Homeschool Hint

Homeschooling is near and dear to my heart.  I am a homeschooling mom of a high school student and two middle school students.  At the time of this post, our family is participating in one of our homeschool group days.  I am surrounded by one of my sons who is reading, a high school student working on a writing assignment, and two little girls quietly munching on Goldfish crackers while their baby brother snores in his stroller.  Students are rushing up and down the hallway happily chattering about their day, class, or latest fun trends.  Mothers are gathered talking about their lives, school, families, upcoming events, classes, projects.  I love this community of families!

This semester one of the mothers put together a curriculum discussion group for families to talk about what they are using for a particular subject, what works, what doesn't.  It is a show and tell for us mothers/teachers.

Sometimes I struggle with what I want to write about on this blog.  After the discussion group today, it occurred to me to post what WE use for curriculum or for assistance.  The topic for today's group was Writing, Grammar and Literature for middle school and high school students. Ironically, what I brought to share was a book called, Story Starters: Helping Children Write Like They've Never Written Before  by Karen Andreola.  Thank you Mrs. Andreola for helping me over the hump for finding a topic for my blog!

I do not use this book as part of our core curriculum, but I have a reluctant student writer and when I found this book in a catalog, it sounded like it could be the key to unlock the confidence he needed to put pen to page.  I knew the ideas were in his head, but what I didn't know was how to get them out of his head.  One of the many things I like about Story Starters is that it is fun.  It does not feel like schoolwork.  This was the giant leap to getting started.  Parents read the story that is started then, using the drawings provided, the student completes the story.  Since no one wants half of a story, this seemed to be a great place to start.  For the optimist, the writing assignment was half-way finished!

We began by just having him verbally finish the story.  It took the pressure of writing off the table, but built the brainstorming process.  After a few sessions like this, he learned that he could come up with his own ideas so his confidence was built up enough to put the pencil back into his hand.

At first, he only wrote a paragraph or so.  Elaboration would have to come later.  Our current hurdle was just making the connection between the idea to then writing it down.  I found myself becoming a bit discouraged during this time since I thought that he should progressing faster than what I was seeing, but I could not let that contaminate his thinking.  I found something in every story to applaud and kept the critiques small.

I learned that to build on his minimal stories was what we needed to do next.  Thankfully, at the end of each half-story is a helpful hint for students to add to their stories by asking questions to delve deeper.  We used these hints to add to what he already had written.  Re-writing what he already had was not his favorite, so sometimes he could dictate what he wanted to add then I would type it out for him to then read together.  From that point, he could critique his own work and began thinking of his own hints to make his story better.

Now he was writing full endings, complete with additional characters or dialogue.  He was beginning to edit his own work and add in more color through adjectives and sensory details.  I feel like this book has brought us up from a pit of discouragement to having confidence to tackle other types of writing.  He still doesn't enjoy writing research papers, but at least now he isn't afraid to try.

Spring Break 2013

What fun we've had these last few days and God gave us some sunshine to boot!  My family came to visit Easter Sunday and my nephew stayed with us from then until yesterday afternoon.  I am so very blessed to have been able to have some time with him here.

Nephew skateboarding

Mini weapons of mass destruction

The kids played outside: skateboarding, basketball, made a spy movie (which was edited inside, but an entire day of shooting outside!), riding bikes and having a cookout were all part of the activities.  While inside, we watched movies, played games, made weapons from office supplies, and went duckpin bowling.  

Now we are preparing to see the cousins on the other side of the family.  Today we are packing up and heading to Ohio for a couple of days.  Can't wait to see what is in store for this weekend!  

Donuts

I found some doughnut pans in my cabinet this week.  Daughter dearest and I decided that we should try them out the second morning of our Spring Break.  I heard they tasted great.  We made a dozen chocolate and then one-half dozen chocolate filled doughnuts.  It was just too tempting to have the leftovers stay here, so we shared with friends.

Contentment

Seems everywhere I turn, someone I know is experiencing trouble, some to a greater extent than others--if there really is a scale.  Terrible Two's.  Dissatisfaction with job.  Weather.  Victim of theft.  Death of loved one.  Stagnant weight loss.  Falling through house sale.  Exhausting work schedule.  Delinquent children.  We live in a fallen world and deal with the results of sin everyday, whether or not our circumstances are related to our personal sins.  Some tragedies and life struggles we can change.  Some we cannot.  Some will change whether or not we do anything at all.  Some will change without our notice.

If we remember that we are always in the care of our Father, and that He works all things for good for those  who love Him, then we should be satisfied with that.  We may not know how, or when, or to what extent.  The good we see may not even be for us even though the struggle is ours.  When it seems that nothing is going right, cling to Him.  Praise Him in all circumstances.  He never changes.  He doesn't always remove us from the storms of life, but just as silver is refined by fire, so are we.  Sometimes we need to endure the troubles of life.  Big or small.

Ask what we need to glean from our struggle.  What should we remember?  What would be of benefit for someone struggling later?  When we meet someone who is currently in a battle, do we pass by without a helping hand or personal touch or love and compassion?  No!  Use your past turmoil and the fact that you are still standing as a testimony of encouragement!

We've been reading through Proverbs for Bible class.  This morning we summarized that there are fools, gossips, sluggards and quarrelsome people, but if we act in kind (out of a need for justice, or whatever the case may be), then we are no better than they.  Are we even worse if we recognize it and do it anyway?

Find contentment in all circumstances.  No one really wants to hear that "everything will be all right" while in the midst of the struggle.  That is detached and unfeeling.  Certainly no one has gone through our specific struggle in the same manor; however there are always similarities and because we can share the emotion, we can be grateful that we are not alone even on earth.  God gives us the "others" in our lives.  He has placed us here, just as we are, to share, to love, to live together and encourage one another.

If we focus on our troubles, we will stay in the pit of despair.  We will not recognize the blessings He has bestowed upon us--even in our struggles--if we do not keep Him as our focus.  Let the things of this earth grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace.  What greater testimony to others can there be than to stand strong in our outward love and adoration for Him during our hard times?

Eye Exam

Is it just me, or does anyone else believe that Punxsutawney Phil needs to have his eyes examined?  He did predict an early Spring this year.  (click here for story)  Perhaps I should cut him some slack since I do live in Indiana where the weather is always changing, but this is the map for the high temperatures today across my part of the country.  This does not look like warm temperatures to me.

This is the view from my back porch.  Pretty, but not Springtime weather.  School was cancelled in town. Other parts of the county experienced delays.  People have been driving a bit more cautiously.  I am ready for Spring!  I want to smell flowers, to hear birds sing, to smell the fresh air coming through open windows, to take a walk without having to add several layers.  Phil, you got my hopes up and have let me down!  ...What?  You say it's only been 4-1/2 weeks since Groundhog's Day?  Ooops!  Sorry, Phil.  You have 1-1/2 more weeks to make sure Spring arrives or you and I are going to have a serious talk about your healthcare....

Alterations

Green beans, corn, carrots, magic beans....what have my teens eaten that have made them grow this quickly?   Or is it that there is some sort of Elves and the Shoemaker pixie that works in the reverse that steals into the house and sews clothes that are smaller?  

I wanted to go ahead and post some of my changes, but mine, I'm glad to report are about shrinking.  Here are my "before" and current photos.  

Afternoon at the Children's Museum

Geckos

A couple of months ago MomII bought a membership pass to the Children's Museum while all of the grandchildren were around.  Unfortunately, only 2 of the grandchildren got to go the first time.  This weekend, however, we five plus Grandma went to see the Gecko exhibit.  Our family hadn't been to the museum in a few years, so it was fun seeing some of the standard exhibits, but the Geckos were our focus and well worth the trip.

The National Geographic Treasures of the Earth exhibit stirred my curiosity.  It was divided into three parts:  Egypt (updated the old section); underwater section--a professor from IU thinks he may have found Captain Kidd's ship off the coast of the Dominican Republic; replicas of the 3000 Chinese warrior statues.  Now I want to do some further investigation on my own!  Apparently, H was really into this part too!

H has fun replacing his face with part of the reconstruction parts of the statues

Here he is again, this time HIS head on the statue

To round out the day, we stopped by Bumblebee for another photo opportunity.

My niece and nephew, who have been living in Mexico the last couple of years will be home next month.  I am looking forward to going back to the museum and taking them with me.  Maybe next time they can take my picture as a Transformer!