 |
| Last Halloween |
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Monday, October 29, 2012
We'll weather the weather...
A year ago today, we were enduring a freak snowstorm. We got 15 inches of wet, heavy snow on top of trees that still had leaves on the branches. Many trees and branches came down on top of wires, knocking power out to most of our state (granted, it's a small state, but it was still a pretty good size area for a power outage). We spent the first couple of days cleaning up the yard and spent the evenings playing board games by candlelight. That started to get a little old by the third day. Halloween was cancelled. The girls and I headed to my sister's house 2 hours away, while my husband held down the fort here because he still had to go to work. In the end, we were without electricity for eleven days.
Fast forward one year, and we are in the midst of a hurricane. To say that after last year's experience people around here are a little panicky is putting it mildly. The grocery stores are completely out of bread. The TV channels are all broadcasting weather news non-stop. I am a little nervous about losing power yet, but so far, so good. The lights have flickered a few times, but that's it. Like good Girl Scouts, we're prepared if it comes to that.
Anyway, we've been busy lately. Turtlegirl was away at homeschool week at a camp in Vermont last week. She did the high ropes course and the climbing tower, and explored a stream, to name a few activities. Swimmah stayed home so she could continue with swim practice and be prepared for a meet Friday evening. She swam the mile (that's 66 laps!) at that meet. Both girls swam at another meet Saturday morning. So I guess we're ready for a rest anyway...or I am at any rate!
Fast forward one year, and we are in the midst of a hurricane. To say that after last year's experience people around here are a little panicky is putting it mildly. The grocery stores are completely out of bread. The TV channels are all broadcasting weather news non-stop. I am a little nervous about losing power yet, but so far, so good. The lights have flickered a few times, but that's it. Like good Girl Scouts, we're prepared if it comes to that.
Anyway, we've been busy lately. Turtlegirl was away at homeschool week at a camp in Vermont last week. She did the high ropes course and the climbing tower, and explored a stream, to name a few activities. Swimmah stayed home so she could continue with swim practice and be prepared for a meet Friday evening. She swam the mile (that's 66 laps!) at that meet. Both girls swam at another meet Saturday morning. So I guess we're ready for a rest anyway...or I am at any rate!
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Our Favorite Non-Fantasy Books
A while back, I wrote a Top Ten post of our favorite fantasy book series. It was supposed to be a list of our favorite kids' books, but then I realized that most of them were series, and the vast majority were fantasy. So I promised to do another post about our favorite non-fantasy stand-alone chapter books. Here it is: our favorite (mostly) stand-alone chapter books:
The American Girls Series
Look at that - the first one is a series. Oops. And it's not just a series, but a series of series. What can we say? My girls loved them all. (The "Julie" books came out just after they had decided they had outgrown them, so when I say "all", I mean all the ones that came out before that time.) Swimmah's favorites were Kirsten and Felicity, and Turtlegirl's were Kaya and Molly. These are great for introducing American history.
The Little House Books
Oh, wait, that's another series... I read Little House on the Prairie many, many years ago, when the TV show first started. I liked it, but not enough to read the other books in the series. So a few years ago, we started with Little House in the Big Woods and continued through the series. I think my favorite was The Long Winter. These are also great for sparking an interest in American history.
Carry On, Mr. Bowditch by Jean Lee Latham
Winner of the 1956 Newberry Medal. Based on the life of Nathaniel Bowditch, this book retells his life story, from his start as an indentured servant to his self-education and his eventual writing of The American Practical Navigator (also known as the Sailor's Bible, still in use today). This was suggested for a book group discussion by one of the families in the group. The kids voted on which books to read each month, and this one only got one vote each month, until the end of the year, when there wasn't much left to choose from. The kids reluctantly agreed to read it. It ended up being the favorite book read that year!
Call of the Wild by Jack London
Another book group book. I thought this book was a little advanced for the kids in the group at the time, but they seemed to love it. I know Turtlegirl did. She was only about 10 at the time and I was concerned that it was too violent for her, but it didn't seem to bother her. Should I be concerned about that?!
Winged Watchman by Hilda van Stockum
Another book group book. This is about a Dutch family during the Nazi occupation of Holland. They hide a downed air pilot as well as others. Exciting and suspenseful, not to mention a great discussion starter.
The Great Turkey Walk by Kathleen Karr
Yet another book group selection. This takes place in the US in 1860. A young man decides to herd a huge flock of turkeys from eastern Missouri to Denver, where he can get a good price for them. Rather more lighthearted than the previous two listed.
The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare
Winner of the 1959 Newberry Medal. We actually read this twice, once to go along with our history study, and again with the above mentioned book group. In the year 1687, Kit Tyler arrives in Connecticut Colony from her home in Barbados to live with her uncle and his family. It's quite the culture shock. When I was a little girl, we had a copy of this book in our house, but I never read it because there was the word "witch" in the title and the picture on the cover looked spooky. I was such a chicken! When I read this as an adult to my children, I wanted to go back in time to tell my nine-year-old self that there is nothing spooky about it and to just read it!
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
This is another we read with the book group. We also watched one of the movie versions (think it was Disney) and also got to see the play at Hartford Stage. We all really enjoyed this as a book and as the play. The movie was less memorable.
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
Turtlegirl picked this up at the library to read as a follow-up to Tom Sawyer, but found it too difficult on her own. I was actually happy to read it aloud to both her and Swimmah so we could discuss it as we read. I know a lot of people have issues with a particular word in this book, but I explained the historical context (as well as the contemporary context). I guess they're pretty sheltered - I don't think they have ever heard that word used except in a historical context. It was a bit awkward for me reading it aloud - I did consider looking for an audio version so I wouldn't have to deal with it, but in the end I just read it myself. Despite that issue, it really is a great book and well worth the read. There's a reason it's considered one of the great American works of literature.
Hmmm, looking over this list, I see that most of the non-fantasy books my kids have read were required reading. Oh well!
What are some of your favorite books?
The American Girls Series
Look at that - the first one is a series. Oops. And it's not just a series, but a series of series. What can we say? My girls loved them all. (The "Julie" books came out just after they had decided they had outgrown them, so when I say "all", I mean all the ones that came out before that time.) Swimmah's favorites were Kirsten and Felicity, and Turtlegirl's were Kaya and Molly. These are great for introducing American history.
The Little House Books
Oh, wait, that's another series... I read Little House on the Prairie many, many years ago, when the TV show first started. I liked it, but not enough to read the other books in the series. So a few years ago, we started with Little House in the Big Woods and continued through the series. I think my favorite was The Long Winter. These are also great for sparking an interest in American history.
Carry On, Mr. Bowditch by Jean Lee Latham
Winner of the 1956 Newberry Medal. Based on the life of Nathaniel Bowditch, this book retells his life story, from his start as an indentured servant to his self-education and his eventual writing of The American Practical Navigator (also known as the Sailor's Bible, still in use today). This was suggested for a book group discussion by one of the families in the group. The kids voted on which books to read each month, and this one only got one vote each month, until the end of the year, when there wasn't much left to choose from. The kids reluctantly agreed to read it. It ended up being the favorite book read that year!
Call of the Wild by Jack London
Another book group book. I thought this book was a little advanced for the kids in the group at the time, but they seemed to love it. I know Turtlegirl did. She was only about 10 at the time and I was concerned that it was too violent for her, but it didn't seem to bother her. Should I be concerned about that?!
Winged Watchman by Hilda van Stockum
Another book group book. This is about a Dutch family during the Nazi occupation of Holland. They hide a downed air pilot as well as others. Exciting and suspenseful, not to mention a great discussion starter.
The Great Turkey Walk by Kathleen Karr
Yet another book group selection. This takes place in the US in 1860. A young man decides to herd a huge flock of turkeys from eastern Missouri to Denver, where he can get a good price for them. Rather more lighthearted than the previous two listed.
The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare
Winner of the 1959 Newberry Medal. We actually read this twice, once to go along with our history study, and again with the above mentioned book group. In the year 1687, Kit Tyler arrives in Connecticut Colony from her home in Barbados to live with her uncle and his family. It's quite the culture shock. When I was a little girl, we had a copy of this book in our house, but I never read it because there was the word "witch" in the title and the picture on the cover looked spooky. I was such a chicken! When I read this as an adult to my children, I wanted to go back in time to tell my nine-year-old self that there is nothing spooky about it and to just read it!
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
This is another we read with the book group. We also watched one of the movie versions (think it was Disney) and also got to see the play at Hartford Stage. We all really enjoyed this as a book and as the play. The movie was less memorable.
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
Turtlegirl picked this up at the library to read as a follow-up to Tom Sawyer, but found it too difficult on her own. I was actually happy to read it aloud to both her and Swimmah so we could discuss it as we read. I know a lot of people have issues with a particular word in this book, but I explained the historical context (as well as the contemporary context). I guess they're pretty sheltered - I don't think they have ever heard that word used except in a historical context. It was a bit awkward for me reading it aloud - I did consider looking for an audio version so I wouldn't have to deal with it, but in the end I just read it myself. Despite that issue, it really is a great book and well worth the read. There's a reason it's considered one of the great American works of literature.
Hmmm, looking over this list, I see that most of the non-fantasy books my kids have read were required reading. Oh well!
What are some of your favorite books?
Friday, October 12, 2012
Weekly Wrap-Up: October 12
It's been a while since I posted a weekly wrap-up. Our Fridays tend to be busy, so often it's late Saturday, Sunday, or even Monday before I realize that I never got to it! So what have we been doing? In a way, I feel like we have not been doing all that much, but it seems to take up a lot of time!
Swimmah reminded me that I had told her back in August that we would take Columbus Day off. We usually don't, because my husband has always had to work that day and it has always felt like just another day. But we took it off this year. We typically need a break by this point in the year, anyway. I think a day with nothing to do was just what we needed.
Swimmah is writing a research paper on sea turtle conservation for her writing class this session. She has to have at least five sources, with no more than one of those being a website. She searched our local library for books and magazines, but it didn't have anything she was looking for. She was able to find some books at other libraries in the area, however. Of course, that meant driving to four different town libraries for four different books, as there is not time to wait for inter-library loan. We went in one direction Wednesday afternoon and in the other direction Friday early afternoon. Then writing class was at 3:00, diving lesson at 6:00, swim practice at 7:00. Phew!
Thursday I took advantage of the beautiful sunny weather and pulled up the dying tomato plants, eggplant, what was left of the cucumber vine... Something ate all my kale (it certainly wasn't my family!) so I pulled the remnants of that, too. It's a little sad, but it does look neater and I do love fall. They say there's going to be a frost tonight - we haven't had to use the heat yet, but I suspect it will come on tomorrow morning! That's OK, I love the crisp weather. I hope to get out this weekend for a hike to see the foliage! What are your plans this weekend?
Swimmah reminded me that I had told her back in August that we would take Columbus Day off. We usually don't, because my husband has always had to work that day and it has always felt like just another day. But we took it off this year. We typically need a break by this point in the year, anyway. I think a day with nothing to do was just what we needed.
Swimmah is writing a research paper on sea turtle conservation for her writing class this session. She has to have at least five sources, with no more than one of those being a website. She searched our local library for books and magazines, but it didn't have anything she was looking for. She was able to find some books at other libraries in the area, however. Of course, that meant driving to four different town libraries for four different books, as there is not time to wait for inter-library loan. We went in one direction Wednesday afternoon and in the other direction Friday early afternoon. Then writing class was at 3:00, diving lesson at 6:00, swim practice at 7:00. Phew!
Thursday I took advantage of the beautiful sunny weather and pulled up the dying tomato plants, eggplant, what was left of the cucumber vine... Something ate all my kale (it certainly wasn't my family!) so I pulled the remnants of that, too. It's a little sad, but it does look neater and I do love fall. They say there's going to be a frost tonight - we haven't had to use the heat yet, but I suspect it will come on tomorrow morning! That's OK, I love the crisp weather. I hope to get out this weekend for a hike to see the foliage! What are your plans this weekend?
Monday, October 1, 2012
Books Read in August and September
I was a bit remiss in posting books read in August. I had actually started it as a draft and then just didn't get around to completing it and posting it until now, so I am doing two months at once.
The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood
This is a book I had been meaning to read for years now. I finally picked it up at the library in early August. I'm glad I read it. Swimmah has been particularly taken with the dystopian genre for several months now and this is one that I will recommend to her.
The Language of Flowers - Vanessa Diffenbaugh
Recommended to me by my sister. Victoria turns 18 and is emancipated from the foster care system; she now has to find her own way in life.
The Lost Wife - Alyson Richman
Recommended to me by my mother-in-law. This is about a newlywed couple who are separated by the Holocaust, and reunited decades later. Bittersweet.
The Giver - Lois Lowry
A reread, our first family book discussion selection. We all enjoyed the book and had a great discussion! We have also discovered that she wrote three companion books to make a quartet. The last one is being released October 2, 2012. We'll have to look for those. Another dystopian novel.
How to Get Your Kids to Get Things DONE! - Jim Erskine
This ebook is really an article, not a whole book. Luckily, I got it for free on my kindle. I would have been really disappointed if I had paid for it and then read it all in about 10 minutes. Not to mention that it still didn't answer my question of HOW to get your kids to get things done. Make a list, have them start first thing in the morning, yada, yada, yada... I guess I was looking for more of how to get your kids to want to get things done, to want to get a great education. I already know the answer to that (see link to article on reluctant learners). I guess I was just looking for more inspiration for the start of the school year.
Major Pettigrew's Last Stand - Helen Simonson
I really enjoyed this one! The Major is nothing if not quietly dignified in all situations. He is also immensely likable.
Project-Based Homeschooling: Mentoring Self-Directed Learners - Lori McWilliam Pickert
I mentioned this previously. I did finish it and highly recommend it to anyone homeschooling, or thinking about homeschooling.
The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood
This is a book I had been meaning to read for years now. I finally picked it up at the library in early August. I'm glad I read it. Swimmah has been particularly taken with the dystopian genre for several months now and this is one that I will recommend to her.
The Language of Flowers - Vanessa Diffenbaugh
Recommended to me by my sister. Victoria turns 18 and is emancipated from the foster care system; she now has to find her own way in life.
The Lost Wife - Alyson Richman
Recommended to me by my mother-in-law. This is about a newlywed couple who are separated by the Holocaust, and reunited decades later. Bittersweet.
The Giver - Lois Lowry
A reread, our first family book discussion selection. We all enjoyed the book and had a great discussion! We have also discovered that she wrote three companion books to make a quartet. The last one is being released October 2, 2012. We'll have to look for those. Another dystopian novel.
How to Get Your Kids to Get Things DONE! - Jim Erskine
This ebook is really an article, not a whole book. Luckily, I got it for free on my kindle. I would have been really disappointed if I had paid for it and then read it all in about 10 minutes. Not to mention that it still didn't answer my question of HOW to get your kids to get things done. Make a list, have them start first thing in the morning, yada, yada, yada... I guess I was looking for more of how to get your kids to want to get things done, to want to get a great education. I already know the answer to that (see link to article on reluctant learners). I guess I was just looking for more inspiration for the start of the school year.
Major Pettigrew's Last Stand - Helen Simonson
I really enjoyed this one! The Major is nothing if not quietly dignified in all situations. He is also immensely likable.
Project-Based Homeschooling: Mentoring Self-Directed Learners - Lori McWilliam Pickert
I mentioned this previously. I did finish it and highly recommend it to anyone homeschooling, or thinking about homeschooling.
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
From The Student Whisperer by Oliver DeMille and Tiffany Earl:
Gallup reports that about 80% of people aren't happy with their work and life path... Education has failed such people. Indeed, based on this statistic, around 80% of us are under-educated - or mis-educated. The years such people invest in studying and making the grade did not lead to make the choices or acquire the knowledge, skills, habits, and abilities that facilitated their happiness, fulfillment and meaningful contribution. Is such a process, therefore, perhaps mislabeled? Is this really what we want from "education"?
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
The Educational Conveyor Belt
In A Thomas Jefferson Education, Oliver DeMille describes what he calls "conveyor belt" education: one in which everyone receives the same thing (lesson) at the same time and in the same manner, with the same results expected. Implicit in this is the idea that education is something that is done to you.
In contrast, he calls for an individualized education where each individual learns at his/her own pace, following his/her own interests. He also acknowledges that for those of us who were brought up in the conveyor belt system (that would be the vast majority of us), it can be very difficult to get off the conveyor belt. He calls this a "conveyor belt hangover". It can be especially difficult to get off it when everyone around you is not even aware that there is an alternative, or they just don't see the value in doing things a different way.
Whenever I start to suffer from conveyor belt hangover, my two children (one in particular) let me know loud and clear that that is not their preferred way of learning. When I can take a step back and take a deep breath, I am grateful that they are so good at letting me know what they need. Just imagine if I had complacent, eager-to-please children...
Wait, why don't I want that??
Oh yeah...I don't want them to be complacent, eager-to-please adults. Or to be too eager-to-please with their peers. I want them both to grow into adults who aren't afraid to stand up for their rights or to just be who they are. But, oh my goodness, they do challenge me sometimes! :)
So what do you do when you find yourself with one foot back on the conveyor belt? First of all, go easy on yourself. You may have accepted emotionally and intellectually that an individualized education is best, but old habits die hard. Sometimes we don't even realize that we are slipping back towards the conveyor belt, through our actions and expectations. Sometimes we're acting from a place of fear: fear that if we don't follow the traditional sequence of events, we'll ruin our kids' chances for a productive, self-sufficient adulthood.
Read books by people who have been down this path before you and re-read them from time to time. There are many out there. Here are a some good ones that I have read:
A Thomas Jefferson Education by Oliver DeMille, mentioned above
Leadership Education by Oliver and Rachel DeMille
Dumbing Us Down by John Taylor Gatto
The Teenage Liberation Handbook by Grace Llewellyn
Project-Based Homeschooling by Lori McWilliam Pickert (haven't quite finished this one yet, but there's lots of great stuff in it!)
anything by John Holt
Surround yourself with others who are on a similar path, whether in person or online. You don't feel so alone if you know others following the same or similar path. And it helps if you can get some tips and advice, or at least some reassurance, from others who have been through this before.
We all make mistakes from time to time, slip from the path we want to be on, but luckily children are resilient. We can adjust our course and get closer to our ideal. We'll probably never quite get there, except for rare moments, but so long as we keep trying we may come close. If we just give up and hop on the conveyor belt, we'll never see the true potential of our children.
In contrast, he calls for an individualized education where each individual learns at his/her own pace, following his/her own interests. He also acknowledges that for those of us who were brought up in the conveyor belt system (that would be the vast majority of us), it can be very difficult to get off the conveyor belt. He calls this a "conveyor belt hangover". It can be especially difficult to get off it when everyone around you is not even aware that there is an alternative, or they just don't see the value in doing things a different way.
Whenever I start to suffer from conveyor belt hangover, my two children (one in particular) let me know loud and clear that that is not their preferred way of learning. When I can take a step back and take a deep breath, I am grateful that they are so good at letting me know what they need. Just imagine if I had complacent, eager-to-please children...
Wait, why don't I want that??
Oh yeah...I don't want them to be complacent, eager-to-please adults. Or to be too eager-to-please with their peers. I want them both to grow into adults who aren't afraid to stand up for their rights or to just be who they are. But, oh my goodness, they do challenge me sometimes! :)
So what do you do when you find yourself with one foot back on the conveyor belt? First of all, go easy on yourself. You may have accepted emotionally and intellectually that an individualized education is best, but old habits die hard. Sometimes we don't even realize that we are slipping back towards the conveyor belt, through our actions and expectations. Sometimes we're acting from a place of fear: fear that if we don't follow the traditional sequence of events, we'll ruin our kids' chances for a productive, self-sufficient adulthood.
Read books by people who have been down this path before you and re-read them from time to time. There are many out there. Here are a some good ones that I have read:
A Thomas Jefferson Education by Oliver DeMille, mentioned above
Leadership Education by Oliver and Rachel DeMille
Dumbing Us Down by John Taylor Gatto
The Teenage Liberation Handbook by Grace Llewellyn
Project-Based Homeschooling by Lori McWilliam Pickert (haven't quite finished this one yet, but there's lots of great stuff in it!)
anything by John Holt
Surround yourself with others who are on a similar path, whether in person or online. You don't feel so alone if you know others following the same or similar path. And it helps if you can get some tips and advice, or at least some reassurance, from others who have been through this before.
We all make mistakes from time to time, slip from the path we want to be on, but luckily children are resilient. We can adjust our course and get closer to our ideal. We'll probably never quite get there, except for rare moments, but so long as we keep trying we may come close. If we just give up and hop on the conveyor belt, we'll never see the true potential of our children.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)