As usual i've over extended myself..lol.. I agreed to teach a medieval history class. Since the class can be a lot of lecture while i read through books like Usborne Medieval History ans Story of the World, i decided the kids would focus on making their own authentic period costume. The girld made brats & wimples. The boys made cooky hats. All the kids made tabards w/ a collar they decorated (as if it were embroidered). They also made swords, trebuchet's etc.
I'll post some pics later today. We are planning a tournament for the last class. Should be fun!!
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Saturday, March 10, 2012
Ahh, February is FINALLY over......
February was quite possibly the worst month i have had in a long time. With my vascular issues, changing seasons can be a tough time for me. Usually i'm in pain in March or April, but with the unusually mild winter we have had in the North East, we are going from Spring to Winter over and over. So, for most of Feb, i was confined to my bed.
I've heard from thousands of new HS'ers. Some have medical isues like i do, others are dealing with rough pregnancies, anxiety, depression, etc. many of these mom's stuggle to home educate during these times, then stess out that they are failing.
Here are my Top 5 Tips to dealing with complications to HS like these:
1) Take some time off!! IMO, you could take off up to 3 months a year and still be getting more education than PS kids. If you are stressed out, then you probably wont have the patience to be an effective teacher. Don't sweat it, take some time to heal/recover and you will be that much more effective when you're recovered.
2) Sign up for independant computer learning programs like www.theheadoftheclass.com or www.time4learning.com this will keep the kids into the routine of 'school' without your brain and body being overwhelmed by having it all on your shoulders. I don't like these programs as stand alone curriculums, but they are fine for a few months.
3) Learning Baskets. When i was on bedrest AND suffering with hyponemis (so i lost 25 lbs) i was exhausted & miserable, so not the best teacher ever. But, especially during my pregnancy when my oldest was 3.5 y/o, i couldn't just leave him infront of a computer. (aside from using time4learning on the laptop next to me) i kept stocked education baskets next to my bed & couch. These baskets were packed with coloring materials that coincided with a book (also in the basket), educational movies, etc. I really only had to exhert myself by reading the book, then popping open the crayons.
4) School Year Round. My medical condition is chronic, so i always have to plan for events like Feb - where i might be in too much pain to teach. By schooling year round we only have do school for an hour or two a day. And i don't have to deal with the stress of feeling like a failure for taking some time off - most PS schools Take off all summer!
5) Ask for help!! Let's face it. As HS'ers we spend a lot of time telling people we are good enough to be the kids main source for education (even though most of us struggle with doubt from time to time). Therefore, asking for help from someone (even a spouce), can feel like you are conceding defeat and admiting to failure. But that is not the case. There is nothing wrong from giving your DH the math assignment the kids need to learn.
Plan for every eventuality, and don't stress. It will all work out. I took nearly 1/2 a year off from formal learning when i had my youngest. I just made sure the kids had tons of videos, art supplies, etc. basically we were unschoolers while i was exhausted and nursing.
You can accomodate any complication as long as you plan ahead!
Hugs & Blessings!
I've heard from thousands of new HS'ers. Some have medical isues like i do, others are dealing with rough pregnancies, anxiety, depression, etc. many of these mom's stuggle to home educate during these times, then stess out that they are failing.
Here are my Top 5 Tips to dealing with complications to HS like these:
1) Take some time off!! IMO, you could take off up to 3 months a year and still be getting more education than PS kids. If you are stressed out, then you probably wont have the patience to be an effective teacher. Don't sweat it, take some time to heal/recover and you will be that much more effective when you're recovered.
2) Sign up for independant computer learning programs like www.theheadoftheclass.com or www.time4learning.com this will keep the kids into the routine of 'school' without your brain and body being overwhelmed by having it all on your shoulders. I don't like these programs as stand alone curriculums, but they are fine for a few months.
3) Learning Baskets. When i was on bedrest AND suffering with hyponemis (so i lost 25 lbs) i was exhausted & miserable, so not the best teacher ever. But, especially during my pregnancy when my oldest was 3.5 y/o, i couldn't just leave him infront of a computer. (aside from using time4learning on the laptop next to me) i kept stocked education baskets next to my bed & couch. These baskets were packed with coloring materials that coincided with a book (also in the basket), educational movies, etc. I really only had to exhert myself by reading the book, then popping open the crayons.
4) School Year Round. My medical condition is chronic, so i always have to plan for events like Feb - where i might be in too much pain to teach. By schooling year round we only have do school for an hour or two a day. And i don't have to deal with the stress of feeling like a failure for taking some time off - most PS schools Take off all summer!
5) Ask for help!! Let's face it. As HS'ers we spend a lot of time telling people we are good enough to be the kids main source for education (even though most of us struggle with doubt from time to time). Therefore, asking for help from someone (even a spouce), can feel like you are conceding defeat and admiting to failure. But that is not the case. There is nothing wrong from giving your DH the math assignment the kids need to learn.
Plan for every eventuality, and don't stress. It will all work out. I took nearly 1/2 a year off from formal learning when i had my youngest. I just made sure the kids had tons of videos, art supplies, etc. basically we were unschoolers while i was exhausted and nursing.
You can accomodate any complication as long as you plan ahead!
Hugs & Blessings!
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
My new obsession
I've been a very bad blogger lately (Bad Shannon!). We are just wrapping up our fall session at coop - and had tons of fun! The boys had really gotten into it this year! I taught 3 classes - which has totally burned me out (Physics, Geography and Latin). But the kids all seemed to have a great time.
I just signed up as an Usborne books consultant. These are the best books for kids out there - everything from awesomely illustrated reference books, to great early readers, to learning kits for science, math and art. Check out my website www.theusbornelearningfairy.com . I just can't believe that I can feed my book addiction and make money at it! It's awesome! I especially love that you can get library bindings on the books. I'll never forget some of the board books my boys loved as toddlers (especially Sandra Boyton's The Cow Says Moo) and how sad we were that the bindings all fell apart! I had been hoping to keep them for when my boys have children, as a keepsake (I have a couple of the books I loved as a kid) but the books completely fell apart. I was so sad. So I love that families can get books that will last with little hands playing with them. And whomever illustrates the books are amazing - they are so colorful and beautiful and don't cost any more than a normal kids book.
Looking forward to the holidays!
Shannon
I just signed up as an Usborne books consultant. These are the best books for kids out there - everything from awesomely illustrated reference books, to great early readers, to learning kits for science, math and art. Check out my website www.theusbornelearningfairy.com . I just can't believe that I can feed my book addiction and make money at it! It's awesome! I especially love that you can get library bindings on the books. I'll never forget some of the board books my boys loved as toddlers (especially Sandra Boyton's The Cow Says Moo) and how sad we were that the bindings all fell apart! I had been hoping to keep them for when my boys have children, as a keepsake (I have a couple of the books I loved as a kid) but the books completely fell apart. I was so sad. So I love that families can get books that will last with little hands playing with them. And whomever illustrates the books are amazing - they are so colorful and beautiful and don't cost any more than a normal kids book.
Looking forward to the holidays!
Shannon
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Electric Toy Car
It's super easy but I'll give you all the complicated explanations to go along with it.
Example of a simple motor - this helps the student see what will be going on inside their motor. Here's another example of explaining a toy electric car.
My DH had fun assembling our sample car with the kids - we actually had a wood kit car that we used for our sample but the class is making it the long way over several weeks -
Supplies -
Toy motor from Radio Shack (costs about $5)
Wood scraps - ~ 2" x 4" block of 1" thick pine (or whatever is cheapest) to be the base, 2 1/2" long square blocks of the same wood to be the axles and one 2" long one for the 'windshield' base. Small pieces of wood to make the seat so that the seat is raised a bit so it will fit over the motor bracket.
1 pkg small wood screws
1 pkg small brass nails
Wood Glue
Drill with 5mm drill bit
Metal bracket to hold the motor
8 Milk Caps
2 Large Rubber Bands - 4 smaller rubber bands
1 5" Nail
2 small rubber washers
2 metal small washers
4 tiny metal washers for the weels.
1 Curtain pully (from Home Depot costs about $.89)
AA Battery Holder (also from Radio Shack)
2 AA Batteries
Wood Paint
a couple of electrical wires
Procedure -
1. Assemble the frame of the 'car' - glue and either nail or screw on the axles, the windshield. Build the 'seat' but don't affix it to the frame as of yet.
2. Drill a 5 mm hole through the middle of the base cross wise, this will be for the drive train.
3. Paint the car and let completely dry.
4. Affix the motor, battery holder and wires to the base. (If you can, solder the the wires to the motor, otherwise you'll have to keep reattatching them)
5. Glue the curtain pulley to the 5" nail. Assemble the drive train like this:
6. Glue 2 milk tops back 2 back you can use a small piece from a tire tube to be the rubber around the tire if you'd like.
7. Screw the wheels to the axles so that is goes wheel-washer-screw
8. 1 Small ruber band goes from the motor to the curtain pulley, a small rubber band then goes around the drive shaft to each wheel. Finally a large rubberband goes around the front and back wheels.
Final Product.
If it goes backward then you'll need to reverse the wires
Example of a simple motor - this helps the student see what will be going on inside their motor. Here's another example of explaining a toy electric car.
My DH had fun assembling our sample car with the kids - we actually had a wood kit car that we used for our sample but the class is making it the long way over several weeks -
Supplies -
Toy motor from Radio Shack (costs about $5)
Wood scraps - ~ 2" x 4" block of 1" thick pine (or whatever is cheapest) to be the base, 2 1/2" long square blocks of the same wood to be the axles and one 2" long one for the 'windshield' base. Small pieces of wood to make the seat so that the seat is raised a bit so it will fit over the motor bracket.
1 pkg small wood screws
1 pkg small brass nails
Wood Glue
Drill with 5mm drill bit
Metal bracket to hold the motor
8 Milk Caps
2 Large Rubber Bands - 4 smaller rubber bands
1 5" Nail
2 small rubber washers
2 metal small washers
4 tiny metal washers for the weels.
1 Curtain pully (from Home Depot costs about $.89)
AA Battery Holder (also from Radio Shack)
2 AA Batteries
Wood Paint
a couple of electrical wires
Procedure -
1. Assemble the frame of the 'car' - glue and either nail or screw on the axles, the windshield. Build the 'seat' but don't affix it to the frame as of yet.
2. Drill a 5 mm hole through the middle of the base cross wise, this will be for the drive train.
3. Paint the car and let completely dry.
4. Affix the motor, battery holder and wires to the base. (If you can, solder the the wires to the motor, otherwise you'll have to keep reattatching them)
5. Glue the curtain pulley to the 5" nail. Assemble the drive train like this:
6. Glue 2 milk tops back 2 back you can use a small piece from a tire tube to be the rubber around the tire if you'd like.
7. Screw the wheels to the axles so that is goes wheel-washer-screw
8. 1 Small ruber band goes from the motor to the curtain pulley, a small rubber band then goes around the drive shaft to each wheel. Finally a large rubberband goes around the front and back wheels.
Final Product.
If it goes backward then you'll need to reverse the wires
Saturday, October 22, 2011
Think! Creative blog for kids
I absolutely LOVE this blog - written by a mom who started her own school, she believes kids should be allowed the freedom to be creative! I remember being a kid with a gigantic washing machine box and being content to play for days in the thing. Well this blog is along those lines - giving ideas on getting the kids creative with stuff you have around - like making robots out of the stuff in your junk drawer!
http://kidswhothink.blogspot.com/
http://kidswhothink.blogspot.com/
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Free Websites Master Lists
Ok, a while ago I made a list of my most used free worksheet links, there are of course many more webpages that I have found important in my HS - from fun interactive sites for the kids, to sites designed for different types of learners (my oldest is a visual). Here is my list of what is in my favorites list.
Blessings -
Shannon
Interactive Sites -
Miamiopia - the kids LOVE this site and play it while I'm making dinner.
Big IQ - math, spelling & Geography. The kids play about 30 minutes each.
12 Dozen Places to Educate Your Kids
Click n' Kids (Phonics and spelling) -- ok this is not free, it is about $50/mo but it is sooo fun!
Head of the Class - this site is a little disappointing - each lesson starts with a great animation, but many (MANY) of the lessons are actually worksheets. But it is free, and great on a day I'm sick or the kids need a distraction.
MEP
http://www.cypsd.k12.ca.us/Curriculum/curr/6thgrade.htm
http://www.learnerstv.com/index.php
http://www.powayusd.com/projects/edtechcentralnew/2-3standards.htm
http://guest.portaportal.com/jrll5math
Geography -
Math -
http://www.numbernut.com/
http://web.archive.org/web/20090328203303/http://www.cimt.plymouth.ac.uk/projects/mep/default.htm
http://www.moneyinstructor.com/money.asp
http://www.learner.org/courses/learningmath/geometry/
http://www.georgehart.com/slide-togethers/slide-togethers.html
http://web.archive.org/web/20090303195849/http://www.jamesbrennan.org/algebra/
http://visualmathlearning.com/index.php
Science -
http://education.jlab.org/indexpages/elementgames.php
http://www.christianhomeschoolhub.spruz.com/blog.htm?cat_id=013DE729-EF52-4E9F-9A4E-28646B368CC8
http://freescienceonline.blogspot.com/
http://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/how
http://science.howstuffworks.com/
http://science.discovery.com/videos/kapow-superhero-science-hurricane-science.html
http://learningscience.org/
http://mycourses.med.harvard.edu/public/
http://nsdl.org/
http://www.cosmos4kids.com/
http://www.learner.org/resources/series49.html
http://www.exploratorium.edu/science_explorer/pringles_pinhole.html
http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/lessons.php?DocID=312
http://www.thecraftyclassroom.com/HomeschoolPrintablesScientificMethod.html
http://www.rocksandminerals4u.com/what_is_a_mineral.html
http://xplor.mdc.mo.gov/#wildguide
Computer Science
http://videolectures.net/Top/Computer_Science/
http://freecomputerbooks.com/
http://www.freetechbooks.com/
http://libguides.library.albany.edu/cs_guide
http://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/Portal:Computer_Science
http://lifehacker.com/5401954/programmer-101-teach-yourself-how-to-code
http://www.dreamincode.net/forums/forum/78-programming-tutorials/
http://w3schools.com/
Lesson Plans -
http://teachers.net/lessonplans/subjects/science/
more to come!
Blessings -
Shannon
Interactive Sites -
Miamiopia - the kids LOVE this site and play it while I'm making dinner.
Big IQ - math, spelling & Geography. The kids play about 30 minutes each.
12 Dozen Places to Educate Your Kids
Click n' Kids (Phonics and spelling) -- ok this is not free, it is about $50/mo but it is sooo fun!
Head of the Class - this site is a little disappointing - each lesson starts with a great animation, but many (MANY) of the lessons are actually worksheets. But it is free, and great on a day I'm sick or the kids need a distraction.
MEP
http://www.cypsd.k12.ca.us/Curriculum/curr/6thgrade.htm
http://www.learnerstv.com/index.php
http://www.powayusd.com/projects/edtechcentralnew/2-3standards.htm
http://guest.portaportal.com/jrll5math
Geography -
Math -
http://www.numbernut.com/
http://web.archive.org/web/20090328203303/http://www.cimt.plymouth.ac.uk/projects/mep/default.htm
http://www.moneyinstructor.com/money.asp
http://www.learner.org/courses/learningmath/geometry/
http://www.georgehart.com/slide-togethers/slide-togethers.html
http://web.archive.org/web/20090303195849/http://www.jamesbrennan.org/algebra/
http://visualmathlearning.com/index.php
Science -
http://education.jlab.org/indexpages/elementgames.php
http://www.christianhomeschoolhub.spruz.com/blog.htm?cat_id=013DE729-EF52-4E9F-9A4E-28646B368CC8
http://freescienceonline.blogspot.com/
http://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/how
http://science.howstuffworks.com/
http://science.discovery.com/videos/kapow-superhero-science-hurricane-science.html
http://learningscience.org/
http://mycourses.med.harvard.edu/public/
http://nsdl.org/
http://www.cosmos4kids.com/
http://www.learner.org/resources/series49.html
http://www.exploratorium.edu/science_explorer/pringles_pinhole.html
http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/lessons.php?DocID=312
http://www.thecraftyclassroom.com/HomeschoolPrintablesScientificMethod.html
http://www.rocksandminerals4u.com/what_is_a_mineral.html
http://xplor.mdc.mo.gov/#wildguide
Computer Science
http://videolectures.net/Top/Computer_Science/
http://freecomputerbooks.com/
http://www.freetechbooks.com/
http://libguides.library.albany.edu/cs_guide
http://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/Portal:Computer_Science
http://lifehacker.com/5401954/programmer-101-teach-yourself-how-to-code
http://www.dreamincode.net/forums/forum/78-programming-tutorials/
http://w3schools.com/
Lesson Plans -
http://teachers.net/lessonplans/subjects/science/
more to come!
Our Worse Enemy -- OURSELVES!
I've been running groups like this one for years now. I've been HS'ing my own kids since they were toddlers. I'm the first person to defend HS as a viable resource. I'm the shoulder other newbies cry on. And I shake my head at the worries and guilt new HS parents often experience. But I will fully admit even I can sometimes fall prey to the even twin resting on my shoulder whispering guilt and doubt. I thought I'd write this post for all other HS mom's who stongly defend their decision then, late in the night when no one is watching, bite my fingernails to the quick.
Here are some of my guilty whisperings:
Gosh, we don't spend nearly the amount of time on HS as PS kids do...what with going to school for 8 hours then having a couple of hours of homework when they get home...Now, intellectually I know we don't need as much time as the kids are getting one on one attention, and the curriculum is designed specifically for their learning styles. I'm not trying to fit square pegs into round holes. But even I will sometimes question our dedication. When we do coop once a week, I will slack on the other days, not doing as much (and I know many other parents who do nothing at all on those other 6 days a week)....and I'm one of those parents who think all of life is a learning experience, so technically our kids are learning all of the time...but still I'll feel whisperings of doubt occasionally.
I'm not a trained professional. My oldest son has Aspergers (a form of Autism). I can not conceive of him thriving in a PS setting. And yet I know (supposedly) he'd be surrounded by 'experts' if I put him in the ps system. In fact I had a hard time finding a doctor who a. supported HS or b. would dx him without having a report from a school psychologist. Again my son is in a safe environment where I can give him the freedom to explore his stengths to his hearts content, and work gently on his weaknesses....but I had a hard time learning about his learning style, and I feel (ocassionally) that we wasted those years that I tried to teach him with a different style. I know he would have been bullied and miserable in a group setting (he has high anxiety) but ocassionally I too will doubt my abilities.
My house looks like the setting for an epic war film. One of the hardest parts of HS is getting balance. Especially since I'm legally handicapped and can't be on my feet for long periods of time. So I will shrug off keeping the kitchen spotless to instead watch hours of documentaries with the kids. Or I won't do laundry so we can instead work on building a volcano. Our house is cleaning central on the weekends, which the kids hate. But I will sometimes feel guilty for taking my quiet reading time in the evening after the kids go to bed. Our house would sparkle, but I'd probably be homicidal without it. I'm the first to tell parents the importance of taking decompression time, but it doesn't stop the guilt.
So ladies. Acknowledge your guilt and doubt, own it. I believe the doubt and fear are part and parcel with being a good parent. It keeps us on our toes, always striving to be the best parent/teacher we can be. No matter what your guilt/doubt know that you ARE good enough, you ARE smart enough, and you ARE doing what is right for YOUR family.
Blessings!
Here are some of my guilty whisperings:
Gosh, we don't spend nearly the amount of time on HS as PS kids do...what with going to school for 8 hours then having a couple of hours of homework when they get home...Now, intellectually I know we don't need as much time as the kids are getting one on one attention, and the curriculum is designed specifically for their learning styles. I'm not trying to fit square pegs into round holes. But even I will sometimes question our dedication. When we do coop once a week, I will slack on the other days, not doing as much (and I know many other parents who do nothing at all on those other 6 days a week)....and I'm one of those parents who think all of life is a learning experience, so technically our kids are learning all of the time...but still I'll feel whisperings of doubt occasionally.
I'm not a trained professional. My oldest son has Aspergers (a form of Autism). I can not conceive of him thriving in a PS setting. And yet I know (supposedly) he'd be surrounded by 'experts' if I put him in the ps system. In fact I had a hard time finding a doctor who a. supported HS or b. would dx him without having a report from a school psychologist. Again my son is in a safe environment where I can give him the freedom to explore his stengths to his hearts content, and work gently on his weaknesses....but I had a hard time learning about his learning style, and I feel (ocassionally) that we wasted those years that I tried to teach him with a different style. I know he would have been bullied and miserable in a group setting (he has high anxiety) but ocassionally I too will doubt my abilities.
My house looks like the setting for an epic war film. One of the hardest parts of HS is getting balance. Especially since I'm legally handicapped and can't be on my feet for long periods of time. So I will shrug off keeping the kitchen spotless to instead watch hours of documentaries with the kids. Or I won't do laundry so we can instead work on building a volcano. Our house is cleaning central on the weekends, which the kids hate. But I will sometimes feel guilty for taking my quiet reading time in the evening after the kids go to bed. Our house would sparkle, but I'd probably be homicidal without it. I'm the first to tell parents the importance of taking decompression time, but it doesn't stop the guilt.
So ladies. Acknowledge your guilt and doubt, own it. I believe the doubt and fear are part and parcel with being a good parent. It keeps us on our toes, always striving to be the best parent/teacher we can be. No matter what your guilt/doubt know that you ARE good enough, you ARE smart enough, and you ARE doing what is right for YOUR family.
Blessings!
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