Where Have We Been?-Birdwatching! (Part 1)
Where have we been these last few months? Taking a nice long break from blogs(mine and others) and…
We’ve been watching birds.
Birdwatching falls into the same category as History in my book. Â It’s filed right under Something I Never Thought I Would Care About EVER, But Now I LOVE it. Â This goes right back to my great secret about homeschooling, I have learned to love to learn.
In the same way we’ve become that family that watches historical documentaries for fun, we’re now the odd family trying to identify the birds that somehow made it into the rafters of Home Depot. Â We’re that family-all the way down to the two year old. Â We found her the other morning with the bird guides surrounding her, looking out the front window, identifying birds. True, she categorized all species as “Robin Bird”, but she does so with all the enthusiasm of a life-long birdwatcher.
I’m not a natural-naturalist. Â Homeschool friends think I am until I tell them the real story. Â Nature study doesn’t come easy for us, and it always looks so darn easy and beautiful on other peoples’ blogs. Â Early on I heard about keeping a nature journal and became quite frustrated when my 5 and 7 year old didn’t become Audubon immediately. Was I failing? Â Until this season of birdwatching, I put nature study on the back shelf.
Now I take a view with a longer lens. Â We’ve grown into History. Â We’re having a great, very natural time, studying birds. Â It’s exciting to think what we’ll be doing by the time the youngest is ten or twelve. Maybe science will be in the same category by then! Â So if you read this blog, and think “Oh my goodness, we have to study birds!”, and it doesn’t work for you-then put on the long lens, and keep doing what you’re doing for now. Â There’s time.
This has been a great multi-age study. Â We’ve read our bird books together, taking our nature walks together with baby on the back, and painted and water-colored our birds sitting around the table(okay, sometimes the baby is in bed for a nap by then).
We used to think we had two birds in our backyard: cardinals and robins. Â Now we know we have brown creepers, mockingbirds, starlings, grackles, chickadees, sparrows, and bluejays. Â We never noticed the constant chorus outside, now we notice it all the time. Â We thought all nests were in a tree and all birds ate seeds. Â Boy, did we have a lot to learn!
Our study of birds has included:
- Reading fiction and non-fiction books in the morning after breakfast.
- Working on activities from the nature patch program at our local nature center.
- Going on nature walks with our birds guides and identifying birds. Â (On our most exciting walk we found 9 different bird species, including the Pileated Woodpecker. Â Who knew woodpeckers could be 18 inches long?)
- Identifying birds around our backyard.
- Creating bird related art and poetry.
- Studying artists who have used birds as their subject.
Other than reading bird books every morning, I didn’t have a set schedule-we’ve tried to do related activities 1-2 times  a week.
Here’s are some resources that have transformed birds from black and white into brilliant color:
Activities
- Our local nature center is focused on Birds this season for their yearly Jr. Naturalist Program and they have put together a wonderful pamphlet of bird-related activities that can be done at home or during nature walks. Â Even if you don’t live in Tennessee, this would be a good jumping off point for studying birds together. Â It’s also provided individual work for my 8 and 10 year old as I say, “Go pick another nature patch project and get started.” Â You can print the pamphlet here.
Read-Alouds:
Chapter Books
- A Nest For Celeste by Henry Cole: We follow the kind-hearted mouse, Celeste, as she befriends John James Audubon’s assistant. Â She has many adventures with the birds that are captured for Audubon’s drawings and in the surrounding fields. Â As wonderful as the characters are in this book, the black and white detailed sketches really bring the story to life. Â We kept our bird book on hand so that we could look up pictures of the birds as they entered the story. Â A great companion to study of birds, mice, and/or John James Audubon’s art.
- Burgess Book of Birds by Thornton Burgess-Follow Peter Rabbit as he greets his many bird friends who live near the great orchard, and get to know the cheeky Jenny Wren who always knows the real scoop on everyone. Â Told in story form, we still learned a lot about the behavior and nesting of each bird. Â Take this book a chapter at a time. And keep the bird guide nearby to look at actual photographs.(The edition in the amazon link has photograph illustrations, ours has black and white sketches).
- Owls in the Family by Farley Mowat-I have not read this book, I found it at a used sale, perused it, and the kids have enjoyed it.
Picture Books
- The True Story of Stellina Matteo Pericoli
- Albert by Donna Jo Napoli
- Owl Babies by Marin Waddell
- Owl Moon by Jane Yolen
- Hawk Hill by Suzie Gilbert
Bird Guides
- The Young Birder’s Guide to Birds of Eastern North America(Peterson Field Guide)-Our favorite guide. A great guide for young, new birdwatchers. Â Using photographs instead of artist renderings, it’s easier to match the bird in nature to the bird in the book. Â At a quick glance you can read a physical description and description of the bird call, see what area in North America the bird lives(in all seasons), and it includes photos of both the male and female.
- Tennessee Birds-An introduction to Familiar Species(Pocket Naturalist)-Available for many states, this is a folded guide, good for a quick glance to identify the species and then look it up in a more detailed bird guide. Â This contains pictures and names, with colored illustrations, but no detailed information.
- Beginning Birdwatcher’s Book with 48 stickers(Dover)-I recently purchased this book for our 6 year old since he’s not as adept at sketching birds quickly during a hike. Â As the young birder sees a bird in nature, they find the sticker that matches and place it on the right page. Â Under the box for the sticker is information on food, nesting, range, and eggs, and a place for observations. Â Since buying this book, we’ve only had a chance to use it once. It has a very nice layout. Â I expected, however, a smaller book, easier for placing in a backpack, but this is closer to 12×10. Â I’m also not sure if I like the sticker vs. the sketching format, we’ll have to play with it some more.
- Birds, Nests, And Eggs-A Take Along Guide by Mel Boring: Includes helpful renderings of each bird’s nest and their eggs. Â Also several bird related activities.
Non-fiction Books About Birds
(Note: I just went to the library and grabbed the most interesting books each week. Â These are all great, but you can find other greats just by visiting your library shelf, if these are unavailable.)
- Birds in Your Backyard by Barbara Herkert
- On the Wing: American Birds in Migration by Carol Lerner
- Cradles in the Trees The Story of Birds Nests by Patricia Brennan Demuth
- A Place for Birds by Melissa Stewart
- Birds Build Nests by Yvonne Winer
- Urban Roosts: Where Birds Roost in the City by Barbara Bash
- Perching Birds of North America by Sarah Swan Miller
- Watching Water Birds by Jim Arnosky
- The Robin Makes a Laughing Sound: A Birder’s Journal by Sallie Wolf
- Gone Again Ptarmigan by Jonathon London
- Feathers by  Dorothy Hinshaw Patent
- Owls Whooo are they? by Kila Jarvis and Denver W Holt
Videos about Bird Identification/and other great information about birds
- Cornell School of Ornithology–We have really enjoyed the four videos on this side about bird identification. Â I recommend loading the videos while you’re busy doing something else and then coming back to watch it.
- Planet Earth: Â Don’t miss this breath-taking series. Â Though not specifically about birds, there are bird species throughout. Â Although the narrator includes some evolutionary commentary, we simply spoke to our kids about it first. Without intending to, the producers created a series that brings glory to God and all of His creation!
- March of the Penguins
After you’ve studied birds for a little while, test your knowledge with these two online quizzes.
In the next post I’ll share more about the artists we studied and a few art project and poetry ideas.
Evan Moor Fairy Tale and Folktale Pockets: A Review
Why I Chose the Evan Moor Folktale and Fairytale Pockets, Grades 2 and 3
With two middle elementary students in the house, I wanted to make sure that we didn’t forget to do some fun, younger activities for our kindergartener. He’s always tagging along with our school time, a little ahead of himself, and I wanted to dip back into the precious early years of learning. I also wanted to try matching him with his 8 year old sister for a project, and give our eldest a independent project.
We really enjoyed the Evan Moor Native American Pockets last year, and I’ve had my eye on the Folktale and Fairy Tale Pockets for a while. Â We started them just after the New Year, as something different to spice up our learning time during the winter slump.
They have indeed spiced things up, and provided the magic that fairy tales bring, something I don’t ever want to lose in our home. Â Our ten year old did her own project and then begged to sit down with us every day because she couldn’t stand to miss the fun. We let her, of course. Â If you’re homeschooling multiple children, these pockets are quite a find, a nice break from balancing multiple projects with many children. Â It’s easy to simplify for younger children and add in more challenging connections for your olders.
You can read more about what’s included in the pockets here. Â I enjoyed the e-book, knowing that I could print just the right amount of copies for our family.
What We Liked
The selection of fairy tales included a handful of favorites and a handful of surprises. Â Each story includes suggestions for extending the lessons and several hands on activities. Â We enjoyed making finger puppets, a story mobile, paper doll elves, painting, and more.
What Needed Adjustment
As was true with our last Evan Moor Pockets, we needed library books to supplement each slim two page fairy tale that was included. Â I also would have enjoyed more background information for my own preparation, such historical information on the folktales and fairytales along with a comparison of the two genres.
Because the focus of the activities involves a lot of cutting and coloring, we can only do these pockets once or twice a year. Â My kids are not big on coloring, preferring to sketch and fill in their own designs. But for some reason, coloring becomes all the rage when we keep these types of activities rare. Â If you’re doing these pockets with just one student, you might think about coloring along with your child or allowing him the choice of coloring or not. Â Remember, coloring a picture in the lines is really an overrated skill! Â You could also move beyond crayons and markers and try watercolors, acrylics, or pastels.
How We Organized the Pockets
As much as we loved the Native American Pockets, our hard work ended with a bulky, oversized, unstable product. Â This time we made the pockets the right size for a three ring binder. Smaller projects were stored in the pocket, larger items(such as the printed fairy tale) were hole punched and added after the pocket.
Suggestions for Extended Activities:
- Write your own fairy tale.
- Write a new ending to an already written tale.
- Write a fairy tale from the perspective of a different character (the frog or the witch instead of the Princess, for example).
- Ask an older child to adapt a fairy tale into a play for younger siblings.
- Read a biography about The Grimm Brothers.
Here are some pictures from our learning time.
The Brave Little Tailor
The Fisherman and His Wife
This was an art project inspired here, not an Evan Moor activity.
Jack and the Beanstalk
Measuring the beanstalk, an activity from the pockets.
The Elves and the Shoemaker
The template for these elves is included, the background is courtesy of the American Girl Molly Paper Dolls.
The Frog Prince
The Bremen Town Musicians
This painting activity is inspired by a project in the pockets, but we based our illustrations on the style of Hans Fischer, shown below.
Book and Video Suggestions:
Henny Penny
- Henny Penny by Jane Wattenberg
- Chicken Little by Ed and Rebecca Emberley
- Chicken Little on this Scholastic DVD Edition
The Brave Little Tailor
- The Brave Little Seamstress by Mary Pope Osborne
The Fisherman and His Wife
- The Fisherman and His Wife by Rachel Isadora
- Shadow Puppet Version on this Scholastic Video
The Elves and the Shoemaker
- The Elves and the Shoemaker on this Scholastic Video Collection
The Frog Prince
- The Frog Prince or Iron Henry by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, Illustrated by Binette Schroeder
- The Frog Prince Continued by Jon Sczeika
The Bremen Town Musicians
The Bremen Town Musicians by Hans Fischer
Other Fun Read-Alouds or Older Child
- The Magician’s Boy by Susan Cooper
- The Sister’s Grimm: The Fairy Tale Detectives by Michael Buckley *
Videos
*Parents may want to preview this selection.
** The musical is a really fun twist on fairy tales and a nice way to wrap up your fairy tale pockets. Â However, you’ll want to preview this video and decide if it’s right for your family. Â We chose to watch only the first act (which is as long as a regular kids movie) as we liked the content of the second half less. Â And we didn’t like the scene with the wolf (it will be rather obvious why), so we just skipped that scene.
Pictures Confirming We’re “That Family”
In the immediate surrounding neighborhood, we’re the only family I know of that homeschools. Â Added to the fact that our driveway abuts the house immediately to our right and the wife and grown-up daughter both have long-standing public school jobs and you might understand why I wonder sometimes what people think of our family.
The family sharing our driveway have a wide open view for every day that
we didn’t homeschool during the sick, pregnant days,
the hours spent outside instead of sweating over workbooks,
the days we just played monopoly when my dad was in the hospital,
and they keenly see that we stop way before public school days ends.
They don’t ask me any questions(I wish they would) but they ask my kids, “What did you do in school today?” and it’s always on the day that the answer sounds like “We just played monopoly today” or “My mom’s too busy taking care of my grandad to do school today.” Â and never on the days that they’re overflowing with excitement about explorers, math games, art, or new reading skills.
I go back and forth over being concerned with the perception of our family. Â I think our learning life is great, moving with the seasons of real life, but I can let what others might think buzz in sometimes.
This was one of those days. Â The kids had created beautiful paint with chalks and quickly switched from decorating the sidewalk to decorating each other. Â And of course, being kids, they wanted to show off the fashion statement on anyone who walked by the house. Â I didn’t discourage them in anyway but inside I thought, “This seals it. Â Now we’re the family who’s kids are always home, outside during school hours, and look at how their mother lets them run wild.”
Oh, well.  Maybe next time I’ll join them and really give the neighbors something to talk about. Ooh, and I can paint baby Sparkles, too.
Do you ever struggle with the opinion of others toward your unique lifestyle?
Best-Laid Plans
When I get a few hours to school plan on the weekend, the chart my husband made for me looks beautiful, complete, a promise of the accomplishments in the days ahead.
On the whole I’ve found it’s incredibly helpful to have specific plans written down so I know my through line when a normal day amongst  our 4 kids muddles my brain.  Here are a few interruptions from last week’s best-laid plans.
- A birthday for the new 8 year old(including surprise cupcakes delivered to the tutorial we started in the fall)
- 4 colds
- 1 two hour trip to the doctor
- The baby, with one of the colds, needs extra attention
- New(unscheduled) interests pop up
Basically, Life happens.
That’s when amnesia strikes. Â I forget any lessons I’ve learned from the last five years of this homeschool journey.
“I failed today” begins in a nagging drone.
School tasks only partially accomplished, chores half completed and a completely grumpy mom and kids by four o’clock. What’s successful about that?
“Failure!” continues, louder and frantic.
A smaller voice, much calmer and steady, “This is a lifestyle. Â Don’t you remember? Â Your success is not a series of completed tasks. Â Your week looks messy up close, stand further back, don’t look for the neat and tidy picture, take a wider gaze.”
I can be so forgetful, in the daily chaos, that the lessons for each of us aren’t contained within that beautiful chart.
This is what I see when I stand back:
Kids who are begging me to read more Shakespeare, acting out his plays and narrating them in detail(not on the plan, not in the scope of our American history this year).
One child read three Little House on the Prairie books this week(it wasn’t on the read aloud list).
Kids who are saving and earning their own money, buying and handling their change and making wise decisions(not math lesson 56 this week).
Miniature newspapers created with advertisements, news reports, contests, and cartoons diligently and excitedly worked on(the day of the two hour surprise doctor appointment).
An eight year old who’s found a new vehicle  to spread encouraging words(and it’s contagious) when she’s struggled so much to be verbally encouraging.  (Though we didn’t get our writing assignment done this week, these came straight from the heart, not spurred on by me).  An example:
“Dear Joshua,
Thank you for the silly band. Â I think your kind to give away things like that. Â I love you so much Joshua. Â You are kind to give me things like that, here is a list of things you gave me 1.silly band 2. two shels 3. shineing silver rock 5. a letter 6. one cent.
You are kind and I love you.”
Thursday night I hadn’t yet heard this quieter voice and I shared with my husband about the joylessness of being a taskmaster and how I needed to drop some of the expecations on myself of housework, dinner on time, etc. Â Then I could get down on the floor and play with Sparkles, listen to the kids, and be more present even in school work. Â He was so understanding and I was looking forward to revealing the new, more relaxed me the next day. Â But by 9:30 the next morning we were headed out for that two hour doctor’s appointment, which threw off my new plan and I was unsettled again. Â I had been ready for some changes, just changes that I could control.
A new day arrived.
Yesterday the chores didn’t get done, I spent four hours with my new eight year old, listening, not correcting, delighting together.
I can hear that small voice, but I need it to get bigger before the new week begins. Â I need to see the messy picture of our life and realize the best-laid plans are happening.
Just not mine.
Waiting For Perfect
It’s the week before.
The week before we enter another year of school. Â We’ve been homeschooling since our oldest was a little Five in A Row pre-schooler and she’s now entering her 4th year of grade school. Â Her little sister enters 3rd, younger brother kindergarten, and littlest sister begins a year of playing with blocks along side our lessons. Â Five years on this homeschool journey, which sometimes feels like Mr Toad’s Wild Ride.
For some of you this conjures sweet pictures, the really good days of  learning at home-everyone gathered on the couch casting everything else off for another chapter, sharing in a great prayer time or singing verses of the Bible, or the big wow moments when letters come into focus and character falls into place.
For some of the you the idea of  the whole family at home each day conjures the harder moments of homeschooling-the loneliness, the guilt when you feel like you’re not doing enough, the routine which can feel like a trap after endless winter months.
This summer, for the first time, an ever teasing truth(usually spoken to me by non-homeschooling moms) landed on me with a vengeance: what I’m doing is hard. Â When my olders went off to art camp and the bickering lightened and the youngers and I swept about each day fancy free without the guilt that I should be doing something more, a thought found it’s way through that I’d always kept at bay, “This is what’s it’s like to have kids go to school.”
But let me add in some context. Â I had already girded myself for last year, knowing that our young babe would add an extra challenge to the days. Â What I failed to armor up for was a 4 month hospital stay for my father and all the other details that go into that story. Â I came out of this year reeling. Weighted down by relentless responsibility and my vision cloudier as each day of guilt and effort continued.
Heading into the next year, none of the extra weight has lifted. Â I walk through my house and climb into my car with a whirlwind of thoughts that must be a visible blur of movement.
How will I keep 18 month old baby sparkles satisfied while we truly dive into the Word, great books, and stories from history?
How will I also set  the olders off and running to independent learning so that I can sit and enjoy every shaky step and misspoken word of Sparkles?
How can I keep up the myriad of chores, lessons, character teaching required each day without making myself sick from my own voice and it’s constant call to work, move, produce?
Will we find time to be in the here and now, to laugh loudly, to celebrate moments that have nothing to do with what’s on a list?
How will I recharge in the evenings when I’m off checking on my Dad, how will detailed school planning happen, when will I stop, breathe, and be responsible for nothing and no one but myself for just a few short minutes.
The thought “Why are you choosing this path if it’s so hard for you right now?” is a growing whisper in your head. Â Stick with me, I’m getting there.
Tonight my schoolroom sits in shambles, shelves half rearranged, old curriculum thrown to the side, clay projects from two years ago with no place to call home. Â For the last few weeks I’ve fed that hungry whirlwind with lesson plans, strategies for Baby Sparkles, new chore charts to smooth out the care of our home. Â I see the countdown to monday is bearing down and I keep thinking that a good year for us all hinges on my ability to get everything just right. Â If the schoolroom is perfectly organized, if the lessons are perfectly written down, if I have a chart that breaks down the day’s duties, if I can just calm the whirlwind into perfect control, we’ll be alright.
Does anything seem faulty, this idea luring me toward skewed priorities and a dependence on the wrong thing(my control) to keep us afloat this year? Â So I left the schoolroom dangling and sat down to give myself a kick in the pants.
A few weeks ago, in a moment of calm weather(outward and inward), the Lord held back my good intentions of planning and helped me write a mission statement for our school instead. Â It’s something I’ve wanted to do for years, hoping it will be a compass this year, when inevitably(the first day most likely) things will slip right out of my hands. Â By looking at it right now, and sharing it with you, I hope that it will remind me that the reason our family has chosen this path has little to do with a schoolroom organized by the dewey decimal system or whether we finish our first year of american history in exactly 36 weeks, or whether my 18 month old acts like a perfectly normal 18 month old!
I haven’t spent too much time editing this or adding in verses to guide each letter of the acronym, this feels like enough to steady us this year.
GUEST FAMILY HOMESCHOOL MISSION STATEMENT
“-that you may shine like the stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life-“
PHILLIPIANS 2:15
Learn for a life time: about God’s world through history, science, and art in order to see His beauty and creativity, power, and love, that we might praise Him and trust Him more.
Identify: journeying with each child as he/she discovers the talents, gifts, passions the Lord has uniquely given them, making a path for those passions to grow. Also helping them to embrace their unique personalities, celebrate their character strengths, and encourage their weaknesses.
Give generously to each other as we honor others above ourselves, building a family who loves, encourages and enjoys one another. Â As a family we will give generously to others, instilling a purpose that is outward and sacrificial in God’s love.
Honor the Lord with our bodies and minds, learning lifetime habits of prayer, study, healthy eating, and exercise.
Teach God’s word, instructing our hearts through the Word of life, learn His ways above the ways of the world, knowing that His Word gives light to our path, gives joy to our soul, gives wisdom to our heart. This will be unique with each person in our household-each will have a unique relationship with Lord, focusing not on perfect outward behavior, but hearts that yield to the Lord.
I hope the above answers the “why” I’m doing this even though it’s hard. Â We’ve been called to run this particular race, and run it with perseverance and endurance, hopefully shining a little more as we go. Â A homeschooling mom of five shared with me just the other day that she’s been praying for God to give her a strategy for this next year. Â I loved the prayer immediately and thought surely He would give me great specific ideas to quell all of my worries. Â Though I’m sure He does care about those details, I think the Mission statement He’s given me is my strategy. Â It’s a strategy of a greater purpose and of an even greater God.
A Quick “Why I do it” Glance
When people find out I homeschool a look of alarm often passes over their face, and inevitably,
“I could never be with my kids all day.”
When this happens about ten conflicting emotions and possible responses begin scrapping it out inside of me. Â Usually the least offensive, “We all need to make our own choices” statement is the one that finally surfaces. Â It’s the safe one, anyhow.
But I think I should make up little wallet size cards with a list of reasons why I choose to be at home with my four children everyday.  They wouldn’t be the same reasons I’d list in a nicely organized family mission statement.  It would start like this:
1.The thousand moments in a day I would miss if my kids were in school or in the car, traveling to and from school and activities, not to mention the hurried morning and the time spent nagging about homework. Â I get out of breath,grumpy, and less available to snuggle and read just thinking about it.
2. Â For example, the moments AFTER the morning fight between my girls, when they confess their frustration during our prayer time and their praise for a heart change.
3. Â The light in Drummer Boy’s eyes as he sits with the girls and does BIG school. Â He admires them so much even if they don’t recognize it as he follows them around the house and erases any of their personal space.
4. Â The constant sound of giggles emanating from Sparkles as one, two, and then three siblings vie for her attention.
5. Really getting into a book together.
6. All of the “I get it” moments.
7. Being present when a new passion is discovered.
8. Realizing that one of the kids new passion is something we both love and then realizing we get to share the whole process together.
I have a budding writer in the house. Â Does she like grammar, proper sentence and paragraph structure, have a passion for good hand-writing? No! But I’ve been there for the aha moments.
“Mommy, even though this stuff is hard, once I learn it, it’s going to make me better at writing stories.”
Mookie: “Sometimes I think about being a writer, but it seems like it’s really hard to get a book published.”
Me: “Just keep writing down your ideas, Mookie.”
“Wow, you mean by reading all the time I’m actually learning how to write, too? Â I’ve been learning and I didn’t even know it!”
One night as I edited a friend’s piece of writing and explained to Mookie what I was doing, her eyes lit up, “Mommy, can I write something and you can edit it and tell me how to make it better?”
Over the past few weeks we’ve been hard at work on her story for the PBS Story contest. Â She encountered the same problem she’s had the last few years, not what to write about but how to stay within the word limit. Her ideas just keep flowing. Â We had to omit several wonderful details to make the cut.
When she read her rough draft aloud, her sister asked some questions about the story. Â I mention casually,”You know Mookie, when I’m working on something and a friend shares some feedback, I’ll write it down so I can remember it later.” She grabbed a pencil and started taking notes from her 7 year old sister, “What happened to the cornbread after he stuffed it in his pocket? Did it get crumbly in his pocket or did he eat it on the way back?”
I confess I watched her write notes and my heart gave a little leap of praise that I get to share a passion with my daughter.  I might also have to bare her disappointment if she doesn’t win a prize(she really, really wants to win a prize), but getting to be with her in the process is somewhere high on that invisible list.
I’m not trying to give a rose-colored view of our homeschooling life.  I’ve tried to be honest on this blog and on my other blog about the challenges of mothering and homeschooling multiple children.  Do I ALWAYS want to be home with them? No. Are there some days that seem to pass by without even one moment that would make that why-I-do-it list.  It feels like it.  But to be available for the  the 1000(and growing) worth-it-all moments, I have to be available for the rest of the moments, too.
What We’ve Been Up to
We’ve finally picked up speed after the Christmas Break. Â Keeping our fingers crossed that Spring will come soon, we are-
-Continuing our Indian Studies
-Beginning our first Artist Study of the Year with Picasso
-Finding rhythm and adding cohesiveness to our day with “Square Time”(as named by our 4 year old and inspired by this great ebook on homeschooling multiple children with Circle Time)
-and preparing stories for the PBS Story Contest.
Homeschooling Multiple Children
Each season of homeschooling over the past 4 years has brought it’s own challenges(which means things that make me cry or growl or question my sanity).
In the beginning it was wiping out the only idea of school that I brought from my own childhood, and drawing in a new sketch where learning happened all the time and related to every day life. Â It was growing in confidence in a decision that was singularly different that anyone in our church or community. Â Then it was believing that I cared more than any school teacher could care about my child’s heart, education and spiritual life, and I could know her better than anyone as well. Â Even those triumphs over doubt didn’t show me which curriculum would work best, so we keep going by trial and error. Â Knowing we were choosing the right path didn’t show me how to homeschool with toddlers and babies and dishes and my own desires.
As we head into the second half of our school year, baby Sparkles is now mobile and responsibilities even more divided, I don’t wonder if I should be homeschooling. Â I’m only seeking a few tips to keep us open and fresh, excited and flexible, and to keep the growling and crying to a minimal.
Last night in preparation for a day of planning and prayer, I googled “homeschooling multiple children”. The first post I found was this one. Â Instead of being a how-to list of ideas that sound good in a blog post but aren’t actually helpful, it’s a portrait of a morning when nothing went as planned. Â I was cracking up! And I think I needed that, because I really need the gift of being able to laugh every day, more than I need ideas that worked for one family but won’t fit mine.
However, if I come up with any good tips I’ll surely pass them along for what they’re worth. Â Tip #1: Laugh instead of cry, start with this link.