God's Classroom

Read

The Color Green Lyrics

here.

I highly recommend listening to this song by Rich Mullins, The Color Green, while you read this post.  :)

The high today is supposed to be 74.  I knew the kids had to be outside most of today, if possible.  So, we took our lessons outside along with our nature box and socks and jackets.  The children played between subjects.  The babies joined us for a little while.

It was wonderful.

The breeze was cool.  The air was fresh.  And we are all plumb tuckered out.

Our Classroom

Hard at work

Getting fresh air and looking so cute in pants and long-sleeved shirts!

What is this?

Our pup dog, Woodrow

So sweet.

Sam, 1st Grade

Maryn, Kindergarten

Lucy, footloose and fancy-free (almost 3!)

And me, the teacher, once again.

Geidlbot-schooling

My friend, Shana, asked me to talk about what we're doing this year for homeschooling--specifically about the Charlotte Mason approach we are taking.

Let me back up a bit.

I said, "I will never homeschool unless I live in the jungle."

Well, this little town isn't a jungle, but here I am, homeschooling and eating a heaping plate of crow.

Last year, I homeschooled Sam.  I took a very traditional approach because frankly, it is what I am most comfortable with after having taught in a traditional school setting for a couple of years and being raised in that same kind of school.  What I found was that Sam learned a lot--all he was "supposed" to learn and more.  What I also found was that I HATED his math curriculum with a passion because there were SO MANY stinkin' activities for each lesson and tons of prep for me--FOR KINDERGARTEN!!!  Also, I found that Sam and I were not getting along (just as I knew it would be) because I couldn't seem to find my role as parent AND as teacher.  My authority and his submission were at war, and it began to affect his perception of education.  He didn't like it or get excited about anything we were learning.  I was tired of threatening him and having to make it so rigid so I could be "in control."

It was exhausting at times, and I wasn't enjoying it.

Yet, I knew I was supposed to continue this year with Sam AND Maryn.  I began hearing and reading bits about Charlotte Mason.  I have a friend who is a missionary to Asia who homeschools her six children and uses the Charlotte Mason approach.  I was unaware of this when I approached her about advice regarding schooling more than one child.  She said, "I want you to read this book, For the Children's Sake, by Susan Schaeffer Macauley.  Read it, and then call me."

I got the book.  I read it.  I tried to get in touch with her, but she's a busy lady, and I haven't gotten a chance to chat with her.  However, the Lord blessed me with an opportunity to chat with another mama who uses this approach, Michelle.  She homeschools her four oldest children.  I was so encouraged to talk with her and get some ideas for how to practically bring the Charlotte Mason approach into our home.

Who was Charlotte Mason?

She was an educator at the end of the 19th century in England.  She viewed children as people (imagine that!).  Children were not vessels to be filled with facts and figures but people, made in God's image, to be nurtured and exposed to all the truths of God (because ALL truth is GOD's truth).  In her opinion, children should be exposed to the truth of God's Word, living books (firsthand accounts, books written by single authors instead of textbooks written by a plethora of people), nature as a hands-on study, art and music.  She felt that the bulk of structured learning should take place before lunchtime so that the children would have the afternoon free for playing outside, exploring and imagining (still learning!), for crafts, baking, cooking, and all other active endeavors.  Doing math first thing in the morning makes sense because children are sharpest early in the morning.  There would be plenty of time for the mother to read aloud to the children.  The focus of education was not to earn a grade but to better oneself--to learn for the sake of learning.  I cannot possibly continue to describe all of Mason's approach--get the book and read it!  This is just the nutshell version.

As I read Macauley's book, I found myself, "Aha!"-ing and, "Yes!"-ing.  Her approach resonated in me and helped me to see where I had gone wrong.  I was trying to cram a bunch of information into my child as if he were a vat to fill rather than a person who needed to be exposed to God's world and truth.  Education is but a means to know more of God.

So, this is what we are doing:

We begin our day with Bible reading of some sort (it usually involves art or story or both).  Then, we pray for a missionary we support (and we will soon be adding prayer for unreached people groups using Window on the World--Michelle gave me this idea).  We ask God for something and thank Him for something.  Simple.  Short.  And definitely sweet.

We do math next while they're still fresh and sharp.  I am using Singapore math this year, and so far I love it.  Love, love, love it.  The books are GREAT.  The concepts are amazing.  I love seeing this math process.  It makes so much sense to me, and I wish I had used it as a child.  I do not think this curriculum will include things like the seasons and the calendar, but that is easy to do without a curriculum.  :)

Next, we do our phonics and reading.  I prefer A Beka for this subject--I was raised on it, and I taught it.  I think it is a really well-developed program.  I was very impressed with how well it prepared Sam for reading.  We review some phonics rules, they do use workbooks, and then they read to me in their readers (and Maryn also reads Bob Books to me or the Nora Gaydos' Now I'm Reading! books).

This year, I added Spelling and Language for Sam (also A Beka).  He has a little more work than Maryn, but I love how both subjects are coordinated with what he is learning in phonics.  It is very thorough and consistent across the board.  If I had to guess based on reading assessments, Sam is reading at a 2nd or 3rd grade level.  I don't know if I should attribute that to him being a firstborn or the curriculum.  :)

We finish with handwriting.  We use Handwriting Without Tears.  I LOVE this program.  It was developed by an occupational therapist for children with developmental delays like dysgraphia and dyslexia.  The approach is very logical, and I love how easy it is to teach and to learn.

I give the children a break between each subject.  Sometimes we listen to a Laurie Berkner song or do a silly dance or just play.  Sometimes we will have a snack together if it is around that time of day.  After we have finished all our work, we settle in together and I read aloud to them.  We're currently reading the first Boxcar Children book.  We also picked up a lot of books at the library about different kinds of dogs (inspired by Sam's question, "What kind of dog is Woodrow?").  We have been looking through those and learning some neat things about dogs--did you know that Dalmatians are typically the only breed of dog that horses will tolerate?  We have loved reading James Herriot's stories of his life as a veterinarian in the English countryside.

And we are usually done with all of this in 90 minutes to 2 hrs.  We spend time outside as much as we can (which hasn't been a whole lot in this heat).  We've tried to identify some nuts from trees in our yard as well as feathers, spiders, and other insects.  I am looking forward to Fall and Springtime for our nature studies!  I also plan to incorporate a bit of art and music study here and there, though not daily.  None of this is hard-core--just exposure-oriented.

I am also learning to alter MY attitude towards education.  I am enthusiastic and draw the children TO me in times of disagreeableness rather than threatening them when they refuse to do their work.  I try to bring everything back to God and His work in the world, and I have been floored by the questions my children are asking me.  I am so thankful I learned about this approach!!!

So, that's what we're doing!  I appreciate the interest and hope I didn't bore you!

If you are interested in more resources concerning Charlotte Mason curriculum ideas, check out these sites!  I hope to spend more time on them soon and incorporate more new-to-me ideas.  :)

Ambleside Online

Simply Charlotte Mason

Simple Homeschool

An Old-Fashioned Education

So Much to Say

I have not blogged in weeks.  I keep thinking about it, but the time and opportunity just hasn't come up.  I've spent much of my free time reading The Hunger Games trilogy, which was fantastic.  I thoroughly enjoyed the series.

I planned out the first six weeks of school for my kiddos.  That was hard, but I'm glad I got it taken care of.  We started school last Monday, and the kids are doing so great.  I will blog about what we're doing homeschool-wise later.

Dave and I have been using one car since May.  We didn't intend for that to happen, but it has, and we're doing fine with it.  We went out one day and looked at trucks, thinking we might get one for Dave and just trade in our old Acura.  But, I didn't have peace about it, and it all felt very rushed, so we stepped back.  We are getting VERY close to paying off the last 1/5 of our student loan debt.  We just didn't want to lose any momentum by adding car debt to the pile.  We decided to fix the Acura.  So, since May, we have been waiting for a good, used engine to present itself so the mechanic can use parts from it to fix the car.  Evidently, they're not getting many leads.  And we wait.

I don't really have anywhere to go anyway, so it hasn't been a big deal.  But, people think we're crazy.  And that's okay.  We're getting closer and closer to our goal.

My twins are 7 months old and getting more and more mobile.  Milo is crawling, sitting up occasionally, and pulling up on things.  He is my earliest mobile child.  Felix is army-crawling and rocking on his hands and knees.  He has FOUR teeth and two more trying to break through.

Sam and Maryn are so stinking smart.  They're crazy good readers and constantly wowing me.  They've been pretty busy making things and playing pretty hard.

Lucy is less destructive these days.  She still occasionally puts things in the toilet, but not nearly as much.  She hasn't colored on the walls in a couple of months.  Progress!!!  I see pottytraining in our future, and I am already ready for it to be over!  :)  She's getting closer to being really ready.  Her speech is improving all the time, and we're starting to communicate better.  She still has melt-downs when I don't understand her, but they are fewer.

Lucy has also taken a liking to grand-daddy longlegs.  Here's one of her buddies:

There is another beautiful garden spider at our house this year.  This one is out by the deck so I don't get to see her as much as I did the one by the window last year.  I think she is amazing.   I don't want to touch her, but I enjoy watching her.

My dear househelp is on vacation in the Philippines.  She will be back at the end of the month.  Thankfully, my friend, Nicole, was able to come help this week.  Last week, I cleaned everything except the hardwoods (I swept but didn't mop).  It was nice to know I could do it, but made me thankful that I don't have to try to do it all regularly.

I am exhausted these days.  I am ready to figure out a way to get more breaks so I can breathe and be refreshed.  Feel free to pray for this in my life.  God knows what I need, and I think He will provide even this.

So, this is my update.  I wish I could keep up better, but I haven't been able to.  I hope to be able to blog about homeschooling very soon.  I am LOVING what we are doing this year, and I look forward to sharing that with you.

The Books Are Back

Since having the twins, I haven't been able to read nearly like I normally do.  I have always loved to read, and when I am sleep-deprived and going non-stop, I just don't have the time.

And when I'm nursing twins (mostly early on), I had a hard time concentrating on much...and the Facebook app on my phone kept me entertained, and I didn't have to think.

That has all recently changed.  Thank the Lord.  I have missed reading.  I have completed two books this week and started another.

1.  I started reading this back in March.  It took me awhile since I have still been in "baby fog" land.  I just finished it, and I LOVED IT.  I can't even put into words how fantastic this book is.

Buy one.  Buy some more for your friends.  Read her blog.  Be blessed, and be a blessing.

One Thousand Gifts

by Ann Voskamp

This book has helped me to really SEE.  To SEARCH.  To BE THANKFUL.  To BE A BLESSING.

To realize HE IS GOOD.

2.  I am in a discipleship group in our church.  Our pastor leads the group, and he asked us to read this next book.  It's pretty popular right now, though I don't know why--its topic is not a popular one.  I'm just going to trust the Holy Spirit is moving and using this little book.

Radical

by David Platt

The ideas and concepts in this book (discipleship, multiplication, wartime lifestyle, Great Commission) were not new to me.  In fact, I had three years of training in these ideas back in college.  I've lived as a mobilizer in the past, we regularly give to missionaries and have committed to long-term service overseas, we support a child with Compassion (that's her in the photo--Umutesi).  But, for the million things I'm NOT doing, this book was a GREAT reminder.  I didn't feel guilty when reading it, instead, my zeal for giving my life to the Great Commission was renewed.  I feel recharged and encouraged to press on.  There are companion materials online as well.



3.  The book I am now reading is to help prepare me for homeschooling.  I homeschooled Samuel last year, and we were successful.  He learned what he needed to, he blew me away with his brilliance, and unfortunately, we fought a lot.  This year, I will be homeschooling TWO kids.  Maryn will be in kindergarten, and Sam will move on to first grade.  And then there is busy 2-year-old Lucy and the baby twins.  I turned to my friend, Annette (who is a missionary is East Asia with 6 children that she homeschools), and said, "I want your advice."  THIS is the book she told me to read first.

For the Children's Sake

by Susan Schaeffer Macauley

I had been curious about Charlotte Mason, the woman whose ideas this book is patterned after.  She was a teacher/philosopher in the late 19th century.  I had read bits about her and how she viewed children as persons, not merely as containers to be filled with information.  I am excited to see what I learn from this book.  So far, I am enjoying it, and it is helping me to look at my children differently--each as unique creations by God with their own ideas and personalities.  I think when it comes to school, it is easy to lump them all together and do the same thing for each.  The beauty of homeschooling is being able to play to your child's strengths and to meet them on their level--to listen to them and learn from them as well.

I've been informed about a couple of online communities that espouse the Charlotte Mason philosophies:

Simple Homeschool

Ambleside Online

Thank you, Melissa and Laurel, for your suggestions.  I can't wait to spend more time on these sites.


Finally, I have another Charlotte Mason book (the Companion, actually) that I am going to read/peruse (cuz it's so big!!!).  And for fun, I am going to start with the first of the popular, new trilogy, The Hunger Games.

Happy Summer Reading!

Just Call Me "The Homeschooling Hermit"

Cooler weather has come to our region and with it, I am finding myself becoming a hermit. It is much easier for me to stay at home than it is for me to get out and drive somewhere. Maybe I'm nesting. It's not normal nesting, though, because I'm not cleaning anything or preparing anything for the babies. I'm mostly just living my life, quietly. That, and I feel like (and measuring like!) I'm 32-33 weeks instead of nearly 25, so moving around is becoming a challenge...and I still have 2-3 months of this.

School is going well, and I enjoy this time each day with my big kids. Lucy is still a struggle during schooltime, but the world hasn't ended because of it. Maryn is reading better and better each day, and I'm in awe of how quickly she picks up new things. Sam has learned SO much this year so far. We have been schooling for 3 months nearly, and he is soaking it all up.

This doesn't mean that we don't have bad days. In fact, for awhile there, it seemed like our bad days were more frequent than our good days. A lot of it has to do with my attitude and how I respond to him. I'm learning that being matter-of-fact is more effective than getting annoyed or irritated when he refuses to do something. Some days, school takes WAY longer than it should because we have to stop, correct behavior or attitude, redo whatever lesson we were working on, and then move forward.

All in all, he has learned far more than I bargained for. Someone once told me that kindergarten (or was it pre-k?) is really a lesson in learning to stand in line. They don't learn much more than that.

I beg to differ.

Sam has learned to read with better proficiency, is tackling long vowels like a champ, has learned to count to 100 by 1's and 10's, he is learning to add, he is learning basic fractions this week, he is learning how to write properly, he has memorized 10 verses and the Lord's Prayer. All of this and so much more in 3 months. Seriously. I don't say this to brag at all. I say this because I think kids really want to learn more and the more you work with them, they will surprise you with what they're capable of! Their brains are amazing. Our Creator deserves all glory for His amazing creation!

I think it is limiting to them to say that all they will learn is how to stand in line. They are capable of so much more. And they do take pride in their accomplishments. Sam gets excited when he learns something new, and it is fun to watch him apply it throughout the day. It's very rewarding. I realize he could have learned all of this stuff in a traditional school, but I am amazed that he is learning all of this stuff from ME. I never, in a million years, thought I would be teaching my kids at home. But I am thankful for the opportunity, even if this is the only year I do it (we will reevaluate in the summer and see how life with twins is treating us).

I may not be out and about and taking the world by storm, but I'm thankful for the opportunity to stay home with my kids, teach them, and enjoy watching them be kids. I know I'm very blessed to be in this position, and I try not to take it for granted.

I'm off to spruce up the home, welcome Lucy's speech therapist, and begin my day in the hermitage. :)

Homeschooling Progress: 7 Weeks Down

Sam is doing really well with homeschooling. He is so smart (which I knew because I'm his mom, and of course, I am biased!). No really, though, I am so impressed with God's design of the brain. Sam is soaking up so much in a short period of time. Because I did the Beginning Reading from Hooked on Phonics with him prior to starting school, the entire first semester of his phonics curriculum has been review (with the exception of a couple of lessons on sentences).

Sam finished that first semester of phonics LAST week. We reviewed what was necessary and flew through the rest. We are finally slowing down now that we have made it to long vowels. I would be thrilled if he finishes the phonics curriculum by Christmas (or before the boys arrive, whichever comes first), and then he can just READ, READ, READ!!!

As for math, we aren't going quite as fast, but it has been really neat to see him learn. I am discovering what is hard for him and easy for him. I am also discovering what kind of approach I prefer. He loves real-life application. He's not content counting manipulatives (though he does), he really wants to do something that is REAL. We have made toast together, used the computer together, and I've noticed how much more quickly he learns by doing. It is so neat to see him in this new light.

Handwriting is fine--he does fine on his worksheets, but he forgets to apply what he's learned while drawing for fun. I suppose it will translate eventually. Other people experience this? We're doing Handwriting Without Tears, if you didn't know.

He has memorized seven verses so far! I am so encouraged. I am re-memorizing them with him. One day, I noticed Maryn was learning them too, just by listening to Sam recite them. So great!

Maryn is almost finished with the Beginning Reading Hooked on Phonics. I ordered some books for her to give her something to do for awhile. I got the Bob Books and the Now I'm Reading books. She has shocked me with how quickly she has picked up reading. She is not as proficient as Sam yet, but she will be in no time, I'm sure. I wanted to get him really comfortable with long vowels before I go any further with her. I am not ready for her to catch up with him yet!

I am really amazed and encouraged by my experience so far. My kids are learning so much in an hour a day. I am thankful for this opportunity. I am loving my time with them, watching them grow and learning more about who they are. They are a joy and a blessing.

By the way, Lucy will watch a Backyardigans Sing-A-Long DVD, and that has helped immensely! I've also found that snacks help keep her occupied as well!