This past year we have traded out all our old movies for only Godly and biblical valued based ones. I have purchased a collection of bible story cartoons- that really aren’t so bad- seem to be pretty accurate with ok production and graphics as well.
Eden’s favorite ones are Samson and Delilah, and David and Goliath. She often plays pretend about these two. The other day, when I had told her something to do that she didn’t want to do, and then had to scold her, she wrinkled up her nose, narrowed her eyes, and snarled at me in her most fierce manner, and whispered, ”You Philistine!” Later, when she was upset with a few of her siblings, she waved her arm at them and said, “You’re all Philistines!”
Last week, we went to the PX and bought Dad a basket ball goal for Father’S Day and had to have an employee load it out in the car for us. This employee’s name happened to be David. All that day, Eden kept asking about David, where’s David? And on and on. I thought it a little odd and strange that she would have this strange fascination for the PX employee, but didn’t make the connection until the next day when she was pretending to be Princess Michal (pronounced "McCow") and declared that she was gonna marry David at the PX! (Strangely, the young man there at the PX does look a lot like the cartoon character on the DVD.)
Just a little proof of how media influences kids!
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
"Go With the Flow"
Well, It has been awhile, while we have been evaluating and reevaluating, and praying....
We started to see some downsliding in basics (like math) that the kids had learned, as well as the problem of less and less inspired and spontaneous learning, so we invested in some new tools(curriculum) to urge them on through. We are trying the math-u-see manipulative/workbook program and it seems to be working out well (when it is worked)
I also bought some McGuffy reading and writing workbooks for Jacob and Hannah, which they loved at first, but now have proven a drudgery; boring, redundant, or worded/ explained so strangely that even I have a hard time wrapping my mind around it. They have some great points though and are very thorough (maybe too much so). I just don't have peace anymore sitting down with them - and Hannah seems to have blocked her mind on them now... sigh...
I still want to keep their lessons and subjects that we actually need to do. A little book work to keep moving foward (like math and basic grammar rules). Very short and simple to allow them still plenty of time to learn naturally whatever they are interested in at the time, and to pursue other activities. Some days when I see that they are inspired and motivated I will let them have all the time, if it is required.
Honestly, most of our learning lately takes place at night from reading the Little House on the Prairie series (we are on the second to last book now). It has spawned more curiosity, conversations, and rabbit trails than anything else and is something that we have all continued to enjoy with real interest and learning. One night last week we held discussions on taxes and government and we calculated how much the gov. might make from one store in one week, month, year if 100 people bought $100 worth of groceries a day. (That kind of spontaneous life math is rare, hence the Math-U- See program.) The spelling bee they just read about inspired both of them to start spontaneously spelling everything and wanting me to organize a spelling bee- something they have NEVER been interested in before. Of course anything competitive appeals to Jacob. I'd better strike while that iron is hot! These are truely rich learning books.
I found a wonderful resouce of literature on the Keepers of the Faith website- and we have been thoroughly enjoying their books, projects, and building kits as well.
Micah feels so inclined for a college education, that we enrolled him in a distance Chirstian Highschool where he is taking a full load- including Bible. He mails in tests and gets transcripts and diplomas and support and all. Only around $400/year and that includes all materials (most of which we get to choose the courses and material composed from the leading homeschool curriculum). I must say he thrives in this element of structure and heavy workload and has aced his tests thus far. I have mostly been impressed with his self motivation. He plans and structures his assignments, and sticks pretty close to it, when life doesn't interfere and needs very little goading. I have been impressed and slightly surprised at his perserverance and work output and although he may not start anything till noon, he will stay at it for hours in his cave of a bedroom and surface for meals occassionally. When I think to check on his progress I find that he has done all subjects, and good quality too! I shouldn't be surprised, but I am still used to the old Micah with bad, slovenly habits. He even keeps his room clean without being told. We are most pleased with his progress, maturity and growth in many areas.
Over-all what we have learned (I hope-finally) from going from one extreme to another with everything in between, is to let the Spirit guide us. Sometimes structure works, sometimes inspired curriculum with some structure works, and sometimes no structure works and sometimes none of them work for very long, but that doesn't mean failure- it doesn't have to be one or the other or "finally! the right way!" They all have their season when God is in it. Just like religion becomes dead once man tries to contain it and own it- institutionalize and doctinize it and God has already moved on. This has been the best lesson and most freeing I might add in all my years of homeschooling. Although at first, I admit, I was desperate and condemned myself a complete failure and was so disillusioned, I gave up on this blog and started to swing back to the other extreme. So, I guess our method of schooling would be "Go With the Flow (of the Spirit, that is)."
We started to see some downsliding in basics (like math) that the kids had learned, as well as the problem of less and less inspired and spontaneous learning, so we invested in some new tools(curriculum) to urge them on through. We are trying the math-u-see manipulative/workbook program and it seems to be working out well (when it is worked)
I also bought some McGuffy reading and writing workbooks for Jacob and Hannah, which they loved at first, but now have proven a drudgery; boring, redundant, or worded/ explained so strangely that even I have a hard time wrapping my mind around it. They have some great points though and are very thorough (maybe too much so). I just don't have peace anymore sitting down with them - and Hannah seems to have blocked her mind on them now... sigh...
I still want to keep their lessons and subjects that we actually need to do. A little book work to keep moving foward (like math and basic grammar rules). Very short and simple to allow them still plenty of time to learn naturally whatever they are interested in at the time, and to pursue other activities. Some days when I see that they are inspired and motivated I will let them have all the time, if it is required.
Honestly, most of our learning lately takes place at night from reading the Little House on the Prairie series (we are on the second to last book now). It has spawned more curiosity, conversations, and rabbit trails than anything else and is something that we have all continued to enjoy with real interest and learning. One night last week we held discussions on taxes and government and we calculated how much the gov. might make from one store in one week, month, year if 100 people bought $100 worth of groceries a day. (That kind of spontaneous life math is rare, hence the Math-U- See program.) The spelling bee they just read about inspired both of them to start spontaneously spelling everything and wanting me to organize a spelling bee- something they have NEVER been interested in before. Of course anything competitive appeals to Jacob. I'd better strike while that iron is hot! These are truely rich learning books.
I found a wonderful resouce of literature on the Keepers of the Faith website- and we have been thoroughly enjoying their books, projects, and building kits as well.
Micah feels so inclined for a college education, that we enrolled him in a distance Chirstian Highschool where he is taking a full load- including Bible. He mails in tests and gets transcripts and diplomas and support and all. Only around $400/year and that includes all materials (most of which we get to choose the courses and material composed from the leading homeschool curriculum). I must say he thrives in this element of structure and heavy workload and has aced his tests thus far. I have mostly been impressed with his self motivation. He plans and structures his assignments, and sticks pretty close to it, when life doesn't interfere and needs very little goading. I have been impressed and slightly surprised at his perserverance and work output and although he may not start anything till noon, he will stay at it for hours in his cave of a bedroom and surface for meals occassionally. When I think to check on his progress I find that he has done all subjects, and good quality too! I shouldn't be surprised, but I am still used to the old Micah with bad, slovenly habits. He even keeps his room clean without being told. We are most pleased with his progress, maturity and growth in many areas.
Over-all what we have learned (I hope-finally) from going from one extreme to another with everything in between, is to let the Spirit guide us. Sometimes structure works, sometimes inspired curriculum with some structure works, and sometimes no structure works and sometimes none of them work for very long, but that doesn't mean failure- it doesn't have to be one or the other or "finally! the right way!" They all have their season when God is in it. Just like religion becomes dead once man tries to contain it and own it- institutionalize and doctinize it and God has already moved on. This has been the best lesson and most freeing I might add in all my years of homeschooling. Although at first, I admit, I was desperate and condemned myself a complete failure and was so disillusioned, I gave up on this blog and started to swing back to the other extreme. So, I guess our method of schooling would be "Go With the Flow (of the Spirit, that is)."
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