I'm Baaaaack!

Well, I hadn't planned to leave my fledging blog without post for a whole week! But, as homeschoolers especially know, life happens!

This week alone we have been unpacking the house (from the sale that fell through 3 days before our buyers close day, and 1 1/2 weeks before ours), having revival, handling job loss when the company that hired my husband 3 weeks ago decided they did not have enough work to keep him, trying to regroup after a less than stellar start to our school year (gee, I wonder why???? LOL), and handwashing ALL our families dishes since my dishwasher broke!!!! Of course, you would be amazed at the number of things that have broken around here lately! The trash compactor broke a few weeks back- though we were blessed this week to find one in excellent condition for super cheap on Craigslist. The backup battery in the alarm system has died, the flusher thingy on the toilet broke in half. Not long ago my husbands car wouldn't start (ahem, it was the electronic key tumbler for you automotive people out there!), the battery was bad and the starter was cracked. The tires on my van had to be replaced (thanks Dad!) and today, when Jeff was mowing the yard, he came in with yet another broken thing- this time from the lawnmower.
I am also short on some home items that we got rid of in preparation for the move (we're downsizing, or at least we were going to downsize!). Like bookshelves, and a swingset.....

It would be super easy, in situations like this, to be really frustrated and upset. But you know what? I am blessed beyond measure. Who am I to complain? This has been a tough time, really it has been a tough year. Beyond the things going on right now, we have suffered the loss of a family member recently and a miscarriage.

I heard a sermon once where the pastor preached on how, often when the Bible begins to retell something, it says "And it came to pass". This sermon focused on how things like this in life did not come to stay, they came to pass. I know this is true, the burdens and troubles that seem so common these days will not last forever. For now, I know that every need that I have has been met by an awesome God. Not always in my time, but alway on time.

As I work to slowly, but surely, handle all the things that have come about in our lives, I am amazed at how God is working in my life, even in the tough times. I do not relish struggles, but I trust that God will lead our family though them, and one day when telling our story we'll be able to say "It came and It passed".

I hope that if you are passing through struggles, you will also look up, and allow God to sustain you.

Product Review- Jonathan Park

One of my absolute favorite learning materials is an audio series from Vision Forum called Jonathan Park.

We stumbled upon these because my son loves audio recordings. They looked like something he would enjoy, and I trust the content of materials from Vision Forum. So, we ordered a set one year for Christmas. I had no idea what an awesome science/creation/ apologetics study we were about to embark on.

These audios are really fabulous and they are so very informative! They follow young Jonathan Park and his family through all kinds of exciting adventures, while at the same time providing your child (and you!) with a great understanding of the wonderful world God created.

This series has helped my son to gain a firmer foundation in his faith, because he has the answers to questions that so many people are asking. Brandyn has been well known to get into a deep discussion with adults discussing the science of God's creation, evolution, millions of years and dinosaurs. He has begun discussion in his church classes about these things, which opens such wonderful doors for others to learn more about the Bible and our world.

If you are looking for a fun and exciting way to learn science with a firm Biblical foundation, take a look at the Jonathan Park audio series. You can use them as a science study, you can listen to them in the car, or just in your free time. I can really say that they are worth every penny you spend on them! (And no, I don't get paid to say that!)

More on Field Trips- Meeting your Goals

Once you have decided where you are going, and you know what goals you have set for your learning while you are there, you need to decide how to meet those goals.

If you are going to the zoo to study wildlife native to Africa, you will want to get on the zoo website and find out what animals they have from Africa. Then consider how you can travel through the zoo to see the animals you want to see while meeting your needs. One concern we have with toddlers is making sure that we can pass a restroom every 15-20 minutes, take time to think about what concerns your family has and how you can meet them during your trip.

If your zoo has signs with loads of animal information and maps, you can plan to spend time at each animal enclosure reading them and checking out the maps. Try not to narrate the whole thing to your child. Instead you may try something like this "The area in red on the map shows us what part of the world the Panda Bear lives in. Can you look at the map and see where you think this might be?" Be sure to make your conversation appropriate for their age and level.

You will also want to consider what kind of preparation you will want to do with your child. In the above example, you would want to start your study of Africa. Where is it? What kind of climate do they have? What animals may we find there? Laying this foundation will let your child relate to what they see and provide a much better learning experience!

Field Trips- The Where and Why

Being prepared is the first step towards taking a field trip. Where will you go? What will you do when you're there? What things do you want your children to learn and how will your trip accomplish those objectives?

Start by deciding what you want for your child to learn from a trip. For example:

-If you are studying local government, a field trip to your state capital would help your child learn more about our government.

-If you are learning about fire safety, a trip to the fire station and a talk with a fireman would be a great learning tool.

After deciding where you want to go to meet your learning goals, take time to familiarize yourself with the place and what types of things you can expect there. Make a list of things you want your child to learn from the trip (i.e. if you were going to the fire station, you may want your child to be able to recognize a fire truck and also to see a fireman in their fire-rescue outfit so that your child wouldn't be afraid if they ever needed help during a fire).

When I studied fire safety with Ruthie last year, she was afraid of the fireman in their rescue clothes that we studied. They really do look strange to a child who doesn't understand that there is a real person under there who wants to help them! Our library had a fireman come and do a presentation during story time at about the same time we were studying this. So, Ruthie got to see the fireman in his outfit, and then realize that he was really a person under there! He said that he always tries to show children what he looks like in his rescue clothes because in a fire, they are already scared and often try to hide from the fireman.

Once you know what your child needs to learn, brainstorm ways that you can help your child to achieve those objectives during your trip. We'll talk more about this tomorrow!

Field Trips - Preparing Your Children

The most important thing you can do when taking a field trip is to take the time to talk with your children about where you are going, what they will see there, what things they should look out for and also how they should behave. Clearly lay out your goals and expectations.

I prefer to plan some time before (or occasionally after) the trip to lay a foundation, or build upon the foundation of the trip to add to their experience. Often times we learn best by linking things together. I can tell my daughter about the stork at the zoo, but when she sees the stork (which is her FAVORITE animal!), she puts all the information together in her mind and therefore remembers better.

The zoo is one place that we visit fairly frequently, so I do not generally take the time to study animals before we go. However, the last time we went to the zoo, we took pictures of several animals and of the information boards about them. We will use the pictures and info to make a scrapbook about the animals we saw. This allows us to build on the foundation of our visit.

Likewise, you can lay the foundation for your trip before you go. Years ago, my parents were taking a trip to Boston and invited my son Brandyn to go with them. He was in second grade at the time. We took weeks to study the early history of America and places, things, and people he would be able to learn about and see when he was in Boston. This study really paid off, because even years later he is the most informed child I know about the Revolutionary War and that time period.

Tomorrow we'll talk about some other things you can do to make your field trip most productive!

Field Trips

One of my top 10 reasons for homeschooling is to give my children the opportunity to learn about life through living! There are so many wonderful opportunities available to teach our children (and probably us adults too!) more about our world & our past.

We live farther in the country, and while we do take trips to the zoo, museums, farmers markets, presidents homes, our state capital, etc., we much prefer to stay a bit closer to home. It works better with the baby's nap time and saves money on gas.

Some trips that you could probably find within a fairly short drive are:
- police station
- fire station
- post office
- hospital
- library
- print shop
- veterinarian
- farm/orchard
- city hall

We also like to keep an eye out for cool events that we know our family may enjoy, such as Colonial Festivals, Threshing Days, Harvest Festivals or Indian Pow Wows. You can watch for these type of things in your city's newspaper or on their website. Your homeschool support group can also be a great source of information. Many support groups also organize field trips that you can take part in!

Remember to check back in on Monday, we'll be talking about how to prepare our kids for field trips.

Legal Pad Give Away Winner

Congratulations to Danielle! She is the winner of 3 free legal pads! Thanks to you all for reading and leaving a comment!

Product Review- Owl Puke

It sounds gross. Frankly, it IS gross. Nevertheless, children *love* it! Owl Puke is a book kit you buy that lets you learn all about owls.

Most of you know that owls are hunters. What you may not have considered about their eating habits (as I hadn't!) is that when they catch prey, they swallow them whole. Yes, really. So they end up with all this fur and bones in their body that they can't digest.

What on earth do they do with the bones and fur? Well, their bodies form a pellet of it, and they cough it up! And you, the adventurous homeschooler, have the honor of dissecting it and figuring out what the owl had for dinner!

Owl Puke is a great, really fun, super informative book. My husband did this with my son several years back and they both really enjoyed it. It was an awesome way for Daddy to get involved in school and I was thrilled that *I* was not the one handling the owl puke! (They do disinfect it, but we still used gloves and all that good stuff when handling it!)

You can get your very own copy of Owl Puke at cool retailers like Amazon, or maybe on eBay. Make sure if you buy one from a person that it comes with the owl pellet. I have only been able to find the pellets sold in groups of 10, which may be a few more than you need!

Peace!

Well, today has been a good deal quieter at our house! We will actually finish all our schoolwork today, get caught up on some things we were behind on AND I got some packing done too!

I need days like today to give me rest after days like yesterday (see my post from yesterday if you missed it!) and strength to do it again whenever it so happens to come up!

This period in our lives has really been hectic, and it seems to get more so all the time. While we have had a much better day today, I can definitely say that this is the calm in the midst of the storm. See, our home sale is contingent on our buyer's home sale, which is contingent on their buyers sale. Our contract on a new house (which we should hear something about today!) is contingent on the sale of our home. We found out yesterday that there is an issue with the first buyers loan (you know- the people who are buying the house of the people who are buying the house of the people who are buying our house!!!!! LOL).

We do know that there is a high probability that our buyers won't close their house on time, but we do not know if this will affect the close on our current house, as we are closing a week and a half later.

This could obviously have huge consequences in our lives, and I suppose you would expect someone in the middle of it to be somewhat panicked. Instead, I can rest in God's provision. I am still packing my house and getting through the calmest school day we have had in 2 weeks. I am not stressed or worried. You see, God has gotten my family through SO many hard times. He provides the home we live in and the car we drive. He provides the food we eat and the air we breathe. He gives health and He gives family, He gives the gift of Godly friends to walk with us through even the tough times. More than that He gives Himself, His forgiveness, His blood. He carries us and offers assurance and peace regardless of the times when the storm rages. As the song says "I know my Redeemer lives". He is Jehovah Jireh. The Alpha and The Omega. What shall I fear?

In the midst of your struggles, take heart. Christ has already overcome them. What an awesome blessing!

Free Legal Pads

I am giving away 3 free legal pads on Saturday, September 13th. To enter this contest leave a comment telling me what your favorite homeschool resource is or you can leave a comment with your favorite book listed. Make sure to leave your email address so I can reach the winner!

Usborne Science Book GiveAway

Homeschool Hollow is giving away this cool book this week! Just hop on over to her blog and leave a comment, and you can be entered to win!

Don't Quit!

Some days, homeschooling is really hard! We are in the process of packing our house to move and finding a new house. So we have added visiting properties, reviewing and submitting offers, getting paperwork together to sell a house and get a mortgage loan on the new house, and all the other stuff that goes with buying/selling to the normal stuff of taking care of the baby, preschool, 5th grade, laundry, cleaning the house, grocery shopping, teaching Sunday School, teaching Wed. night church program, the list just goes on and on.

This morning Brandyn and I were up earlier and decided to go ahead and start school. I had started packing in the laundry room while he was working. He had just called me to help him with a math question when the phone rang. I muted the ringer and continued to explain. Then the phone rang again (this time it is the friends who are buying our house!). So I again muted the ringer and finished explaining the math problem. By this time my daughter was up and needed clothes laid out, breakfast and her hair fixed. So I started on that while I returned the second telephone call -all the while I have step ladder in my laundry room and a half packed box in the way in the hallway floor!. It turns out that the man who was coming to check our septic tank for the buyers was running early and was in fact in my driveway, and the buyers weren't here yet. So I went out to meet the septic guy and show him where the septic was and etc. Then I came back in, and returned the first phone call, while clearing the box and ladder out of my hallway . While I was talking the home buyer came to the door to ask me to flush the toilet (for the septic guy!!). So on my way to do that, I got off the phone and heard that the baby had woken up. As I was getting him changed, the buyer came back in (I had told her just to come back in when she was done!) so Cameron and I headed to the living room -mind you, Cameron is still in his diaper!! On the plus side, I did have his clothes in my hand so I could go ahead and dress him!

Fast forward a bit and I am in the kitchen, having just finished preschool math. Ruthie is working on her handwriting, Brandyn is working on his history, and Cameron is supposed to be working on his breakfast (though really he is doing better working on playing at this point!). I start grading Brandyn's history self test and his math lesson for the day. Math has some points I can tell we need to review and he missed waaayyy too many things on his history. Then I hear Cameron at the desk in the playroom (dangerous territory for a little guy) and I head off to see what he is doing when my daughter tells me she is done with her handwriting and needs something else to do. I go on in to see what the baby is doing to find him with a green highlighter, which he has very happily covered his shirt in. I got him up, put him in his playpen (without the highlighter), put his shirt in the wash and got him a new one, all the while wondering if I had totally lost my mind!

There are days like this in the life of many parents, especially those who homeschool. I want to encourage you that when you have days like this- take a deep breath, decide not to quit, and then figure out how exactly to go on. In our case, I reworked our school calendar and we are going to take a break from school starting next Monday until we get settled in our new house.

It is so unusual for my 5th grader to do poorly in his schoolwork- and it tells me that he is not getting the attention to work on it that he needs. It will mean we will be schooling through June, but it will be well worth the break now! I love the flexibility homeschool allows us, because we are able to change our schedule as needed. Take full advantage of that and hang in there, it is SO worth it!

When do you start teaching reading?

A question many parents, whether or not they are home educators, ask themselves is when their child is ready to start reading. There are many experts out there who delve deeply into this topic. Their opinions are varied, and no one idea is perfect for every child.

My personal system is this- start teaching when your child is ready to learn. Do not push them, but do not discourage them. My 4 year old, Ruthie, loves to do "School". As a matter of fact, she got upset with me when we started school because I had not started doing MATH with her!!! (No, really- I'm not kidding!). I had actually purchased a kindergarten math curricula in the event that we felt (later in the year, of course!) that she was ready to start working on it. I had gotten it on a great deal, so I didn't mind if we waited until next year to start. But, Ruthie had other ideas!

If your child is excited to start learning to read, then start teaching, even if they are only 4. On the other hand, if they are reluctant to start, feel free to wait awhile. Not every child is going to be reading at 4 or 5 years old.

One of my favorite products for learning to read is a very simple set of Bob Books. We really love Bob books around here, plus they are inexpensive and non-consummable. You can probably pick them up at a used curriculum sale, or used on ebay.

I found a kit at our homeschool support groups curriculum sale that I plan to try with Ruthie when she gets ready to start learning to read. It is called Happy Phonics, and rates in Cathy Duffy's Top Picks for homeschool materials. I will review it after we use it and let you know how it works for us!

Encouraging a Reluctant Reader

In keeping with our recent topics about reading, I thought it was a good time to discuss ways to encourage a reluctant reader. When my son was first learning to read, he really didn't have much enthusiasm. It just seemed like he would rather be doing anything else. My daughter was a young toddler at the time, and she loved to be read to. So, I decided to ask my son to read her one book each day. It was always a very simple, short book that they would both enjoy.

During this time, I did not sit with them or make any corrections to my sons reading, even though he very often got things wrong!! After a few weeks of this, I could really see his attitude about reading change. It was like a whole new child emerged who thought reading was the coolest thing he could do (and he is still like that!).

Our librarian told me that some libraries (including ours on a rare occasion!) offer programs where kids can read to dogs. She said that it seems to help them grow as readers because they are not self conscious, and they are not corrected.





If you don't have a baby or a dog to let you child read to, try a stuffed animal or an imaginary friend! Whatever it takes to encourage them!

For those of you with older reluctant readers, I would encourage you to find a subject matter that your child enjoys and truly seek out GOOD reading books about this topic. You could even look in magazines that your child may enjoy or let them read an e-book! Whatever it takes, make building a love a reading a priority in your home!

More Reading!!

More than reading aloud, we have reading time in our homeschool. We do more reading each day that any other subject (not counting the reading we do in each subject of course!). You can often find my children in any number of odd places or positions, lost in the world of a book!

In school, I add a 20-30 minute time block into our daily schedule for each child's reading. Brandyn loves to read and he usually reads a lot longer than this on his own! Ruthie is not yet reading, though she loves to be read to and we spend a lot of time with books she enjoys (Amelia Bedelia books are a current favorite!). She also will spend plenty of time looking through her books on her own, and telling the stories to her imaginary friends. Some books she knows so well that she will correct you if you miss a word!

Even my 18 month old loves to read! He will bring me a book at any given time and want to be read to! His especially loves "Goodnight Gorilla" (all of my children have loved this book at this age- go figure...) and a book we have from the zoo about a new baby giraffe.

One of my top goals in my children's education is not that they know everything I can cram in their head. It is that they *love* to learn and that they know how to find the answers to any question that might come their way. A love of reading is a phenomenal gift for any parent to give their child!

Happy Reading!

Reading Aloud

One thing that we have done each year since we began our homeschooling journey is to read aloud daily. I cannot tell you how much my children (and I!) enjoy this time, and how much we gain from it! We set aside 30 minutes daily and read aloud. During this time my younger children can play quietly or look at other books if they want. My 4 year old almost always sits down to listen in and my 18 month old will sit and cuddle in my lap for awhile, then he usually goes on to play!

I have several of recommendations for read aloud books on the amazon sidebar. I personally like to buy good quality books for our home library, but I will say that in times when finances are difficult, the library is a great place to get those read-alouds. Our library is wonderful about allowing us to re-check books, so we can even do books that take several weeks to a month to finish.

One thing I have learned about reading aloud is that a child can listen to books that are a much higher level that what they may be able to read. I remember when my oldest son was in second grade, we began reading "The Horse and His Boy" by C.S. Lewis. I felt, after the first day of reading it, that the book was way above his level. We read the book again the second day, and on the third day I decided to choose another book. When we started reading that day, Brandyn said "Hey, what happened to "The Horse and His Boy", we didn't finish reading it!" I explained to him that I felt it was too advanced and I was worried that he may not understand it. At this point he proceeded to tell me all the things that he would miss out on finding out about the book if I didn't finish reading it to him. He used such detail about what we had read and I could tell he understood it, so we went back to "The Horse and His Boy" and finished it. Then we started with the other Narnia books and read through them all.

This year, we started Oliver Twist, and I kind of felt the same way. The older language and more formal language style seemed overwhelming at first, but because of the last experience I hung in there and found that after a few days I could tell that not only were my children understanding this book, they were enjoying it!

Reading aloud helps to build listening, critical thinking, reading, vocabulary and language skills- among others. It is a also such a great time to snuggle with your children and enjoy your time together. If you don't already read aloud, give it a try!