Education happens. Got Books?

 

You may be wondering why I've posted such hideous pictures of my home? Read on...

Study session interrupted...

Home-ec class ended...

That is a 3lb can of peanut butter in the background just in case you're wondering... I know it looks like paint, but we can eat a lot of peanut butter.

Tornado through bedroom....

Fireball and older Brother enjoying relaxation time...

In the name of Showing How.... I wanted to be real.  My house is rarely clean nor tidy.  It is functional and has a lived in look.  Oh, that's because we do live here!  The hardest part of homeschooling for me is living in a house that always has a mess in some corner or..... corners. 

I realize I have a choice to look at things with admiration and joy or with negativity and frustration.  I can look at all those messes and complain or be happy that people are studying, reading, experimenting, baking, building, and creating.  AND all those things make messes.  All I really have to do is teach them HOW to clean up after themselves.....

Now, that would be a great course title, "How to Clean Up After Yourself 101"  Probably we could all use a refresher course in that...

We are officially starting school next week so this week is finishing up the last of the planning.  I found a great site http://www.donnayoung.org/index.htm with loads of printables.

Also, I am using a great book called, "Home School, High School, and Beyond:  A Guide for Teens and Their Parents."  It is a "time management, career exploration, organization, and study skills course."  It all sounds rather complicated, but it's not.  It's written by Beverly Adams-Gordon.

There is a lot of course planning/record keeping sheets, experience records, and creative solutions to documenting real life studies as well as formal textbook style learning.  The older kids are looking forward to using this and so am I.  When someone takes ownership of their own education they are truly understanding the nature of learning.  All three of our oldest children have demonstrated this and are ready for some intense studying this year. 

Our youngest three are at different stages of learning to read, write, and work numbers.  I'm excited to get their journals going again.  Even a little one can trace letters and draw a picture and find it rewarding to "do school" with the older children. 

Then there's the baby....he is learning too!  He's 3 months old today and so interactive and wants to see what everyone's doing.  He coo's, smiles, and tries to communicate.  He likes to observe everyone and watch them turn pages of their books. 

Then I read a great article in one of my favorite homeschooling books written by Debi Pearl called, "The Big Book of Homeschooling."  It's very inspirational and illustrates what I believe to be an excellent way to educate.  In her article she writes of the importance of realizing that babies are intelligent little beings made in the image of God and are learning every minute. 

OK, now I'm rambling, I should stop, I'm just so excited to begin another year at home, educating my children.  I hope to be able to show more "HOW" as the days go by....

PS  Playdough, the secret is playdough, that's how I got the time to write all these posts!