I really want to teach my children about music, all about it, but it has been many years since I learned it in school and I am not musically gifted in anyway.  I would like to know what all of you would recommend for me to use to learn it again myself and to teach my children.

Thank you in advance,

Rashel

• 2 Comments • Post a Comment • Permanent Link

I truly enjoy homeschooling my children, I mean I love having them home with me all day, sharing with them, learning with them and watching them grow.  I cannot imagine not having that.  I love the times that I can just observe them, the times when they don't realize anyone is watching and they are truly being themselves.  I love to watch their expressions, the intensity showing in their wrinkled foreheads and focused eyes.  I absolutely love to watch them interact with their siblings, the olders teaching the littles.  We even had one of those days yesterday when they seem to do nothing but get in trouble, but still, I was glad they were home.  By being home with them, I realize how much I would be missing if they were in school 8 hours a day.  Okay, I am digressing, that is not what I intended this post to be about.

What I really wanted to talk about was how we homeschool.  We are really relaxed homeschoolers, using KONOS as our main curriculum and adding Math U See for uh.. duh, math .  Anyway, I had been feeling lately that maybe I hadn't been doing enough "school", well, I started praying about it.  Let me just say that my God is faithful! Today after my Bible reading which was Prov 22 and 23, I read some of "No Greater Joy, Vol 1" by Michael and Debi Pearl.  The first two articles I read were about homeschooling .  I believe in the same philosophy they do in regards to schooling.  I believe that we do more harm than good when we push our children too early, thinking well they are 5 now, they need to learn to read.  Or thinking because little Johnny was doing that by this age, little Jimmy should too.  I don't believe the public school knows what is best for my children, so why should I buy into their standards of what my children should learn and at what ages?  I agree with the Pearls that my children will learn when they are ready and what might take two months to learn at age 6, would only take one day at age 8.  Why frustrate them early when the same thing would come naturally later on?  My children may complain when I say we are going to do "school" but they love natural learning experiences.  They learn through life and exploring what interests them.  For example, yesterday I was busy looking up library books on the internet and the two older children asked if they could get out the craft tote.  Yes, they could and soon all four were in their bedroom floor making things with all the goodies.  This time they went for the fuzzy pipette thingie (I can't think of what they are called at the moment), first they made spiders, black widows to be exact.  My oldest used another black pipette to give him a control stick to move the spider along but wasn't happy with that and ended up using fishing line to pull it along and make it look like it was moving.  After that came building a spider web for their spiders. The two littles ended up making bracelets, hearts and bridles for their horses.  There was alot of learning going on and they were just having fun!  I love times like that.  So, moms don't worry if your child isn't doing what the public school kids are doing or what your family thinks they should be doing.  I have no doubt that as my children get older, their knowledge and their love of learning will far surpass many of the public school peers (not all, but many).  On top of that, they will be learning a love for God and their family along the way, which is more important than anything they can learn in school.

So, what are we doing today for school you might wonder, or maybe not .  We are going to the library for lots of good books and stopping at the local conservation department to pick up a trunk about songbirds!  The kids just LOVE those trunks.  Our unit the on birds will last a couple of weeks.  There is a new audubon center close and we will go there during our unit too!

Blessings,

Rashel

• 4 Comments • Post a Comment • Permanent Link

If you order $7 or more, I will pay shipping.  If you order under $7, please add $2.00 to help with shipping costs.  I will accept noncredit card paypal or money orders.  Please comment or message me if you are interested in any of the following.  I really need to clean off my shelves.

Sonlight Core 1

Charlotte’s Web $3, pb good condition

Favorite Poems of Childhood $1 pb good condition

Mr. Popper’s Penguins $3, good condition

LA 1 IG 2002 $20 has some marks on 5 day schedule for a few weeks, first 7 activity sheets done in pencil and erased, is in a binder and has tabs

Timeline Figures, there are 10-12 are missing, $2

Other Sonlight books

Call of the Wild $3, hb, good condition

Christian Liberty Press

Studying God’s Word Book A $2, first 4 lessons done

The American People & Nation, TM $2

The World God Made, $4, day 1 done

The World God Made, TM $3

Liberty Mathematics, Level K TM $2, includes set of flashcards

Adventures in Phonics, Level A TM $4

Miscellaneous

Handwriting Without Tears K TM $3

Handwriting Without Tears Grade 1,2 TM $3

Christ Centered Phonics Workbook Level B2  $1

Christ Centered Phonics Workbook Level B3 $1

Indoor Games For All Ages  $.50

Let’s Pretend, Restaurant $1

Blood and Guts $3 (KONOS)

Winnie the Pooh’s ABC $1

Home Style Teaching by Raymond & Dorothy Moore $3

Dangerous Devotions by Jackie Perseghetti $7

 Blessings,

Rashel

• 2 Comments • Post a Comment • Permanent Link

Our first day of school was today and it went pretty well.  There were a few things that I could have been more prepared on but I was having trouble with my printer so it messed things up a little.  Praise God that today went smoothly, the kids didn't whine about their assignments and we got everything done.  It will take me (us) awhile to get back into the flow of things and for me to work out my day to get all my household work and school done, but God is good and He will show me how if I just ask Him.  I also start babysitting a couple days a week for mommyof4 and it will take a little adjusting for us to get school done with two other littles here but we can do it, by God's grace that is.  The kids all have a schedule of when they are to be doing what and they can all pretty much follow it on their own, yes, even the 4 and 6 year olds.  I made their morning school schedule with pictures next to the words so they can see at what time they need to be working on what.  Most of what they do I have to help them on or do with them but there are things they can do alone and they can also get their work ready without having to wait on me to tell them what to do.  Now before anyone has a fit that my 4 yo is doing school right along with her brothers, she WANTS too!  Of course hers isn't as in depth but her math book is what a K student would use and I do phonics with her just like I would if she was in K already.  She will retain what she can and I don't push her on any of it, but why in the world wouldn't I help her if she is ready and able?  Speaking of math, my 4 and 6 yo LOVE doing math. They usually do way more than the one page I tell them to do and they started a few weeks back.  They didn't want to wait.  We use Math U See and all the kids really like it, me too!  I can't imagine using any other math program.  Well, I better get off here.  I have a few more things to get ready for tomorrow but my kitchen is clean, laundry is put away and floors are swept, not bad for the first day of homeschooling huh?

God is so great and awesome!  I am so amazed at His love for us and how He helps us even in the small things.  He is so wonderful!

P.S.  I forgot to tell you that I made dd another skirt today!  I took a pair of her jeans, ripped the seams out, put in a filler in the front and sewed the back.  It was easy and it took me two hours from start to finish.  I need to fix a couple things though, I need to make it shorter (it drags the ground) and I need to make the slit in back a little longer as she can't take very long strides.  However, she loves it and wore it to football practice tonight. She could hardly wait until I got it done after I told her what I was doing.  I will try to post a picture of it when I get it fixed.

Blessings,

Rashel

• 2 Comments • Post a Comment • Permanent Link

I found some curriculum and extra books that I thought I would sell.  Just message me if you are interested in any of them.

These books are all used but in good condition, if specific problems, I will list it.  We are a nonsmoking home.  I accept noncredit card paypal or money order. Prices include media mail postage, if you order 3 or more you can take $1 off the price.

Home Style Teaching by Raymond & Dorothy Moore $4 - it does have previous water damage but the pages are not torn or stuck together, you can only see the lines from the damage. It is still very readable.

Christian Liberty Press

Studying God's Word Book A $4, there are 4 pages of questions answered

The World God Made $4, 3 pages are written on

The American People & Nation, Teachers Manual $3

Readers

Favorite Poems of Childhood $2

Mr. Popper's Penguins $4

Charlotte's Web $3

Winnie the Pooh's ABC $3, hardback (writing on inside cover, name)

Blood and Guts $5

Thanks,

Rashel

• 0 Comments • Post a Comment • Permanent Link

I think I should clarify a few things from my previous posts.  First, all of those things I wrote are my own personal opinions and I do not expect everyone to agree with me.  Second, while I know there are many reasons a family may not be able to homeschool that are very valid reasons, my post was directed more toward the families that make excuses why they don't homeschool instead of just saying it is because they don't want to.  I think that if you really want to, you will find a way if at all possible.  I think that if you don't want to, then you can find any number of excuses like some of those I listed previously.  But please do me a favor and just be honest with yourself and everyone else about why you do or do not homeschool.  I also know that every family has to pray and seek what is best for their particular family and I can't say that my children will never be in public school, only God knows what the future holds.  I can, however, say that at this time in my life, I am convinced that homeschool is the best place for my children.  You will also have a very hard time convincing me that public school is better than homeschool.  Now before anyone jumps down my throat, I am not talking about homeschool where the parents say they are homeschooling but then never teach their child a thing.  I am talking about families that truly want the best for their children and decide to teach them at home. 

I also know that I have struggled at times during our homeschooling years and I feel for anyone that is struggling now. All I can say, is pray and then pray some more.  Ask God for guidance, for wisdom and for the strength to do what He has called you to do.  I also believe that if God has purposed in your heart to homeschool (called you to it), then He is faithful to complete that work in you and your family and He will not forsake nor leave you.  Okay, one last thing.  If you feel led to homeschool but your husband does not, you must submit to your husband.  He will have to stand before the Lord and answer for his actions, whether he followed the will of God for his family or not.  You will have to stand before the Lord and answer to whether or not you submitted to your husband.

Okay, I must get off for now.  May you seek God for wisdom and guidance.

Rashel

• 5 Comments • Post a Comment • Permanent Link

Okay, I said I would do this one later but I just have to do it while it is on my mind.  I know that there really are families that cannot homeschool for several reasons, financial or otherwise, they are not my focus right now and besides, I believe those families are few and far between.  I believe that most just don't want to but make excuses that they "can't" just to make themselves feel better.  Yes, there are also those that don't want to and will just tell you that, I have more respect for them simply because they are being honest about the whole thing.  I am sure if you homeschool, you have heard these excuses plus more.  I will start listing the ones that bother me the most and these are in no order.  Let me also say that I am rather blunt and I don't sugercoat the way I feel, so here it is. Take it or leave it.  Also, none of these are directed to anyone I know and I am not posting this because of anything someone has said to me recently, I just wanted to post about it!

1. "I just don't have the patience."  Well, I am not some superhuman mom with loads of patience, just ask my kids.  But, homeschooling is not about me, it is about doing what is best for my kids.  I pray for patience, I try to practice patience and then I pray some more.  Did I mention I pray?

2. "I couldn't handle being around them all day." (or something to that extent, like they would drive me crazy, etc.) Okay, so if you don't want to be with your kids, why did you have them in the first place?  I love my kids.  Yes, we have moments that I really need some alone time but that doesn't mean I want alone time 8 hours a day, 5 days a week.

3. "I couldn't teach them.  They don't even listen to me when I try to help them with their homework."  Well, first of all it is because their teacher has taught them one way to do it and you are not their teacher, therefore, you don't know what you are talking about.  If you homeschooled, you would be the teacher and you could work with them figuring out several ways to do it until they understood.  Also, would you want to go to school 8 hours a day and then come home and do more schoolwork?  I wouldn't.  They are frustrated and tired by that point, of course they are going to be grumpy about it.  You can teach them and if you don't know what you are teaching, you learn it right along with them.  That is what books are for.

4.  "They would fight all day." or "They would never get their school done, they would just want to play all day."  Ok, let me just say one word here, DISCIPLINE!  Okay, maybe I will say more.  YOU are the parent, not them.  You are to train them up, the Bible teaches us this.  How you do it is up to you, as long as it is working.  If your method isn't working, then by golly, try a different method.  My kids do fight, but not all day and not most of the time.  They really enjoy playing together and some of my best memories are of watching them all play together, sharing, imagining and having fun together. I could go on and on, but you can read my previous post for more.

There are so many more excuses, but just let me say in my own opinion, that is all they are, excuses.  Maybe both parents work, there are ways you can still homeschool.  Maybe both parents don't really need to work, you have just gotten used to your way of life and don't want to give anything up, that is an excuse.  Yes, we do without somethings because I stay home.  But what I gain by staying home with my children is much more valuable than some material object I would be able to buy if I worked. 

Okay, I also just have to add that there have been many times I have thought of putting my children back in public school but just as soon as I think about it, something happens to reaffirm my conviction to keep them home.  Some girl in 3rd grade gets a hand up her skirt, or a boy gets a knife in his face.  The school system hires a gay teacher (yes, I have a problem with that).  They move 5th grade to junior high or the teacher says they have to read the newest book on scorcery and witchcraft.   Yes, it would be easier to send them to public school.  Homeschool is work but it is not as much as most people think and it is SOOO worth it.  I love my kids and I enjoy having them with me.

more later I am sure, feel free to post your comments

Rashel

• 2 Comments • Post a Comment • Permanent Link