Fresh Schoolroom

Here’s a peep into our fresh-look schoolroom for 2015 ~

We do most our homeschooling in our study-come-craft room. Squeezed into a small enclosed back stoep, we have all our bookshelves and our round table, my desk, the computer desk and sewing cabinet.

When the kids were young, we used a small plastic table and suitably sized plastic chairs. Once they were a little older, we all sat at our round table, the littlest one sitting high enough on booster cushions.

Now, teaching teens who are often busy  with individual creative artistic activities, we brought in one more table so that each person can spread out their things and work undisturbed.

I gave my youngest 12-year-old daughter her own more “mature” work space.

 

• She has all her school books, notebooks, ring binder, and personal stationary in a new storage box.  (Previously, we used chair bags or a space on a bookshelf next to the desk.)
• The whiteboard is a good place for temporary displays, where our prestik doesn’t leave any residue.
• Maps, our Theme of the Day and posters hang from hooks on the whiteboard.
• Our display board clipboards were given a fresh coat of paint to match our new upholstery fabric.
• The hook above her table is ideal to hang mobiles for our themes.

Every year I sort, rearrange and pack our books.  Colored stickers help us keep books in curriculum or age-appropriate order on our bookshelves. 

• My high schooler chose to work at the round table.
• She has a storage box on the shelf for all her school books and equipment.
• I arranged our Science kits, reference books and nature study stuff together in storage boxes on an accessible part of the bookshelf.
• All our maths games and kits, spelling games and other educational games or equipment are stored in labelled ice-cream boxes.
• We store all our arts and crafts materials are stored in drawers and small plastic suitcases.
• My 15-year-old has her own special art supplies and equipment in a plastic drawer system.

We have enjoyed the new layout and working arrangement! The kids love all the space and I love the organized freshness!

Blessings,

 

One Word Display

Every year I wait on the Lord for His word for me.

This year I received the word ~

Grace

As part of my study-schoolroom-craft room upgrade (which I will reveal … soon),  I created this simple embroidery hoop display ~

 So simple and easy to make.  Easy to change the background fabric and the word … maybe for seasons and special days …

Some ideas of at JaneVille‘s One Word for 2015 , What is your One Word for 2015 and  more word lists.  Here are some lovely embroidery hoop ideas on Pinterest.

Blessings,

 

Sketching Often

My girls and I love creative activities,

and Sketch Tuesday is one weekly opportunity to sketch and create

… just for fun!

While on holiday I marveled at my 15-year-old daughter’s creativity

… on the beach ~

She created some amazing mandala inspired designs on the beach almost every day.  Folk walking past were really impressed!

To quote my favorite contemporary artist Alisa Burke,

“A mandala is actually really easy to create because it is simply a series of repeating designs in a circle.”

Pop over to view her Office Statement Wall mandala.

But, back to Sketch Tuesday … and here are our recent sketches ~

“Sketch something that floats“

“Sketch something that sparkles“

“ 

I encourage you and your kids to join Sketch Tuesday for Barb’s new weekly theme and slideshow.

It has motivated and inspired us to be more creative and to sketch often!

Blessings,

Create Together

Homeschooling moments that I love …

Silk painting a scarf with my daughter.

Blessings as you create with your children!

 

Success in Short Lessons

A Charlotte Mason education is rich in Humanities, with living books and narrations.  She recommended that Disciplinary Studies such as Maths, Handwriting and Spelling  lessons were kept short.  Short lessons enabled children to “develop the habit of attention, preventing the contrary habit of dawdling over lessons.” (Charlotte Mason Study Guide by Penny Gardner, pg.43)

Short lessons are easy to describe.  We think of 5, 10, or a maximum 15 minute lessons.  You may wonder if a child can learn anything in such a brief lesson, but working one-on-one with a child, they can complete a spelling drill, write neat sentences in a handwriting, complete a copywork or dictation exercise, and work through a page or two of a maths lesson.

What do you need to create successful lessons? A child’s mastery and ease in learning?  A mom’s delight in instructing with clarity and understanding?  Happiness?  Smiles, confidence and some excitement?  A sense of joy and anticipation?   This is not always the case!

For successful lessons you need to ~

1. Plan ahead.  Print out the work for the week/ month/ school term or year.  Good preparation is vital to successful lessons! Most of this work is done for you if you use workbooks or purchased curriculums.
2. Prepare suitable material.  Prepare age-appropriate, learning-style-suited content.  The lesson approach and presentation should be suited to your child’s ability.
3. Adapt and modify, amend and add other lesson elements. One size does not “fit all”. If it is too easy, move up a level or add a creative element.  If it is boring or too difficult, change your approach or  method.
4. Explain your expectations.  Lay out the lesson with clear instructions and define the result, e.g.: “Using your neatest handwriting, I want you to copy this passage neatly on the lined paper.”  Charlotte Mason urges parents to “Expect prompt, cheerful obedience.”  These short lessons is not only skills-based, but habit and character training.
5. Be fully present and available.  Physically arrange your seating so that your can read and help each child.  I usually sit between my youngest children.  Avoid distractions, delays and procrastination.  Also guide your child through any difficulties and encourage them to do their very best.  Remember – NO nagging!
6. Create structures that encourage independent uninterrupted learning.  My children enjoy working through their lessons in a ring binder and their workbooks.  Workboxes are a huge hit with many homeschoolers. Whatever method you use, keep all the books, lessons pages and materials in a box, or chair bag, a basket, or on bookshelf right near your child.  You do not want your child to leave his seat throughout this period.  Disruptions destroy focus and energy!  However, you may find the next point very helpful …
7. Pop in a quick stimulation physical breaks.  Young children have loads of energy!  Let them quickly do some “Brain Gym” exercises, or use my amazing arrow chart for quick directionality exercises, or jump on a mini trampoline skip counting or calling out times tables!  30 seconds, and then quickly back in their seats for the next short lesson. Older children should devote themselves to all their brief lessons without any need for breaks.
8. Water in a spill-proof bottle.  Many children need to sip water to help them think!  The brain needs water.  Have them fill up a sports bottle with fresh water before coming to the table.
9. Chose to work in an appropriate time in the day.  Many young children are fresh and alert early morning after breakfast.  Teens seems to only get focused after 10am.  Some families find that their children work better after lunch.  Whatever time suits you and your children, make the most of their vital, alert hours for Disciplinary Studies.  This is the joy of homeschooling. It is not School-At-Home with rigid timetables, but a tailor-made environment that stimulates and inspires learning.
10. Finally, give your child very specific descriptive feedback.  Find the success in every lesson.  Ask your child to circle their best handwritten letter or word.  Mark and correct all work immediately.  Children love to mark their own work too!  If there are mistakes, fix them there and then.  If there were too many mistakes, review the lesson and try it again the next day. Children love to see that their work was successful.  A positive comment can make a child’s day! This helps your child feel that they are on track, coping well and mastering the work, which helps them face with the next lesson with enthusiasm.

Hope that these tips help new homeschool moms who love and use a Charlotte Mason approach.

Blessings,

Tailor Made

Tailor-make your child’s education.

If I asked you if you ever had anything “tailor-made”,  you would probably say that you were not rich and famous enough, or that a mom or granny had made something just for you.  It would probably be really unique and make you feel really special!

Homeschooling allows for this kind of perfect fit and delight!

How?

1. Outline your basic subjects – I use a simple “House Model” picture and fill in subjects, books, ideas and activities I have in mind.  This gives me an easy overview.

When planning, include all the basic subjects required by state regulations, adding extra subjects where necessary. Some first-time homeschooling moms may find mastery lists that outline what your child should know and master for their age and grade as a good guide.

Overview Year Planner with my notes

2. Discover your child’s learning style and your teaching style – Homeschoolhelper.com has clear definitions, explanations of the different learning styles with practical teaching suggestions.  Multiple Intelligences has an online quiz for kids and adults and generates a clear pie-chart of your test results.  You and your child can clearly see strengths and weaknesses. Now, consider your own personal loves and hates in teaching styles and AVOID those curriculums and approaches!  These will burn you or your children out!  It’s no good preparing fiddly, artsy projects if your lack of space and patience or temperament will make you dread school!  Find those subjects, methods and activities that will ignite your child’s delight and interest and focus on those.

3. Discuss and look over options together.  This is more important as your child moves into middle school, and especially towards junior high.  High school choices require a lot of collaboration with your maturing child.   Once you have an idea of your child’s interests, discuss specific subjects, topics and options.  Check with your child each year as they mature.  They may have loved doing lapbooks previously, but may now find them frustrating and boring.

Here are some questions I asked my 12-year-old child this year:

“Do you want to continue with Bible Draw? Old Testament or New? Old Testament. 

Can we continue with Hymn singing?  Umm, er … (She objects to my CD recordings – so I need to look for more modern Hymn versions!)

Maths – Are you still okay with the workbooks?  Sure.  But I really love using my compass, protractor and set square set.  You enjoy Geometry?  Good, I’ll see what other fun stuff we can add once a week!

Spelling – Do you still want to work with our lists? What about this book? NO.  Okay.  And Spelling City games and tests?  Yes. Great!  I’ll upload this year’s lists.

Are Lapbooks still okay?  YES!  And do you still want to do hands-on activities? YES!  Good!  I’ll see what I can find …

What would you like to study for Science/ Geography/ Social Sciences?  I may suggest ideas I had initially jotted down and we delve a little deeper, browsing through books I have on hand so that she can better see the activities and ideas that could be fun.

4. Find, plan and prepare the actual subject material – Now I spend some time “shopping” from my own bookshelves and used curriculums.  Also, I spend time on  Pinterest browsing and I search the Internet for free downloads.  My homeschooling materials have seldom cost me anything more than my printer’s ink!  Some years, we may purchase one or two products, but I almost never ever buy full packages!

5. Follow the sparkle and delight!  Remain flexible and adaptable.  Add plenty of time to take scenic routes, detours and rabbit trails!  Follow your child’s interest and involvement.  You can always stretch a 12 month curriculum over 18 months!  Be humble about stuff that doesn’t work and gently lay aside the themes, topics, activities that don’t work. If you homeschool several children on the same core (which I highly recommend), allow for individual choices.  Give them options.  I may suggest 3 or 4 activities and they chose the one that they prefer.  I love to let my child take the lead!  It has empowered her and released me from my “teacher-knows-it-all” ways!

This last year, my daughter was utterly delighted with her tailor-made package!  After I laid out her books, projects and her school file and went through it with her, she jumped up and hugged me and said, “Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you,mom!  I’m so glad you are my teacher!”  It made my whole teaching career!  It has been a joy to teach and facilitate her in her own learning.

If you have a child with unique, special interests, or a child with learning challenges and difficulties, homeschooling is the perfect solution, only IF you tailor-make their schooling experiences.  A “slow” learner will thrive at his own pace.  A child who hates and struggles with writing can record, video-record or demonstrate his learning without tedious notes and workbooks.  Find ways to make your child’s education fit their style, interests and strengths.

Blessings

Refreshed Daily Themes

If you’ve followed my blog for some time, you will have read how we fit in all the rich and rewarding extra Charlotte Mason subjects using a Theme of the Day.

This year, as my 12-year-old daughter and I sat and discussed what and how she would like to learn (tailor-making homeschool is an absolute winner), we reviewed our daily themes and come up with a fresh version ~

 Here’s your free download with both our 2014 and new 2015 versions ~ Daily Themes 2015

Fun alliteration makes it easy for us to remember!

How do we fit in our daily themes?

I planned all these activities to follow our normal daily disciplinary studies (Bible, Maths, Spelling, English Language Arts & 2nd language studies.)   If we work well and don’t have too many interruptions, then we may complete our daily theme before lunch.  But I have scheduled this for the “1 more thing after lunch“.  Also, realistically, because we take one day off to travel to town for our weekly shopping, we will combine 2 days’ themes on one afternoon or fit it the next morning schedule.  Flexibility is essential in our homeschool schedule.

• Masterly Monday = “Meet the Masters” in Fine Art!  Study famous artists’ masterpieces and listen to classical music from famous musicians.  We will also do our own arts and crafts and handiwork.  This year we will continue to follow Patti’s blog “All Things Bright and Beautiful” Charlotte Mason approach to art, music and poetry.  She has truly done all the hard work for us!

• Test Tube Tuesdays = Get out our lab equipment and do Science experiments with mom, the lab assistant!

• Wonderful World Wednesday = World Geography and Nature Study following Barb’s Outdoor Hour Challenge on her website,  as well as our own southern hemisphere seasonal studies.  We will also fill in our Current Affairs map and calendar.

• Tea & Poetry Thursday = Read our Poet of the month or follow Patti’s blog for her poet studies.  Having tea should include some fresh cookies or cake!  This is the afternoon for baking together.  We will also add Shakespeare to our afternoons.  This year we may add monthly prepared reading aloud, presentation of speeches or recitations.

• Finally, Fabulous Fridays = For fun creative writing and journaling.  This may be a good opportunity to complete any other written narrations or projects for the week.

So there ~ a rich and rewarding education made possible by scheduling short extras and finding a way to fit it in our schedule.  Please feel free to share your schedule ideas in the comments below!

Blessings

Creative Crafts ~ Morse Code Bracelets

I found this really cute idea on HonestlyWTF.  Erika uses embroidery floss and sliding beads to expand and fit her bracelets.  She explains in an excellent tutorial ~

“You’ll pick 4 colors for each bracelet. A base color, a color for the dots, a color for the dashes and a color separating the dots and dashes.”

image from HonestlyWTF

But after experimenting, I found the embroidery floss difficult to thread through my smallest seed beads.  I also struggled to find the right bead for both ends to slide through snug enough to “fit” the bracelet, and so I decided to simply use basic beading elastic.

Using this online Morse Code Translator and a Morse Code Translator app on my smart phone, I wrote out the codes for some messages I wanted to create in some gift bracelets.

Most my gift bracelets had 3 short words or one simple word.  I used the person’s favorite color for base color.   I attached the gift bracelets to some cardstock and wrote out the message with its Morse Code.  Most folk simply loved the bracelets, but they were really touched by the message when I explained how it worked.

It is a lovely way for your kids to learn and practice Morse Code.  Have fun creating!

Blessings