Shakin' Down the Acorns

Whispering Hills RV Park in Shreve hosted a music fest called Shakin' Down the Acorns. They had an open mic night on Friday where there were just a ton of incredibly talented and FUN musicians sharing old-time, celtic, folk and bluegrass music. On Saturday, we had a birthday party to go to during the day, and then we headed back to the festival where they had a band contest. There were so many very neat people there! One of the neat things that happened was that when I walked in I recognized the face of a boy whom I hadn't seen for 8 years, and then had only seen briefly. But I knew it was him! I turned to Bard and said, "See the boy in the white shirt?" She nodded. "I was there when his little brother was born!" I'm not sure she believed me, but sure enough, I found his mom, Kathy, sitting at a picnic table and, while her back was turned, sat right beside her, touching her knee. She looked at me puzzled, and then her eyes widened and she gave me a big hug. :-) Keep in mind that she and I haven't seen each other since the day her son James was born, nine years ago! It was so wonderful to see her again, as her labor had been my first and one of my favorites. I don't believe any other birth even came close to being as memorable as hers was. It turns out that her four boys, ages 14 down to 8, all play instruments and had just finished playing in the band contest, so I missed their playing. But we were able to spend the evening reaquainting ourselves with them and finding that they only live about 30 minutes from us now, farming, selling organic produce and homeschooling (organic learning). We exchanged e-mail addresses and phone numbers and I hope to invite them out so their boys can play for our open house in October.

After the band contest, there was a concert by a man named Robin Kessinger, a national flatpick guitar champion, which was really fun and inspiring. When he finished, a jam session was formed, a caller came to the front of the room, and there was DANCING. Line dancing, square dancing, reels, contradancing...it was SOOO much fun! I couldn't get Edison or Monet to dance, and Sweetheart wouldn't dance in the group, but off to the side, and Bard wouldn't dance at first. But Bohemian and I started right away and had a blast! Then Bohemian took Baby and I begged Bard to dance with me. She did, and then she didn't stop! She loved it! Given that Kathy's boys were all dancing, too, and that there were only a couple of young girls there (including Edison's fiddle teacher and her sister), Bard was a pretty popular dance partner. :-) We had such a fantastic time, I think it will be in our regular schedule to attend dances and jam sessions from now on.

Intended Plans

Today the kids and I sat down with all of our favorite learning resources anddecided on what we'd like to begin learning. What I realize is that there'sno shortage of stuff to learn, just a shortage of time and energy! I thinkwe came to a good balance, which I'll soon be posting Basically, I just decided to have a few things that we do daily, like copy poetry for handwriting and spelling practice, do some creative writing, keep a journal, do math drills or worksheets, reading lesson for Sweetheart and whatever else we happen to hit. We used a journal to make lists of what we'd like to accomplish this year, what we'd like to do each day, each week, each month,when we feel like it, when we're waiting for something or someone, and all of the topics we'd like to learn about. I also hope to go through the No-Cost, Low Cost Curriculum book for Edison, Monet and Sweetheart so that I can have an approach that feels comfortable. We're planning to subscribe to and use aleks.com to tutor in math. I will also go through my skills evaluation for the homeschool, part of The Weaver by Rebecca Avery, and see how we're doing. As far as "boxed" curricula, I really don't have any. We will probably use Saxon Math for the younger kids, Beautiful Feet history books, because I have them, we're thinking about having a Konos day once a week since I have the Konos book, and I want to go through both Five in a Row and The Prairie Primer with the younger kids.These are our plans, all very ambitious. This is more of a plan than I've done in the past couple of years because of our building process, and I'm sure it will change as we change, as our schedules change, as we find different materials, and as we burn out. But, hopefully, this will be our learning path.

How Do I Start the First Day???

This post was written by veteran homeschooler, Norma Curry in response to a new homeschooler who wondered how to start her first day of home education. I thought it was absolutely excellent advice, so I asked Norma's permission to republish it here. So, with her blessing, here is Norma's advice:

The beauty of home education is that you get to decide what kind of scheduling works for you and your family. If you have early birds in your family you can begin your day early (lucky you!), and if you are like more of us and have kids who would rather sleep than breathe you will probably begin your day late. Teens are definitely prone to the latter.If you have things that your student must do at any time of day, like mucking stables, or getting to practice ice for skating, or the gym for gymnastics, or fencing class, or to an art class or cello lesson, then you can arrange your schedule around those things.

If you must work part of the day you can arrange your direct interaction with your child around your work schedule. And your child can do more self-directed learning activities, too, giving you more freedom.

If you have a child who loves discipline and routine then you will probably devise a disciplined and routine oriented learning schedule. If you have a very creative type learner then you will probably go for a more ecclectic mode of learning. All are viable and all can work, depending on the learner.

Remember that learning does not only take place while reading a textbook or "doing" school work. Learning is all around us, everywhere, all the time:

• in the kitchen;
• in the workshop;
• in the backyard garden or bird feeders;
• on hikes in the woods;
• helping grandma make a quilt;
• singing in a choir;
• dancing;
• taking care of animals;
• volunteering;
• hanging out at the library;
• watching movies and educational videos;
• traveling;
• reading;
• writing;
• watching PBS;
• doing research at the computer;
• visiting a museum;
• going on lots of different field trips;
• organizing events and activities;
• doing art projects;
• in clubs and organizations;
• in sports and recreational activities;
• and so on.

So be sure to count ALL your instructional hours. You will be amazed!

Learning does not have to come packaged in textbooks and workbooks unless you have a child who really enjoys that kind of thing. If so then you might start out doing lots of "school at home" type activities. If not then you will be fighting all the time to get your child to do things he or she simply does not want to do, and, truth be told, does not have to do to learn. And forcing a child to do something is not conducive to good learning.

Ecclectic learning does not eliminate excellent learning options. Start out spending lots of time at the library. Find out about any programs for homeschoolers they might have. And there are always other programs for kids after school and on weekends. Check with your local parks and recreation folks to see what they are offering; again, often there are classes for homeschoolers. And then follow your child's interests and organize activities that feed those interests. Learning does not have to be painful or boring or sitting in a chair at a table.

The best learning is hands-on so you can help your child find activities that she enjoys and that inspire him to want to learn more.

Plan visits to interesting places whenever you can:

• go to the Renaissance Fair;
• visit your local dairy, factory, bakery, food processing plant;
• attend historical re-enactments.
• Buy one museum or special facilities membership per year (or more if you can afford them) and attend all the great events available to members in these facilities. These might include:

• the Cincinnati Art Museum;

  the Taft Museum;

  The Cincinnati Museum Center ($55/year for a family membership,
  special
  to home educators!);

  the Newport Aquarium;the brand new Freedom
  Center;

  the Contemporary Art Center;

  the Berringer Crawford Museum;

  Heritage Village Museum;

  and many others

If your child already has special interests then further support those interests:

• join a rock and minerals group;
• join a group into fossils, like Dry Dredgers;
• join 4-H and do projects, whether or not you plan to show them at the county or state fairs;
• join a club for any sport;
• join an astronomy group;
• and if you can't find a group form one of your own and tell others about it.

Scheduling? Take your pick. The day is yours and no one else has any right to tell you how to organize it. Figure out what is best for you, your student, your family, and go from there. Generally you will do lots of tweaking and adjusting as you go along. My daughter started her first job at 12 and has been working ever since, so some of her scheduling had to revolve around her work, and still does. She also skates everyday, so again, her scheduling often revolves around when she can get ice time. And she has, over the years, taken many classes. We then had to work her schedule, and mine, around those classes.

Basically home education is a juggling act. The difference is that you have far more time in which to juggle everything. You do not lose that big 6-8 hour chunk of each day that most kids spend sitting in school, plus getting to and from school. And that really makes a difference, stretches out all your options. Give yourself some time to feel your way through what works best for you. Never assume! Just because something works for someone else does not mean that it will for you. And just because the folks in public or parochial school do it that way does not mean it is the right way, or the only way to do it.

Stay open to new ideas. Have fun! Look at every situation you encounter every day and ask yourself what you are learning, or what you could be learning from that situation.

• Do math at the grocery store, or on any kind of shopping trip, or when planning family travel.
• Do science in the kitchen or with household cleaning, or in the backyard.
• Do literature in the car with books on tape.
• Or listen to classical music, or foreign language lessons as you travel in your car.
• These days you can even have personal DVD players in the car so each kid can watch good educational DVDs while you drive anywhere, or while waiting in the doctor's or dentist's office.
• Check out my recent posting about how to get hundreds of free educational DVDs.

Relax! No one is keeping tabs on you. No one is going to come in and tell you what you have to do or when you have to do it. Find your own rhythmn. Allow some time to "deschool" for a while. And then do whatever works best for you. That is what home education is all about.

Written by Norma Curry

SoYouWanna improve your table manners?

SoYouWanna improve your table manners?

Here is a site that can teach children (and adults) table manners in a quick and "for dummies" style.

Theatre Meeting

We attended a meeting last night for the arts council's theatre project for Make a Difference Day. They're planning an hour long presentation with three vignettes about history in our county. Bard and Edison attended. We had a discussion about homeschooling with the meeting leader, as he had been homeschooled his 6th and 7th grade years. We also discussed opportunities and career goals, and talked about how things change and you really never know what your career will be. He said he wanted to have a career in radio, and is now an actor and writes for the local papers. We also discussed historical theatre in the area, and he gave us some good ideas of shows to attend.

Excusal Letter

Yesterday, August 26th, I received my excusal letter from compulsory education for this year.

Edison's Scooter

Edison decided that, now that he's making money by doing magic tricks at the bakery, he will begin to save money for an electric scooter. Bohemian and I both had separate talks with him about how he will spend his money, including discussions of how to determine what you really want to do with your money and the importance of honoring your parents when you spend your money. We explained to him that "his" money is not actually his at all and is only in his pocket because we allow him to go to the bakery and don't make him pay his way through life just yet. We came to the conclusion, mutually, that he will keep half and spend half of the money he makes. I think he'll be amazed when he sees how quickly he can save money.

We told him that he is to do some research and write a report about scooters, asking others their opinion about buying scooters and doing research about particular makes and models. Bohemian seemed to feel that any scooter that would cost $100-150 would not get you very far before the battery needed to be recharged. Right now, Edison is riding his bike to and from the bakery, and I told him that, if he does buy a scooter, he needs to make an agreement with me that he will continue to ride his bike to the bakery. I'm so thrilled that he's getting exercise daily, and I don't want him to give that up.

Bard's First Job

When Bard realized how soon her China money would be due, she began a plan of action. One of the first things she did was go to some of the neighbors and offer to do odd jobs. Yesterday one of the neighbors called and asked if Bard could come and scrub her porch and weed her flower beds. Bard spent most of yesterday and a couple of hours today doing that work. Today, the neighbor gave her a check for $50.00! Go, Bard!

Martha Ballard

Bard and I went to a neighbor's house today to watch the PBS video about Martha Ballard. On a day where I was feeling rather down and sorry for myself, seeing what M.B. dealt with in her life was very humbling. I think it was eye-opening for Bard to see that the late 1700-early 1800's weren't as innocent and quaint as many like to imply.

Don't forget...

I want to remind myself to write about Edison's scooter and Bard's first paycheck.

Quick update before I forget

We were playing Scrabble tonight, which is an excellent practice for spelling, of course, but also for math. Monet wanted to keep score, so we let him. When it came to adding nines, I saw that he was struggling and wanted to help him learn "the trick" to adding nines. As soon as I started explaining the adding method, he broke down. In some ways, I attribute this to our time with a charter school and the necessity of teaching in a manner that was not received well by the child and at a time when he just wasn't ready. Before long, he had completely shut down and was rubbing his eyes and crying. Because he had reached the stage of totally shutting me out, I sent him to his room to cool off. After he had stopped being hysterical, Bohemian and I both went up, and I explained to him that I loved him very much and wanted to help him, but that he was shutting me out, much like he did the time he made muffins and then realized there were too many for each person to get only one, but not enough for everyone to have two. Thus, the lesson of fractions. However, when I began to teach him the lesson of fractions with the muffins, he shut down. When I reminded him of this time, and how we solved the problem by counting each muffin and "naming" each one for a person in the family and then dividing the rest and "naming" each half for a person in the family, he nodded. Yes, he remembered that. I told him that this was the same thing. He just needed to relax and be open to being taught. Sure enough, we were able to take adding nines step by step. First, we counted on by tens. Then we counted backwards from any given number. Then we counted on by tens from any given number. Soon, he was able to count by tens from any number and could count backwards from any number (but with some difficulty. This will need some work). Before long, he was able to understand the concept of adding nine to any number...add ten, subtract one.

Edison's Magic and Growing Up

Last week, Edison made over $50.00 doing magic tricks in front of the local bakery. Yesterday, we took a trip to the magic shop and he spent $30.00 on new tricks. We also found out about a magic club that meets about 45 minutes from us the last week of each month. I think we'll try to keep that on our calendar.

Last night at the choir meeting, Edison informally performed tricks for some of the choir kids and their parents. I was impressed that he did so well. :-) I hope he keeps up with it, because he does a great job.

He and I discussed future plans. He really hopes to be a performer of some sort. I'm so glad he can be home so that he can pursue his interests. If he were in a school setting, this might not be so easy for him to pursue.

We also discussed growing up. He was surprised to see that some of the kids in choir have grown so much over the summer. Since he's not in school, he doesn't always see this kind of development with his friends. This year, he sees that big change that starts to take place from 13 up. We talked about some of the physical changes that take place when you're a teen. He's started to grow hair on his upper lip. :-)

Bard's Trip to China

Bard will be going to China with her choir in July of 2005, and she's working on raising money to be able to go. On Sunday, we had a discussion with her about whether or not she wants to go (she does), how she will raise the money (many options), and what action steps she'll take to get the money raised. She started on her action steps right away, and as a result, our neighbor called this morning asking her if she would come to do some work! So I'll have to set aside some of the things I had planned for organizing lessons today, since I was going to enlist her help with caring for Baby and cleaning the kitchen, and send her to do some scrubbing and painting at the neighbor's house! Exciting!

::: notification :::

As I wrote before, I sent in my notification letter. I finished it, took it to the post office and mailed it by certified mail. This weekend, I received the receipt that it had been received by the educational center. Now, I will wait for my excusal letter! Yeah! I'm unusually excited about this. :-)

::: gearing up for a new school year :::

Today, I started pulling all of my promising learning resources off the shelves. There's so much good stuff! I hope to take today to begin organizing a bit so that we can add some academics to our interest-led learning. Bard could use some math assistance, Edison some writing and spelling, and the younger children just learning in general, including introduction of concepts. I plan to go through the Skills Evaluation for the Homeschool book to assess the current levels and learning needs of each of the kids.

Sweetheart is really excited about doing lessons. She says she "loves school" and wants to be a cheerleader. ;-)

Edison has been given a clear guideline for doing lessons along with keeping up his visits to the bakery and Penny's house.

We discussed future goals, how important academics are to pursuing a career, and what grade levels mean, for those we encounter who will want to "test" the kids about their grade levels, etc. We also discussed notification and assessment, and how important it is to keep good records of our activities.

I'm excited about this year. I'm hoping to keep a healthy balance between hands-on learning and rote memorization. I also hope to refine my skills of determining when a child is ready to learn something, and letting go if they're not.

I have a lot more on my mind, but I'll come back to it later.

::: the freedom on homeschooling :::

freedom

A cute article about "freedom" from homeschooling. Thanks for sharing it with me, Mrs. Chaser. I knew I had a good reason. :-)

You homeschool your kids? You must be a saint. Think of the freedom you’d have if you sent your kids to school. You’d be free to get up at 6 am to drag them out of their warm beds, so they can get ready to go out into the cold to wait for the bus. You’d be free to mediate the fighting over the bathroom (“No fair! I have to leave first! Make her get out!”). You’d be free... .. to make sure each one takes the right lunch. ...to figure out who left their lunch on the counter. ...to send the right permission slips with the right child. ...to make sure each one has the right books in the right backpack. And if there’s no bus for your neighborhood, you’d be free to drive the kids to school, along with someone’s else’s kids, if you carpool.... Which would leave you free to sit in their driveway honking the horn, shivering and waiting, while your kids fight in the back seat because no one wants to sit next to the kid you’re waiting for. Of course, if you sent your kids to school, now your real freedom would begin, because once the kids are actually in the school building, you’d be free to do what you wanted for an entire six hours: To clean the whole house all on your own, with no help from the kids. To watch “Regis and Kelly” or “The View” (didn’t you love the time the ladies on “The View” interviewed that famous actor, and to impress them he pulled off their shoes and juggled them? What a great show....). To go shopping, though you can’t buy the kids clothes unless they’re with, because you don’t know what’s “in”, and they can’t wear anything to school that’s not “in”. Cardamom Publishers Home Page The Imperfect Homeschooler Text Box: Though But still, you’d have the freedom to do what you want, uninterrupted..... Except, of course, for when the phone rings, and you answer it in case it’s the school nurse calling to say one of your kids got sick at school....(but of course it’s a siding salesperson). Or when you need to run back to school at 11 am because you’re one of the Volunteer Computer Moms (at a school which is already costing you $3000 a year in property taxes), or you’re a Field Trip Chaperone, or a Library Mom, or a Room Mom, or an Art Mom, or a Lunchroom Mom. But still, you’d have freedom for a little while, until it’s time to meet the bus or pick up the kids. Then you’d have to make them all sit down and do homework (even though you feel like a meanie because they just spent all day at school), And listen to them fight because they’re overtired and cranky, And comfort the one who’s crying because “I still don’t get what I’m supposed to do!”, and you’re not much help because you don’t see the point of the assignment, either, And rush them through dinner, because it’s almost time to take one to soccer practice, and another to gymnastics, or to Scouts, or to dance class. And by the time you drop off the last one, the first one will be ready to be picked up, and so you retrace your route, and then head home, where everyone collapses.... For a few minutes, but then it’s time to make them finish the unfinished homework, and take their baths, and lay out the clothes for tomorrow, and get to bed on time, so they won’t give you so much trouble about waking them up at 6 am and dragging them out of their warm beds, so they can get ready to go out into the cold to wait for the bus...... Homeschool your kids? You must be a saint. Think of the freedom you’d have if you sent your kids to school. © 2004 Barbara Frank

The United States Mint's Site for Kids

The United States Mint's Site for Kids

This is the U.S. Mint's site for kids. It has a course on coin collecting and lesson plans for teachers. The site states that coins are History In your Pocket, thus the Hip Site for Kids.

::: edison's coin collection :::

Edison has started a collection of state quarters. Since he's been riding to the bakery a few times a week, he has been asking them to trade him for state quarters. Today he created a chart of state quarters to keep track of the ones he has, from which mint they come, and which ones he still needs. He also started collecting pennies and hopes to collect $100 worth, $50 of which he plans to donate to Bard's China trip.

::: bard's fundraising letter/commas/proofreading :::

Bard began her fundraising letter yesterday and has been working on the rough and final drafts today. She wrote the rough draft, edited for clarity and interest and then edited again for punctuation. We discussed using commas properly per Punctuation Made Easy. We also used this book to discuss correct proofreading symbols. She's doing the dishes now, but when she's done she'll read the proofreading symbols I used on her letter and correct the mistakes.

Kevin's Playroom

Kevin's Playroom

This site has a ton of links for education, ranging in information about subjects from drama to math.