Posts Tagged ‘home education week’

Home Education Week Catch Up-Looking Back

{ April 6, 2008 @ 4:11 pm } · { Uncategorized }
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This is the last one I swear! Once again, this comes from Principled Discovery where Dana had listed a series of prompts for bloggers to use to celebrate Home Education Week.

This was actually the first prompt that was intended for last Sunday which means I am officially a week late.  Here it is:

Share your personal history…before you were a home educator.  What was life like.  Think about things you miss and things you and your family have gained.

How far back should I go?  I was your typical college tracked kid in a PS high school in a college town.  I attended college for 3 years with the intent to get a degree in Biology but became disillusioned and quit to marry W.  Never did get that degree but still have a passion for science!  I thought I would study early childhood ed and get my teaching degree so I could teach science.  I actually took ECE classes for awhile and worked daycare but found I really didn’t like the atmosphere in centers. Once I had my own kids I just wanted to stay home and take care of them.  W got a job when M was a year old which allowed me to do that.   

I hate to admit this, but before I started homeschooling I was one of those parents who thought homeschooling was…well…a little nutty.  I couldn’t imagine why anyone would want to homeschool and really thought that there were things my DDs was getting at school that *I* couldn’t possibly provide.  Our family was (and is) a blue color, working family who was always right on the edge financially.  We’d done the preschool thing with DD and it was very difficult financially so Public School seemed to me to be a place where my kids could have a good educational experience and I wouldn’t have to pay for it.  I did struggle with sending K to school because I had a terrible time there myself as a child, but figured that was my issue and I shouldn *project* it onto her.  So off K went on the Kindergarten bus at the tender age of 4. She had a wonderful teacher and K was only (ha!) a 1/2 day then so she was fine. 

This same year M was diagnosed with  autism and placed in a specialized program at a local preschool so by fall I had half my days home with only B.  By now though K was being labeled as *behind* in reading.  Also, her 1 st grade teacher was NOT a good match for her and she was really struggling.  To make a long story short, I should have pulled her that year but I was too afraid.

The next two years were better and by this time B had been identified as being *at risk* and was attending the same preschool as M.  Suddenly I had several mornings a week all to myself!  I was told I should feel free and happy!  I had *me time*! W and I took advantage of this by going out to breakfast alone and spending other quality time alone ;) That was fun, but he wasn’t home all the time and mostly I just felt…alone.  Things were so crazy too, getting the girls on and off their buses (when the bus stop was at the end of our road and they took two different buses) with a toddler that still napped and then getting B to preschool was a PITA.

By the end of that year K had reached the breaking point and since we couldn’t afford private school I was *forced* to consider homeschooling.  We did end up pulling K and by the end of that next year (K’s first at home) I was fully converted and decided to keep B out of PS altogether. 

What have I lost?  I supposed those mornings at home with W, but we still mange one every now and again.  Also that coveted *me* time, but again, since the kids area older now they do their own thing quite a bit.  It’s so different having older kids at home then it is toddlers and preschoolers! I can read, work on the computer, knit and write while they are here with me, probably working at one of their own hobbies.

What have I gained?  Peace, both in mind and schedule.  Sure, we have lots to do now but it’s Our choice to do them.  If they are too much we drop something or skip a day without worrying about he truant officer or getting a doctor’s note.  SO , I guess we’ve gained choice too!  We have also gained a superior education, and I’m not just talking about the kids.  I feel I know them so much better now! I still remember how I would ask K what she did in school that day and she would say *I don’t know* and slouch off to her room.  Now she really talks to me!  She still slouches off to her room sometimes though ;)

All in all a fair trade!

Home Education Week Catch Up- My biggest boo-boo

{ April 6, 2008 @ 12:47 am } · { Uncategorized }
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This is my entry in the Home Education Week challange on Principled Discovery.

It was our third year homeschooling and I though I’d found the perfect curriculum.  Alas it was not to be!  I will not mention what we used because what went wrong is not the fault of the curriculum.  Oh no, it is entirely my fault!  I take the blame.  It was I, and I alone, who fell prey to THE SCHEDULE.

Seriously, it was like a horror movie.  Screaming kids, crying mother, hair being torn out.  All because I got obsessed with THE SCHEDULE.  I was frantic about checking off boxes, I was anxious if I didn’t get all our reading done, I made K listen to The Bronze Bow all the way through even though it made her eyes glaze over.  I actually said to her once *I know you don’t like this book but we have to read three chapters tonight because the schedule says so*.  I was a woman possessed (by THE SCHEDULE-OK I’ll stop now) and nobody was having any fun.

I did learn something very valuable that year though.  Nobody know what is going to work for us but us.  A program can be the best in the world to someone else and not right for us or it could be right for us…with some tweaking.  Either way being a schedule slave is NOT for me!

Home Education Week Catch Up-In Their Own Words

{ April 6, 2008 @ 12:32 am } · { Uncategorized }
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This one is going to be short and sweet as my children are not feeling communicative this evening! Once again, in responce to the Home Education Week meme at Principled Discovery.

K wants me to include these quotes:

School is for fish

Normal is so vastly overrated.

and the following quote from William Blake:

How can a bird that is born for joy,

Sit in a cage and sing?

How can a child when fears annoy, but droop his tender wing,

And forget his youthful spring!

She would also like me to tell you all that her favorite genius is Albert Einstein and that she has no desire to go back to school.

B has even less to say.  His contribution was this:

“I like being homeschooled because I get to play outside and can play the X-box and with my cars.  I like to learn about dinosaurs and math is kind of fun. Being in school all day would be boring.”

There you have it.  Profound wisdom from my children (where is the eye rolling smiley when you need it?).

Home Education Week Catch Up-Show and Tell

{ April 6, 2008 @ 12:20 am } · { Uncategorized }
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Ok, I’m playing catch up!  This was Thursday’s prompt from Principled Discovery:

Show off those talents.  Share a story, a special Moment, a peice of artwork. Any accomplishment, great or small, is fair game.

OK I’ll start with myself this time just to shake things up a bit!  I’ve been told I’m wise, but I’m not sure I agree with that. I’m definitely not known for my patience (ha!).  I guess if I had to pick something to brag about it would be my GFCF baking ability.  Yup, I can whip up tasty cupcakes with no gluten or dairy containing ingredients.  My cookies are pretty darn good and I can even do cut out cookies that hold together (which I have been told is pretty amazing) in both sugar and molasses varieties.  Chocolate cake is my specialty and I always make it for M on she and B’s combo birthday party.  It’s getting so people actually ask for it even though there is a *real* bakery cake there as well (for B). 

W has this amazing ability to just whip stuff up, construction wise I mean.  He once made a rabbit hutch from spare lumber, freehand.  If you need something, he can make it, and probably with whatever he’s got laying around.

K..ah K.  She is so brave.  Despite being one of the shyest people I have met she has done things like football halftime shows, cheer competitions with over 5000 people in the audience, dance shows and several oral presentations to our homeschool group where she managed to speak knowledgeably and eloquently and then answer questions.   Here’s a picture of her right after leaving the floor at her first competition ever!

dscf0379.jpg  You can see how happy and proud she it, and she deserved to be!

In terms of something more academic, she has an amazing ability to pick up on themes in literature and to really see all aspects of different characters.  As an indication, her favorite Harry Potter character is Severus Snape.  She truly feels for him although she never denies he is not likable, nor does he have very many tangibly good qualities. 

She’s also a darn good photographer!

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B just has this joy about him.  He is usually singing or dancing around or talking your ear off.  Everything is so exciting! and he just can’t wait!  He throws himself in wholeheartedly and gives everything his all, even if he isn’t very good at it (LOL!).  Here his is playing soccer, one of his most favorite things to do in the whole world!
dscf0510.jpg 

He is also an awesome caretaker of his pets dscf0526.jpg

M is quite the little artist, but wouldn’t you know it I can’t get my hands on any of her paintings right now!  That’s what being organized and filing away all their papers gets me! Ah well, you’ll just have to take my word for it!  She doesn’t paint pictures of things really, more how she feels.  She tends to use small paint strokes and fills the page.  Her paintings are quite beautiful really.  Here is a nice picture of her to make up for the fact that I don’t have any of her paintings to show you! dscf0194.jpg and one that shows her personality better dscf0468.jpg

Looking Ahead

{ April 5, 2008 @ 3:43 pm } · { Uncategorized }
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Well, I can’t say that I’ve been keeping up with Home Education Week very well but I did want to participate with this last prompt from Principled Discovery. It goes like this:

What are your goals for home education? What do you hope to instill in your children? Are you planning any changes in how you educate your children?

I am going to break it down and answer it in bits.

What are your goals for home education?

This is a tough one!  My goals are to have well educated children but that is so vague.  I don’t want my children to leave here having learned all they need (how could you do that anyway?) but fully ready to spend their life learning.  I would hope that the way they have learned as children would leave them ready and willing to learn more and more and more until the day they die.  I want them to know that if they don’t know something the answer is not to give up but to go and find the answer. I would also hope that my kids would be well on the way to knowing who they are and where they would like to be in the world and to have the foundation to get themselves there.

What so you hope to instill in your children?

A sense of wonder, a thirst for learning and a passion for life.  A respect for the earth and each other.  Tolerance of differences and the ability to embrace the cultures of others.

Are you planning on any changes in how you educate your children?

Well, I do plan on becoming a bit more formal with K next year since she will be a freshman and even with B who will be in 3rd grade.  More so with her then with him of course!  The thought of a transcript looming makes it necessary for us to become more formal with K’s education.  B is just getting to the age where he can handle the occasional lesson plan :)  

At the heart of it though, nothing will really change.  I will still consult them as to what they want to learn.  I will respect their differences and special learning needs.  I will still read to them (yes, even the 14yo) and work with them on projects. Whatever hoops we have to jump through educationally I will try and make it as painless as possible.  In short, I will try my best to do what is best for them.

 

Recipe for a Happy Homeschool

{ April 2, 2008 @ 2:14 am } · { Uncategorized }
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This is another Home Education Week topic from Principled Discovery. Today’s topic is Recipe for Success and here is mine!

Recipe for a Happy Homeschool

1. Take one small house, a little shabby and not too neat, make sure it has a decent sized backyard.

2. Place in home a mother, a father and several small and active children, various ages and genders.

3. Add a generous helping of full bookshelves and mix well.

4. Season this mixture with several critters, some friends, library trips and lots of good conversation.

5. Top with with some outside classes; preferably dance or soccer.

6.  Let stew together for as long as you like (or at least 175 days a year).

I know everyone’s homeschooling is different, but this *recipe* has worked well for us! ;)

I also have a *real* recipe.  This is one the kids ask for again and again!

Crock-pot Pulled Pork

1 3-4lb boneless pork loin roast

1/2 cup water

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp sweet paprika

Rinse pork roast the pat dry.  Rub with mixture of salt, cayenne, garlic powder and paprika.  Place rubbed roast in crock pot and add water.  Pour water around the roast, rather then over it so the rub stays put.

Cook on low all day (I left it in for 9hrs once!).  About 1/2 hour before eating drain most of the liquid out of the crock, remove the fat layer and shred the roast with two forks.  Add BBQ sauce of your choice (I particularly like Honey chipotle sauce-YUM!) and let the meat sit no low for about another 30 minutes. 

I serve this with rolls (for sandwiches) or over rice.  It’s even better the next day!

Homeschooler profile

{ April 1, 2008 @ 2:56 am } · { Uncategorized }
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This post is in response to the Home Education Week challenge on Principled Discovery. I know my blog says it’s Tuesday 4/1, but here in Maine it’s still Monday so I’m going to blog us a profile :)

Hmmm…where to start? I’ll do the children first!

K is just a wonderful kid. She is kind, compassionate, patient (much more then her mother!) and easy going. She can be passionate too, and often won’t back down if she feels strongly about something, although she always does so politely! As in “I’d really rather not” or “No, I would prefer not to”. She can be slow to warm up, but when she loves something she loves it with all her heart and soul! I think the slow to warm up is her defense mechanism. She loves to read and is very creative. Although she has a hard time writing due to learning disabilities, she adores literature. She does do some creative writing and has a couple of stories going at any given time.

current obsessions: Sherlock Holmes (and Mary Russell), Greek Mythology, Tudor history
Favorite color: a specific shade of purple we haven’t yet found a name for
Music preferences: alternative rock-heavy on the Emo
Decorating theme in her room: Polka dots in retro colors
Book(s) currently reading: Drowned Wednesday, Raleigh’s Page

M isn’t actually homeschooled but she is part of the family so I will include her! M is a conundrum. She is autistic and sometimes very hard for us to understand but she has a wondrous spirit and a sunny disposition and we all love her lots!

current obsessions: WINX club, Fairies of any kind, Jack Skellington
Favorite color: blue
Music Preferences: HSM and Hannah Montana, soundtrack to Nightmare Before Christmas
Decorating theme: Disney Fairies
Book currently reading: Fruits Basket-volume 2, Alice in Wonderland

B is our court jester. He feels things deeply but always has something funny to say or do. If B is upset, you know it’s bad! He is sweet and gentle with babies and rough and tumble with boys. He can be silly and serious at the same time it seems! He’s snuggler too and loves a good backrub (wonder where that comes from?). B has been slow to read and write due to the same LD K suffers from X 10. He loves being read to though and doing projects and science experiments! He has several medical issues requiring daily meds and treatments and deals with it all with grace and responsibility. He is very organized and neat with his personal space, not so much with the rest of the house.

current obsessions: X-box, dinosaurs, Mike Holmes (from Holmes on Homes)
Favorite color: yellow and black
Music Preferences: anything with a strong back beat
Decorating theme: dinosaurs with a touch of modern Felix Unger
Book currently reading: Giant Book of Dinosaurs, Monday with a Mad Genius

W is our rock. He is calm to my tempest and the good cop to my bad cop. He is tolerant unless extremely pushed. He is a true handy man and fixes both our family cars as well as doing any home improvements around the house. He is a true father and partner, even if he is easily distracted and falls asleep when he tries to read to the kids.  He even does dishes!

current obsession: finishing the latest home improvement
Favorite color: if his wardrobe is any indication-denim blue ;)
Music Preferences: alternative rock-heavy on the harder stuff
Decorating theme: do power tools and drywall sheets count?
Book currently reading: Adding Space Without Adding On

And I guess I can no longer avoid me! Let’s see….I am volatile and moody but I love just as strongly as I don’t. I have opinions and gosh darn it! You are going to hear them if you ask to! I don’t pull punches in that regard. ;) I tend toward the non-mainstream way of life, doing things my own way. Despite all this I do care what people think of me and am deeply hurt when I’m thought badly of. I also tend to be a bit too empathetic and internalize everyone’s bad energy.

current obsession: getting all the kids stuff ready for assessments, this blog
Favorite color: deep purplish red
Music Preferences: alternative rock-all of it!
Decorating theme: rich and plush
Book currently reading: The Third Jesus, The Story of Science-Book 2

So there you have us!  The B family in all our glory!  Hope I didn’t bore you too much :)