Came across this blog: http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/random-thoughts-about-the-internet-what-im-doing-with-it-what-its-doing-to-us-how-its-changed-me-etc
Very interesting. Social networking is terrifying. But it's not like we know our neighbors or the neighborhood kids play together or anything like that nowadays, anyway. I'm not quite sure if social networking is one step forward or one step back.
12 June 2009
07 June 2009
Education in the home, first ideas.
I want to write a series of posts on homeschooling. This'll be the first. That way, if someone asks me about homeschooling, I can direct them here. Hopefully, I can get some kind of concise ideas down and share my experiences without going off subject too much.
History, first. I've been homeschooling "officially" for 2 years. I've just completed 1st and kindergarten with my 5 and 7 year old. I started teaching my 7 year old when he was two, things like colors, numbers, and letters. So if you want to count those years (I do), I've been homeschooling for about 4 years. I now have kids aged 7, 5, 2, and 4 months, which makes for an interesting day.
In this first post, I am going to address early education, before kindergarten. Don't make the mistake of thinking homeschooling starts when your child turns five and is "school-age". If they're already 5 or 6, don't sweat it. They've probably picked up more than you think, and will do fine.
If you're planning on homeschooling your kids, and they're 2 or 3 or 4, that's where homeschooling starts. Before you try to start homeschooling in kindergarten, try to make things easier on yourself. Getting your kids into habits and teaching them the basics first is essential. Learning to read before kindergarten will really enable them to take off with a head start. Both my kids were reading well before starting kindergarten. Trust me, teaching is much easier when your child can read simple directions and the like by themselves. It also helps when you're trying to manage multiple children's lessons at one time.
So start when they're toddlers. The beauty of homeschooling is that everyday life is just as much a learning experience as serious, sit-down-at-the-desk time. It starts with talking to your child. Ask them questions. "What color is that?" "Is that big or small?" "How many do you see?" When you talk to your child, talk about what they need to learn. Don't just say, "You can play outside now." Instead, say, "The yellow sun is up in the blue sky. It is above the tree. Do you want to play under the tall tree with green leaves?" It's much easier to live and learn than to try to sit a toddler down and get them to pay attention. Get some colorful blocks and play, while asking "What color is this block?" ""Can you give me the green block?"
My daughter learned her letters at 3 when we put up the alphabet in her room and sang the ABC song (while pointing at each letter) before bed at night. It was great fun for her, and she learned to say the letters and recognize them without any trouble. Eventually, we started taking about three letters a night and talking about their sounds. We pointed out the vowels, too, when she was a little older. We invented a game she begged to play, too...we had a stack of alphabet flashcards, and we'd have her stand across the room from us, and hold up a card. If she got it right, she could jump forward. If she got it wrong, she had to take a hop back. When she got several right in a row, she'd make it over to us and either get a hug and kiss or a treat. This same game worked with numbers and shapes. In addition, if your child is dexterous, start writing letters. My kids loved chalk boards and wipe off boards.
Teach them gently, and don't worry if they don't get it right away. Or even if they don't seem to get it at all, or they don't care. Keep showing and talking. They're listening, and listening more closely than you realize. Don't get mad. Don't be too frustrated when they wander off or want to play trucks or dolls instead. Everything a child does at this point is a possible learning experience.
I recommend teaching your child to read early. However, do not push them too hard. Reading needs to be something enjoyable. You don't want them to hate reading, or they're gonna have a heck of a time doing any schoolwork. Reading must be a joy, and you can set an example by reading to them, and letting them see you reading and enjoying it. I used two guides when my kids were ready (it's great if you can teach them letter recognition and letters sounds, first). This book, by Siegfried Engelmann, is a great place to start. I eventually moved on to The Ordinary Parent's Guide to Teaching Reading, but the 100 Easy Lessons was better for my kids at first, because it has big print and age appropriate stories with fun illustrations. We did many lessons over and over, as many times as it took for them to catch on. That's normal, too. I've seen a few friends who think they have a very bright child become devastated when their kid doesn't take to reading easily. It's best to expect them to be confused at first. In my experience, kids can learn letters and sounds easily, because those are individual rules. Reading requires the child to put a lot of rules together, which is a big step forward in cognitive development. It's not easy. But you can make it fun, and they'll love to keep trying.
I had no idea what I was doing when we started homeschooling. There are great books out there, read a ton of them. Pick and choose what you think is the best method for your child, and jump in. When something clicks, and you see that light bulb flash on, it's going to be as exciting as your baby's first smile, first steps, etc. It's something I'm so glad I didn't miss by sending my kids off to school at a very young age.
I might continue this post later, or choose to move on. Best of luck, reader.
History, first. I've been homeschooling "officially" for 2 years. I've just completed 1st and kindergarten with my 5 and 7 year old. I started teaching my 7 year old when he was two, things like colors, numbers, and letters. So if you want to count those years (I do), I've been homeschooling for about 4 years. I now have kids aged 7, 5, 2, and 4 months, which makes for an interesting day.
In this first post, I am going to address early education, before kindergarten. Don't make the mistake of thinking homeschooling starts when your child turns five and is "school-age". If they're already 5 or 6, don't sweat it. They've probably picked up more than you think, and will do fine.
If you're planning on homeschooling your kids, and they're 2 or 3 or 4, that's where homeschooling starts. Before you try to start homeschooling in kindergarten, try to make things easier on yourself. Getting your kids into habits and teaching them the basics first is essential. Learning to read before kindergarten will really enable them to take off with a head start. Both my kids were reading well before starting kindergarten. Trust me, teaching is much easier when your child can read simple directions and the like by themselves. It also helps when you're trying to manage multiple children's lessons at one time.
So start when they're toddlers. The beauty of homeschooling is that everyday life is just as much a learning experience as serious, sit-down-at-the-desk time. It starts with talking to your child. Ask them questions. "What color is that?" "Is that big or small?" "How many do you see?" When you talk to your child, talk about what they need to learn. Don't just say, "You can play outside now." Instead, say, "The yellow sun is up in the blue sky. It is above the tree. Do you want to play under the tall tree with green leaves?" It's much easier to live and learn than to try to sit a toddler down and get them to pay attention. Get some colorful blocks and play, while asking "What color is this block?" ""Can you give me the green block?"
My daughter learned her letters at 3 when we put up the alphabet in her room and sang the ABC song (while pointing at each letter) before bed at night. It was great fun for her, and she learned to say the letters and recognize them without any trouble. Eventually, we started taking about three letters a night and talking about their sounds. We pointed out the vowels, too, when she was a little older. We invented a game she begged to play, too...we had a stack of alphabet flashcards, and we'd have her stand across the room from us, and hold up a card. If she got it right, she could jump forward. If she got it wrong, she had to take a hop back. When she got several right in a row, she'd make it over to us and either get a hug and kiss or a treat. This same game worked with numbers and shapes. In addition, if your child is dexterous, start writing letters. My kids loved chalk boards and wipe off boards.
Teach them gently, and don't worry if they don't get it right away. Or even if they don't seem to get it at all, or they don't care. Keep showing and talking. They're listening, and listening more closely than you realize. Don't get mad. Don't be too frustrated when they wander off or want to play trucks or dolls instead. Everything a child does at this point is a possible learning experience.
I recommend teaching your child to read early. However, do not push them too hard. Reading needs to be something enjoyable. You don't want them to hate reading, or they're gonna have a heck of a time doing any schoolwork. Reading must be a joy, and you can set an example by reading to them, and letting them see you reading and enjoying it. I used two guides when my kids were ready (it's great if you can teach them letter recognition and letters sounds, first). This book, by Siegfried Engelmann, is a great place to start. I eventually moved on to The Ordinary Parent's Guide to Teaching Reading, but the 100 Easy Lessons was better for my kids at first, because it has big print and age appropriate stories with fun illustrations. We did many lessons over and over, as many times as it took for them to catch on. That's normal, too. I've seen a few friends who think they have a very bright child become devastated when their kid doesn't take to reading easily. It's best to expect them to be confused at first. In my experience, kids can learn letters and sounds easily, because those are individual rules. Reading requires the child to put a lot of rules together, which is a big step forward in cognitive development. It's not easy. But you can make it fun, and they'll love to keep trying.
I had no idea what I was doing when we started homeschooling. There are great books out there, read a ton of them. Pick and choose what you think is the best method for your child, and jump in. When something clicks, and you see that light bulb flash on, it's going to be as exciting as your baby's first smile, first steps, etc. It's something I'm so glad I didn't miss by sending my kids off to school at a very young age.
I might continue this post later, or choose to move on. Best of luck, reader.
04 June 2009
Erudite allusions
I intend to buy a book of Rachel Flynn's poems when I get the chance...I read an interview with her this evening and am still twirling around in my mind something she said about poetry:
"Poetry, for me, ultimately does not allow a refusal of what is genuine. I’m not interested in word play for the sake of cleverness or a pile of erudite allusions to suggest how learned the writer might be."
I find this part particularly agreeable. And I was interested in the fact that she grew up in a rural town in Indiana, like me.
"Poetry, for me, ultimately does not allow a refusal of what is genuine. I’m not interested in word play for the sake of cleverness or a pile of erudite allusions to suggest how learned the writer might be."
I find this part particularly agreeable. And I was interested in the fact that she grew up in a rural town in Indiana, like me.
03 June 2009
Extemporaneous
A few impromptu happenings and notices lately have me a bit on edge. Not to say I am fearful or nervous, exactly, but everything seems to have a general roughing around the edges, metaphorically speaking.
It's a funny thing we do: choosing to concentrate on the present closely and intimately in order to avoid thoughts of future happenings. The unknown is looming, and I find myself pushing away any daydreams of what it will be like. Wait and see sounds a lot better than speculation at this point.
The military spouse. It's a strange title to assign to myself. I've been living and participating in the active duty lifestyle before, so it feels familiar. Familiarity, however, doesn't always refer to positive aspects. These terms that have come up feel cold and defunct; deployment, custody, and other words that reek of sterilized social distinction. I don't appreciate these words. They don't belong.
I'm meditating very selfishly on one principle idea: may this cup be passed. I know in comparison, my possible lot would be incomparably the lesser, so, carefully, not as I will, but as you will. Truth be told I would feel more secure omitting the last part. Let's just pass the cup, I am not a good candidate, surely there's one more deserving of this test...anything that can sneak me under the radar. But there it is, insistant, causing a need to prepare. To surrender to an authority that is mysterious, to morph plaintive questioning into willful obediance.
It's a funny thing we do: choosing to concentrate on the present closely and intimately in order to avoid thoughts of future happenings. The unknown is looming, and I find myself pushing away any daydreams of what it will be like. Wait and see sounds a lot better than speculation at this point.
The military spouse. It's a strange title to assign to myself. I've been living and participating in the active duty lifestyle before, so it feels familiar. Familiarity, however, doesn't always refer to positive aspects. These terms that have come up feel cold and defunct; deployment, custody, and other words that reek of sterilized social distinction. I don't appreciate these words. They don't belong.
I'm meditating very selfishly on one principle idea: may this cup be passed. I know in comparison, my possible lot would be incomparably the lesser, so, carefully, not as I will, but as you will. Truth be told I would feel more secure omitting the last part. Let's just pass the cup, I am not a good candidate, surely there's one more deserving of this test...anything that can sneak me under the radar. But there it is, insistant, causing a need to prepare. To surrender to an authority that is mysterious, to morph plaintive questioning into willful obediance.
27 May 2009
Priest
We've recently moved to a new church, for many good and solid reasons, and are happy there. We're going through catechism, currently, and I am enjoying it. Our priest is slightly outspoken and decidedly passionate in his teaching, while staying true to the faith. Father Keith used to be a teacher so we've been given a fair amount of assignments and threatened with various forms of rigorous grading.
My sister (who would probably call herself agnostic if she was familiar with the term) recently visited and I attempted to explain catechism, and the following confirmation. She listened, and then commented how 'it was interesting but was it in the Bible that we had to do that?' I said, well, not exactly. She replied, 'I see, it's church tradition'. But to me, it's not just tradition. It's an intelligent expression of faith, a requirement of being members of the Body, a receiving of a very important succession, and an occasion to swear further devotion to Christ as Lord and Master. I probably should have tried to explain the strengthening gifts...
I'm going to listen to volunteer radio now and dance my infant daughter around the room, reminiscent of the poem I posted about a month ago.
My sister (who would probably call herself agnostic if she was familiar with the term) recently visited and I attempted to explain catechism, and the following confirmation. She listened, and then commented how 'it was interesting but was it in the Bible that we had to do that?' I said, well, not exactly. She replied, 'I see, it's church tradition'. But to me, it's not just tradition. It's an intelligent expression of faith, a requirement of being members of the Body, a receiving of a very important succession, and an occasion to swear further devotion to Christ as Lord and Master. I probably should have tried to explain the strengthening gifts...
I'm going to listen to volunteer radio now and dance my infant daughter around the room, reminiscent of the poem I posted about a month ago.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)