One of my greatest joys on this homeschooling journey is reading aloud to my children and previewing books for future read-alouds. Who wouldn't love rediscovering old childhood favorites and seeing children delight in them for the first time? Plus, an undiscovered gem of a story may be just around the corner!
To help guide me in my search for the best children's literature, I've consulted a number of books about reading to children. One that proved irresistible to me, simply because of its title, was The Magic Bookshelf by Janie & Richard Jarvis. The book is subtitled "A Parent's Guide to Showing Growing Minds the Path to the Best Children's Literature," and settling for nothing less than the best books for kids is its theme. This premise is explored early on in the book:
"The Roman poet Cicero called books 'the food of youth.' But let's face it. Many of us operate on the 'good enough' philosophy when it comes to our children's reading. How many times have you heard peers say: 'Well, at least he's reading something . . .' when they talk about a lack of interest in reading beyond comic books and pulpy stuff? Look at it this way. Would you you say: 'At least she's eating something . . .' if your child would only touch candy bars and soda pop? Of course not. Why, then, do many parents forget that brains, like bodies, need developing with nourishment and exercise?" (xi).
To aid us in discovering truly nourishing literary fare, the married authors include an appendix of recommended books. These recommendations are arranged by genre into the categories of Picture Books/Easy Readers, Books of Short Stories, Poetry, Non-fiction Books, and Novels. This last category is subdivided into various themes. Also included are lists of Caldecott, Newberry, and Coretta Scott King Award Winners. (Keep in mind, however, that this book was published in 1999; therefore, its lists will not be up-to-date. You can find lists of award-winning books up through the present day at the American Library Association's (ALA) website.)
Despite the emphasis on finding great volumes to page through, the book also makes the point that the benefits of an accumulation of tomes goes far beyond volumes lined up neatly on a bookshelf (or stacked in teetering piles on the floor!). The true value of reading lies in the intangible results of sharing books with our children: "But in a larger sense, a Magic Bookshelf exists in the mind: it's the collection of rich stories, characters and ideas that remains with you long after the books have been read, that becomes a part of you, that continues to delight and influence you for the rest of your days" (1).
To help us keep our children spellbound by books, the authors make practical suggestions, such as saturating our areas with books so that children can readily access reading material and continuing to read aloud to our children beyond the age when they can read for themselves.
This fairly slim volume is divided into eleven relatively short chapters: The Magic Bookshelf, Do As I Do, Good Taste Is Learned, Luring the Noninterested Reader (& the Junk Book Junkie), Book Lovers from Babyhood, The Bond between Reading & Writing, Building Your Magic Bookshelf, Choosing Books Is More Than a Label, How To Choose a Book--A Child's Way, Mixing Books with Other Media, and If Your Child Does Not Live With You.
Although not as thick as some of the other reading handbooks out there, this one includes a wealth of information. I would heartily recommend it if you are looking to lure your children into literary enchanchment.
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Tomes for Tots -- The Magic Bookshelf
Friday, May 23, 2008
Future Devotional Studies *POLL*
We have a selection of 7 wonderful, Christian books to choose from for our next devotional study. Please take a moment to vote for your favorite in the poll at the bottom of this post.
To Love, Honor and Vacuum by Sheila Wray Gregoire ($9.20)
When you feel more like a maid than a wife and a mother...
Do you feel harried? Taken for granted? Like you never have enough time in the day to get everything done that needs to get done, let alone anything that you actually want to do?
Shopping for Time by the Girl Talk Blog authors ($10.39)
Overwhelmed. Miserable. Exhausted. These are often the words that women use to describe their high-demand lifestyles. How are women who are always on the go expected to cope with the demands of work, family, and ministry?
These authors offer five tips to help ladies do it all without becoming overwhelmed: rise early, sit down, sit longer (occasionally), choose friends wisely, and take fifteen minutes. By weaving biblical principles of God’s Word into these keys, these authors give women practical advice on how to fulfill—and excel in—their daily responsibilities.
Honey, I Don’t Have a Headache Tonight by Sheila Wray Gregoire ($7.80)
Help for Women who Want to Feel More in the Mood
An "Our Pick" from Today's Christian Woman!
It's 10:00 at night. He wants to start snuggling. You want to start snoring. He feels unloved because you aren't "in the mood", and you feel unloved because he only cares about one thing.
Homeschooling with a Meek and Quiet Spirit by Teri Maxwell ($7.00)
A desire of a homeschooling mother's heart is to have a meek and quiet spirit instead of discouragement, fear, and anger. She can cope with the myriad of daily difficulties and decisions that a homeschooling lifestyle brings with it, as long as she is having the right responses to them. Let her be fearful, worried, anxious, frustrated, irritated, or angry and a mom soon realizes she is undermining all she wants to accomplish by homeschooling.
Because Teri Maxwell, a mother of eight, has walked the homeschooling path since 1985, she knows first-hand the struggle for a meek and quiet spirit. The memories from her early homeschooling years of often being worried and angry rather than having a meek and quiet spirit are not what she would like them to be.
Homeschooling but still married: how to be a great wife, even though you homeschool by Todd Wilson ($7.00)
Are you having trouble finding the time and energy to meet the needs of your husband after a hard day of homeschooling? Maybe you've forgotten what his needs are. Would you like your husband to take a more active role in homeschooling? Have you tried nagging but that just pushed him further away? Your relationship with your husband is the key to a successful homeschool. It is the secret ingredient to increasing his involvement. But be careful because homeschooling is like a black hole. It will consume everything in its path if you let it - your energy, your free time, your relationships, and tragically, even your marriage. *This book has been updated to include a homeschool group study guide!*
Mission of Motherhood by Sally Clarkson ($11.19)
Motherhood can be one of the greatest, noblest, or fullest callings a woman can have. Every day, as mothers nurture their children, they influence eternal destiny as no one else can...Today's culture minimizes the vital importance of a mother's role. By catching a vision of God's original design and allowing it to shape their lives, mothers can rediscover the joy and fulfillment built into the strategic role to which God has called them; for a purpose far greater than they can imagine...Using practical examples, personal anecdotes, a challenging vision, and sound scriptural support, Sally Clarkson upholds the traditional biblical view of God's plan for motherhood; giving mothers exactly the support they need to persevere in cultivating and sharing their hearts for God, for their children, and for their homes.
Family Driven Faith by Dr. Voddie Baucham Jr. ($13.59)
More teens are turning away from the faith than ever before: it is estimated that 75 to 88% of Christian teens walk away from Christianity by the end of their freshman year of college. Something must be done.
Family Driven Faith equips Christian parents with the tools they need to raise children biblically in a post-Christian, anti-family society. Voddie Baucham, who with his wife has overcome a multi-generational legacy of broken and dysfunctional homes, shows that God has not left us alone in raising godly children. He has given us timeless precepts and principles for multi-generational faithfulness, especially in Deuteronomy 6. God’s simple command to Moses to teach the Word diligently to the children of Israel serves as the foundation of Family Driven Faith.
Which book are you most interested in for the next devotional book study?
Getting the Men Folk in the Mix
With Father's Day around the corner, we at Heart of the Matter already have some special articles, giveaways and just plain fun up our sleeves! And right now, we could really use some help.
If y'all would be so kind, we have a few questions that we'd like your MEN folk to answer. Some of their replies may be used in an article during Dad's Week... anonymously, of course! (We wouldn't want anyone to get in trouble during their special week now, would we?)
If your dear man would like to participate, please cut and paste the following questions into an e-mail and send it to marsha@heartofthemattermagazine.com.
Thank you SO much for your input and your participation! We are eagerly anticipating a little insight into the minds of all of the fabulous dad's out there!
*****
Although we are dying to know the answers to all of these questions, you do not have to answer every single one. But we would be much obliged if you would answer as many as you can!
1. What do you wish your wife would understand more about you?
2. What would be your perfect day?
3. What is the most ingenious or oddest use you've found for duct tape?
4. If you didn't have to consider your wife's preferences, what would be your perfect date night?
5. What gift would you rather receive?
A. Favorite Meal
B. Power Tool of choice
C. Intimacy
D. An evening alone at home-- no wife, no kids, just quiet.
6. What does your wife do that REALLY makes you want to run and hide?
7. What could your wife do to make your daily homecoming pleasant?
8. What is your greatest reservation about homeschooling?
9. What makes you feel loved?
10. Is there a way that you show love to your wife that she doesn't always notice or appreciate?
11. What would your typical school day look like if you took over for the day?
12. What is your favorite thing to do with your kids?
13. Why do men save everything?
14. What are some creative ways husbands and wives can spend time together, without actually having a "night out"?
Great Outdoors As A Classroom Meme
Please link directly to your "Great Outdoors As A Classroom" post. Failure to leave a direct link will result in the removal of your name from Mr. Linky.
The schedule for the theme of the homeschool meme is located in the right column under "Blog With Us". Please check it out to view upcoming themes.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Confessions of a Curricaholic - Take 2
Stressed. Overwhelmed. Guilty.
That is how I felt last year when I looked around at the overflowing bookcases, unopened (educational!) games in the closet, and my expanding need/want list for the next school year. How in the world could I get all of this curriculum under control? Was there a way to turn this situation around? Would I be able to get what I needed for the next year?
Let me tell you, my home was not pleasant when I got like this. I turned into one mean and grumpy, ugly bear of a momma! And you would think that after having a few years of homeschooling under my belt, I would've known better. But noooooo... Instead, I got carried away and took those few extra years to accumulate more STUFF! That just sat there! All of these good ideas and wonderful bargains wasted because they didn't fit into our lesson plans at all for the entire year... or three.
So what's a momma bear to do?
I did what we discussed in my previous post-- wrote down goals for each of my children, created a simple budget for my homeschool (you could make yours more elaborate than my pencil jotted notes on a .10 cent spiral notebook), and made an inventory of what I already had in my educational arsenal...er, resource library. And guess what? It worked!
I ended up having two extra-jumbo plastic bins of used curriculum on my hands! I quickly carted it all down to my (not so) local homeschool book store. This store was worth the drive to the other side of town because they actually bought used curriculum. Can you believe that they actually gave me money for all of that? And I'm not talking pocket change either-- but a whopping $327!!!
CHAAA-CHING!
(See? I told you I had a lot of stuff--those pics up there are understatements!)
Since I was already at this store-o-plenty (and since gas wasn't cheap!), I scoured the shelves, nooks and crannies, selecting almost all of what I needed for the next school year. With the money they gave me in hand, I had a blast picking and choosing, hemming and hawing.
If it wasn't for the make-your-own moccasin kits and giving in to the requests of my 3yo that he just had to have the wooden stacking-sorter-puzzle thingy, I might have walked out of that store with enough leftover money for a grande white chocolate mocha to drink on the drive home. But alas, the willpower... it left me.
If you do not have a homeschool store-o-plenty near you, there are other options available for both the selling and the buying of your homeschool curriculum and other interesting items. Our local homeschool support group, for example, organizes a yearly curriculum sale and swap. Perhaps you can organize one in your area too!
For online sources, there is eBay, Homeschool Buy, Used Homeschool Curriculum, HSLDA's Curriculum Market, Homeschool Classifieds, and the Homeschool Lounge's Used Curriculum Buy/Sell group.
Do you have a favorite place to purchase your new (or new to you) curriculum? I would love to hear the sources you use or any other ideas for getting rid of selling or swapping your used curriculum!
Okay, now go clean out your closets and shelves and let me know if you have any goodies in there!
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Feeling Forgotten?
Do you ever feel forgotten in a room full of people? Do you ever wonder if your children have felt this way? The thought has crossed my mind. Not because I'm wonderfully intuitive (I'm rather thick, actually), but because it's presented itself directly right in front of me - right there. In front of me.
This both astounded and surprised me. How could it be? I'm with my children 24/7 - I am with them constantly. But then it happened,
My little girl has not been herself lately. She's been moody, emotional, cheeky and a wee bit argumentative. I thought it was developmental. I chalked it up to a phase. Then it happened again,
"When can we do something fun, Mommy?"
I ran through the check list in my head. I could think of quite a few fun things we did lately that definitely came under the fun category. I didn't understand what the problem could be. She has had play dates, and extra curricular activities. Loosely structured school work has been focused on science and hand on projects. Not to mention the birthday parties and time spent with Daddy. What was she talking about? (did I mention I was thick?)
Then I realized that I had missed the mark completely. How could I have not seen it before? I didn't understand how one person could be with another for prolonged periods of time, and still feel lonely. Now I get it. I've been teaching. I been providing. I've been taking care of things. But I have failed to meet somebody's needs.
God is merciful.
As I write this, my little one had just snuck into my room - long after I had tucked her in. Oh, she disguised it with some clever little questions, but I knew what she needed. I pulled her into my arms and snuggled her close. I answered her questions with little kisses and let her stay there for a few more minutes.
God is gracious.
Tomorrow I plan on spending a little one on one time with my youngest daughter. Perhaps we'll play a game, perhaps I'll read to her as long as she wants, perhaps I'll make her favorite breakfast. Mostly; I'll be ready to pull her close, and just be with her.
God is forgiving.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
The Price of Professional Development
Please welcome guest contributor Andrea to Heart of the Matter! We are sure you will all be blessed as she reminds us of the importance of taking care of ourselves! Thank you Andrea.There is an old phrase called 'Mother Culture' used by homeschoolers who follow a Charlotte Mason approach to education. I ran a google search on the Ambleside Online site and was surprised to find that Charlotte Mason herself did not use the term, it appeared only in a parent's review article.
Is there not some need for "mother culture"? ...Then she can listen to her children, and perhaps do a little thinking--not about frocks and foods, but about characters, and how to deal with them; or she can take a book, and "grow" that way.
From a Parent's Review article, 1892-93
The term irks me somewhat. It conjures up meanings in my mind that are completely contrary to what is intended by the phrase. Each time I hear the term 'mother culture' I cannot help but think of the 'mommy eating bonbons and watching soap operas' stereotype, the mommy wars between the stay at home and working mothers, the mommies carting their children to preschool dance classes and infant swim lessons. I think of what the concept of 'mother' is in our current culture. Instead, 'Mother culture' is actually meant to convey the idea that mothers should take some time out of 'mothering' to read books, go for walks, explore their own interests.
So, when I hear the term 'mother culture' I mentally substitute 'professional development', which might not accurately represent the concept either. As a teacher, whether it is of my own children or of other people's children, I am a professional. It took awhile to get out of the 'I'm just a housewife' mind set, but it was very helpful once I did.
The wisest woman I ever knew--the best wife, the best mother, the best mistress, the best friend--told me once, when I asked her how, with her weak health and many calls upon her time, she managed to read so much, "I always keep three books going--a stiff book, a moderately easy book, and a novel, and I always take up the one I feel fit for.
Taken from the same article as the above passage.
Last summer I picked up a copy of a book called 'The Well-Educated Mind'. It is a reading guide to the great books of classic literature for adults. I started at the beginning of her list with Don Quixote. It took me almost 4 months to finish that book. I soon saw the wisdom in having several books on the go.I'm now working my way through Jane Eyre (I skipped a few books in between). It is challenging to find time in the day to read the classics. I had grabbed a moment on the weekend when the boys were visiting their grandparents. The house was calm and quiet, except for the Chickadee, who would appear halfway through each paragraph with her loud and demanding requests, "Want cereal!", "Diaper!", "Outside!", "Stroller!", "Want cereal!". I finally relented by handing her a mostly empty container of Rice Krispies.
I returned to my novel, snuggled a little deeper into the couch, and managed to read a good section of the book, uninterrupted at last. Every now and then I would sneak a glance at the Chickadee. She was contentedly shoveling Rice Krispie dust into her mouth, most of which was making a sizeable mess on the carpet. Her little arm would reach down into the depths of the container as she tried to extract every last bit of crunchy goodness.When she had finished, most of my living room carpet was covered with a fine layer of Rice Krispie powder. However, I did find out whether or not Jane married Mr. Rochester in the end.
Andrea is mom to 3 young children, ages 5, 3 and 18 months. They began homeschooling a year ago when they took their oldest son out of Junior Kindergarten. Before embarking on her adventures in motherhood, Andrea was a public school teacher and a park naturalist. The family resides in beautiful Canada. Visit Andrea and her beautiful children at Kids and Nature.
Monday, May 19, 2008
Win a one-year subscription to Family Fun Magazine!
Update!!
The winners are:
1. Chickadee of A Familiar Path
2. Alissa Allen
3. Karen Woodward of For Such a Time as Now
4. Tristan RowLee
How would you like to win a one year subscription to Family Fun Magazine? We are giving away FOUR subscriptions!
For your chance to win this prize, leave us a comment describing one of your favorite family activities.
Comments will be closed Friday, May 23rd at 10pm EST and the winner will be announced on Sunday in our new weekly newsletter. So please go subscribe!
As always please make sure you leave your email address or that it is listed on your profile or blog. If we can't email you, you can't win. This giveaway is open to US residents only.
Homeschooling? Encourage!
When I recently bumped into someone I knew, it brought me back to my homeschool beginnings. It was this particular person who I had sat with at a flower sale outside a grocery store one spring day twenty-one years ago. A person who first mentioned the word "homeschooling" to me.
Homeschooling? I had never heard of such a thing! As she shared how they were going to begin homeschooling their oldest that upcoming fall, I immediately became intrigued. Ever since I was a little girl lining my dolls up on little chairs to play school and then pursuing the goal of becoming a teacher with some college education, this new idea of homeschooling seemed like a perfect fit for a mom like me who loved being home with her children.
Homeschooling? Since it was a concept I hadn't heard of before, this person gladly shared a couple of books with me about the topic and gave me the name of the person who had been so helpful in providing her with resources. One book led to another as I couldn't get enough to read. One phone conversation with a veteran homeschooling mom led me to many options to check out as well as more phone conversations. And it all began with one random conversation with a new friend to lead me on my homeschooling journey.
Homeschooling? Having been blessed at the beginning of our educational years by people willing to take time to assist, support, and encourage me, I now am glad to do the same for others. Often I've received calls from people I've never met - such as the ones who heard from a friend who has a sister who works with her husband's dentist's cousin three times removed - who have heard about our family's homeschooling and are interested in information for themselves. Often they are looking for the legal aspects, the costs, the curriculum, the daily schedule, the socialization issues, the general "how do you do it" kind of things. And often I've taken time to assist them as I was so blessed by homeschooling moms back in my beginning years.
Are you a veteran homeschooling mom? I do hope that you had supportive people in your beginnings that through their encouragement have made YOU an encourager in the lives of new families wanting to learn more about homeschooling. Are you a mom seeking information about homeschooling? I do hope that you will connect with those who have experienced some homeschooling years already as their wisdom and experience hold great value and knowledge. And if you are reading this right now, then I don't have to hope but already know that you've found a wonderful resource at Heart of the Matter for your homeschooling years whether you are a veteran homeschooler or someone seeking to know more as you consider this option.
"May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every deed and word." ~ II Thessalonians 2:16-17
As the verse says, we have an awesome example of encouragement available to us. May we follow that example not just in homeschooling, but all areas of our life . To be encouragers of one another. And isn't that really the heart of the matter?
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Around The Web In 12 Links
Today I am going to take you on a tour that will break the boundaries of the literary world as you know. I want to introduce you to the world of Language. As you know, there are hundreds of different languages that color the world we live in. However, today I am choosing to focus on one that you are very familiar with - The American Language - English. I chose this beautiful language because it seems to be the most difficult language to learn. Not only do visitors from other countries find it hard to learn, but our very own children also struggle with spelling, grammar, and creative writing. Therefore, I thought it would be fun to cover the world of the English language in 12 links. I hope that you will be able to use these special "mom tested" weblinks on your own homeschool journey.
First, we are going to take a stop at Learning Vocabulary This is a no membership website where you will find it fun to build your child's vocabulary skills. There are lots of games and interactive on-line worksheets. Fun for all ages.
Then, our second and third stop will be at DiscoveryEducation and Spelling Time. Discovery Education is a no membership site that is easy to use. You can make spelling puzzles and crossword puzzles out of your own spelling words. Spelling Time is also a no membership site designed specifically as an interactive learning tool for your child. This site will change your child's attitude about spelling by giving them the confidence they need to succeed in school. Both of these sites are interactive online spelling programs for children grades 1 through 5. Enjoy the fun!
Our fourth and fifth stop has to do with Grammar. Although this is probably the most important part of developing the English language, most students/teachers stumble through their workbooks hoping to grasp what they can. Therefore, these two weblinks are so helpful and shared frequently within the homeschool arena. First we have Guide To Grammar. This is one weblink you'll want to bookmark. This is a free site that will help explain all those mind boggling terms that stump us in grammar. For example, you will learn what is a preposition and how it is different from a direct object and how they used in a sentence. There are even great pin-pointed exercises that you can print. Daily Grammar Lessons is also a free website that offers grammar lesson plans and worksheets. Some worksheets are purchasable products while others are offered free of cost.
Our next stop in the world of the English Language is the land of reading. How wonderful it is to read. So many books take us on adventures we can only dream about. Teaching our children to read is one of the most important things in life. This is why I have chosen to take a longer stay on this island. I have five weblinks to share. Kidsread.com is an excellent website for the younger readers. Lots of helpful advice for parents/teachers with resources about authors, books that have been made into movies and series. You'll find about new paperbacks and so much more. The Reading Tub is also a great reading site for parent/teachers who have young children. It's a children's book review site. Seriously, this site is dedicated to promoting reading and literacy. It's a great way to find great books you and your children will love to share. In fact, you'll learn ways to encourage your child's love of reading. One of the most popular reading sites is TLS Books. It's no membership website that offers a variety of free printable worksheets for home and school use. It's a great tool to find supplemental material for your early childhood education program, home day care, elementary school classroom or homeschool. For the preschool child, there is Beginning Reading. You'll find Preschool material and lesson plans that will help get your child interested in reading. Free printables are available and much more. The last reading weblink that I am sharing today is called Starfall. You've probably heard of this site before. It seems to make an appearance on blogs around the world. It's a great website that is interactive. No membership is required, yet it is so fun. Any student from preschool through 2nd Grade can find fun on this site. It offers help with reading through fun interactive activities.
My last stop is a quick one. In fact, we'll visit two more weblinks before our tour ends. The first stop is Exhibits Collections. On this website you will learn what makes a good story and how to put your information all together. You will be guided through topics including the atmosphere, oceans, and ecosystems, as well as the impact of human activities and population growth on water and food resources, biodiversity, energy use, and global pollution. It's a site for the older student in your home, but well worth you stop. Then, our last stop is one that you'll want to bookmark, too. It's a dictionary sort of weblink. It's called Word Central. It's a website designed by the Merriam-Webster's dictionary called Word Central. It has superior word power and lots of language fun activities. You can build your own dictionary on-line, create a daily buzz word and even play games! It's a great resource for student and teacher.
That concludes my guided tour through the American English Language. I hope you enjoyed your tour. Be sure to visit these wonderful weblinks when you get a change. I am sure you will find the most helpful in your homeschooling. For more weblinks in different worlds of study, please visit http://weblinkeducation.com/ - I am always adding more weblinks for more adventure! I will also be back here at The Heart Of The Matter next month for another educational tour in 12 links. Be sure to join me...
June Unit Study: Medievel Times
Send us your ideas! The unit study will be posted on June 1st.
