Moments in our days...

Fifth grade form drawing and Greek pottery...

A busy toddler...

Healthy snacks...

Welcoming spring...
hope you are enjoying your days!

Finishing Saints and Heroes for Second Grade

Sita and I will be finishing up her Saints and Heroes block this week by talking about Saint Francis. This has been a beautiful block, and I wanted to end it well. I have been struggling with Saint Francis, as his story is especially significant to me as a nature and animal lover. I wish I could have learned of him when I was a child.

None of the resources I have come across did a very good job of presenting Saint Francis, his life and his acts of kindness and generosity. They all seemed to be very superficial at best.

I finally found a resource that touched me.

This lovely book, written by Robert Francis Kennedy Junior, and illustrated by Dennis Nolan has been perfect. It emphasizes the qualities of generosity, compassion, and love for all God's creations that Saint Francis inspired.

I presented Saint Francis last evening, as we were preparing for bed. We talked about his life as a child, his mischievous but always generous ways. And we talked about how he learned to care for the poor and the sick. Today we talked about his love of God's beauty in the world, and his relationship with all God's creatures.

We enjoyed the beautiful illustrations and created some of our own.

I must admit, this block has been challenging for me. I was raised Catholic, but my parents left the church for a number of years after a scandal was revealed (financial). My mother only returned to the church after a long absence. Sadly, the saints are not familiar to me, and my spiritual beliefs tend more toward eastern philosophies. But I can appreciate the beauty of these inspiring individuals. Their generosity, compassion, love of God and all mankind, and their courage in the face of prosecution are all worthy values. I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to learn about these individuals, and to share them with my daughter. I look forward to sharing them with Alina, when she reaches the appropriate age.

And I am grateful for Rudolph Steiner and the Waldorf education movement that has brought these powerful and beautiful lessons to me and my family.
Michelle

Harper's Ferry West Virginia...

...Is a place we enjoy visiting often. Yesterday we enjoyed the longer daylight hours and pleasant weather.

Climbing on the rocks.

Playing by the river.

 Wild spring onions.

View from "Jefferson Rock". According to Thomas Jefferson, the views from here were "worth the trip across the Atlantic."

Jefferson Rock.

Historic downtown, much as it appeared 150 years ago.

 

As the day ended, we headed home, pleasantly tired from the walking, hiking, climbing and playing.

Today

Was very busy...

Lessons always start with a candle and a verse:
The sun it shines so warm and bright,
It strengthens all I do.
Now let me take this bit of light,
So I shine brightly too.

More Saints and Heroes. Last evening at bed-time I told Sita a little about Mother Teresa's life as a girl, finding her calling in life, and her burning desire to care for the poor. Sita did some writing today. This is the most writing I have required her to do, and she complained some last week. But today she did really well with her summary, capitalization, and she was proud of her writing.

We did a drawing of the earth, since Mother Teresa has inspired people all over the world to care for others.

While Sita was doing her lessons, Sean kept Alina busy.

In addition to lessons for everyone, there was plenty of outside time, a little bit of cooking and a little bit of cleaning. It was a good day.

Start of Second Grade Saints and Heroes

Sita and I started on her Saints and Heroes block. Well, actually we re-started the block, since I had work interruptions and then illness last week. Sometimes starting over is the best strategy. 

I am not great at memorizing and re-telling stories, but I am getting better. I have a number of resources for this saint block, but I have not been overly excited about any of them, so I decided to choose the saints that I think will be meaningful to Sita, learn their stories, and then create my own telling. I started with Saint Brigid and the cows. It's a lovely story about Brigid's kindness and generosity, adversity, and help from angels. I drew the picture last evening, and presented the story at bed-time.

For the drawing I used pastels, as I am frankly tired of the crayons. Everyone seemed quite impressed with my picture, but I have not been drawing much lately and as usual, I only see what I could improve upon. The important thing is they enjoyed it (all three of them), and hopefully it serves as an inspiration.

I told Sita now that she is officially doing "Second Grade Work", we will be doing more writing. She writes all the time with her own made-up spelling, and interestingly, her spelling is getting more accurate over time, naturally. She did a really good job of summarizing the story for me this morning. Here is the summary of the story we decided on together. 

I had an appointment with the acupuncturist this afternoon, and we were able to get our lessons done, eat lunch, put Alina down for a nap, and clean up the house before grandma arrived. That's always a plus :)

What's happening in your home these days?

What Happens With Warm Winter Days...

Dishes are abandoned...

Laundry is abandoned...

Lessons are abandoned...

And mud pies in the sun are made...

Michelle

Losing My Temper and Finding My Way

As I was laying in bed with my toddler, nursing her to sleep this afternoon, I had a head full of thoughts. I was thinking about how our morning homeschool went (not so well to start), and the hurt look on my son's face as I lost my temper and slammed the book down on the table while shouting.

I lost it earlier in the week as well. I could blame it on hormones, on stress, or I could blame it on him. The eye rolling, the heavy sighs, the constant arguing with me, his constant and incessant need to taunt and pick on his younger sisters.

But really it is about me. We cannot blame our emotions nor our reactions on others. We choose how we respond.

I am not responsible for how someone else responds or even feels. We can only accept responsibility for ourselves.

Which brings me back to my loss of control. And finding joy. And keeping life simple.
First I have to ask myself why I was so angry that I would respond in such a harsh way, causing obvious pain to a child I love (and setting a poor example for all three of my children). I could see the look of hurt on his face. He flinched, as if I had physically struck him. Tears welled. The look quickly disappeared, but I know in my heart the hurt is still there.

I cannot seem to get my son to take part or cooperate or act in a responsible way toward his school work, toward me, and toward his siblings. Day in and day out we argue, fight and I threaten and dole out punishments. "If you don't stop picking on your sisters you will not have any computer time or be permitted to see your friends today!" And then he gets "punished", his behavior improves for a short time, and then we are back where we started again.

I have searched for answers to my current problems with my son. When I search deep enough, I realize it has to do with our connection to one another. He feels I am bossy and pushing him around, and always making him do things he doesn't want to do. But when things are going well with us, we are close, physically and emotionally. We are able to talk about all kinds of things, and we feel connected to one another, safe in our closeness. During these times, he is much more willing to do what I ask of him.

Although  I have every right to ask things of my son, and to have expectations as to his actions, behaviors, and even his attitude, I also have to maintain a secure and sharing relationship with him. I could simply make demands "Do it because I said so!" But I would rather he cooperate with me out of love and not out of fear of punishment or loss of privileges.

So I spent some time cuddling my tall, skinny, awkward eleven-year old. I read to him about Greek mythology - both an interest of his and part of today's lesson. I listened to him talk about his favorite x-box game and why he likes it so much and even went so far as to offer to play it with him. I saw the look of happiness, just as clearly as I had seen the look of hurt.

I listened with genuine interest to him. I praised him sincerely for his ability to monitor his electronic use - his computer time, his x-box time, his cell phone use. When I gave this praise, I saw yet another expression on his face. He knew he had been recognized, he had been truly seen and heard, and appreciated for something. These were fleeting expressions, and had I not been paying attention, had I not been watching, I would have missed them and might never have appreciated the impact I have on my son.

It was only a short amount of time, but I felt as though we had re-connected again. This connection is fragile, I know. But it is so, so important to our relationship.

He is growing, often wiser than he should be for his still young age. At the same time, he is still a boy. A boy who loves his mom and seeks her contact and approval. While I cannot always be the perfect mom I want to be, I can pay attention. I can look for what my children need from me.

I think most importantly, my children need my time, my attention, my unconditional love. Seems simple enough, but life can be so complicated, so distracting, so busy, that we forget how to pay attention to one another. Truly pay attention, not through a text, email or phone call. Not through a conversation as we multi-task.

Attention that provides for eye-to-eye contact. Physical contact. Listening with all our senses as our loved ones speak to us. I had a moment of this today, and it felt wonderful. Simple. Joyful.

Caribbean Block

This is the final week of Sean's study of the Caribbean countries. As part of our geography studies, we always include the music and foods of the region we are studying. Sean enjoys cooking, so he prepared a Caribbean meal, beverage, and dessert for us.

He chose the menu selections himself, created the shopping list, and did the shopping and all the cooking himself. All recipes are from Food.com. Oh, and he told me he is aware these recipes are "Americanized".

The menu consisted of:
Caribbean Jerk Chicken Wings

2 cups barbecue sauce
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
1 6-ounce can crushed pineapples
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground ginger
jerk seasoning, to taste
18 chicken wings
Prepare the sauce by combining all the ingredients except wings and jerk seasoning. Heat in saucepan over medium heat.
Rub jerk seasoning into the chicken wings. Grill for 10-12 minutes or until cooked through
Brush generously with sauce and enjoy!

Beverage - 
2 ounces pineapple juice
4 ounces orange juice
2 ounces cream of coconut
nutmeg
2 ounces dark rum (for adults!)

Pineapple Pie from Barbados
1 14 1/2-ounce can pineapple chunks
unflavored gelatin
8-ounces cream cheese
graham cracker crust

Not bad for an eleven-year old! Um, have I mentioned how much I love homeshooling?!

Second Grade Math Lessons This Week

While the number gnomes were busy counting their gems, the math squirrels were busy counting their acorns. We met the squirrels last year with Donna Simmons' First Grade Curriculum. Now we are progressing to second grade math and the squirrels are learning how to use the trees for the four processes. This is Sita's first introduction to vertical math and she did great. The squirrels were a big help, even if they were a bit fidgety and tried to eat the blackboard chalk!

Ah, I wish I could have needle-felted the squirrels, but I bought these last year before I was "brave enough" to attempt needle felting. And they are darn cute!

My blackboard drawing for vertical math trees.

Sita's Main Lesson Drawing.

We keep practicing our two times table with movement including beanbags, snapping, and clapping. Snap, snap - two is - CLAP CLAP CLAP - one times two! Snap, snap - four is - CLAP CLAP CLAP - two times two! She is doing so well, enjoying herself and I can see her confidence growing. She proclaimed at dinner "I love math!"

I am so grateful to be a homeschool family.

What are your lessons looking like this week?

An End to Public School for Sean

Some have been wondering how Sean has been doing at public middle school (he started after Christmas break)...

Sean wanted to experience middle school, since he has several neighbor friends going. I was really proud of him and the independence he showed - he set his
alarm, got up early, got himself ready (including a nutritious breakfast!) and walked to school each morning. He came home every afternoon and immediately completed his homework assignments. Even on Fridays (!)

He tried to get into it, and expressed admiration for some of his teachers. But
all in all, he (and I and his father) felt it was a waste. Much of what he was
doing he has already done, the materials seemed dumbed down, he was earning
"A's" pretty effortlessly. The counselor explained that the advanced placement
classes would be covering essentially the same materials, only they would be
working more independently.

So Sean is again a homeschooler, and he seems happier about it. I asked him what
his one biggest reason was for wanting to come back home - he missed being with
us, especially Alina. And since he has come home again, he has been spending so
much more time with her, I have seen their relationship grow.

He is also more rested, and has more time to participate with the family. His
days away seemed so long!

We had many interesting conversations about his school experience, including
daily discussions about the food choices offered at breakfast and lunch. I
missed him a lot too, and I am glad we are a complete "homeschooling family"
once again. Homeschooling really is about so much more than education isn't it?

Poetry Block

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same.

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I -
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
Robert Frost

I first read Robert Frost in high school, and this has always been a favorite of mine. How true this poem has been for my life. And I am ever so grateful for the paths I have taken. Ah, but before I get all philosophical, let me get to the point of this post - POETRY!

I am making Tuesdays our poetry day. Fifth grader Sean and first grader Sita will experience a new poem each week, hopefully with an illustration such as the one I created last week.

He clasps the crag with crooked hands;
Close to the sun in lonely lands,
Ring'd with the azure world, he stands.

The wrinkled sea beneath him crawls;
He watches from his mountain walls,
And like a thunderbolt - he falls.

The Eagle, by Alfred, Lord Tennyson

This poem was perfect for introducing metaphor and simile. I created my own version of the poem without the metaphor and simile in order to contrast the language and imagery created with the metaphor and simile. I saw that "look" in Sean's eyes as he understood the importance of creative language. For the rest of the day, I attempted to use as much metaphor and simile as I could muster, and would then follow it with the exclamation of "SIMILE!" or "METAPHOR!" each time. I thought I was pretty funny, but of course my eleven-year-old only rolled his eyes.

For our resources we will be using Donna Simmons' Living Language, Joseph Bruchac's The Earth Under Sky Bear's Feet, Native American Poems of the Land, and The Barefoot Book of Classic Poems.

Looking forward to more poetry.

Another Reason I Love Being a Homeschool Family

A 60 degree day in February, northern Virginia. While everyone else is stuck inside at school and work, we finished our lessons early and were getting ready to head outside. Sita had the great idea "Why don't we make mud pies?" So we headed to our creek...

Sita hard at work being creative.

Two "chocolate" birthday mud pies.

The sound of moving water.

The song of water dancing over the rocks made it perfect for an afternoon nap...

She took my spot!

The sweet lullaby of nature.

Alina making her own creations.

But she didn't miss out on the mud and water play.

My muddy girl.

Sita happily proclaimed "getting muddy is awesome!" That's my girl!