Darcy | Heart of the Matter

August 22, 2010 By Darcy 19 Comments

not back to school

This week is Day in the Life!

Show us, tell us – video, photograph or narrate – a day in your homeschool. This is our chance to see your little class’s personality.

Just a few very important notes about the blog hop:

To add your link, click the small blue button that says “Add your link” at the very bottom of the post. Please do not leave your link in the comment section of this post.

Do not create an empty “placeholder” post to save your link high up in the blog hop list. If there is no substance or school room information in your post, it will be removed.

You must link to your blog post permalink, not your plain blog URL. If you do not link to your POST, your link will be removed and you’ll have to come back and re-add it. Unfortunately last week we had to remove approximately 70 links. Keep in mind that readers will still be visiting this blog hop months from now and if they click your link and end up on your blog homepage, they won’t be able to find your Day in the Life post. To find your post’s permalink: After you publish your post, go back to your blog and click on the post’s title. Copy everything in the top browser bar. Please see my post on how to find your permalink for more details. For example:
…
- WRONG: http://www.my3boybarians.com
- RIGHT: http://www.my3boybarians.com/2009/08/not-back-to-school-blog-hop-day-in-the-life-week

…
Darcy is the mom to three boys ages 8, 7, and 5 and blogs over at Life with My 3 Boybarians. She is the owner of a blog design business at www.graphicallydesigning.com. She and Handy Man live in Iowa…nowhere near a Starbucks.

August 15, 2010 By Darcy 11 Comments

not back to school

You all are so much fun! I have loved seeing your school rooms and non-rooms, learned so much from you all in your curriculum posts. Now we want to see the real stars of the shows – the students. This time I am inviting both parents and students to post their blog links.

Moms/Dads, don’t let the opportunity slip by. Don’t keep putting it off – capture your precious little ones (or not-so-little ones) during this fleeting age and stage.

Students – you can take self portraits or some fun ones of you and your siblings mom hasn’t taken.

Let the fun begin! I can’t wait to “meet” your students!

Just a few very important notes about the blog hop:

To add your link, click the small blue button that says “Add your link” at the very bottom of the post. Please do not leave your link in the comment section of this post.

Do not create an empty “placeholder” post to save your link high up in the blog hop list. If there is no substance or school room information in your post, it will be removed.

You must link to your blog post permalink, not your plain blog URL. If you do not link to your POST, your link will be removed and you’ll have to come back and re-add it. Unfortunately last week we had to remove approximately 70 links. Keep in mind that readers will still be visiting this blog hop months from now and if they click your link and end up on your blog homepage, they won’t be able to find your School Room post. To find your post’s permalink: After you publish your post, go back to your blog and click on the post’s title. Copy everything in the top browser bar. Please see my post on how to find your permalink for more details. For example:
…
- WRONG: http://www.my3boybarians.com
- RIGHT: http://www.my3boybarians.com/2009/08/not-back-to-school-blog-hop-school-room-week/

…
Come back often to visit new additions all week this week, and next Monday is Day-in-the-life week, so you’ll get to show off your typical day! Grab a button so your bloggy friends can share their posts, too.

Darcy is the mom to three boys ages 8, 7, and 5 and blogs over at Life with My 3 Boybarians. She is the owner of a blog design business at www.graphicallydesigning.com. She and Handy Man live in Iowa…nowhere near a Starbucks.

August 8, 2010 By Darcy 32 Comments

not back to school

School room, school house, converted space or at the dining room table… the world of academics takes place in all sorts of interesting places. Please show us where you do school, and check out how others make it work.

Last week’s blog hop was immensely successful, with 320 submissions and we hope that you have been enjoying discovering some new friends and learning about new curriculum.

Just a few very important notes about the blog hop:

To add your link, click the small blue button that says “Add your link” at the very bottom of the post. Please do not leave your link in the comment section of this post.

Do not create an empty “placeholder” post to save your link high up in the blog hop list. If there is no substance or school room information in your post, it will be removed.

You must link to your blog post permalink, not your plain blog URL. If you do not link to your POST, your link will be removed and you’ll have to come back and re-add it. Unfortunately last week we had to remove approximately 70 links. Keep in mind that readers will still be visiting this blog hop months from now and if they click your link and end up on your blog homepage, they won’t be able to find your School Room post. To find your post’s permalink: After you publish your post, go back to your blog and click on the post’s title. Copy everything in the top browser bar. Please see my post on how to find your permalink for more details. For example:
…
- WRONG: http://www.my3boybarians.com
- RIGHT: http://www.my3boybarians.com/2009/08/not-back-to-school-blog-hop-school-room-week/

…
Come back often to visit new additions all week this week, and next Monday is Student Photo week, so you’ll get to show off your cuties! Grab a button so your bloggy friends can share their posts, too.

August 1, 2010 By Darcy 50 Comments

not back to school

After hours and hours of research, consultation, lists and that big ol’ investment… what did you finally decide for your curriculum? Please share your choices – by age (or grade) if possible. There is no wrong or right way to share your curriculum! Photos, lists, links… whatever goes.

Please link to your blog post permalink, not your plain blog URL. For example:

WRONG: http://www.my3boybarians.com

RIGHT: http://www.my3boybarians.com/not-back-to-school-blog-hop-curriculum-week-2010/

To find your post’s permalink:
After you publish your post, go back to your blog and click on the post’s title. Copy everything in the top browser bar. Please see my post on how to find your permalink for more details.

Come back often to visit new additions all week this week, and next Monday is school room post. Get those “where we do school” photos ready! Grab a button so your bloggy friends can share their hard work, too.

Please note that if you do not see your link below, then you did not link to your post correctly. Please try again! Link to your post, not your blog.

**Edited to add: do not create an empty “placeholder” post to save your link high up in the blog hop list. If there is no substance or curriculum list in your post, it will be removed.

July 29, 2010 By Darcy 55 Comments

It’s that time of year again!

The stores are filled with excitement to get public school kids geared up with new pencils, backpacks and even a new wardrobe just in time for Back-to-School. Missing out on all that buzz can be a bummer for homechooled kids and their parents – so we’re continuing the tradition with our 2nd Annual Not Back-to-School Blog Hop.

Started last year over at Life with my 3 Boybarians with 4 weeks worth of homeschool links, goodies and excitement, this year the torch has been passed to Heart of the Matter. We want to get you geared up and excited about your homeschool year, too!

There is still a wealth of ideas on those original blog hop linkies. We welcome you to check them out to get ready to share your own excitement for Not Back-to-School in your home.

2009 Week 1 – Curriculum Week – You’ve worked so hard to pick the best for your students! Share what you’ve decided to use.
2009 Week 2 – School Room Week – share where you do school. Kitchen table? Dedicated school room? Show us!
2009 Week 3 – Student Photo Week – it wouldn’t be a new year without a class picture!
2009 Week 4 – Day-in-the-Life Week – how does a typical day go in your homeschool?

Those articles remain among the most visited – even a year later – on my (Darcy’s) blog. We know this year can also be a great resource for you and for other homeschoolers. Grab a button and please consider writing a quick blog post to let your readers know it’s coming. Please tweet, post on Facebook, Stumble, Tumble or share however you reach other homeschoolers. The more who know about this, the more we can collect an extensive idea board of great blog posts. We need you!

This year’s schedule:

Monday, Aug 2 – Friday, Aug 6: Curriculum Week
Monday, Aug 9 – Friday, Aug 13: School Room Week
Monday, Aug 16 – Friday, Aug 20: Student Photo Week
Monday, Aug 23 – Friday, Aug 27: Day-in-the-Life Week

Grab a button!

Who should participate?

YOU! Veteran homeschoolers, brand new homeschoolers, eclectic, classic, Charlotte Mason, biblical… we encourage everyone to come be a part of this collection of blog posts to offer an enormous resource of links for homeschoolers! This is a great opportunity to share your hard work, get lots of traffic and be an encouragement to the homeschool community.

We can’t wait to see what you’ve been hard at work on!

September 8, 2009 By Darcy 3 Comments

I recently had the privilege to chat with Karin, the mind behind the Homeschool Resource Toolbar. She has been working so hard on this awesome tool for homeschoolers, and is constantly updating it. If you missed Karin’s workshop at the Heart of the Matter Online Conference, you missed the “ooohhhhs” and “aaahhhhhs” as she revealed just how powerful this resource can be.

Here are some of the features you should know about:

Web Menu button:
sorts the best online resources by category—so easy to locate and use. Categories include Associations, Printables (sorted by grade), educational games, videos, free curriculum, multi media, open courseware and more!

Shopping Cart button
Has all the best homeschooling catalogs, curriculum and online stores. View by subject or methodology.

Chat feature
Lets you chat with other homeschooling toolbar users

Feed button
5 of the best homeschooling blogs feed right into the toolbar. Includes Heart of the Matter so you can stay on top of the latest homeschool news, encouragement and resources.

Radio button
Is actually the most used feature on this tool bar. It allows you to access local radio stations and program in your favorites. But what makes it useful is what it is preprogrammed with—some of the best PODCASTS including: James Dobson parenting podcast, classics for kids, Latin for kids, Candlelight stories for kids, Radio Disney, Sixty Second Science, Flylady and friends, Nutrition Diva, Stuff you should know, and much more including Christian radio stations.

Gadget button
Has tons of cool gadgets to help you get/stay organized. Includes tools to help organize your additional email accounts, social media, favorite online sources, and life!

Additionally, the tool bar updates automatically—download it once and you will always have the latest resources at your finger tips!

To download the toolbar visit http://HomeschoolResource.OurToolbar.com.

Darcy is the mom to three boys ages 8, 7, and 5 and blogs over at Life with My 3 Boybarians. She is the owner of a blog design business at www.graphicallydesigning.com. She and Handy Man live in Iowa…nowhere near a Starbucks.

May 20, 2009 By Darcy 20 Comments

Summer is approaching. The leaves are finally green and our yard is sprouting vegetation. It’s so beautiful outside! And that means “summer vacation” will be here before you know it. Because we live in a climate that doesn’t make playing outside feasible year-round, it really means a lifestyle change with the seasons. And we really love the chance to be outside and enjoy nature and the outdoors.

The first three years of homeschooling we opted for a year-round schedule. We did this for many reasons; first being, my youngest was hospitalized often – forcing us to take unexpected breaks. Also, we liked having a week off here and there just to use when we needed it. At the time my kids were younger, and their academics were… well, not very academic. It was kind of fun to play school and they didn’t really get burned out like mom did. Keeping a schedule is so much easier for small children. Knowing what to expect just made the days tidier.

Fast forward. My little one has been hospital-free for over a year (Can I get an AMEN!? Amen!). My kids aren’t toddlers anymore. Third grade academics, while still not holding a candle to what I’m anticipating for junior high or high school, were meaty enough to render my oldest into a school-overloaded coma some days. School is… well, work. It’s not playtime like it used to be. And we all need a break.

So – I’m thinking of changing our schedule to allow us more of a summer break. We need it. I need it. But how much of a break?

Time has come to evaluate why we homeschool year round versus why we might take a more traditional summer break.

I have to evaluate what a summer free of academics would mean for our school year. Or really if we could do a summer free of academics. Here are my thoughts in the decision-making process:

• Little man is finally healthy. He needs time to be outside and just be a little boy.
• I worry about forgetting material we’ve learned. How much will we need to review to pull off a “summer vacation”?
• Will they really enjoy all that free time? What happens in a month when the “I’m bored” starts?
• How much harder will starting back up be after so much time to spend as they please?
• Is this going to cure their burn out? Will it cure mine?

So, I’d love to hear the decision making process you took to determine your schedule. Do you school or not during the summer? Why?

darcy Darcy is the mom to three boys ages 8, 7, and 5 and blogs over at Life with My 3 Boybarians. She is the owner of a blog design business at www.graphicallydesigning.com. She and Handy Man live in Iowa…nowhere near a Starbucks.

April 9, 2009 By Darcy 4 Comments

I don’t remember much about grade school. Most of what I do remember has nothing to do with education at all, but rather bits and pieces of school uniforms, track and field day, adopting a senior citizen and school picture day. I was always one of the shortest kids in my class which means I was always stuck in the first row, usually front and center, holding the sign that announced the grade and teacher. Oh, how I wanted to hide in back with the big kids.

But now that I am *ahem* thirtysomething, I appreciate those little photographic tokens of my past. The predictable, now laughable, backdrops… the awkward poses and unnatural smiles… they are funny. But more, they capture 12 years of growth that sometimes my parents didn’t always capture.

So, I challenge you… take yearly “school photos.” Only you aren’t obligated to awkward poses and unnatural smiles. Instead, you can capture really great natural poses. Here are a few tips for successful portraits.

1. Turn your camera. Take the photo in portrait orientation rather than landscape. If you rather shoot in landscape, remember the rule of thirds: place the area of focus 1/3 or 2/3 of the way through the photo, rather than dead center.

portrait image:

landscape image:

2. Focus on your subject’s eyes and fill the frame. You have lots of chances to photograph other stuff, this time it’s about the person.

3. Take the photo outside. Have your student stand in a shady area. You don’t want squinting or partial shadows across the face.

4. Take a few silly ones first and allow your subject to loosen up. Most people feel a little like a zoo animal behind a lens.

5. Turn off your flash. It blows out your subject and often creates red eye.

6. Give them something to hold or a little instruction on what to do with their hands. Subjects don’t always know what to do, and holding something may keep a small child still or help your gorgeous teen not feel so strange ‘just standing there.’

7. If you can’t get sharp focus, use a tripod. If you don’t have a tripod, improvise. Set your camera on a picnic table, car or steady, stable, flat surface.

8. Take a lot of photos. If they’re digital, you have nothing to lose. Take 25 instead of 5. You’re much more likely to get the good one. If you don’t, try again another day. Unlike the school photographer, you have 365 chances to get a good pic that year.

9. Lastly, a little post-production goes a long way. Most photo-editing programs have ways to improve your photo with a simple click. If you don’t have one, try Picnik. It’s free. I use and recommend Photoshop, which you can get for an educator’s discount through Academic Superstore.

Maybe your photos will end up nothing more than fodder for good laughs over some future Thanksgiving dinner. But when your child is thirtysomething, she’ll be glad to have real portraits.

For more inspiring photography by homeschool parents please check out these blogs for tips and inspiration:

Homeschool Mom Photographers
Short on Words http://shortonwords.blogspot.com
Mt. Hope Chronicles http://mthopeacademy.blogspot.com
Pioneer Woman Photography http://thepioneerwoman.com/photography
Quiet Life http://www.booshay.blogspot.com
Pages of our Life http://www.pagesofourlife.com

Homeschool Dad Photographers
f/11 http://fxmixer.blogspot.com
Boybarian Photo http://www.boybarianphoto.com

These photos, minus the squinting shot, were shot by homeschool dad and amateur photographer, Handy Man (http://www.boybarianphoto.com) and photo-edited by his trophy wife (http://www.lifewithmy3boybarians.com).

March 9, 2009 By Darcy 9 Comments

If your house is like mine, you have several magazines, catalogues or mailers lying around. You are also feeling a little guilty about how little art instruction your 7 year old has.

Here is a solution to deal with both.

1. Rip out a few options from which your child can choose a picture he wants to draw, that are within his abilities or interests.

2. Fold the image in half. Cut at the crease. Trim around the edges. Discard the other half.

3. Glue or tape the half-image to a piece of blank paper, leaving room for the other half to be added. Allow the glue to dry.

4. Using colored pencils, crayons, watercolors, paints – whichever medium your child enjoys (and you don’t mind cleaning up!) – ask your child to finish the picture.

5. Mount finished work on construction paper, or color a border. Viola’! You’ve nailed at least one of the “reduce, reuse, recycle” R’s and your 7 year old can check off art.

February 27, 2009 By Darcy 8 Comments

It’s the last day of February. I’m a homeschool mom. The holidays are over. Cold lingers. Summer is still 4 months away. (Can you hear me sighing from there?)

At my house, this means burn out. And in Iowa, it means we’ve had snow on the ground for nearly 4 months and it’s looking like we’ve got another month or more of it. All of this cabin fever, too-little-sunlight, too-cold-n-wet to play outside also means a harder time falling asleep and a mighty, might case of the winter blahs.

So add it up:

1 burned out homeschool mom
3 boybarians with total cabin fever
4 months of snow
1 month more of bad weather
6 weeks until Spring Break

It’s time to break up the monotony! I’ve made a list of “Game Schooling” ideas to bring back the fun and get you through the spring fever! I’ve purposefully chosen non-electronic, non-video games here as many families already complain of too much screen time.

Darcy’s Top Five Game-Schooling resources:

Monopoly: this is math and communication. Let your 6-9 year old count money, make change and read the Community Chest cards. Your 10+ year olds can be bankers!

Yahtzee: Hey, it’s math again! Skip count those 3s. Add up the face of the dice. This game is so smart, kids have no idea how many basic math skills they are using!

Sorry: for the k-2 set, this is math. For older kids, it’s a lesson in sportsmanship.

Uno: Even my little one can get into this one. Matching colors and numbers is great for the PreK set. Easy enough for the 4-5 year old to play.

Apples to Apples: The boybarians beg to play this and laugh and laugh while we match unlikely partners of nouns with adjectives. Playful George Washington? Scary pickles? They have no idea it’s also grammar, vocabulary and spelling. As a bonus, you can use the Apple to Apple cards for a game of Pictionary on the white board. Ages: 6/7 and up. (Kids need to be decent readers to fully enjoy this game.)

I’d love to hear how you are incorporating games, activities or anything to break out of the winter blahs and keep your homeschool joyful. Please leave a comment or add your link so we can all gain some Lose Those Winter Blues Ideas.

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