A Rhetorical Question from Study in Philippians 3

How did Paul's parents feel when he called all his credentials junk? (Phil 3:1-11)  Incredulous? Hurt? Worried that he was being lead astray? Did they ever understand?

One might think such things about parents who choose homeschooling instead of classroom school away from the home.  Even my parents don't understand what was so bad about my classroom training.  After all, they say that I was on the honor roll and all kinds of band/choir accomplishments.  I had many opportunities that the classroom school provided, but compared to what my kids get today, I'm still convinced that we are doing the best thing.  But, what happens when my kids choose something different someday. Will I be like Paul's parents and freak out?  That is, I'm assuming, if they freaked out!

Many transitions are upon us as homeschooling parents, or parents in general.  We have 12 and 13 year olds here, and but for a blink of an eye they will be choosing their way all too soon (in fact, we encourage it).  The Mommy and the Daddy will need to transition along with these 3Gs.  Prayer that each chooses wisely or is able to rebound as we once did when we didn't seek wise counsel.  Are we allowed to advise these three to pray fervently/listen carefully about each decision they make?  Are we up to it?

"Noise"

So much of life is noise,  if you let it.  But, aren't you allowed to choose how you live your life?  That's what they told me in high school - aim high,  get a college degree, blah blah blah.  I chose a lot of things including a college experience,  a job and now marriage/family.  But I never chose to decrease the amount of noise in my life, until now. I homeschool.  I drive with the radio off,  sometimes.  I listen to books from my kindle text-to- voice because I can. I separate kids in my house into separate rooms in my house or tables at the library or benches at the park because they need to learn about reducing the noise in their lives too. Can't do that in the classroom,  or on the school bus or in the basketball team. Noise reduces how much we can hear ourselves think.  Discern. Appreciate. Life. Choose to live intentionally and reduce some noise each year. We aren't promised another day, but when we get it, choose to savor it. I do and continue to relish it.

"Field Trip Adventure"

So, you're a classroom teacher for 20 years and you're taking your classroom kids on the same field trip for the 20th time, and it really hurts, and you're tired.

Just think,  that could be me out there leading my earth science 8th graders to the Field Museum to discuss the goo-to-you ideas from the textbook. But, that would be surreal because I didn't stay in the classroom.

I don't use textbooks except the Bible (well, and Rod/Staff Grammar and Saxon Maths). I don't preach large scale evolutionary historical development on planet earth (old earth creationist is on the back of my t-shirt). I HOMESCHOOL. I HOMESCHOOL!  YES, SAY IT LOUD AND PROUD, I HOMESCHOOL! !!

I don't get a paycheck, 

I get hugs, 

slugs 

and debates with my own kids - 

E.V.E.R.Y.D.A.Y. 

I go on field trips to wonderful places I want to share with them, and wonderful places I want to explore with them. And I like it. And they're growing.in.a.love for intentional living that allows them to surrender the junk, simplify and savor what they have.

That's what it's all about.

MUSIC STUDY - That Hill I'll Die On

In 5th grade, my mom picked the alto saxophone for me to play in the band.  She had always wanted to play, and this was the closest she was going to get.  My dad had played the trombone long enough in school, but never played it for us.  I continued to play the alto saxophone in the classroom along with piano lessons with neighbor lady even when I had to practice the upright piano in the coldest room of the house through junior high school.  Then my mom couldn't afford the piano lessons for my brothers and me, so we got to drop piano.  But, my junior high band director saw fit to change me during concert season to bassoon.  Yep, I have huge hands and am sturdy enough to haul that huge machine around.  I learned the base clef very well after a bit of practice at it on the piano.  I ended up getting a bassoon scholarship when I applied to a nearby state school for a major in music education.  There weren't that many of us and we were valuable enough to spend some scholarship money on us.  Besides that money, I'd have found it difficult to pay for college on my own. 

I'd also been employed to sing in school and church.  I was trained by a very capable man who, to this day, I'm grateful for because he arranged for me to audition for that scholarship at the state university and who constantly encouraged me to do more with music.  He was my vocal and choir teacher from 5th grade to graduation.  He is incredibly talented and I knew that if he said I could do anything, then I could probably do anything.  And there wasn't a struggle for me or my brothers to participate in band or choir.  I don't remember even facing a decision where I had to challenge my mom about it.  The piano lessons, yes, but those were expensive private lessons that she found difficult paying for while she was also paying for braces and other things.  Therefore, I'm THANK God for the opportunity to sing and perform various music even after graduating from high school.  I didn't finish with a degree in music education, but I did sing with a Christian choir and orchestra that traveled throughout the United States, thus allowing me to travel to more than 40 states.  And, I have an intense sense of rhythm and spatial awareness that comes from all those hours with music. 

So, when one of my friends asks if I will continue to support my kids playing in the home school band or singing at church, I tell them that it's too important and this music training needs to take precedence.  This needs to take enough precedence that I plan to choose this place to make my stand over other things like cleaning their rooms or doing their laundry.  Music training will help them to learn how to cooperate with others.  It will teach them to be determined to accomplish something. Music participation will improve their peripheral vision (useful in all of life while you have your sight and even after you loose your sight - you can feel what's going on around you). It will, if they sing in an ensemble, teach them to make pronouncing of sounds easy or even fun during language learning later (ever tried Arabic? There are some sounds in that I've learned from music training.)  According to the recording I heard from Mr. Pudewa at IEW, music strengthens both sides of the brain making math easier.  Music has taught me a great deal about cultures both where I sang and what music I sang.  Cultural familiarity with classical music might be helpful in some venue during their lifetimes.  I've met great friends because of music.  And finally, because I've thought and thought but reserve the right to come up with more reasons, music gives me and my kids an innate sense of rhythm for dancing, walking, running and more.  Rhythm is not to be undervalued.  Those that got it, got it. And those that ain't, well God loves them anyway.  And that's what I've got to say about it ;-) T-A-N-G-O

Logic Stage Week FIVE! We've made it to a New Stage

A new stage of learning, volunteering and fellow-shipping with each other and our social groups at co-op, church and home.  This is our fifth week of school and everything is going so much better with the daily schedules, tasks and assignments.  I may yet make it through this homeschool gig and so may they.  There are many more reminders to reward brave math effort, wise choice of a response to sibling jabs, trustworthiness, responsibility and getting a job done well.  These 3Gs are growing up.  Yes, they still need help avoiding screens at our house for the television, computers/Internet and portable devices, but, when they are deterred from those distractions, they make great choices to help, cook, read, play games, run, bike, pull weeds, mow the lawn, maintain their rooms and other public spaces here. 

We're finishing the Hands of a Child Chemistry product this week as well as How Science Works from the Reader's Digest Publishing from long ago.  We've begun study of Hebrews with the co-op at CBS, and will begin homeschool band tonight.  The Illinois state study materials from Knowledge Box Central are almost done, so I've picked out books, some juvenile, some easy reader, some fiction and some non-fiction, from the local library to continue notebooking about the state through October.  The USA History course on-line at CurrClick is slow, but helping us learn about the format.  We hope to take high school government and economics from this teacher, so it's very good to get familiar with her teaching methods, hand outs and homework habits.

Below is the list of readings and narrations that guide us along the history and science schedule.  Math, grammar, spelling, art, Latin, French, logic, flags (human geography), habitats (physical geography), and state study went per their regular course.

SOTW3CHChapter 5, begins on page 53
Warlords of Japan
I.  Hideyoshi, Japan's Great Leader
Kindle:
·         Yei Theodora Ozaki.  Japanese Fairy Tales narrate about those
·         Peeps at History – Japan.   by John Finnemore.  Sections:  The Rise of the Samurai, The Coming of Christianity, Three Great Men—Nobunaga, Three Great Men—Hideyoshi, Three Great Men—Ieyasi, The Christian Martyrs, The First Englishman in Japan, The Hidden Kingdom, The Hidden Kingdom (cont.)
PAST FACT:  1592              Hideyoshi directs Japan's first invasion of Korea
II.  The First Tokugawa Ruler
Kindle:
·         A Boy of Old Japan - R. Van Bergen Japan Asleep
Library hardback book
·         Hoobler, Dorothy.  The ghost in the Tokaido Inn,
PAST FACT:  1623, lemitsu becomes the third Tokugawa shogun
                              1633         lemitsu closes the ports of Japan
                              1641, European traders are forbidden to enter Japan

READ and SKETCHaRESPONSE or Narrate (Our soap making process)
·         HSW: Acids and Bases, Salts and Soaps
http://www.middleschoolchemistry.com/multimedia/  ACS Chemistry for life topics
·         Kindle:  Wonder Book of Chemistry, Chap 9 (The Two Sparrows) and Chap 10 (Burning Phosphorus)
Hands of a Child Notebook with questions (last week of this source)
·         Sections:  Acids, Bases (soap), Alkalis
·         17. How do we measure how strong an acid is?
·         18. What type of texture and taste does a base have?
·         19. Choose an early scientist and write a brief biography.
·         20. Experiment with invisible ink. Make the pocket book using the graphic.
DK Chemistry pages 14 and 15

An Empty Nest Morning: A Surreal Place

 



G1 is on a camp-cation;
G2 is on stay-cation overnite elsewhere;
G3 is in Grandcamp.  And I'm here gazing upon this brilliant reminder.

Curriculum for 2013-14

LESSON PLANS AND MATERIALS FOR

OUR SEVENTH YEAR HERE AT

THE PAISLEY CLASSICAL ACADEMY

Pursuing Wisdom where we are lead by an all-powerful God & Creator

 

 

Rising 7^th Grader
Breakfast and Bible (CBS Job, Hebrews and Philippians) and Dangerous Journey video guide
Math               Saxon 8/7 then sections of Algebra ½
Grammar:       Finish Rod and Staff 6, Review and complete Latina Christiana I,
                                   Review and Complete First StartFrench I
Writing:          IEW SWI-B using SOTW3 readings
History:           SOTW3 TOC, Synge’s SOTW continued and Guerber US History
                        Renaissance/ Early Modern Heritage History sources
                        State history (website & textbook- yep, they'll have to get used to textbks someday)
Science:           Chemistry (various CM sources, HOACMetals
                         and continued notebooking through ES res)
Flags:               Continued through cycle and added cycle with Operation World resources
Habitats:          Finish Grasslands Habitat studies,
                         Combine all habitat studies in 3"-3ring binder for references

Art:                Artistic Pursuits: TheElements of Art and Composition (US History focus)

Music:             Band
Physical Ed      Run, bike, swim, bowl, soccer, dance, mow, clean, Wii

Rising 6^th Graders

Breakfast and Bible
Math:              Complete Saxon 6/5 and then sections of Saxon 8/7
Grammar:       Complete RodandStaff6
Spelling:          Spelling Workout H
History:           SOTW3 TOC, Synge’s SOTW continued and Guerber US History
                        Renaissance/ Early Modern Heritage History sources
                        State History, Capitol city field trip
Science:           Chemistry (various CM sources, HOAC Metals
                        and continued notebooking through ES res)
Flags:               Continued through cycle and added cycle with Operation World resources
Habitats:          Finish Grasslands Habitat studies,
                        Combine all habitat studies in 3"-3ring binder for references
Art:                  Artistic Pursuits: TheElements of Art and Composition (US History focus)
Music:             Band
Physical Ed      Run, bike, swim, bowl, soccer, dance, mow, clean, Wii


Follow the links where available or google search the curriculum item. I haven't strayed too very far from the Well Trained Mind method here, so you'd find most of these in the tome authored by Dr Susan Wise Bauer and her Mom, Jessie Wise. 

Candymakers

GI so excited to create something edible!

G#2 Goes to Disneyland!

Little Girls in Disneyland

Primary goal is to visit the Princess Court. Done.



Second goal is to hear the lion roar at the hotel. Done.

Third goal is to ride "It's a Small World" several times. Done.

Along the way, take lots of pictures of the topiary because those are cool. Done.

Finally, you have to ride "Soarin'" for the complete experience. Well, there was the cool stuffed animal thing too. Done.

Some Words Just Don't Work for ME

Some words are very easy to say. Accidentally, luckily, coincidentally...  Those words are just not that helpful. They don't tell the whole story about the fact that things happen as a logical sequence of events that I've started OR that someone other than myself have started. Doesn't mean I'm a fatalist, it just means that the words accident, lucky and coincidental are used way too much.
Some words are more easily acted out. Entitlement, Deserve.. Really, we all deserve and are entitled to a miserable existence on our own (alone) in this tiny planet with no mercy or hope. Really, all have done hideous things to some extent and are entitled to punishment.  I just do the best with what I've got and am trying each day to be incredibly grateful instead of entitled.
Grace is a better word, and love; humble, generous, polite, providence. So much easier to use those words more readily, or for that fact, just act them out on a regular basis to get the muscles working.  Yep, a grace muscle needs exercise.  These muscles work for me and I do the best with what I have thankfully trying to learn something from it all.

What I'm Reading

Between this and the Crown Financial Ministries class, I'm really working on getting my act together.  Check it out and let me know what you think.  Thanks.

Take YOUR G to Work DAY

When G#3 went with the Daddy to work, he got to go to the Sky Deck and step out onto a Sky Ledge. That's the 9 year old's feet above South Wacker Drive (about 1300 feet up from the street). 

Fear of Heights WARNING!

As of today...

one ten year old and TWO nine year olds. Each step is a new day and only made possible by the Grace of God the Creator and Sustainer of my faith, AND by the forgiveness and leadership of a fellow believer, The Daddy.

New and Amazing Discoveries

Figs

Bobo Tea

Coconut Powdered Mix
(Sri Lankan coconuts)

"Open Season" cartoon videos

"Silk" milk

An "almost" four year old's sheer, all-encompassing delight in riding the commuter train to and from downtown Chicago

Picking a mango that's not going to go to waste - lessons

IKEA thru a virgin- meatball eater's eyes

I-290 traffic from downtown Chi-town at rush hour with a farm girl behind the wheel (the Kansas license plates don't hurt either)

"How deep is the coal mine at Museum of Science and Industry, Mom?"

Home made yogurt lessons

Fannie May Mint Melt-aways.... truly amazing

All this and more from a 3 day visit with the Obie's!

No matter how you word it...Matthew 28:18-20

¹⁹ Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” NIV

18-20Jesus, undeterred, went right ahead and gave his charge: "God authorized and commanded me to commission you: Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism in the threefold name: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then instruct them in the practice of all I have commanded you. I'll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age." MES


18 İsa yanlarına gelip kendilerine şunları söyledi: "Gökte ve yeryüzünde bütün yetki bana verildi.

19 Bu nedenle gidin, bütün ulusları öğrencilerim olarak yetiştirin; onları Baba, Oğul ve Kutsal Ruh'un adıyla vaftiz edin;  20 size buyurduğum her şeye uymayı onlara öğretin. İşte ben, dünyanın sonuna dek her an sizinle birlikteyim." INCIL

We've definitely begun.

The only thing I forgot in this picture was the twins' grammar book, First Language Lessons Level 3, and MathUSee Delta materials. We also got to the language of choice at Mango.com and handwriting with the Spalding phonics cards along the guidelines defined by DonnaYoung.org.  I didn't begin reading Zoo2 with the kids, but will add that later.  They all practiced their music lessons too. Then, they finished before 2pm and played at whatever they wanted with each other or with others along the neighborhood. The planner checklist is helping along with the daily schedule to keep everyone on task and me involved with who needs direction one at a time.

A Precious Perspective

I never really expected to be a mom. I totally gave up on the potential of being married based on the massive amount of debt and failure I'd accumulated in my short 28 years of life. But then miracles happened and I did meet a Godly saint and married him as soon as he asked me, or shortly there after. I progressively submitted and have since then stayed married to the afore mentioned saint.

After a regular amount of time, in my eyes at least, we became parents to a healthy and easy child. After another reasonable amount of time, we, I reluctantly, welcomed twins. They were all excessively healthy and bright children. Easy… too easy. I never had to work to have children. I had to work some more than I would have expected to keep the children growing and learning, but everything was and is very easy.

So many people work for years to have children and then some others loose those precious gifts so quickly. Others watch as their babies die from diseases that drag on and suffer so long. But, I get to enjoy these young people, not yet tax payers; and yet do I really appreciate what I have? Does anyone ever appreciate what they have? So much of the time we move so fast or check out so quickly, then don’t get to see how precious these people are to us. Why is it that so many parents don’t realize how fast their children are growing and so much happening that they don’t get to slow down and pay attention to the simple events of the day?

And, yet, do I submit their lives to fate? Nope, but I catch myself so often trying to control everything. Doesn’t God love them more than I do? Aren’t they really His? So, yep, I accepted some odd chance to teach them according to the simplest method I could have discovered by providence from The Well Trained Mind about classical education. I’m continuing to teach them this coming school year because is just feels right and is expected. Easy…

So what’s classical education? According to one mom at seven's heaven: "The object of this kind of Christian and Classical education was not merely the accumulation of knowledge. Instead it was to equip a whole new generation of leaders with the necessary tools to exercise discernment, discretion, and discipline in their lives and over their callings. Despite their meager resources, rough-hewn facilities, and down-to-earth frontier ethic, they maintained continuity with all that had given birth to the wisdom of the West." She quoted George Grant.

I go against what is common in my life and choose to be a wife, home-maker and home-schooling mom. And, some day I’ll go on to what ever else is set for me to do. But I’ll do it with few regrets of having missed something. Living a life without would have, should have or could have moments isn't so easy, but it's a goal.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

I am grateful to the Higher Power and Intellegent Designer that He didn't listen to my plan about how my life should go. All I wanted was two hands full, but it was His plan that I should have three, and His plan is soo much more BRILLIANT than anything I could have EVER thought of in my wildest dreams! Plus, I get to teach them and demonstrate a life worth living.

Distractions or Destruction

Make believe battles go on all over this place. If it isn't the nerf guns, it is the expansion bolts pretending to be light sabers.

There are a couple of art pieces to post from school stuff, but these seem to be more interesting to my 3Gs.

Are you ready? Because, Sunday is here!

Really? You are ready?