Just Dreaming

Planning for Success!

Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.

Henry Ford

 

This summer I spent months devouring homeschooling books.  I read "beginning" homeschooling books, "how to" homeschooling books, "organize" your homeschool books and "what homeschooling looks like in different families" books.  I have been homeschooling now for almost 5 years and yet I was able to learn so much from each of these different kinds of homeschooling books. 

The main thing I have learned is that although I love to plan and organize things, my plans are not as detailed and thorough as is necessary for our homeschool.  If I don't have a detailed list every day of what we are doing I tend to:

1.  wake up feeling overwhelmed  - like I hardly know where to start

2.  give up halfway through the day out of frustration

3.  get annoyed at my kids when they ask if they are done - because we are never done

4.  feel like I am doing a poor job

This was a great revelation for me!  I have always considered myself very organized and I am in so many ways.  This is not a reflection of my poor organization or planning skills, it is merely a wake up call that I have to be more intentional with my homeschooling and create detailed weekly plans for us. 

It also means I get to hang out at the coffee shop every week and spend a couple hours drinking coffee and going through what our plan is for the coming week.  The key to our success this year hinges on my weekly coffee date with a bag full of books.  I simply can't concentrate or focus enough to do my planning at home and for an introvert like me, it is a nice little break to be by myself for a little bit. 

I started to plan this coming year over a month ago.  We have spent some time testing out different curriculum's and creating and organizing a schoolroom in a spare bedroom upstairs.  Here are the results:

It's not painted or decorated much yet but it is organized and promises to be a distraction-free space (except for a certain loud 4 year old). 

Here is to a great 2009-2010 school year!

humble pie, please

I have been meaning to update on school.  We have been extra busy for the last few weeks because on top of everything else we are doing, I decided we needed private swim lessons for the boys twice a week to get ready for this summer (and summer camps!)

The boys attended the hippie school 3 days last week.  Why the strange title for this post?  It is always humbling to ask for help.  To see that things aren't working and to seek out a solution.  I was continuing in a pattern of behavior that was driving me (and probably my friends) a little crazy.  It went a little like this: decide something is not working  ::  try something new :: have it not work :: freak out that I am ruining my kids education :: talk to my friends who reassure me :: go back to how I was originally doing it :: decide something is not working :: and so on and so forth.  

I really wasn't sure how this would be the solution to my problems.  I felt very nervous about getting help, about admitting that I could use help. 

It really would be no different than the boys taking classes somewhere but it does change my scope of responsibilities and we get to utilize the expertise of a teacher for ideas, strategies and any issues that come up.    

I was impressed on the first day that they showed Avery how to map out his ideas, come up with an intro and a conclusion and to write a paragraph on something he was interested in.  I never have done this at home (slightly embarrassing confession here) or did I think that he would do it for me without much fighting.  We have done journaling, copy work and writing prompts at home but truth be told writing is not my strong area.  They also showed him some math tricks (that I didn't know). 

We have decided to have the kids go 3 mornings a week to this school for the rest of the year.  It is only about 6 weeks but by then we can really look and see if this is working and if it will work for next year too.  I am still going to be homeschooling for most subjects and on their days away from school but I feel good about getting a second opinion on where we are at.  I have already learned a few tips from the teachers there and I am excited to incorporate them into our time at home every week.

I am greatly encouraged and excited about the entire thing, and I feel like I am doing what is best for the boys and that is the MOST important thing!

on school

I think teaching is fun.  I love to teach classes and hang out with kids.  Ask questions, laugh at the answers.  I find it very entertaining.  I have discovered though after 5 years of homeschooling that I am not good at teaching everything.  There are areas that I feel I do a good job in and there are areas that I am lacking in.  In fact, I find teaching every subject to my kids overwhelming. 

I have always found it overwhelming.

I have worked on scheduling, adding chores, charts, etc etc etc.  I just can't seem to get to a place where things are comfortable and I am not feeling stressed.  Part of the reason I love homeschooling is the lure of doing lots of fun stuff with my kids.  The problem is that after spending so much time and energy working on the basics with them I have no energy for the fun stuff.  I need recess but recess never comes because of lunch, taking care of the animals, cleaning the house and just keeping up with life in general.  I am having a hard time enjoying my kids and am feeling sort of cranky about the whole thing. 

Side-note:  I am not complaining here - I am so thankful to be able to be home with my kids and to even get the opportunity to home-school them.  I am just letting you all in a little bit to my struggles.

A few weeks ago Dave and I were discussing some options for next year. 

We discussed sending the kids to school (gasp!)

I decided to go on a fact finding mission.  I would visit four schools in the area just to get a better idea of what options are out there for my kids.

We visited an awesome private school.  Great academics, small classes and really nice kids.  They did projects I always wished I had the time and patience to do.  The drawback ..... super expensive.

We visited a Montessori school.  I wanted to like this school but it felt weird.  I like the idea behind it and the teachers were nice but I couldn't' grasp what the heck they were doing.  The kids worked very independently going from project to project but I couldn't understand how they knew what they needed to do.  Then there was the downstairs room of big kids.  I tried to observe but when I saw that the teacher was explaining how 2/4 equals a blue triangle over a black triangle .... well.... I kind of wanted to run for the hills.  So I did.

I plan on visiting the local public school as well.  I have never actually checked out the school and it being a fact-finding mission and all I wanted to get as much information as possible.  There is much I am not comfortable with public schools though so I don't really look at this as much of a possibility.

Those three options are full time as well.  We would have to give up many of our activities like piano, book-club, Japanese and scouts to go to full-time school.  I would also miss my kids ..  a lot! 

So here we are at option number four.  We found a small school in Fairhaven on a couple of acres that does home-school support.  They actually do half-days or full days as many days of the week that you want to do. It is a really neat set up with small multi-aged classrooms in an old converted farmhouse.

It is a small hippie school. 

I LOVE hippie schools.

Dave says it is a yuppie school (because of the lack of dreadlocks and paisleys).

We are looking into having the boys go three mornings a week from 9-1.  They would be doing math and literacy there at the school and then having lunch and recess (the best part!)  I would be doing everything else at home with them.  They could continue everything they are doing now but would have more structure to their days.  I am sure they would get more done and we would get a better idea on where they are and what they need to work on.  And I would have more time to plan, less pressure, more space in my head and perhaps a bit more balance in my life.

Avery is thrilled - a schedule?  (do you know he tries to put me on a schedule... but I always rebel - I HATE schedules)

Connor doesn't like change although he does like the teacher and the idea of being around other kids and of course the all-important recess.

Sounds good doesn't it?

They are going on Monday to try it out.

Abstract Art

 

I love these pictures Avery and Connor created today.  They take art classes at "Works On Canvas", an art studio downtown when there is no school.  The classes are taught by someone in our neighborhood - the mom of one of the kids friends (it's so fun to meet interesting people through my kids and the kid-to-kid connection in neighborhoods!)  The theme today was abstract art and I think Connor got it a little more than Avery.  I asked Avery what his picture was of and he said "a farm".

The Wizard of Oz

Every year we plan a trip down to the Seattle Children's Theater to see a play.  I have always been so impressed with everything we have seen there.  The costumes, the sets, the actors - well they are just amazing.  You just can't see anything like it here in Bellingham. 

Over the years we have seen some great shows:

The BFG

Frog and Toad

Horton Hears a Who

& Bunnicula

This year we got to see "The Wizard of Oz".  They did a fantastic adaptation and had the most intricate sets.  They followed the book almost exactly - it was a bit surprising actually how they re-created some of the scenes - like the tornado.

I laughed and cried.  Dorothy was so good, when she was desperate not to lose Toto to the mean neighbor - I felt pangs in my chest.  Every time I looked at Dave and the boys, they had the biggest smiles on their faces and Ella (who was just exhausted and needed a nap) sat quietly completely enchanted.  It was just magical we all loved it.

We get discounted tickets through the homeschool association too so it is much more affordable to go than it would normally be (it is usually almost $40 a ticket - ouch!)

We headed to Seattle early yesterday so we could check out the Seattle Children's Museum before the play.  They had a new exhibit and the kids had a lot of run-around-fun.  It was a great way too burn off energy after a long drive.  I wish we could have spent some more time there - the kids were bummed when we had to go.

 

 

 

The Gift Of Time

 

Lately, I have spent much time thinking how lucky I am to be able to stay home and homeschool my kids. 

The above picture is of a crinkly aluminum foil boat that my inventive boys created for their little sister.  It is complete, of course, with a flag just like what the "wonderpets" (an adorable show about pets saving the day that Ella loves!) have in their boat.  They then created aluminum foil armor, taped onto the wonderpets with care while their delighted sister watched.

It was another example to me of the gift that is homeschooling. 

It's the hours of uninterrupted play, it's the unplanned conversations. 

It's being able to teach and by teaching, learning all over again.

It's the games we get to play, the parks we get to explore.

It's learning from each other, fighting and making up, growing.

I do just love homeschooling.

 

Traditions

We have a delicious tradition in our house to celebrate the new school year.  I am not sure why most of our traditions include fried dough covered in sugar (not that I am complaining) but it just seems so right.  So every year we head on out to a local donut shop to eat and celebrate.  We have this new super cool donut shop in Bellingham that we just dig:  Rocket Donuts.

Look at those glasses. 

They even turned the robot on for us before we left!

Ahhh Science................

......................................................how I have missed thee!  We started school ...slowly... yesterday.  I like to spend the first couple of weeks building up to a full day (2-3 hours for us).  The kids have no attention span after spending all summer playing with friends all day long.  I kept having to say "please stop wrestling" and "please pay attention" and "shhhhh" etc. etc. etc.  I want our school days to be fun though so I try to not freak out too bad when things don't go "my" way :)

Today we tackled a fun project  - dissecting Owl Pellets.  You can find them here at Carolina Biological Supplies:

Owl Pellets

They found lots of bones and a couple of rat skulls.  They just LOVE hands on science projects like this one.  The pellets came with a guide to what animal the different bones are from so you can match them up and see what your owl ate.

 

I also found this great handwriting worksheet maker online today.  Our curriculum spends the first couple of weeks going over writing letters correctly - something truthfully we need to revisit every year.  I just put in the letters I wanted and it spit out a customized worksheet - and the best part - its totally FREE!

Check it out:

Amazing Handwriting Worksheet Maker

Chicken Feathers

We discovered another use for chicken feathers today.  Still no eggs yet - we probably need to wait about 6 more weeks for city fresh eggs!  Anyway, we are looking at the Declaration of Independence for History and as a craft today we made a quill pen and some berry ink and tried to write like the colonists (fun!).

The kids first raided the coop for feathers.  We then took the feathers and cut the tip of it off at an angle.  We cleaned out the inside of the feather with a paper clip.

Then we made ink from frozen blueberries.  We took 1 cup of frozen blueberries, and after thawing them we crushed them with forks.  Using a paper towel, we strained out the berry juice.  The kids then devoured the blueberries (is it summer yet?) and we took the juice and added 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp vinegar. 

Then they created some masterpieces.  We burned the edges of their creations to make them look old.

Our homemade quill.

Look at that concentration.

Connor's creation.  That is a meteor in the right corner.

Avery decided to make a picture using Pointillism.

Avery's finished work of art.

Homeschooling Part Deux

I just love writing part deux - it makes me laugh inside.  So anyway here is my next installment of "things Jill struggles with when homeschooling."  Sorry it has taken me longer than I thought - I got distracted (see part 1).

3.  Perfectionism - I can't help it, I am a raging out-of-control perfectionist.  I want things to go perfectly or I get discouraged.  I want the schoolwork to go like clockwork, the house to be spotless and the kids to be homeschooled prodigies.  Now did you see what I just said at the end of that sentence "the kids to be homeschooled prodigies"?  The worst part of being a perfectionist is that not only do you unfairly demand perfectionism from yourself, you also unfairly demand it from the people around you without even knowing you are doing it.  I catch myself doing this a lot with the kids and with Dave and quite frankly it is really obnoxious. 

The other annoying thing about this bent towards perfectionism is that homeschooling is a messy adventure.  Part of the fun is making messes, hanging out together, learning and growing as a family.  Perfection has nothing to do with it - actually perfectionism just hinders the fun. 

Also, when you are striving towards perfection, it really seems you are really striving toward some unattainable goal - whatever you have decided in your head is "normal".  I am not even sure if normal is the right way to describe it - maybe how things should go?  Anyway, I spend so much time working towards this strange ideal that exists in my head that really it feels like I have constrained us in a way.  It is hard to be spontaneous and when we are spontaneous, it is hard to enjoy it.

Tomorrow  - homeschooling with toddlers and locking yourself in the bathroom! (not necessarily in that order)

And a picture for fun:

Ella: "Mama - me garbage!"

(I kid you not)