Busy Days!

We are into our third week of school.  Things are going very well.  Sticking to my no lesson plan strategy quite well and it's working. 

We are still not at full school schedule.  We are easing back into the routine.  This week I'm adding Latin and Art.  Next week I will add History and Science and then, finally, we will be back at full schedule. 

Hopefully soon I will be able to get back into my study of Charlotte Mason.  As the weather begins to turn cold...I hope...I will find more time to concentrate on this project.

Special congratulations to my daughter, Megan.  She won second place in the Senior Arts and Crafts division at our local County Fair.  Below is a picture of her and her painting.

First Day 2010-2011

Great start to a great new school year!  I managed to get up on time.  After a summer of sleeping in that was a major step.  Kids got up on time and with no major complaints.  After a few deep sighs the day started and within 30 minutes everyone agreed that it great to be back in school. 

Taking it easy as we ease back into our school life.  Don't want to overdo it the first day.  Everyone was finished before lunch. 

Excited about the days and weeks ahead.  First day has always been stressful for me.  But not today.  Kept my promise to myself of no lesson plans.  Just made a few notes on what I wanted to talk about and cover today.  Have done the same for tomorrow.  Hopefully these lists of talking points will become more of a school journal instead of a strict plan that must be followed. 

My gang adjusting to the new routine of school.

Child's Play

What did children do before TV, game stations, computers, cell phones?  They played.

This school year things will be different at the Moomaw house.  No TV until the weekend when we will watch a program as a family, one hour a week on the game station, and thirty minutes on Facebook.  Ouch!  That hurts!  The parents have to set the example.

Our school day will begin at 8 am and end a 1 pm.  Then its outside to play and exercise our bodies.  Yes, that goes for mom as well.

All of our school materials have arrived, organized, and ready.  But, as promised earlier, I have not written any lesson plans.  I've made a schedule to follow.  We will do as much as possible within a certain time frame.  Then move on to the next subject, at 1 pm the books are put away.

My kids are excited about this approach.  I admit I'm nervous.  Will it work?  Is this really reducing my stress?  I guess we will begin to find out on August 16th, our first day back to school.

Twaddle

Continuing my study of Charlotte Mason she uses the word "twaddle" when speaking of educational materials.  If she felt that way then, how much more can we say it today.

Twaddle is what I have found to much of through my years of homeschooling.

Two years ago I fell into the belief that one of my children needed reinforcement in grammar.  I bought a workbook.  After a few days of workbook activities my sons eyes began to glaze over.  He was not being reinforced, he was bored.  I still felt it necessary to continue.  So after a few more days he begged, "Please, mommy, no more workbooks." 

Workbooks are easy for parents.  You assign  so many pages and look over them later.  But what did your child learn; how was his imagination ignited; did he grow as a person?

I no longer use workbooks.  If one of my children begins to struggle we spend more time one-on-one.  I give them a little extra work.  But the most important and meaningful thing I have done so far is to just sit and talk to the struggling child.  If given the opportunity the child will tell you why they are having a hard time.  The solution is usually very simple.  With my son he needed to be in a communal area to do his work.  Previously he had been working alone in his room.  He told me his mind tended to wonder away from his work when he was alone.  Problem solved.

For grammar this year we will be using Writing Strands and a good English handbook.  I find standard grammar textbooks too much like workbooks.  The best way to learn to write is to simply write.

I love grammar and am excited about this approach.  But even if grammar is not your forte this approach is easier than teaching your children endless diagramming of sentences.  And far less torturous for you both.

"Children Are Born Persons"

This is Charlotte Mason's first point in her 20 points on education.  But what does it mean?

I believe it means that children are not something that we parents mold, shape, or prune.  Instead, children are people; people who need to grow in knowledge.

Parents do not own children.  We own a dog.  Our children are person and they belong to God.  Parents are merely entrusted with giving them an education.

I love Noah Webster's definition of education from the 1828 edition of his dictionary.

"Education, n. [L. educatio] The bringing up, as of a child, instruction; formation of manners.  Education comprehends all that series of instruction and discipline which is intended to enlighten the understanding, correct the temper, and form the manners and habits of youth, and fit them for usefulness in their future stations.  To give children a good education in manners, arts and science, is important; to give them a religious education is indispensable, and an immense responsibility rests on parents and guardians who neglect these duties."

Notice the wording Mr. Webster uses: enlighten and correct.  These are positive words.  But education today has become something that we use to mold, shape, or prune children.  Notice that these words are negative in that they are forcing the child to become something other than what he/she was made to be. 

God only has the ability to mold, shape, or prune.  We, as parents, need to enlighten and correct the child.

The Gentle Art of Education

I have started reading one of those dusty volumes that have been sitting on my bookshelf waiting for me to discover the nuggets of truth they contain.  Lots of questions have been spinning around in my head.

Just because our curriculum says it is a "christian" curriculum does that mean we are giving our children a christian education? 

Am I out of step with God's directions for education?

What are my priorities?

Why don't I take the time every day to read aloud with my children?

Why don't I talk more with my children instead of to my children?

Why have we never been camping?  Other than the obvious excuse that I'm more of an indoor girl.

Is God pleased with what I'm doing for the education of my children?

According to Charlotte Mason, "children are born persons."  If children are persons why do we treat them like little robots?

I have always been against institutionalized education.  So why have I made my dining room into a little school room?

Still seeking answers.  But God is working and showing me the way.

Rediscovery

Years ago, when I began to look into homeschooling I purchased a set of books called "The Original Homeschooling Series" by Charlotte Mason.  I read these rather meaty books, but I can honestly say I did not understand a lot of what was in them.  The ideas put forth by Charlotte Mason were intriguing.  I wanted to know more about her philosophy.  Sometime later  I found two companion books:  "For the Children's Sake" by Susan Schaeffer Macaulay and "A Charlotte Mason Companion" by Karen Andreola.  I am ashamed to say I never read these books.  They have been collecting dust on my bookshelves.  Until two days ago at least.  

I have rediscovered an idea that homeschooling can be fun for the child as well as the parent.  I am veraciously reading these books with a highlighter in hand and a notebook and pen nearby.  This is what I've been looking for!

Lesson Plans

We still have 6 weeks of summer vacation left.  But I've been thinking about lesson plans.  In years past I have planned out the whole year - how many pages per day, how many chapters per week, etc.  We have never been able to keep up the rigorous schedule I've set.  By Christmas vacation I've always had to rework the plan.  I feel as though I've spent more time planning than doing. 

This year I will not do that.  I will plan for one week at  a time.  Short term goals are much easier to manage and will help me keep my stress level down. 

I will not be ruled by textbooks and lesson plans.  We will do each day what we can.  The next day will be a brand new day. 

Summer Vacation

Homeschooling in the summer?  That is something I'm not doing this year.  My kids are reading for enjoyment and having a relaxing summer.  We have schooled in the summer before.  This year, however, my husband and I decided that it would be more beneficial to spend fun family time together. 

Homeschooling families have an opportunity to really spend time and enjoy our children.  If we allow the textbooks to rule us, however, we can become so consumed and stressed that noboby is happy.  Like most moms, I have allowed that to happen.  It's time for change!

That is the purpose of this blog.  As I learn to reduce the stress in my homeschool I will share with you what I'm learning. 

Have a wonderful and blessed day of fun with your kids. 

Welcome!

Hi! Welcome to my blog. Pardon me while I figure out exactly what I'm doing. I'm a new blogger and am still learning the ropes.

I hope to share with you my experiences of homeschooling for the last 12 years.

I'll be back as soon as possible.