The Homeschool Classroom

It's Been Two Months

ManyLittleBlessings@gmail.com (Angie @ Many Little Blessings) — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 14:01:00 +0000

It's been two months since we moved The Homeschool Classroom to our new home.

Are you getting this post in your feed or inbox only to say, "Hey - I noticed I haven't received any new posts lately!" If so, come and visit us or update your bookmarks to our new home on the web.

Or, if you prefer, just update your feed reader to The Homeschool Classroom's new RSS feed.

Don't forget -- you can delete this feed from your reader as well. The only updates that will be here now are an occasional, "Come visit our new home." And, if you already have, then you don't need to be reminded, do you?

Thanks so much for your loyal readership!

~ Angie

We Miss You

ManyLittleBlessings@gmail.com (Angie @ Many Little Blessings) — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 20:12:00 +0000

We've been busy working at The Homeschool Classroom's new home, and we miss you when you don't come visit. If you haven't had the chance to come to the all new The Homeschool Classroom, please come over!

Also, make sure to update your bookmarks and subscription (this link is for both RSS Reader subscriptions, like Google Reader or Bloglines, and for email subscriptions).

We hope to see you at our new home soon!

Last Day to Enter Our Big Giveaway!

ManyLittleBlessings@gmail.com (Angie @ Many Little Blessings) — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 18:29:00 +0000

Today is the final day of our big re-launch giveaway!

Come on over to the new site and enter to win one of 10 fabulous prizes.

Want to know what the prizes are?

1. A Completer Set of Math-U-See blocks. We don’t use Math-U-See, but I love having the blocks to use with the kids to help make math concepts more hands on.

2. Shoot & Sprout, Buzz & Bite Program (Instructor’s) Guide from Winter Promise. While we have not used this specific program from Winter Promise, we did start using Winter Promise’s social studies program this year and have really enjoyed it. This prize doesn’t include any books, just the program guide. This is a science program recommended for 1st through 4th grade.

3. Handwriting Without Tears’ Pre-K Get Set for School and Get Set for School Teacher’s Guide. The Handwriting Without Tears program is what my boys’ occupational therapist recommended, and we have been enjoying it. Okay, so we’ve been enjoying it as much a boys enjoy handwriting.

4. The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Recipes from an Accidental Country Girl. I loved this book so much that I gave it out as a Christmas gift quite a few times this past year. Yum-o! This cookbook is not only visually appealing, but my Mom sat down and read it like a novel.

5. Gardening Mama for the Nintendo DS. We are all gamers of one level or another at our house. My kids all love this Gardening Mama game! (And, apparently Santa forgot that the kids already owned it and brought another copy that has remained sealed.)

6. Crafter’s Devotional: 365 Days of Tips, Tricks, and Techniques for Unlocking Your Creative Spirit (hardcover book). I’m a crafter, and I love the wide variety of ideas in this book!

7. A Half Dozen Set of Felt Cookies made by me! The cookies in the link were for my daughter for Christmas, but I’ll make an all new set for you.

8. The Complete Guide to Getting and Staying Organized: *Manage Your Time *Eliminate Clutter and Experience Order *Keep Your Family First. I don’t know if you’re like me, but I love getting organized (or at least trying to get organized). This book is by Karen Ehman, a homeschooler who I have been thrilled to be able to see speak in person at Hearts at Home a couple of different times.

9. A set of four train stamps (set B1132 – CC Train Set) from Close to My Heart – These are the kind that need an acrylic block to stick to. They are super cute and would be great for cards or scrapbooking (which is another thing I love).

10. A $10 Amazon.com Gift Certificate – Who doesn’t love shopping on Amazon, right? I know I do!

If you're interested in any of these prizes (or all of them), make sure to come to the all new Homeschool Classroom before tonight (Saturday) at 11:59 pm EST.

Just as a reminder -- this blog and feed are no longer active. Please visit our new site and feed for our current home.

Don't Forget the Sprinkles

ManyLittleBlessings@gmail.com (Angie @ Many Little Blessings) — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 15:05:00 +0000

One of our new writers, Dana, wrote a post at the new Homeschool Classroom today titled "Don't Forget the Sprinkles." It's the kind of post that I think all homeschoolers should read, and I know that I smiled the whole time I was reading it, while shaking my head "yes."

I hope that The Homeschool Classroom is one of those sprinkles in your life, and that you'll come and visit us in our new location. If you subscribe by feed reader or email, this is the link to update to the new feed or email subscription.

Remember -- if you stop by before Saturday late night, you can enter to win one of ten prizes (with multiple ways to win)!

Hope to see you there!

Come Visit Us at Our New Home

ManyLittleBlessings@gmail.com (Angie @ Many Little Blessings) — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 11:00:00 +0000

Come visit us at our brand new home!

And, be sure to update your feed subscription or bookmark when you visit, as this site will no longer be updated.

Tomorrow is the Day!

ManyLittleBlessings@gmail.com (Angie @ Many Little Blessings) — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 18:38:00 +0000

Tomorrow is the day when this blog will officially move, so you'll definitely want to stop by tomorrow morning!

Why would you want to stop by?

You'll want to be amongst the first people to see our brand new blog and to enter into our grand opening giveaway (there are 10 different prizes!). Plus, you'll want to make sure to switch over your feed reader or email subscription with the information on the new site.

Oh, and then there is some secret "alliance" information to be had too.

Oh, the suspense! Don't forget to stop by tomorrow for the new location information!

5 Fun, Creative Ways to Recycle Christmas Cards

weirdunsocializedhomeschoolers@charter.net (Kris @ WUHS and Eclipsed) — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 11:00:00 +0000

I hate to just throw away Christmas cards when I take all the directions down, so several years I go I quit! I started saving the cards and putting them in the craft drawer for the kids. Following are some ideas of things we've done with them and things I've got in mind for us to do.

1. Cut them up to make Christmas scene collages.

2. Cut a card in half, paste it to a clean sheet of paper and let the kids create "finish the scene" drawings.

3. Cut them up and recycle them into new card creations. (My kids have made new birthday cards out of old Christmas cards before. They were actually really cute.)

4. Create gift tags for next year.

5. Create ornaments by cutting out scenes from cards into circle and pasting to the metal circles from frozen juice or refrigerated biscuit containers.

Do you have any fun, creative ideas for recycling Christmas cards?

Kris is the sweet-tea-drinking, classically eclectic, slightly Charlotte Mason, homeschooling mom to her three Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers.

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photo by: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kissyface/ / CC BY 2.0

Hand Me The Packing Tape. The Moving Truck is Coming!

ManyLittleBlessings@gmail.com (Angie @ Many Little Blessings) — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 12:00:00 +0000

Although I made sure to spend a lot of time with family over our blogging break, I have also been getting ready to move, although I haven't packed a single box. That's because this move is for The Homeschool Classroom!

We are planning (fingers crossed!) to have everything ready to unveil our new website on Monday, January 4th. You'll want to make sure to come visit so you can not only sign up for our new feed (if you currently read through a feed reader, or if you want to start), but so that you will also be able to enter into a fabulous giveaway. My lips are sealed for now, but start thinking of things like Math-U-See, Winter Promise, Nintendo, Handwriting Without Tears, and more!

We're all really excited about our move (and some other big announcements), and we hope that you will be too!

Angie is the founder of The Homeschool Classroom. She can also be found writing at her blog, Many Little Blessings.

photo by TheMuuj

Have a Wonderful Christmas

ManyLittleBlessings@gmail.com (Angie @ Many Little Blessings) — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 17:13:00 +0000

We here at The Homeschool Classroom hope that you will have a lovely holiday season! We will be taking a break from posting this week, in order to allow our writers to spend more time with family. Thank you for your support during this year. We'll look forward to seeing you back next week. (Make sure to come back to see some exciting announcements!)

Angie can be found writing at Many Little Blessings. Well, except not this week, because she is busy trying to finish up handmade gifts for her kiddos.

photo by Darwin Bell

Great Homeschooling Links: December 19, 2009

ManyLittleBlessings@gmail.com (Angie @ Many Little Blessings) — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 03:47:00 +0000

Real Mommies Wanted - The Snail's Trail

Momma Snail is asking all mommy bloggers to drop the mask of perfection and get real with each other.

Yummy Christmas Trees - Confessions of a Homeschooler

Sugarcone Christmas Trees - yummy, fun and educational!

Up for the Challenge? - Delightful Learning

Weekly building challenges that may spark your child's imagination and get them thinking critically and using problem solving skills.

Christmas Caroling Booklet - Somewhat Organized, Somewhat Crafty

Free Christmas Carol Booklet

Routine, Schedule or Both - My Life on a Taffy Pull

A fellow homeschooling mom explains her schedule / routine and how things work in her house (What's your schedule/routine?)

Hanukkah Crafts - No Time for Flash Cards

Cute Hanukkah crafts - a Menorah and a Star or David that even the littlest tots can make

Handmade Gifts - Craft Crow

Some cute handmade gifts that the kids can make themselves and who doesn't love a handmade gift?

Cara can be found writing at Peanuts are Evil and Other Crazy Stuff.

photo by krisdecurtis

Positives and Negatives of Homeschooling

ManyLittleBlessings@gmail.com (Angie @ Many Little Blessings) — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 07:35:00 +0000

My two older children are both competitive swimmers. Both are part of a USA swim team which practices every week night and they are the only two homeschoolers on the team. While the fact that they are homeschooled has sometimes raised curious questions from their teammates, overall, the comments and questions are positive. My three favorite questions/comments are:

1. Do you wear your pajamas all day?

2. That’s so cool – you can eat ANYTIME you want to! I get so hungry at school!

3. You can go to the bathroom anytime you want – that’s awesome!

Now, I didn’t start homeschooling so that my kids could wear pajamas all day, eat when they want to, and have the freedom to use the bathroom when “nature calls.” But, those truly are part of the comforts of homeschooling.

Even though I truly believe the positives far outweigh the negatives, I have found in my seven years of homeschooling that there are positives and negatives to the homeschooling experience. This article is not about my own perspective though. This article is about the perspective of my oldest child. My daughter will be 13 in January (a teenager!) and we have had many long conversations lately about the path she will take for high school. I’ll share her perspective on the homeschooling experience…the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Positives:

*She can go at her own pace. For example, she can watch her math lesson again on the computer if she needs to and can read the lesson again if needed. If she understands the lesson easily, she can “breeze through it” quickly.

*Snacking and using the bathroom without permission were mentioned! Interestingly, she also thought that being able to brush her teeth and floss after each meal without feeling weird about it was a benefit.

*Sleeping! With her swim team schedule, she knows she gets more sleep since she doesn’t have to get up as early as some of her friends who go to a brick and mortar school. Right now, my daughter practices for 13 ½ hours per week in the pool and has swim meets at least two week-ends a month. She pushes herself tremendously with her workouts and competitive swimming is a large part of her life. For her, adequate sleep translates into top athletic performance. Given her goal of making the time cuts for Junior Nationals before she is 14, sleep is really important to her.

*She thinks she has less sitting and waiting than her schooled peers. Some of her friends talk about doing a lot of waiting for other students to finish, pay attention, understand the concepts, etc.

*Since she is home, if she needs anything, she can get it. If she is cold, she can put on a sweatshirt. If she is hot, she can change into shorts. She enjoys the freedom and comfort that homeschooling gives her.

*She enjoys having less time restraints. For example, she doesn’t have a specific amount of time to eat lunch, get her math done, rush to the bathroom, etc. Overall, she thinks she feels less rushed at home than she would at school.

*No homework! When my daughter is done, she’s done. She loves not having to worry about the work she has to finish at home when she gets home from swim team at 9:30.

*She feels she has less peer pressure than she would if she went to school. She is free to be herself without fear of others judging her.

Negatives:

*She does feel she has had to explain herself to others her age who are not familiar with homeschooling. Sometimes, this has made her feel uncomfortable. But, now, she says she is just “Amber” with the people at swim team, and not “the homeschooler.” She also sometimes does not know the “current slang” that a few of her traditionally schooled peers use and has to ask for clarification.

*She doesn’t have as much social interaction with age group peers as her friends who go to school outside of their home. She does see age group peers every evening at swim team but it is just her family here at home during the day.

*She is with her brothers all of the time, all day, every day. Sometimes she would like a break from all the family togetherness, particularly when her brothers are acting silly.

*She would like to write for a school newspaper or a yearbook but she doesn’t have the opportunity here at home.

*Even though she competes on a USA swim team, she sometimes thinks it might be fun to be part of a swim team at a school and compete in smaller, dual meets.

*She doesn’t get done with school at a specific time each day. So, some days, she works on schoolwork almost up to the time she has to leave for swim practice.

Talking to my daughter about this topic was eye-opening for me. I would not have had the courage to do so when I was less secure in my decision to homeschool, but talking with her about the ups and downs of our educational choice was enlightening. A few of the disadvantages are areas that I can try to change somewhat. Some are things I can do nothing about. Regardless, the conversations have been helpful to me in clarifying my thinking about the high school years.

Lastly, I asked my youngest child, who is 8, about the benefits and drawbacks of homeschooling. I learned that life is pretty simple when you’re 8…and he’s really happy being home!

Benefits:

“Well one thing is you don’t have to stay there for about 4 hours or 6 hours. Two, it’s fun and you can go to the potty whenever you want. Three, we can take as much time as we want with eating. And, we get a lot of breaks; not like in school where you only get like two breaks.”

When prompted to talk about reasons why he would want to go to school Duncan replied, “I don’t have any reasons that I want to go to school.” Well, there you go!

Samantha can be found writing at To Be Busy at Home.

photo by mms0131

The Pros and Cons of Homeschooling on the Road

ManyLittleBlessings@gmail.com (Angie @ Many Little Blessings) — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 14:08:00 +0000

Initially when I considered writing about the Pros and Cons of homeschooling my three children while traveling full-time in our RV, there was only one negative aspect that readily entered my mind. So, I posed the question to my husband: In your opinion, what do you think are the Pros and Cons of homeschooling on the road?

Unanimously, our answer was space or to be more exact, the lack of. But as I really began to think about it, for a homeschooling mom that has accumulated quite a collection of books and curriculum over the past 11 years- the fact that there are storage restraints, is a blessing in disguise. It has certainly forced me to consider what’s truly important. And honestly, we didn’t read or use all the books that filled our shelves at home, so why would that change once we hit the road?

So, it appears that the one con that quickly came to mind might not be much of a hindrance after all.

Though we no longer live near family or friends, with today’s technology, keeping in touch via email, instant messaging, texting and cell phones has certainly kept the communication lines open. We’ve also been blessed to make new lasting friendships on the road.

So, it seems that the potential problems are actually blessings. What about the true benefits? Our family is certainly much closer than we were before we began full-timing. Living in less than 350 sq. ft. of space, you either learn to show grace and mercy to one another, or you’ll kill each other. Since we’re still alive, I’d say we’ve learned to be a bit kinder and merciful.

In addition to improved character, we have experienced firsthand the diversity of the people and places that have made America great. Not only have we read about history, we’ve also walked where our forefathers once tread. We’ve pondered the mystery of the Lost Colony, flew gliders where the Wright Brother’s made their first successful flight. We’ve stood on the tranquil grounds that were once the bloodiest battlefields of the Civil War and were awestruck as we first glimpsed the Statue of Liberty.

As a homeschooling mom that is sometimes too aware of her shortcomings, I’ve learned that my children will learn with or without curriculum. The best part is the real lessons they’ve learned while living on the road will stick with them much longer than that chapter from the textbook.

You can catch up with Tonya at her blog Live the Adventure where she writes about their homeschooling-on-the-road adventure from wherever they may be.

photo by Telstar Logistics

Creating a Writing Center

weirdunsocializedhomeschoolers@charter.net (Kris @ WUHS and Eclipsed) — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 11:00:00 +0000

The following post was originally posted on my personal blog, Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers, three years ago. We are not currently using our writing center because Brianna has outgrown it and Josh and Megan aren't ready for it yet. However, it's all stored in our basement, ready to be pulled out again soon. Maybe it will give you some ideas to use in your own homeschool.

People often ask me about what we use for language arts. Our "writing center" is basically our language arts curriculum. I first heard about learning centers in Mary Hood's book, The Relaxed Home School. I wanted Brianna to have freedom to choose her activities, but I wanted to encourage her to choose meatier stuff from time to time, rather than always choosing the "easy" or "fun" things. So, the first thing I came up with was the stop light.

Things in the "green" group should be done on a daily or almost-daily basis. Things in the "yellow" group should be done a couple of times a week and things in the "red" group, which are more complicated/time consuming, should be done at least once a week. I coupled that with a points system to give Brianna some choice and me some say-so. She has to earn three points a day. The green group items are worth one point each, yellow are worth two and red are worth three. So, if she chooses to stick with easy things, she has to make three choices, or she can do one moderate and one easy or just one "hard" project.

I also created a sheet for her to fill out showing what she's done each day. By the end of the week, she has to have chosen at least two moderate and one more difficult/time consuming project. In addition, there is room to fill in what she read in her daily Bible reading, and a reminder to do her AWANA memory work and her daily free choice reading on the check sheet.

I got some great printables for our new writing center from a website featuring mini-offices. I used a tri-fold presentation board for the backdrop of the center and drew a stop light on it. The library card pockets came from a local teacher supply store (you can find them at office supply stores or online, as well). I was thrilled to find a pack with red, yellow and green pockets! The pockets were pasted on the stop light and filled with 3X5 cards listing the various activities. I also colored the top of each index card with the appropriate color. Of course, you could save time and purchase cards with the top already colored. I've seen them at Wal-mart Target. Finally, I decorated with some of the printables that I got from the mini-office website.

Our writing center features:

a writer's workshop notebook (an invaluable resource)
dictionary
thesaurus
encyclopedias (on a separate shelf, obviously)
books for copywork
a poetry workbook
a story journal (where Brianna can write her own stories)
writing worksheets
Daily Grams and Easy Grammar workbooks
a notebook for practicing cursive writing
various types of paper
the Weekly Reader e-book, Let's Write a Great Book Report
Brianna's spelling box.

The spelling box is our new tool for better spelling. I'm still working out the details on it, but we're going to have weekly spelling words again that will either be from Spelling Power or from Brianna's own writing (with ideas I got from this website). It's a 3X5 file box with alphabet tabs. Each week I'll give Brianna around ten spelling words. I'm going to write the word on the lined side of a 3X5 card. On the blank side, Brianna can write the word in big, colorful letters and, if she chooses, illustrate it in a way that will help her remember the word, a technique I picked up from the fabulous book, Right-Brained Children in a Left-Brained World by Jeffrey Freed.

I'm going to write spelling activities from Spelling Power on 3X5 card that I will place in the front of the box. Brianna can choose which activities she wants to do each day. Once she has correctly spelled the word, it will go into the appropriate alphabet tab slot, thus creating her own personal spelling dictionary.

Kris is the sweet-tea-drinking, classically eclectic, slightly Charlotte Mason, homeschooling mom to her three Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers.

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Rainy Days Jar

noreply@blogger.com (Angela @ HomegrownMom) — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 11:00:00 +0000

One of our readers shared this recently:

I'd love to read some articles about how to keep an energetic toddler engaged in the cold winter months when going outside to work off the excess energy is not an option.

I originally wrote this post in February of last year, but I’ve updated it a little and wanted to share these ideas with you as the cold winter months are setting in..

I awoke this morning to a dark and dreary sky. Rainy days are not too common where we live, so we try to make the most of them. We love to snuggle in bed and read stories, or have hot cocoa by the fire. While the girls and I love those comforts, there comes a point where we all-but in particular six year old Soleil-just need to move.

Out comes our rainy day jar. It is simple to make and we also use it at times when it’s too hot to go outside. In the jar are craft sticks with active activities written on them. The kids take turns picking a stick to see what fun activity we’ll do. No craft sticks? Use slips of paper instead.

Ideas for your jar

Good old standards:

Freeze dance
Simon says
Hide and seek
Balloon or beach ball volleyball (try to keep the balloon or ball from touching the ground)
Make forts out of blankets and sheets
Four square if you have a space large enough

Games that may be in your closet:

Twister or Twister dance moves
Dance dance revolution
Hula hoop
Toss across
Nerf guns - For extra fun, combine these with forts!
Plastic bowling or mini golf kits
Wii Sports or other active video games
Rent a dance or cheerleading movie or musical and try to copy the dances. Many of the newer ones have a special features option that will teach you the steps.

Have a PE class:
Do you have any of these around your house?

Stability ball (So many uses!)
Jump rope
Mini trampoline
Step for step aerobics
Or, just lead a class on your own. Kickboxing, salsa dancing, military-style workouts…the opportunities are endless. Make it fun!
Strength or circuit training. Coco, my 13 year old can use light free weights and I make Soleil “dumbells” out of tinker toys.
Workout videos. I have a hip hop one the kids love to do. There are some fun kid ones you can get, too.

Make something up!
My kids have all kinds of silly games that they’ve made up over time. Give your kids a ball, blanket, or stuffed animal and see what happens.
You pick!

This is by far our favorite stick. Whoever draws it gets to pick whatever they want to do.
Once we use a stick, we keep it out of the jar until it is empty, and then start over. That way, we get to do everything in the jar at least once. The only stick that goes back in, no matter how many times we use it is “You pick!”

If all else fails…
If you are stuck with too many rainy days in a row, why not bundle the kids up and let them splash around for a few minutes outside? You’ll most likely spend more time cleaning up than you do playing, but it’s a great mood-booster!

Have any rainy day traditions? I’d love to hear about them!

photo by photoexpress

Creating an Atmosphere of Learning

ManyLittleBlessings@gmail.com (Angie @ Many Little Blessings) — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 11:00:00 +0000

I recently had the pleasure of being able to read Creating an Atmosphere of Learning, the first e-book by Brenda from The Tie That Binds Us. (Brenda is, of course, also a writer here at The Homeschool Classroom, amongst the many other things that she does.)

First, I have to say that I really enjoyed that Creating an Atmosphere of Learning is clear and concise. We all have such busy lives, don't we? I will admit that I often don't take the time to read just for myself and my own enjoyment, as much as I would like to. This made Brenda's e-book perfect for me, I was able to sit down and read it in one sitting, though I am sure that I will want to refer back to it later.

Creating an Atmosphere of Learning is full of ideas that are outside the ~~textbook~~ box. Brenda stresses the importance of making learning something that happens all the time -- from the music you listen to during the day to the toys that you provide for your kids to the art supplies that you choose. It probably isn't surprising, but Brenda's e-book stresses quality over quantity. Though this would seem to be common sense thinking, I know that it's so easy to fall into the trap of more is better.

I really enjoyed reading Creating an Atmosphere of Learning. I was inspired to try to add at least a few of Brenda's suggestions as we start back to school in January. I especially would like to do that, since we have been enjoying a more relaxed schedule for these last two weeks of school in December, and it has been wonderful. The kids are learning and doing, while at the same time saying, "Are we going to do school today?" To which I have to tell them, "This is school." I have felt a bit like I was slacking, but after I read Creating an Atmosphere of Learning, I thought, "Hang on -- this is exactly what we've been doing!"

This is usually the point where I would have to say something like that we have a special coupon code for you to get a discount on Creating an Atmosphere of Learning. But, I'm happy to tell you that Creating an Atmosphere of Learning is free! Thanks so much for that, Brenda!

To download Creating an Atmosphere of Learning, just stop by Brenda's blog The Tie That Binds Us to get your free copy.

Angie can be found writing about faith, family, and household management topics at Many Little Blessings.

photo by mitikusa

Do You Read a Variety of Homeschooling Blogs and Love to Write?

ManyLittleBlessings@gmail.com (Angie @ Many Little Blessings) — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 20:03:00 +0000

We are rounding out our team of writers (you may have noticed that among our awesome current writers, we have added some new writers who are bringing in such great content!), and I am interested in adding in two more writers. However, I have something different in mind for these writers, so read on to see if you might be interested.

I would like two writers who would compile link lists similar to these three lists (with some links and short descriptions). Someone who writes these would need to be currently reading a wide variety of blogs or be able to search out other great content to link to that would be of interest to homeschooling families.

If you are interested in a position like this, please contact Angie via email. With your email, please submit a sample link list (with descriptions, just as you would for something you would submit).

Angie is the founder of The Homeschool Classroom and Catholic Mothers Online. She can also be found writing at her blog, Many Little Blessings, about faith, family, and household management.

photo by Muffet

Mother-Daughter Date

ManyLittleBlessings@gmail.com (Angie @ Many Little Blessings) — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 11:00:00 +0000

A friend of mine once said to me that she and her husband try to love each child as if they were the only child they had. It has always stuck with me.

In that spirit, my husband and I try to make "dates" with our girls. For my husband's birthday last year, for instance, I gave my then 3 yr old daughter a bunch of cash and she took her daddy to the movies to see Wall-E. She bought the movie tickets and all the soda, candy and popcorn he could carry. They had a wonderful time. It became a memory that they often still talk about.

As Ava has been getting bigger (now 2 1/2yr) she wants to be a part of everything. That means, it is hard for Bels and I to have one on one time, and Isabel has been asking for more attention. We finally planned (and budgeted for) a big girls date. Just she and I.

Last month, Bels and I had our date. We got up semi-early and went to IHOP for breakfast. We giggled and talked and had a great time just being together. I really enjoyed just listening to her tell me about things she noticed or memories of vacations. It was incredible to be able to be completely present for her. No phone, no dog, no distractions. I knew she was a bright and interesting girl, but I felt like I was meeting her all over again. I got to ask her questions about things she enjoyed and why she enjoyed them, and to my surprise, she had a lot of things she wanted to know about me!

After breakfast, we went over to the mall. Isabel had seen a book at Barnes and Noble she wanted, so armed with her little purse full of hard-saved cash we made our way to BN. On the way, we saw a caricaturist and I could not think of a better way to commemorate our day together. You can see the picture above. It was a blast! The guy did our drawings separately so we got to watch the other being drawn- along with a crowd of interested shoppers. It took about 10 minutes for us both and he matted and framed it for us on the spot. It cost a bit more, but it was worth it when I got home and hung it directly on the wall.

Then we went to BN and she bought her book and I got a new planner for 2010. We headed to the Kilwin's store, window shopping along the way and taking time to smell the perfumes and candles. Bels has had her eye on Kilwin's caramel apples for a while and I agreed to buy her one on our date. We also bought a couple slices of fudge to take home and share.

By then we were both pretty worn out and decided to head for home. I could see the joy on Isabel's tired face on the drive home. It was just what she had been needing.

I think all children need a little one on one time with each of their parents. It doesn't have to take an entire morning or cost very much. It could be taking a walk, just the two of you, around the block after dinner. Or eating your cereal together on the deck or porch in the morning while you talk. A friend of ours used to take his daughter to McDonald's for the $1 sundaes for their dates and they both loved it. When your child has your undivided attention for more than 5 minutes at a time, they just feel special.

If you don't have a date night with your kids, try it and let me know how it goes! Even a mini-date (30 minutes or so) might surprise you!

Melissa can be found writing at HopeSprouts Homeschool.

Hidden Pictures Project

ManyLittleBlessings@gmail.com (Angie @ Many Little Blessings) — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 11:00:00 +0000

This holiday season, bring along a big sheet of paper to your visits with family and friends for a fun and easy activity. This particular project actually came about accidentally for us, which is the beauty of it. We started off following a party game and ended up with a masterpiece.

To play, each person draws one continuous line on the sheet and pass the marker on. Everyone takes turns until the whole sheet is covered with scribbles. The only rule is that you can't add anything else until someone else has added something. This activity could take as long or short as you want -- gather around the table and fill the sheet all at once, or leave the sheet out and continue adding lines throughout the week. We did this in one sitting and had a great time sabotaging each others' intended images (we are that kind of family). It's actually better if you add random lines rather than actual pictures.

This is also a game that can be played with everyone who can hold a marker. Our littlest took part and added lines as well, which contributed to the overall picture.

When you are satisfied with the number of lines, start filling in different sections with different colors. It is important that this part be a group activity -- it isn't so fun to have one person color in the whole sheet!

Finally, let the fun times begin. Everyone step back and scrutinized your colored picture and search for hidden pictures. As soon as someone calls out an image, outline it and fill it in with appropriate details to make the image come to life (feathers, scales, whiskers, etc.). You'd be amazed by the awesome images that pop out. I know we were.

Amida can be found writing at Journey Into Unschooling.

What Happens When Simple Things Aren't So Simple (Homeschooling a Struggling Learner)

ManyLittleBlessings@gmail.com (Angie @ Many Little Blessings) — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 13:27:00 +0000

When our children excel in their studies, we feel confident and proud. Chances are we find someone (anyone) to share this wonderful news with. In some small way it feels like we are validated in our homeschooling decision. We hear of new research that finds "Homeschooling kids achieve higher scores on testing," and we spread the news far and wide as proof that our decision was the right one, sharing those wonderful high marks of our own children. Sometimes this wonderful news can even sway a skeptic to our side.

But what happens when a child doesn't excel above his peers? What if he falls behind? What happens when simple things aren't so simple?

Here are some treasured nuggets I've found along our journey that may be of help to someone else.

Make TIME work for you instead of against you. If your child has hit the proverbial brick wall, consider taking a break from that concept for a bit. Many concepts are developmentally or sequentially related. Return to the previous activity of success, take time to enjoy that and then return to the challenging task a few days, weeks or even months later. You can spend months, even years struggling through a difficult task which in turn can create bad feelings and frustrations while making very little progress. I've found when given some time, the offending concept is often mastered much quicker with that later attempt. That impossible seeming task often ends up being a stepping stone instead of a stumbling block. Each child is unique as is their timeframe for learning.
Find out what your child's learning style is. This makes your teaching effective and meaningful for your child. If your child is a visual or kinesthetic learner, a lecture on anything could end up a frustration and waste of time for you and your child. If you address material in his own learning style, the material will be picked up quicker and retention will be far better than going another route. I've also found better cooperation, and happier kids. Realize that you can adapt ANY thing, ask your child for help with this. You'll probably be surprised at his response. It's a huge benefit to teach with a mixture of learning styles in mind, so you can involve multiple learning pathways. You can take one concept and sing or talk about it, paint about it, build a model of it, read about it and so on.
Give up grade levels if you can. If you don't have requirements prohibiting this in your state, I recommend putting your child on a truly individualized plan of study for his schooling based on the theme "work as fast or slow as you want to go". I've heard conversations between children like this:

"What grade are you in?"

"Well, I'm in different grades for different things. I get to move ahead as fast as I want, I don't have to stay in one grade."

This feels much better than saying "I'm 8, but I'm in 1st grade" Or "I'm supposed to be in 2nd grade" Or even one of my favorites "Mom, what grade am I in?"
Let strengths and talents shine. Your child has some talent or ability that he can really excel in. Watch for these things. Encourage them. Use them in other subjects. If your child is a LEGO genius, find some way to use that in Science, Math, or Writing. Bringing something already attached to success can offer hope and even determination to try again with something more challenging.
Try, try again- differently. Just because something is difficult doesn't mean it is impossible. Try new things and ways to work through those tough concepts. Ask others for ideas and tips that they found successful for their children. They may or may not work for you, but they may inspire you to be able to reach your child.
Get help for your child if he needs it. Learning disabilities, neurological or developmental challenges, physical limitations etc. can hinder your child's learning. If you feel there is more to your child's struggles, seek some help. Our family has benefitted from Vision, Speech, Language, Occupational, and Physical Therapies. Sometimes, you may need some help opening a learning path for your child.

Above all realize that learning doesn't come easy all the time for anyone. Keep learning fun and full of love so you safeguard the desire to learn in your child.

What treasured nuggets have you found on your journey with your struggling learner?

Dana believes that each child has strengths and talents uniquely his/her own, and that laughter is the best medicine for life's educational ills. You can find her at NogginsandNonsense.

photo by jimmiehomeschoolmom

This post is linked to Works for Me Wednesday and Thirsty Thursday.

4 Year rotation of the Sciences

brensain@gmail.com (Brenda @ Tie That Binds Us) — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 12:36:00 +0000

I have always followed the 4 year rotation as laid out in The Well Trained Mind for science.

1.) Life Science - animals, human beings and plants

2.) Earth science and astronomy

3.) Chemistry

4.) Physics

This has taken the guess work out of what our main science focus will be for a particular year. If you are worried about learning how you were taught in school, with small segments of different sciences each year, I want to share with you what I learned. You can not get very in-depth with a particular subject if you are skimming the surface each year. But, to do a thorough study, depending on the age of your child, you are able to dig deeper and understand more. Plus, the child has time to get into what you are studying. Often when you study something for a few weeks, they are just really understanding it when you are done and ready to move on.

The tricky year for me is the life science year. So, to be honest with you I have gone into the summer on that year and into a portion of the next year. If you are still worried about them getting bored, or them not learning a wide array of topics for that year, there are plenty of other opportunities to use other fields of science as you are teaching to one specifically. For example while teaching chemistry I have been able to also talk about physics, biology and earth science as we went very thoroughly through the periodic table and learned what each element was found in.

I don't worry about missing something because I know that after 4 years we would have (theoretically) touched on all the sciences. I have children that took an interest in marine biology and now I send them to a marine biology camp during the summer, another child interested in robotics has a robotics camp to look forward to in the future. I also have one interested in archaeology and they ALL like to dig, so we are going on a local dig soon and on our next family vacation we are stopping to dig at a real site in VA, all day with a scientist. We also have started nature journaling which requires us to be outdoors observing each week and this will be an ongoing life science study for many weeks to come. So there are other times to pursue other science interests if we cannot "get to it" during our school time.

That's what homeschooling is all about to me. It's been a lifestyle change. We learn all the time, in everything we do. And while doing it, we enjoy each other's company. If you are homeschooling for the long haul I would like to encourage you to keep some sort of cycle of the sciences. It lifts the burden of what to teach next and gives you the freedom to be creative within certain parameters.

Side note to moms not sure if you will homeschool next year: If you are not sure that you are able to homeschool for more then a year or two, I would stick with the traditional textbook style curriculum so that your child is not behind when they re-enter. That's my opinion.

Written by Brenda, a classical eclectic mom of five. She blogs at http://thetiethatbindsus.blogspot.com, and is the founder of Our Lifestyle of Learning, an online community for homeschool moms.

Introducing New Cultures

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle) — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 11:00:00 +0000

We live in rural Georgia. We are close to Atlanta but rarely go into the city unless we are going to a doctor or the Children's hospital there. I don't like to battle the traffic. I don't have the time to go just to explore. I'm not familiar enough with the city to know what parts are considered "safe" and what parts are probably better to stay away from. Rarely do we have the extra money to go into Atlanta just for fun. I know there are some amazing places in the city to see and experience but we really haven't been able to take advantage of it.

One definition of culture in the Merrium-Webster's Dictionary is " the customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits of a racial, religious or social group; also the characteristics features of everyday existence (as diversions or a way of life) shared by a people in place or time". Because of where we live and our circumstances we only experience a limited amout of "culture".

Sometimes I look at people who live in big cities and I am a little jealous. They have so many different cultures right at their fingertips! They can walk outside their doors and share in those different and wonderful aspects of those different cultures. I often wish we could have those same advantages without some of the disadvantages that come along with a big city.

That said we have made a real effort to bring different cultures to our children. I thought it might be worthwhile to list a few things we have done to bring the differences to our kids so that they can not only learn about others but perhaps grow themselves.

We introduce foreign language. Nothing gets a child more excited about learning about another culture than to hear something in that native tongue. Right now my oldest daughter is learning French and Japanese.
We watch shows on foreign countries. Sometimes they are movies, other times they are shows on The National Geographic Channel or the Discovery Channel. My kids love to also watch shows on the Travel Channel.
We regularly experiment with different cuisines. My kids love to try out new foods and they love to help cook them! We do a little researching first and then set to work at getting what we need to make the meal. There have been some great meals and some not so great but they have all been a learning experience.
When we meet someone with a different cultural background we quiz them about their culture! The girls' Irish Step Dance teacher is straight from Ireland. She loved when we began asking her questions about Ireland and about her culture. Most people love to share their backgrounds and what makes their cultures so special. Ask them!
We try to attend the Hispanic festivities at our church. We have a very large Hispanic community here and they tend to have the best festitivies! They love when people show interest in what they are doing at the Church.
My inlaws host foreign exchange students and we do our best to really get close to and learn from those students. So far we have enjoyed learning from Japanese, German, Filopino, Hungarian, Ukranian, Italian and Finnish students! Normally they bring things from their homeland to share and talk about with the students here. Our kids love seeing those things and learning about them.
Sometimes for an assignment the older kids will pick a culture and research it. They find things that they find are interesting and share it with the other kids.

I believe we have to share the world with our children. Sometimes though this is hard because of location, finances or just not knowing anyone who can help teach our kids about other cultures. We really try hard to make the world a little smaller for our children. It's an important part of socialization that will help them when they move on from here and get into the "real world". Oh, yes, and it's so much fun too!

What do you do to help your children learn about other cultures?

Michelle has been homeschooling her children for 11 years. She can be found writing about the ups and downs of homeschooling and her life in general at her blog Pass The Flu Bug Please.

Organizing and Displaying Children's Artwork

ManyLittleBlessings@gmail.com (Angie @ Many Little Blessings) — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 11:00:00 +0000

The homes of many who have children are overflowing with art projects everywhere! As homeschooling mothers, we struggle with maintaining some degree of order and displaying the precious artwork that our talented children create. We also look for ways to preserve the artwork for a longer period of time – perhaps for portfolio reviews at the end of the year or for long-term storage.

I have three children (13, 11, and 8) who create quite a few art masterpieces. Over the years, I have found many ways both to celebrate their art and to preserve it for portfolio reviews or as treasured keepsakes.

Years ago, my husband installed a fabulous display center for artwork in our hallway. Basically, he simply fastened eye screws to the wall in intervals and strung wire through the eye screws. The wire created a “clothesline” in our hall for displaying artwork. I simply attach artwork to the wire lines with clothes pins and switch it out every so often. I love the ever-changing art display in our hallway!

Since my children are a bit older now, I don’t have quite as much artwork produced on a daily basis as I used to here at home. Preschoolers can create a lot of art, for example, several finger paintings in one sitting!

When your home is overflowing with art, it is sometimes hard to remember that the homes of others may have absolutely no children’s art in them. Children’s artwork is wonderful and is very much appreciated by those who love your children. We used to regularly send big envelopes full of art to grandparents and great-grandparents. Big paintings produced by preschoolers also make fabulous gift wrap.

Throughout the school year, I take pictures of all completed art projects that the children do as part of our weekly art class. I also take pictures of any art projects that they complete on their own that they have worked on for an extended period of time.

I use Shutterfly to organize my pictures so I simply upload the pictures and create an album for each child’s artwork for the school year. When I am preparing portfolios for review at the end of the school year, I can quickly have each child’s artwork album pictures printed. Then I put them in an inexpensive 4” by 6” photo album and I have documentation of their work in art as well as a treasured keepsake.

I purchased a whole bunch of these little albums in the $1.00 section of Target. I did not want to use the cover art included in the album, so I slid it out and flipped it over to add my own graphics and title.

While taking pictures of a child’s artwork works well, I have another strategy for storing small three-dimensional art. My middle son is an avid creator of Sculpey clay figurines. He makes clay figures with a passion and he has well over 1,000 little figurines now. To keep his growing collection in order, I purchased a plastic drawer storage unit for his clay creations. One of these storage units would work well for any small three-dimensional art form such as beaded creations, Perler bead constructions ,small painted ceramic pieces, etc.

One last suggestion for artwork that is not oversized – store in a three ring binder. Three ring binders and page protectors are a great way to store carefully done coloring pages, drawings, and any flat art that will fit in a standard-sized page protector.

Taking the time to display and preserve our children’s art projects shows them, in a tangible way, that we think their artwork is worthy of decorating our homes, sharing with others, and precious enough to become a keepsake.

How do you store or display your children's artwork?

Samantha can be found writing at To Be Busy at Home.

Photos by Samantha from To Be Busy at Home, except Colored Pencil photo by leonwpp

Why Read About It? Let's Do It!

ManyLittleBlessings@gmail.com (Angie @ Many Little Blessings) — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 11:00:00 +0000

My philosophy has always been, “Why read about it, let’s do it!”

With that statement in mind, I’d be lying if I said that field trips have not played a huge role in my children’s education. When the kids were young we took the typical trips to the post office, fire station, police department, city hall and grocery store. As they grew, I began to realize the benefits of using a field trip to liven up a subject, introduce them to an area of study or to reward them for a job well done. So if you have any doubts about the benefits of field trips, allow me to share how field trips can be a useful tool for homeschoolers.

A Socialization Tool

As homeschoolers, we know our children receive plenty of socialization but one way I’ve attained this has been through field trips with our local homeschool support group. Sometimes getting out of the house and meeting with other homeschooling friends have been just what my family has needed. Of course, many of the field trips or outings we take are just for our family and sometimes I prefer that too.

Teaches them how to Interact in Different Settings

Field trips have been a great teaching tool when it comes to interacting with others. My kids have been able to practice good manners, listening skills and proper conduct in many different types of settings outside the home. They’ve learned how to conduct themselves when we visit the theater, ballet or art museum and to give the speakers their full attention even the few times when they haven’t been completely enthralled.

To enhance an area of study

What better way to make a subject come alive than through a field trip? Some of our favorite studies have been enhanced with field trips to living history museums, Renaissance Fairs and battlefields. Perhaps you’ve run into a difficult subject that you are finding hard to teach, why not take a field trip to allow them to learn from someone who is passionate about physics, chemistry or math- I guarantee they’ll encourage your children to look at those tough subjects in a brand new way!

Some field trips have been interest based

One of my children is interested in the military which has led to a trip to a nearby Army Reserve Base to see the C-130 planes and as an added bonus, to learn about survival skills. We’ve watched paratroopers take practice jumps and recently toured an historic B-17 bomber from the WWII era. As my children have grown accustomed to regular field trips, they’ve often suggested that we visit a particular type of venue, such as a fort, a chocolate factory and a car manufacturing plant.

To introduce career options

As my children have gotten older, we’ve used field trips as a way to introduce them to various career options. Why not schedule a field trip and use it as an opportunity to show your children what other people do to make a living while presenting options to your child that they normally may not think of? This would be a great time for older children to add in some volunteer work. Could they volunteer a few hours at the local veterinarians, lawyer’s office, hospital or police department? Give them a chance to experience hands-on what those careers are all about.

Sometimes you just need to have fun

Field trips shouldn’t just focus on education, they should also be fun! There have been times when we’ve needed to lighten up a bit and a field trip was just the way to reach that goal! Not only could we enjoy a day hiking in the outdoors, viewing the exhibits at a local science museum or watching the monkeys at the zoo but we could also learn a thing or two and didn’t feel like the day was a total waste when we really just needed a break.

I hope that you realize that homeschooling does not always need to take place in the home. There is a whole world out there to discover and the possibilities are endless!

If not on a field trip, Tonya’s writing about one on her blog, Live the Adventure.

photo by Old Shoe Woman

Holiday Boredom Busters

weirdunsocializedhomeschoolers@charter.net (Kris @ WUHS and Eclipsed) — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 11:00:00 +0000

Whether you school through most of the holiday season or take extended time off, chances are the natives are getting restless at your house about this time of year. (If they're not, can I send mine to your house for a couple of weeks?) Below are some links to some fun things that I've saved in my "to do later" file that might interest you:

Primary colors art project
Hidden Pictures - A really cool, on-going family art project
Homemade play dough or here with Kool-aid for coloring
Finish the Drawing pictures
Relief painting
Make a fresco
Or try some of my family's favorite recipes

What are some of your family's favorite boredom busters?

Kris is the sweet-tea-drinking, classically eclectic, slightly Charlotte Mason, homeschooling mom to her three Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers.

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Looking for Blissdom Conference Sponsorship

ManyLittleBlessings@gmail.com (Angie @ Many Little Blessings) — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 05:12:00 +0000

A few of our writers are dreaming of going to (or already registered for) Blissdom '10. If you are a business that would be interested in fully or partially sponsoring one of our writers to attend Blissdom, please contact Angie to learn more about which writers are interested in attending and what they can offer you and your company!

Thanks!