Within the Lines

School?

Still here -- no seed starting pictures to produce yet.  Hope to get those going today. 

Anemia report -- slightly up at 10.7.  Feeling mostly better, and really in need of some exercise.  Husband doesn't want me to overdo it, so wants me to wait on exercise and rest every afternoon.  I think it's helping a lot, but I'm also getting stir-crazy, and having trouble sleeping.  Don't know what to think about all this -- except I'd much rather nurse than be the patient!!

Did some remodelling --again-- on our daily school schedule.  I nudged more toward Charlotte Mason, with her emphasis on short lessons.  It only took me 2 years, but I figured out how to do so many varied things in a school day without being frazzled --- small quantities!  Plan only what you can do in 15-30 minutes, rather than trying to cram a curriculum plan that requires an hour's worth of work into your time slot.  The kids say they like school "better than ever" this way, so I guess it's what fits our family.  I'm still not totally satisfied.  I want more (at least equal) emphasis on life-learning rather than so heavy on book-learning.  I feel that I am still too "schoolish".  If we don't do every subject, finish the pages, read every book, answer every question correctly, we didn't do "school" right.  But as we're studying pioneer times (using Little House on the Prairie), I keep noticing all the things the kids knew how to do by 10 years old, like my oldest, even if they had little "book-learnin'".  Doesn't it seem wrong that I keep wishing to teach Bug-10 more about how to keep house, sew, cook, but we don't have time because we have to do "school"?

This & That

Thank you, Sara, for the comment.  My goodness!!  I sat in opened-mouth shock as I read that you saw my day as so organized.  I felt like it was mass chaos, but then nearly every day feels that way.  That's why I wanted to write and share; so others could know that it will sometimes be not so nice and neat.  Maybe our days feel chaotic simply because there's a lot going on, but there's more order than we know.  Hmmm...  Anyway, you asked what's on the "waiting list". 

It's very simple, nothing fancy.  I just got frustrated with hearing, what felt like every few minutes, "Mom, I'm done.  Can I go play?"  So I ran into the computer one day and whipped this paper out.  It says:

Waiting?  You could...

Recheck work

Practice handwriting

Read assigned reading

Look up spelling words in dictionary

Write a letter

Study memory work

Study Spanish

Drill math flashcards

Look up history or science topics in encyclopedia

To quick-brighten it up, I made every other line red.  Printed it on cardstock, and put it up on the cupboards above the kids heads in the school room.  It's worked well.

In other news, I didn't realize some of the effects of anemia till this weekend.  I knew I'd been somewhat slow-moving, tireder than normal.  I didn't know that the depletion of oxygen can cause irritability and low appetite in addition to the tiredness.  I tend to approach illness with denial -- if I say I'm fine and well, then I will be.  But I've been just not myself, and that little symptom (not acting normal) keeps bothering me.  Found out a couple weeks ago that despite taking iron and emphasizing it in my diet, I was still going down -- from 10.5 mid-January (post miscarriage) to 10.1 in mid-February.  So I'll take my iron, eat liver, and check again mid-March.  I was led by God to go to our pastor and ask to be prayed for and anointed with oil as described in James, which happened yesterday.  As God wills...

Had the best time cross-country skiing on Saturday.  It was so beautiful; the sky couldn't have been bluer.  Hoping (maybe, maybe) to go again today.  We'll see...

Well, I've done my walking on the treadmill, sorted the laundry, gotten bread out to thaw for breakfast, and in 10 minutes (at 7:00) the kids will be up.   Better go get dressed and start on that breakfast. 

Couldn't Have Said It Better Myself

Following is an article by Elizabeth Elliot.  I understand & empathize with this woman's guilty feelings -- been there -- but I love Elizabeth's response.  Very clearly articulated!

First Day of School!

Back to school -- after a 4-week break.  (I revised our schedule since my last posting.  We now start mid-September rather than beginning of October.)  Our first day went fine, tho we did lag behind my planned time schedule in everything.  So far, I look at it as to be expected with a new routine.  I'll give it a week and see if it needs changes then.  Kids enjoyed it; I enjoyed it; we learned.  I call that a successful day!  Their favorite is still Spanish, I think.  Sometime later this week, I'll have more time (when I haven't taken up my computer time ordering books from the library) to post our school "plan-of-attack".  Buenos dias!

Curriculum Faves

Since the most recent Homeschool Minute from Old Schoolhouse was about choosing curriculum, I decided I wanted to write about some of my favorites.

1) Math-U-See.  Ours is a typical MUS testimonial.  Math has always been my least favorite thing in the universe; this sentiment is shared by my Bug(9).  For 1st grade, I purchased a used Bob Jones math curriculum.  It was so dry, boring and "schoolish" that I decided to switch to Saxon, after seeing how they break the lesson into a variety of things.  I stuck with Saxon for two years (or was it a year and a half) that felt like 10 l-o-n-g years...      in a desert...    with no water...    except the pool made by our tears.  (Not to criticize Saxon fans at all; I realize everyone has their own preferences.)  Finally my husband in desperation went online looking for alternatives and found MUS.  I had seen info on it before but didn't like their previous approach.  With the revamping, it looked a LOT more intriguing; thus, given the emotional status in our home, husband ordered it immediately.  We have loved it right from the minute we started till now, 1 1/2 years later.  Steve Demme helps me understand math, which is no small feat in itself, and has helped reach the one goal I had for Bug's math instruction this year -- that she would gain confidence and enjoyment of math.  She actually really, really likes it now, tho I doubt she'll major in math in college.

2) SpellingTime.com  Anyone who begins to talk homeschooling with me right now soon knows how much I love this site.  I had purchased Spelling Power a couple years ago and really liked their approach and lists.  When I used it for a year, I discovered that I am not to be depended on to spend a bunch of time ahead to prepare games and supplies and stand on my head (not really) in order to "flesh out" the lessons.  I managed pre-tests, oral tests, sentence-writing, and final tests, but nothing really fun.  SpellingTime has filled in that blank for me.  For those of you unfamiliar with it, it's a free website for teachers and homeschoolers to use to help their students practice spelling.  You can either use their grade-appropriate lists or modify them to suit you.  I modify them using the Spelling Power lists.  Son(5) and Bee(2) go running into the office when it's time for Bug(9) to do spelling because it's such fun.  Because of this, I've recently started Son(5) on it using lists I create from his AlphaPhonics lessons.  He is so thrilled, he talks about it non-stop all day long.  You can't help but be impressed with something that makes spelling the most fun part of the day!

3) Social Studies.  I've just this year created my own plan for social studies that I'm really enjoying.  I decided to divide the subject into 4 topics: Bible/Character, History, Geography, and Science.  We school 4 days per week thus one topic per day.  Monday is Bible/Character;  we are going thru chronologically, hitting the age-appropriate highlights and discussing the issues and virtues that arise.  Tuesday is History;  I use All Thru the Ages, Story of the World, and the library to cover history chronologically, relying largely on living books and lively discussion.  Wednesday is Geography; I have sort of a two-pronged approach to geography right now.  We study natural regions of the world connected to science studies, and we study missionaries and the countries they're working in.  For this second area, I love Window on the World, and I also use several online sources such as Glimpses for Kids and 40 Missionary Stories.  Thursday is Science; we are studying life in 6 natural regions for the rest of this year using various resources of our own and the library.  This is just the bare-bones outline of what we do, but it is something that is really working for us (finally) and we are all really enjoying -- and learning besides!

That's all I have time for now.  We'll see if I come up with more I want to write later.

Thoughts From a MN Homeschool Association Leader

Recently published in our Minnesota hs assoiation newsletter:

Therefore, my beloved brethren,

be ye stedfast,

unmoveable,

always abounding in the work of the Lord,

forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

I Corinthians 15:58  KJV

Are all our efforts as wives, mothers, and housewives worthwhile? We have grown up in a society which extols women who can shatter the "glass ceiling" of their professions or businesses – and also be interesting, attractive wives; caring, responsive, and wise mothers; and keep an orderly, beautiful home with meals prepared on time and presented well, and... The reality is that it is impossible to be this kind of a Super Woman. Successful homeschooling mothers have made the choice to eschew the "glass ceilings" and devote themselves to their family's needs.

But, in your heart of hearts do you ever wonder if the (often) mundane monotony and dailyness of preparing another meal, cleaning up another mess, changing diapers, washing the incessant loads of laundry, dealing with disappointing attitudes, and... is really going to pay off?!

Dear sister, because I am a person who has to face my mortality everyday, I think a lot about what are truly worthwhile investments of our time and energy as the days fly by. I have become convinced that we have not been called to be "successful," but obedient.  Regardless of this present world's ideas, your peers' expectations, or even your personal estimation of what constitutes success, when we meet our Lord in eternity all that will matter will be:

1.       Did we accept the unconditional forgiveness the blood of Christ offers us in order to stand before Him cloaked in, and covered with, the righteousness of Christ?

2.       Did we take advantage of the privilege we have as forgiven servants to obey our Lord's instructions for the service He wanted us to perform for Him?

What does the Lord require of us as His servants? The Lord has many avenues of service which He gives His daughters the privilege of performing for His purposes. However, regardless of what specific tasks He brings your way, if you are married and have children, you are:

...to be sober,

to love [your] husbands,

to love [your] children,

to be discreet,

chaste,

keepers at home,

good,

obedient to [your] own husbands,

that the word of God be not blasphemed.

Titus 2:4-5  KJV

Thoughts and tips from Ruth Lindstrom

April 2, 2007

Today...

Today,  I've decided to get back to more consistent blogging.  I've set it aside now for several months for a variety of reasons, but I'm longing to write more consistently.  Hopefully, time will allow it.

Today, I was up at 5:30am, jotted notes about today's schooling, and walked 1 1/3 miles on the treadmill.  Got a load of laundry started before heading for the shower.  After showering, I ate my breakfast of grapefruit and muffin while listening to my husband do morning Bible story with the kids (they had breakfasted while I was showering).  One day soon I hope to record one of these devotions; they're so fun!  A while back he introduced a sock puppet named LoneFeather (a rooster friend of his that has only one feather).  The kids have now created their own sock puppets to join the fun.  My son(5), with the help of Gramma, created "FunBunny".  He's very particular about the name.  It is not Funny Bunny, or any other variation!  My daughter(9) created "Rosa" yesterday.  Rosa has a strange hair style made from a milkweed pod. 

After devotion and chores, it was time for school.  Today was daughter(2)'s day for her morning visit with Gramma (next door).  Daddy took her over while I began laundry and older two did some exercise on trampoline.  I did some calisthenics with the kids and then we headed to the craft/school room.  Our school day begins with recitation; today's recitation was the Pledge of Allegiance, a memory verse from each kid, and the books of the Bible (we're up to Daniel).  Since we were a bit behind schedule, I skipped the Kids4Truth online devotional and Spanish, and we began today's social studies which was an ancient history reading/study concerning the early peoples of India.  After reading and discussion, the kids did a (history) coloring sheet while I went to pick up youngest.  When I returned, it was time for language arts.  Daughter(9) had a couple grammar worksheets about making nouns possessive, then headed to the computer to do her spelling lesson (list taken from Spelling Power) at SpellingTime.com.  (I am a complete fan of this site.  Daughter loves spelling now because of it, and the other kids usually run to be in on the fun when she's doing spelling.)  Meanwhile I worked with son(5) on an AlphaPhonics lesson.  He's very proud of his reading!  After reading the lesson and working on difficult areas, he was assigned to write a sentence of his choice from the lesson.  While he worked on this, I read Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear? to daughter(2).  She loves that book, particularly when the animals grown and snarl and trumpet and flute.  Son(5) did a math worksheet after writing his sentence, and then was allowed a "recess" to play an alphabet computer game.  Daughter(9) completed grammar and spelling and a math worksheet from MUS.  Then she was ready to give son(5) his recorder lesson and complete her own guitar lesson (using an instructional cd).  They came up while I was making lunch to show me how son(5) is also learning to strum the guitar.  They were very proud of their "show".

After a lunch of leftover chicken pilaf, daughter(9) went next door to Gramma's to do some work for her.  She wants to earn money for a horse.  She took brother and sister with her so that I could go check a neighbor's house as she has to be out of town right now.  It was a nice drive, to be out, clears the head.  I returned to "Gramma's" and dropped off some things for her to sell on ebay and picked up my beloved children.  Daughter(2) was jumping up and down at their sliding door when she saw me coming.  That just makes my day!

Now they are napping (well, oldest is reading); I am writing, and need to go get things done.  Fortunately tonight's dinner is the easy one -- waffles.  But I need to fold clothes, straighten the house, check daughter's math sheet, and a million other little things that never count enough to get on the list.