Ambitious April: April 2010

The Creative Process

I loved this image from murraythenut.com about the creative process...it is so true-brilliant!

Sure, I could send them to school...

I Could...

I could send her to school,
And from 8:00-3:00 have no clue.

How many times she laughed,

How many times she learned,

How many times she questioned,

How many times she understood,

How many times she wanted more information,

How many times she bounced in her chair from excitement,

How many times she was proud of something she did.

I could send her to school and she could get her exercise and sunshine,

In 20 minute doses, if she had on the right shoes, and no one
misbehaved and everyone was quiet.

I could send her to school

And let her eat the processed high fat, low nutrition fare they feed
millions of children a day,

if she had enough time to eat and didn't talk too loud and if no
one grabbed her food.

Or...

I could homeschool her.

by Karen Cagle
http://homeschoolgirls.net

Spring

I just LOVE Spring, don't you? It seems like the world just comes alive-literally. After a long winter of reflection and often drudgery, Spring inspires us to get moving and look at things in a new way. I know most people make resolutions in January during the new year. It always feels so unnatural to me. I have always seen April as my true New Year. Helps that it is also my name. Did you know the name April comes from the Latin aperire which means "to open"...like flowers? Well I think it can also mean to be open to change and new things,which I'm not always so fond of. Change can be hard. New things can be scary. I've learned in the last 10 years that sometimes change and new things can be very, very good especially if your open to them. The more you fight it the worst it can seem. God works in strange ways and often you feel like your life is spinning out of control when really if you'd just let go and let God-amazing things are in store for you.

Reader's Theater

A fabulous homeschooling mother in my area hosted a Reader's Theater activity for the local homeschoolers. It was held at a local library and we were asked to bring snacks to share. The only cost to the host was the copies of the scripts and her time and energy. This would be an extremely easy homeschool event to host for your local community.Suggestions:

ask that participants be independent readers
have parents bring dress up clothes and possible props
assign 1-2 older children to be leaders and lead group in practicing
try to have as little adult input as possible

Here are some resources for scripts:

Readers Theater Scripts and Plays
Readers Theater Editions of comedy stories
Whootie Owl's Reader's Theatre Play Scripts
Scripts from Storycart.com
Stretch-A-Book offers a whole book package with scripts, etc.

New Converts

Changing over to Charlotte Mason has been like a spiritual conversion. Many an 'ah ha!' moment accompany reading her ideas. Most of it you instinctual know is true, but you'd never had a name to call it before. Charlotte Mason herself seems to have been very in tune with the Spirit, her thoughts on the nature and nurture of children are very inspired and Christ-like. One becomes passionate and zealous about these new ideas for learning. Jokingly, I've begun to win over new converts. A few friends are also learning more about Charlotte and being inspired by her ideas and methods. Don't be surprised if there is some sort of Charlotte Mason revival stirring up in Idaho. Can't you just see it now? Book stores frantic just to keep classic books on their shelves. Every afternoon mothers and children out frolicking, sketch pads in tow, in yards, parks, and fields. In the immortal words of Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady " Oh! Wouldn't it be lovely."

“You know it's a bad day when you put your bra on backwards and it fits better.”

So as not to repeat what happened today I have placed the following post- its about to remind me:

Just for Fun: Cannibals

Thought this was funny.

Check out more funny creation at the Bent Objects blog.

A Day in the Life...

One of the first homeschool books I ever read was Homeschooling: A Patchwork of Days by Nancy Lande. This book did not recommend curriculum or tell me the best how-to homeschool method. It did not describe the newest educational philosophy or teach me about my childs learning style. I believe what it gave me was more valuable than even those. This book teaches you about the very essence of homeschooling. The spirit that moves seemingly unrelated families to remove their children from traditional education and school them at home. The peace and love for learning that can only be found within the walls of a homeschooling home.

The book is broken up into chapters one for each of the 30 homeschool families who wrote about what a day in the life of their homeschooling looked like. Although these families all school in different ways, with different curriculum's and philosophies, you cannot help but come away feeling the shared community between them all. I highly recommend this as a must read homeschooling book.

Nancy has put out a new book called Homeschool Open House, were she interviews 55 homeschooling families. I have not read it yet, but I assume it will be just as good as the first book.

California Here I Come, Right Back Where I Started From

We're moving. I'm pretty sure packing boxes is a PE activity for homeschoolers, right? And let me just say- I feel bad for anyone helping us since I've been a teacher and a homeschooler and those must be the two worst people to move... the books alone...

I suppose this will be my last post on here as I will no longer be an Idaho Homeschoolin' Mom- but I will be lurking around checking on all of you so keep it up! And come visit me at The Active Family blog!

Book Notes: Charlotte Mason Study Guide-Topic #1 Part 1

These are notes from my reading of Charlotte Mason Study Guide by Penny Gardner

Study Topic #1
Charlotte Mason: A Woman of Wisdom page 1

Charlotte Mason

born January 1, 1842 in England
was an only child to parents who were only children
had no extended family
at 16 her parents died and left her poor
at 18 she went to teachers college
She taught at Davidson school in Sussex for 12 years, quitting due to poor health
she wrote and published a popular geography book about England
At age 42 she began to give lectures
She published Home Education from these lectures and continued her carreer lecturing
in 1887 she starte the Parents Educational Union
in 1890 the Parents Review newsletter was started
in 1892 she founded the Parents National Educational Union and House of Education (a governess training college)
she dies in 1923
at the time of her death every public school in Gloucester county and a few others throughout Britain used her methods
Coal mining children as well as affluent were given a good education per her ideals

Children are Persons

Charlottes example

she treate all with courtesy and respect
gave dignity to others by first treating them with dignity
never prone to 'mood' (I am so bad at this...must change!)
radiated gaity and affection
serene happiness
" Always rememeber persons matter more that things. Don't say anthing that will leave a sting." ~ CM (AMEN!)

Masterly Inactivity (this is SO hard)

do not step in to tak iniative from the child
CM never appeared anxious
she simply stated her belief in a principle and awaited for other to learn them on their own

Bringing Out the Best in Others

she inspired all who knew her-bringing out the best in them
"Her power to inspire deep personal affection in the hearts of many who never saw her was remarkable." (hence the name for my blog)

Words of Wisdom

" Education, like faith, is the evidence of things not seen...The only fit sustenance for the mind is ideas... Our business is to give children the great ideas of life, of religion, history, science; but it is the ideas we must give, clothed upon with facts as they occur, and must leave the child to deal with these as he chooses." ~CM

Spiritual Sundays: It's a Tilt A Whirl Life Out There

Image from Tales from the Vinyl Village blog

Whoa! Someone stop this thing and let me out!

I haven't done a Spiritual Sunday post in a while. I getbusy and forget and I also kind of feel guilty about posting and not having time to read and comment on everyone's great posts for Spiritual Sunday. That is kind of what my post is about.

Sometimes we get a little overwhelmed, busy, and ahead of ourselves...especially women. We think we should have and do it all. We hear about what others are doing in their lives and feel guilty that we are not doing those things too. These are usually good things like serving others and beautifying the world. How can all these good things be bad for us?

An old friend send me this poem a while back-

"The Girl in a Whirl"

Look at me, look at me, look at me now!

You could do it too, if you only knew how.

I study the scriptures one hour each day,

I bake, I upholster, I scrub, and I pray.

I always keep all the commandments completely.

I speak to my little ones gently and sweetly,

I help in their classrooms, I sew all they wear.

I drive them to practice, I cut all their hair.

I go to the temple at least once a week.

I change the car's tires and fix the sink's leak.

I'm taking a class on the teachings of Paul.

But that is not all, oh no, that is not all!

I play the piano and work on my talents.

My life is a wonder of fullness and balance.

I read to my children, I help all my neighbors.

I bless my community, too, with my labors.

Our family home evenings are always delightful,

The lessons I give are both fun and insightful.

I do genealogy faithfully, too.

It's easy to do all the things that I do.

I have a home business to help make some money.

I always look beautifully groomed for my honey.

My visiting teaching is done the first day.

I exercise, and I cook menus gourmet.

I can garden produce each summer and fall.

But that is not all, oh no, that is not all!

"It's easy," she said,

And then she dropped dead!

WOW! Are you exhausted reading that? I am.

Do you remember the time Jesus visited Mary and Martha?

Luke 10:38-42

³⁸Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.
³⁹And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word.
⁴⁰But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.
⁴¹And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:
⁴²But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

Image from http://www.oneil.com.au/lds/nt.html

These verses are sometimes hard to understand because what Martha was doing was not bad, but what she wasn't doing had more eternal consequences.

I'd love to think that I would have been Mary soaking up the Saviors words. But my personality dictates that I would have most likely been Martha whirling around making sure everything was just perfect for our honored guest. I struggle daily to be a more like Mary and to put the most important things first. It's a battle though that I keep fighting within myself.

How do I avoid the whirl? How do I know what things are most important? There is huge power in personal revelation. Praying, scriptures, and asking God what HE wants from your life, not what the world demands of it, is the easiest way I know of staying focused and balanced. The moment I start whirling around like the lady in this poem, I lose track of what is really important-the needful things. Everyone is different and everyone circumstances, talents, and purpose is different. The things others can do I cannot, letting go of this guilt and letting God direct my path is so important to me.

Anyway...the Girl in a Whirl poem has always been a great reminder to me, to stop whirling around and make sure I'm on the right track and I thought it might inspire you too.

A trip back in time...

I was cleaning up my Outlook email program today and I came across this really, really old email from 2004.

boys and their cousins 2004

At the time we just had 3 kids-Josef was 6, Ian was 3, and Kaleb was a baby. You can tell from the email I was a young mother and worried and also how nice I was. I would not apologize for the poop thing now. After all everyone poops. Right? And if you don't, you should go to the ER immediately.

Image from the Interesting and Beautiful Pictures blog

It also illustrated how much more laid back I am now (is that a good thing) and how much I have learned. Both Kaleb (6) and Oliver (5) have some speech issues-I know so much now I could rattle them off for you. I am not overly alarmed, because I know more now. Most kids do not develop all the necessary speech sounds till age 8-10. Many will have problems with 'r' and 'th' and enunciating constants. They will usually pick these skills up without intervention, just like late walkers or crawlers catch up to their peers. There are also many things you can do at home to assist them, like reading aloud, talking to them, making them communicate (not giving them a cookie until they say cookie or attempt to say it), and speech therapy activities and games. Ian's speech issues were very severe back then so the hearing testing and speech therapy was needed and well worth the cost. But I think I would not have been so panicky if I had known then, what I know now.

Image from the Birk Rohelend blog

Anyway, I thought this email was a fun flashback to 2004.

Hello, everyone!

As most of you know Ian has suffered from a speech delay for quite some time, he had gone from barely speaking even one word, understandable, to now, speaking in 3-4 word sentences. He is still having problems with pronunciation of some consonants sounds, but this is normal since pronunciation skills are not fully developed until age 7. He has come a long way and we are so happy to have him talk to us no matter how silly he is! Ian sat on my lap and told me a story about animal (his favorite tiger toy). I wrote it down for him and repeated it back to him. Here is Ians story...in his own words!

Animal

One nice little animal.

One animal outside.

One animal inside.

Two animal outside.

But mama Animals outside too.

One animal outside.

One animal inside.

Animal outside poop.

The End

Sorry if the poop part offends anyone. We are also working on potty training Ian ,so poop is a topic in our home daily.

Anyway...I hope you enjoyed his little story as much as we did. Having him say that many words consecutively is such a blessing.

Love,

The Mitchells

Levi, April, Josef, Ian and Kaleb

CM Subjects

I'll be teaching 4 children next year and I like to be organized and prepared. Some people can wing it and be calm, cool and collected. Not me. I need some kind of order just to function properly. I need it all to make sense before I can begin.

I wanted to have pretty detailed plans so that our days run smoothly and easy. I have been going through the subjects taught so I can get all the materials organized. It has been more daunting than I thought. So far I have the following subjects down as suggested to be taught. I'm sure this list will be edited many times over, but for now it helps me to see it all typed out.

Scriptures
Geography
History
History Biographies
Science
Science Biographies
Natural History
Nature Study
Outdoor Nature Walks
Language Arts

Poetry
Literature
Free Reading Time
Grammar
Phonics
Handwriting-Copywork
Spelling-Dictation
Narrations-oral and written

Languages-Latin and other
Math
Art

Art Lessons
Artist Study

Music

Composer Study
Instruments and Music Theory
Hymns
Folksongs

Handicrafts
Memory Work
Shakespeare
Plutarch
Family Read Aloud
Life Skills
Unstructured Play time- outdoors and indoors
Fitness, Health, and Safety

Planning and Learning

“A truly good book teaches me better than to read it.
I must soon lay it down, and commence living on its hint.
What I began by reading, I must finish by acting. ”
Henry David Thoreau

I am planning to use mostly an Ambleside Online curriculum next year. The benefits are it is largely planned out for me already. I simply need to make sense of it all for myself, create a doable schedule, gather materials and stick with it. Simple. Right?

I am also new to CM methods and I hear that's the key to making a reading list into an education.

I've got all my CM books out and am reading a bit from that one and a bit from this one. I'm soaking up the inspiration and trying to get a feel for how to do it.

Habit Revisited by Mary Woodis- This is a very inspirational book with many scriptural references. We are working on her first habit suggestion right now-OBEDIENCE. Who couldn't use some help in that department?

Charlotte Mason Study Guide by Penny Gardner - This is a quick read, but gives a great overview and some practical ideas.

Charlotte Mason Companion- A truly thoughtful book that I am soaking in bit by bit.

The library just called and said Home Education by Charlotte Mason is waiting for me on hold. I tried reading online but I wanted the book so I could read while the boys had their outdoor time each day. I plan on doing my own written narrations on the book.

Wilbur Wrights Birthday

On this day in 1867 Wilbur Wright of the Wright Brothers was born.

Learn more about Wilbur Wright at the NASA website.
Find our all about the Wright Brothers and get lesson ideas at the Smithsonian website.
Take a look around these online exhibits from Discovery featuring a first flight simulation, tour of where the brothers lived in Kitty Hawk, and 3D views of 1903 Flyer.
Make your own airplane (paper airplane) with these 10 great plans

Happy Birthday, Leonardo da Vinci

On this date, April 15th, in 1452 Leonardo da Vinci was born. Leonardo da Vinci was a famous artist, scientist, and inventor. Check out this online exhibit about Leonardo Da Vinci, his life, and works at the Museum of Science website or these great Power Point presentations on Da Vinci with addition student and teacher resources.

Handicraft- Felt Mini-Pocket Pattern

Ian (age 9) made this cute little pocket today. It took him about 20 minutes.
This was his very first sewing attempt.

He has been wanting to learn to sew. I came up with this quick and easy project with some left over felt. We used a blanket stitch, but you could practice other stitches with this project.

Materials:

pattern (below)
stiff felt
scissors
needle
thread (we used thick thread and a larger needle point needle)
large button

Printable Pattern for Felt Mini-Pocket @ Google Docs

I Will Survive-Homeschool Version

This is cute!

Webster Dictionary Published

On this day in 1828 the Webster Dictionary was first published

Everything Homeschooling: A Review

All out of clever lesson ideas?

Have no fear Everything Homeschooling is here!!

I stumbled upon this site a few years back after reading the book Everything Homeschooling Book by Sherri Linsenbach. Which is also a great resource to have on hand for your homeschool.

Everything Homeschooling is truly a unique and versatile site. They provide a few free resources-the blog, a newsletter, many free lesson ideas, and an activity idea calendar.

The best part is for a mere $15.95 you too can have access to an entire homeschool curriculum for your whole family. No Joke! The site membership gives you access to the real gem of this site. The lessons!

The lessons are listed under grade level grouping- Grades K-2 Lessons, Grades 3-6 Lessons, Grades 6-9 Lessons, or Grades 9-12 Lessons. You will need to modify the lessons for your child's ability in each grade grouping. This grouping makes it easy to teach multiple kids as your Kindergartner and 2nd grader can be learning the same topics but at their ability levels.

The lessons are further grouped by week. There are 30 weeks of lessons for each grade level grouping. The lessons consist of list of ideas and web resources under subject headings for the entire week. The subjects are listed as Language Arts, Math, Science, Social Studies, Life Skills, Health, Safety, Arts and Music. The lessons are not planned out on a day to day bases. You will need to decide what to do on what day of the week. Depending on your teaching style you can use the lessons as is or modify them by planning ahead and adding in your own resources and books.

You could feasibly use Everything Homeschooling as a stand alone curriculum and be quite happy. The lessons are extremely well rounded and cover a large variety of topics.

We use Everything Homeschooling in our home as a supplement. It has been extremely handy during holidays and summer vacation times when we do light homeschooling. Or just on those days when I have nothing planned for school. I'm a huge fan of the Christmas and Thanksgiving Units offered. They have saved me so much work!! I can just log on and teach the kids with minimal to no prep time. More than anything when I feel my homeschool ideas running low, just looking at the lesson ideas sparks my creativity and gets us excited about learning again.

There are a few negative things I can think of when using Everything Homeschooling. If you are using it as a stand alone curriculum you are possible going to need to plan ahead a bit and pick and choose what ideas you will use for the week and when. Lesson text and resources are largely web based so you may need to print or be teaching near your computer. You may also want to be comfortable with your children accessing the internet.

Overall it is an extremely handy site- simple and easy to use. No fuss!
It is definitely worth the $15.95 a year for membership.

Oh! Did I mention the 100% money back guarantee? I'm serious! They have one.

Everything Homeschooling

Thomas Jefferson's Birthday

Today date in 1743, Thomas Jefferson was born. Thomas Jefferson was the 3rd U.S president and also one of the founding fathers of our nation.

Thomas Jefferson learning resources online:

Rob and I

I was so hesitant to jump into reading Robinson Crusoe for book group this month.

I was afraid it would be dry and awful and too detailed like Swiss Family Robinson. After I spent a little time reading it today, I love it. The language is great. I wish we all still talked like that.

*sigh

Well, Levi is home tonight. I picked him up around 8pm. Wohoo! We just watched Julie and Julia (Levi's idea) and it was nice. I am not a foodie though so apparently I don't really get it-the whole love affair and relaxation of cooking. But what I do get is how a book can change your life. I also thoroughly enjoyed Julie's melt down and tantrum in only the way that someone who has had one also can enjoy it. Needless to say- it did not inspire me to cook French. It did make me very hungry though. Good thing we had picked up Rocky Road at Fred Meyer on the way home. Levi is off again tomorrow morning- headed to Salt Lake.

Off to cuddle!
Rob and I will have to hold off on our growing relationship till my husband has gone off again.

Author Beverly Cleary's Birthday

Today is author Beverly Cleary's Birthday, she was born on this day in 1916.

You can check out her website here: The World of Beverly Clearey

Clearey's books were written for children about other children just like them or characters they themselves could relate to. The stories are told in an engaging, entertaining, and easy to read way. Most of her books are written at a 2nd or 3rd grade reading level and make ideal first chapter books or just plain fun reading.

See all her books published here.

Learning resources for Beverly Cleary's books:

Flying high while eating french fries at the Library with bologna in our pockets and horse manure on our shoes.

....yes that is the kind of Saturday we have had.

8:45 am

Took cub scout Ian to the Nampa airport for a cub scout activity-The Young Eagles Program. I was thinking he would be looking at airplanes and maybe get to taxi around in one. Nope, they were gonna actually take them up flying. I really should read those permission slips more carefully. My baby high above the ground in a bitty-bitty plane...make that two babies because they said Kaleb could go too.

Waiting patiently in the freezing cold hanger for their turn to FLY.

WAITING *read in an ominous tone (I'm foreshadowing)

The guy in charge tells us one of the pilots was very experienced and he flew in WWII. I thought for a moment. Didn't Levi's Grandpa fly in WWII and he is now deaf and blind. Not reassuring to parents AT ALL!

Their pilot in above picture( he looks like a capable guy....right?) and the boys about to board.

Yes, that is the little plane they flew in and they loved every minute of it! While down on the ground, I tried not to worry and Oliver whined that he was cold and hungry and wanted to go home (After all HE wasn't going in the airplane so why should he suffer needlessly?)

noonish

LUNCH @McD's

and a

visit to Grandma and Grandpa Mitchell's to pick up Josef.

( I know they are so evil...but SO good)

1:30 pm

Trip to library

2:30 pm Call from Tanya (my bff) and invite to watch Kelsi show her horse @ the Canyon County Fairgrounds. After being lost 3 times trying to find it from the freeway we FINALLY arrived then we waited, and waited, and waited.

We went outside in the grass to let the boys run around a bit. Tanya and I were talking and Oliver walked up and had a slice of Bologna in his hands and was eating it. I asked him where he got it and he pointed down and I freaked because I thought he had found it on the ground. I made him drop it and was telling him how we NEVER eat things off the ground, when he explained it had been in his pocket. Then I was almost even more grossed out, because I had taken those pants from the dryer that morning. So it must have been in his pocket though the whole wash and dry cycle and come to think of it I haven't bought Bologna in months and months. He could have taken it from Levi's parent house...that it what I am choosing for the official origin. He shoved a slice of Bologna in his pants pocket to take home and eat later. Really none of these sound all that great. Yuck!

Then Kelsi got a turn to show her horse in a trail ride event. It was tough. I was on the edge of my seat as each rider did their thing. Kelsi did really well for it being her first time doing this particular event. She had no training and her horse had also never done this event. Her horse was also being a pain and rearing up a bit. I think she did as good as she could have. Look at me trying to sounding all knowledgeable when I have no idea about showing horses. I learned a great deal about waiting today...I mean showing horses. They even have their own horse show fashions and if you are not wearing the 'in' thing you can loose points. It's brutal.

7:00 pm

( I told you we waited FOREVER)
So dusty, tired, and our shoes surely covered in manure we took everyone to Primo's for dinner.

That place is amazing. Where else can you feed a kid till he is literally oozing pizza and salad for only $3.75?
We do not leave hungry that is for sure.

10 pm

I'm exhausted. Goodnight!

Ambitious April