Flying Kites: When learning happens

When I was a child, I loved flying kites.  I can remember evenings when my parents would meet up with fellow homeschooling friends and mentors (there weren't many of us back in the 1980s) to walk and talk at a local park.  Many times I would bring my kite and work until it was so high that it seemed to be out of our world.  Having control of the string I would let it go higher, bring it back down, run with it in another direction, or just stand and watch it soar.  It almost made me feel as if I was soaring as well.

As I embarked on my homeschool journey many years ago, I started like countless other homeschooling mamas.  I plunged into researching curriculum.  Finding what seemed right for my philosophy of learning, family style, and budget, I made the purchase, planned out the lessons, and began our journey.

However, I noticed that each time I tried to spring free from the lesson, I was steadily pulled back.  Much like gravity pulls us back to the ground, I could not break free.  I'm not sure why I felt such a need to stick to each lesson.  It may have been due to the way that I was homeschooled or influenced by my undergrad studies in elementary education.  But, whatever the case, I kept pulling my kids (and myself) back to the plan.

I don't mean to say that I only used packaged curricula.  I created my own Science program the first year we homeschooled.  We studied science spending a month on each of the days of creation.  We utilized car loads of library books, did numerous experiments, and filled the refrigerator with art projects. It was a really great experience...until I burned out about month five...haha.

I also did fun things like shaving cream spelling, nature walks, science journals, trips to the zoo, aquarium, museums, and gardens.  I focused on hands-on learning and yet was still obliged to stick to the lessons.  I didn't experience the freedom of following my kids' passions and excitement.

If you are a homeschool mom, you know what I'm talking about.  That moment when you're teaching Math to your 5 year old and he wants to stop and count all 50 or 350 little counting bears in the bucket.  1...2...3...4...5...  This is his passion in the moment and where learning happens.  I would immediately start calculating how long this was going to take and wondering if we could still get "math done" before the baby awoke.  I would feel like we were flying away from learning and want to get back to the lesson.  I really just wanted to finish and check it off the list of things accomplished.  Yes, I'm one of those list people.

But, over the next few years, I began to understand that those winds of distraction were not always negative.  Those "distractions" sometimes were where the true, long-term learning and love of learning were happening.  And, each time this amazing flight took place, I was pulling that string and bringing them back to the lesson.  No wonder they were frustrated!  Sigh.  Oh, to be able to go back to the beginning knowing what I know now.

I began to adjust my teaching style much like flying kites.  I would use the directions (lesson plans) to put the kite together and help them get that kite off the ground.  But, at some point, I tried to hand that string over to them.  Putting them in control of the direction of the lesson and encouraging them as they soar has become my goal.  It can be difficult to recognize at first, but I intently watch for that point where they start steering the lesson and then I let go and let them fly that kite.  Sometimes it may be a bit off topic.  Sometimes it may be WAY off topic.  But, if they are excited to learn, they will experience true, interactive learning so much more than when they are falling asleep listening to me read history lessons.  Ha!

Not every lesson will soar, or course.  If your kids are like mine and not used to flying the kite of learning, it can take practice.  And, there are those things that we have to study and stick to the lesson.  For us, it's the specialized curriculum that I use for my dyslexic child.  On that subject we have to stick to the lesson.  Then there are those topics my kids are not so passionate about and have to tromp through.  There are also days when they just don't feel like flying.  But, in many cases, they will gladly take the string and fly the kite of learning.

So, I want to encourage all of you homeschooling mamas out there to watch for those opportunities when your little ones get excited during school and to let them take the string and soar.  Maybe you already do.  I'm just now catching up to you. :)

Schooling outside the four walls

It's finally here!  Fall.  And with it is cooler (notice the -er) weather and the chance to get out of these four walls and learn.

Today we did just that.  Because we are studying birds this week, we had a super-sleuth, bird, scavenger hunt.  Because I love integrating several different subjects and learning hands-on, we took along magnifying glasses, sketch books, pencils, and tons of stored up energy.

I turned them all loose at the park with the goal of looking for four clues or signs of birds.  They then drew pictures of the four clues in the sketch pad to be placed in their portfolio later.   


Here are a few pictures from the afternoon.

 I am just ecstatic that it is finally cool enough to be entering that season where we turn the world into our classroom:)

5 Catergories of Screen Free Summer Fun

Media, ah media.  What a great babysitter it can be.  Right?  I have to admit that I do use movies to babysit my kids every now and then.  It's important to note that media is not inherently evil but amoral.  Some of my children use ipods for daily devotions.  So, it's what you make of it.  But, it is essential that we limit the time our kids sit in front of screens.  It can be a great quiet time activity, but, so can listening to an audio book while putting together a puzzle or sketching:)

As summer is upon us and we have less structure to our day, I have to be even more deliberate about limiting screen time.  Don't get me wrong.  We love movies and my boys enjoy video games but there really needs to be a healthy balance of hands-on, mind engaging, active play as well.  By "balance" I am not suggesting equal time.  Haha.

So, here are five categories of screen free summer fun.

1. Build - When kids build things, they are forming basic concepts of Physics in their minds.  They don't yet understand kinetic and potential energy, but they know their homemade tent has the "potential" to fall.  So, build with your kids.  Build with sheets, blocks, scraps of lumber, etc.  Take apart that slide and playhouse in the back yard and see what fantastic things they can build out of all the pieces.  They will be entertained for hours.  Admittedly, this is easier with the littles than the older kids.  But, if your budget will allow, get model cars, boats, or airplanes from a local hobby store. (I prefer to support Hobby Lobby.) There are endless things that older kids enjoy building and you can usually find a coupon if you search online.  Pick up some hammers and 2 X 4s and turn them loose building a clubhouse or tree house.

2. Disassemble - After you have built things, "un-build".  Disassemble things.  It's okay, really.  Go to your local thrift store and purchase old computers or small appliances and let them disassemble and then put them back together.  I'm not big on messes or little pieces all over the house so I have them keep things in an old box.  They love to see how things work and you may end up with a fantastic appliance repair person in your home:)



3. Bake - We love to bake in our house.  Well, maybe we just enjoy eating what we bake but either way, it's a way that we can spend time together.  So, bake things together this summer and maybe even give away part of what you bake to bless an elderly neighbor.  Baking is a great way to practice  living math as you measure things or double (or triple...haha) a recipe. 

4. Create - Unleash the artists in your home and create things with different art mediums.  For the larger families you can have the littles finger paint while the middles paint by number, and the olders copy a landscape painting. Hand out yarn and crochet hooks and see who can make the longest chain (or an blanket for an American Girl doll as would be the case in our home).  There are so many different craft kits available that I bet you can find one that each of your kids will enjoy.

 
5. Exercise - Summer is a great time to keep kids exercising (now that PE is over).  There are a plethora of ways to keep them exercising without them even knowing that they are doing so.  My favorite is the pool.  Ah, those lazy summer days by the pool, right?  Well, not quite with seven kids.  We play "motorboat, motorboat" and marco-polo.  We have races.  My boys are ever amazed that their mom can still win in a race across the pool., although not for long:)  Good thing it's only one lap!  Haha.  Another great idea is a slip-n-slide for the backyard, a sprinkler under the trampoline, a family relay race, or a morning nature walk.  Whatever the case, be deliberate about keeping those kids exercising this summer.

5. Play & Imagine - Play is one of those things that does not come naturally to me.  I have to be oh so deliberate about setting aside time to play:)  So, this summer we will be busting out the board games and taking time to just play and enjoy one another.  Other great ideas for play are puppet shows, family talent shows/plays/concerts, or dress up.  Now, I know those of you with kids beyond about 8 years old are thinking that there is no way your kids will dress up.  But, sometimes it's all in how you present it.  I admit that if I handed my 11 year old a Buzz Lightyear costume, he would not, could not:)  But, if I hand him a video camera to make his film he would and could.  They all get excited about making a homemade film (maybe from this year's literature *wink*) and jump right in with the planning.  So, in a sense, they are still playing dress-up:)  We are currently in the process of making our own version of "Pilgrim's Progress" and we all have a role.  Now, I know this last suggestion is borderline for a "Screen free" post but it is definitely more along the lines of hands-on, mind engaging, active play.

So, as you plan out your summer fun, remember to include plenty of media free or screen free activities that engage the brain and foster creativity.  You won't regret it or the memories you make in the process.

Encouraging Literacy Through Play

One of the foundational elements of our children's education is their literacy.  If they cannot read with understanding and communicate in written form, they will have difficulty with most any business or job that they pursue.

Because I believe this to be true, I look for ways to bring literacy into our lives through fun and play. You can read about our "In Love With Reading" that we do each February here.  It can't all be fun and games but the more learning that can happen through fun and games, the better!

So, last February when I was doing my grocery shopping, I noticed a sale isle filled with valentine left overs.  On this isle were little mailboxes filled with valentine cards marked down to just a step away from free...haha.  I picked up five of these little mailboxes and stashed them away for some fun literacy play.  Last week, I finally pulled them out (as the kids were suffering from some serious cabin fever in this desert heat) and the kids immediately went to work writing messages and sneaking them into each-others mailboxes.

They continued writing messages all day and then reading the messages left for them.  All of this writing and reading and I never had to "crack the whip" and make them learn.  They were eager, willing, and happy to learn (mostly because they didn't realize that they were learning...haha).

Here are a few pictures of the literacy fun.

All five of the older kids are keeping their mail boxes outside their bedroom doors and exchanging messages from time to time.


While I believe that literacy is foundational in the education of our kids, I do also believe that God has created each child with different strengths and weaknesses.  He will use these strengths and weaknesses to develop character and for the plan that He has for each life.  So, if, like me, you have a child who struggles in this area, don't fret.  Our loving Heavenly Father has created each child to be exactly who they should be...strengths, struggles, and all.  But the more exposure you can give them to an area of struggle through play, the more you diffuse the stress and give them a chance to learn without realizing that they are learning.

What do you do to encourage literacy in your home?

First Day of School Fun

Because we homeschool, we end up missing out on some of the excitement that surrounds the first day of school...a new class...new teacher...etc..  So, I really like to create our own first day fun:)  Each year I look for some fun project that we can do on the first day of school before I introduce the kids to the new curriculum. 

This year I found that the aquarium near us would be having "homeschool week" at just the right time.  I suppose they know that homeschoolers will be the only ones venturing out in the first week or so of school.  So, Peter took the day off and we all went to the aquarium together.

First, the kids were part of a class where they were able to dissect a squid.  There was much anticipation over this.  They couldn't believe that they were going to actually cut open a squid.  I was pretty sure that a couple of them wouldn't make it through, but I was wrong.  They all enjoyed it.

Our little explorer.

Wesley did more looking than cutting, separating, or taking parts out...haha. 

What fun for the boys...and Abby too.


After the class, we walked through all of the aquarium rooms and studied the details of all of the different sea life.

I love it when they all do things together:)

Ransom loved these stingrays.  They kept coming over and rubbing up against the glass right in front of him and he would squeal with excitement.

 Yes, Seth is picking his nose again...sigh.

Inside the aquarium tunnel.

After driving home and a quick lunch and clean up (and a rest), we painted a sea life mural on a large piece of brown paper taped up on the wall outside.  It's still pretty hot our here so this project didn't last long.

And, we enjoyed some $1 water animals that I picked up the day before to keep us out of the gift shop.

Now to dig into the "book work".  We will be studying "Rome to the Reformation" this year.
Can't wait!!

It's just not working.

I try very hard to make things work for every member of our family.  My goal is to make our home reasonably pleasant, peaceful, organized, clean and a place that we all WANT to be.  This is a real challenge with six kids who are all home...all day...every day.  The work and messes are inevitable but there are some things that I have learned (and many more that I will learn I'm sure) that help make things work when it's just not working.

First thing in the morning is the time when I have the most work to get done in the shortest amount of time.  There are diapers to be changed, babies to get dressed, breakfast, clean up, starting laundry, and then checking on my older kids to ensure that they are getting their things done. 

I aim to get up early (between 7 and 7:30 is early for me!) and spend time in the Word and prayer as well as get myself presentable for the day BEFORE any kids are up.  Sometimes it works, sometimes I have weepy toddlers hanging on my ankles as I drink my morning water and brush my teeth...haha.  But, the latter happens most often when I hit that "start your day late" button.  I would like to start school at 9 in the morning (we are NOT early risers).  But, this takes some real focus and planning.  I found that I was having to chase after the kids and do too much correcting first thing in the morning.  It adds to my morning work and just honestly isn't a good peaceful start to our day.  It also led to me checking their morning chores on a rather random schedule and not truly holding them accountable.

So, I thought I would try bribing  rewarding our children.  I do expect my children to obey with a cheerful heart immediately but if I can get them to make a habit of this by rewarding them for a few months and avoiding all of the fussing and discipline then I am all for that.  Games and rewards are fun for everyone. I hope to do more training than discipline...it's so much more fun.  I have not always felt this way but it is something that the Lord has laid on my heart in the last few years as I am working to gain the hearts of my children...and it is hard work for me.  It comes natural for some but for me I have to work hard and stay focused on the goal. 

I thought that if they get up, get dressed, make their beds, pick up their rooms, do their morning chore, eat breakfast, and are sitting on the couch ready to begin school by 9 am without me having to tell them a thing...that deserves a reward!!  My 10, 9, 7, and 5 year olds can all do this.  It's amazing!  If the reward falls within their currency, they will do amazing things to get that reward. 

I made a quick chart (which I can't post here without embarrassing some of my kids...so I won't) to keep track of who earns a reward each morning and put it on the side of the fridge.  Then, at 9 am EVERY morning, I trek back up the stairs and check all rooms and chores.  Accountability is key for my kids.  If they are not ready by 9, we still start school anyway but they have to use their "free time" later to complete whatever wasn't done yet...and no reward.

So far, I have had peaceful mornings and many mornings most of the kids are sitting on the couch ready at 9 am.  Why didn't I do this sooner?  haha.  It's wonderful.  Now, our mornings can be more peaceful...I love peaceful!

What do you do to get your kids up and ready for school in the mornings? 

Family Olympics

This past week we completed our theme unit study that the kids and I work through as a family.  So, on Friday, we had a celebration to mark the end of this school year.  

(We will continue with morning Math and Language lessons through most of the summer as a year round schedule just seems to fit our lifestyle.)  

Because we had been studying early Greek life, we decided to have our very own family Olympics.  Each family member planned their own competition or race and we spent the morning at the neighborhood park.  Here are a few pictures from our day.

The little boys played in the sand for much of the morning.

 

Ransom decided to join the fun by snatching our cones at every opportunity.

  
Each team had a plastic spoon for a baton.

 

I love this one of Wesley.  He was trying so hard to keep up with the "big kids".  And, he did really well!

Toddler race...haha.

After our games were done, we picked up some Greek food and took it to a local splash pad to cool off.  Because, after all, how can we learn about Athens and Sparta without a little Greek food...haha.

Sethy's little hand.  I love the details that photography allows me to capture.

 This will be one "last day of school" that the kids will not soon forget...and neither will Peter and I.