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. :)

Where Curriculum Ends and Learning Begins

This morning as I sat down at the dining room table, curriculum book in hand, to begin teaching today's Math lesson to my six year old, some real learning took place:)

We did our calendar, weather graph, and counting routine.  My little guy sat obediently at the table responding to questions and doing his work.  I pulled out the manipulatives and taught the new concept.  I was then tempted to put them away quickly so that we could move to the next thing.  Oh, how often I rush them through. 

You see, we had already had interruptions to our day.

It was piano lesson day (which is exciting because my kids love their teacher!) and we had a city employee out to try to find the source of a water leak on the property.  So, it was one of those days and I just wanted to get things done!

But, as I began to sweep all of the pattern blocks into the zipper bag, my six year old protested and said that he wanted to "make something" with the pieces.  I am grateful for the nudge (and not the sledge hammer to the head as I sometimes need) from the Holy Spirit because I have to admit that I don't always recognize these moments.  Honestly, I have a bad habit of cutting off this organic style of learning and serving the curriculum...but I'm learning:)

 (Look at that smile!  Ignore the awful haircut...haha.)

After letting him design for a while and discussing the names of the shapes and which ones fit where and why, I pulled out...yep, you guessed it...the curriculum paper that we were supposed to complete.  Seeing the word problems on the page, my little guy jumped up and went over to the game closet and returned with a felt Math game.  I watched as he created his own word problems.  One after another he created and solved on his own.  This was SO MUCH FUN that he wanted to keep right on going.  So, of course, I obliged.  We never did complete that curriculum paper:)

Distraction or real learning?? 

I would say that it is real learning.  At the moment that I handed over the reigns of learning to him, there was this spark that just kept growing.  He was excited and pushing himself to solve more and more.  And, as Mr. Toad will tell you, driving has an amazing kind of addictive quality to it.  Putt-Putt-Putt. 

(There is reason to be proud when you are teaching yourself!)

This is just the beginning of a lifelong love of learning. 

It doesn't always happen this way.  Sometimes we just follow the curriculum plan.  But, I'm learning to allow the kids to do some of the driving...and loving it!

Sometimes those moments are harder than others as the baby cries, a toddler flushes something down the potty, or some very active little guys scrape knees, etc..  But, it is where...

...the curriculum ends and the real, live, passionate, life-long learning begins:)

I am not suggesting that you use no curriculum (unless that is your calling).  I do follow a curriculum.  But, much like my daily schedule, I'm try to let curriculum be the training wheels to learning and not the master.





*I'd like to apologize for the quality (or rather lack thereof) of the pictures in this post.  I just snapped these quickly with my phone as my camera wasn't nearby.

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:)

Overcoming the Fear of Dyslexia

"profoundly dyslexic"

The words echoed inside my head as if everything else in life had suddenly abandoned me to this phrase.  And, the rushing title wave of fear threatened to overtake me in that moment.  As I sat listening to the reading therapist go on and on about strengths and weaknesses, appointment times and schedules, I heard little more.

"profoundly dyslexic"

I left her office feeling rather numb that November afternoon.

Dyslexia?  To my knowledge we had no dyslexia on either side of the family.  I had graduated with honors when I earned my B.S. in Education.  Peter earned a B.A. in History and went on to earn a M.A. in Government and a J.D..  I was struggling to believe that our child could have dyslexia.

But, I knew it was true.  It just made perfect sense.  We had used a strong phonics program and it hadn't worked.  I knew there was something deeper.

 (source)

I was looking for answers but this was not the answer I wanted.  I was hoping for a quick fix but it was not to be. 

It took a few days for the tears to wash away the numb feeling inside me.  Then I did what every mother would do.  I began to research how to help my child.  But, the fear still threatened to paralyze me as I wondered about the future. 

I immediately enrolled this child in intensive one on one therapy for the next six months.  It was incredibly expensive but we had just moved and were expecting a new baby soon (in addition to homeschooling three other children and corralling two preschoolers).  I knew that I would not be able to help right away.  .

 (source)

We were now on our way but I still needed my Abba Father to take away the fear and replace it with peace and hope.  He began to show me that this child was His creation.  This new diagnoses was no shock to my loving, heavenly Father:)  My child was not broken but perfectly made by a loving creator...every.single.detail...for a specific purpose.  I had to release the child that I expected and celebrate the amazing, talented person that this child is...a gifted child who has dyslexia.  Dyslexia is not something wrong.  It's everything that is right about this child.  It's what gives this child an incredibly high intellect, musical talents, artistic abilities, and technical/problem solving skills.  Watch for an upcoming post on the gifts of dyslexia:)

 (source)

(source)

Over the next months, I began researching dyslexia.  I needed to hear success stories, understand what dyslexia is, how to teach my child, and learn to celebrate this new phase of life.  So, after putting many, many hours into research, I thought I would make a list of the resources that I found helpful for anyone who is just beginning this journey.  It's a journey of celebration and not fear!  So, if your child has just been diagnosed with dyslexia, rejoice.  Your child can and will do amazing things!

 Just for fun:

(source)

Books:
Overcoming Dyslexia by Sally Shaywitz, M.D.
Dyslexia 101 by Marianne Sunderland
Brain Integration Therapy by Diane Craft


Websites:
Susan Barton has a number of helpful videos and articles at brightsolutions for understanding dyslexia...and what it isn't.  
Dianne Craft offers helpful instruction for brain integration therapy to open blocked learning gates.  She also has some great nutritional ideas to balance kids' systems.
http://www.lexercise.com/
http://www.dys-add.com/getHelp.html#anchorOrtonSystems

Blogs:
http://www.mariannesunderland.com/

http://www.speechandlanguagekids.com/

Articles:
http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2012/04/06/150123797/spotting-dyslexia-may-be-possible-even-before-kids-learn-to-read

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/visual-attention-lead-dyslexia-children/story?id=16078380

http://kidsbookclub.tescomagazine.com/parents-zone/top-ten-tips-for-dyslexic-readers.html

http://neurosciencenews.com/dyslexia-cause-medial-geniculate-body-thalamus-malfunction/



Here are a few keys that I learned in the process.
*Dyslexia runs in families.  This means that we may see it again in other children.  All the more reason for me to become proficient at teaching according to these new methods.
*There are preschool warning signs.  This makes me happy that I can watch for them and sad that I didn't know them years ago.  I was a classroom teacher and surely missed out on helping many children because of my lack of knowledge in this area...not to mention missing it earlier in my own child.
*Dyslexia is simply a brain that processes language differently.  My child will read the word "woods" as "forest" visualizing each word before saying it when reading aloud.  That is pretty amazing!  And, it explains why the process may take a bit longer.
*Dyslexics can compensate by memorizing an amazing number of words which can mask what is going on inside.  Because of this, they can sometimes read at a higher level than where they would test.  But, when they are given nonsense words, they will not be able to sound them out using phonics.


*I received no compensation of any kind for any information in this post.  This is just me sharing:)

Large Family Organization...Laundry

Oh the dreaded laundry!  It is not at the top of my list of enjoyable activities.  I will also admit that the only laundry that I enjoy folding is the little baby clothes.  They are quick, easy, and cute:)  But baby laundry soon gives way to toddler, child, and teen sizes...and smells. 

I would like to say that the laundry process in our home looks something like this.

But honestly, it looks more like this.

And, sometimes it feels a bit like this.

So, I thought I would post here on the evolution of the laundry process in our home.  Yes, it has evolved over the years!

When Peter and I were first married, I worked full time.  He was in school full time and working part time.  Those were the days when I could clean the house and it would stay mostly clean for the week.  During this early phase, we did laundry once a week.  And, funny enough, I thought it was quite a chore...haha.  I continued doing laundry once a week with the birth of our first and second children.  I would do a dark and light load of  "baby" clothes and it didn't really add much to the overall chore.

When our third child came along, I started doing laundry on two different days. One day for the kids and one day for everything else.  I would separate dark and lights for the kids laundry and then do the same for our laundry.  This worked well until our fifth child arrived. 

With seven people in the house, I needed a new system.  So, I decided to do a laundry rotation and choose a different category for each day.  So, one day I would do the older boys' laundry, the three littles on another day, sheets another, and so forth.  I still had room for a catch up day...or two:)

When our sixth baby arrived, we decided to switch to cloth diapers.  That would be two babies in cloth as our fifth baby was not potty trained.  Yeah.  This made an immediate impact on the laundry.  I then started doing a load of diapers each night and hanging them to dry over night.  This was, of course, in addition to the other many loads of laundry. 

Now, with nine people in the family, we have a slightly different rotation.  We have several different laundry baskets in the family closet and the kids know where to put their dirty laundry.  So, one of the morning chores (currently Wesley's jurisdiction at 6 years old) is to take the correct basket to the laundry room.  This way, the laundry is waiting for me first thing.  The older boys have two baskets (light and dark) as do the little boys.  Abby and Timmy have their own seperate baskets and each usually takes just one load.  I divide the day's laundry into light, dark, and do separate loads for Peter's work clothes.  Adding in the daily load of cloth diapers, I do between 3-5 loads daily.

Here is our rotation:

Monday - 3 little boys

Tuesday - Abby and Timmy

Wednesday - big boys

Thursday - Dad and Mom

Friday - towels and sheets

Saturday - catch up

When it comes to folding laundry, the older three kids fold and put away their laundry independently during their afternoon free time.  I really just praise them for their work and don't require perfection.  Which sometimes means not looking in their drawers...haha.  Their folding will come along with maturity.  My purpose in having them fold is to develop a good work ethic and character not to have them become perfectionists.

I am teaching my four and six year old boys to fold laundry so the three of us work together to fold the little boys' clothing.  It's a good time chat with them about whatever is on their little minds.  The plan is for me to fold other laundry during my scheduled time each afternoon.  But, if a day gets too busy, I just do it that night or the next day.  This lets the schedule support me and not enslave me...something that took me years to learn:)

So, that's how we get our 15-25 loads of laundry done each week. How do you get the laundry done in your home?

On Character and Idols

I have come to the conclusion that the older we get the more we realize our shortcomings.  I would say that I have become more wretched over time but I believe that I have always been as wretched as I am right now.  As a teen and young adult, I thought I had it pretty much together.  Ha!  I look back and laugh at my young, over-confident pride.  And, I smile when I see it in the generations after me...especially in my children:)  I know that God will work in their lives in His timing as He has mine....removing one layer at a time.

Peter and I have just completed yet another parenting study at our church.  It's just one of those areas where we want to always be learning and growing.  As we are stretched to learn more, I am realizing just how much there is to improve in my parenting skills.

We were talking in this parenting class about idols in the context of sibling conflict.  In that moment of conflict, what is the child's heart worshiping?  What is the most important thing?  What is the thing they want more than obedience to God. THAT is the idol.  We can tell where the heart is based on actions.  Simply breaking up the fight does nothing to develop character in their hearts and lives.  They are upset because something has taken that place in their hearts and lives...that place designed to be perfectly filled only by the God of this universe.  But the welling up of anger is a sure sign that God is not on his throne in their hearts.  Wow.  As I listened to the teaching, I couldn't help but think of the areas in my life that anger me...a mess to clean, a child interrupting, a job left undone by another family member.  The list goes on and on.

I am still pondering, several weeks later, the things I have placed on God's throne in my heart and life.  That perspective is the one that I need to keep...always.  If a mess is making me angry, am I worshiping the idol of laziness or comfort?  What is so important that I would become angry?  I am definitely not angry as a result of a heart that is worshiping God in that moment!

I have been making a mental list of those things and working to remove them and replace God to his rightful place in my heart.  But, it's so hard, isn't it?  I'm doing great and then all of the sudden a toddler screams in response to the teasing of an older sibling and on my way to correct the situation, I trip over shoes left out and then it happens.  That idol begins to rise in my heart.  And, unwilling to knock it off the throne, I speak angrily to a child.

It sure is easy to sit back and marvel in disgust at how the Isrealites worshiped idols.  Isn't it?  I mean, God had just set them free from the bondage of slavery and there they were worshiping idols.
But, isn't that very much what we do in our lives every day?  God has set us free from the bondage of sin and we turn right around and worship idols.  I know it's true in my life.  *sigh*

 (Picture from biblenews1.com)

It's a journey that I know will continue for many years (longer than 40 years...quite possibly forever) as God peels back layer upon layer in my life and removes idol after idol. 

So, each time that I have a talk with a child about what his/her heart is worshiping, I also search my own heart.

As parents, what kinds of idol worship have we demonstrated for our kids?  It's time to tear them down!

Hands-On Learning

This year in school, we are studying "Rome to the Reformation" together as a theme unit study.  I love learning together for many reasons.  But, one of the best things is that we can do projects and experiments together and not have to repeat different projects six times at different levels.  I don't think that I would actually do that and we would loose much of what I believe is so important about education...learning hands-on. 

Here are a few pictures of this past week's projects.

Writing like a Roman:

We made a background and border from cardboard and then pressed clay in the middle.  The kids could then use a stick to write.

Making a cell model:

 Here we used a ziploc bad, yellow jello, and a grape to represent the three main parts of a cell.  Most of the kids ate their cell model for afternoon snack.  A little gross but the kids will remember these parts for years to come:)

Creating mini books of the Bible to learn how books are put together to create The Bible:

To do this, we used one large match box and six or so small match boxes per person.  I emptied all of the matches into bags.  We now have enough matches to last for years to come:)

The kids covered their small match boxes with construction paper to look like miniature books and then slid the mini books into the larger covered match box.  This was a great visual for them to understand the relationship between books of the Bible and the Bible as a whole.

*None of these projects were my original ideas.  They all came from our curriculum:)

Three Keys to Homeschooling in Kindergarten

This year, for the fourth time, I started a new student in our homeschool.  Wesley is officially in Kindergarten this year.  So, I thought I would take some time to do a post on a few of the keys that I believe are important in formal education at this age.

First, here is a bit of background info on my journey and change of heart dealing with early education.

When I started homeshcooling I was so excited to start.  I had fond memories of homeschooling as a child and couldn't wait to start homeschooling my children.  My oldest was almost five, but not quite.  I had a three year old and one year old to juggle and jumped in with both feet.  It didn't take long to see that my oldest was not ready for formal education and I was not fostering a love for learning in him.  So, after just a few weeks, we put away the textbooks.

When the next year rolled around, I had more realistic expectations.  With a slight change of heart toward early education, I decided to lighten the load.  We studied Phonics, Math, and Handwriting several days a week which took about 45 min to an hour each time.  I then created my own theme units around the days of creation to study Science.  We took a month to study each day of creation.  We read books from the library, did experiments, created art projects, and went out in nature to examine God's creation.  This was a fantastic year, but it was still a bit much for him.

After following much the same method for the next two kids, I have had another slight change of heart.  I have seen the negative effects in my older children of more formal education in the early years than they were ready for.  I would like to avoid this with my younger children and also want to make learning as fun as it can be.

So, here are my three keys to homeschooling in Kindergarten.

1. Keep it simple.  There is really no reason teach secondary subjects to your Kindergarten child.  They may learn it and it can seem impressive but it really isn't in keeping with the development of that age.  A simple introduction to the basics of Math and Phonics is really sufficient and will create the basic foundation for later building blocks of learning.  Then, if there is a topic that they love such as animals you can add in great books, art, etc..  But, forcing the extras at an early age can create resentment toward learning that will rear it's ugly head in later years.

2. Keep it short.  At this age attention spans are usually very short.  If they are loosing interest it is a sign that it is time to move on to the next thing...even if you didn't get through your lesson...haha.  Developing a love for learning is more important than the amount of work that they do at this age.  Spending about 30 minutes  3 or 4 days a week is really plenty. I schedule an hour for Wesley because he has the desire and ability (that most of mine did not have at that age) to sit longer so that he can write and color his work thoroughly.  But, he is free to stop after 30 minutes and go play with Abby and the littles in the loft.  Whatever we don't get done in that 30 minutes can surely wait for the next day:)

3. Keep it hands-on.  Children of all learning styles still learn best at this age by actually doing things.  So, keep things as hands-on as possible.  Use Math manipulatives, games, Play-Doh, and puzzles as much as possible.  It is also a good idea to have a learning rich environment in your home where your Kindergartener can learn through games outside of the formal learning time.

Wesley will sit near and listen to the books that we read in the afternoon from "Rome to the Reformation".  But he will be on a mat with a game or puzzle to keep his little fingers busy.

I am always amazed by how much my little ones pick up from being near us while we do school.  I believe that they listen best when their fingers are busy:)


What things do you do to help your Kindergartener learn?

Out With the Old and In With the New

Now that we have had our "first day of school" fun.  It's time to get down to business:)

One of the first things that we do every year is get out our notebooks or portfolios of last year's learning and clean them out.  As the kids pull out all of last year's work, they reminisce about all of the things they did and learned.  They also usually make comments on how much better their handwriting, spelling, and drawing skills are now compared to last year.  It's a great time for them to see the progress that they are making.  Here are some pictures of the "out with the old and in with the new" project.

With our new schedule, I will be teaching writing to the older three kids (together) using Writing Strands.  While we are all sitting at the table, it's a perfect time to have the littles do some basic art.  So, I purchased some "school supplies" for them as well:)

Here is a picture of Ransom doing art at the beginning of his day.

 

 
Here is Seth with his preschool crayons and cute little storage box.

Wesley also loves to draw and is content to sit and draw for the 30 minutes that the older kids are learning to write.  And, just maybe he is picking up a few things as well:)

 
I have worked the schedule so that all six kids have a place to be and a project to be working on throughout the morning.  So, while the older kids might be doing Math or Spanish, the little guys may be playing with one of the older siblings, having "mat time", compute time, or a nap for the baby.  As soon as it cools off outside, they prefer to play in the backyard.

Here are some pictures of the littles doing their scheduled activities.

Yes, our laptop is on a cooling rack as it tends to overheat...haha.  It is a dinosaur in terms of technology and so it's perfect for the littles:)

I am really excited to be done with the summer chaos and back into a neat schedule.  It ensures that I can get everything done and have one on one time with each child while they read to me or we clean up after a meal together.  Great conversations trump reading from time to time:)
 
So, out with the old and in with the new.  Looking forward to all we (yes, me too!) will learn this year about "Rome to the Reformation".

What things do you do to keep your littles occupied during school?

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.