Back in the Swing of Things

We have been back in our daily grind for about 8 weeks and loving it. 

This year I have one core phaser, two love of learners and one transitional scholar.  One thing I really wanted to maintain through the different phases is togetherness.  In order to keep this going I have put together a schedule of seasons for group learning.  Right now we are in the season of History and working through our second Story of the World book.

The kids love this curriculum because it is stories and activities.  They love that when they have something to ask or say they can blurt it out at a sentence pause.  This is not always convenient as it takes longer to get through it but it provides for great conversation and funny one liners.  

I came up with the idea for seasons of group learning at the homeschool convention this summer.  Other seasons we are looking forward to are; Living Math, Music, Art and Science.  I was so excited to come across this idea, last year I just gave up and stopped group learning because I wasn't accomplishing what I wanted to.  I had different days for different subjects and never enough time.  Now I know from Aug to Oct we are doing history.  Sometimes we get wrapped up and complete 4 or more chapters other days we squeeze one in.  On our favorite days we just do activities!

Here are the kids with their rice crispy Norman Castles.

Book Shelf

Every time we move we take down and refill our bookshelf (some how new books keep popping up).  I have to admit in the past this practice has brought guilt... I haven't read hardly any of the Scholar Phase books.  However, this time it was more like read it, read it, read it, need to read it and so on and so forth.  I had a great Scholar Phase summer.  Lots of reading and writing and pondering on some really great books. 

My Antonia is a great book, an absolute favorite of mine and I loved writing about it and hope to be able to share my thoughts on this book soon.  I have to type it.

Amazing book!  Lost Island gives you that same kind of feeling that the Disney Nature Movies do, "What have we done?" Is it to late?

This is the third Steinbeck book I have read, very interesting writer.  Last year I went to a leadership class and the leader talked about writing style, I decided that was something I wanted to learn more about.  I want to read all of Steinbeck's popular titles and write a paper on his writing style. 

Right now I am reading; The Awakening and trying my hardest to finish Anna Karenina before the movie comes out.  Also, I joined a book club here and our first book discussion in on, Uncle Tom's Cabin.  I have read the book but funny thing, I have been hesitant to write a paper because of the direction my brain is going, "Is it ok to kill in situations such as Uncle Toms?"  Heaven knows he had ample opportunity and reason to do so.  I will share if I ever get around to straightening out my crooked mind.



Homeschooling on the MOVE

This past year our family has moved twice and lived in a temporary residence for a month once.  So how do you homeschool and move at the same time?  I can't tell you from a professional spectrum but I can tell you from experience how we made it through.

I am indeed thankful that we learned about Leadership education and the power of reading and discussing the classics.  It was a turning point for our family where academics turned from being all about "SMARTS" and became more about "Virtue and Integrity".  Sure I want my kids to be intelligent men and women but I also want them to have the personal and public virtue they need to use their intelligence to protect their freedoms and "BECOME" leaders.  Leaders in their homes, communities, work, church services and any other endeavor they choose. 

A classic is easy, it can go with you anywhere and everywhere.  Often times we will have one playing in the car and one that we read at home or at the park.  The most important part is the discussing and that we do as we read.  It's not math (sometimes it is) and it's not rocket science but it is, literature, writing, reading, vocabulary, spelling, history and so much more.  The kids also kept two other things available during our move; their current biography and their own literature book.  We read a lot! 

My favorite part of leadership education is teaching the kids to work, how truly important it is for future leaders to know and have good work ethic.  It is hard in these modern times to teach kids "real" work.  MOVING IS REAL WORK!  It turns out that all of our little chores that we do around the house everyday were teaching them how to be hard workers because they certainly kept up with all of the moving.  They were a tremendous help!

In a nut shell; moving slowed us down but never stopped us.  If you have a move coming up the best advice I can give you is this....

Don't set aside learning, instead do this.....

Classics, Not Text Books
Structure Time, Not Content
Simplicity, Not Complexity