Homeschooling in a Bilingual Home

Funnix

2012-02-08T07:54:00.000-06:00

I had used Funnix last year and then lost it. When I found out yesterday that we have it for free during February again, and this time it comes with a level 2 reading for fluency, I jumped in excitement. Funnix is like Teaching your Child to Read in 100 Lessons, but you don't have to do the lessons, the computer does. Like all these computer programs, use it at your discretion if you want to use it at all.

The Math Solution

2012-02-03T18:33:00.001-06:00

Sometimes the answer to a problem is so close we don't even see it, or we don't really want to see it. We homeschool not to worry that much about grade levels, tests, grades in general, but to respect and nurture our children readiness to learn, to grow with them no matter how early or late those milestones come, as long as effort and consistency are being shown. All to end up caught up in a hamster wheel so embarrassingly early.

In that perfect world, my oldest, seven since the end of September 2011, should be around lesson 110 of book 1b of MEP, week 22, the same week of school we are at. And once we finish our third term at week 36 she'd ideally be done with MEP level 1, books 1a and 1b. And that is where she is, on lesson 108, but it is not easy, it is all a challenge. I'm the one filling those papers more than her, pulling her teeth to get the answers and helping out to fill the worksheets. None of the problems that should be done independently she can do on her own, yet, let alone cheerfully.

As of today, I've decided, thanks to Sarah, who answered my question about how she does with MEP with her children, that I'll be reprinting 1a, and still I'll continue teaching some moments at that challenge learning level. But I want her to have success, feel she is on top, enjoy her math problems, and I believe if I reprint 1a it will be the case. I will let you know how this works.

We also continue with Life of Fred, which she loves, and we are finally and truthfully playing math card games, reading math books, and enjoying math.

Dear Miss Mason,

2012-02-02T15:40:00.000-06:00

Dear Miss Mason,

I am Silvia, a mother of two wonderful persons who are seven and five, wife to an inspiring husband, and child to our Mighty Lord. A woman who appreciates how blessed she is to stay home, raise and teach her girls, and tend to her husband and friends. A woman who tries hard, falls short, stands up again, in this continuum that represents her life of service; not only to those whom she loves, but to her neighbors. A woman immersed in an ever learning movement to love not only her dear ones but her enemies as well.

I met you, ma'am, around six years ago when my husband and I entertained the idea of educating our girls at home instead of placing them in a school. Those days I was a public school teacher who thought that knew something about teaching. Lucky me, a friend gifted me your six volumes, and for several years they collected dust in my shelf. For some reason, it was easier for me to read about you than reading you. Those were the times before I commenced my learning journey. My relationship with God was just sprouting, as for the relationship with the great minds of the past, and the world around us, was malnourished. However, I am delighted to tell you, ma'am, that since, those relationships have gotten stronger, those milk teeth (that we've learned we call deciduous) are giving place to a solid body eager to plant its feet on the broad room of life, yet with gentle hands to handle the delicate joys that await us. This letter is a thank you for being that inspiration.

I need to share with you that you have many admirers, true supporters, innumerable readers. Your six volume work, and numerous articles, are much alive today as they were when you wrote them and discussed them. Actually, you will be delighted, or maybe surprised, to know that many generous minds have written much about your principles of education, and that many more employ them every day at their home schools. Your quotes graciously populate this resource we call Internet.

Looking at the ocean can be as pleasant as intimidating. That was the effect your work had in me as a young mom. As a vulnerable yet determined immigrant with a taunting task ahead, providing her daughters with the best education possible, I craved the 'how to', I wanted formulas, I was anxious to collect all the books we 'had' to read in a Charlotte Mason education as we call it. Besides, I grew up in a different language, how could I read your old English, let alone aspire to understand it?

I camped happily at the satellite readings around you, they helped to keep my love and admiration for you alive. I then started to share in this blog (a journal on the Internet), all those practices, curriculum, resources, lesson plans...all that we did and I thought to be so much in accordance with your philosophy. Soon others approached me with questions, but it gets worse, I advised other mothers right and left. But it is no secret that I have it far from together in my every day with the girls. There is still much to work on those three aspects you also acknowledge, the physical, intellectual, and spiritual.

Even though I have read portions of your original work, I lacked consistency. Then Stephanie found me and that led me to the pleasure of translating part of your writings into Spanish. During those months I enjoyed making sense of many so called Charlotte Mason practices I always read in several blogs and at times attempted with different degrees of success, and I confess it also overwhelmed me much. I created an ideal of what you are, what you mean, and it was unbearable to see how short I was falling from it.

Yesterday, even though this article was written months ago and I missed it when it came out, I read these words from Jennifer. It was not only that, many things matured these past weeks since we came from an interesting vacation. My family needed me to be truly focused on them. My time on this thing we call computer shrank naturally as I worked on my priorities. Many thoughts and feelings were churning in my head and heart. I claim I have faith on you and your methods, but Miss Mason, you would not have been pleased to find me retrieving into the cave of my darkest thoughts and fears, back to practicing the same useless rituals. Forward to yesterday and picture me reading Jennifer Spencer's article. Relieved by the joy of realizing I'm just as mortal as the rest of your followers, it was a sweet balm and eye opener. Worth noting is that many of us who struggle with a different notion of what teaching is, are former public school teachers. That which appeals to us from your principles it has been to me the very heart of my battles. I realized that I will never live in that ideal Charlotte Mason world and instead of humbly and thankfully taking all that I can, standing up and persevering, I gave up...

Why did I desired that ideal when reality is richer, messier and cutter, more painful and much more joyous than that silly postcard of perfection? I admit to you, ma'am, that I know very little of the real you, but you will surely tell me that this is not what matters. What matters is that I have a renewed thirst for reading your work and a rekindled desire for what I have been doing for these past years not just desperately attempting to fit in your shoes, but walking in your company with my own shoes and for some parts of the path. I will be quite a humorous and pathetic copy of yourself, and I know my husband and daughters prefer a poor version of myself than the best version of someone else! LOL (That means laughing out loud.) What matters is that the few principles I have been able to discern from your teachings, have made a beautiful and much beyond my dreams impact on my daughters and myself.

As an example of this impact, allow me to share that today, as we were listening about King Maximilian who went under a big tree and sat there looking at the clouds, my daughter told me,'is this the man who did not need anything to live?' She was reminded of the story about Diogenes and Alexander. When we read that story, I was sure she did not grasp anything from it. As I impatiently asked her about the 'facts' she remembered, she could not even produced the names I just read. How mistaken I was. Delights like this are common among families who inspire themselves on your teachings. Among us they make us moms swell, when shared with those who wear utilitarian glasses, they look at you as if you have not finished your thought and have forgotten the real achievement you were sharing.

Yesterday the article reminded me of the importance of going out on top. Today I did, and my daughter was infuriated at me! Sweet anger that told me this does work. She relied on being read a whole chapter as I was monotonously doing lately, and mind you she has sort of liked her history readings, more as timed progressed. But today, thanks to Jennifer, I remembered one of your principles that is key. We left two readings at the highest point, and my girl made such an effort to have me finish them. But I stayed firm. Tomorrow we'll know what Arthur tells those nobles in the middle of that feast turned into riot of pride and flying bread rolls, and what the goose boy tells King Maximilian. Today I believe children, even the plump and food loving type, can delay dinner in favor of a bit more history readings.

What you would have told me if I could have approached you while you were alive on this earth, I will never know. But I have resolved to stop beating myself up for any highs I can't reach yet, anything we are not and may or may not ever be, or anything that doesn't develop as ideally as I envision it. No more blaming all that on the fact that we are not a perfect Charlotte Mason family. It would be ironic and insincere to thank you for being an inspiration while placing you in a pedestal you did not ask for. Why am I throwing tomatoes at you for having set the bar so high? You may have set the bar high, and we are glad for that, not many have had your vision to do what you did. It's only I who has been so prideful to make it my aim to sit at the top of that bar.

Dear Miss Mason, I intend and with this letter I commit to continue learning, to conversing with you through your work, most especially, to enjoying this travel through life with its bumps and smooth parts, as long as He allows me to live. Thank you, Miss Mason, for remaining alive through the many friends and companions your person has brought to my life, and for your priceless legacy.

Sincerely,

Imprimis Issue

2012-01-20T17:59:00.004-06:00

This issue that talks about education at Imprimis, a publication from Hillsdale College, may be of interest to many of you, it was certainly of much interest to me. Sadly, as the end of the article says, even though the answer to the question is a rotund NO, it is very unlikely that we will ever rid of the Education Department.

The Love & Respect Experience.

2012-01-19T15:10:00.001-06:00

The Love & Respect Experience, by Emerson Eggerichs, is the third book I got from BookSneeze and one that I'm benefiting from along with my husband. The Love and Respect Experience is a devotional for couples that, as the book description says, has men in mind and wives really like. It has 52 chapters, that you can read every week, more or less often, according to your preference.

The author really understands men and women's make up, and the dynamics of marriage. His simple yet rich devotionals will help you put your marriage in a godly perspective and to grow on both, respect and love.

We are enjoying and benefiting from this book, I highly recommend it.

Disclosure: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze book review bloggers program. I did offer my honest opinion, as they requested. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Meet Heather Von St. James

2012-01-06T03:37:00.001-06:00

I would like for you to meet Heather Von St. James. She is a Mesothelioma Survivor who has turned her pain into help and inspiration.

Heather Von St. James, Mesothelioma Survivor

In 2005, at the age of 36, and only three months after giving birth to a beautiful daughter Lily Rose, Heather Von St. James was diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma. Upon learning of this life-altering diagnosis, Heather, together with her husband Cameron, embarked upon a search to find the best mesothelioma treatment care available. Their search eventually led them to Dr. David Sugarbaker, a renowned mesothelioma surgeon at the Boston based Brigham and Women's hospital. Dr. Sugarbaker recommended a relatively new surgical procedure called extrapleural pneumonectomy, a groundbreaking treatment option offered through the International Mesothelioma Program. Although there were some risks associated with the procedure, it also carried promise for the best possible outcome. Heather, with full support from her husband and family, agreed to have the surgery.

Today, Heather Von St. James is a six year mesothelioma cancer survivor and continues to provide unending inspiration to mesothelioma victims around the globe. She carries out her mission to be a beacon of hope for those afflicted with mesothelioma by sharing her story of faith, love and courage both as a keynote speaker at conferences and through social media forums.

Read Heather's Complete Story

» Read Posts By heather

Courageous mother, wife and survivor of mesothelioma cancer.
Find Heather Von St. James on Google+

Read more at the mesothelioma cancer blog.

Nannu's Kite

2011-12-23T10:35:00.001-06:00

We are in the island of Malta, where my husband was born, and I'm typing this as I hear my daughters placing World Cup stickers in the album my husband's mom always gets for him and that he fills up with 'cupponi' when we come visit. They are reading and searching for the different countries where the teams are from in the album.

My father in law made a kite for the girls.

We are having a wonderful vacation, full of adventures, relaxation, bonding, breath taking views, sun, sea, love and new experiences. The girls are having the time of their life, and we, their parents, too, :) My parents in law are loving and generous beyond imagination. My father in law, the girls nannu, made them a kite and we went to fly it out yesterday to his fields, where he has goats, rabbits, and lots of fruits and veggies.We savored the first strawberries of the season, what we call organic these days, since they cultivate as in the old times, nothing but the soil, seed, water and sun. He also gathered potatoes yesterday, and we've been eating huge turnips, lettuce, squash, cabbage... and rabbit! My father in law's brother in law gave him a nice portion of the huge lot he has, and both of them go everyday to feed the goats and rabbits, and to work in the crops.

Nannu's kite

To say Malta is beautiful doesn't do justice to this island where Paul shipwrecked around 2000 years ago. My husband has taken us these almost four weeks to everywhere he knows, and mind you, he knows of places that are not even known by some locals! We've enjoyed the best pasta and cappuccino coffees on this planet, and we've been around historic buildings and ancient temples and locations every day. But now it's time to move on. We are starting to feel a bit restless, like sardines in a can.

Before the vacation, we went to my husband's job place downtown Houston, and had a Thanksgiving luncheon at the oldest building in the city, not even 200 years old, while here he used to play and kick rocks that I believe where as old as the first humans that lived on this Earth. It's almost time to leave the island. Next week we fly off to Madrid, where I was born, and we'll spend three weeks there before we go back home sweet home, Texas.

Gozo, an island close to Malta.

Despite the beauty of Malta and Spain, we are homesick for our adopted country, ~~Texas~~, United States of America. If we lived in Malta, homeschooling is forbidden. Maybe we, just because we have American nationalities, we'll be able to homeschool and do as many families who do it abroad, which it is something that has pros, but this makes us value all the advantages we enjoy in Houston. This vacation should keep me from grumbling for a whole three years, until, Lord willing, we can be able to travel like now again . This trip highlights how profoundly spoiled and blessed beyond measure we are in Texas (is this good grammar? LOL. I get a kick when I hear my Australian friends saying they edit bad American grammar from many books they've read aloud to their children. Proper English is hard to achieve, but I keep pressing to the honest goal. What was I saying? Oh, yes, we are in Texas, where we don't even have to report to anyone but simply educate our children bona fide, in the warmth of our homes, under the shelter of our believes and values, in the richness of our own philosophy of education. May we never take this for granted for this is a right that can and could be jeopardized any minute.

These past years I have witnessed what I consider to be an effect of the so called globalization. To me it means that, under a different surface and landscape, there lie many common philosophies of life across all different continents and countries. In Malta I have seen families where both parents work, with children in fast paced schedules, where the moms tell me of the struggles to make it on time to the different activities, where traffic is getting quite impossible. In other cases I've seen grandparents raising their grandchildren because the mothers have to work, or that's what they say. I've seen many so called 'traditional' families with mothers who stay home. Other homes are broken, divorce and separation are on the rise, leaving children with wounds and scars. Some friends in their early fifties told me they believe schools put a lot of pressure on children. Everybody here is very surprised we can homeschool, and the lack of any apparent 'control' over those who choose to do so. The streets of not only my neighborhood but Malta seem to be quite deserted from children playing outdoors, and people in general compared to my image of the time when I was a girl. Is this my perception or a fair observation? I'm not sure. But I've seen happy children roaming the streets in uniforms in field trips lead by cheerful teachers, some youth sketching at M'Dina, a charming old city in Malta from the time of the knights. And we've been to my husband's old primary school where I breathed a lovely atmosphere in the halls, classrooms and auditorium. The school building was very poetic, despise of the fact that the dreaded smart board (oh, such a pretentious name for a practical but ugly artifact!) was present in the classrooms.

My husband's primary school today.

We are having a lovely Christmas this year, I'm seeing my girls thriving, how mature and knowledgeable they are. And though I've had some insecurity about our homeschool, and some hard times because I've been comparing, (you know, here we are, in a super long vacation, and others are buzzing with activity and lots of work). But I'm praying and observing, admiring and rejoycing, as the timely Simple Charlotte Mason article pointed out, exercising the deserved APPRECIATION versus allowing jealousy and anxiety to root in my soul. That's such a powerful antidote for those who, like me, have a hard time with the fact that their children are not exactly like them or like they envision they should be. As if being like me or the idea I have for them were all that it is good to be! (Silly stupid woman I am at times). Of course, there are the invaluable friends. My friend and mentor Stephanie, who was there for me and sent me an answer to an email I wrote full of anxious thoughts and doubts. I could have sent it to many or all of you, and I firmly know that I would have had the same sincere advice. In fact, I have confided to so many of you at other times, that I'm just a bit embarrassed. I should have learned my lesson already. But I'm very faulty and I have my low moments. Anyway, if you made it till the end, as my friend Jeanne says, I want to give all of you my love, thank you for your loyalty and friendship, and wish you the best for 2012.

The girls played with their playmobils at the beach.

I found it!

2011-12-22T11:22:00.003-06:00

A few months ago I wrote about Theophilous, a Bible software that helps you to study the Scriptures. I thought I had found my tool to help me do more consistent study of the Scriptures. But I used it just for a few days and I went back to simply reading the Bible at night... or early in the morning... it's cozy. I enjoy a plain reading of the Bible, even though I know and understand that those readings are not a Bible study and I desire to get there, to do more than mere reading. I want to grow to the point of diligent study, for when I do study it is easier to make choices, things get clearer, life is best if/when I pray, when I meditate, when I study, when I worship intentionally, when I prepare for the several classes and studies we receive, and for the girls.

We are blessed to have Bible studies being offered at my congregation on Wednesdays and Sunday mornings, and I attend them both, or only one of them if I happen to be teaching that quarter. We also have a monthly men and women Bible study, and for all of those we are given the materials or readings prior to the class, so we can study either books of the Bible, or topics, depends on what it's picked. With the girls I learn as I teach and that has enriched my Bible study, specially since we started using their curriculum at church in combination with The Child's Story Bible by Catherine Vos. But still I was looking for something to aid me do my own studies. Something that preferably kept me away from the computer for commodity purposes, and which could enhance my understanding of the Bible, specially the daily readings I do on my own.

I FOUND IT!

I'm sure many of you know this, but I found it recently at my mother in law's house. She has this book, DEHOFF'S BIBLE HANDBOOK, by George w. DeHoff, and it is just what I needed. It has a concise yet very rich synopsis of every book of the Bible divided into the pertinent chapters, it gives you the background, history, it shows you the maps, the specific information and all I at least need to tackle each book and later start researching or reading in even more detail. I can even see this book as very useful for older children and Bible teachers.

In addition to this handbook, I got several of these Tolle Booklets, which do studies on topics or specific books. So far I've read the Christian Graces booklet and I need more rounds with it. It's very inspiring and it keeps you rooted in Him for the whole time you are reading it.

Games

2011-12-20T02:30:00.001-06:00

One thing we are doing these days it's playing these games:

UNO

CONNECT FOUR (Our friend gave us a travel compact version of it we love)

DOMINOES (Mexican Train)

MASTER MIND (The old one that my dh had and I too. He kept his box and the girls love it)

And I'm looking at games from Thinkfun, such as this chocolate puzzle game that can be played by one person, in case someone asks for ideas to give the girls on their birthdays or other occasions. I have seen one from this company with princesses and a tower and a knight, and they are wonderful. Do you have any games you recommend from this or other companies?

And the girls play by themselves with Playmobils they have been gifted with, and when we visited the Playmobil Fun Park, we got the hospital set for our littlest, Green Been , and a small Princess set for Blue Heart.

ADDITIONS SUGGESTED BY FRIENDS IN THE COMMENTS:

Science Experiments

2011-12-19T13:59:00.000-06:00

At one of my yahoo lists someone shared this website that has, among other things, an experiment per month you can subscribe to. You can also see older experiments. Click on each picture with the experiment to make them bigger and easier to read.

We started doing more of these simple experiments before we left on vacation, and it's definitely something I want to keep up doing with the girls. We have a couple of simple books I like and we have not exhausted them yet. I know that soon there will be books in the Ambleside selection that will include experiments according to what it is being studied, I also know that the Apologia books are full of experiments and activities that one can't literally not exhaust in the most effective schedule.

Those of you who know me are aware that I believe we don't need ANY busy work to learn. I know the power of natural science in the early years versus the artificial learning of names and data of animals and plants that children have not even seen. But an experiment or a project here and there for my girls ages is relevant. Maybe you do more with older children. I believe this to be a great opportunity for questions, observation, and sharing a good time. From my teaching times I remember the frustration of being twenty something students and a teacher, and having to mainly look and wait for a minimal chance to have a turn at 'touching' something, while at home the girls have the chance to do the whole experiment themselves if they want. If your children go to school, some of these experiments maybe fun for after school hours, holidays, or summer vacation. I also don't have to tell you that you can IGNORE this post instead of spending or wasting your time on the Internet. :)) Many daily activities in our homes have their share of science exploration!

All the new resources are being added to my resources website.

Math Website

2011-12-19T03:17:00.001-06:00

I have found this simple math website, AAA Math, in which the children can practice activities, or simply for you to look at the themes grouped under the different grade levels. For example, I found rounding numbers under first grade, which I never thought about doing and which it is quite fun and useful. I like browsing through the topics and thinking about ways to present them during the day, or games that touch that concept, and there are always children who love doing these activities on paper or the computer.

Donald in Mathemagic Land

2011-11-24T11:54:00.001-06:00

Kelly shared this video and I found it in youtube. Enjoy it and to all, HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Wow!

2011-11-23T12:51:00.003-06:00

Was this what having a true math experience feels like? Thanks to my friend Gemma, I read a book and found a blog today called CTK Insights, and of all the fascinating (and out of reach) knowledge I see in the website, I arrived at the Early Math suggestions page, and read about this problem, breaking up a chocolate bar... I read through it and UNDERSTOOD what was presented, and I got a WOW... this is truly neat! I can connect with math. (By the way, do you remember a post by Cindy where she said we don't have to make grammar interesting, grammar is ALREADY interesting. That's what the author of the essay Lockhart's Lament says about math. He claims that math is not done for practical purposes, and regardless of it, he says that math is very interesting and the original questions are much more enticing than the fake real life situations. Compound interest is truly practical and it's very unlikely that it awakes any interest in children... (the only time interests interested me is when we've had to get a loan or to know the pitiful amount we gain by having money saved)).

[...if you know algebra then you can figure out how old Maria is if we know that she is two years older than twice her age seven years ago!" (As if anyone would ever have access to that ridiculous kind of information, and not her age.)

Algebra is not about daily life, it's about numbers and symetry- and this is a valid pursuit in and of itself: Suppose I am given the sum and difference of two numbers. How can I figure out what the numbers are themselves?

Another very Charlotte Mason kind of quote,

What other subject shuns its primary sources- beautiful works of art by some of the most creative minds in history- in favor of third-rate textbook bastardizations?

I'm going to watch again The Story of Maths. As the Lockhart says, how can we not learn math and have no mention of its 'history, philosophy, thematic development, aesthetic criteria, and current status?'

I'm more excited than ever about getting the Life of Fred books for elementary, they seem to me written by a person passionate about math, with a math outlook in life for the sake of it, and someone who has questioned himself about math or is able to see what others have said in response to genuine intellectual art exercises in a quest for the simple and the beautiful, for the fantasy world of ideas and their amazing perfection.

A Mathematician’s Lament by Paul Lockhart

2011-11-23T09:27:00.003-06:00

*** Seriously, friends, this is a MUST READ ***

A dear friend sent me this interesting book on PDF, and I converted it to MOBI and EPUB for anyone interested. Click to download this book, you will see it at the bottom of my resources page, on the right side of it. This came from this blog, CTK Insights.

Enjoy!

Thank you, Amy Fisher

2011-11-17T08:04:00.001-06:00

When we started with ambleside year 1 this past summer, we left out these three books:

Trial and Triumph: Stories from Church History, by Hannula
Parables from Nature (Yesterday's Classics)
Shakespeare for children (the Tales From Shakespeare by Lamb,
or Shakespeare's Stories for Young Readers by Nesbit)

But in one of my posts, Amy Fisher told me, please, read Parables from Nature. Yesterday I decided to read the first story to my oldest while she was having breakfast. Maybe it was because we are not in school mood, the fact that I did not expect a narration, or that I truly had connected with the story at that moment. Maybe I'm used to reading things that challenge my tongue beyond sanity. I suspect that not having read it at the time in the summer when we started new and difficult books, and that she has been seven for almost three months may have helped. What was it I'll never know, all I can say is that the moment was ripe yesterday for this book to take root and we now thirst to continue it.

Trial and Triumph. When I saw it for sale for four meager dollars, by a mom in our group, my fingers tripped to secure the buy, and I took the copy though she alerted me that it had some minor coffee stains on the outside rim. I almost lost it for I saw Trial and Triumph for kindle, and stupid me thought we had it for free when that's not possible, it won't be in the public domain for many years, that's another Trial and Triumph novel I'm reading. I got the book. It's perfect. This will have to be another post for I defend that the only and one true church, the church that began at the day of Pentecost, has always existed, even when we may not have a record of those who were worshiping like this. But we have records from the eighteen and nineteen hundreds in other places than the USA, that give proof to what I defend. They show people worshiping like many of us do before the so called restoration movement because we read that in the Scriptures. The pattern is autonomous congregations, we have the name christian, simply christian, and the churches were called a christian church, the church of Christ in such and such location, as we read about the church that met in Corinth, or Ephesus, etc. The Restoration movement did not restore His church, that always existed, it was an attempt from many to come back to the New Testament christianity, and many did. That is why I never thought that this book is the history of the Lord's church, but it is church history or history and biographies of religious people. It's part of the history of our civilization, and many events have had a tremendous political and social impact. The people in the book are worth knowing about, so I'm glad we are now reading it and we'll be with it for much time to come. It's good to know about other creeds and thoughts to question and examine the reasons for our own believes.

Last book or books. The Shakespeare stories. Some wait until the child is nine or so, some say younger children can relate to them and they help them build muscle too. I just waited because my copy of the Lamb's book is waiting for me in Madrid. I thought that if I waited two more years, my oldest will be in year 3, my youngest in year 1, and they may have more interaction together and maybe act out the plays. I don't know, on the other hand I'm eager to become acquainted with Shakespeare.

Why did I get this book in Spanish? Because it's not Shakespeare himself, him we'll do our best to read in the original language (insert a scared look as I type, yes, Shakespeare intimidates me), and because I need to do some of the readings in Spanish. I like to insert a few substitutions of those things I find in Spanish and that I believe they don't tarnish our reading experience. If of all the Ingalls books I read some in Spanish, if I choose for example, Heidi, Pinocchio, the Meindert Dejong titles, Robin Hood, Peter Pan, they will be fine, as they grow, do you think my girls will miss out on something?

Thanksgiving Poems and A Story too!

2011-11-16T11:49:00.002-06:00

Mystie asked me for Thanksgiving poems. I found and read a few to my girls that I found in my poetry selections, and then I remembered that Ambleside had poems for the different holidays. So now we have some seriously good ammo, Mystie!

Click on book to grab while you can at the Homeschool Freebie of the Day

Dear Little Girl's Thanksgiving Holidays and other books by Amy E. Blanchard, here at Project Gutemberg or free for your Kindle HERE.

Ambleside Thanksgiving Poem Compilation

FIRST THANKSGIVING OF ALL
by Nancy Byrd Turner

Peace and Mercy and Jonathan,
And Patience (very small),
Stood by the table giving thanks
The first Thanksgiving of all.
There was very little for them to eat,
Nothing special and nothing sweet;
Only bread and a little broth,
And a bit of fruit (and no tablecloth):
But Peace and Mercy and Jonathan
And Patience, in a row,
Stood up and asked a blessing on
Thanksgiving long ago.
Thankful they were their ship had come
Safely across the sea;
Thankful they were for hearth and home,
And kin and company;
They were glad of broth to go with their bread,
Glad their apples were round and red,
Glad of mayflowers they would bring
Out of the woods again next spring.
So Peace and Mercy and Jonathan,
And Patience (very small),
Stood up gratefully giving thanks
The first Thanksgiving of all.

INDIAN CHILDREN LONG AGO,
also by Nancy Byrd Turner

Where we play in field and hill,
Running high and low.
Other Children used to play
Long and long ago.
Little Indians straight and Boys with belt and feather,
Little girls with colored beads,
Playing all together.
Laughing, calling through our yard
(When 'twas field of maize),
Swift and light they used to run,
Back in other days;
Through our garden (once a wood)
In and out again,
Past the house they ran, and back
'Twas a wigwam then.

Sometimes when the air is clear,
On a quiet day,
We can almost hear them still,
Shouting at their play!

THANKSGIVING IS COMING
Elsie Melchert Fowler

Thanksgiving is coming, I wonder if I
Will get a big piece of brown pumpkin pie?

Perhaps I'll have sweet juicy mince pie instead,
And a big bowl of raisins and fat apples red.

"Do have my plum pudding," my grandma will say;
She always makes pudding for Thanksgiving Day.

But first I'll see turkey, breast up, on a platter,
I wonder if this year he's bigger and fatter?

When asked if I'd rather have dark meat or white
I'll say, "Some of both," for that's being polite!

Next potatoes, all mashed up with gravy on top.
I'll eat every bit of it up till I stop,

And after I've eaten my dinner, why then
My grandma will pass the plum pudding again!

THANKSGIVING
By Judy Van der Veer

Outside the barn the wind is strong
Bringing cold November rain;
Within these walls the hay is sweet,
Bins are filled with yellow grain.

The cows are quiet in their stalls,
The newest calf is sound asleep;
And close together in their pen
Rest the gently breathing sheep.

The mare's big colt is by her side
To share with her the golden hay -
I'm truly thankful, Lord, that these
Are fed and sheltered on this day.

About Math: When Worksheets Fail

2011-11-16T10:06:00.002-06:00

Two Junes ago, when my oldest wast almost six, we started with MEP, the lessons and booklet 1a. At the beginning we were both enthusiastic, by the last lessons, all she had learned was to hate the worksheets and to say the dreaded sentence, "I hate math".

This past June/July, I got Math Mammoth at a great price, the first grade book, and I promised myself to do more games and living books, but it did not work well, I ended up presenting her with the Math Mammoth or the MEP 1b booklet worksheet, since I like MEP, and my daughter started to dislike math.

In case it interests you, I'd tell you I have first grade math booklets that they use in public schools, and she can do all those things. I'm not debunking schools, I'm saying that they don't ask that much, and that to a point, I don't feel all that paper printed to fill in bubbles is justified at all, and yet here I am, doing the same in our homeschool, which I told myself I won't do. I wonder if being a former teacher helps or hinders.

Here it's where many take a different path. There are those who believe that you don't need any formal math teaching, that a child will be fine with what his or her own interests dictates and if he or she needs math in the future, his motivation will make it possible to be learned. I learned not to suspect from these families. There are friends who have children that are constantly immersed in math conversations, I was even told how my friend's daughter started to learn the multiplication tables of her own accord. I guess some unschoolers will contest that it's my distrust and lack of letting go of lessons and impositions what is stopping my girls from having all these interests on things that others show. But in my perception of life, there are a few things worth to present to the children, a corpus of knowledge that I want to actively exemplify and expose the girls to, and that I will be able to do this without damaging their curiosity and love to learn.

On the opposite side of the spectrum, there are those who believe that discipline has to be applied sternly, and maybe fantasize with a different math curriculum that can make it magically more appealing. Though I don't say that a change at some points may not be very recommendable, most of the times it accomplishes nothing. When a child has difficulties getting concepts with a short explanation, and doesn't seem to advance through worksheets unless you have a math drama and tears every day, even if you first use manipulatives and adjust the worksheets, no change of curriculum will solve this, We all have abilities and tendencies, and if math is not the strong tendency, changing curriculum is not just going to work.

There is another path at least in my understanding. Inspired by Charlotte Mason, and based on the believe that children are all capable of having love for math, or reading, or writing, there is a solution we are willing to try.

This solution is for me to first stop the worksheets for a time. We are now on a break and that's easy for us. Now this involves some work on the parent, but I hope to have some time to think this through. As a matter of fact, I believe that my lack of disposition toward math is affecting my daughter's reaction to it. I tend to go to the old worksheet just because it guides us through a scope and sequence that I believe it's a valid one to follow, for as I said, I don't like to leave it as open to her own math inclination. In addition, though my husband is more mathematical than I am, he works many of the hours the girls are in my company and in our atmosphere which is mainly composed of books, cooking, and art around, the only sought after math the girls pursue is watching Cyber Chase, which is fine, but not my ideal of all to be explored in math.

Once we come back from our trip and resume, I plan to read the MEP lessons, and look at the worksheets, and present them orally and with manipulatives. We'll also watch more Khan Academy videos, and only after this basis is solidly laid, I'll look at the worksheets again to see how to use them. Some of the exercises she could do better, but in the midst of some very challenging, she soffocated. I truly will read those math books we have and love and I'll be getting Life of Fred 4-Book Elementary Set # 1 : Apples, Butterflies, Cats, Dogs. I've read the sample pages, and it's something I feel I'd love. If I get passionate about something, my girls usually tag along, for sure the math short lesson will be more appealing. Life of Fred has four books on their Elementary Series. This is not a curriculum, they are not textbooks, they are books that integrate math and other disciplines, and I'm hoping they'll make us see math around and be more in tune and in love with it. There are some exercises at the end of the chapters, but I also believe you can use your discretion if to do them or not.

While I understand that this living math is non orthodox, and that I feel much more comfortable with a program, I can't deny the fact that my daughter's reaction goes beyond not always loving the worksheet. She does not experience success, she can't fill the worksheet independently, she is not lazy, she simply can't relate to those numbers in the paper as being something of importance to learn and engage with. I wish she were different, but she is not, and guess what, I was like her, so not because now I'm the mom and on the other side of the equation, I have the right to expect her to relate to math problems on paper out of context. My math teacher had to inflate my grades to match up my otherwise excelling report card. Math is the only subject I've gotten a D or I for Insuficiente, one term in high school.

I do think that if I can achieve consistency and develop love for math with the games, living math books, and Life of Fred books. I hope to be able to reintroduce all the concepts that MEP teaches and not to burn her with the worksheets anymore.

Simple Experiments

2011-11-15T19:22:00.000-06:00

After you pour water in the jar, the penny seems to disappear, but it's still there.

Making simple, quick, and meaningful experiments, only requires TO BE WILLING. I have a couple of simple books for this, one is More Magic Science Tricks, the other one is Prove It!, and I'm sure you all have a book with easy experiments. If not, you can find for sure lots of free websites where to get the ideas from, for me a book works better, it's easier to me to open a book when we are downstairs, the girls look at the pictures and tell me, this one mom!, so that one it is, unless I don't have something for it (which it's rare), in which case I buy it next time at the store.

This experiment is to simply put a penny under a glass jar, look at it from the side. Fill the jar with water, and see how it seems to disappear when looked at from the side. The explanation is that the rays of light when the jar is empty are reflected straight to us, when the water is present, they are deviated to the top, thus we can't see the image of the penny.

I believe that living books and an occasional experiment such as this will make the difference in their science background knowledge in the long run. Do you agree?

Art Exhibit

2011-11-12T21:02:00.003-06:00

Go to blog if you want to see the slideshow! Thanks.

I'm fortunate beyond words to have Lizabeth amoung (little joke) my friends. She is an artistic person, so generous with kids and their moms, and with talent for creating. She also knows and nurtures the art of friendship. She started classes in September with a group of eight children and her lovely daughter, and today she delighted the families with this art exhibit. When we walked into her home, it was a poetic experience, with the colors from the display, the nice food to share. We enjoyed the morning. Thanks Lizabeth for doing this, and for still wanting to keep it up!, the art, and the classes :)

Note: you are right, friend, your home walls and light make it for difficult pictures, but I've cheated, I've used corel to edit them a bit, just a light touch. I enjoy where you put everything, the black and white creations by your beautiful red vase... very nice. Ah, your sweet mil told me, when I asked her for advice on raising children, that she said to all three to do something they loved doing. If you are passionate about something, that should be what you need to devote your time to do. So don't choose careers just because they are well paid, choose to do what you have interest and love for, and the rest will come.

Which Reader Should I Get?

2011-11-11T16:01:00.002-06:00

Simple. NONE. Or ANY. Since there is some interest, I'll offer my two cents on this topic.

I have a regular Kindle. I love it. I've read this year more than any other of my life. I've read wonderful public domain books. I've been able to have titles for my daughter's education I could read from it before I came across a paper copy, or saved for the real book.

Like all of you who don't have a reader or Ipad yet, I did lots of research before getting mine. I did not want to mess this up. I needed to be sure I got the right thing. I ended up with the Kindle and not the 3G because my dh said I don't need 3G, and I don't know what that is, so it was fine with me. I preferred Kindle because I am an Amazon person. And now you have more choices... choosing is getting very hard.

You don't browse with a reader. I don't even buy the books from it. Yes, even the 0 dollar books you have to click buy. I do that from my computer, because the reader Kindle does not a good job of finding the free titles, and it's not very maneuverable to surf the Internet. Every time I lay my hands on it it's to read, charge, or load it with books from the PC that I did not get straight from Amazon, those go straight to it once I buy them with a click. The others you find here and there, you download them, save them, and connect the Kindle to your PC like you do with your camera, and instead of uploading pictures, you pour down the files in the Kindle folder.

But if you have more budget, the Kindle Fire is nice. Why? Because it's more like an Ipad but not as expensive, and it will enhance your homeschooling. You can find and identify birds, listen to their songs, listen to anything in Librivox, read from it too, read blogs, check email, and get applications or inexpensive programs for a diversity of subjects and interests. And if you can afford an Ipad, it's something you will use for your whole family's education, so no remorse. Ah, did I tell you guys that libraries now loan books for our readers and even Kindles themselves?

But please, don't call me traitor. I'm very fond of real books, I don't have many expenses but what I invest on books. I don't think books are threaten, but the market for them is shifting, and all of us who love books still have them, gift them, buy them, READ THEM :). Many titles are being rediscovered thanks to this new ability to read them with readers. Many of those nineteen century books, would be non accessible and hard to read on computers. I may be trying to justify the fact that I'm in the e-book world a bit and not just in the true book world. Anyway, that's just my incomplete opinion.

Charlotte Mason Homeschool Series for Kindle

2011-11-11T12:25:00.000-06:00

I have a new button and label or category with a link to download the Charlotte Mason Homeschool Series for your Kindle. At home I still prefer the book, but if you are traveling, they are surely convenient (granted you have a Kindle of sort).

How do you read?

2011-11-11T11:31:00.000-06:00

Should we read EVERY SINGLE BOOK in our pile? Make the piles smaller? Read one book at a time? I choose to make a list of my current pile for book contention, since my pile is spread around my home, split between my nightstand, upstairs, downstairs, and Kindle.

Sometimes we don't do this activity or that project in our homeschool and we usually say we don't have time for it. But I challenge that. Whenever I say this, I realize that deep down there I don't seem to have the time for the things I don't see have an intrinsic value to be added or pushed over in the list of things I do consider of interest and importance and consequently, I work to make the latter happen, while I never have 'time' for the other type.

There are some books that are in progress, and I know they'll be read. So let's look at that list.

Books started and never finished (most are Kindle freebies):

The Education of our Girls, by Thomas Edward, the same author of The The Making and Unmaking of a Dullard. I may go back to it. I needed space, it was too much on the same topic.
Trial and Triumph. Not the one we read at AO, the one free for Kindle if you click on the picture. It's an interesting book, in the line of the previous one. Written by a black woman it gives me much insight in a culture I'm totally ignorant of.
Grammar Land. Maybe I did not finish it because it's a book I know I'll read later with the girls. But EXCELLENT it is. I enjoy it. Since these three books are in my Kindle, they will most likely, as the other titles in it, be read in Europe, where I won't take books since I'm coming back with many.
The last Thanksgiving book I told you about, Aunt Jo's Scrap-Bag VI An Old-Fashioned Thanksgiving. I will read this one. It's not that long.
Geometry in Art. I finished this book. I enjoyed it much, it was neat to read it on/in/with (sigh, I don't know which preposition is the right one?) my dh's Ipad.
I'm currently reading Praemortis. It is the second free book from booksneeze. This one an e book. And I have to read a bit everyday or I'll get lost. It's a clean fiction story about a civilization that knows where they will go once they die beforehand.
The Republic. I did not finish it, and unless I read it with someone else, I doubt I'll go back to it for now.
Mr Tompkins in Paperback (Canto imprint) (containing Mr. Tompkins in Wonderland and Mr. Tompkins Explores the Atom) No. This I won't finish.
School Education. Did you get your Charlotte Mason complete series on Kindle format? I did. And es, this one will be read. I'm a few chapters down. I don't have any rush, but I plan to give it a read during my vacation, yes.
The Bible. I'm in Lamentations. I just finished Jeremiah and I have to surely use my Teophilos program to gain some background after reading it. Without context I get easily lost. Talking to my husband is also great for he knows the history very well. From the time I was pregnant with my seven year old, I've had a Bible in a year reading, but some years I have done worse than others. It's nice to have a print out, it helps me. I forget to highlight the daily portions, and I don't necessarily follow those. When I'm in books like Psalms or Proverbs, I read more than the daily portion, and when I get to the prophets, I always slow down. I have a plan for next year. I will pick some books, and do some study about their context before hand and after, that way I won't just rely on the studies we have at church, though those help me much.
I will like to read some selected lessons from Stopford A. Brooke. Here you have his books for free. And have in mind he was a Unitarian. Without researching more about it, in simple terms this has to do with only believing in God to be God, and Jesus or the Holy Spirit not to be God as we understand them to be One God and Three Persons. Just mentioning this to be aware of it when reading his sermons and writings.

With the girls:
Grandma's Attic Storybook, and More Grandma's Attic Book. We are reading this one. The thing is that since it's a collection of short stories, we have no rush to finish it either, but to simply indulge in the stories.
Wayward I was very enthusiastic and enjoyed the book. The girls did not connect so much. I think they are still a bit young for it. It will be read, but not now.
Hickory A very cute story. We'll finish it. I'm realizing how many books about mice and animals we are reading lately.
Molly Fox and Other Stories I never liked much the first story in the sense that... another animal story book? We currently read the Burgess Book of Birds, The Aesop Fables, Hickory, A Nest for Celeste, we had Wayward. But I also realized the other stories are different, not like an animal story with a moral. Don't take me wrong. We love this type of literature, but one can also get a bit foggy. The same with me and reading about education.

A Thanksgiving Free Book by Louisa May Alcott

2011-11-10T20:57:00.000-06:00

You can find Aunt Jo's Scrap-Bag VI An Old-Fashioned Thanksgiving for your Kindle, or at Project Gutemberg too. I'll be reading it at home soon!

Thanksgiving Book Recommendations

2011-11-09T23:55:00.013-06:00

Thanks to Nancy, now I have two more valuable titles to add to the Thanksgiving list. First I have to say that the last title from the previous post that I picked today from my friend Lorri, was a wonderful new addition to our Thanksgiving treasure. We read it in the afternoon, and were ~~uberly~~ (I wish that word were me, but I feel fakey using it, LOL) very pleased with it.

While I read it my girls were concocting their sweet drawings of Indians. My oldest fantasied about the 'king' of Indians having a crown, but soon realized they are called 'jefes', chiefs, and they most likely wore more elaborated than the others headpieces, probably adorned with feathers. It reminded me about one of the last Aesop Fables we read about the Peacock who was proud of his feathers, but who couldn't fly that much after all, and about the turkey we saw at the farm, how impressive, but those are my connections, they have theirs, and I can't put mine in their heads, only enjoy theirs and see how they become more sophisticated within time.

This may not be much, but to me, this is a universe. I value these simple little things, I appreciate their depth and richness, they are a stark contrast with the paper hats and watered down talk I so shamefully used to give to my students around "Turkey Time" as some students call it, and as it's criticized by the outraged teachers who don't know about Holland, Samoset and Massasoit themselves, or who think that Stephen Hopkins is the British actor of The Silence of the Lambs. I was one of them.

Mom learned that the classic hat we picture men wearing when we think of pilgrims was used for special occasions, duh! Yes, my knowledge of Thanksgiving is that precarious, but I'm mending it, abide with me, please. This one has more information than the also good Ann McGovern title. I have to add that the books ends with the first two phrases of Doxology, a hymn of that time, (which I did not know either). I better stop boring everyone by mentioning those I don't knows, because when one knows nothing is not worth mentioning, don't you agree?

Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heav’nly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

And Nancy recommended these two titles, Cranberry's Thanksgiving,
one I can't afford, and Margaret Pumphrey's Pilgrim Stories which I got for 3.50 plus shipping, but that can be bough starting at one cent and which is NANCY APPROVED! I looked inside the book and I immediately fell in love with it.

A few good titles is all I'm after. And I'm in the right track, or that is what I want to believe! Charlotte Mason has changed much in my outlook to life and books. I still love books and I love finding good bargains since I enjoy having a decent quantity of books to be enveloped inside the atmosphere they help create at home. But seeing the girls enjoy our current reading of George Washington, the D'Aulaire book, and seeing also how they appreciate a good Thanksgiving story, the questions that they start bringing to the table, and their own fascinating process of making these ideas their own while they listen and draw, all this makes me feel satisfied beyond my best dreams, and content to have a couple or three quality titles to slow read and deeply love. I'll surely look forward to reading these old friend books for years to come at this special time in our life and history.

On a different note, we are deeply saddened by the recent news of very serious cancer afflicting our preacher. It can't be true. It happened so fast. One day a few days ago he was asking for our prayers for some tests he was going to have, the next he was in hospital, now he is about to receive chemotherapy. Many around us are sick, gravely sick, and it's sort of strange how fierce life is, and how we can go on with our insignificant doings and thoughts while others are having a life changing situation, a confrontation with the ultimate meaning of life, the endurance of sickness, the reality of pain, the reminder of our fragility. Singing Be Still and Know that I am God, we also remembered our cherished hymn Be Still My Soul,

It saddens us but it also comforts us to sing it. I never felt the strength of the words in this hymn and its power to comfort you when you sing it. It seems to have a pull of its own that lifts your voice and overtakes your own will gently until it makes you want to forget about everything and simply sing it. I can't whisper it, it moves me to proclaim its message firmly, and then the melody stays with you the rest of the day, lulls you from inside.

Thanksgiving is in the air

2011-11-09T08:30:00.002-06:00

We are very close to leave to Europe, but Thanksgiving will be here among friends who are like family. Last Monday we went to a local farm with our hs group, and my husband joined in a beautiful weather day and a day full of fun for the children and grown ups alike.

You can see children reading the lovely map they give us at the entrance. They were fascinated with it for the simplicity yet the practicality of it.

Notice that we are all wearing short sleeve t-shirts. My daughter asked why do we have hot weather in November, and why doesn't it rain here when it does in Galveston if we are in the same state. When I told you that the Fall is our Summer, I wasn't exaggerating a bit. FINALLY we can go outside and not feel like a chicken roasting on the concrete.

We went to the corn maze and a dad in our group saw this corn worm in it.

Their gourd/ small pumpkin pick. Actually, Green Bean (my youngest), ended up picking an albino gourd.

At home we are enjoying a few Thanksgiving books we have. I don't bother anymore trying to get any at the library, it's almost impossible to get anything seasonal at the right season, so one summer we enjoyed How Many Seeds in a Pumpkin?, and once we come back from the trip, I'll check it out again. It's a dear book that falls into what we may call living math.

I found The Landing of the Pilgrims for 50 cents at the library shelves, but that's a book we'll read later, for now we simply have these two picture books we enjoy,

Over The River and Through The Wood is a book based in a song with lovely illustrations which alternate black and white with color. There are several versions of the song, here you have one of them,

The Pilgrim's First Thanksgiving by Ann McGovern is a well written book that captivated my seven year old girl. And I can't wait to get The Thanksgiving Story by Alice Dalgliesh that I bough from a friend who was selling books in our group.

My friend Heather has two Kate Waters books that I saw yesterday, and they look interesting, with realistic photos, a recreation of the pilgrim times.

I saw the first one in our last book sale for forty cents, sigh, and I did not pick it, but my friend Heather got it! So I can borrow it until I come across it for sale again, if I'm ever that lucky!

Do you have any Thanksgiving book favorites? Songs, poems? That's my next thing to do, to browse our poem books and find Thanksgiving poems and maybe a favorite to memorize.