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BrendaPeter
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| Posted: Jan 12 2008 at 7:47pm | IP Logged
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SeventhHeaven wrote:
Willa,
my children are 5 months, 2-VERY MISCHEAVEOUS 2 year old twins, a 4 year old who doesn't ask for much, a crafty 6 year old, an 8 year old BABY boy, a 10 year old boy and a 13 year old boy. So, my plat is very full. My husband is working a lot these days to help make ends meet on a single income with so many children, so he works his regular job and is also flipping a house etc. SO, that doesn't leave much time for help at home. (ALthough he still does manage.) |
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Whoa  ... Makes my days look like a walk in the park...
I do read aloud to my kids everyday mostly because I enjoy it BUT it is a challenge, particularly with little ones. If that's something you want to increase, ask Our Lady for Her help.
SeventhHeaven wrote:
| So, maybe I have been guilty of a negative assesment? Do you all ever feel like that? As if you are ALWAYS assuming you are doing a terrible job????? I do that all the time, |
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It seems to be a result of our culture that so many of us lack faith in our parenting skills and our ability to educate and know what's best for our children. For instance, how many people have asked you if you have a teaching degree, as if that is somehow the magic formula to homeschooling? As my faith grows, I'm trying to put more faith in the Sacrament of Matrimony which gives me the grace needed to parent and homeschool my children.
Hang in there Kim! I'm sure you're doing a great job!
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Blessings,
Brenda (mom to 6)
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Rachel May
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| Posted: Jan 12 2008 at 9:24pm | IP Logged
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Two pracitcal thoughts. First, I've recently started going back to starting the day with read alouds, and I was surprised to find that school didn't drag out any longer than usual and the littles behave so much better. It's a bean in the jar before the rice approach.
The other is taking a break from my "box" rejuvinates me. Previously I have taken the entire month of February as a unit study month where we only did one unit that I planned and lots of rabbit trails. This year I paced myself so that each 8 weeks we break from the box and take 1 week doing only science and art (I chose not to use these parts of the box curriculum). We're doing our 2nd one this upcoming week, and I'm really liking it.
SeventhHeaven wrote:
| So, maybe I have been guilty of a negative assesment? Do you all ever feel like that? As if you are ALWAYS assuming you are doing a terrible job????? I do that all the time, |
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Absolutely, but I'm trying to be more constructive with those feelings by not comparing too much with what I think other homeschoolers are doing. Also, this week I decided to compare how we are doing with the "What Your -- Grader Needs to Know" books just to get a picture. What I found was that 1) we were ahead in nearly everything, but especially in art and science, the areas I was most nervous about and 2) we had learned MOST of it through reading living books.  It was such a relief!
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Rachel
Thomas and Anthony (10), Maria (8), Charles (6), Cecilia (5), James (3), and Joseph (1)
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Nina
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| Posted: Jan 25 2008 at 2:10pm | IP Logged
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Rachel,I completely understand what you mean about the "What Your--Grader Needs To Know" books.I do the same thing.I also keep stuggling with the thoughts that I'm doing a terrible job.We all need to relax a little more.Just look at all we need to do-be a good mother/wife,educator,keep a nice home,ect..What helps me is offering all of this to God.There is no way any of us can do this alone.
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wwandsprmn
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| Posted: Jan 26 2008 at 9:33am | IP Logged
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We've been homeschooling for 9 yrs. I wish I had met veterans early on in my experience. I was surrounded by folks who had been homeschooling a yr or two and who, like me had young children.
It's so scary knowing you hold your child's education in your hands, and all that implies. I wanted the kind of daily life I read about in CM but did not trust it to provide all my kids would need. I abandoned it and did not return for 4 yrs. I did not trust myself fully nor did I trust my children, and moreover I didn't trust God to guide our homeschool then.
Putting Christ first in our program, meeting more families who have graduated students and having a son in 11th grade has truly freed me from these fears.
Instead of trying to cram everything under the sun into our program, and buying tons of curricula that sits on a shelf I developed a solid program and I have total faith in my choices. It saves money in the long run, and I am able to master the teaching of the material.
I try to never loose sight of my goal, to raise saints before scholars. Worry more about making daily Mass and less about repetitive worksheets. Teach about the saints and history and the greater implications of of these events instead of memorizing dates. (Which btw happens when put in the context of living books, stories and hands on experiences, I believe)
I focus on keeping an orderly home, developing responsibility & accountability, a strong work ethic, and community service.
I just LOVE this life!! We just returned from Washington D.C. We marched in the Right to Life march. We went to Philly and saw Independence Hall, Liberty Bell etc. We toured the monuments in DC, saw the Declaration, we did it all! We went to the Mass at the Basilica, and toured the Shrine of St. John Neumann. We prayed and went to daily mass everywhere. It was too awesome for words!!! Homeschool on the road! Not a workbook in sight!
Sorry it's so long, when I talk about this amazing life I tend to gush :)
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10 Bright Stars
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| Posted: Jan 26 2008 at 12:45pm | IP Logged
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WW,
Well, I have to embarrasingly admit that I am the veteran here. hehe I have been homeschooling for 13 years if you want to go by my eldest son's age, and for moe than that if you include his baby-hood up to 5 years. My, I even didn't realize it had been that long.
I recall in the early days, pre-homeschooling and then in the beginning I would feel as if my heart would burst reading about homeschooling, thinking about homeschooling...showing my eldest leaves and trees and reading books etc. The whole world seemed alive with the possibilites of learning etc. It was SOOO fun like you mentioned in your post.
Then, came more children and DS got older and I worried about what he was learning, getting him to read, making sure he got everything etc. Then, I had to think about the other children coming up. I started using MODG and really liked their curriculum etc, but something still seemed missing as if there were gaps in learning here and there, and oldest DS had a lot of reading trouble, so I started to doubt myself, and in that doubt, turned to Seton to "cover all the bases". I have been very pleased with their program, but I do think I have lost my initial "love affair" with homeschooling that I have been attempting to rediscover lately. This forum has really helped since everyone's enthusiasm and advice is so encouraging, and it is amazing how there are so many "rabbit trails" on here for us grown-ups too. Everyone has alredy done so much work and research for me that it really enlivens my day.
So, I guess you are right about trusting myself. I tend to swtich around curriculums (esp. in the past) and need "new" things to try all the time since I doubt all the time. So, it does make much more sense to focus on the basics, enjoy this time and make sure what really counts is the priority.
Thanks for a great post!
__________________
Kim married to Bob (22y)
Mom of 11 blessings:
Bobby 19, David 17, Noah 14,
Mary 12, Gracie 10,
Isabelle and Sophia 8,
Gabrielle 6,
William Anthony 4, Joseph 3 and Luisa Marie - born in M
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BrendaPeter
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| Posted: Jan 26 2008 at 1:04pm | IP Logged
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wwandsprmn wrote:
| It's so scary knowing you hold your child's education in your hands, and all that implies. I wanted the kind of daily life I read about in CM but did not trust it to provide all my kids would need. I abandoned it and did not return for 4 yrs. I did not trust myself fully nor did I trust my children, and moreover I didn't trust God to guide our homeschool then. |
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Ditto, here. That seems to happen to alot of us.
wwandsprmn wrote:
Instead of trying to cram everything under the sun into our program, and buying tons of curricula that sits on a shelf I developed a solid program and I have total faith in my choices. It saves money in the long run, and I am able to master the teaching of the material.
I try to never loose sight of my goal, to raise saints before scholars. Worry more about making daily Mass and less about repetitive worksheets. Teach about the saints and history and the greater implications of of these events instead of memorizing dates. (Which btw happens when put in the context of living books, stories and hands on experiences, I believe)
I focus on keeping an orderly home, developing responsibility & accountability, a strong work ethic, and community service. |
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Ditto, ditto & ditto  .
wwandsprmn wrote:
I just LOVE this life!! We just returned from Washington D.C. We marched in the Right to Life march. We went to Philly and saw Independence Hall, Liberty Bell etc. We toured the monuments in DC, saw the Declaration, we did it all! We went to the Mass at the Basilica, and toured the Shrine of St. John Neumann. We prayed and went to daily mass everywhere. It was too awesome for words!!! Homeschool on the road! Not a workbook in sight!
Sorry it's so long, when I talk about this amazing life I tend to gush :) |
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Sounds WONDERFUL!!!! Thank you for such a wonderful post.
You reminded me that recently my eye doctor asked me why I homeschool and I gushed "Because it's wonderful. It's the best thing I've ever done in my life, besides getting married and having kids."
I'm grateful that gushing is allowed. 
__________________
Blessings,
Brenda (mom to 6)
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4Real Forums : Philosophy of Education
Topic: hschool "lifestyle" vs pack curriculum
