Happy and Blessed Thanksgiving, everyone.
For us Catholics, it's always Thanksgiving, isn't it? The Mass is a Sacrifice of Praise and Thanksgiving to God.
We have much to be grateful for. In a darker time in my past, I hated hearing that, for I always turned it to "and so much to be ungrateful for". We ought to be grateful we have enough to eat? What about those who do not? I always looked at the dark side.
I'm learning now that Gratitude is vital to the life of our souls. I'm not sure why, anymore than I'm sure why I have abundance this Thanksgiving, and others do not. I just know God knows what He's doing, and He calls me to take part in His Plan.
And that we all, despite the darker times, have things to be Grateful for.
I refuse to be blinded to those things by the darkness that once clouded my sight. Time to live in Reality.
I'll close with a little story:
A woman was on the beach, watching her grandson play at the shoreline. He had little yellow shorts, a blue bucket, a toy shovel, and a little white hat. He giggled as the waves tickled him. She watched him, smiling, when suddenly a HUGE wave game up and pulled him out to sea. She was frantic... she couldn't see him anywhere. She prayed:
"Lord, return my grandson to me and I'll never be ungrateful for anything again!"
Just then another huge wave came up, depositing the little guy, unhurt, back on the sand. He was laughing due to the excitement of the ride in the waves. She ran down and picked him up, hugging him tight. Then she looked at him more closely. He stood there, dripping, in his little yellow swim trunks, with his toy shovel grasped tightly in his fist, and his little bucket at his feet.
The woman looked back up to heaven and snapped "He had a HAT, you, know!"
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Homeschooling- Things I've Learned (part 4)
In previous posts I told my history and philosophy of homeschooling, more or less. A little bit of formal basics, and lots of free time (to dig pits and such).
It always helped me when folks mentioned the actual STUFF they used in homeschooling, so I'll mention a few things I like here.
My youngest is on about the second grade level (though we don't really do "levels" or "grades" here). Over the years, I've wandered about the Phonics Product World, never really finding a reading/phonics program that I was happy with.
Early on, I was at a huge curriculum fair in Pennsylvania (CHAP in Harrisburg), and I met the woman who designed Sing, Spell, Read and Write. I also heard speaker Debra Bell laud this program. I also saw the dang thing cost nearly $200. And I'm cheap. I had spent $400 on a full service curriculum the year before, but heck, I got a lot of books and "subjects" for that price! $200 just for Phonics and Reading? Bah.
Well, sometimes cheap is expensive, if you follow me.
With my youngest I got Sing, Spell, Read and Write. It's clearly the BEST program for Language Arts in the early years. Because of the songs, games, and books, even a squirmy child can get into this one. And they LEARN it.
By the time I got to this last child, I knew how to adapt a lesson plan... they give you a very clear structured daily plan with this program. However since I'm usually unclear and unstructured, I adapted it to the "chaos model" of homeschooling, and it still worked fine.
I wish I'd used this with my now college aged eldest daughter, when she was young! She struggled with reading, but I think this would have worked really well.
And I ended up spending far more than $200 over the years on programs for all of them.
For homeschoolers with kids just learning to read, I'd strongly recommend this program.
I'd also recommend keeping in mind kids learn to read at different ages, so keep it fun, let them progress at their own pace, and they'll 'get' it.
The only addition I'd add to this Language Arts program is some good books read ALOUD to the child, separate from reading "classes". Reading aloud to my kids did wonders as far as getting them interested in reading (if you are not a read aloud person, books on tape are good too).
Eventually the phonics lessons, and love of books they learn from the read-alouds, will click together (PLEASE don't read aloud and then give them tests and worksheets! Nothing worse to kill a love of books... just ... read. For fun).
... to be continued....
It always helped me when folks mentioned the actual STUFF they used in homeschooling, so I'll mention a few things I like here.
My youngest is on about the second grade level (though we don't really do "levels" or "grades" here). Over the years, I've wandered about the Phonics Product World, never really finding a reading/phonics program that I was happy with.
Early on, I was at a huge curriculum fair in Pennsylvania (CHAP in Harrisburg), and I met the woman who designed Sing, Spell, Read and Write. I also heard speaker Debra Bell laud this program. I also saw the dang thing cost nearly $200. And I'm cheap. I had spent $400 on a full service curriculum the year before, but heck, I got a lot of books and "subjects" for that price! $200 just for Phonics and Reading? Bah.
Well, sometimes cheap is expensive, if you follow me.
With my youngest I got Sing, Spell, Read and Write. It's clearly the BEST program for Language Arts in the early years. Because of the songs, games, and books, even a squirmy child can get into this one. And they LEARN it.
By the time I got to this last child, I knew how to adapt a lesson plan... they give you a very clear structured daily plan with this program. However since I'm usually unclear and unstructured, I adapted it to the "chaos model" of homeschooling, and it still worked fine.
I wish I'd used this with my now college aged eldest daughter, when she was young! She struggled with reading, but I think this would have worked really well.
And I ended up spending far more than $200 over the years on programs for all of them.
For homeschoolers with kids just learning to read, I'd strongly recommend this program.
I'd also recommend keeping in mind kids learn to read at different ages, so keep it fun, let them progress at their own pace, and they'll 'get' it.
The only addition I'd add to this Language Arts program is some good books read ALOUD to the child, separate from reading "classes". Reading aloud to my kids did wonders as far as getting them interested in reading (if you are not a read aloud person, books on tape are good too).
Eventually the phonics lessons, and love of books they learn from the read-alouds, will click together (PLEASE don't read aloud and then give them tests and worksheets! Nothing worse to kill a love of books... just ... read. For fun).
... to be continued....
Pits for Peace
My youngest son dug a pit in the backyard. A big pit. If he stands in it just his head sticks out, and he's tall for his age.
He and his older sister (my youngest girl) fight like cats and dogs.
I just looked out the window. They are happily working together in the back yard, deepening the pit.
No fights, no arguments, just digging. That's good!
I just have to make sure both come back IN again.
He and his older sister (my youngest girl) fight like cats and dogs.
I just looked out the window. They are happily working together in the back yard, deepening the pit.
No fights, no arguments, just digging. That's good!
I just have to make sure both come back IN again.
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Winter Burnout
It's coming early this year! Normally February is my 'down time' when I'm in desparate need of a curriculum fair, when I contemplate flagging down the yellow bus and throwing them on.
But it's only November and I'm having trouble focusing. Any suggestions?
(Other than a nice bath and a hot cuppa tea.... actually, that sounds good... I think I'll at least get the tea now!)
Funny, it was easier when I had LOADS of kids at home. My little guy is nine... my eldest ones are in college and my others are teens, and relatively self sufficient. I almost feel like I'm homeschooling an only child. Which is more difficult than homeschooling a batch of battling siblings.
Perhaps we'll have a side of Poetry with the tea. Poetry is great for focus.
But it's only November and I'm having trouble focusing. Any suggestions?
(Other than a nice bath and a hot cuppa tea.... actually, that sounds good... I think I'll at least get the tea now!)
Funny, it was easier when I had LOADS of kids at home. My little guy is nine... my eldest ones are in college and my others are teens, and relatively self sufficient. I almost feel like I'm homeschooling an only child. Which is more difficult than homeschooling a batch of battling siblings.
Perhaps we'll have a side of Poetry with the tea. Poetry is great for focus.
Saturday, November 10, 2007
Odilo of Cluny
This guy is one of my favs.
We owe All Souls Day to him (for which I'm sure MANY are grateful).
He's pictured as a Benedictine abbott with a skull and crossbones at his feet.... which is kinda cool.:)
Read more about it at Saint Odilo
He was kind and gentle to others, and for his liberality he was sometimes criticized.
A saying attributed to him is "I would rather be condemned for showing too much mercy, than for showing too much justice"
It's a message we can all use.
Praise God for His Mercy
We owe All Souls Day to him (for which I'm sure MANY are grateful).
He's pictured as a Benedictine abbott with a skull and crossbones at his feet.... which is kinda cool.:)
Read more about it at Saint Odilo
He was kind and gentle to others, and for his liberality he was sometimes criticized.
A saying attributed to him is "I would rather be condemned for showing too much mercy, than for showing too much justice"
It's a message we can all use.
Praise God for His Mercy
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Embryonic Stem Cell Research in NJ
"whew!"
A campaign for 40 days of prayer. Rosaries. Offering Mass. And a State I'd never have expected to vote down any expenditure of money, especially one disguised as a "good thing".. VOTED DOWN tax money to fund stem cell research.
They voted FOR using tax dollars to preserve Open Space.
Political Experts are left scratching their heads. Why would voters vote down stem cell (including embryonic stem cell) tax funded research? But vote FOR taxes to be used to preserve open space?
Maybe, ladies and gentlemen of the press, it's because NJ residents value and respect life more than was realized.
I'm willing to bet a similar motion, asking for funds for NON-EMBRYONIC research would have passed overwhelmingly.
Folks have had enough of science experiments on the weakest.
Praise God!
A campaign for 40 days of prayer. Rosaries. Offering Mass. And a State I'd never have expected to vote down any expenditure of money, especially one disguised as a "good thing".. VOTED DOWN tax money to fund stem cell research.
They voted FOR using tax dollars to preserve Open Space.
Political Experts are left scratching their heads. Why would voters vote down stem cell (including embryonic stem cell) tax funded research? But vote FOR taxes to be used to preserve open space?
Maybe, ladies and gentlemen of the press, it's because NJ residents value and respect life more than was realized.
I'm willing to bet a similar motion, asking for funds for NON-EMBRYONIC research would have passed overwhelmingly.
Folks have had enough of science experiments on the weakest.
Praise God!
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