| Author | |
Leonie
Forum All-Star
Joined: Jan 28 2005
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2831
|
| Posted: Jan 30 2005 at 6:30pm | IP Logged
|
 |
|
Can I start a topic? 
This is the start of the new school year here in Australia.
Borders had a sale on attractive hard bound jounrals so we traipsed in and everyone selected one for themselves.
I am trying to see and create more beauty in my life this year, so I also chose a gorgeous green velvet journal for my homeschool log/recordkeeping.
I have made a coffee table in the sitting room our "journal table". This could be a shelf if you wanted to keep some things out of the toddler's reach!We have journals, pencils, pens, erasers, coloured pencils, textas, oil pastel crayons there. I am going to add some magazines and glue and scissors, to copy the idea of an illustrated discovery journal from the Simple Abundance book.
And now I am reading about keeping journals. As a book inspires me to write, I share the thought or activity with my sons. They, too, have been writing or drawing with me after dinner, a night a week.
We began 2005 with answers to questions about 2004, discussing and writing or dictating our wishes for 2005.
We started with finding quotes that inspired us - just because I was inspired by some quotes in the book Something More by Sarah Bran Breathnach.
We tried stream of consciousness style poems and drawings, on God and on Australia, after Australia Day and my reading of Gently Lead by Polly Beriens Berend.
We spent one evening sketching our memories of the botanical gardens in the hills around Adelaide, after a picnic there with friends. I suggested we capture the memories with drawing and/or writing since we will be moving later in the year.
I am ordering in more books on journaling and writing from the library.
I find that if I am inspired, I can share my enthusiam with my children.
I guess I started this post, wanting to share some of what we are doing for "language arts" but also to look for more natural writing and journaling suggestions.
I am also re-reading Wild Days by Karen Rackliffe - another good one to share with my children.
__________________
Leonie in Sydney
Living Without School
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Cindy
Forum Pro
Joined: Feb 01 2005
Location: Texas
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 235
|
| Posted: Jan 30 2005 at 11:20pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Hello Leonie-
I enjoyed reading your journaling ideas.. I had heard some of these in your posts on other lists, but this brought them together so beautifully and I see how you are looking deeper, for beauty.
I looked though MacBeth's Opinion books today and saw the book about Traditions in the home.. I will have to look up the title. I took a splurge and ordered it. When Mr. UPS delivers it, I'll post more. I think it ties in beautifully to what you are doing.
I had a suggestion given to me I have yet to follow up on, but need to. We have become rather indoor people and also rather computer-y people. The suggestion was to take the boys out in the middle of nature with a yellow pad and pencils and just hang out. The thought is to get back in touch with nature and with writing by hand. This is rather simple, but refreshing for a house used to A/C and touch typing.
I look forward to hearing more about your journaling. You are inspriing me as I updated my plain white 3-ring binders today. I miss the art, drawing and pretty journals.
Cindy
__________________
Cindy in Texas
It Is About The Journey
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Cindy
Forum Pro
Joined: Feb 01 2005
Location: Texas
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 235
|
| Posted: Jan 30 2005 at 11:26pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Oh, I meant to add this, too.
Your idea of beautiful journals was one I had been thinking about for a while. Then I heard this idea which sounded really nice. Help the kids start their own spiritual journal by suggesting a short reading every day - something spiritual, such as a little book with Mother Teresa quotes, or Bishop Sheen, Padre Pio or other short quotes.
For each day, have the kids write
1- a thought to remember (memorize) from the reading
2- a point to ponder (now or later)
3- prayers to watch for answers to
This is something else I haven't done yet, but hope to- do it with them- something I think would give my journaling a new life- simple but deep. Actually I was waiting until I could get out to find some pretty journals so we don't end up with another sprial for something this special.
__________________
Cindy in Texas
It Is About The Journey
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Leonie
Forum All-Star
Joined: Jan 28 2005
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2831
|
| Posted: Jan 31 2005 at 5:34pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Hey, Cindy,
Can you give me the title of the Traditions book? I'd like to add it to my library search list.
Always looking for inspiring books. 
__________________
Leonie in Sydney
Living Without School
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
cathhomeschool
Board Moderator
Texas Bluebonnets
Joined: Jan 26 2005
Location: Texas
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 7303
|
| Posted: Jan 31 2005 at 10:22pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
I replied to this last night, but then lost the message before it posted. So, what I think I said was basically:
Thank you for starting this topic! Late last summer when I was roughly planning our school year, I envisioned us keeping journals as our main "language arts" focus (in addition to grammar study). Using Rackliffe's Wild Days and Clare Walker Leslie's Keeping a Nature Journal as inspiration, the journals would be a place for personal thoughts, meaningful quotes from literature, psalms, poetry and illustrations either sketched or done in watercolor. I had hoped that we would include some narrations, nature journaling complete with illustrations and scientific observations of the outdoors.
Well somewhere between conception and initiation the train was de-railed. I suspect our fall Road Trip was involved... So thank you for bringing this back to mind. It is never to late to begin.
__________________
Janette (4 boys - 22, 21, 15, 14)
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
alicegunther
Forum All-Star
Joined: Jan 28 2005
Location: N/A
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1992
|
| Posted: Feb 01 2005 at 9:36pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Dear Leonie,
I loved reading about your family's journals and think they a wonderful way to get the children writing and drawing and being creative. What treasures these will be in years to come.
We have been keeping nature journals for years, but this is the first year we've really managed to journal/notebook for history and catechism as well. Keeping journals has encouraged my children's writing in ways plain notebooks could not.
God bless you and your family at the start of the new school year!
__________________
Love, Alice
mother of seven!
    
Cottage Blessings
Brew yourself a cup of tea, and come for a visit!
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Lissa
Forum All-Star
Joined: Jan 28 2005
Location: California
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 748
|
| Posted: Feb 02 2005 at 1:10pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Leonie wrote:
Hey, Cindy,
Can you give me the title of the Traditions book? I'd
like to add it to my library search list.
Always looking for inspiring books. |
|
|
Is it Mrs. Sharp's Victorian Traditions? I remember
hearing MacBeth review that at some point. I keep
meaning to check it out.
__________________
Lissa
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Lissa
Forum All-Star
Joined: Jan 28 2005
Location: California
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 748
|
| Posted: Feb 02 2005 at 1:13pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
cathhomeschool wrote:
I envisioned us keeping
journals as our main "language arts" focus (in
addition to grammar study). Using Rackliffe's
Wild Days and Clare Walker Leslie's
Keeping a Nature Journal as inspiration, the
journals would be a place for personal thoughts,
meaningful quotes from literature, psalms, poetry
and illustrations either sketched or done in
watercolor. I had hoped that we would include some
narrations, nature journaling complete with
illustrations and scientific observations of the
outdoors.. |
|
|
It's a lovely vision, Janette. I'll be looking forward to
hearing more about it if you re-visit the effort...I love
that KEEPING A NATURE JOURNAL book. I spent a
whole month sketching trees after I bought it...that
was a while ago, though.
Alice, I'd love to hear more about your religion &
history journals too. All the nitty gritty.
__________________
Lissa
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
alicegunther
Forum All-Star
Joined: Jan 28 2005
Location: N/A
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1992
|
| Posted: Feb 02 2005 at 4:16pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
>Alice, I'd love to hear more about your religion &
>history journals too. All the nitty gritty.
As you already know, I do not use an official "writing" program with the children. Instead, all of our writing and copywork assignments revolve around history and nature study (in addition to letter writing, diary keeping, story writing--all the things I like to call "everyday writing"). The history journals contain written narrations of many of the things we have read throughout the course of the year, along with illustrations done by the girls and some copywork. They are not beautiful journals in and of themselves like Leonie's (although I hope to present the girls with beautiful journals someday). Instead, they are three ring binders holding papers in sheet protectors. Still, they have become beautiful with all the creative additions the girls have made. What I like most about this approach is that we complete much more history than in the days when I presented history as a subject separate from writing, and the girls now have books they can be proud to show relatives and friends who are interested in seeing what we are doing!
Our nature journals contain illustrations, written descriptions of observations and outdoor experiences, original poetry, and nature poems assigned for copywork. These books have become real treasures, and the great thing about using a binder and sheet protectors is that the journals always look complete without all those daunting empty pages.
Our religion journals organize copywork and narrations, but my favorite one is our second grader's first Communion book. She has been working on it for several months, and it is full of prayers, beautiful illustrations, holy cards, First Penance preparation materials, and even a few surprises (a pop-out tabernacle with Christ in the Eucharist behind the doors, a picture of our daughter with a "stick-on" Communion dress and veil purchased at a craft store--it looks like a paper doll!) Two years ago, our older girls made First Communion books, but we used a lapbook format rather than binders. I liked the lapbooks, but the binder has been so much easier to assemble and keep as an ongoing "work in progress" than the lapbooks were.
Combining writing with other subjects has helped the girls to create books they will keep for a life time, and it's saved me a great deal of time and stress.
Love, Alice
__________________
Love, Alice
mother of seven!
Cottage Blessings
Brew yourself a cup of tea, and come for a visit!
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Willa
Forum All-Star
Joined: Jan 28 2005
Location: California
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 3881
|
| Posted: Feb 02 2005 at 7:55pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
My husband, bless his heart, bought me a comb binder for Christmas. You know, one of those things that punch 19 little rectangular holes on the edge of paper, and then you can bind them with those plastic combs of various colours and sizes. He got one of the less expensive ones for a good price on Ebay. It works great for me.
This fits in with the journal thread because I can now make my own journals and bind my kids' stories. For some reason, this works better for me than the 3 hole binders and I like being able to design and print my own stationery, covers etc.
I've also been binding "books" I get on the internet like through Gutenberg.
Just thought I'd mention it. I think I could even start doing some kind of lapbooking this way.
__________________
AMDG
Willa
hsing boys ages 11, 14, almost 18 (+ 4 homeschool grads ages 20 to 27)
Take Up and Read
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
alicegunther
Forum All-Star
Joined: Jan 28 2005
Location: N/A
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1992
|
| Posted: Feb 02 2005 at 8:33pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
I have never seen a comb binder, but I will definitely do an internet search to find out more. My daughters, especially my eldest two, love to write stories, and it would be incredible to be able to bind them in some way.
Handmade journals would make lovely gifts as well.
Love, Alice
mother of six
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Elizabeth
Founder
Real Learning
Joined: Jan 20 2005
Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 5595
|
| Posted: Feb 03 2005 at 7:25am | IP Logged
|
|
|
alicegunther wrote:
| I have never seen a comb binder, but I will definitely do an internet search to find out more. My daughters, especially my eldest two, love to write stories, and it would be incredible to be able to bind them in some way. |
|
|
Alice,
You can find comb binders at any office store. Then, if you have a laminator, you can easily laminate covers and then comb bind the books.
__________________
Elizabeth Foss is no longer a member of this forum. Discussions now reflect the current management & are not necessarily expressions of her book, *Real Learning*, her current work, or her philosophy. (posted by E. Foss, Jan 2011)
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Willa
Forum All-Star
Joined: Jan 28 2005
Location: California
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 3881
|
| Posted: Feb 03 2005 at 11:56am | IP Logged
|
|
|
You probably have comb-bound curriculum around your house. Sort of like spirals but you can remove it more easily. Not exactly beautiful in themselves, but better than any homemade substitute I have found.
I like comb bindings because I can lie the books flat open, carry them around easier than 3-ring binders, and rebind them if necessary.
We have the 3-page-journal disease in our house... you know, you give the kid (or buy yourself) a beautiful new journal, they start a story or diary in it, then go on to something else -- and there's a beautiful little book with most of the pages empty. I have dozens of those around and so do the kids.
__________________
AMDG
Willa
hsing boys ages 11, 14, almost 18 (+ 4 homeschool grads ages 20 to 27)
Take Up and Read
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Lissa
Forum All-Star
Joined: Jan 28 2005
Location: California
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 748
|
| Posted: Feb 03 2005 at 11:58am | IP Logged
|
|
|
WJFR wrote:
You probably have comb-bound
curriculum around your house. Sort of like spirals but
you can remove it more easily.
|
|
|
Yup Alice--like the Math U See workbooks. Hmm,
maybe I should get a comb binder just to entertain
Stevie. He is OBSESSED with the girls' MUS
books--he's just dying to pick at all those little plastic
tabs and un-bind them. LOL.
__________________
Lissa
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
MacBeth
Forum All-Star
Probably at the beach...
Joined: Jan 27 2005
Location: New York
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2518
|
| Posted: Feb 03 2005 at 1:46pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
WJFR wrote:
We have the 3-page-journal disease in our house... you know, you give the kid (or buy yourself) a beautiful new journal, they start a story or diary in it, then go on to something else -- and there's a beautiful little book with most of the pages empty. I have dozens of those around and so do the kids.
|
|
|
Hey Willa!
This was a problem here until I realized that there was a better way,  . Now, the kids fill out a few pages that I have prefolded, and I bind them into lovely books, complete with home made paper covers. This is more immediate than comb-binding for me, as I have the supplies easily and readily available, and it takes only a few mintues to bind. The paper for covers we make from time to time, especially after a good collecting hike, as we include bits of things in the paper (leaves, petals, etc). Best of all, unlike pages in a binder, each book is complete...and I have 4 kids who like to get things "done".
__________________
God Bless!
MacBeth in NY
Don's wife since '88; "Mom" to the Fab 4
Nature Study
MacBeth's Blog
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Willa
Forum All-Star
Joined: Jan 28 2005
Location: California
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 3881
|
| Posted: Feb 03 2005 at 3:04pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Hi MacBeth!
So just how long does it take to make a little book? Not the mechanics but the content? Do you suggest topics, or sit them down after a nature walk or cultural outing?
I made paper a few years back .... it was fun.... maybe we should try it again.
__________________
AMDG
Willa
hsing boys ages 11, 14, almost 18 (+ 4 homeschool grads ages 20 to 27)
Take Up and Read
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Lissa
Forum All-Star
Joined: Jan 28 2005
Location: California
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 748
|
| Posted: Feb 03 2005 at 3:42pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Lesley Austin at
Small
Meadow Press has lovely little recycled-paper
journals. (She calls them "small useful books," a
phrase which gives me an
Anne-of-Green-Gables-style thrill up my spine.)
I love everything Lesley makes....I just ordered an
illustrated quotation from her with a funny old
drawing and the quote: "What a dreadful thing it must
be to have a dull father"--very appropriate for this
home where daddy is anything but dull!
(If this post is giving you deja vu, don't worry--the
previous version got eaten. Whoops!)
__________________
Lissa
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Leonie
Forum All-Star
Joined: Jan 28 2005
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2831
|
| Posted: Feb 03 2005 at 4:31pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Willa - we used to have the three page journal problem, too.
I like MacBeth's suggestion of making small books and binding.
The last couple of years, we just use our journals for EVERYTHING and ANY THING we feel like - as in main lesson books or discovery journals.
So they become a scrapbook of maths journals, science, nature notebooks, thoughts, lists - you name it.
I know that sometimes its useful to have like things together - but it has been enlightening for us, in seeing interest and learning connections and progress, with a hodge podge all inclusive approach to journaling.
I like the *renaissance* feel about this - not specialised but glorious generalist books ( to coin a phrase from Grace Llewellyn).
I keep meaning to index the books at the completion - maybe this year?
__________________
Leonie in Sydney
Living Without School
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Cindy
Forum Pro
Joined: Feb 01 2005
Location: Texas
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 235
|
| Posted: Feb 03 2005 at 6:06pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
MacBeth- Did you tell us how you bind your journals? I looked but may have had a lapse  I would love to know how.
Three page journals.. yes I can relate. Mostly cuz my boys just haven't been into journalling.. but time to try again with some fun stuff you have mentioned here.
Actually I found an old journal my then 8yo was doing (I asked him to) It was all about how BORING it was in the waiting room of the dr. where I had left them during my appointment. Actually we all enjoyed it immensgely has he described some imaginary characters that were active in our house at the time... --- this may be a good incentive for them to try again.. go dig out any pieces we did do and enjoy looking back...
You all are motiviating me.
__________________
Cindy in Texas
It Is About The Journey
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Cindy
Forum Pro
Joined: Feb 01 2005
Location: Texas
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 235
|
| Posted: Feb 03 2005 at 6:07pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Question:
We have stacks and stacks of drawings done on copy paper. Any idea how to bind them without punching holes which may mar the drawings?
We have hundreds of sheets.. that could be divided into different books..
__________________
Cindy in Texas
It Is About The Journey
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
4Real Forums : Language Arts Come Alive
Topic: Journals
