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Christmas Solitude Contest on the Porch!

Kindergarteners - A Whole School Load of Them

A public school dedicated to just kindergarten. The idea of kindergarten being vitally important to every child's educational career is growing. Along with that idea is that the state is the one who needs to be in control, making sure every five year old is up to their academic standard before they head off to 1st grade. Then, when they don't accomplish that goal, they will set up all kinds of remedial helps that wind up tearing a child down when all they needed was just a little more time, a little more patience, and a whole lot less pressure. Keep them home, where they belong.

Tia Linschied
Senior Editor of HSB

Christmas Solitude Contest!

Christmas Solitude is one of the most beautiful music CD's you can have in your collection. The music of our very own Steve Sensenig is perfect for creating that holiday atmosphere that brings calm to our souls and praise to our King. 

You can read an interview I had with Steve last year HERE and listen to several tracks from Christmas Solitude CD HERE. When the music began playing my son stopped doing his math, looked up and said, "I like that. It's pretty."  Be sure to listen to I Will Never Be the Same. Steve's wife Christy joins him with her beautiful voice in this one song.

This contest will have TWO winners. All you have to do to enter is leave a comment below with your email address or a link to your blog where your email address is available. You must be at least 18 years of age and live in the U.S. You can read full contest rules HERE.

Winners will be notified by email only. If winners don't reply within one week of the email being sent out, a new winner will be chosen, so please check back here to see if you are a winner! If you are, but haven't received a notification email, please check your trash/SPAM folder.

This contest will close on Dec. 8th!

Tia Linschied
Senior Editor of HSB

Taming the Chaos ~ Making Time for God

Busy homeschool moms need time for prayer and scripture, but what does it look like in your day?

Some do best rising early and giving the first portion of the day to the Lord. Unless I’m too short on sleep, morning is best for me. (If I’m sleep deprived, mid-afternoon is a better bet.) A friend of mine knows that trying to focus in the early hours would be giving God her worst. She’d never try to have an important conversation with anyone else within an hour of rising while her brain is sluggish, so she gives time to God in the evening when she’s at her best for Him. Find a time that works for you, and fit it into the routine. Often when I get bogged down I forget to carve out a quiet little niche in my days, and unfortunately, that usually makes me even more bogged down.

There are a days when in-depth study eludes me–days when my brain is just not able to study as seriously--then I try to take a bit of time to just soak up a piece of scripture. On those days I just read a passage, or even listen to audio. There are fantastic audio bibles. We have a CD collection of the entire Bible, and the children and my husband love it! We also have a wonderful little gizmo called a GoBible. I like it so muchI blogged about it on my personal blog. Most days I love to sit down with my chain referenced, leather covered, real-paper-paged Bible and dig in, but some days are for feasting, and some for grazing and snacking.

Whether it is a day for Bible snacking or Bible feasting, my prayer is to ponder and digest what I’ve read through the day, striving to pray continuously and meditate on some small treasure in scripture as "background music" to my every task. It isn’t a goal I achieve fully–some days I don’t come even close, but I yearn for the day when my life is prayerfully lived moment-by-moment.

Tame the chaos–starting in your own heart, by seeking a quiet, peaceful niche in your day to focus on the Highest priority.

Domestic Chaos Tamer and Homeschool Mom of Five,  Dell  writes about home, heart and hearth.

Craft Corner ~ Crazy Quilt Ornament

As I was decluttering in my bedroom today I came across a stack of paint samples.  I started to toss them since we were no longer considering any of these colors but then decided to try to use them in some sort of craft instead.  I thought up this craft and I think it looks pretty darn adorable!! 

SUPPLIES:

Paint sample books or cards (from home improvement stores)
Card stock
Fine point black Sharpie marker
Stencil
Glue
Scissors
Hole punch
Yarn, string or ornament hanger

Take a stencil in whatever shape you prefer, I used a star but I think a heart would look great, too.  Really, just a square will wind up looking just as nice.  Use the marker to trace the stencil onto the card stock. 

If you press hard enough the marker will just barely bleed through onto the back of the paper which will make it easier when time to cut it out.  If it doesn't bleed through, you can just retrace the stencil on top of the paper scraps later.

Cut the paint samples into various sizes, try to keep the edges very straight.  Lay the scraps onto the cardstock until you have a design you like.  Start gluing the scraps being careful to not let any of the cardstock show through the cracks and make sure you completely cover the stencil lines.

Once you have it the way you like it, let the glue dry if necessary.  If you can see the lines on the back of the cardstock, follow them to cut it out.  If you can't see it, then simply retrace the stencil on top of the scraps and cut it out cutting inside the marker line so it doesn't show on the finished ornament.

Use the marker to make a variety of stitch marks everywhere the papers meet up.  A crazy quilt uses a variety of decorative stitches, so have a lot of fun with this.

Draw a straight stitch all around the outside edge of the ornament, this really makes it look nice.  Turn the ornament over and do these same stitch marks on the back.  In the center, write your name or greeting and be sure to date it.

Punch a hole near the top edge of the ornament and tie on some yarn or string.   Now it's ready to hang on your tree. 

 Dianna enjoys coming up with craft ideas using found objects.  There is always some sort of project going on in her house, usually on the kitchen table.  You can check out her other blog here.  Dianna and her family are in their 5th year homeschooling.

Classical Education ~ Traditional Classical Education -- Pt. 2

The problem with Traditional is that there isn't too much written about it.  There isn't a blueprint of what subjects to teach and when to teach them as there is in Neo-Classical.  This makes  teaching a bit vague.   There is a website  called Circe Institute that aids  classical schools  as they travel down the road  of giving their students  a classical education.  This organization is a help to homeschoolers as well. 

The Circe website is a tad convoluted  in its set-up.  There are quite a few different terms that make understanding difficult.  Each time  I have gone through the site,  I have come away from it with a bit more understanding than when I started.   Patience is important when dealing with this website. 

According  to the Circe website,  classical education is the cultivation of wisdom and virtue.  This happens through nourishing our soul with all that is good,  true and beautiful.   In a pracitical sense,  this plays out by  using Great Books  and works of art.  Through the Great Books  you expose the student to Great Ideas.  They are able to meditate on these ideas and then  act on them through service.   Pieces of art  show the students all that is beautiful  in the world.  Beauty can also be shown in the natural world through  God's creation.

To  know what to teach,  the teacher  focuses on the Seven Liberal Arts.  This  translates into the Trivium (grammar, logic and rhetoric) and the Quadrivium (arithmetic, geometry,  music and astronomy.)  These 7 subjects are the basis  of a child's education.  After the child is exposed to these liberal arts, then the sciences may be introduced.  When I say sciences,  I mean natural science,  humane science (history and literature),  philosophical science and  theological science.   

As each subject is taught,  they share the same strand as to how they are taught.  Each subject should be taught  using the three columns  (hold on to your hat because this is where it gets tricky.)   The first column of teaching any subject is to communicate information to the student and then make sure that the student  has  retained this information.  The second column  is where the teacher makes sure that the student  grasps the ideas that are being taught.  This is done through discussion.  The third  column includes skill.  The teacher attempts to train the student in an intellectual or physical skill.  This is where the teacher coaches or mentors the student.   

In order to  make sure that the student is  grasping the idea or skill that the teacher is attempting to teach,  there are two modes of teaching  that need to take place:  the didactic mode and the socratic mode.   I won't go into those right now  as I am afraid that I would truly lose you.  I might try to tackle the two modes later on  but for right now I think it is interesting to just ponder the three columns of teaching.   That is huge on  its own. 

If you are interested in traditional classical education, I encourage you to wander through the Circe Institute website.  There is alot of information to digest there.  Not only does Circe have the website,  they also offer yearly  conferences.   They use these conferences to encourage the classical teacher, be it a school teacher or a homeschool teacher.  It doesn't matter.  Both kinds of teachers come away from those conferences refreshed and rarin' to go for the next year.   For the many of us that cannot  afford to go to the conferences,  Circe offers CD sets  of each workshop.   These CD sets are amazing.  I bought my first one earlier this spring and I learned quite a bit about traditional classical education and how to effectively teach it to my children.

Julia lives with her husband on the Canadian Prairies homeschooling  their 3 children (9,7.5,)  attempting to give them a classical education.   You can read more  at http://homeschoolblogger.com/Juliainsk

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Homeschooling Only One ~ Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving

For each new morning with its light,
For rest and shelter of the night,
For health and food,
For love and friends,
For everything Thy goodness sends.

- Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882)

Blessings to you and your family this Thanksgiving,
grateful to God the Father,
to our Lord, Savior, Jesus,
and to the Holy Spirit.

Donna Conner lives in Fort Worth, TX with her husband, Glenn, their son, Mike, Donna's mother, Charlotte, and their dog, Lucia. Donna and Glenn have been homeschooling their son since the beginning of his education. Mike completed his homeschooling in the fall of 2008. Donna is an artist and has always enjoyed writing. She wrote Homeschooling Only One in 2003, after discovering that there were many other families homeschooling only one child. Her website is devoted to those with only one student in their homeschool, with listings of online resources. You can visit her website at  http://donnac.com and read her blog at: http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/DonnaC

copyright © 2008 Donna Conner ~~ All rights reserved. Content may not be reproduced in any form without written permission of author, except in the case of brief passages embodied in critical reviews and articles where the title and author are listed.

Special Words for Special Needs ~ Are You Thinking of Homeschooling Your Special Needs Child?

Welcome to Special words for Special needs. I hope and pray that you all had a wonderful peaceful Thanksgiving. 

Today I would like to talk to those who are thinking of homeschooling their special needs child.  Have you reached the middle of the year and the IEP results are dismal?  Do you have a war on your hands every morning trying to get Jr to get to school?  Or are you tired of the phone calls about behavior issues?  It's time to do something but what? 

So what is the major problem with the situation as it is?  Is it the school? Physically, is it inadequate or overwhelming?  Is it the teacher or aides your child deals with? Is it the travel to and from the school that is the issue? Or is it the progress or lack there of that is problematic?  I have heard all these as repeated problems in the circle of friends I have in the past year.  Some parents I talk with chose to go private or parochial at this point. There is a problem with that when you have a child with special needs. Many private and parochial schools do not accept special needs students.  So we come to homeschooling! 

Smile, homeschooling is not a last ditch, better than staring at a blank corner option. I happen to think, and I have seen that, homeschooling is a wonderful experience for all.  Homeschooling can be extremely flexible, much more so than an IEP.  You can still get expert advice to guide you if you feel you need it. There are now many services available outside of the school system that  fill a vast majority of needs. Look below to my blog, Getting Started, for more detailed instructions.  Emotionally many children blossom.  Their relationship with you will deepen and grow.  Just like a well tended garden you will see the fruits of your labor.

The holiday season is a great time to pull your child out of public school. In several states there is a time between notification of intent to homeschool and time you begin schooling. In most places the holidays count as time. So no hassle, clean out the desk and locker and start a new education life!  

You can pull your child for a year, a couple years, or until college. You only have to focus on the year you are in. Let the future tend to its self. Focus on the problems your child is having, and take note of his strengths.  There are a wide variety of homeschooling materials now. Do not be fettered by grade levels. Instead focus on the needed skill. You can use a workbook below your child's grade level, just rip out the page. 

I have a dear friend that pulled her son for a year. He was falling behind and having more and more problems socially because of it. She brought him home. They worked through the rest of the year focusing on the problem areas. She found that his reading needed practice so she found something he was highly interested in. At home he blossomed his confidence and grade level restored he started school again the next year. Since then he has thrived and has been a glowing example of homeschooling to all his teachers. 

The argument about socialization will more than likely rear it's ugly head. I once heard a funny comment on that, "How many times in school did your teacher tell you, " Be quiet class, your not here to socialize!"  Oh how true. You can quite effectively socialize your child. Keeping up with their school friends that were near and dear is easy. You still go to their house to play; you still allow sleepovers.  Homeschool Co-ops and other groups for homeschooling are sprouting up all over the country. Look up your state and local organizations.  You can usually find online support for your area and any other special need.  

If things are not going well at school you can choose homeschooling.  You can homeschool as long as you want or your child needs. Check the laws in your state before you make the jump. Home School Legal Defense Association is a great resource for state laws, but I still encourage you to look at the actual law from your state to be sure.  There may be doubts in the family or near you. Relax, time will show that your child is better off at home learning with you. You can do it!  

Heather lives in West Virginia. She and her husband have been homeschooling their 5 children for 7 years.  Due to a genetic disorder their children have multiple special needs. Living life to the fullest for the glory of God is their goal!  Visit Heather's page at  www.homeschoolblogger.com/gfcfmomofmany/

The Littlest Learners ~ Teaching Thankfulness

Two of the first words we teach our children are Please and Thank-you, yet do they truly understand what it means to be thankful?  Thanksgiving is a wonderful season and opportunity for modeling and teaching thankfulness, yet it shouldn't be limited to the month of November. Plant the seed now, but water and tend to it each day afterwards.

Here are some ways you can take advantage of this teachable moment, now and throughout the year.

Model what it means to be thankful.  Don't just talk about it. Show it. Everyday, not just during Thanksgiving week.

Verbally express your feelings of thanks.  Let your children hear you tell people you are thankful for them and why.  Don't miss this opportunity to let your child know you are thankful they are in your life.  Encourage a conversation with your child about who and what they are thankful for.

Cultivate a grateful heart. Contentment is a gift. You will do well to teach this to your child early on.

Pray with Thanksgiving all year long.  During meal and nighttime prayers let your children hear you give Thanks to the Lord for the blessings in your life. 

Incorporating picture books  and craft projects celebrating the spirit and history of Thanksgiving is another way to send the message home to little ones.

Thanksgiving Picture Books:
Thanksgiving is for giving thanks by Margaret Sutherland
A Thanksgiving Story by Alice Dalgliesh
The story of Thanksgiving by Nancy Skarmeas
My First Thanksgiving by Tomie dePaola
One little, Two little, Three little Pilgrims by B.G Hennessey

Thanksgiving Craft Ideas:

Create a Thankful Tree.  Have each family member name a few things they are thankful for and add that to the tree.  As a variation you can name PEOPLE that you are thankful for and each day following Thanksgiving you can remove a name from the tree and pray for that person.

Create a Thanks and a Giving Tree.  This tree helps keep track of what you are thankful for and what you have done for others.  A wonderful way to capture the spirit of Thanksgiving.

Create a Thanksgiving Thankful Turkey.

Create a Thanksgiving Turkey Card by tracing your child's feet (in shoes) for the turkey body, and hands for the wings and feathers.  Add googly eyes and cut a beak, waddle and feet.

Create Pine Cone Turkey placesettings

Create Learning Letters Turkey

Create Learning Numbers Turkey

Create Indian Corn Mosaic (wonderful cutting activity)

Create a Turkey handprint card
Include a handwritten note letting someone know why you are thankful for them.Create a Playdough Turkey Kit

Additional ideas:
Danielle's Place


I wish you a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday with your Littlest Learner.
You can follow our homeschool journey at PassportAcademy.com

Photo credit: The Mayfly.com

Kids Table Activity Ideas