child a "Thomas Edison education." Obviously, Edison is considered to have been an extremely intelligent man by today's standards, but what does this statement really mean?

As it turns out, Edison was mostly homeschooled (as one can guess), although his mother did enroll him in public school only to remove him after a few months. His teacher believed everyone should learn in identical manners, but Edison was easily distracted and asked too many questions! Therefore, Edison spent much time on a stool in the corner, or being physically and mentally abused in front of his peers. Finally, he ran home to his mother and told her the teacher had said there was "something wrong with his brain" (Woodside, 5). Consequently, Edison began schooling at home and his mother only nurtured his innate curiosity and desire to learn. She proposed that he set up a lab in which he could perform his experiments, giving him book after book that inspired his avid interest in invention. He seemed to believe he could do anything anyone or anything could do, including setting on hen eggs in order to make them hatch! After all, if a hen could do it, so could he! He was allowed to roam on the family property, and later as a growing boy, he continued his experiments in a small lab on the train to and from where he held his first job.

Edison's mother didn't have much formal training, other than being a school teacher for a short while. Yet, she nurtured her son's education. She was able to give him more than any average public school teacher could give: love, attention, and a vested interest in his education as an individual. No matter your teaching method, couldn't we all learn a little from Edison's mother?

Dumbing Down Education

I recently bought several books through Scholastic's website's Dollar Days. Ten to be exact. So far, I'm enjoying my purchase, although I haven't read through everything I've received. As most homeschool parents know, books are a weakness of ours. In my case, books have been a weakness since the time I began to read. I remember saving up my money so I could order as many books as possible through school, or so I could fill my arms at the yearly book fair. Now, garage sales capture my attention when I spot boxes or tables loaded with books (I'm not willing to dig through a box full of clothes, but just try to keep me away from a box full of books!).

Last summer, I decided to purchase some of the Junie B. Jones series because I had heard of it and had seen them on the internet, etc. While I was paying for them, the homeowner's daughter said, "Ohh, I loved those books!" However, when I got home and opened the books, I was shocked to find childish sentences filled with words that aren't real words, or words in the wrong places. The sentence structure is appalling, but because I opened the book in front of my daughter, she begged me to read from it. I immediately found myself silently correcting grammar and restructuring sentences. Here is a glimpse from Junie B. Jones and Little Monkey Business:

And so then I got very happy inside. Because maybe I didn't have to eat my stewie pewie tomatoes (2)

Why on earth would someone write books at such a low level--lower than my three-year-old's speech--and thus perpetuate inaccurate word usage, poor grammar, and structural dysfunction? Look at the sentence length! How are our children going to learn to speak properly unless they are shown by example? To me, this is the same at teaching only 2+0=2 all through elementary school because that is as much as the children start out knowing in first grade, so why do more? Obviously, some children speak this way because their parents speak that way, and we shouldn't look down upon them, but we should try to improve our language skills, shouldn't we? Words are powerful, and should be used with care.

Although not all books I choose to read may be on a list of classic texts to share with children, I try to share literature that speaks of courage and morals, truths and honor. I also attempt to read books that have minimal grammar issues. I've been reading the Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle series to my daughters the past few nights and can't believe the different words the author uses compared with the "literature" of today! At first, I was nervous that my Kindergartner wouldn't understand the stories and grow bored, not knowing what I was talking about and not seeing many pictures. However, I'm trying the classical education method (well, I'm easing into it), which teaches entire texts should be read to children, not just snippets of stories or stories that are below their reading levels. To my surprise, my dd has been enjoying the stories! I've asked her to narrate the story once I finish reading, and she is able to tell me the gist of it just fine. This is leading me to further determination not to raise another Junie B. Jones. Why dumb down her education? I expect more, and therefore, she will give more while realizing that those she loves believe in her.

Conforming to Culture

I was reading an article in The IAHE Informer entitled, "Where Would We Be, Had They Conformed to the Culture?" by Micah Clark and something finally clicked, or maybe I just had a light bulb moment that I've had before and accidentally let the bulb burn out. He pointed out how he learned the real reasons behind the Pilgrims' voyage to America, a reason I am familiar with, but never saw quite in this light.

Yes, the Pilgrims left England for religious freedom, but they went to Holland, where they were allowed to practice as they so chose. However, they soon discovered their children were taking on the habits of Dutch, no longer acting like their parents or carrying the same values. So in order to set their children straight, the Pilgrims left Holland, journeyed to Southampton, England, and then left on the treacherous journey to America. All of this was done so their children wouldn't conform to the culture.

Where would we be if they had not made this move? Where will our children be if we don't continue to make this move?

Indiana & Cincinnati Homeschool Conventions

For those homeschool convention-hoppers out there, which convention do you feel is better? The one located in Indianapolis, or the one in Cincinnati? I've never been to a homeschool convention (Yes, I can tell the room has gone silent now--not even my keyboard is making the normal clicking sound), but this year I'm giving it a whirl. My inspiration: a very, no an extremely stressful kindergarten year! A Beka seems to have a huge following, and although I don't plan on teaching this to my children, I followed the crowd. Now, I'm regretting my decision. Reading is MUCH better now, but even I dread math every day. So, instead of struggling yet another year, I'm looking into different curricula available for first grade. Subsequent posts may include my reflections on each type of curriculum I find, so I apologize for boring those of your who have found a favorite and are sticking with it.

I've decided against going to the Indy convention, despite my residence in Indiana, and instead I'm opting to attend the Midwest Homeschool Convention in Cincinnati. I've based my decision on the following:

• Cost. Then Indy convention is a minimum of $68.00 per married couple, not including children if you bring your kids. They are an additional $13.00-33.00, depending on their ages. Grandparents are an additional $10.00. In comparison, the Cinci convention is $50.00 per family (INCLUDING grandparents), although the price does go up to $70.00 if you buy your tickets at the door.
• Distance. The conventions are about equal distance from my home, so this didn't really help make the decision, but it didn't hinder it, either.
• Accommodations. I have been able to find a nice hotel for approx. $80.00/night (yes, you must drive 15 minutes to the convention, but I'm OK with that). When checking Indy hotels, everything was a minimum of $100.00/night.
• Attractions. If we do bring our children, we have the options of the Cinci Zoo, Cinci Art Museum, Newport Aquarium, The Creation Museum, and so much more. Indy offers a zoo and The Children's Museum, but I've been to both of those. All this depends on time restrictions, of course.
• Speakers. I've looked through both lists of speakers, and the ones at the Cinci convention really appeal to me. Not to mention, they have a HUGE list of exhibitors as well.
• Extra Entertainment. Attendees have the option of going to the Tim Hawkins show for only $6.00/person. Two of the three shows are sold out, but I've reserved my tickets! If you haven't seen his videos, do a search for them on You Tube, or click Tim Hawkins. He's very clean and hilarious, a combination so rare today!

If you go to the Indy convention, let me know how it went and share what you've learned!

Virtual Students

Last night, I was watching a very interesting show on PBS: Frontline's Digital Nation. I happened to turn to the channel when they were discussing public school students' use of computers and technology. There is quite the debate raging over whether or not this technology is good for our children. Some schools allow/give children laptops, which they use during class. It was a bit shocking to know faculty/staff monitor the computers and are able to watch the students through the computer screens! But the question is whether technology is making students learn and live in a world that is too fast-paced for their own good. Don't you eventually break down if you multi-task to extreme? A student listening to his teacher, surfing the web, texting friends, and catching up on emails surely can't pay adequate attention to each individual task, can he? Or can he?

Some claim this technology is part of human evolution and that we are handling it extremely well. So is that why there are so many anti-anxiety prescription medications prescribed each year? Does a diagnosis of ADHD have anything to do with our fast-paced environment as infants? I'm no authority, but these are some of the questions that come to mind.

Don't get me wrong. I love technology, and I am addicted to my computer. Educational video games and the internet are great tools to increase learning potential. I wouldn't have had near the success in college without internet access as it provided so many resources that a shy student would not have found otherwise.

I encourage my daughters to play on sites such as Starfall to strengthen reading skills. And then I watch their faces. They become engrossed in the game. I often find my kindergartner explaining things to my preschooler, and then they both beg for more time. Then, I feel envious, as I wonder why my teaching can't be as exciting as a cartoon dog riding in an airplane.

The PBS show made the comment that maybe we just don't know how to value these technological advances yet for our children. That's true, because only recently have so many children grown up in a home with at least one computer. But does the computer make waiting an impossible task for the next generation? After all, computers can grant instant gratification by answering questions immediately. As an online tutor, I frequently surf the internet in search of answers to help my students, and I usually find those answers within minutes. Are we creating a generation of fun-induced, spoiled children who must have everything this instant? Or are we providing learning tools that will help them succeed throughout their lives? As the saying goes, everything in moderation, and I believe it applies to technology as well.

Homeschool Realities

• Home schooling is time-consuming, hard work.
• Housework suffers. Books and science experiments and papers are all over the house.
• Everyone wants to quit at some point during the school year.
• The kids aren't always perfect, and you can't blame it on school or on their friends.
• Academic schedules are frequently interrupted by sickness, family needs, and life in general.
• Children often "just don't get it"--that is, they may experience plateaus or have difficulty with a new concept.
• Grandparents may think you are ruining your children.
• The neighbors will probably tell you that you're crazy.

--From The Well-Trained Mind by Jessie Wise and Susan Wise Bauer

Harmonious Homeschooling

Although there are many homeschool blogs out there, I've decided all of my homeschool research should not be wasted. If for nothing else, it will be a place where I can reflect on what I've researched, assess what I've learned, and synthesize my findings with reality. I hope others can also learn from this blog as well, and from the website I'm eventually going to put together.

My Story:

To be honest, I was all for homeschooling before I started. My daughter turned three and I thought, "Oh, no! Some preschools start at age two! I need to get going!" I began printing off loads of worksheets and activities, and began scheduling days of work ahead of time. This lasted for a few months, but I was also working and going to school at the time, so we would do work every day one week, none the next, a few days the next week, and so on, until we weren't doing work more than we were. So much for that!

Next, my daughter approached Kindergarten age, and I realized I needed to get serious. I bought some used Abeka materials from my sister, purchased the workbooks at one of the Abeka preview shows, and knew I had to start Kindergarten. And then I became oh-so-very tempted to contact the nearest school and enroll her immediately! Like others, I had envisioned this perfect homeschool, with a decorated classroom, desks set-up just so, and willing children whose every desire was to be molded by my instruction. This did not happen. My daughter proved just how stubborn she could be, and she still resorts to crossing her arms, covering her face, shaking her head, and turning away--every now and then. Yes, I'm still tempted to call public and private schools to beg them to take my daughter, but how many parent-teachers out there haven't been tempted to hand over their children to someone else, even for just a few hours a day?

I don't know why there is a nagging thought that runs through my mind, telling me to enroll them in school, but I know that is just the weak side of me trying to give up. I know what is best for my daughters, and I know that is me. I know that I can provide them with more morals and sound judgment than a public school teacher, and I know I can enrich their education and help my little girls blossom. I don't know just how I'm going to do this, but I know it will happen. The Lord gave me such precious gems and left me in charge of them, so it is my duty to pray, to research, to learn, and to guide my children to be the best and do the best they can. This is my homeschool journey to finding homeschool harmony.