2009 May | Heart of the Matter

May 31, 2009 By Karin Leave a Comment

Your chance to regroup, take a breath, and begin your life again
awaits in the simple wisdom and heartwarming story of a man named Jones.

It’s not very often that you come across a book that is equal parts self-help, motivational, inspiration and heartwarming tale. But that is exactly what Andy Andrews latest book, The Noticer (Thomas Nelson;2009) is. Filled with common wisdom and uncommon perspective the book captures the lives of characters who are struggling with poverty, failing marriage, lost dreams, old age, business failures, homelessness and more, until an old drifter named Jones comes into their lives. Jones has a gift for seeing what other people miss, and showing up just when you need him, only to leave just as quickly after giving the gift of perspective.

“Sometimes, all a person needs is a little perspective.“ Jones

The book is a very engaging and manageable read, because of this, The Noticer is an excellent choice for book clubs with its handy “reader’s guide” and discussion questions at the end. Even if you are not part of a book club you will benefit from pondering the discussion questions, which much like the book, will no doubt cause you gain a little better perspective on your life and it’s many blessings.

Those who enjoy the book will want to visit The Noticer Project website, to learn more about how you can participate in a world wide movement to “notice” the five most influencial people in your life.

Karin Katherine is a proud stay-at-home mother of four who feels blessed to be the mother of 5 year old fraternal twin boys and two daughters, ages three and 10 months. You are invited to follow her homeschooling adventures at www.PassportAcademy.com and her adventures as a mother, wife, homemaker, decorator and organizer at www.MommyMattersBlog.com

Share and Enjoy:

May 31, 2009 By Karin 1 Comment

Teach Your Children to Pray by Denise George is an encouraging inspirational book that provides the WHY and HOW TO’s on teaching your children to pray faithfully. This book is an encouragement for all parents but may be especially useful for new Christian parents or those who may not have had the opportunity to learn from a faithful prayer warrior.

Each bite-size chapter includes several easily implemented (and creative) suggestions that you can incorporate immediately with your children. Denise George’s encouraging tone and concrete suggestions will help you fulfill one of the most important jobs you have as a parent—-teaching your children to pray so that they can have a personal relationship with God.

A few take-aways from the book include:

We must teach our children to pray because:
Children need a lifelong loving relationship with their Heavenly Father. They can accomplish this only through prayer.
The gift of prayer is the greatest inheritance we can give our children.
Prayer education must begin in the home.

Suggestions for teaching your child to pray:

Time is limited with young children so at first read only from the bible. As your child matures add other sources such as daily devotions…
List some creative ways you can pray together as a family.
Explain to your children frequently why teaching them to pray is so important to you.

During your devotional time as a family:

Prayer should always be geared towards the youngest child make this child feel just as important as the first born.
Read the Psalms. A different Psalm each evening. Construct a prayer wall in each child’s bedroom

Ideas to put ‘legs’ to your children’s prayer:

As a family, share what prayer means to you with another family in your church or community. Give your children special opportunities to frequently share their faith with others. This teaches them to witness naturally and easily to those around them.
Tell your child often that you are proud of who she is becoming in Christ.

Included in the book is a chapter on holiday prayer ideas and a question & answer section on everything related to introducing prayer to your children.

Share and Enjoy:

May 30, 2009 By Marsha 5 Comments

I’ve got a newsflash for y’all. My boys are starting to grow up! Bit by bit and before I even realized it, they went from newborn baby blobs to crawling critters, from walkers to runners to riding their bikes, reading and even making me breakfast!

Perhaps you mommy’s of teenagers would cringe a little, but this mommy of the under 10 set is currently reveling in the delightful deliciousness of a breakfast that someone else prepared and served me! A previously frozen sausage kolache and a big ole glass of milk never tasted so good! (Now if I could just trust them enough to make me a latte…)

Truth be told, I have not always been so apt at training my young’uns to be self sufficient and useful! This is especially true with my poor guinea pig of a first child. He was supremely pampered in that I did almost everything for him… be it brushing his teeth, changing his clothes, washing his hair, or buckling him into his carseat… on and on the list goes. Eventually, I turned into a little robot on automatic pilot doing things for him that, quite frankly, he could do for himself!

It took a dear friend to bring me to my senses. Since she knew I was a defensive type of person (read: stubborn and proud and difficult), she worded her thoughts in a very clever manner. She said, “Marsha, I challenge you to let him put his own pants on.”

What?! You think that little 3yo is capable of such a demanding task? (I know… I know! I laugh at my old self now…)

Anyhow, my ever so sly friend used that word challenge. Uh… that’s like saying I triple-dog-dare-you. It’s a throwdown when you use that word. Bring it, girlfriend! There was absolutely no way I was going to fail this challenge even if it killed me.

But it didn’t kill me (or my boys)!

In fact, it was SO easy. It’s amazing how a child can live up to your expectations, whether they be high ones or low ones (like mine apparently had been). Not only could that boy put on his own pants the right way (aka not backwards), but he could also put his shirt on (sometimes backwards) as well as his socks (fortunately, there is no right foot/left foot with socks– too bad there’s an upside down– drat!).

**Cue the choir** I had a thought: If he can dress himself, what else can he do???

Oh the possibilities were endless! For a brief moment, I pictured myself living in the lap of luxury as he waited on me hand and foot. But then I pictured him saying You just had us kids so we could be your slaves! Okay, that wasn’t going to work. The last thing I need is for my kid to be bratty like I was when I was a teenager little kid!

Fast forward almost 7 years and a couple kids later. I am still needing the occasional challenge from my friend– challenging me to allow my kids to do certain things that they are fully capable of doing, if only I would let them.

Sometimes it would be as simple as letting them fix their own drinks at lunchtime or putting their clean clothes away. Other times it would be a bit more challenging like figuring out how to play DVDs with the bzillions of surround sound speakers blaring correctly.

This should also be applied to our homeschool. While we all want our kids to be independent learners down the road, what are we doing now to reach that goal? A breakthrough moment for me was to make a simple chart with the week’s lesson plans for each child. When they actually saw what would be required of them for the week, they began to take charge of their individual lessons and forged ahead with that extra page of math or the reading assignment for the day (or even the whole week). Talk about encouraging!

Some things that should be obvious (like the whole pants thing) are not always obvious to me– I can be as dense as a leftover fruitcake in July! That is why I truly appreciate feedback from good friends (both in real life and in the blogosphere).

Do any of you veteran mommies or home educators have any challenges that you’d like to issue? Have you had any simple “Aha!” revelations that you can share with your friends? I triple-dog-dare you to speak up. (Oh yes I did!) Not only might your friend benefit in some of your been-there-done-that wisdom, but you might find yourself positively challenged in return!

marsha Marsha is proud to be the Mrs. to David for over 12 years. They have been homeschooling their rowdy boys in the Lone Star State for over 5 years. When she’s feeling like a slacker, you can find her drinking coffee, reading a book and writing at her blog — and sometimes all at the same time! You can find Marsha at Our Homeschool and Other Such Happenings.

Share and Enjoy:

May 30, 2009 By Karin Leave a Comment

Appropriate for K-2 emergent readers, Phonics Pathways (Jossey-Bass; 2005 9th edition) teaches students the rudiments of phonics and spelling in a practical well organized manner. Sounds and spelling patterns are introduced one at a time and are then slowly built into words, syllables, phrases and finally, sentences. The sounds and syllables are learned in the same way math is learned—by pattern and order of complexity. This multi-sensory method addresses all learning styles and is also effective for those with learning disabilities, such as dyslexia.

As determined by the National Reading Panel, children who learn to read through a systematic,k sequential, and explicit phonics-based approach make more progress than children who learn to read without such instruction.

One of the features that sets Phonics Pathways apart from other Phonics programs is that reading and spelling are taught as an integrated unit. Accuracy in reading and spelling is taught in the very first lesson! Author and educator Dolores G. Hiskes believes that teaching them together enhances and reinforces both skills.

If we are limited to reading only words we know, and guessing at new words through context clues, we are confined within the boundaries of our current vocabularies and thoughts, interpreting things only from within our own shallow perspectives.
Phonics Pathways page xiii

Fun (reproducible) learning games are sprinkled throughout the book and help reinforce concepts in a way that seems less like study work and more like entertainment. Additional supplemental games are available for purchase, but are not required. Although it is advisable to follow the lessons in order, they are not numbered so that the teacher and student(s) may progress at their own pace. The book’s layout is attractive and uses 24-point letters in its lessons for easier reading by both teacher and student.

Lower case letters are primarily featured as that is what the child will see most on the page as they begin to read independently. It is recommended that students progress at least to page 49 before attempting to read Early Readers for the first time. This will give them the most practice with the sight words they are likely to encounter and reduce frustration.

In my opinion this is not a book that you finish in a school year but rather one that you progress through over 2 or more years, depending on your child. It can be used as an entire reading curriculum or a supplement to an existing one. There is no written teaching script, teachers guide or workbook and the text varies between addressing the student directly and offering random Teaching Tips to the instructor. Parents who prefer detailed instructions or lesson plans should consider this before purchasing.

Spelling strategies are detailed on pages 238-243 and a variety of manipulatives such as magnetic or tile letters, chalk boards, or individual white boards are suggested and encouraged. Eclectic homeschoolers or those who love to piece together their own curriculum or supplemental activities will find many opportunities to do so while using this guide.

For more information download the FREE Guide to Phonics Pathways and Reading Pathways.

Share and Enjoy:

$Review: Dinah Zike’s Big Book of Math$

May 30, 2009 By Karin Leave a Comment

Educational consultant, lecturer, and author, Dinah Zike has invented hundreds of educational manipulatives and created over 150 supplemental educational books and materials that are used in homes and classrooms nationally. In her book, Big Book of Math (Dinah-Might Adventures; 2003) Dinah provides instructions and templates to create over 35 foldables in addition to reproducible math graphics and activities.

Included in the book are graphics & activities on:

Currency
Clocks
Calendar
Rulers
Systems of measurement
Liquid measurement
Cylinders & Flasks
Thermometers
Fractional Parts
Music Notes
Two and three-dimensional shapes
3-D models
Tangrams
Protractors & rulers
Place value graphics
Student Addition Table
Student multiplication table
Addition, subtraction, multiplication and division flash cards

This is a wonderful resource for parents and teachers of elementary age students.
You may also visit Dinah Zike’s website for more information including seminar dates.

Share and Enjoy:

May 29, 2009 By Angela 2 Comments

It’s Friday again! Come out and play with us! I loved seeing everyone’s replies this past week. Now I want to know you a little bit better.

Share and Enjoy:

May 29, 2009 By Debra 1 Comment

I have always held that summer is a great time for learning and while we stop our academics my kids continue in their social, physical and delight-directed learning. But what about me? I have found that I become a bit of a taxi driver in the summer taking them from camp to playdate to lesson. At the end of the summer I look at my half-checked to-do list and think, “Where did my time go?” “What did I accomplish?” “Who did I become?”

This summer I’m being intentional. I’ve made a list of priorities and I’m penciling them into my own lesson plan with that Type-A adage ringing in my head that if I fail to plan then I plan to fail. So here is my lesson plan:

Reading: My reading list is all mapped out. I include different genres: homeschooling methods, spirituality, American literature and this year I’m adding a biography. What do you want to read that you’ve been putting off? What will help you grow in a new way? What will prepare you for life ahead? Put it on your list and have silent reading time every day.

Writing: I plan to contribute to a couple blogs, journal every evening (bullet-point journaling helps me get this done), include our families stories in our scrapbooks, write curriculum for next year and begin a rough outline for a bigger project. What do you need to get out of your head and down on paper for your eyes only or for the pleasure of others? Your writing projects may differ, but get yourself a new notebook and get busy with them (out in the sunshine with a glass of iced tea).

P.E.: Not only do I have 10 pounds I’d like to walk off, but I intend to go outside and play WITH my kids rather than send them out on their own. So, between our backyard soccer games, walks and www.hundredpushups.com, I’m going to be very intentional about moving my body more. I also plan to rest more. The two go hand in hand if I’m going to be holistically healthy.

Art: This is the hardest one for me to commit to because it feels like I’m playing and not taking care of things. But I’m being intentional here. Not only do I intend to streamline our family scrapbooks, but I am determined to work on a few art pieces for our new home. I’m not a painter, but I’m going to try. Maybe you need to pencil in time to knit, craft or paint. Growing in a skill and creating is not wasted time.

Communications: I plan to be more intentional about relationships this summer. Having just moved to a new area I’m writing down coffees, book groups, park days and co-op mom’s night out on my schedule. My kids also rate pretty high in my relationship queue this summer so I’m taking off my teacher hat and we’re going to hang out daily at our local playground, walk and talk on our local trails, and read some books out under a tree that I’ve been waiting to enjoy with them. My husband is not to be forgotten either. Date nights aren’t a consistent reality for us, but this summer they will be and I already know where we’re going. Now I just need a babysitter.

Maybe your intentional summer lesson plan includes Applied Science (horticulture? architecture?), Geography (road trip?), or Home Economics (culinary arts? human development?). Whatever your plan entails, be intentional about what you’d like to learn and produce, and who you’d like to do it with. The goal isn’t to have a degree by the end of summer, but to grow a degree and look back at the summer not as lost time but as time well spent.

Debra Anderson has been married to her true companion for 15 years and has three sons under age 10. Debra’s passions are education, art, her husband, church ministry and missional living — not in that order. She has served as her co-op’s coordinator in Portland, Oregon and is a new resident of the Denver metro area. Debra has her seminary Masters degree in Christian Education and has always home educated their boys — even on the hard days. She maintains a blog at www.emergent-homeschool.blogspot.com.

Share and Enjoy:

May 29, 2009 By Debbie 2 Comments

It’s summertime! Well, almost (I’m trying to think ahead more). The majority of schools are finished for the year, and if your homeschool is anything like ours, the fizzle began the first nice spring day we had. In our house, as soon as it starts getting nice outside, it gets more and more difficult to finish up those last few months of schoolwork. Anyone else have that problem?

One way we tackled the end of the year ‘drudges’ was to start planning our summer projects. You may think that would intensify the problem, but actually, it became the carrot at the end of the stick! Of course, we’re all familiar with the next stage that comes about 2-3 weeks after school is done, and that’s the ‘I’m bored’ phase.

Helping your teen start a small business over the summer can solve both of these problems. In theory, now that school is finished for the year, you finally have the extra time (extra? funny, I know…) to do something about that great idea your teen has been mulling over. It can also help pay for all those expensive summertime activities the kids are already asking for. We only have 4 kids, which in homeschool-land is not many, but when you multiply anything by 6 (4 kids + 2 parents), just going to McDonald’s can be expensive!

Summer is the perfect time to grow and sell things, shop yard sales for treasures to resell, have your own yard sale, help vacationing neighbors care for their yards and pets, all while solving the money crunch and keeping boredom complaints at bay. Transforming what is often dreaded extra work for pocket money into a small business can be fun and exciting summertime boredom busters.

Here’s just a few ideas to get those entrepreneurial gears rolling:

Good ole Lemonade Stands! (Branch out in what you offer with the lemonade. One young lady sold her homemade jewelry alongside her natural lemonade and did very well.)
Yard Sales-your own, or organize them for others.
Garage Cleaner/Organizer
Elderly Care
Lawn Care
Garden Care
Grow/Sell Cut Flowers or Herbs
Babysit, or start a Babysitting Service*
Pet Sitting, Grooming, Walking
Make/Sell Natural Pet Treats
Mother’s Helper Services
Recycle Coordinator
Make/Sell Baked Goods

Trying to keep the learning in summer earning is especially difficult, I think because mentally we ‘clock out’ of school mode during the summer. Realizing everyone needs a break from school at some point, the key is to keep it simple. The most important activity to remember is to keep good records. A fun free tool you can create from an online template can be found at: http://www.pocketmod.com/. Customize it to your business and it can be carried in your back pocket with one of those little golf pencils to record details easily forgotten later.

Be sure to at least designate a place (a shoebox does nicely) to keep all receipts, notes, addresses to organize later. Ideally, starting a spiral notebook or a 3 ring binder with some dividers and a few envelopes for receipts is perfect. Keep a daily journal of activities in your business, writing down everything from money spent AND received and what it was for to customer contacts and ‘light-bulb’ ideas you don’t want to forget. Include in the notes customer contacts and addresses, new ideas, comments, complaints from customers, agreements made (like they promised to call someone back, or to mow their lawn next Thursday, etc) and supplies needed. Naturally, this will vary depending on what business you are operating.

Rainy days are perfect for organizing all this information into learning mode, making business cards and flyers, and reorganizing. You may need to help them create their notebook, resolve complaints, and come up with new ideas, but encourage them to do as much as they can on their own. Be enthusiastic about their ideas, helping them “think of it” themselves or to think through an unrealistic idea. You never know, what might seem like a not-so-great idea, might make a big hit. Remember Pet Rocks?

Last, but not least, insist on maintaining impeccable integrity including being thankful and giving back. Encourage them to think of a way to thank their customers for their business, immediately after the sale and/or months later. Help them think of ways to give back, in addition to their tithing. Some examples might be giving free or discounted service to those in need, or taking extra flowers or bread to a nursing home.

Attitude is everything. Enjoying work and appreciating their customers is a mindset, and is usually taught….or caught. Many a time my eyes were opened to a blind spot of my own while correcting an attitude that was merely being reflected in one of my now-grown children. ….but that’s another blog.

Enjoy your summer, AND your children! They grow up fast.

Bob & Debbie Maubach live in middle T and have been homeschooling for 20 years. With three of four of their ‘entrepreneurs’ graduated (all homeschooled, of course!), they are now spending more time helping other homeschoolers make home business a fun and profitable part of their homeschool. You can read more about them at their website, www.Homeschool-Entrepreneur.com.

Share and Enjoy:

May 29, 2009 By Karin Leave a Comment

My Calendar Book by Christian Light Publications can be used as a math supplement for grades 1-3.
This consumable book includes the following activities:

Calendar Pages
Students track weather in a variety of ways each monthly, write the dates and year on each calendar page, color a seasonal picture and answer brief questions regarding their findings that month.

Graphs and Charts
Students create a variety of graphs and charts.

Calendar Facts
Students learn calendar facts such as the days of the week, seasons, months, etc.

Ordinal numbers
Students are taught ordinal numbers 1st-100th
Clock
And a very brief illustration is included on the the clock. It is not enough to teach telling time but rather just an introduction to the parts of a clock.

7 pages of teaching tips and instruction is included in the back of the workbook. Priced at only $4.90 (at time of publication) this workbook is a wonderful supplement to any existing math program or is a good study in itself of the calendar.

Share and Enjoy:

May 29, 2009 By Karin Leave a Comment

If you are looking for a way to extend your child’s handwriting practice or even handwriting curriculum, look no further than McRuffy Press’ Flip and Draw Traditional Handwriting Letter Practice Sheets. These reproducible or reusable spiral bound workbooks are affordable ($4.50 from Rainbow Resources) and easy to use. The surprisingly simple, and yet ingenious design of including a clear plastic sheet bound on the right-hand side of the page, makes it possible for the child to practice multiple times using a dry erase marker to trace the letters and complete the exercises, in addition to completing them with pencil directly onto the worksheet. If your child is reluctant to practice his or her handwriting I can assure you that an opportunity to use this workbook with a dry erase marker and eraser is all the motivation they will need!