I am so easily influenced. Ug. I hate that. A few weeks ago I read several really good articles and blog posts about homeschooling. The authors were classical educators and I totally started planning (mentally, that is) memorization tasks, and how I'm going to include more narration and copy work in our year, and how I need to read better literature with the girls.
And I've started writing plans down in my little notebook and I'll be dadgummed if they don't all require us to be sitting at the table! Oh boy do I have big plans for their learning. It's time to get with it. We need to grow and stretch the girls a bit. Big plans.
And then I read this. And...sniff, sniff. This is Sweetheart's last year of elementary. So in the shower tonight I'm planning to do all the activities that go with our history curriculum. Every single one of them. And every science activity known to man. And we'll do our reading lessons on big pillows on the floor. And we'll do theme units once a month. Now let's see....if we do 3 weeks of regular curriculum, and take off one week to just do Bible and a theme unit (and OK maybe math too)....we should finish 1st and 5th grade in about what? Three years?
Sigh. What pants are cool this week? I'll make sure to wear them tomorrow. Now you call me in the morning and let me know what shoes you are going to wear because I'm not going to be the only one showing up wearing them if you aren't. Oh, and by the way, how are you wearing your hair tomorrow?
Hi Brenda,
ReplyDeleteI have school on the mind too. I am thinking about history and using 'living books' from the library and thinking about projects that we can do together and mentally piecing it all together in my head. I also want to continue to make all the subjects fun and include all kinds of activities and unit studies. I love hearing your thoughts and ideas---and I hope you share them with us so we can learn a thing or two and be inspired! :)
Have a blessed week...
Breathe, Brenda! :) I so get the easily influenced part. That's why I read nothing and stay home. ;)
ReplyDeleteSeriously though, you *still* know what's best for your girls, and if that means you are unable follow completely the classical education method, so be it. That's what I'm telling myself, too.
P.S. If you are interested in easy memorization, narration, and copy work, let me know. I tell you what we do.
I was just thinking about this yesterday after Logan complained that we were sitting too much during school. These past few weeks have been hectic with lots of running around and so the "activities" had ceased. Apparently two and a half weeks is all mine can take of sitting at the table doing school! To be honest, I was missing it some too : )
ReplyDeleteGood luck with all your activity planning, it can take a while to plan! Ha - that whole last paragraph made me laugh. Good memories!
Acid washed jeans, high tops and your bangs have to touch the sky with hairspray!
Yes Karly! I want to know....
ReplyDeleteOne of the drawbacks of easily accessible articles . . .
ReplyDelete1. Been there and sometimes still fall for that.
2. My family is pretty classical in nature, we are not at the table all day long, and we do some pretty fun things.
3. Like anything else, read something interesting, take the parts that you like and ditch the parts you don't like. Pray over it all and see what the Lord wants YOU to do with it for YOUR family.
4. I'm going to wear a denim skirt (just above the knee, I'm feeling racy today and I live in the desert), custom made flip flops, and my hair twisted up and held in place with a tortoise shell clip. Be sure to text me about what top you're wearing, I'm just not sure! ;)
Brenda, I feel your pain. I did this several years ago until I decided that unschooling was best for my family...no pressure to "keep up with the Jones'", or buy curriculum that won't meet the needs of my very curious children who do not like to sit and do schoolwork. We have learned so many wonderful things! And they ENJOY it! I found a wonderful website that helped me through this thing called homeschool, which is really just this thing called life. Maybe it will help you too.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.lifestyle-homeschool.com/index.html
Q--WAH! I broke my tortoise shell clip!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks Devina...I know unschooling is not for us--now having said that of course there are parts that are. Just like everything. I'll check out that link, thanks!
Okay, I have no clue what I'll wear on tomorrow--probably pajamas, or the same dress I have on now (and had on yesterday--Lord, help).
ReplyDeleteI was so blessed to have you come to "visit" me today. It's a shame that, for two people who have so many connections, this is where we visit most often. Of course, you get to see and hear portions of my life that others don't, and I assume the same is true of you--LOL!!
We start next week, so of course, school is on the brain, as I posted. In fact, it's almost all that's on my brain right now!
God bless you, Brenda!
You crack me up Brenda! : ) I'm probably wearing the same thing I wore today!
ReplyDeleteBe sure you keep your balance. I just wrote an article for Heart of the MAtter entitled "Simply Basic Homeschooling." It might help you stay sane as you sort through it all.
http://heartofthematteronline.com/simply-basic-homeschooling
I really enjoy the articles/ebooks and emails from the Lifestyle homeschooling gal that Devina linked to. And I'm not an unschooler at all. She's got some incredible bits of wisdom!
I'm wearing tennis shoes, jogging pants capris, and I didn't brush my hair (can't find my brush), so we can be twinkies, right?!
ReplyDeleteHow did I miss this?
I'm right there with ya. But I think accepting that we're sometimes "table time" people and we're sometimes unit study people and we're sometimes unschoolers and I want my kids to have a playful childhood, yet KNOW a little somethin' all balances out. (now come talk me down the next time I'm having a teaching flip out, 'k?) :)