Weekly Homeschool Wrap-Up–March 7, 2010

 

 

‘Like sands in the hourglass, so are the days of our lives.’   Normally I would begin my weekly post by saying to be sure to join us with your weekly post by linking to Carol at Threelittleladies.   However, if you have visited Carol lately, you’d know that she is moving to Alaska, transitioning to work outside her home, and her husband will take over as the primary homeschooler.   Unless he prioritizes keeping up the weekly homeschool reports,…   I do hope that Carol will keep her blog open to give an update every now and then.   I always enjoyed her transparency, and through her I was able to see YWAM (Youth with a Mission) in “real time.”   I hadn’t realized how many of their books we’d read, especially this year—Torches of Joy, and the Christian Heroes: Here and Now series—tremendous!

 

 

From where I sat this past week,

 

As an individual, I…

am learning a lesson about even the small things that become sources of pride in life, and the Lord is faithful to deliver us from them all—even when He has to snatch them abruptly.

 

 

Though I’ve not been the most regular in working out, I have enjoyed seeing my numbers go up on the Wii, and having purchased the Wii Fit Plus, my commitment to a regular workout had a whole new life.   I was so proud of my platinum-colored pig (40+ hrs of working out)—until, with one button, our youngest wiped out everyone’s history.   Our son came to ask us what a certain function was, and in the time it took me to say “don’t touch it,” and him to relay that back, she had already touched it.    Fast hands that move at times before permission is granted are a problem in our house, a problem that we’re quickly correcting.  In the meantime, there is nothing to do except to begin anew and try to move past the frustration of seeing that pig, now orange.   (Heavy sigh)

 

As a wife and homemaker, I…

 

don’t have much to say in this area this week.   I’m just working and thankful to God for each bit of energy to accomplish more.   In fact, that is my topic for next week’s “Get Revived” Conference—“Increasing my Capacity.”  (Now if I can get the rest of the words—smile).

 

 

As a mom and homeschooling parent, I…

am trying to keep the children motivated as we all realize that the end of the school year is not far away.

 

I’m unsure if we will follow Tanglewood’s reading list next year.   I fell in love with this site the first time I saw it several years ago.   With an interest, but not a clear understanding, of Charlotte Mason, Tanglewood seemed to be everything I was looking for—rigor with some fun.   It was significantly more inclusive than I’ve personally found Ambleside to be.  It also had schedules, which gave me a little guidance in working with the kids—something I needed in those early days.   I still use their corebook planner, moreso as a reminder to me of what Miss Mason’s approach, at its purest, is designed to be.   We finished Five Children and It, which ended with a wonderful message, but the narrative, I thought, was far above a younger child’s head.   The author would switch from 3^rd person to 1^st and back again; the accents that comprise a substantial part of the book made some of the dialogue incomprehensible for us.   Right now, we’re reading Bambi, which the youngest describes as the “worst, worst book ever.”    When reading it as an adult, I find it to be an amazing study of the life cycle of a deer.   I have to admit, though, that through the eyes and ears of a 6-year-old, her narrations are about death and dying, as some animal or leaf in the book either dies or is dying each day.   In today’s reading, Bambi falls in love, and has to fight off other stags for the doe that is first introduced as his cousin.  Hmmm…   Anyway, I thought it fascinating, but the youngest wanted us to move on, and the oldest thought this section sounded more like the Animal Planet’s “Untamed and Uncut.”   Our son was wondering if the movie was this violent.

 

None of our books have shown up for our son, but we did find the movie Chariots of Fire, so we’ll take a short break from reading.   His biography is David Livingstone, an amazing missionary on the African continent.

 

One of the many positive side effects of reading aloud is the number of books we’re able to “sneak in.”   I sometimes stop to enjoy the quietness of the house when I’m reading to the youngest.   The only noise is my own voice, and I know that the older two are listening from an adjacent room.    They’re getting a double dose of good living books just for being in the right place at the right time.   I also found a great listing of audio book sites that I will make more extensive use of on next year, especially for the classics.   I see now why I read so many anthologies in public high school; these works are thick with no pictures!    Anyway, there’s a fantastic Squidoo lens on the use of audiobooks in homeschools, and more generally speaking, on helping the auditory learner.  

Speaking of neat and timely articles, Lee Binz of High School Homeschool was kind enough to unknowingly lift my spirits when she penned a light-hearted piece on the literary analysis, or lack thereof, that occurred in her home.   I had to laugh as I read someone else’s dialogue with her teens about the “deeper” aspects of the classics—“great book, Mom—what’s next?”   Classic.

 

 

As a business owner, I…

 

am continuing to work as the Lord gives my mind and hands tasks to perform.  Again, I’ll speak on next week, and a lovely customer had an idea for me that will take some time over the weekend, but sounds promising.

 

May the Lord bless your week as well.