I thought I would share a great resource for those of you who are doing the Lap Book type thing.
She has a lot more on the site than this, but this should get you started! :)
Main site: http://www.homeschoolshare.com/
Abundant personality? Or not enough socialization? You decide.
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Boys. What they're REALLY thinking about...
Okay. He's a boy.
And boys will be boys- or so they say.
They are wired very different.
They do things in ways you never thought someone could.
Or would attempt!
Today: You've told him to brush his teeth 12 times and hurry up about it. He's still in there.
Later he appears to be lost- but you find him... in the garage. Apparently a trip to the laundry room was an adventure.
Now, he is staring out the window at nothing- instead of doing his school stuff.
Just WHAT is going on in that head of his??
Here's a clue...
Under the influence
I have been homeschooling for several years now “officially”. Every one has a different definition of just when you can claim beginning homeschooling. This is especially true if you have a learning lifestyle- which we always have had.
Lately, I have been reading and skimming through some homeschool method books. Not really sure what motivated me to do this- the Lord has already refined quite a bit of what we do ("we" mostly means "I"). I have tried many different ways of doing things and little by little have come to where I stand now. You could say learning to homeschool is a process or an adventure- if you are willing to take it. If you are willing to grow as the Lord is leading.
Have you read any homeschool method books before and thought “wait a minute… we do that!” or “that’s what I’ve been saying!”
The books that kind of took me by surprise were:
You can Teach Your Child Successfully by Ruth Beechick
Heart Of Wisdom Teaching Approach by Robin Sampson
Charlotte Mason Companion by Karen Andreola
It seems that Charlotte Mason and Ruth Beechick sat in on our home school day and wrote books about it. LOL!
And Robin Sampson hits really strong on Bible first-and-all-day-in-every-subject .
Sampson also is a big promoter of the 4mat method which in a nutshell is: get them excited about the subject, study it, and show what you learned. You show what you learned best by lapbooking (scrapfolder) or notebooking or some other project- maybe a diorama or something.
Well, I am a strong believer in lots of Bible, but I did not teach it all school day. So, in that area, I was really challenged. I have committed to do this now.
If you have not read her book… I cannot recommend it highly enough. No other homeschool book has been more valuable. Worth every penny.
Isn't it funny to see that you didn't make up something- that it was already around- you just did not know?
Rodent Hoochie-Koochy
I was visiting my mom out at her farm and we went out outside to the porch where she had a stash of boots to throw on before braving the mud that you so often find out there. She began to put them on and the second boot had something in it!!
She did not get it all the way on when her toes felt something. In a split second- the boot went spinning and flying through the air as she jumped around in a circle screaming- simutaneously BABY MICE went flying through the air- scattering everywhere. I laughed so much I cried and was very glad it was not me.
Perfect for outdoor schooling!
Live in a warm area?
Perhaps you are into nature journaling or do math outside?
CHECK THIS OUT! A converting bench!
"Enjoy this best-seller as a standard garden bench, flip the back to create a bench and desk setup for student journaling, or turn two benches into one picnic table.
In just a couple of hours you can create a very sturdy bench, or convert it into a bench and table for outdoor classroom projects."
How groovy is that?
And cheap, too! Click here: Kids Gardening Store
Ode to the Post-It
Where would I be without the glorious Post-It?
What words could adequately pay honor to such a humble, yet worthy hero?
A fresh pad represents an infinite stack of possibilties.
Clever scribbles, informative notations, don't-forgets, gee-there's-that-page and other endless multitasking.
Quick in a pinch.
My cup overfloweth.
Where would you, the SuperHomeschoolMom, be without the Post-It?
Lost.
Just lost.
Photos courtesy of Google.
No Bible, no breakfast?
Bible reading is very important.
Okay, yes you knew that already.
But did you stop to figure out how much homeschoolers depend on their curriculum of choice to "get the Bible into" their children? Do you? I did.
I'd venture that 95% of curricula out there does -not- have enough of either Bible reading or Bible study to really impact a child for life.
A few years ago, I began a new routine for us. Summed up as "No bible reading- no breakfast". Each child must read for 15 minutes by timer. If they do not read, they don't eat. They always read- and I only had a couple balking issues at the beginning.
They read wherever they want in the bible but are not allowed to skip around during their 15 minutes. They can change places tomorrow but not during a current session.
When we began, my son was 4 at the time and learning phonics. He obviously could not read a regular bible. I had a comic book type bible, "Picture Bible" I think it was called, laying around the house. He "read" that for his time. As he became more proficient at phonics and blending, he would try reading the words that were there. So we moved him up to an NIRV (3rd grade level translation). My daughter was older and read her regular bible.
Because they have read for over three years at 15 minutes a day...they have a LOT of bible in them. Recently I read statistics that only 18% of Christians read their Bible every day and worse- a mere 35% read it once a week (probably during church).
I did the math earlier and reading 15 minutes a day and even skipping two weeks a year... means they each have read at least 260 hours!
Wow! Imagine what that total will be by the time they leave home!
Consider starting a rigorous plan in your home.
Good mouse trap
If you hate, loathe, and despise mice and all their diseased germy vermin-ocity... then you should enjoy this!
I doubt this is an actual event, never the less, I can dream- can't I?
Photo from all4humor.com
Your homeschool's name and mission
I think it is -not- of great importance to have a school name, although it has helped in different small ways.
BUT-- having a mission statement has been foundational. We are committed to homeschool all of our children, without government help, to the end. A mission statement reminds us of our goal.
We chose a mission statement AND a bible verse. From there we decided on a name. We also took into consideration our strong beliefs and any family or area characteristics. We live in Oregon, so it is very green, rainy, flowery, mountainous and has a lot of creeks and rivers. We are also "spirit-filled".
Here is what we have posted on our door:
Our mission in homeschooling is...
to raise our children to desire a deep relationship with the Lord, to be spiritually wise, knowledgeable and well skilled in areas that will contribute to their personal life mission, and develop vision, godly character and compassion for the lost- in the comfort and protection of their own home.
"...like a tree that is planted near water.
It sends out it's roots beside a river.
It is not afraid when heat comes. It's leaves are always green
It does not worry when there is no rain.
It always bears fruit."
Jer 17:8
Our homeschool name is Riverside Bible Academy.
Fold up house
I love to camp and really want my children to have memories of camping. My goal is to go at least three times a year. However, the hassle of packing all the padding and sleeping bags to stay in a tent and all the other gear takes forever.
(Can you hear me whining?)
Last year we had an infant, but that would not deter me from camping, but all the gear-packing-time kept us from not camping at all. I hated that.
How fantastic it would be if all the pans, mosquito repellant (necessary in Oregon), tablecloths, batteries, salt and herbs, soap and such- was already packed?
What if all you needed was fresh clothes and some food?
Well, I would be able to camp on a whim! How cool would that be! Because of this dream, we have wanted to get a camper trailer, but knew we would have to buy or borrow a truck every time we wanted to go. A minivan just won't pull one. So, this is not a reality.
After some investigating, we have been on a quest for a popup camper trailer. Did you know that a decent sized popup camper weighs 2400 lbs? Our van can take that on! Easy!
We are borrowing a Fleetwood 1998 one that sleeps six for this next week. He offered to sell it to us for a fair price. A private sale means we gotta have the money up front. Hmmmm.
Well, here is what it looks like. Two king beds, one full, fridge, stove, sink, heater, lights, storage and more!
Lapbooking & Notebooking
What is lapbooking or notebooking? Is it more work?
Actually, homeschooling comes alive as students make interactive projects -- exploring the fascinating subjects they are learning!
With lapbooking and notebooking, students are engaged in discovery, while creating beautiful mementos for assessment and display.
It is certainly an effective and FUN way to learn and remember material! All subjects can easily be integrated into a hands-on portfolio type of product. Can be very effective in unit studies, delight-directed and classical methods of home education.
Here are some links to get you started! Have fun! :)
www.geocities.com/gibsevengang/lapbooks.html
www.thenewhomemaker.com/makingbooks
www.tobinslab.com/downloads/Lap%20Book%20Info%20Sheet.pdf
www.canby.com/hockmanchupp/student_folder_websites.html
groups.msn.com/RestRefreshmentHomeschoolingwaSpirit-FilledLife/notebooking.msnw
www.geocities.com/Heartland/Park/7380/schoollinks.html#lapbook
You can use a manilla folder (cheap alternative to posterboard!) and refold it with the ends meeting in the middle, as shown here. Or make two of these and glue together to make a huge lapbook with lots of possibilities!
Lemmings
Will your children believe in Jesus when they graduate from high school?
Homeschooled: 94%
Public Schooled: 15%
Public Schooled: 15%
94% of homeschoolers keep the faith and 93% continue to attend church after the high school years. But a shocking 75% to 85% of Christian children sent to public school drop out of church, and do not hold a Christian worldview after high school graduation.*
*Brian D. Ray, Ph D., Homeschoolers Grown Up, 2004
Makes you think. The blind are leading our future leaders to no where good.
Free homeschool classes?
Are you tempted to join government homeschooling (a charter school or public school independent study program) or do you know someone who is?
Reasons to Avoid Government Homeschooling Like the Plague and Why Believers Need to Create Christ-Centered, Private Homeschools.
My new outfit
I have a High Efficiency front loader for my laundry washer. It is sooooo wonderful- I love it! I feel quite spoiled to have such a fancy-schmancy washer after always having the most terrible awful washers that must have come from the Infamous Lemon Company or something. And of course, I had the bad dryers to match... not in color mind you, but in thorn-in-my-flesh-ness.
Because my washer spins out water at 75 miles an hour (no joke) and sounds like a jet taking off in my garage, the doors must electronically lock before it will operate. Safety safety.
My machine started having "issues" on Saturday, but when I cancelled and restarted everything resumed in good fashion. I thought it was a clog because an error code was flashing at me. In the past I had an error code an looked it up online to find I must have a sock stuck in the clog strainer thingy. My husband has pulled many a baby sock, or booby-pad, out of there since.
Back to the door again. My husband left the state on business Monday morning. Laundry machine decides now would be a good time to really get error-codey. Fine. I have seen my husband do this. I opened it up to pull out any offending item and all I found was water and a lot of it- everywhere. Great. Now what. I try starting up the cycle again. Nope. I decided that maybe the code was different than a clog. I went online and <great fanfare> thank you Google! Door locking problem.
Now, do I wait for husband to come home in three more days (and drown in dirty cloth diapers and nasty socks) or do I attempt this on my own? I say- attempt.
After saying a prayer, I find I must traverse 20 or so screws and several very soaked towels due to a plethora of water water everywhere. Ahha! Door lock entrails located! I pulled the electrical/computery plugs from out of the back of the lock and blew them out as I had seen my husband do to our computers in the past. Put it all back together... and it worked. I got a load going now! Thanks, Lord!
(of course, I did not buy that outfit)
Help for the weary
Excellent Worksheets and Teacher Helps
Hundreds of free pages (to download or read from the Internet) to help you bring up your child in the ways of the Lord.
Inner Character
"From our examples, our children must understand that the character traits of endurance, perseverance, and determination leading to great accomplishments cannot bring true fulfillment apart from humility. There is something very appealing about a diligent, skillful worker who is smiling, appreciative, and thankful. Without humility, determination will lead to accomplishments void of relationships. Humility is the recognition that all of my abilities and opportunities are gifts from God. Humility is portrayed in an attitude of thankfulness even for difficulties, with the realization that this, too, is a gift of God.
May the qualities of inner character, skillfulness, and humility unlock the door to a prepared, purposeful, and powerful future."
Mark Hamby
President of Lamplighter Publishing.
Hey, why is the carpet wet, Mom?
Early last week our outdoor water spigot wore out and my DH set about repairing it. In Oregon, your pipes will freeze in the winter and thus appropriate spigots that self drain all the way back about a foot into the wall. Trying to fix/replace this, as you can imagine, is a little tricky. Never the less, he did it.
About five days later, the carpet in our livingroom was soaked! There was a large area that reached from the corner and out about five or six feet in a large triangle. We could only assume it was the new spigot on the other side of the wall. Did the pipe crack when it was reassembled? What was going on? After we surveyed the situation, it was obvious that we had to rip the wall open- from the outside. What a nightmare.
My husband carefully removed a 6x8 section of the siding. Lo and behold, a rapidly dripping pipe! It took some trips to the hardware store and different methods, but he got it fixed. Now we had to take on the inside of the house. The carpet shampooer was unable to extract the water because it was soaked through the foam underlayment, too. We had to borrow a large shopvac and it was good, but we decided to rip out the foam stuff and put a new section of it in there to avoid a lot of drying time.
What a hassle. But things happen, you know. Glad it's over. Wait a minute- is that smoke I smell?
Words to homeschool by
"It is really just a mindset. It’s the idea that you are a family, not a school. You’re a mom, not a teacher. You don’t have a classroom. You have individual relationships with your children. Your husband isn’t a principal, because there isn’t really a school. He is the head of your household, a dad, and your number one supporter. God didn’t create schools. He created families, because that was his plan for the training and nurture of children."
Dr. Mary Hood
"As I have come home--all the way home--to teach my children, I have found that God has riches in store for the family teaching their children as a lifestyle. Those riches can be missed if we do not take the time to be a family. Oh, there are the sweetest memories that directly result from learning together as a lifestyle. It is so much more than just the lessons."
Cindy Rushton
"Each year as circumstances change, situations arise, and new opportunities present themselves, we need to reevaluate our goals and purpose for homeschooling. As we seek to implement and direct the studies for each of our children, we need to pray specifically for wisdom from The Lord for ourselves, to be able to guide each child into the path that the Lord has for him or her. As parents, charged by God, Himself, with the responsibility of “training our children in the way that they should go”, this is a monumental task that cannot be fully achieved without Godly wisdom."
Maribeth Spangenbert
The Patriarch
The Patriarch
More noble than the valiant deeds of shining knights of yore,
More powerful than earthly plights that make the rich man poor,
More kingly than a royal throne or a lion with his pride,
Is he whose babes sleep well at night sure Daddy will provide.
There is a spirit in this land and Jezebel’s her name.
She’s calling you to leave your home for power, fun, and fame.
She wants your wife, your children too — she’ll never compromise,
Until your house is torn in two by listening to her lies.
But though a hundred thousand million men may fall prey to her lures,
And wives en masse leave home in search of “more fulfilling” chores,
Though preachers praise, and friends embrace, her pagan plan of death,
Stand strong and quit you like a man with every blessed breath.
Stand strong and rise, O man of God, to meet this noble call,
The battle is not new you see, it’s been here since the Fall.
Your wife is your helpmeet, my friend, and not another man’s,
So care for her and keep her far from Mistress Jezi’s plans.
Protect, provide, and give to her your undivided life,
This is the dear one of your youth, your precious bride, your wife.
And rally to those tiny ones who trust you for their care —
A lifetime spent discipling them’s a lifetime pure and rare.
For when they put their hand in yours and know a Daddy’s love,
You’re showing them a picture of the Father from above.
Look not toward worldly goal or gain, or for your liberty,
Look only into their sweet eyes to find your ministry.
Devote your heart and sacrifice and make your manly mark —
There is none so great as he who finds his call as patriarch.
—Douglas W. Phillips
The above poem was selected from:
Poems for Patriarchs: The Verse and Prose of Christian Manhood,
compiled and edited by Doug Phillips.
Faire weather
Hark!
It's homeschool faire season again.
I love it. Being encouraged, getting equipped, renewing vision, seeing new curricula products, fellowshipping, helping new homeschoolers, and getting deals!
Last week we had our local homeschool faire. We had a used sale on one side of the building and new vendors on the other. Nineteen vendors. Okay, some of you may laugh. You may say "Hey, I need a compass just to find the bathroom at our fair". So, in comparison you may not see the significance of some small homeschool group holding this event.
To start- we live in the most unchurched state. On top of that, we are the most liberal and unchurched area of our state. (Remind me again, why I live here??) Making a stand here for Christ and homeschooling is a bright light met with squinty eyes and accusatory fingers. Homeschooling Christians in the Willamette Valley are homeschooling through the fire.
Our homeschool group is conservative. Our mission is to encourage homeschoolers, reach the lost, turn the hearts of the fathers to their children & the hearts of the children to their fathers. Kind of a melting pot of Vision Forum, Mantle Ministries and Keeprs Of Faith... for lack of a better adjective right now.
I am on the group's board and these women are very dedicated to serving the Lord, their husbands and children, and finally their community. They live their lives on their knees. It is a high honor to serve along side them. A few years ago we had to make some hard decisions to be inclusive or not because of which direction we may decide to take to reach the area. We decided to not be inclusive and start getting very specific about direction. No compromises of our faith. Standing firm. Well, God has really blessed that move and opened some fantastic doors! (He is goooooood and His mercy endures.)
Perseverance
"When nothing seems to help,
I go and look at a stone-cutter hammering away
at his rock perhaps a hundred times
at his rock perhaps a hundred times
without as much as a crack showing in it.
Yet at the hundred and first blow it would split in two,
and I know it was not that blow that did it,
but all that had gone before together."
-Jacob A. Riis, journalist and social reformer (1849-1914)
Sun, sky, lake and new gear
Been fishin twice now since we got the new stuff. They need lots of practice casting, folks, but we have had a good time.
It was so beautiful. Days like today make me love Oregon. Perfect 75 degrees, easy breeze and smiles all around.
Fishosity
I grew up fishing- excuse me... Fishin'.
My grandfather took my sister and I regularly. He was the man's man. An avid bird hunter, fisherman, fireworks pyromaniac, veteran, drinks at 4pm (cocktail hour), guns in a display case, truck and camper. He told many many stories that were based on his life and our deceased relatives. Living history with a serious deviation from accuracy. Artist's prerogitive?
He never got the grandsons he probably had wanted. Two tiny blondy girls were it. I am told that when we came along, his hard exterior melted. He loved toting us around in the old truck when we came to visit. My grandmother still worked back then and so he was the primary caregiver during the day.
He introduced us to chocolate... and to him I am forever grateful for that. ;) He made us a man's breakfast of eggs, bacon and toast every day. Later we would watch Hogan's Heroes or some John Wayne movie on TV with him. So, we thought he was pretty cool. Weren't all granddads like this?
Summer is rolling in quick around here. Makes me think of my late grandfather. Makes me miss him. My children never met him. They only have heard MY stories. He has become some legend and their eyes get wide when I tell of the good old days fishin' and campin' with him. I got the notion to get real serious about teaching my children to Fish this winter. Now the weather is nice and I'm itching to get out there and spend many days teaching my young padwans. My poles and gear are old and patheticly rusty. My husband took pity on my plight and we went out yesterday to get some newer stuff. Now I can galavant out into the great land of Fishatude and fish to my hearts content with all my homeschool-fem-mama fishousness and a baby strapped to my back. A new generation- without the beer.
Tripping
This morning was spent packing for a trip we are taking to a small family reunion for several days. This is the first time I have let my children pack their own clothing. I always try to make sure everything taken can be washed together if the need arises. I also take into consideration any surprises that may come up like dinner out. There is always an outfit in there that can "pass" for nicer.
So, after they had done their packing, I looked over what they had come up with. I was greatly impressed. I had to switch out two pairs of jeans for two pairs of shorts for my son- and that was it. Even toys, books, toothbrushes and such. They had it down! I suppose they have been listening all those times I helped them pack before. Yay!
What a relief. I just need to finish up the baby's and my own things and load the van. The plan is to have it raring to go when we wake up at some horrific hour tomorrow.
Toe paradise
As a gift from our mother, my sister and I went to get pedicures yesterday. Isn't your mom supposed to get a Mother's Day treat - not the other way around? We do give her cards and a small gift, but she always gives us one, too. "To honor the good moms that you are", she says. I am glad she thinks I am a good mother. Aside from serving the Lord and being the best wife I can be, it is my highest endeavor.
Back to the pedicure... it sure was nice. I had never had one before. I have given myself pedicures every once in a while. I have had massages, a facial, and sevral manicures, but alas, no pedicure. The chair we each sat in had back massage-y rollers in it and the spa footie tub had cool stuff in the water. We sat and chatted as we soaked and teased. Soon we each had an attendant (pedicurist?) scrubbing and primping our feet. It was fun to spend 30-40 minutes just with my sister getting a little pampering. By the way, my toes sure look cute. It will be sandals for me for the next few weeks!
Got anything ELSE to eat, Mama?
There just aren't words...
Yes, it is a toy lizard. She found it and it was promptly removed. LOL!
Scoutin' out the competition
Annual CubScout Pinewood Derby
Planning and making the cars is a lot of work and fun. We let the girls who want to participate make a car and compete "unofficially" against each other. It a great time for all. General running around and chaos breaks out after it is over when the cookies are served.
DH is cubscout leader, here with DD and DS.
DS with his green car- competed in the official cubscout "Pinewood Derby"
DD with her purple car- competed in the "Powder Puff Derby" for girls
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