Posts Tagged ‘Homeschool’

• Not Boring

  Date: 2008.07.02 | Category: Family Journal, God, Life, Photos | Response: 0

  I guess my life isn’t boring.  I just assume it is compared to others.  Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy my life and am so content where we are as a family (physically and otherwise).  I think I need to remember to see the special in the daily things again.  Something in the past that has brought me closer to God.  When I thank Him for EVERYTHING, it all seems special – because it is.

  Today was another productive day, I got up around 9am again.  I’ve been getting to bed pretty late compared to my usual and so have been sleeping in.  I have stopped worrying about being up “late” because we live such a casual lifestyle that it doesn’t matter when we get up.  No one will be late for anything!   The girls seem less stressed, Dave seems less stressed and I am definately less stressed.  We are so laid back we’re almost horizontal!  The important thing is that we get everything done that we want to – meals, school, housework, feeding animals, hobbies, exercise, quiet times, family times, getting out and about, errands, and socialising. 

  The “schoolwork” (I wish there was another word for it) was again at about 11ish but there were some different things we got done.  A science experiment involving a candle water and a coin.  Some bible study involving Zacharias, Elizabeth and John (see Luke 1:5-25).  Lots of free play for the girls when they’d finished. 

  Dave suggested we get out of the house this afternoon, so we went to the dam to see how high it was after the recent spattering of rain.  We took Billy as well for a walk.  It was lovely there and Dave took the camera.

  

  The dam 

  ——-

  Us

  

  ——- 

  Merredin Peak

  

  It was a pleasant change to our normal routine.

  The rest of the evening was nice and easy, we grabbed takeaway on the way home (first time in quite a while).  Watched Ugly Betty, Spicks ‘n’ Specks and then The Gruen Transfer.  Now I’m going to attempt to get to sleep BEFORE midnight.

• A day in my life as a Homeschooling Mum.

  Date: 2008.07.01 | Category: Family Journal, Fun and Trivia | Response: 3

  I thought I’d write about me.  I don’t often and it’s not easy for me, so I had to really sit and think about what I’ve done today.  Here it is.

  Woke up around 9ish.  Got up around 9.15.  Coffee (only one, not enough milk for my second).   Crumpets (glad I grabbed those yesterday).  Tea (instead of second coffee because I’m drinking it with soy at the moment).  Sit around digesting and watching children play playstation2 games.  Generally trying to start brain.

  10.15 – get dressed.  Strip bed of sheets and take out to laundry.

  10.30 – alert children to possibility of school soon (don’t want them to startle and scatter!)

  10.31 – put some washing on as its supposed to rain later in week.  Notice a neighbour somewhere burning off, hope it’s done by the time the washing needs hanging out.

  10.45 – call girls to school (we do this at our kitchen table).  It was a relatively easy day.  They started with journal/copywork and I think they both did copywork, which is unusual.  Then on to Maths bookwork (They use New Signpost Maths.  Then Natasha had bookwork for English (Text Types) and Olivia had creative writing.  I set her a page long story.  Olivia had a science experiment to write the conclusion up on, Tash had done it the day before.  Our “extra” this week is Art & Craft they are learning to crochet and are making a scarf and a doll blanket.  Tash had finished all her work except for the A&C so I left Liv in Dave’s capable hands (he’s a SAHD/student) and went down the street for some milk and bread.  Tash came to help compare prices of milk as we had a $10 budget.  We ended up getting 2x 2L milks for $2.99 each (on special) and 1 loaf of bakery wholemeal bread for $2.20, so a little change.

  When we got back Liv was still writing her story, a pleasant surprise (she ended up doing 3 pages!)

  I hung out the washing sometime during school. 

  I had my second coffee with lunch (YAY!) and sat on the front porch on the swing with Dave.  We were soaking in the sun and warmth as it got down to 0.6c last night. 

  I noticed the weeds popping up in the gardens so I thought I’d get off my bum and do something about it.  Spent about an hour weeding and raking up dead leaves.  The girls helped and Dave cut some of the liquid ambers back in the driveway to dry and use for firewood.

  It was starting to get damp in the air so I brought the washing in and made the bed.  Then it was time to start the quiche for dinner.  It was a pseudo spinach quiche (silverbeet) but it worked nicely.

  Now it’s after dinner and I’m having my last coffee for the night (at 6.30pm) and waiting for the final of Australia’s Got Talent (7.30pm).  After that the girls will go to bed (Liv will probably read her current Christy book for another hour before lights out but Tash will fall asleep instantly!).  Then I’ll sit and watch brainless TV with hubby while I crochet a green stripey beanie for Tash and get to bed between 11 and 12 and start all over again! 

  That’s my life – usual boring stuff, so that’s why I don’t write about it much.

• Summer Fun

  Date: 2008.06.19 | Category: Christian, Life, Train up a child | Response: 0

  As the temperatures are dropping here in Merredin, the opposite side of the world is enjoying the warmth of summer.  I was just reading some emails and one of them from ‘The Old Schoolhouse’ was titled “Summer Fun”.  It struck me as weird as I’m freezing my hands off here, so I thought I’d read it.  One contributor’s article I found valuable, no matter what time of the year or season it is.  Enjoy the read.

  It’s Just Common Sense
  Ruth Beechick, Curriculum Specialist

  
  I’m not going to add to the summer fun ideas that is the topic for this week. Instead, I’m going to suggest that you turn off your schooling mindset sometimes this summer. Do things for yourself and let the children do for themselves.Homeschool kids aren’t usually the ones who say “I’m bored. What can I do?” But if one ever does, he needs to learn how to get unbored without somebody planning all his time for him.

  Children need “downtime.” They can wander from thought to thought or from activity to activity. Free play in the back yard or wherever develops thinking skills. And thinking on their own develops creativity. That’s not to say that you’ll see something creative come out of a free summer afternoon, but what transpires in the brain develops creativity anyway. This works with solitary play as well as playing with companions.

  So take a recess from “teaching.” Don’t try to sneak in some learning through summer fun activities. Enough activities will come along. Let the downtime come along too.

  Just one teaching activity: If you can manage it, get to the Creation Museum.  www.AnswersinGenesis.org.
  
  –Ruth

• GRAMMAR BYTES

  Date: 2008.02.27 | Category: Uncategorized | Response: 0

  Grammar Bytes can be found here http://www.chompchomp.com/menu.htm

  A new discovery, thanks to Dave (thank you!). 

  It has Terms, Exercises, Handouts and Tips & Rules.  An asset to any homeschool resource centre. Check it out.

• Perth Homeschoolers

  Date: 2007.06.26 | Category: Uncategorized | Response: 0

  If you are a homeschooler and you live in Western Australia, feel free to check out Perth Homeschoolers.com .  It’s a forum based website, where you have to join up to be able to read and post messages.  It’s free to join.  It’s a great place to get inspiration, ideas, and support for homeschooling in WA.

• Relaxed Homeschooling

  Date: 2007.06.20 | Category: Family Journal, Life | Response: 0

  Because of the huge changes taking place around my children’s lives at the moment I’m relaxing the attitude in our learning.  I was going to trial unschooling, or natural learning, but that only lasted about 10 days.  They became bored and sullen.  It seems that for them when they use their minds to learn they’re using more energy than when they are just doing whatever they want.  They aren’t children who naturally challenge themselves, so that’s what I’m here for!  So I started them back on the books, but in a more relaxed way.  I’ve told them what they need to do and they do it, but it may take alot longer than usual, that’s fine, as long as it gets done.

  We’ve all been sick on and off for weeks now too, so I’m being more lenient when they get tired or have had enough.  I can tell when they’re putting it on and I need to push or when they really do need to stop.

  Right now they’re watching an interesting show on ABC Education Shows about Sweden, it’s very good.  Before that Olivia was playing with some new Bindees, which is Art and Natasha wanted to make a placemat out of woven paper, so more Art.  They are obviously in an artistic mood!  Olivia has also done some of a science book and Natasha read a long list of words, she got 108 correct out of 110, the 2 mistakes she made were quite simple and I think she’d remember how to say them next time. 

  Its taken a little while to write this post, the girls are both now onto Maths.  It was interesting to see on that show that the teacher of the class (I’d say they were maybe 14 or 15) gave them all the work for the week and they were expected to complete it however they chose, it was really cool.  That’s what I aspire for the girls, I heard of someone doing it with a much younger child in their homeschooling, but somehow I don’t think my girls would do it yet, too young.

  I found some resources on Wheat, Sheep and Farming yesterday, so when we really start back at school next term, these are some areas we’ll concentrate on.

  That’s all for today.  Must get back to the kids and the house.

• I’m Happy Today

  Date: 2007.04.18 | Category: Christian, Family Journal, God | Response: 0

  I’m happy today.  I’ve been happy for the past little while.  I know that DH and I are walking in God’s Will.  It’s a great place to be.  I love operating from a place of peace and, with God’s help, being able to respond to things in a good way.  I have in the past often been short with my children, frustrated with housework and felt trapped.  Through the books I’ve read recently (”Love, honor and be free” by Maxine Hancock 1975 and “Homeschooling with a Meek and quiet Spirit” by Teri Maxwell 2006) I’ve learnt how to rely on God further in things.  It’s been a gradual process over the past 13 years of being a Christian.   Other books I would recommend to read are:

  “Search for Significance” by Robert McGee 

  “Bondage Breakers” by Neil T Anderson

  “Boundaries” by Cloud/Townsend

  “What’s so amazing about everyday living” by Daisy Hepburn

  “A Woman of Strength” by Neva Cole

   ”Free to be Thin” by Coyle/Chapman

  That’s all I can think of at the moment.  All of them are centred around the bible.

  The girls have spilt something, so I’d better go see if they need any help cleaning it up.

  Have a great day!