Nikki spends some time playing with Sushi. Good thing Sushi is such a sweet bunny.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
ECLECTIC HOMESCHOOLING
Eclectic Homeschooling
by Michele Hastings
Upon returning from our annual homeschooling convention this week-end, I 've stepped into this week with a new sense of confidence and assurance. I am endowed with a new identity...that of an "Eclectic" Homeschooler. In the past, I was under the impression that the term eclectic meant using a little bit of this curriculum and a little bit of that. However, I've come to understand that the term actually refers to using a variety of "styles and philosophies" rather than referring to using various resources.
Upon embarking on this homeschooling adventure, I just assumed that it would be basically "school at home". Within a very short time however, I came to the stark realization that my children wanted nothing to do with sitting down at the kitchen table to learn their letters and numbers! After struggling for awhile, I began to look for another way of doing this thing called homeschooling. I discovered the Moore Theory, sometimes referred to as "Delayed Academics". The materials I read about this philosophy, (of waiting to teach academics until the child was "ready" between the ages of 8-12) began to make sense to me and we set out with new resolve to face the objections I would receive from well meaning friends and family, including other homeschoolers.
Meanwhile, I continued my own "self-education" about homeschooling and soon discovered the "Unschooling" philosophy. Parts of me were very receptive to this theory, (that kids learn best when they pursue their own interests and passions.) I could see evidence of that in my own children as I watched them teach themselves about fishing, coins and football. However, there was a constant nagging in my spirit that they would never really discipline themselves to learn those things that didn't come naturally, like reading, writing and math. I continued to read and discovered Marilyn Howshall's "Wisdom's Way of Learning." I incorporated a "table time" in amongst my childrens' daily pursuits and some gains were made in the areas I've considered them to be weak. However, there remained a "battle" within me...the desire to allow my kids to blossom in their own time, learning that which they wanted to learn, eventually learning everything they "needed" to learn...and the lack of faith that they actually would!
Well, now I've claimed a "label" that I can really be at peace with. Eclectic homeschoolers use whatever works for each child...not letting any particular philosophy dictate what that is. They begin by taking a look at what their child is doing on a daily, weekly, and yearly basis...and deciding what educational value each activity has. Then, they fill in the gaps, using whatever resources seem to meet that particular child's needs. I can have the best of both worlds! I can allow my kids to pursue their interests and passions and I can also not feel guilty about filling in the holes with tools and activities I deem important.
Everyone needs some sort of "framework" to work from. In fact, that seems to me to be the most reasonable starting place for homeschooling parents to begin from. When I began to homeschool my kids five years ago, I was presented with "styles" of homeschooling, but what we found ourselves doing, didn't seem to fit into any one style or philosophy. I happen to be the type of person who seems to need to have things make sense. My desire to let the kids initiate and self-direct their own learning, seemed to be in constant conflict with my inner conscience, that feared that they wouldn't learn those things I felt were so important but they didn't yet see a need for. Some people have the faith to trust their kids enough to do this...but I don't. I've been calling myself an unschooler because that seems to suit what we're doing more than anything else..but there are still those areas I tend to "ride" my kids about...which keeps me from being a "true" unschooler. Now I have a new sense of confidence that both my kids' goals and my goals will be met through Eclectic homeschooling. My thanks to Cafi Cohen who was our keynote speaker at this year's convention. She brought order and peace to confusion and feelings of guilt, with her description of Eclectic Homeschooling!
© 2000 Michele Hastings. All rights reserved. Re-printed with permission.
by Michele Hastings
Upon returning from our annual homeschooling convention this week-end, I 've stepped into this week with a new sense of confidence and assurance. I am endowed with a new identity...that of an "Eclectic" Homeschooler. In the past, I was under the impression that the term eclectic meant using a little bit of this curriculum and a little bit of that. However, I've come to understand that the term actually refers to using a variety of "styles and philosophies" rather than referring to using various resources.
Upon embarking on this homeschooling adventure, I just assumed that it would be basically "school at home". Within a very short time however, I came to the stark realization that my children wanted nothing to do with sitting down at the kitchen table to learn their letters and numbers! After struggling for awhile, I began to look for another way of doing this thing called homeschooling. I discovered the Moore Theory, sometimes referred to as "Delayed Academics". The materials I read about this philosophy, (of waiting to teach academics until the child was "ready" between the ages of 8-12) began to make sense to me and we set out with new resolve to face the objections I would receive from well meaning friends and family, including other homeschoolers.
Meanwhile, I continued my own "self-education" about homeschooling and soon discovered the "Unschooling" philosophy. Parts of me were very receptive to this theory, (that kids learn best when they pursue their own interests and passions.) I could see evidence of that in my own children as I watched them teach themselves about fishing, coins and football. However, there was a constant nagging in my spirit that they would never really discipline themselves to learn those things that didn't come naturally, like reading, writing and math. I continued to read and discovered Marilyn Howshall's "Wisdom's Way of Learning." I incorporated a "table time" in amongst my childrens' daily pursuits and some gains were made in the areas I've considered them to be weak. However, there remained a "battle" within me...the desire to allow my kids to blossom in their own time, learning that which they wanted to learn, eventually learning everything they "needed" to learn...and the lack of faith that they actually would!
Well, now I've claimed a "label" that I can really be at peace with. Eclectic homeschoolers use whatever works for each child...not letting any particular philosophy dictate what that is. They begin by taking a look at what their child is doing on a daily, weekly, and yearly basis...and deciding what educational value each activity has. Then, they fill in the gaps, using whatever resources seem to meet that particular child's needs. I can have the best of both worlds! I can allow my kids to pursue their interests and passions and I can also not feel guilty about filling in the holes with tools and activities I deem important.
Everyone needs some sort of "framework" to work from. In fact, that seems to me to be the most reasonable starting place for homeschooling parents to begin from. When I began to homeschool my kids five years ago, I was presented with "styles" of homeschooling, but what we found ourselves doing, didn't seem to fit into any one style or philosophy. I happen to be the type of person who seems to need to have things make sense. My desire to let the kids initiate and self-direct their own learning, seemed to be in constant conflict with my inner conscience, that feared that they wouldn't learn those things I felt were so important but they didn't yet see a need for. Some people have the faith to trust their kids enough to do this...but I don't. I've been calling myself an unschooler because that seems to suit what we're doing more than anything else..but there are still those areas I tend to "ride" my kids about...which keeps me from being a "true" unschooler. Now I have a new sense of confidence that both my kids' goals and my goals will be met through Eclectic homeschooling. My thanks to Cafi Cohen who was our keynote speaker at this year's convention. She brought order and peace to confusion and feelings of guilt, with her description of Eclectic Homeschooling!
© 2000 Michele Hastings. All rights reserved. Re-printed with permission.
Monday, September 10, 2007
NIKKI IS IN WORKING MOM MAGAZINE!!!
My boy is a celebrity! Nikki is in this month's Working Mom Mag! I was so happy that they picked his photo. Only 7 kids were chosen! Wow! I hope there will be more moments like this in the future. =D
Here's the whole page. =D Isn't Nikki cute?
Sunday, September 9, 2007
AIR HOCKEY
I bought this air hockey toy in Japan. I chanced upon it and thought that it would be a great toy for the boys and for the family. It's really cool because it has a small fan in it and the puck really floats!! Hours of fun indeed!
Saturday, September 8, 2007
MAKING THE CHOICE
Another beautiful letter... (from homeschoolfreestuff)
Why We Homeschool...
We realized early on that our 4th daughter, now 11, had special educational & health needs. She didn't qualify for headstart.... because we were married, spoke English, etc.!
I dove right into it, though. I home schooled her for preschool. I discovered her weaknesses and strengths. Also, her limitations and short attention span. I taught the same thing several different ways. Teaching became an all day event. Shopping and every day events were learning experiences. "what color is this....", "can you count the ...". She even learned a little sign language.
I enrolled her in traditional school for Kindergarten, and relayed my concerns and informed them as of her learning problems were. I was given a pat on the hand and told, "she is just fine". Last year after a miserable time for her in 5th grade, I told my husband I had certainly had enough. The reasoning behind the way they treated our daughter was, "We are getting her ready for high school". I just wanted to get her through 5th grade with her esteem intact!!
As we prepared for homeschooling this year I started to get really nervous. I thought "Can I really do this well enough so that she can learn?" While I was giving her a few tests to determine her level; I discovered more than I thought I ever would. During the math portion of the test I had to re-teach her common math. Some times a couple of different ways. She felt terrible at first, but after doing 10 tests she started to feel differently. I told her last night that she did 87% on the test; all that was require to place was 50%.
We CAN do this!! We love her. We have more than time invested in her. We couldn't be paid to do what we need to do for her. I will be there in her life no matter what she does. It matters to us. She knows that it matters to us, and I think that makes all the difference in the world to a child.
She had a terrible time with some really mean children. She has remarked to me on more than one occasion that the "homeschool kids are REALLY, REALLY nice! They like me!" How glad I am for her to finally be where she is and not feel less than she is... a funny, bright, friendly girl with a lot of potential.
~Barbara Craig~
Why We Homeschool...
We realized early on that our 4th daughter, now 11, had special educational & health needs. She didn't qualify for headstart.... because we were married, spoke English, etc.!
I dove right into it, though. I home schooled her for preschool. I discovered her weaknesses and strengths. Also, her limitations and short attention span. I taught the same thing several different ways. Teaching became an all day event. Shopping and every day events were learning experiences. "what color is this....", "can you count the ...". She even learned a little sign language.
I enrolled her in traditional school for Kindergarten, and relayed my concerns and informed them as of her learning problems were. I was given a pat on the hand and told, "she is just fine". Last year after a miserable time for her in 5th grade, I told my husband I had certainly had enough. The reasoning behind the way they treated our daughter was, "We are getting her ready for high school". I just wanted to get her through 5th grade with her esteem intact!!
As we prepared for homeschooling this year I started to get really nervous. I thought "Can I really do this well enough so that she can learn?" While I was giving her a few tests to determine her level; I discovered more than I thought I ever would. During the math portion of the test I had to re-teach her common math. Some times a couple of different ways. She felt terrible at first, but after doing 10 tests she started to feel differently. I told her last night that she did 87% on the test; all that was require to place was 50%.
We CAN do this!! We love her. We have more than time invested in her. We couldn't be paid to do what we need to do for her. I will be there in her life no matter what she does. It matters to us. She knows that it matters to us, and I think that makes all the difference in the world to a child.
She had a terrible time with some really mean children. She has remarked to me on more than one occasion that the "homeschool kids are REALLY, REALLY nice! They like me!" How glad I am for her to finally be where she is and not feel less than she is... a funny, bright, friendly girl with a lot of potential.
~Barbara Craig~
Friday, September 7, 2007
STUDYING THE WATER CYCLE
Nikki and I did this simple experiment the other day while waiting for their bath water to heat. I figured, we could always do something while waiting. =D
Thursday, September 6, 2007
STUDYING FLAGS
Nikki really enjoys studying geography so I thought it would also be nice to study the flags. We made some flags using pentel pens and Nikki enjoyed it. He already knows a few flags of some well-known countries and I'm happy about that. Next week, we will add more flags until he will be familiar with most of the flags of the world.
The flag of Japan.
Philippine flag.
Flag of Egypt.
Flag of France.
Italy's flag.
Flag of China.
Here are some photos:
The flag of Japan.
Flag of Egypt.
Flag of France.
Italy's flag.
Flag of China.
Flag of Indonesia.
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
KIDS AND TV
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070904/hl_nm/attention_television_dc;_ylt=AppatqiMyvDiatB1F7haii2s0NUE
Childhood TV viewing can cause teenage problems
By Andrew Stern
Tue Sep 4, 11:50 AM ET
CHICAGO (Reuters) - Watching television more than two hours a day early in life can lead to attention problems later in adolescence, according to a study released on Tuesday.
The roughly 40 percent increase in attention problems among heavy TV viewers was observed in both boys and girls, and was independent of whether a diagnosis of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder was made prior to adolescence.
The link was established by a long-term study of the habits and behaviors of more than 1,000 children born in Dunedin, New Zealand, between April 1972 and March 1973.
The children aged 5 to 11 watched an average of 2.05 hours of weekday television. From age 13 to 15, time spent in front of the tube rose to an average of 3.1 hours a day.
"Those who watched more than two hours, and particularly those who watched more than three hours, of television per day during childhood had above-average symptoms of attention problems in adolescence," Carl Landhuis of the University of Otago in Dunedin wrote in his report, published in the journal Pediatrics.
Young children who watched a lot of television were more likely to continue the habit as they got older, but even if they did not the damage was done, the report said.
"This suggests that the effects of childhood viewing on attention may be long lasting," Landhuis wrote.
Landhuis offered several possible explanations for the association.
One was that the rapid scene changes common to many TV programs may over stimulate the developing brain of a young child, and could make reality seem boring by comparison.
"Hence, children who watch a lot of television may become less tolerant of slower-paced and more mundane tasks, such as school work," he wrote.
It was also possible that TV viewing may supplant other activities that promote concentration, such as reading, games, sports and play, he said. The lack of participation inherent in TV watching might also condition children when it comes to other activities.
The study was not proof that TV viewing causes attention problems, Landhuis said, because it may be that children prone to attention problems may be drawn to watching television.
"However, our results show that the net effect of television seems to be adverse," he wrote.
Previous studies have linked the sedentary habit of TV watching among children to obesity and diabetes, and another study in the same journal cited the poor nutritional content of the overwhelming majority of food products advertised on the top-rated U.S. children's television shows.
Up to 98 percent of the TV ads promoting food products that were directed at children aged 2 through 11 "were high in either fat, sugar, or sodium," wrote Lisa Powell of the University of Illinois in Chicago.
Childhood TV viewing can cause teenage problems
By Andrew Stern
Tue Sep 4, 11:50 AM ET
CHICAGO (Reuters) - Watching television more than two hours a day early in life can lead to attention problems later in adolescence, according to a study released on Tuesday.
The roughly 40 percent increase in attention problems among heavy TV viewers was observed in both boys and girls, and was independent of whether a diagnosis of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder was made prior to adolescence.
The link was established by a long-term study of the habits and behaviors of more than 1,000 children born in Dunedin, New Zealand, between April 1972 and March 1973.
The children aged 5 to 11 watched an average of 2.05 hours of weekday television. From age 13 to 15, time spent in front of the tube rose to an average of 3.1 hours a day.
"Those who watched more than two hours, and particularly those who watched more than three hours, of television per day during childhood had above-average symptoms of attention problems in adolescence," Carl Landhuis of the University of Otago in Dunedin wrote in his report, published in the journal Pediatrics.
Young children who watched a lot of television were more likely to continue the habit as they got older, but even if they did not the damage was done, the report said.
"This suggests that the effects of childhood viewing on attention may be long lasting," Landhuis wrote.
Landhuis offered several possible explanations for the association.
One was that the rapid scene changes common to many TV programs may over stimulate the developing brain of a young child, and could make reality seem boring by comparison.
"Hence, children who watch a lot of television may become less tolerant of slower-paced and more mundane tasks, such as school work," he wrote.
It was also possible that TV viewing may supplant other activities that promote concentration, such as reading, games, sports and play, he said. The lack of participation inherent in TV watching might also condition children when it comes to other activities.
The study was not proof that TV viewing causes attention problems, Landhuis said, because it may be that children prone to attention problems may be drawn to watching television.
"However, our results show that the net effect of television seems to be adverse," he wrote.
Previous studies have linked the sedentary habit of TV watching among children to obesity and diabetes, and another study in the same journal cited the poor nutritional content of the overwhelming majority of food products advertised on the top-rated U.S. children's television shows.
Up to 98 percent of the TV ads promoting food products that were directed at children aged 2 through 11 "were high in either fat, sugar, or sodium," wrote Lisa Powell of the University of Illinois in Chicago.
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
Monday, September 3, 2007
STAMPING
Here are the boys having fun with their stamps. Ethan really loves this and all other art activities. =D
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