Simple, Little Things....by Theresa Johnson, Catholic Heritage Curricula

"Remember that nothing is small in the eyes of God.
Do all that you do with love.”
—St. Therese of Lisieux

Have you ever taken a good look at a brick? Pretty basic, isn’t it? Rectangular, no decoration other than a bit of color: simple; a little thing. Yet, under the guiding hand of a master bricklayer, those simple bricks, artfully placed one by one can become part of a beautiful, unassailable whole.

So it is with the simple, little things in our homeschool. It is good to be reminded from time to time of their importance. For example, we may wish to incorporate the holy simplicity of participating in the Sacrifice of the Mass during the week, perhaps on ‘free Wednesday.’ Or we may wish to add a simple Morning Offering to the beginning of our school day. Little things, but building blocks of an eternal, unassailable whole.

Then, too, we can encourage little acts of kindness amongst family members. Perhaps your children can be enlisted some weekend to create a ‘gift box’ filled with slips of paper suggesting these kind acts. For example, ‘Keep your eyes open for a chance to be kind. Give a pat on the back and a smile to someone who needs it.’ or ‘Help someone who is younger.’ Or ‘Ask Mom, “What can I do for you today?” ‘

When the day begins, each child might draw one slip of paper and see if he can be the first to perform the assigned kindness. In time, these acts may become habitual. Little things, but not small in the hands of the Master Builder.
'Little Things Gift Box' Ideas
 

• help a younger brother or sister get dressed
• make someone else’s bed
• surprise Mom by washing the bathroom sink
• surprise Dad by taking out the garbage
• share a favorite toy with a sibling
• help a sibling with their studies [this might be flashcards, or reading to them, or quizzing them on their spelling list]
• at the dinner table, pass dishes to others first, allowing them to be served before you
• leave a note, perhaps on their pillow, telling someone what you love about them
• leave a note, telling someone that you are praying a decade for their intentions
• anticipate someone else’s need, and help with a smile

Homeschooling a Houseful (article by Tara Bertic)

I am often asked how I homeschool 3 children with a little baby toddling around.  Here is a link to a few ideas on how to begin homeschooling multiple children:  


http://thehomeschoolmagazine.com/How_To_Homeschool/articles/homeschooling_houseful.php


Currently, we do a lot of our independent work in the morning.  The kids take turns working with me on math and science.  After lunch (and during the baby's nap), we tackle those subjects that may need some extra attention.  We usually rotate through each child's reading program one-on-one.  While the others wait, they finish independent work and work on special projects.  We also have the children work together on things, especially when the oldest can work with the youngest.  Of course, we pray that Baby Benjamin does not give up his afternoon nap anytime soon.  

Children of Fatima Shadow Box

Alaina's second study in literature this year was The Children of Fatima.  We always enjoy the books we choose to study, but this was very special.  It was easier for Alaina to relate to this book, because the children were close to her age and it happened less than 100 years ago.

Preparing the interior of her shadow box.

Decorating inside the shadow box.

Happy with her final product.









For more information on Our Lady of Fatima, go to:
http://www.sacred-destinations.com/portugal/fatima-shrine-of-our-lady-of-fatima

October First Friday

Our homeschool group attends mass on the First Friday of each month at a local nursing home with the residents.  Each month, there is a particular theme that is presented along with games and crafts.  This month, the theme was St. Therese, the "Little Flower".  The younger children played an obstacle course game to represent the many obstacles St. Therese overcame in her life.  

Benjamin enjoyed the obstacle course too!

The older kids played a "girls vs boys" Catholic trivia game.  

Finally, everyone came back together for crafts.  They colored pictures of St. Therese and learned how to make sacrifice beads.  

Roller Skating

We went roller skating with a local homeschool group in mid-September.  This was the first time the boys have been to a skating party.  Alaina had not been to a skating party since we started homeschooling.  This was a lot of fun for all of them.

Enjoying Fall at the Nature Preserve

On September 17, we joined the St. Michael Mom's Club for an afternoon at a local nature preserve.  This was a special time for Jonathan, because it is not often that he gets to do something without the older kids.  In this particular group, he was the oldest child (by only a few months, but it is nice to be the oldest when you are five).  We had lunch together, games, and a nature hike.

Jonathan learned that Golden Rod is Kentucky's state flower.

  The afternoon ended with a pretty butterfly craft.

Letter of the Week

Each week, Jonathan works on a letter or two for the week.  He practices with several words that start with the letter-reading, writing, and coloring pictures about it.  We finish the letter with a fun craft that will eventually be an alphabet book.  The letter for this particular day was "P" and he made this yummy popsicle craft.

Systems of Classification

In September of this year, Alaina was studying classification systems in science.  She used a 16 bean soup mix to practice this.

Samuel has been learning about classifying animals and created a fun book.

Jonathan has been learning about patterns in his math class and had some fun with teddy bear counters.

15 Reasons I Love Homeschooling By Alaina

This is the beginning of my third year being homeschooled. These are some of the reasons I love it so much.

• I don't have to wake up at 7am to go to school
• I don't have to wear a uniform
• I don't have homework
• I get to choose the books we read for literature
• I do fun science experiments
• I have better food for lunch
• I do fun activities and crafts
• I get to be in fun clubs and go on field trips with my homeschool group
• I make lots of friends in the homeschool group
• I get to see my mom, dad, and brothers during the day
• I don't have to make up snow days
• I get to go on vacation while other people are in school
• I get to help plan our calender
• On special days I get to wear my pajamas all day
• I get to choose my own activities on my break

Samuel's Guardian Angel

This week, Samuel has been reading and doing various activities about his Guardian Angel in his religion class.  This project, however, was from his reading program.  He read a poem and used various shapes and craft materials to create a picture of what he thinks his Guardian Angel looks like.  It was pretty cool that the two programs worked together in this way.  I did not plan it, because I haven't the time to plan that far ahead.  As we say, it must have been a "God thing".  

The Boxcar Children

The first book Alaina worked on this quarter was The Boxcar Children.  Along with her regular assignments, she created this diorama to represent the home of the beloved children from the story.

Alaina's Cell Model

Alaina was given a variety of items and had to decide how to best use them to create a cell model.

Her final product.

Why Do We Homeschool?

A blog I read on occasion posted this topic and stated that they review their reasons for homeschooling at the beginning of each school year.  We started this week and this is a great time to review this for our family.  We have only been homeschooling for 2 years, but this seems to be a wonderful way to start each year.  I am often asked this question as if I could give a one line statement that explains it all.  Each family has multiple reasons for their decision to homeschool and reasons vary from one family to the next.  I will attempt to express the reasons our family has chosen to homeschool.

I knew people homeschooled when my husband and I married, but I really did not know much beyond the stereotypes everyone seems to put out there.  I went to Catholic school through 8th grade and a public high school.  My husband always attended public schools.  We did O.K.  I never really thought we would do anything other than send our kids to school, but it would definitely be a private school.  I wanted our kids in a school that spoke freely about God.

When my daughter was around 2 years old, I attended a bible study/parenting class and met my first homeschool families.  I liked them.  I liked their children.  I liked how they interacted with one another.  I couldn't put my finger on it, but I could feel something special and I wanted my family to experience that.  I told my husband about these families and he listened.  He didn't have much to say...my daughter was only 2 after all.  

Over the years I met more homeschool families, began to research homeschooling, and continued to talk to my husband about it.  My daughter did attend a Catholic school until she was 8 years old.  During that year, her second grade year, as a family we decided that homeschooling was our best option.  We needed to give her more.  We had sons coming up behind her that needed more.

• FAMILY  We homeschool because it draws our family closer together.  Our time together is quality time.  We  work together, as a family unit, to educate our children.  Parents are the first teachers of their children.  We choose the best way to instruct our children based on their personal needs and individual style.  We enjoy being with our children and don't want to miss a single opportunity to teach them.  They enjoy being with each other more than ever.  With a new baby in the house, the benefits of homeschooling are experienced daily.  We all get to experience his "firsts" and it is very exciting to see the older children experience this.

• CURRICULUM  We homeschool so that we may work at a more rigorous and enjoyable pace.  We may work through a topic as quickly or as slowly as necessary.  Our children get to help make decisions about some of the topics we study and think of fun ways to work through the material.  We are teaching them to think outside of the box.  We may create a project that not only gives the child a better understanding of the material, but is enjoyable for the whole family.  We get to choose everything down to the last detail, including the supplies.  We will no longer search endlessly for that specific brand, size, and color that someone else is telling us to use.  Since our projects are our own personal creation, they will no longer hit the trash can when they return home.  Our children are very proud of them and want to save them-and I really want to save them!  They are also learning to work independently, because mom cannot work be with each child in every moment. 

• FREEDOM  We homeschool so that we may be free from the restraints of "school time".  When our kids play sports, we are the only parents that do not complain about the game ending at 9:00, 9:30, or even 10:00 p.m.  We can adjust our day however we see fit.  We don't have to deal with homework and after school events that cut into our family time.  We need not worry about snow days, sick days, and other reasons kids miss school.  In most cases, we can continue our schooling and not miss a beat.  Of course, it depends on how sick a child or parent is.  We don't have to deal with morning and afternoon carpool, sack lunches or cafeteria accounts, uniforms, new teachers and new expectations each year, signing up to help with this or that, sending in money or snacks for a multitude of reasons, and the list could go on and on for many pages. 

• PEER PRESSURE  We homeschool so that our children may enjoy a childhood free from the pressures of the world. They meet people and other children through weekly activities within our homeschool group, participate in various activities within our parish, play sports locally, and attend classes to cover extracurricular activities throughout the year. I find our kids are more "socialized" than they were before homeschooling, but in a way that supports the morals and values we are sharing with them. 

• GOD  We homeschool, most importantly, because we believe it has and will continue to be God's plan for us.  So many people were placed in our path and so many things just fell into place.  The first year almost seemed too easy proving God's plan was in place.  It is not always easy and we will continue to have struggles, but we know this is what we must do.  We will continue to homeschool as long as it continues to "work".  If it ever seems that it is not working, we will turn to God for direction.

And another try........

This was one of Jonathan's favorite projects.  If it involved scissors, he was ready to go.  He carefully cut the blades of grass for his cute tiger to hide behind.   

Just practicing a little......

I thought I would try to post a few pictures from last year and become a little more familiar with this blog before we start school. We start 3 weeks from today!

This was a science experiment Alaina did in October 2009. She polluted the cups of water with various things. She then attempted to filter the water and compared the results.

Building Better Families

"What stories are your children listening too? They hear stories through music, movies, books, video games, magazines, the Internet, television-and they are becoming the stories they listen to." -Matthew Kelly 


I have been reading this book for a very long time.  I was listening to a section last night that I have read and listened to before.  This quote stuck with me.  It reminded me of the games my daughter plays with her friends.  They are always orphans overcoming some challenge in life.  She reads so much and often the stories are centered around an orphaned child or teenager who has some challenge to overcome.    She is becoming these stories...a strong young lady overcoming adversity.  I do hope to have her with me for many years before she has to practice this in real life.  My sons love heroes, knights, cowboys, and the like.  They often play games that involve teamwork and brother helping brother.  They are close in age and are becoming close friends, imitating the brothers in the stories they know.  My husband is very close to one of his brothers and sees similarities between his relationship and that of our middle boys.  The final thought in my ramblings this morning, continue to be ever vigilant about the things my children see and hear.  Be aware that everything they encounter will contribute to the adult they become.  A bit daunting and overwhelming if taken on alone.  I'm very blessed to have a strong circle of family and friends to help us along the way.

My First Day as a Blogger

Today is my first day as a blogger. I'm still trying to figure out how this is all set up. My initial goal is to provide family and friends with a location to view photos and commentary about our family life and homeschool activities.