tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52316584616855123912024-02-18T18:09:57.712-08:00Homeschooling, MamaLovelock StyleWisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. Proverbs 4:7
Teaching our children the principle things spiritually, academically and socially.Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01740404011060827180noreply@blogger.comBlogger29125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5231658461685512391.post-66766092553312813242014-08-20T22:18:00.002-07:002014-08-20T22:32:14.544-07:00It's Simply MagicalMath. In our home math has almost become a bad word. My daughter HATES math, while her younger brother LOVES it. Samuel has no issue with math other than he dislikes having to actually sit down and write out answers. It comes easily and naturally to him and he excels in it. Most math he can do in his head, but for the sake of knowing the how-to of math, I make him work it out. {He really doesn't need to, but no one tell him that, m'kay?} This further irritates his sister, who while is incredibly smart, she has to <b>work</b> her math. <br />
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So this week I really wanted to just chuck the curriculum and do some practical math. I am eclectic homeschool mom, who would really like to turn totally unschool mom, but I have an addiction to planning. No really, I may need an intervention. The feel of my planner, the pencils and colored pens for color coding, laying out lessons. . . . Where was I? Oh yes, the kind of math used in everyday life, how we use it and why it's so important to understand this principles. They have both been loving math this week, because I've made it fun. It's exciting to watch them get this excited about this practical math project and everyday they have BEGGED to keep going. Twice this week I asked where my real children had gone. I mean seriously, more?</div>
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So today, feeling pretty proud of myself for my valiant math effort and the great progress we've made, I sat down to log hours and score other work; my son walks into the office and told me something. Honestly, I can't even remember what now because the next question had me laughing so hard it didn't even matter what he had said in the beginning. </div>
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"<i>So Mom, is this more of that magical math or regular bookish math?"</i></div>
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What?!?! Bookish?? Magical?? Well, once I got my laughing over with, I asked, "<i>you mean practical math</i>?"</div>
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He responds, "<i>yes, practical math. I like that math, I'm a practical kind of guy</i>."</div>
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More laughing. <br />
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Then it hits me! He can do it, but can't remember what it's called?!?</div>
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Maybe we should work more on vocabulary. {wink}<br />
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Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01740404011060827180noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5231658461685512391.post-74315031513722579762014-06-23T18:51:00.002-07:002014-06-25T16:41:24.863-07:00Green Mom or Grace Mom?<span style="color: #990000;">How many times have I read online all the things some homeschooling moms get done in a day and I walk away thinking, "wow Val, you need to get on the ball!" I mean I'm a super mom too. . . .I just have a feeling that I'm more like the green guy below and not the perfectly coiffed, cape wearing, I've got this hero. . . .</span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Super hero?? Not the kind of super hero most mamas are striving to be right? Do you ever feel like this? I love my kids and they are wonderful kids, but they aren't perfect and they have an imperfect mother. They argue and push my buttons and each others button so well it's scary. And well, while my Samuel is amazingly bright, he is VERY active. Samuel needs his hands to be busy the ALL. THE. TIME. And honestly, it's tiring sometimes. And sometimes this mama is more like Hulk than a Godly, gentle woman. Did I mention that this would be a very transparent post? </span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I read a scripture a couple of years ago that has stuck in my head. 1 Peter 4:10 states "<span style="background-color: #fdfeff;"><span style="line-height: 20px;"><i><b>As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace:</b></i>" and that scripture just kind of reached off the page and poked me in the forehead. The mental image that came to me was this: I was standing under a pitcher of water being poured into me and I had one hand outstretched and that water flowed through me and out my fingers to someone else. See, I am sure that I often push the good Lord's buttons. I am sure that my whining and complaining, lack of patience and gentleness make the Lord shake His head. I am <b>DAILY</b> in need of His grace, which He freely gives. My children are also in need of grace, because they are children. But because I'm tired or in pain (chronic pain disease is no walk in the park) or overwhelmed I too often do not extend grace like I should. I want them to know grace and how to give it to others and I'm the one teaching, or should be, what that looks like. *Sigh* And even on the days where all the schoolwork gets done, but Hulk-mom made an appearance, I go to bed feeling like a failure. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: #fdfeff;"><span style="color: #990000; line-height: 20px;">Thankfully, I wake up to new mercies every morning and if I chose to accept that precious gift I can make the new day a better one. I'm learning. I'm learning to be an extender of grace. Grace is unmerited and undeserved and God freely gives it to me when I need it most, our children deserve the same from us. Grace doesn't mean punishment isn't given for wrongdoing, but it means punishment from a place of love instead of frustration. I admit this is hard because it's frustrating. ~Laughter~ I know I'm not alone in this feeling. Constant arguing, fidgeting during reading time, poking one another evoking arguing or crying is all frustrating. But if an Almighty God, creator of the universe can extend grace to me in all my mistakes; surely I can offer the same to my babies. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: #fdfeff;"><span style="color: #990000; line-height: 20px;">A couple of weeks ago we were out driving in a storm. The storm finally moved on and I pulled off the highway because we were trying to decide where to go for dinner and right there was a GORGEOUS rainbow. A beautiful reminder of God's promise and my youngest, Daniel said, "wow, that's a blessing". He saw in that moment the significance of God's promise and His grace. I want my children to know that even in the most stormy situation, whether of their own making or that of someone else, that grace can be given and it's a blessing. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;">Hulk mom doesn't appear very often anymore and for that I'm thankful and I give God all the glory for it! </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: #fdfeff;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">I'm not perfect, but I'm striving to be the woman, wife and mama God wants me to be and that includes being a good steward of God's grace. I want it to flow from me with ease, even in the most uneasy and frustrating situations.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: #fdfeff;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">By the way, Hulk mom only used her voice, but it was enough. I would hate for you to think I was smashing things. And this is not a post about letting things slide when punishment is necessary {like lying}, but it is about knowing how to extend grace while teaching right and wrong, without turning into a giant green mom with a deep voice and speaking in one syllable words. </span></span></span><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;">~Smile~ </span></span></div>
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Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01740404011060827180noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5231658461685512391.post-65008465956527072332014-04-10T15:58:00.000-07:002014-04-10T15:58:35.639-07:00Expo Did Something To Me, Part 1My perspective has been greatly changed since being at the expo two weeks ago. All of the speakers were good but one of the gentlemen there said something that has me re-evaluating everything we do and why we do it.<br />
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First let me say that the concept he was teaching on isn't foreign to me, but for some reason it made a more lasting impression on me. It prompted me to think about all the areas of our Lovelock life that directly or indirectly connect to the principle of: finding your child's bent and fostering it.<br />
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Again, not a new concept at all. But on this day, this speaker and the whole lesson just got me really thinking about my kids and their individuality. It also go me to thinking about my own bent and how have I, either fostered it or stifled it.<br />
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I am hoping this blog post, accompanied by other posts, will in fact make sense. I currently have a lot of stuff floating around in this head of mine and while I can easily see the connection, I may not accurately get it out in an understandable post. But I'm going to try. <br />
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When hubby and I decided long ago, before kids were even in the picture that we would homeschool we had very specific reasons. None of those reasons included finding our child's bent and fostering it. We had and still have excellent reasons, but the older I get and the older they get I realize it is about so much more than just what they are learning from a book. It's always been about the Biblical knowledge (one of our biggest reasons) and about developing good character. But over the years the burden weighed heavy that academically they must learn and the Bible lessons and character lessons didn't always get the time and attention they needed (I'm just being real here people). Don't get me wrong they get a lot of Bible in their life and character development through daily life, but my original plan had a more structured idea of teaching those two things. Just like the Bible and character lessons, developing their interests or their bent had to play second fiddle to the "this is required and we must get this done, the other stuff will have to wait". Honestly, that takes the fun out of homeschooling and you find yourself in a rut.<br />
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Please don't take this out of context, I am acutely aware that solid academics are important and need to be taught. But along the way the gifts and talents that God gave them need to be, must be, developed. There is a vital reason that those gifts and talents were grafted into our children and who are we to decide that's not who they are or that something else would be better for them??<br />
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And that, folks, is the end of part one. Part two will be posted in the next couple of days!<br />
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<br />Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01740404011060827180noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5231658461685512391.post-52227639170436583862013-11-20T18:11:00.001-08:002013-11-20T18:11:50.417-08:00Whew!! I Need to Update Here!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Wow! What a semester this has turned out to be! Since the last post, co-op is in its last four weeks of the semester, Makiah has been in the hospital twice and had a major operation, we have gotten so off that 'ideal' schedule that I can't even believe that is how we started out!!<br />
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Let me back up.<br />
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Makiah had to have a complete colectomy. She basically spent the month of September in the hospital and therefore basically no school work was accomplished! Thank goodness for documentaries and educational programming! <br />
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All the kids are doing great, we aren't as on track as I would like for us to be, but we are doing good as far as hours. We will spend December getting caught up and prepare for her second surgery.<br />
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I ordered a new program I am going to try out with Daniel. He is just not taking to the A Beka way of doing things. I am so glad I have learned to be more flexible!! I ordered <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Teach-Your-Child-Read-Lessons/dp/0671631985/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1384999255&sr=8-1&keywords=teach+your+child+to+read+in+100+easy+lessons">this book</a> and I think it's going to work well for us. Some days I think he just doesn't want to do the work and other days I think we may truly be dealing with a developmental delay or learning disability. Time will tell. <br />
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All in all everyone is doing well and I am pleased with their progress, considering their mama changed up every single thing about our homeschool!! {Laughter}<br />
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Finally, I want to share a link with you that I love!! I love getting things for free and most homeschool families I know do too!! Contented Home compiled a <a href="http://contentedathome.com/free-kindle-books/">list for us all</a> to use, links for free Kindle books!! I love using my Kindle app and getting FREE books. Yay!! <br />
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Okay, next post will be all about Five In a Row and my love for it!! I hope you all are having a great school year this far!!<br />
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Blessings!!Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01740404011060827180noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5231658461685512391.post-61102121219553290392013-08-27T19:58:00.001-07:002013-08-27T20:21:11.724-07:00A Day in the Life @ Principle Things<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I am hoping to find a good rhythm for us soon considering we started school something like 6 or 7 weeks ago. Seriously, we are enjoying the new curriculum and all the new fun activities but we are still adjusting our schedule. But, having said that I do have an ideal plan in mind and over the next couple of weeks I see us completely getting into the groove of things. Isn't that an adorable little screen shot of a FABULOUS app?!? I love this app. I love it way better than the $40 one I purchased. This iPad app is going to help keep me sane. I am hopeful anyway.<br />
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First of all, this year is completely different but you knew that already because of <a href="http://lovelockhomeschool.blogspot.com/2013/08/its-new-school-year.html">this post</a>. We are all adjusting to the new type of curriculum and the work that goes with it. We love it, it's just new and we are having to reprogram our brains. Especially me, my brain doesn't reprogram as easy as theirs! Ha!<br />
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Second: as usual, every year brings its own special, new challenges and changes and this year it is Kindergarten for the baby. ~Tear~ I can't believe my 'baby' is in Kindergarten, but I can whine about that later. He is my different child. A good kind of different, but different nonetheless. He doesn't learn like any of the other children and he picked up so much just through being here and listening the last five years he is further along than I thought. So I am having to change up what I thought would be a simple progression through his curriculum because he knows way more than anyone realized. And because I am a mama that loves order (you must go in sequence, you must or I tend to wince a lot) it's killing me to basically tear apart the order of curriculum and just go with the flow. I'm getting there and fortunately since eclectic seems to be the best way for him to learn, he is loving the crazy diversity. Me, well, like I said, I'm getting there. ~Smile, wince, smile~<br />
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Third: in two weeks we will begin something else that is new. . . .once per week co-op. So Tuesday won't look like any other day. I'm good with that and even excited, but it will look different from every other day.<br />
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So, whew, having rambled through all that, here is my ideal day:<br />
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6 am: Mommy up~morning mama devotion in the quiet and exercise (these are critical for me and can't be skipped)<br />
7:30 am: Prep Hubs breakfast (if eating at home) and if needed, get kids up (on days we need the van)<br />
8 am: Morning Meeting (this is breakfast, kids devotion and daily agenda laid out)<br />
8:30-9 am: Spic and Span Cleaning Crew Morning Clean Up<br />
<b>9 am: School begins (each child has a specific schedule of work)</b><br />
10:10-10:30 am: Break and snack<br />
10:30-Noon: School Work, Work with Mom, and iff completed work Lego or Play Doh Time<br />
Noon-1 pm: Lunch and Quick clean up (lunch messes)<br />
1-2 pm: Finish up core work, if finished then onto non-core, mama's office work<br />
2-3:15 pm: Non-core activities, mama's office work<br />
<b>3:15 SCHOOL IS OFFICIALLY DISMISSED</b><br />
3:15-4 pm: Quiet Play, everyone benefits from very quiet time. . .especially the mama<br />
4-4:45 pm: Spic and Span Cleaning Time, dinner prep (and pick up dad if we have the van)<br />
Free time before and after dinner. <br />
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Our evening routine is rarely routine because of various evening activities, but when we are home this is what it will and for the most part does look like (summer bedtimes are still slightly in play but that is changing):<br />
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7:30 pm: Bedtime routine begins (on nights not at church)<br />
8:30 pm: Younger boys must be in bed<br />
9:15 pm: Lights out for Makiah<br />
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<b>Monday</b>:<br />
Sunday around here is an ALL DAY EVENT and on Monday we all tend to be slightly exhausted. So Monday is known as Lite Day. We still work, but we don't usually start until 10 and we dismiss a little early. We always do Math, Language Arts and either science or social studies and a non core (something fun and easy going). <br />
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<b>Tuesday</b>:<br />
9-10:30 am: Library time<br />
11-3 pm: Co-op<br />
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<b>Friday</b>:<br />
Our Friday schedule will not follow these specific times because Friday around here is known as Finish Up Friday! We use Friday to catch up on any lessons that we may have lagged behind on or needed extra help with, lapbooking for the boys, art projects that need completing, etc. The only actual lesson that is scheduled for everyone is Math. If, and that's a <b>big</b> if, there is nothing to finish up, then I will go ahead and add a couple of lessons or we will do review sheets. Also, one Friday per month our homeschool group has a field trip. So Friday will always be a full day, it just may not look exactly like the schedule above.<br />
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So as you can see, with the exception of Wednesday and Thursday, our days vary greatly! But that's good. . . .I'm hoping it will keep boredom and burn out far, far away. ~Wink~<br />
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I love the way we are homeschooling this year. The kids love it too. We have joy in homeschooling again and all of us had lost our joyful homeschooling spunk. So while our schedules are zany and different almost everyday, we are learning and having fun doing it!<br />
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This shall be my motto for the year. . . . .<br />
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To hopefully avoid looking like this. . .<br />
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. . . . well, not everyday anyway!! Ha!<br />
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Praying we have a most fantastic year!! Thankfully God helps us everyday, even on the days when we are zany, crazy!<br />
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<br />Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01740404011060827180noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5231658461685512391.post-72200826504423375382013-08-12T07:59:00.001-07:002013-08-12T07:59:30.121-07:00It's a New School Year!! The 2013-2014 school year is off to a rockin' start!!<br />
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We are starting our fifth week of school and the kids are doing great and having fun with our new curriculum. I completely jumped out of our homeschooling boat and switched up just about everything that we do for school. And I can truly say that I couldn't be happier. Here's our line up:<br />
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Makiah:<br />
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BJU Fundamentals of Math 7<br />
BJU Life of Christ<br />
BJU World Studies<br />
Apologia Human Anatomy (1st sem) and Physcial Science (2nd sem)<br />
Literature ~ I am creating this as we go<br />
Cover Story for Grammar and Creative Writing<br />
Culinary Basics ~ created by me as we go<br />
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Samuel:<br />
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BJU Math 3<br />
BJU English 2<br />
A Beka Health, Manners and Safety 2<br />
Apologia Swimming Creatures<br />
A Beka Our America Social Studies (as well as various unit studies)<br />
BJU Bible<br />
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Daniel:<br />
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Five in a Row<br />
A Beka Kindergarten Learning to Read<br />
Lots of lapbooking<br />
A Beka K5 Math<br />
ABC Mouse<br />
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A couple of classes we haven't started yet because we are doing co-op classes starting in September, so I have been doing unit studies for Social Studies and Science with Sam. We finished up our Twisters! study and this week and next we will be doing Knights and Castles for Social Studies and Honey Bees for Science. <br />
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We are having a lot of fun, enjoying learning. It's been a couple of years since we were really, deeply excited about a new school year because we were all bored with our curriculum. Now we are approaching this year with great joy and flexibility. It's grand!<br />
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I will be blogging a lot more this year and documenting our journey with pictures! Happy Monday everyone!<br />
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<br />Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01740404011060827180noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5231658461685512391.post-71537075962916427732013-02-20T09:14:00.000-08:002013-02-21T05:51:12.172-08:00Long School YearI feel like this school has gone on forever!! I started out the year really pumped and ready, but for some reason my pumpedness, pumped out too quickly. Then Makiah got really, really sick and now I'm having surgery for a gall bladder that decided to go rogue. So needless to say, I'm ready for the school year to be done (no where near done!!) because I have decided that we are in a rut! That's right and I'm going to de-rut us.<br />
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We are going to change curriculums!! This is huge because I have been using this curriculum since day one of homeschooling, mostly because it's what I knew. I had no idea seven years ago how many curriculums were out there. I'm bored with this one, it feels so confining. And I have being doing supplemental work with it to make it more fun but then we don't get all our book work done. So I'm switching it up and stepping way out of <u><b>my</b></u> comfort zone! But I'm ready for it and very excited. I have pretty much figured out all the curriculum's for each kidlet and I'm ready to start hunting out gently used copies and saving up the cash for purchasing this summer.<br />
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Also next fall our homeschool group will be starting up a co-op. I have volunteered and I'll be teaching 1st and 2nd grade Social Studies! I'm over the moon excited about working with a class of kiddos having fun while learning and also giving my kids a chance to be in some different classes too! Win-win!! I love history and geography so this is the perfect class for me to be teaching, because I love the subject and the craftiness that goes along with it! <br />
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So how are we going to make the rest of this year exciting?? Well I'm open to suggestions, so please comment away. But I'm also going to do more lapbooking with the youngers and Makiah will start working on her project for the fair in April. We will just plow through the rest of the work for this year and keep focused. <br />
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Hopefully, with all the excitement of the coming school year, it will just fly by?!? Maybe?!? Here's hoping! ~Smile~<br />
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<br />Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01740404011060827180noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5231658461685512391.post-80047786523725553902012-08-24T10:11:00.000-07:002012-08-24T10:13:07.478-07:00Let's Take a Trip to Ralph??Homeschooling is frought with emotions. Some days are good, other days not so good. Any homeschool parent will tell you this, so keep in mind that not everyday will run like a well oiled machine. But then there is the funny. And my kids never cease to bring the funny, even when they aren't trying.<br />
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Yesterday I was working with Makiah on United States geography. She has a map section in each social studies unit. We were working on the East coast and a few midwest (everything east of the Mississippi river) states and capitals. I walked away to help Daniel with what he was doing on the computer, and this is what I hear coming from the living room:<br />
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<i>Makiah: "Richmond, Charleston, Columbia, Tallahassee, Ralph, Jackson, Montegomery. . . ."</i></div>
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My ears perked up to the Ralph throw in the middle of the capitals. I finished up with Daniel, looked at Sam and his math and there she went again, eyes closed. . . .<br />
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<i>"Montpelier, Concord, Boston, Ralph, Columbia, Dover. . . "</i></div>
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I abandoned the idea of heading to the kitchen to start lunch to see what in the world she was studying that involved Ralph, but before I got there it hit me, and I started to giggle. Raleigh. Raleigh, North Carolina. Instead of it being Ral-ee, she was saying it as Ralph. Well, she looked at me as if I had flipped a cog and I explained why I was laughing. She started laughing and looked at me and said, </div>
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"<i>Mom, that is so decepting."</i></div>
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I decided to head for the kitchen, after I corrected her and told her it was deceiving. Then I went and had a nice little chuckle. </div>
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I agree with her, the English language is decepting. ~Wink~</div>
Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01740404011060827180noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5231658461685512391.post-76878149690112951982012-08-03T08:32:00.002-07:002012-08-03T10:10:11.912-07:00PinterestingYes, like the rest of what seems to be millions of people, I do have a love for Pinterest. I justify my time spent on there in one of these three ways:<br />
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<i>"I found some delicious and healthy recipes for our family today, can't wait to try them out."</i><br />
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<i>"Look at all these fabulous crafts and crochet items I want to try out. You know new things to make for the business."</i><br />
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But this is by far my favorite:<br />
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<i>"I spent all that time on Pinterest getting ideas for school and I found so many great things, it was worth the<strike> countless</strike> little time I spent pinning." </i>{Smile}<br />
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All joking aside, I have found countless fabulous ideas on Pinterest that I am actively using in Principle Things. There are a lot of homeschooling bloggers using Pinterest to put there stuff out there and I am all for not reinventing the wheel. While when it comes to creating things I don't lack in the crafts and crochet department, but creating printables and such, I'd rather get it from another homeschool mom who already did it. I'm even willing to pay for some of it. We gotta help each other out right?<br />
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I realize that Pinterest is huge and can be overwhelming at times but it is worth the effort if you are looking for fun and creative ideas for teaching, science project, art/craft times and so much more. So I'm going to share a few of the things I got from Pinterest and a few that I follow that might be of help to you too.<br />
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Isn't this a fab idea for teaching parts of speech. English was probably my least favorite subject in school (hopefully it doesn't show to badly in my blogging) followed closely by Math. I despised learning parts of a sentence and graphing them. I'm still not convinced there is a purpose for graphing a sentence and I've determined the answer to my question of, "how will I ever use this in life?" is this; I needed it so I could teach it to my kids. {Laughter} English can be dry and boring (or it was when I was being taught) so to try and ease the BLAH of English we are using this idea. I am hoping it will bring English to life by giving it a hands on approach. <br />
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This idea here is just grand!! We are implementing this concept just this year. I started using it about a week ago and I use it for everything; school work, chores, directions given to my 4 year old and on and on. It works fabulously well. Sometimes kids, even homeschoolers have a hard time letting you know they don't understand or we assume they do and they don't. This is a great way for your child to signal to you that they are in need of help with a concept or instructions given to them.<br />
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Behavior is an issue that every teacher, home or otherwise, will encounter is behavior issues. I started using these little punch cards last semester. It was great motivation for Sam (you know the child that is hyper, a wiggler and would rather do anything except what he is supposed to be doing) because he was working toward a goal. I loved his facial expression and how proud he was when he would get a punch for good behavior that day. I rotate out my motivators for good behavior and this is a good one. Usually the reward for a full punch card is a visit to Mom's "You Did It" Box. I went to Dollar Tree and bought up several little toys, puzzles, books, etc and when the boys got a fully card of punches they got to pick a prize. You would think that box was filled with gold. <br />
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Here are a few of the people I follow on Pinterest because they have awesomeness to share:<br />
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<a href="http://pinterest.com/apples4theteach/">Apples 4 the Teacher</a><br />
<a href="http://pinterest.com/Sisterteachers/">Sister Teachers</a><br />
<a href="http://pinterest.com/mrsayala/classroom-likes-suggestions/">Michelle</a><br />
<a href="http://pinterest.com/lessonplanet/">Lesson Planet</a><br />
<a href="http://pinterest.com/hodgepodgemom/">Hodge Podge Mom</a><br />
<a href="http://pinterest.com/source/homeschoolcreations.net/">Homeschool Creations</a><br />
<a href="http://pinterest.com/source/blogshewrote.blogspot.com/">Blog She Wrote</a><br />
<a href="http://pinterest.com/source/momsmustardseeds.com/">Moms Mustard Seeds</a><br />
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Okay, that's enough overwhelming with you with Pinterest. I think I have given you enough reasons to look at Pinterest, even if it's just for homeschooling stuff. I believe in using the resources we are given. <br />
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Keep Calm and Homeschool On. <br />
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Blessings!<br />
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<br />Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01740404011060827180noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5231658461685512391.post-18335485293868834812012-07-30T07:43:00.000-07:002012-07-31T13:48:43.425-07:00I Love the Excitement of a New School YearAbout this time of summer I start getting really pumped about the upcoming school year! Even though we basically school year round, a new year always gets me really excited. Maybe it's the school supplies that line the aisles of my favorite stores? It's possible, especially since I am slightly addicted! ~Smile~ I love prepping notebooks and folders and getting my our personal binder set up. I always tweak something each year to fit our every growing, changing kids. <br />
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Something that I do around this time every summer I start evaluating how the school year went. What did we do well? What we didn't do so well? How can we improve the process? What are the goals for the coming year? What things can be done as a group despite the age/grade differences? <br />
What projects will each child work on individually?<br />
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I have already made the decision to drop one of Makiah's electives, Bible. I know and before you hit the panic-I-am-shocked-at-your-choice-Valerie button, let me explain why. Even though I love the curriculum we use, I am not a fan Bible portion for her age. There is nothing wrong with it in theory, but all it is, is reading a passage and answering questions and there is nothing wrong with reading and answering questions. My problem with it is that it doesn't explain the passage or offer practical life application. She's going into middle school, this is a pivotal time in life and practical life lessons and explanation are very important and needed. This is Principle Things Academy and these are the most important principles I will ever teach! So I have decided to put together and teach my own program. All three will be taught the same lessons, adjusted to their age. We will have two months to complete a unit with a total of five units for the year, done in notebooking style. The other two months of the year (next summer) will be spent reinforcing what we learned already. I am very excited about this venture and I think we will all benefit from it. I look forward to documenting the Bible notebooking for you all!!<br />
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Another decision already made is that Makiah and Samuel both will do two large academic projects this year. I'm talking project boards and oral reports on their chosen subject. One science project and one social studies project. Makiah will also have a large Bible project that she is doing based on a book, called the Girl in the Dress, Uncovering the Mystery of Modesty. I want this to be a project that she keeps and is able to look back on, so it will be done notebooking style in protective sheets. Sam most likely will have a Bible project too, I just haven't landed on just what yet. <br />
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Makiah will also be involved in an art class once a week for the first semester and I think it's going to be fabulous! She is excited and I am too. It is going to be taught by an art teacher and they will complete 14 projects, one weekly based on what they learn about the masters! This class is through our homeschool group. <br />
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I am tweaking our daily goal folders slightly and our daily schedules. I will do a photo post when they are all done and ready for viewing!<br />
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Above all, going into the new school year prayerfully is the most important part of this process. The Bible clearly states, <b style="font-style: italic;">"If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him." James 1:5 </b>It is important for the homeschool family to do so as being led by God. <br />
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Praying also keeps me from pulling my hair out and rushing them to the nearest public school and enrolling them, because not everyday is fabulous. But most days are pretty fabulous. ~Smile~<br />
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FYI: This is one of the first things we will make this year coming school year!! </div>
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<br />Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01740404011060827180noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5231658461685512391.post-86678323711159070812012-06-12T11:36:00.001-07:002012-06-12T11:40:01.731-07:00Summer Reading!! Woo Hoo!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's summer and even though we do a school year round, summer is the time of reading programs and contests everywhere from the library to the local grocery and book stores! Every year we sign up for reading programs and I also do one of my own creating. <br />
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This year I challenged Makiah to read twenty books outside of her school work and for school reading. It's a lot. But I know that she can do it. I have challenged Sam to read 50, yes 50 early reader books. Again, it's a lot, but I think he can do it.<br />
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This summer I have challenged myself to spend more time reading in the evenings. I have a gazillion (I tend to exaggerate) ebooks downloaded on my iPad Kindle app that need reading and this summer I am going to commit more time to reading and less time to whatever else I do to enjoy the quiet of after kids bedtime hours. Did that make sense? Not a very "educated" sentence, but other moms and homeschool moms will understand. ~Laughter~<br />
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So here it is:<br />
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One Homeschool Mom's Summer Reading List:<br />
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Homeschooly type books:<br />
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<li>Homeschooling Boys by Tina Razzell </li>
<li>Simply Homeschool by Karen Debeus</li>
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Business and Productivity type books:</div>
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<li>Nut Job by Micah Moss</li>
<li>How to Make Money with Pinterest</li>
<li>The Organized Kitchen by Brette Sember</li>
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Wifely Type Books:</div>
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<li>The Titus 2 Woman by Susan Godfrey</li>
<li>The Good Wife's Guide</li>
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Parenting Type Books:</div>
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<li>Bringing Up Girls by Dr. James Dobson</li>
<li>Bringing Up Boys by Dr. James Dobson</li>
<li>Shepherding a Child's Heart by Tedd Tripp</li>
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Books for Pure Enjoyment:</div>
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<li>This Happens Every Spring by Gary Chapman and Catherine Palmer</li>
<li>A Dropped Stitches Wedding by Janet Tronstad</li>
<li>Shadows of Lancaster County by Mindy Starns Clark</li>
<li>A Lasting Impression by Tamera Alexander (just need to finish this one, already started it)</li>
<li>Gods and Kings by Lynn Austin</li>
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This is a long list considering all the things I have on my plate (it's more like a platter it's so big), but I think it's doable and I'm excited to try. Also I will review most, if not all the books here so I can share with all three of you faithful readers. ~Laughter~</div>
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I will also update you on the kids summer reading experiences and how school is going. </div>
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What are you reading this summer? Anything fun or exciting or informative? </div>
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Well, I should stop now, looking at this list. . . I need to go read. </div>
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<br /></div>Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01740404011060827180noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5231658461685512391.post-41591077594742042962012-04-24T19:06:00.001-07:002012-04-24T19:07:00.348-07:00Night of Shining StarsExciting times around Principle Things!! Last night was Night of Shining Stars with our homeschool group. Kids could participate in three different events. The project fair, the art fair and a talent show. Makiah participated in all three. Sam had a project in the project fair. <br />
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It was so crazy getting everything done for the projects, but so very fun! It was also really fun to see what all the other kids did and their creativity. <br />
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The talent show was heaps of fun! The kids did amazing. Some sang (Makiah did that), so quoted lines from Dr. Seuss, some did skits and the list goes on. What an amazing group of children and teens!! <br />
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I love spending time around the other homeschool families. You feel such a camaraderie knowing that they face similar issues, struggles and share the same type of joy. The parents I am surrounded with amaze me. Homeschooling isn't for the faint of heart and there are days when I think sending them off to school would be easier. And it would. But it isn't what we decided and feel is best for us. So on those crazy days, I think of all the other homeschool parents. And we press on. Last night, seeing all the wonderful things I did, reassures that we are doing the right thing. And makes it all worth while. ~Smile~<br />
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Makiah with her project on Peter Cartwright, her photo and her hand sewn pillow!</div>
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Sam with his project on Creation!</div>
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Makiah singing in the talent show.</div>
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I am extremely proud of my kiddos! Now time to get busy on the rest of the work for the year.</div>
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<br /></div>Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01740404011060827180noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5231658461685512391.post-7153207985088453122012-01-24T10:06:00.000-08:002012-01-24T10:39:51.755-08:00WHY? Sometimes I Need A ReminderIt is the spring semester of school. It is so hard to get back into the swing into things after the holidays and breaks. Even I have a hard time getting back into the groove of school. It's teacher mom confession time. ~Smile~ It's just a true, real statement. Anyway, I was in need of a boost and a fresh wave of inspiration for this semester.<br /><br />This year we joined a homeschool group and honestly, besides the decision to homeschool, it was the best decision we have made. Besides all the fun activities and field trips there is a meeting once a month for the moms and/or dads. I look forward to this meeting every month. I need it. I need to be in a room full of people who face the same challenges and joys I do. Every. single. day. There is just something comforting about that. So last night was our January meeting. It was the biggest meeting of the year. . . the Annual Encouragement meeting. I am obviously not the only one to ever experience the second semester doldrums, otherwise the HELPS board would not have created such a meeting! Again, I find this comforting. I left last night feeling recharged and ready to go again. I mean we've been back at the homework helm for a few weeks, but not with much enthusiasm. <br /><br />So last night one of the leaders read some funny things about homeschooling and some statistics and then asked us all to write down WHY we decided to homeschool in the first place. I wrote down four reasons, they were the primary reasons for homeschooling and they are in order of the most important reason to the least of the important reasons. ~Smile~<br /><br /><ol><li>Because we wanted to teach Biblical principles right along with core academics. We believe that the Biblical aspects of learning are just as important as learning to read, write and count.</li><li>To chose what subjects, ideologies and topics are taught and at what age they will be taught.</li><li>Because time with my children is short and I want to spend all the time I can with them.</li><li>Safety. While I don't need to elaborate, I will. It is a post, right? I know we can't protect them from every terrible thing for their entire lives, but some things should not be experienced in elementary school (i.e., drugs, guns, child on child violence). I do not believe for one minute that this lends itself to being sheltered, I believe it protects them, while I am teaching them morals, values and standards and then when they are exposed to life they are prepared with the answers! Safety isn't just physical safety, it's spiritual, emotional and mental safety too. Okay, okay I'll jump off my soap box now. </li></ol>Over the years more reasons have come along, they are really just the icing on the cake of reasons. . . for instance the liberty to travel whenever we feel like it without having to worry about notes and permission from the school. Another one being doing school in our pj's. You have no idea how much better it is to teach English or grade Math in pj's. . . really you don't. I know doing school in comfy clothes makes me a better teacher and a happier one for sure!<br /><br />So while homeschooling comes with a plethora of challenges and some days I want to run to the nearest school and enroll them I wouldn't trade one day of homeschooling! Thank God for new mercies every morning that gives me hope for a better day if yesterday was not one for blogging about. Thank God for the strength to do ALL things THROUGH Him. Thank God for the freedom to choose. . . even when I have to sometimes remind myself WHY?<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">And yes, I changed the blog colors. . . I have spring on my mind!</span>Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01740404011060827180noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5231658461685512391.post-57590282393819974122011-09-29T17:24:00.000-07:002011-09-29T17:59:52.086-07:00Record Keeping and Keeping Kids On TrackEvery school year is different. I am not doing things this year like I was doing things two years ago or even like last year. I am a big fan of trying something out and changing the process until it works for you. Every child is different, every school year is different and so flexibility is a requirement for homeschooling. You must be able to adapt to current ages and needs (yours too). <div><br /></div><div>We use the A.C.E. program and it has a lot of great qualities that I really like. The program was designed with goal cards. It really is a card, about the size of a large index card, with a colorful table on it and the teacher fills in goals for each day for each subject (in later grades the student writes the goals). I have been using those crazy cards for 5 years. I'll be honest, I'm not a fan. They are easily misplaced by overly active young children and we seemed to use way to many! So this school year I changed things up. I used one of my many one cent folders and created a goal folder for each, Sam and Makiah. I created my own table for each week that was designed with the child in mind; easy to read and with their specific subjects. In the folder they also have their reading list table to be filled out whenever they complete a book. It's big, so it's not easily lost. They can both easily see what their goals are and when they are done they check it off. I should have done this years ago! Then at the end of the week, I can make comments at the bottom about their week and all the extra activities they completed. (Hold on, in the next section you'll see why) I will put the new week's goal sheet in right on top of the previous week. Then at the end of the quarter they can look back and see how much they got accomplished! New quarter, new goal sheets and I'll file the old ones. This system is great. We all love it and its keeping them on track! It's also a great way for dad to come in and see how much they got done that day if he wants too. (Hubs usually just asks, but if he wants to see he can)</div><div><br /></div><div>While homeschooling is <b><i>NOT</i></b> illegal, homeschool families tend to draw a lot of unwanted and unwarrented attention so record keeping is <b>key</b>. Even though I am not keeping transcripts (HALLELUJAH!) I still have a lot of record keeping to, well, keep. Every state is very different in their homeschooling laws and as responsible parents it is a very good idea to know those laws. <b>Being prepared to defend your rights to homeschool is part of making the choice to homeschool</b>. In Missouri, we have to complete <i>one thousand hours</i> of schooling per school year. There are a lot of ways to keep track of your activities, including programs you can purchase. But since we are not keeping transcripts, purchasing a program didn't seem like a solid financial decision since more than half of the program wouldn't get used. Being handy dandy with Word (this took no talent really, but you gotta give me something) I created my own spreadsheets for logging in our hours daily and what those hours were spent doing. Every afternoon, or at midnight when things have slowed down, I sit down and log in what we did that day for both Makiah and Sam. This log is for the core subjects, as well as art, P.E., music, field trips, etc. This particular record keeping is also something new I am doing this year. In the past I have just printed a form offline and manually marked absent, sick, holiday or field trip in an attendance sheet. Not good enough, but I wasn't aware of all the new crazy laws Missouri has in place (I'll say this for Indiana, their laws are MUCH less involved). Again at the end of the quarter those monthly logs will be printed and filed. As with almost everything else in homeschooling, find what works for you in keeping track and do it. And I wouldn't suggest getting behind because catching up is not enjoyable. I mean, I can't remember what I ate yesterday for breakfast so going back and trying to remember what things we did on specific days. . . not going to happen. ~Smile~</div><div><br /></div><div>Tomorrow is Friday and we have an exciting day planned! I can't wait! I'll be taking pictures and posting our Fabulously Fun Friday on Monday!! </div><div><br /></div><div>Have a great weekend!!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01740404011060827180noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5231658461685512391.post-85188189260186944722011-09-27T15:44:00.000-07:002011-09-27T16:39:46.903-07:00A Typical DayAre there really any typical days?? Probably not. But I digress. ~~Smile~~ <div><br /></div><div>I thought I would post about what a typical day looks like in a homeschooling home. Not to jump on a soap box or anything, but, we homeschooling mama's (and dad's if they are working that stay home dad gig) are not overflowing with free time as most people so quickly assume. This will lay out what a day in the life looks like of schooling for this family.</div><div><br /></div><div>6:00 a.m. ~ My alarm will sound. I will probably hit snooze once. Maybe twice. Then I am up and running. <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Theoretically</span> anyway. This time is not highly structured because it's my morning devotion/prep/plan time. This time varies based on how much quiet time I need. We want a happy mama/teacher.</div><div><br /></div><div>7:45 a.m. ~ Kids are getting up, brushing teeth, washing faces and complaining how early it is and how tired they are.</div><div><br /></div><div>8:00-8:30 a.m.~ Breakfast</div><div><br /></div><div>8:30 a.m. ~ Devotion (now you know why I need devotion first) During this time we focus on our scripture of the day, the character trait of the day and we talk about the project of the day.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>9:00 a.m</b>. ~ School work begins. While Sam sits in front of the dry erase board and works on letters and spelling words he already knows, I get <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Makiah</span> started. We pull out her assignment goal folder. I have her start with Word Building. It's easy and it eases her into the work day. She doesn't need a lot of direction with it either. Daniel is at the table with his flash cards working on letter and numbers.</div><div><br /></div><div>After I get <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Makiah</span> started I begin working with Sam. He is typically learning a new <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">phonetic</span> sound for three days in a row and then review. So we learn a new letter sound and build new words with that letter and ones previously learned.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>10:00 a.m</b>. ~ Sam is now ready for book work and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Makiah</span> has moved onto the next subject, usually Bible Reading and for this she doesn't need me. I check in with her, help with any problems and then work with Daniel on spelling his name (this is a current right now thing). </div><div><br /></div><div><b>10:15</b> ~ Break time, better known as "shake out your sillies time". We sing or turn on music and dance, shake out the sillies and basically giggle our way through the next 15 minutes.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>10:30</b> ~ Now that we have shaken out our sillies we are ready for more learning. Sam works more in his Word Building and I usually kick off Math with <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Makiah</span> right about now. We do drills or flash cards and then work on that days lesson. If it isn't new material I get her into the book right away. If it's a new concept we work together, going over the process and then onto the book. By now Daniel is coloring or cutting and gluing.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>11:45 </b>~ Break for lunch. Right now they will work together on the scripture while I get lunch completely put together. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>12:00-12:45 </b>~ We eat. We chill, it's a relaxing time. After they eat, I read a story to them. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>12:45-1:00</b> ~ Physical Education, we do something physical. Could be <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">calisthenics</span> or dance contest or stretching. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>1:00</b> ~ Daniel goes down for a nap. Sam works on his math and once he is done he is finished for the day. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Makiah</span> is ready for her Science lesson or English lesson. More book work. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>2:00 </b>~ <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Makiah</span> has a Social Studies lesson or Science and book work. Then she works on her Literature and Creative Writing (extra class if she has time).</div><div><br /></div><div><b>3:30</b> ~ School is done. Daniel is awake and it's now free play. They earn computer time, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Wii</span> time or <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Netflix</span> time. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>3:30-4:15</b> ~ Mama scores work again. Puts info into the data sheets online and gets school work set up for the next day.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>4:15</b> ~ Craft/Art time. I start them on a project and then start I cooking supper. </div><div><br /></div><div>After this, it's just normal family stuff based on the night of the week. The kids bedtime is 8 p.m. and by that time I am more ready for their bedtime than they are! ~Smile~ </div><div><br /></div><div>This schedule <b><i>is not set in stone</i></b>. Like I said, it's a typical day, a sample of how the day should, hopefully and probably will go. Some days are better than others. Some days we stop school early because things aren't progressing, we do something else that's learning but we abandon the work books and lesson plans. Some days, we are all super focused and we are done early. <b><i>Nothing in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">homeschool</span> is written in concrete and that's the beauty of it all.</i></b> </div><div><br /></div><div>Every family has to create their school around their family. You pick the curriculum, you choose the scriptures, Bible stories, values and morals you are teaching. . . shouldn't you also design the schedule to best suit your family? <b>YES</b>!!</div><div><br /></div><div>New posts coming soon about all sorts of FUN stuff!!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div> </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01740404011060827180noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5231658461685512391.post-4813905184641653922011-09-08T10:01:00.000-07:002014-06-26T10:25:04.553-07:00Everything LapbookingI am ever so glad that a few years ago I stumbled, internet stumbled, across this wonderous idea of lapbooking!! So I decided that I should blog about lapbooking and all the great sites for free information and printables. Lapbooking can be used independent of curriculum study or as a companion. When I say independent of curriculum, I mean that it does not necessarily have to follow what is being learned. I will say though, that by going along with whatever your child is studying you will be truly driving home the concept you are trying to convey. Sometimes we follow current course study and sometimes we don't, it just depends on what the teacher wants. ~Smile~<br />
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Makiah has already finished her first lapbook of the year and it turned out great!! I have spent the morning deciding what we should do next. I really want Sam and Makiah to do a lapbook on the same topic so that I can help them together. Today I decided we would do a lapbook about Knights! I know it's not very girly but we will have an underlying Biblical theme complete with scripture. I am very excited! So where am I getting all this fabulous info and the printables you ask?!?! There are several sites, but here are a few that I really like!!</div>
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<a href="http://www.homeschoolshare.com/Lapbooks_at_HSS.php">Homeschool Share</a> is a great site!! It has all sorts of resources for homeschoolers, but if you click on the link it will take you directly to the Book Lists for lapbooks. Take time to look around the site, you will find all sorts of fun stuff!</div>
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<a href="http://lapbooking.wordpress.com/">Lapbooking 101</a> is another great site to help you get started! It gives you the nitty gritty on how to get started, the supplies and examples.</div>
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<a href="http://www.lapbooklessons.com/">Lapbook Lessons</a> is a site that I just recently found and I really like it! They have videos and templates and various links too. </div>
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Another great site for all sorts of information, resources and ideas is <a href="http://www.homeschoolhelperonline.com/lapbooks.htm">Homeschool Helper Online.</a> It is another everything homeschool website, you will find lapbooking ideas and templates here too!</div>
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Here are just four options for great resources. All these sites also contain links to other sites for more info. For me, I feel like the internet is a homeschool family's best friend! I know there is a lot on the web to be cautious about, but take advantage of all the awesome resources online and most are free!! </div>
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You can make a lapbook from reading a book or make it a research project by having your older child google the info needed to fill in the templates you choose. Lapbooking is fun and creative. It gets your child learning while having fun! Great part is, it can also double as your art/craft project. Next week, all three kiddos, three different ages and grades will be doing a lapbook. They will all three be creating a Knight themed lapbook that is age appropriate for each! I declare that our Medieval week will be tons-o-fun!! (Read about my plans for Medieval week in the next post)</div>
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Folders: I like to use folders with pockets because invariably the teacher (he he, me) has printed out more stuff than we have room for or there is an accompanying book report to store. But you can use file folders or a combo of both. Explore the various folders and their uses and decide what will work best with your lapbook.</div>
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There is no wrong way to lapbook, get out there and have fun with it! </div>
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Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01740404011060827180noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5231658461685512391.post-59936548340442688782011-08-31T10:00:00.000-07:002011-09-02T12:29:50.663-07:00Week One in ReviewThe 2011-2012 school year has begun at Principle Things. And all in all, it's been a good week.<div>
<br /></div><div>We started out on Monday, going over the rules and expectations. Every year I tweak the rules a little so that it's not a boring list of do's and do nots. This year, because I have two younger ones, we have the Do Bee's. I am working on the bees to go up on our bulletin board and when I have it all done, I will post a picture. </div><div>
<br /></div><div>Here is a recap of what each child had done this week:</div><div>
<br /></div><div>Daniel: He has been rockin' preschool this week. He is learning to write his name, all the right letters in the right order. He is also working on numbers and writing them. Recognition he has down, but now we need to write, write, write. </div><div>
<br /></div><div>Samuel: He is a quarter of the way through Kindergarten and he is doing very well. He has several words that he can read and we are flying through the work. He is doing 1st grade Math and he loves it!! He actually wants it to be harder.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>Makiah: The school that sends her books has been a little backed up and her books haven't come in yet. So I have been pulling from the extra curriculum I have. We already had her Bible books and Literature and Creative Writing so she has been doing that. I also gave her a research project. First one ever. The topic is Missouri and she not only had to gather the information, she is making it into a lapbook and then she will do an oral presentation to the family and then at our community tutoring program that our church does every Tuesday. She has been busily working on that and she has had a great time doing it! She has already asked me what the next one will be. </div><div>
<br /></div><div>As for me, I am adjusting to school life again and balancing that with house work. We will soon be fully back into a routine. </div><div>
<br /></div><div>Check back next week for a special post about lapbooking!! </div>Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01740404011060827180noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5231658461685512391.post-51458301151563220462011-08-24T11:29:00.000-07:002011-08-25T11:19:37.881-07:00Homeschooling 101I have had several parents ask me recently about homeschooling. They ask questions like: <div>
<br /></div><div>What program do you use? <div>
<br /></div><div>Do you keep their permanent records? <div>
<br /></div><div>How do you occupy the younger child/kids while teaching the older kids? <div>
<br /></div><div>Are you apart of a homeschool group? Do you suggest it?<div>
<br /></div><div>Do you have a schedule you follow?</div><div>
<br /></div><div>How do you incorporate art, physical education and music into the learning experience?</div><div>
<br /></div><div>Most important question of all~~how do you keep your sanity?</div><div>
<br /></div><div>Since I have had many questions asked to me and one friend even suggested I blog about homeschooling (little did he know that I already had a blog for homeschooling that I was seriously neglecting) I decided that I would post about the basics of homeschooling. I also decided that I would make sure to maintain this blog so that everyone can get a look into our little academy at home. </div><div>
<br /></div><div><div>What program do you use?</div><div>
<br /></div><div>We use the <a href="http://www.aceministries.com/curriculum/?content=main">A.C.E. curriculum</a>. We have had great success with this curriculum. There are 12 PACES for each subject for each grade, 3 PACES each quarter for each subject. Each PACE has a scripture and character attribute that is taught throughout the book. There are many, many curriculum's out there. It is my suggestion that you find one that completely suits your family. That may mean a combination of materials. While we use A.C.E. I also incorporate science experiments for extra fun and <a href="http://lapbooking.wordpress.com/">lapbooking</a> (this a great blog post that explains it so well) as well.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>Do you keep their permanent records?</div><div>
<br /></div><div>No, I do not keep my kids permanent records. You have that option, like if you just choose to order books from the website then you would be responsible for all records. I choose to go through a Christian school. I give the work, grade the work and tests and then I mail in the completed tests to the school. They keep their records until we decide to change schools or graduation. I love it! While I am the one watching over her education I feel a certain level of security knowing that when their permanent records are reviewed by colleges no accusation of fraud can be made. Whether or not to keep your child's permanent records is totally a matter of preference. We have gone through the same school for five years now and we have no intention of changing anytime soon. If you find yourself interested in homeschooling, using the A.C.E. curriculum and want someone else to keep the records I highly recommend <a href="http://www.heartlandchristianacademy.com/">Heartland Christian Academy. </a></div><div>
<br /></div><div>How do you occupy the younger child/kids while teaching the older kids?</div><div>
<br /></div><div>This is a question that I often ask myself. ~Smile~ Because of the ages of my children I have always had at least one child that needs to be occupied. I have to admit that at times it can make things very interesting but you just have to get creative. In years past, I would set up the boys (who were to young for school) with stations such as; play doh, blocks, cars, number puzzles that were age appropriate and etc. I would have them in sitting within eye shot the whole time and they would have a learning type play time. Then when Sam got old enough to do preschool with, I only had to keep Daniel occupied. Now that Makiah and Sam are both doing PACES, Daniel is now old enough to do preschool, we all sit at the table together. Each child does work independently, I sit there too to help each child as they need it. Makiah needs less help, Sam is learning to read, so he gets very specific instruction and Daniel listens in. Things can get crazy at times and probably will. The key is knowing when you or they or all of you are overwhelmed. If you are overwhelmed, that is a good time to have story time or take a small break. </div><div>
<br /></div><div>Are you apart of a homeschool group? Do you suggest it?</div><div>
<br /></div><div>We have been involved in homeschool groups off and on. If you are a one vehicle family, it can make transportation interesting but I do suggest being involved in a group. It's nice to be able to get out and about with other moms and kids and do something besides book work. We will be joining a new group this year and we are all excited about it. As much as everyone talks about kids needing socialization, we moms (and dads if that's the case) need some adult interaction. It is a good thing for everyone.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>Do you have a schedule you follow?</div><div>
<br /></div><div>I have done several different styles or schedules over the years. For us, I had to be flexible with the routines from year to year (and sometimes day to day) because each year brought new challenges with it. This is the first year that everyone is doing structured work; 5th grade, Kindergarten/1st grade and preschool. That combo will bring it's own unique challenges with it, so being flexible to change is good. Having said that, we do have a basic schedule that we follow for school time. Set the schedule to fit your family, if you have early bird kiddos then work that. If your kids are like mine, they are a bit slow in the morning. The important thing about a schedule is being consistent. If school is going to start at 8 o'clock, then start at 8 o'clock. If everyone is a little crabby, still start at 8, but maybe start with a song or a story. The contents of your schedule can change up and be flexible, but the time schedule itself needs to stay consistent. My pastor has a saying that I have adopted because I love it, "Blessed are the flexible, for they will never be bent out of shape."</div><div>
<br /></div><div>How do you incorporate art, physical education and music into the learning experience?</div><div>
<br /></div><div>It is very easy to incorporate these fun and yet very important classes into your homeschool experience. Let's start with art. </div><div>
<br /></div><div>Art: Crafts, coloring, painting and drawing are things your child probably already loves to do. Art doesn't have to be something that is elaborate and expensive, you can get some cheap supplies at a local Dollar store and your kids will be thrilled. Get craft ideas online to match what your kiddos are learning or what holiday is coming up next. I'll be putting ideas up on the blog each week for arts and crafts. </div><div>
<br /></div><div>Physical Ed: Kids love to be active and it doesn't take much to have them having a good time and being active. Let them go outside for awhile, but make it a structured time and event. Have them run races, play leap frog, play tug-o-war or other various games. If the weather is bad, then use your living room and get them doing exercises such as; toe touches, jumping jacks, high kicks and stretches. Twenty to thirty minutes a day, they get a break to get their sillies out and they are moving. You may even want to go to a park when your school work is done or go to an area that has a trail (and going on a nature hike incorporates science into the activity). </div><div>
<br /></div><div>Music: This is another one that is easily accomplished with younger children. We have music time almost daily in my house. We sing songs, some learning some silly, we have contests like a silly dance contest or a name that song contest. Also for more of a learning experience you can learn about different types of music and all the instruments you hear. When they are older you can look into music lessons of some sort. By making musical instruments you combine art and music together!</div><div>
<br /></div><div>The bottom line with these three important areas of learning is to get creative. Use online resources for more ideas, read blogs and articles. There is a plethera of ideas out there to make your school excellent in all areas.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>Most important question of all~~how do you keep your sanity?</div></div><div>
<br /></div><div>For those who know me, they might say that I haven't kept my sanity! ~Smile~ I think they key to happy homeschooling with minimal stress is to know your limits. If you wake up one day and you are tired and stressed, the kids are tired and grumpy, it might be a good day to have a story day, complete with a living room picnic. Or a day to get out and go somewhere, even if its just the library. The parent that is homeschooling needs to keep themselves connected to other adults even if it is via the phone for a happy conversation with a friend during lunch. Also, know in advance that your homeschool will never be perfect and learn to be okay with that. Perfection is not required, striving toward excellence should be the goal. Some days you just need a break and that's okay. Some days are a struggle to get through but you press on and do and that makes "after school" all the more special. Some days everything will go without a hitch and other days won't. It's a fact, rolling with the punches and dancing during the good days will help to keep you sane. </div><div>
<br /></div><div>I hope this has been helpful. I will be making this blog a priority this school year, to not only document Principle Things, but also to share with all of you ideas and helpful hints. </div><div>
<br /></div><div>Homeschooling is always an adventure, sometimes a good one and other times it's rather stressful. But in the end, it's always worth it!</div><div>
<br /></div><div>Blessings,</div><div>Valerie</div><div>
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<br /></div></div></div></div></div>Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01740404011060827180noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5231658461685512391.post-28423053392134470412010-08-27T13:16:00.001-07:002010-08-27T13:34:55.511-07:00One Week DownWe have completed our first week of school, successfully I might add! Here's a recap of our week:<br /><br />~Sam is learning to sit and be schooled. This is a foreign concept to him. He is doing excellent. This has been a week of discovery for me. I have discovered that he knows so much more than we give him credit for (don't all parents). He is flying through what I thought would take us a semester. Sam also successfully memorized this weeks Bible verse. Hubs and I are kicking around the idea of going ahead and starting Kindergarten now.<br /><br />~Makiah is doing review. After only being off for about five weeks we are revisiting multiplication tables and letter writing. She completed her 35th chapter book since the beginning of June. So proud of her. We hit on a series (American Girl Series) that she enjoys reading and it has just catapulted her into a love for reading! Thankfully! She is memorizing the books of the Bible and doing excellent on her Bible memory passages.<br /><br />~Daniel has done better than I expected. He sits at the table with us and looks at his flash cards, colors, draws and plays with play doh. Occasionally he is a distraction, but he is two. It's practically his job to distract!! I also work with him on colors, shapes and counting.<br /><br />~Science: our science experiment this week uses eggs. It is a seven day experiment and so we'll know our conclusion on Tuesday next week. They are loving looking at the eggs in the jar everyday and journaling the changes.<br /><br />~Me: I still have all my hair and I can say what a great week!! I have already started my lesson plans for next week. I have also planned out our snacks and lunches on the calendar to help with grocery shopping tomorrow. Our theme this week was Rules, Rules, Rules. I did that to lay a good foundation of whats expected. The next two weeks will be Fruit of the Spirit. I am already getting the fruit ready to go.<br /><br />I told Makiah a few weeks ago that this was going to be our best year yet of homeschooling and I intend on making that a reality! I am thankful for God's goodness and grace as we attempt to train up good, Godly, well educated children.Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01740404011060827180noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5231658461685512391.post-77302304197451761552010-08-23T11:20:00.001-07:002010-08-23T15:05:05.843-07:00New School Year Begins!!I know, its been a long time! I promised we did school, I just didn't blog about it. But here I am and ready to make a go at this year on the blogging!! <br /><br />As every year of homeschooling, this year presents new challenges. Sam is four, he will be five in November. Technically not old enough to start Kindergarten. He is very, very smart but I have been a little concerned about his cooperation with sitting and learning. He proved me wrong today! So here's what we are doing:<br /><br />Makiah~~She is starting fourth grade (we won't talk about how old that makes me feel) and she is excited to start this year. Her work load today was a lot of review. She has read 30 chapter books this summer (YAY!) and I am very proud of her for that. I'll post more about her work in a future post.<br /><br />Sam~~We started his full curriculum today. I am using the preschool Brain Quest workbook and Brain Quest game. Today I wanted to really get a good feel for where we stand on number recognition, counting, letter recognition and comprehension of understanding directions. He ROCKED it. He recognized all the letters except he confused small case a, d and b. His number recognition is awesome! He did all of his workbook pages perfectly (even the ones I expected him to get a little confused on). Sam is also amazing at math. He can add and subtract very simple problems. <br /><br />Daniel played at the table with us coloring, looking at his flash cards and looking at books. We had circle time that included a silly dance contest, we had morning devotions and we had a very successful first day!Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01740404011060827180noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5231658461685512391.post-75187551576971189252010-01-14T14:08:00.000-08:002010-01-14T14:19:51.980-08:00School Is In Session and My Blog is Suffering~Laughing~<br /><br />I am excited about the second quarter of school. I have a lot of activities planned that I think the kids will really enjoy. Next Monday is Martin Luther King Jr. day and we are going to do a lapbook this year! I am really excited about this project not only because Dr. King is a great man to study about, but because Makiah will get to make something that she can look back at later. I think it will be a nice change from a normal school day. We will study about him and then take the rest of the day off. <br /><br />Makiah is doing really well in school, except for Math. It's not that she doesn't know the work, she doesn't like it. So we drag through Math, everyday. UGH! I am still trying to think up a fun way of doing math, but so far I haven't been successful.<br /><br />Every two weeks we have a Bible passage that Makiah has to memorize. We are also working on a poem for memory, about penguins. Her favorite!<br /><br />Well, for now that catches us up. I'll be back next week to post about MLK Day and pics of our projects!Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01740404011060827180noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5231658461685512391.post-70508747518202288832009-12-10T08:56:00.000-08:002009-12-10T09:04:09.927-08:00SurvivingBarely! I know I haven't been posting over here very often and I am sorry about that. I guess it's because I feel like I am failing at homeschooling right now. Makiah is easily distracted, unmotivated and I feel like I have hit a wall. Organization is not coming together like I wanted and just feel all unwound.<br /><br />We are truly looking forward to the Christmas break. I will be organizing and adjusting our schedule, adding some new and more exciting things and implementing reward programs. I really feel like this semester just fell apart. I mean she getting her work done, she's not behind, I just think it needs to be better. I need to get more organized, definitely.<br /><br />So I am on a mission to gather as much info as I can as to how other mothers, who seem much more put together than I, get all there stuff together and keep it that way. We are using the PACE system and don't have a lot of extra room. Help a mother out??<br /><br />Thanks! OH and to see just a little of what we are doing with devotions, I posted it <a href="http://mamalovelock-lifeinthetrenches.blogspot.com/2009/12/kindness-chart.html">here</a>.Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01740404011060827180noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5231658461685512391.post-19153006354511693152009-10-30T11:05:00.000-07:002009-10-30T11:17:03.645-07:00Up to My Ears In PaperworkRecords, records, records. . . I am swimming in paperwork. Let's just say that I got behind in my paperwork and so today I am catching up. I also *ahem* got behind on my blogging over here. I am going to to better with this blogging, oh and the paperwork!<br /><br />Our school year is going fine. I always think it could be going better, but I'm probably over thinking it. Our first quarter is over and Makiah is doing great. She is rocking third grade. Her test scores are really high and her reading is going very well. Only thing is MATH. The dreaded Math. We aren't progressing as fast in Math as I would like. We are doing multiplication and the process is proving difficult. She doesn't like math so she goes into it dreading it and therefore kind of zones out on me. Any ideas for making multiplication more fun?? I have ideas, but I would love to hear from you all.<br /><br />We are going to be doing several fall crafts next week and I finally got a new camera, so brace yourselves for pics!! What crafts are you doing for fall?<br /><br />Have a happy and blessed weekend!Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01740404011060827180noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5231658461685512391.post-81929401869769599882009-08-28T08:48:00.000-07:002009-08-28T09:12:15.894-07:00Second Week Coming to an End~~A Mixed BagI am happy to say that Makiah took her first three tests of third grade today. She nailed them all, 100% on each!! I am so proud of her. <br /><br />Yesterday I ventured over to Borders, a very dangerous place for me to go. I walked out with a bag full of books and my debit card wasn't screaming. First of all, if you don't know, as a homeschool educator you can get the educator's discount card--you need one. So I went strolling through the bargain books and I scored big time. I got seven books and my total was 19 bucks! I was thrilled. I got a couple of books for Daniel, a couple for Sam and a book of science experiments for Makiah. I also got two reusable sticker books about emotions for Sam and Makiah. I feel like books are an investment, but when I can get them on discount, even better. Our library is growing. I need another book shelf or a room for a library!<br /><br />If you haven't read of our recent <a href="http://lovelockhomeschool.blogspot.com/2009/08/whats-your-opinion.html">decision to make</a> please check it out, leave a comment and then take the poll. Hubs and I are praying and talking about it, but I would like to hear what you all would do. Thanks!<br /><br />Over at <a href="http://mamalovelock-lifeinthetrenches.blogspot.com/2009/08/and-yum-o-is-its-name-oh.html">here</a> I posted a great new recipe~~one pot, yummy, easy and very filling. Go check it out!! Be back next week!!Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01740404011060827180noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5231658461685512391.post-82472552126573216632009-08-26T07:53:00.000-07:002009-08-26T08:46:32.704-07:00Pass the Play-Doh PleaseMy kids love play-doh. I mean love it. They could spend hours creating, squeezing, cutting, rolling and for Makiah, sculpting. Typically we use the play-doh at Makiah's break time. <br /><br />Art time here at Principle Things consists of all different types of activities. Drawing and coloring are good sources, but for art time I like to do some different things. I like to have actual projects that require more thought and tactile abilities. Makiah is quite the artist. She draws amazingly well, she paints (on canvas) and she likes to actually sculpt things, actual things with play-doh. Here is a bird Makiah made yesterday. I was impressed. I know I am a little biased, but still she did a really good job. So good that I had to share.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMR_EbGJ0FptppejRDsr_hf-umLRU7kc8qz6JEgeffXLZSvZ0CqBQUJQMmxXuYqDcR5tGk2VjKBrJdsw0APJsu0q5GY-hBUSaVTFXKSecTABdnPokx7eTWtWKpIW8Fwhhk5ytZgkWX2Lc/s1600-h/284782807941.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMR_EbGJ0FptppejRDsr_hf-umLRU7kc8qz6JEgeffXLZSvZ0CqBQUJQMmxXuYqDcR5tGk2VjKBrJdsw0APJsu0q5GY-hBUSaVTFXKSecTABdnPokx7eTWtWKpIW8Fwhhk5ytZgkWX2Lc/s320/284782807941.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374290311627050338" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhej_RThAQ2Aol9JVTD0BGgFmVC8dwxG42wDBC8r0o__zx403JlKQQoYKXzjgGKQA0zgXkPVob3u_B45mObPJm4HoXpSKh9ny3H3fBu15yGfcucv0uqhEcjSdIj4jEe6kmCmT9FUWAZS7A/s1600-h/284782700421.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhej_RThAQ2Aol9JVTD0BGgFmVC8dwxG42wDBC8r0o__zx403JlKQQoYKXzjgGKQA0zgXkPVob3u_B45mObPJm4HoXpSKh9ny3H3fBu15yGfcucv0uqhEcjSdIj4jEe6kmCmT9FUWAZS7A/s320/284782700421.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374290304480110914" /></a><br /><br />So I have decided to get clay and let her make some projects. Here are a few of the projects I have lined up for them to do as part of art:<br /><br />~~Shapes Collage (Sam)<br />~~Apple Pie Paintings--paint with apple slices<br />~~Leaf Collage<br />~~Fall Flower Collage (Makiah)<br />~~Clay Sculpting (some will be Christmas gifts for family and friends)<br />~~Sponge Painting<br />~~Columbus Day activities (<a href="http://holidays.kaboose.com/columbus-day/">here are a few</a>)<br /><br />These are just a few of things on the agenda. What art projects are you doing? Don't home school? You can still weigh in with what projects you are doing with your kiddos!Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01740404011060827180noreply@blogger.com1