Yes. Another post on opening day. I've now moved into obsessive compulsion about my new blog. Oh well. Send me a Little Debbie oatmeal pie, and I'll recover by morning.
So how about a homeschooling moment? For the last few weeks S,B, G and I have been trying our hand at learning some Latin. If you want to know why we're doing this, your options are:
a) we're gluttons for punishment
b) I'm ignoring my own advice (see previous post) and producing Trophy Children
or
c) I became convinced of the benefits after reading A Latin-Centered Curriculum by Andrew Campbell.
No hints. But I lean towards 'c'.
Anyway, part of our course is learning Latin prayers. Our first is The Sanctus. It goes something like this:
Oremus (Let us pray)
Sanctus, Sanctus, Santus (Holy, Holy, Holy)
Dominus Deus Sabbaoth (Lord God of Hosts)
Pleni sunt caeli et terra gloria Tua (Heaven and earth are full of Your glory)
(I'll stop there, as the rest isn't germaine to this post, and really, did you want to read the rest?)
Now because life is quirky in ways that escape me, my children have very little difficulty pronouncing these ancient words. I, on the other hand, foam at the mouth trying to spit these syllables out in a coherent fashion. Nevertheless, I put my heart into it and chant along with them, kleenex close at hand. So last week I was feeling pretty confident about my efforts up to that point, and as we reverently and respectfully moved toward the last line, I loudly proclaimed,
"Pleni sunt caeli et terra gloria TUNA."
(insert several long moments of my wicked children gafawing in peals of hysterical laughter)
Hmmm. So perhaps we'll just skip ahead to the Doxology. I'm hoping that prayer won't reference anything having to do with noodle casseroles, pickle relish, or mayo. But just in case, I'll be mouthing it, all the while harboring bitter feelings toward the Romans who came up with this unpronounceable verbage.
Thursday, August 31, 2006
More Mumblings: An Amendment
Maybe I should introduce myself in the unlikely event that some poor soul who hasn't had the pleasure of knowing me meanders into this humble blog space....you know, just in case.
I'm C. I'm almost 40. I'm married to C. I birthed 6 perfectly obedient, extremely talented, and extrordinarily gorgeous children. I'm a mother-in-law to another stunning speciman as well. I've dabbled in many things.....I like music, used to sing and write a bit, dabble in doula work, and sew baby slings. Homeschooling and driving my kids crazy...er, I mean driving my kids around town take up the biggest chunks of my day. I'm a very nice person. Extremely nice. I'm also fluent in 4 languages. Ok, not really.
My prodigy are as follows:
1) C. 20, married to A., and in college. Fabulous musician, but don't take my word for it.
2) M. on the verge of 17, beautiful beyond words, and a junior in the local high school.
3) K. just turning 15, unbelievably attractive, experiencing her first year in public school as a frosh.
4) G. 12, prettiest little thing you ever laid eyes on, schooling at home with mama.
5) B. 7, amazingly brilliant, dropping teeth like the leaves in fall, and home with me.
6) S. 5, tremdously uh, active, and home with me (usually hanging from the ceiling).
I'm C. I'm almost 40. I'm married to C. I birthed 6 perfectly obedient, extremely talented, and extrordinarily gorgeous children. I'm a mother-in-law to another stunning speciman as well. I've dabbled in many things.....I like music, used to sing and write a bit, dabble in doula work, and sew baby slings. Homeschooling and driving my kids crazy...er, I mean driving my kids around town take up the biggest chunks of my day. I'm a very nice person. Extremely nice. I'm also fluent in 4 languages. Ok, not really.
My prodigy are as follows:
1) C. 20, married to A., and in college. Fabulous musician, but don't take my word for it.
2) M. on the verge of 17, beautiful beyond words, and a junior in the local high school.
3) K. just turning 15, unbelievably attractive, experiencing her first year in public school as a frosh.
4) G. 12, prettiest little thing you ever laid eyes on, schooling at home with mama.
5) B. 7, amazingly brilliant, dropping teeth like the leaves in fall, and home with me.
6) S. 5, tremdously uh, active, and home with me (usually hanging from the ceiling).
Mumblings: So what's this all about anyway?
Another day, another blog. Ho hum.
The purpose in starting this little dealio is two-fold (with a smattering of other non-descript motives). And since I have your undivided attention, why don't I just dive right in and enlighten you, eh?
Firstly, it seems I inadvertantly became an expert in homeschooling. Not because I'm so good at it, or that I've produced fabulously intelligent kids....but because I find after 10 years I'm still going at it. Plus I'm an armchair curriculum researcher. Which can be a very good thing....or a very bad thing....depending on how much I'm really getting done doing that which I'm reading about in catalogues, books and internet forums. Ahem.
So here I am suddenly volleying questions lobbed at me from those quirky creatures affectionately called newbies. I think my greatest advice to give is this: don't try to produce trophy kids. Don't do it. Avoid it like the plague. Teach 'em to read, write and do math. Read aloud from as many different genres as you can. And keep Little Debbie in your thoughts and in your pantry at all times. (Did I just type that out loud???)
Secondly, believe it or not, I have several family members and friends who actually give a doodie to know what's going on in my little universe....or at least my kids' little universes. This blog is my effort to keep them informed of the goings on in the kids' educational journeys, the goings on in my brain whether foul or fair (keeping the foul to a minimum), and helping inform the masses of little tid-bits I find interesting.
Excited yet? Oh boy, I am. Truly.
The purpose in starting this little dealio is two-fold (with a smattering of other non-descript motives). And since I have your undivided attention, why don't I just dive right in and enlighten you, eh?
Firstly, it seems I inadvertantly became an expert in homeschooling. Not because I'm so good at it, or that I've produced fabulously intelligent kids....but because I find after 10 years I'm still going at it. Plus I'm an armchair curriculum researcher. Which can be a very good thing....or a very bad thing....depending on how much I'm really getting done doing that which I'm reading about in catalogues, books and internet forums. Ahem.
So here I am suddenly volleying questions lobbed at me from those quirky creatures affectionately called newbies. I think my greatest advice to give is this: don't try to produce trophy kids. Don't do it. Avoid it like the plague. Teach 'em to read, write and do math. Read aloud from as many different genres as you can. And keep Little Debbie in your thoughts and in your pantry at all times. (Did I just type that out loud???)
Secondly, believe it or not, I have several family members and friends who actually give a doodie to know what's going on in my little universe....or at least my kids' little universes. This blog is my effort to keep them informed of the goings on in the kids' educational journeys, the goings on in my brain whether foul or fair (keeping the foul to a minimum), and helping inform the masses of little tid-bits I find interesting.
Excited yet? Oh boy, I am. Truly.
Musings: Happy Familiars
The fear of monotony can have a deadening effect on me. In fact, I often inadvertantly find myself avoiding routine, pattern, or schedule in an effort to keep things unpredictable. I'm a planner, constantly throwing the weight of my creative energy into an unseen future, which leaves many dangling moments in the present. And the fruit of this, much to my dismay, is my noticeable and surprising lack of memories. Memories which are made in the moment, not planned for in the future. Fortunately, I'm learning this chaotic state of flux itself can become a dirge of frenetic, draining activity which, in the end, leaves me feeling out of sync, behind, undisciplined, and well, cranky. My kids naturally follow suit. Funny how it works that way....
As I am constantly trying to simplify my life, to slow down and really train myself to experience life in each moment, I'm slowly finding refuge and even a hidden beauty in the steady hum-drum rhythms of my day. 'Familiars' that can anchor my fleeting fancies to the rugged realities, these mundane consistencies are the defining underpinnings of a life lived on purpose. The oft-quoted cliche "Variety is the spice of life" should probably be balanced with an understanding that the monotonies of life are the indispensable meat and potatoes, without which the spices are useless. I've decided variety, like one of a plethora of pungent herbs housed in miniture glass jars in my cupboard, isn't meant to be solitarily consumed. It leaves one with an overpowering, bitter, and/or decidedly nasty aftertaste.......as well as an antsy sense of malnutrition.
My happy familiars are things that on the surface appear boring, predictable, run-of-the-mill.....showering, cooking, schooling kids, laundry, dusting (uh, scratch that, as it's an unheard-of activity at the Hazelwood Manor). I'm wanting once again to embrace them for the humble servants and wise counselors they are. I've too long taken for granted their ability to nourish my life, to be my foundation, to keep time like the drum line in a high school marching band. Together they represent the default setting that runs on auto-pilot when life spins into the land of insanity (which is just about every day). They are the arms of safety when life gets too hard and too hairy....as a mother's arms comfort a child overwhelmed by the complexities of a life out of kilter. And that's what I want Hazelwood Manor to represent: a 'something bigger' that can be trusted as a safe, predictable place to rest when all hell breaks loose....a peaceable kingdom of squishy, stained couches, unfashionable stacks of Corelleware next to the sink, lumpy loads of laundry piled high, wilting flowers making a brave last stand on a dining room table that wasn't wiped up after the last round of burritos and chips. (Obviously, I have many more opportunities to establish even more 'happy familiars'!)
I'd love to be the Mary Cassatt of homemakers, who can fashion the ordinary occurances, the monotonous moments, the daily drugeries of life into idyllic still-lifes that affirm the very heart of what it is to be a human in loving relationships, created in the image of a God of loving relationships. So may the steady hum of the washing machine, the quiet sweep of magazine pages turning, the murmur of my voice droning on thru The Illiad and Uncle Wiggly and Dr. Seuss, the wafting smell of beef and noodles in the beloved white crock pot, the sight of my voluptuous frame perched at the computer, the stairwell neatly littered with 'stuff that needs to go upstairs'....may all these 'happy familiars' sustain the lives of those who dwell here. And may I discern those familiar routines that affirm the important stuff and give freedom to forget what just ain't gonna count in the gigantic metanarrative of my life.
How's that for a start?
As I am constantly trying to simplify my life, to slow down and really train myself to experience life in each moment, I'm slowly finding refuge and even a hidden beauty in the steady hum-drum rhythms of my day. 'Familiars' that can anchor my fleeting fancies to the rugged realities, these mundane consistencies are the defining underpinnings of a life lived on purpose. The oft-quoted cliche "Variety is the spice of life" should probably be balanced with an understanding that the monotonies of life are the indispensable meat and potatoes, without which the spices are useless. I've decided variety, like one of a plethora of pungent herbs housed in miniture glass jars in my cupboard, isn't meant to be solitarily consumed. It leaves one with an overpowering, bitter, and/or decidedly nasty aftertaste.......as well as an antsy sense of malnutrition.
My happy familiars are things that on the surface appear boring, predictable, run-of-the-mill.....showering, cooking, schooling kids, laundry, dusting (uh, scratch that, as it's an unheard-of activity at the Hazelwood Manor). I'm wanting once again to embrace them for the humble servants and wise counselors they are. I've too long taken for granted their ability to nourish my life, to be my foundation, to keep time like the drum line in a high school marching band. Together they represent the default setting that runs on auto-pilot when life spins into the land of insanity (which is just about every day). They are the arms of safety when life gets too hard and too hairy....as a mother's arms comfort a child overwhelmed by the complexities of a life out of kilter. And that's what I want Hazelwood Manor to represent: a 'something bigger' that can be trusted as a safe, predictable place to rest when all hell breaks loose....a peaceable kingdom of squishy, stained couches, unfashionable stacks of Corelleware next to the sink, lumpy loads of laundry piled high, wilting flowers making a brave last stand on a dining room table that wasn't wiped up after the last round of burritos and chips. (Obviously, I have many more opportunities to establish even more 'happy familiars'!)
I'd love to be the Mary Cassatt of homemakers, who can fashion the ordinary occurances, the monotonous moments, the daily drugeries of life into idyllic still-lifes that affirm the very heart of what it is to be a human in loving relationships, created in the image of a God of loving relationships. So may the steady hum of the washing machine, the quiet sweep of magazine pages turning, the murmur of my voice droning on thru The Illiad and Uncle Wiggly and Dr. Seuss, the wafting smell of beef and noodles in the beloved white crock pot, the sight of my voluptuous frame perched at the computer, the stairwell neatly littered with 'stuff that needs to go upstairs'....may all these 'happy familiars' sustain the lives of those who dwell here. And may I discern those familiar routines that affirm the important stuff and give freedom to forget what just ain't gonna count in the gigantic metanarrative of my life.
How's that for a start?
ON THE TURNTABLE (Current playlist)
Here's what I jam to in the car.
Alabaster Fox: Son of Man (my son!)
American Songbook series: Rod Stewart
My Name is Barbra: Barbra Streisand
Awake: Josh Grobin
Impossible Dream: Patty Griffin
Flaming Red: Patty Griffin
Living with Ghosts: Patty Griffin
Alabaster Fox: Son of Man (my son!)
American Songbook series: Rod Stewart
My Name is Barbra: Barbra Streisand
Awake: Josh Grobin
Impossible Dream: Patty Griffin
Flaming Red: Patty Griffin
Living with Ghosts: Patty Griffin
ON THE OTHER BOOKSHELF NEARBY (Personal favorites)
The defining books in my journey. Some I've read ages ago, some recently, some re-read regularly.
Non-fiction:
Irrisistible Revolution by Shane Claibourne
Simply Christian by N.T. Wright
The Latin-Centered Curriculum by Andrew Campbell
Plan B: Further Thoughts on God by Anne Lamott
Grace (Eventually) by Anne Lamott
Traveling Mercies by Anne Lamott
Velvet Elvis by Rob Bell
Generous Orthodoxy Brian McLaren
New Kind of Christian trilogy by Brian McLaren
Searching for God Knows What by Donald Miller
Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller
Life Together by Deitrich Bonhoeffer
Waking the Dead by John Eldredge
The Heart of Christianity by Marcus Borg
Glimses of Grace by Madeleine L'Engle
Boundaries by Cloud and Townsend
Literature and Fiction
Anna Karenina
Pride and Prejudice
Howard's End
A Room with a View
The Book of the Dunn Cow
Hind's Feet on High Places
The Lord of the Rings Trilogy
Across Five Aprils
The Scarlet Letter
The Red Tent
Stargirl
Non-fiction:
Irrisistible Revolution by Shane Claibourne
Simply Christian by N.T. Wright
The Latin-Centered Curriculum by Andrew Campbell
Plan B: Further Thoughts on God by Anne Lamott
Grace (Eventually) by Anne Lamott
Traveling Mercies by Anne Lamott
Velvet Elvis by Rob Bell
Generous Orthodoxy Brian McLaren
New Kind of Christian trilogy by Brian McLaren
Searching for God Knows What by Donald Miller
Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller
Life Together by Deitrich Bonhoeffer
Waking the Dead by John Eldredge
The Heart of Christianity by Marcus Borg
Glimses of Grace by Madeleine L'Engle
Boundaries by Cloud and Townsend
Literature and Fiction
Anna Karenina
Pride and Prejudice
Howard's End
A Room with a View
The Book of the Dunn Cow
Hind's Feet on High Places
The Lord of the Rings Trilogy
Across Five Aprils
The Scarlet Letter
The Red Tent
Stargirl
ON THE NIGHTSTAND (Current personal reads)
A peek into the pile that tucks me in at night. Hubby and I generally read these together. I will make these active links eventually, just so y'all believe they are real. Or you can visit our other blog to read more about them.
Colossians Remixed by Walsh and Keesmaat
Simply Christian by N.T. Wright
UnSpeakAble by Os Guiness
Praying with the Church by Scot McKnight
Colossians Remixed by Walsh and Keesmaat
Simply Christian by N.T. Wright
UnSpeakAble by Os Guiness
Praying with the Church by Scot McKnight
ON THE BOOKSHELF NEARBY (Family Favorites)
This is where I'll compile a list of our all-time favorite Read Alouds....those tomes that are handled with kid-gloves and receive many requests for another go 'round.
Chapter books:
The Chronicles of Narnia
Homer Price
Rats of NHIM
Across Five Aprils
Little Pilgrim's Progress
Hind's Feet on High Places for Children
Picture books:
Anything from the 20th Century Treasury
Goodnight Moon
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom
Make Way for Ducklings
St. George and the Dragon
Corduroy
Chapter books:
The Chronicles of Narnia
Homer Price
Rats of NHIM
Across Five Aprils
Little Pilgrim's Progress
Hind's Feet on High Places for Children
Picture books:
Anything from the 20th Century Treasury
Goodnight Moon
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom
Make Way for Ducklings
St. George and the Dragon
Corduroy
ON THE COFFEE TABLE (Current Family Read Alouds)
These are our current Read Alouds. No, we don't read every single one every single day. But almost. What did you expect with no TV?
A Wonder Book for Girls and Boys
A Child's Garden of Verses
Nature Reader Book 1
50 Famous Stories Retold
Aliki's Gods and Goddesses of Mount Olympus
Household Stories by the Brothers Grimm
Hardy Boy classics with Dad!
A Wonder Book for Girls and Boys
A Child's Garden of Verses
Nature Reader Book 1
50 Famous Stories Retold
Aliki's Gods and Goddesses of Mount Olympus
Household Stories by the Brothers Grimm
Hardy Boy classics with Dad!
ON THE SCHOOL DESK (Our curricula)
Here's our Curriculum choices for this school year (2007-08). I'll create links soon to descriptions of each for those who get a little too excited researching everyone else's homeschool picks.
The core of our reading comes from recommendations in The Latin Centered Curriculum for 1st grade, even though B will be in 2nd...I didn't want to miss all those great books! We are using Alpha Omega's Horizons series for Language Arts and Math.
Daily Subjects (about 10-20 minutes each)
Horizons 2nd Grade Math, Phonics, Handwriting, Spelling/Vocab
Poetry Memory work and recitation
Speedy Spanish
Pianimals
The Children's Illustrated Bible
Then each day I will rotate in one of the following, spending an hour or so reading or listening:
Modern History: D'Aulaire's Biographies & Hollings Geography Books, Evan Moor geography resources, Native American tales
Classical History: Greek and Norse Mythology using Aliki's Gods and Goddesses as a spine
Literature: Fairy Tales (Grimm, Andersen, Lang Fairy Books)
Art:Art with a Purpose & How to Use the Childsize Masterpieces
Music Appreciation: Classical Kids CD's, bio's of famous composers
The core of our reading comes from recommendations in The Latin Centered Curriculum for 1st grade, even though B will be in 2nd...I didn't want to miss all those great books! We are using Alpha Omega's Horizons series for Language Arts and Math.
Daily Subjects (about 10-20 minutes each)
Horizons 2nd Grade Math, Phonics, Handwriting, Spelling/Vocab
Poetry Memory work and recitation
Speedy Spanish
Pianimals
The Children's Illustrated Bible
Then each day I will rotate in one of the following, spending an hour or so reading or listening:
Modern History: D'Aulaire's Biographies & Hollings Geography Books, Evan Moor geography resources, Native American tales
Classical History: Greek and Norse Mythology using Aliki's Gods and Goddesses as a spine
Literature: Fairy Tales (Grimm, Andersen, Lang Fairy Books)
Art:Art with a Purpose & How to Use the Childsize Masterpieces
Music Appreciation: Classical Kids CD's, bio's of famous composers
SITES OF FANCY
A hodge-podge of destinations I find myself perusing pretty regularly. Some are places I support, some are places I participate in, some are just great for brain food.
Lakeside Learning Garden
Trapdoor Society
Mars Hill
The New Pentagruel
Rococo
Doula Network of Fort Wayne
Bead for Life
Wildwoods Farm
Lakeside Learning Garden
Trapdoor Society
Mars Hill
The New Pentagruel
Rococo
Doula Network of Fort Wayne
Bead for Life
Wildwoods Farm
BLOGS WORTH THE READ
These constitute the blogs I consistently take time out to read. When I make my daily rounds, these are the first I hit. More will be added as I have time to find them (like after my kids are all in college.)
Living Fragrance
Dura Mater
ben's blog
Ampersand's Space
Intent
Two Acre Wood
Quiver of Blessings
Living Fragrance
Dura Mater
ben's blog
Ampersand's Space
Intent
Two Acre Wood
Quiver of Blessings
HOMESCHOOLING ALA CARTE
Cyber-hangouts where you might find a certain user named 'Yevrah'.
There's a wealth of support and info from the folks who frequent these sites, from the novice to the seasoned and anywhere inbetween.
Ambleside Online
The Well Trained Mind
Latin-Centered Curriculum
The Denim Jumper
A Home for Homeschoolers
Memoria Press
Classical Writing
Paula's Archives
HomeschoolClassifieds.com
There's a wealth of support and info from the folks who frequent these sites, from the novice to the seasoned and anywhere inbetween.
Ambleside Online
The Well Trained Mind
Latin-Centered Curriculum
The Denim Jumper
A Home for Homeschoolers
Memoria Press
Classical Writing
Paula's Archives
HomeschoolClassifieds.com
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