A peek into a language arts session at our house

[Janice in NJ]

My dd (7th grade) is reading The Hobbit, and I would like to encourage my younger son (5th grade - the one who needs a hair cut - but wants to grow his hair to rock-n-roll levels) to read it. They have heard about the story all of their lives, but they haven't read it for themselves.

 

Yesterday I sat down with the little guy and we read through the first couple of pages together. We discussed the first paragraph.

 

We just purchased a new camcorder, so I thought it might be fun to record our conversation this morning.

 

It's long.... sorry - it takes a long time for us to work through this kind of stuff. :001_smile:

 

So here is a glimpse into what I guess would be called a language arts lesson ???? with my two younger kids.

 

The first four clips focus on diagramming the following sentences:

 

In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort.

 

As you can see from the video, I'm still not sure what to do with the last part (with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat) - but we went ahead and worked on it anyway. Life never seems to arrive at a place of perfect around here; I just plow on ahead anyway. I'm a hack! :001_smile:

 

The first four clips get us through the process of diagramming the second sentence in order to arrive at the fun part in the fifth clip: Tolkien, the setting, hobbits, Bilbo and how an author hints at his plans. :001_smile:

 

... or at least how *I* see it. I think he is an amazing author!

 

Here we are - warts and all! (Really sorry that it is so long....)

 

Update: Thanks to everyone for your kind and generous words. I went ahead and pulled the clips from You Tube tonight. I figured that anyone who wanted to take the time to sit through them had probably already done it. :001_smile:

 

You have all been so very supportive. What a terrific group! But I hope that you can understand why I don't want to leave the clips up there for ever. Honestly? You Tube kind of freaks me it. There are some scary things there. :blush: I wanted to post them long enough to share them with my buds, but that's about it. I don't want to leave them there forever. After all, there are still my little people. :001_smile:

 

Thanks again for the encouragement! It's going to be a good week around here!

 

 

 

Peace to you and yours,

Janice in NJ

 

Enjoy your little people

Enjoy your journey

[Verena]

Thanks, Janice, for posting this! Just watching your crew gets me psyched about diagramming (haven't gotten there yet) :-).

 

You're a wonderful teacher- thanks for letting us peek into your life.

[Plaid Dad]

:hurray: Great job! :hurray:

[Trivium Academy]

You're a superstar! *I* learned so much just from watching, so in a way I'm intimidated but I just wanted to tell you that I love how you're teaching your kids. I want our homeschool to look like that in years to come, it's hard to fathom with dd7 and ds3 at this point but it was very encouraging to see you guys in action.

 

Here's the burning questions:

 

 

1. I know you have a vast collection of writing curriculas and materials, what did you do to learn yourself? Have you learned as you go along with your children or years before teaching them?

 

 

 

I know with multiple children you have an opportunity to learn with your oldest and then apply your knowledge to your youngers in a more natural way but since I only have two, I'd like to be a little ahead of the learning/teaching curve with my oldest. I want to be able to lead dd7 as you did in the videos.

 

 

 

2. Have you always taught the correct terminology such as declarative, interrogative, exclamatory, and imperative or did you use simplified titles like FLL does: statement, command..?

What did you use to learn yourself? Was it your oldest's curricula or something else entirely?

 

The videos were very inspiring Janice, thank you for being so open and willing to share a slice of your life with us. Please thank the kids too !

[Rhondabee]

Oh, Janice, that was *great*!

 

:thumbup:

 

Thank you *so* much! That was so encouraging.

 

I have to admit I skim alot of Tolkien, and appreciated the movies much more than the books. But, you so clenched it there at the end, I think I'll have to give the Hobbit another look!

 

Great job!

 

Rhonda

[8filltheheart]

I thought this post had disappeared, so I re-typed the one below......ignore this one!!

[8filltheheart]

Janice, I love it. I hope lots of people watch it. Writing a book would never begin to convey an equivalent sense of how you teach. I hope that your videos inspire parents!!

 

I didn't watch all of each segment, just enough to get a sense of what you were doing. It confirms what I already suspected......I wish you lived near me! I think we are kindred spirits. I wish I knew someone IRL that was as adamant about actually TEACHING their children as I am vs. handing them a book and later grading. I KNOW you are!!!

 

What a blessing you are to others. And......you are awesome!!

[Rhondabee]

What was helpful, however, were the hours and hours of required observations. There is really no other way to "catch" how to teach - and I feel like that lack of drawing from other's experience is a big void in my h'sing. There is just so much that goes on in teaching that can't be conveyed any other way.

 

Just imagine if we had files of videos here of all you vets teaching your pet subjects. What an invaluable resource that would be!!!

[Pam "SFSOM" in TN]

Thank you so much for posting this. What an inspiration for those who are looking for where all the foundational work is heading.

 

You filled the bucket -- now you're lighting the fire.

[Testimony]

Janice, it is you. Hi! It's me, Karen. You know our boys were in the Suzuki festival together.

 

Janice, I just want you to know that I do lessons the exact same way. Your you tube did a great job of explaining how to teach grammar. You are teaching, from a living book, grammar.The lesson is in done in the context of a book. It helps the child to better understand the concepts when they are seen in context instead of pulling a sentence out and putting in a textbook. Also, the child is seeing the way a sentence is written correctly not an improper sentence. When a child is continually taught from good writing, he/she learns to follow that format.

 

Blessings, Janice! Visit me in cyberworld on my blog at http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/testimony.'>http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/testimony. You will see a picture of the Suzuki festival from last weekend!

 

Soli Deo Gloria,

Karen

http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/testimony

[Lori D.]

(nt)

[GothicGyrl]

A few observations:

 

1--You actually get dressed in the morning?

2--Can I have your hair?

3--Can I have your bookshelves?

4--You not only get dressed, you wear shoes, impressive.

 

(this is all said with a huge smile on my face)

 

But seriously, can I have your hair?

[Jenny in Atl]

Very cool. What a great way to share with other hs families. :iagree:

[Janice in NJ]

Janice, I love it. I hope lots of people watch it. Writing a book would never begin to convey an equivalent sense of how you teach. I hope that your videos inspire parents!!

 

I didn't watch all of each segment, just enough to get a sense of what you were doing. It confirms what I already suspected......I wish you lived near me! I think we are kindred spirits. I wish I knew someone IRL that was as adamant about actually TEACHING their children as I am vs. handing them a book and later grading. I KNOW you are!!!

 

What a blessing you are to others. And......you are awesome!!

 

I wish that we all lived on the same block! I would love to hang out with you and the other gals on this board in person. Often! Wouldn't that be awesome!

 

Peace,

Janice

[Janice in NJ]

Janice, it is you. Hi! It's me, Karen.

 

Ooooohhhhhh..... so that's you! :001_smile:

That isn't the first time this has happened to me. It's a bit weird isn't it - to know people in cyberspace and then to know people in person ... and not know that you "know" them?

 

But it is fun to finally make the connection.

 

Hi!!!!! :D

 

I can almost see my little guy in the back row in that festival picture. Would you believe that when we got home, the box with the new camcorder was waiting on the front porch? I think that it was the first time that I have NOTHING to remember the festival by - except the program.

 

Oh well.... we had a good day - hope that your guys enjoyed it too!

 

Peace,

Janice

 

Enjoy your little people

Enjoy your journey

 

P.S. Nice to meet ya! :001_smile:

[Janice in NJ]

My husband really digs The Silmarillion. He has tried to encourage me to read it SO many times, and I just haven't taken the time to do it. I suspect that I have probably hurt his feelings because I haven't taken him up on his recommendation.

 

Gotta' stop sucking down bon-bons and do that, eh? :lol:

 

Peace,

Janice

[Janice in NJ]

A few observations:

 

1--You actually get dressed in the morning?

2--Can I have your hair?

3--Can I have your bookshelves?

4--You not only get dressed, you wear shoes, impressive.

 

(this is all said with a huge smile on my face)

 

But seriously, can I have your hair?

 

Sure. But you'll have to take my grey left eyebrow too. Seriously. I only have a few grey hairs on my head, but my left eyebrow is almost entirely white. .....what is up with THAT!!!!?????

 

So yes. You can have my hair if you promise to take the freaky eyebrow too. Package deal, K? :D

[GothicGyrl]

Freaky eyebrow will just grant me a bonafide certificate in "Freakdom", so yeah--I'll take it. :)

 

my hair used to be that long, once, a long time ago. I miss it.

[Janice in NJ]

Just imagine if we had files of videos here of all you vets teaching your pet subjects. What an invaluable resource that would be!!!

 

That would be cool. Would you believe that language arts is REALLY not my favorite? I really like it. It's cool and all. But I LOVE teaching mathematics. Love, love, love it.

 

Now THAT gets really loud. A Joy of Mathematics Lecture (Teaching Company) with the white board going gets really boisterous - but it takes SOOOOOO much time. Everyone talks at once - bounce, bounce, bounce down SOOOOO many rabbit trails at what can become a frantic pace. The 14 year-old happened to be silently taping during the Hobbit sessions. That one extra person and the subject matter can join to put us over the edge. It can get SO loud... and messily off-track! Good - but confusing. My brain is stepping to make the connections and keep us on course. Love it!

 

We just don't usually have time for it.

....we're too busy working through curriculum. :huh:

 

Oh well. Life is good!

 

Peace,

Janice

[Lori D.]

What I especially appreciate in your lesson is that you use the diagramming as a tool for the ultimate ends of:

1. understanding WHY the writing is good

2. and how that leads into a discussion on analyzing the literature

3. and how that leads finally into helping us understand something about ourselves, our world, our faith/worldview

 

Grammar diagramming, or grammar mechanics, are important to understand -- but if all we do is learn them in isolation -- so what? They are tools to be learned so that we can become better writers, readers and thinkers. Thanks so very much for reaffirming that philosophy for me!

 

Warmest regards, Lori D.

[Janice in NJ]

You're a superstar! *I* learned so much just from watching, so in a way I'm intimidated but I just wanted to tell you that I love how you're teaching your kids. I want our homeschool to look like that in years to come, it's hard to fathom with dd7 and ds3 at this point but it was very encouraging to see you guys in action.

 

Here's the burning questions:

 

 

1. I know you have a vast collection of writing curriculas and materials, what did you do to learn yourself? Have you learned as you go along with your children or years before teaching them?

 

 

 

I learned as we plodded along. I don't think that the session used any grammar that isn't in Rod & Staff 8. It's all there. I went through some of the book last year with my oldest. My bad! We should have finished it. Oh well. We're making it up this year. My daughter is taking a online high-school level Latin 1 course. Wheelock's doesn't mess around - oh boy! She is also 1/2 way through a high-school level II French course. If you know your English grammar, it's a lot easier. I can SEE that now. I've be steppin' with my daughter to solidify her English foundation this year. We're getting there. And I'll have to admit that the whole thing makes a lot more sense to me than it EVER did when I was in school. So my answer - I did not learn it until I could see that *I* needed to learn it. I try to pick up the clue phone(s). Then I try to pass them out to my kids. We're not done. Not by a long shot. But we'll get there - or somewhere - eventually! :001_smile:

 

 

 

I know with multiple children you have an opportunity to learn with your oldest and then apply your knowledge to your youngers in a more natural way but since I only have two, I'd like to be a little ahead of the learning/teaching curve with my oldest. I want to be able to lead dd7 as you did in the videos.

 

 

 

Don't forget that my youngest - the kid who thinks that everything is an adjective - is eleven! And even he needs lots of help to catch the momma's freight train! But I pour it out and I figure he'll drink part of it. I just try not to drown him. If he's still hopping and flapping - then I know that I can push on through. But remember that he is eleven. A LOT happens in those four years between 7 and 11. A LOT!

 

 

 

During cut 5 at 4:49 - I say something about Bilbo getting "out of the box." And you can hear the little guy say, "He's going to get out of Stillwater." I've read

Deconstructing Penguins

- and he and I have worked through

Mr Popper's Penguins

. So the data is in there. It just takes time. Time to put in it and time for it to collect and then bubble out the top.

 

 

 

But it will happen. Just keep patiently keepin' on, momma!

 

 

 

2. Have you always taught the correct terminology such as declarative, interrogative, exclamatory, and imperative or did you use simplified titles like FLL does: statement, command..?

 

 

 

Hmmm... don't remember. Isn't that terrible? :001_smile: Kids are SO flexible though. It isn't a problem for them to change up tag-lines in their brains. Once the concepts are there, it is easy to connect dots/switch them around a bit.

What did you use to learn yourself? Was it your oldest's curricula or something else entirely?

The materials recommended in TWTM are very, very good. I still have a LOOOOOOOONG way to go with the rhetoric-stage stuff!

 

The videos were very inspiring Janice, thank you for being so open and willing to share a slice of your life with us. Please thank the kids too !

 

Cool. Glad it helped!

 

Peace to you and yours this afternoon!

Janice

[Beth in SW WA]

Thanks, Janice! What a blessed bunch you have!! My dd 10 just started reading The Hobbit last week. She will be viewing your clips first thing Monday AM.

 

I sense a cyber-school in your future!! :)

 

I just ordered QuiverOf10's used copy of Rod & Staff Grammar 6. Is there actually hope we can catch up and get a grip on grammar?

 

Keep the videos coming. You have been one of my cyber-inspirations since I found this group last summer. This is the best teacher's lounge -- ever!!

[Janice in NJ]

Keep the videos coming. You have been one of my cyber-inspirations since I found this group last summer. This is the best teacher's lounge -- ever!!

Oh I don't know about that, Beth. I learned WAY more about camcorders, transferring files (USB vs. Firewire with IEEE and DV adapters vs. Mom's Knotted Knicker's! :angry:), letterboxing, iMovie, Quicktime and You Tube's file acceptance procedures than I needed to know.

 

I was bull-headed enough to keep pushing (translation - yelling for my kids to bail me out CONSTANTLY... which meant that they weren't getting their work done .... ) until I finished what I started, but I'm not sure that I have the patience to do it again.

 

I'm glad that you enjoyed it though. I love these boards. I have received so much incredible advice and help over the years. The gals here are GREAT!

 

Peace to you and yours,

Janice

[Colleen in NS]

That was so fun to see!!!!! And every time I think about how I really have to keep ahead of where my son is at these days, I think of you. I'm working through bits at a time....a few lessons ahead on R&S English, math, just started doing some logic puzzles, getting a little more grasp on Latin, and will have to start reading more logic stage lit. Getting my head together about teaching outlining (and worrying if he will ever stop complaining about having to write three sentences by himself!!!!!!!!).

 

I also am jealous of all your bookshelves!!!! One of my shelf holders broke yesterday - I am in desperate need of more shelves - I cannot get rid of any more books now - just need to find more shelving - gotta hunt the thrift stores first.

 

Thanks for sharing a day in your life!

[MelissaMinNC]

I'm not sure if I'm fired up or freaked out. :001_huh:

 

Can I send my kids to your school???? :D

 

Thanks for posting that Janice, I really enjoyed seeing you teach - I felt like you were teaching me too! It was great.

 

:)

Melissa

[Sugarfoot]

Thank you so much for this, Janice. We're reading The Hobbit right now, too, so your post is especially timely! You're a fantastic teacher:) Could you please send some of your math-teaching excitement through cyberspace?! I could definitely use it!

[jg_puppy]

I'm not sure if I'm fired up or freaked out. :001_huh:

 

 

I feel the same way. I was watching the first video. When the first video was over my dd (who is almost 8) said, "Iis that it?" I told her no there are 4 more video clips. She said she wanted to watch them. We sat and watched all of the videos together. We talked about how we both have a lot to learn. I feel like I need to join your class.

 

Jan

[Robin in Tx]

Janice, that was wonderful!

 

I have to admit, though... that makes me want to go find a lit teacher like you and put my dd in a class... she's not getting this sort of instruction from me because I am not at all capable of providing it. I'm really not. I would have never, not in a million years, been able to come up with all that. Seeing your video makes me realize that I want something better for dd than what I can do. Even though your video has inspired me in a completely different direction, I am still inspired... inspired to find her a better language arts teacher :). So thanks for the nudge. I needed the reality check!

 

Robin

[Pam "SFSOM" in TN]

 

I just ordered QuiverOf10's used copy of Rod & Staff Grammar 6. Is there actually hope we can catch up and get a grip on grammar?

 

 

 

My dd started R&S 6 when she was 11, and she caught up. (As did I!) All those hours of learning, then reviewing, then reviewing some more all that grammar are paying off now in spades. Her high school English and Latin workload are much lighter because of her preparation in this area as compared to that of her classmates. Every once in a while she still thanks me for the rigors of R&S grammar. Keep your eyes on the goal. You absolutely will get there.

[Mama Anna]

I just finished all the sections . . . wow!!

 

I just find myself asking, "Will I be able to do that someday with my kids if I stick with this classical ed hmsch stuff long enough?"

 

Wow . . . (Am I repeating myself here . . .?:))

 

:thumbup:,

 

Mama Anna

[gardenschooler]

That was so inspiring to watch, Janice! Thank you!

 

I certainly don't have all that grammar in my head and ready to pull out at a moment's notice. But I am finding as time goes on that when I can pull something (anything) out of my head to add to our lessons, it really helps with the flow and the cementing of concepts. Not just in English, but in every subject.

 

You continually inspire me towards more self-education, more thorough teaching, and finding the joy in it all.

 

Let's hear it for Janice!

[Kelli in TN]

That was absolutely amazing and inspiring. Great job and thank you so much for the peek into your day.

[Colleen]

Pam shared the link to this on the general board so I posted a short reply there, too. Basically, I made three points:

 

1) Your hair is long. Way long. Way, way long. In case you didn't know.;) I just...never, ever would have pictured you with long hair, had someone asked me to describe you.

 

2) You're an awesome, inspiring, enthusiastic teacher.

 

3) I love your teaching style, but it's not my style. I kinda, sorta wish it was my style. If I were teaching in a classroom, it probably would be my style. But I don't teach like that at home. Maybe I should, but for better or worse, I don't.

 

I did enjoy watching that; thank you for sharing!

[Kimber]

Janice, I always love your posts. This was absolutely fantastic. Thank you so much for sharing. My older kids and I are just beginning to have conversations. At this point, with a 3 year old (at least in 2 months), it's very, very hard to interact for such extended periods of time. But I'm happy to take what we can get.

 

I do appreciate your comments on the importance of having the grammar in place for the foreign languages so soon. I really appreciate that.

 

Kimberly

[*anj*]

Janice,

You have helped me more than you know. Your enthusiasm is contagious. Can I send my kids to your house?

 

No, better yet, I need to pull myself together so that I can give them just a little bit of what you're giving your kids.

Excellent lesson!

 

[Jill- OK]

...because it resonated so much with me, was...

 

"Okay, he was talking..."

 

LOL! Boy, do I know that feeling! :ohmy:

[Janice in NJ]

Wow. Thanks for the thumbs up. Ya'll are such an encouraging group. Really - thanks.

 

A couple of notes of clarification about our journey:

 

1. I do not teach like that ALL day everyday. If I did, I would be dead by now. :001_smile:

 

Those two little people have been slodging through R&S grammar lessons (including diagramming) on pronouns, adjectives, and verbals for over a month without ANY kind of "Ta-da!" It was time for a motivational session - an opportunity to use grammar and diagramming to do something: to think, to organize ideas - classify and divide - break it down and then put it back together. Compare/contrast/find a bull's eye and shoot toward it and then step back and wonder about the target. (And remember - all the while I am trying to motivate my little guy to READ that book even though he thinks he "knows" the story.....)

 

But it was the dessert. We don't eat meals like that everyday. Those two kids have been noshing on string beans for a long time with a grammar text book. :001_smile: So for those of you who use real literature to TEACH these concepts, my hat is truly off to you! I can't do it. That's probably because I didn't know ANY of this when I started homeschooling. Nada. Zip! (Did you notice that I had to go and GET the grammar book in order to define an elliptical sentence. I knew what it was, but I couldn't define it on my own. And I'm trying to model for my kids. I want them to SEE me looking things up.)

 

Back to my ignorance-confessions! I was a whole-language baby. When I first began to teach my oldest how to read, I could NOT tell you what short /e/ said. Not kidding! I had to sit there for a minute and try to think of a word that HAD a short /e/, break it down into sounds, and find the sound of that little letter. I sat there staring like a goof at the /ar/ in car in that stupid little K reader and wondered, "What am I going to do with THAT?" I went into the bathroom and tried to actually separate those sounds - working it out under my breath so my son wouldn't know that he was being dragged around by the blind. :001_smile: "R-controlled WHAT?" I had to go back and re-teach it when I finally picked up the clue-phone.

 

We did a lot of bumping into things those first few years. (We still do. But we're used to it! We've learned to put on helmets and just charge right in! AND I'm learning to trust my materials more. I'm learning to just teach what it says to teach - even if I don't see the "why." AND when I have the time - I try to explore on ahead in order to figure out the "why!")

 

When I began, I could NOT tell you what a state of being verb was. FLL teaches: am/is/are/was/were/be/being/been. I didn't have FLL when I started, but the materials I was using taught it. It seemed like SUCH a waste of time. I didn't teach it to my oldest until it became apparent to me that he was going to need it. We had to go back and do it when he was older. Oh well. My bad. No biggie. Eventually I just kept running into more and more and more of this "stuff" - things that didn't seem useful at first glance - but then popped up to smack me in the face later on:

 

Relative pronouns

Principal parts of verbs

Demonstrative pronouns

Participles

 

Staring down the barrel of this stuff in French I, Spanish I, and Latin I, I realized, "Oops. Gotta learn THAT now. Darn. Should have just done what the book told me to do back then. Oh well." We went back. We did it. Yes, we had done it before, but not for real. I didn't really believe that we needed it. It didn't seem useful, so we did the exercises in the book, but no one really learned it. Not even me. (You know how it can go - we did every other one - orally. But the kid was totally confused - and so was I - so I kinda fed him/her the answers as we went along because I just wanted to be done so we could go eat lunch. Because I was SOOOOOOO bored! So very, very bored! And hungry! And BORED - did I mention that????!!! :001_smile:)

 

No big deal though. They're learning. All's well.

 

But so am I. I'm learning to look ahead. It is such a slow, slow process. It is so hard to deal with the fact that this is such a long, long, long term project. (You can probably tell from the clips that I have a VERY short attention span. It is SO hard for me to keep my brain in one place. Sheesh! I am always alllllll over the place.) But I am trying to keep one foot solidly on the island of where everyone is TODAY, while keeping one foot on the island of where we need to be later on.

 

And that can be tough! I'm stepping!

 

But I think the hardest part of the struggle is not the work. I think that the hardest part is when all of the voices in my life rise up together and repeatedly tell me that it is NOT necessary to explore tomorrow's island today. It's too hard. You'll burn out. Are you crazy? You can't do that. You shouldn't. It's just too much.

 

I try to ignore those voices. But they are so very, very right. It is hard. It is a lot.

 

Then I talk to my dh. Hmmm.... "talk to" isn't quite right. I vent. I dump on him. I absolutely BURY him with a flood of words - filled with angst and complaints and worry and anger and all things yuckie - definitely the ends of worms and an oozy smell!

And he takes it. All of it.

But it is so very hard on him! But he always rises up to encourage me. He is truly my hero. Truly my prince! Oh. My. He is truly the voice of, "Don't worry, Jan! Be happy!" And then he shops and cooks my favorite meal AND cleans up the kitchen. (He truly makes the best, best Mexican food - complete with a yummy bottle of wine with NO vinegar after-taste. Comfort for this hobbit.)

 

But it is working. This process. We are getting there. I am learning. And my vision is becoming clearer everyday. My kids are growing in independence. They are learning on their own. They are developing good habits; they are growing in wisdom. (All of the time? NO WAY! Some of the time? Yup. Good enough!) And I'm growing too. Painfully stretching toward a place of grace and peace.

 

Boy. Getting long-winded.

My point? Hmmm.... don't know.

I guess I'm just trying to guard against anyone thinking that I started out with any of this in my pack. Nope. Not there. Or anyone thinking that I have arrived anywhere. Nope. Still stepping. The more I know, the more I know that I DON'T KNOW! So I'm not assuming that I know what anyone else should be doing. REALLY! I'm just sharing what I'm trying to do.

 

I've had to learn this stuff right along with my kids. And then I finally got to a place where I realized that it's easier to dip ahead on my own.

 

My older son (the mystery man with the deep voice who is filming the clips) and I are reading Plato's Republic. We have both tied on REALLY big boots and are bumping our way around in that room called "Philosophy." It's not very bright there yet. It's still pretty dim - and we are both getting tired of whacking our shins on everything. :001_smile: But I'm making him hang out in there with me. I'm smart enough to know that I need a guide; we have good materials that are working for us. And I'm also smart enough to know that it's GOOD for him to get comfortable with the process of NOT knowing what he is doing - BUT seeking help and then sticking with it until he/we figure it out. Or at least until he figures out something - or shelves it for later. At least he will know where the room is so he can return to it later.

 

THAT has been the process through which I/we grow into those big boots. My kids are starting to get that.

 

But you'll notice that I'm not taking a video of THAT for your viewing/giggling pleasure. :D Can you say, "Boring!" and "Confusing!!!" and some of the time just plain, "WRONG!"

 

Remember the two islands? I haven't hung out on the philosophy island long enough to explore the landscape. My son and I are hacking around there together. Do I wish that I had spent more time there on my own? Certainly. Of course.

What ever! That train of self-doubt and "what if?" leaves this station every hour on the hour. I'm learning to tell it to, "Talk to the hand!"

 

I can only do what I can do.

 

But I am actually discovering that learning all of this stuff is more fun than thinking about learning all of this stuff.

 

TWTM plan is really a good plan. Lots of great materials. Lots of great ideas.

 

Hmmmm:

#2. Yup. Long hair. When I was pregnant, it was really nice. Age is making it pretty raggedy. Really needs a cut. It really needs something. Oh my! But so do a lot of things in my life. They all seem to need "something!"

 

It's a bit like the loose brick in my front steps. The mortar is cracked and has fallen away, so the brick tends to wiggle its way out of place over time. I shove it back in as I bustle past it, but I am reminded that I should probably DO something about it - before the stone on the top cracks and breaks. I don't know how, but that thing has the ability to wiggle loose again on its own. There it sits hanging out of the stack like a wagging tongue - reminding me of what I'm NOT doing - what I'm not handling well - what I am neglecting.

 

Someday I will deal with it. For real.

 

For now I shove it back into place and tell it to, "Hush up! I'm reading Plato's Republic with a young man who needs to know that he has been called to a place of love and service to his neighbor - who ever he may be."

 

And that makes life grand!

 

Peace to you and yours this morning,

Janice in NJ

 

Enjoy your little people

Enjoy your journey

[kalanamak]

:hurray: Great job! :hurray:

 

Yes, great job and thanks for bothering to put this up. It reinforces to me, just starting out, that the first person I need to teach is ME.

 

It also reminds me of why, when we play the game "what would you do if you didn't have to earn a living", my reply is that I'd like to travel around and film good teaching and make it available online.

 

People just love things that reinforce their opinions, don't they! Thanks again.

 

Maybe others will consider doing this???

[Kelli in TN]

Wow. Thanks for the thumbs up. Ya'll are such an encouraging group. Really - thanks.

 

A couple of notes of clarification about our journey:

 

 

We did a lot of bumping into things those first few years. (We still do. But we're used to it! We've learned to put on helmets and just charge right in! AND I'm learning to trust my materials more. I'm learning to just teach what it says to teach - even if I don't see the "why." AND when I have the time - I try to explore on ahead in order to figure out the "why!")

 

 

 

I really think the board admins should have a place where they stick things like this and we keep them permanently on the board. That way the newbies could read them when they are starting out. And the oldies can read them and re-read them and re-read them when they are burning out, fizzling out, can't get their candle relit.

 

Janice, in years of being on here and being encouraged by the posters, I honestly cannot think of a time that a post has encouraged me more than your followup post. The original post was inspiring, the follow up post.....words fail me. Thank you so much.

[Robin in Tx]

Janice, you said:

 

"But I am actually discovering that learning all of this stuff is more fun than thinking about learning all of this stuff."

 

Yeah... and probably more fun than talking about learning it, too. This is exactly the turning point I'm at, and it's the swift kick I needed this weekend. Thanks again, so much!

 

Robin

[Pam "SFSOM" in TN]

Enjoy your little people

Enjoy your journey

 

Thank you for this. I won't journey down the homeschool road with mine as far as you will with yours, but I so thank you for sharing your heart and a glimpse of your journey.

 

Best to you. And I agree -- this thread should have some sort of preservation, particularly with this followup post that lays out the hard work that led to day of "dessert." (And it was yummy. Thanks for the taste.)

[Colleen in NS]

I really think the board admins should have a place where they stick things like this and we keep them permanently on the board. That way the newbies could read them when they are starting out. And the oldies can read them and re-read them and re-read them when they are burning out, fizzling out, can't get their candle relit.

 

Janice, in years of being on here and being encouraged by the posters, I honestly cannot think of a time that a post has encouraged me more than your followup post. The original post was inspiring, the follow up post.....words fail me. Thank you so much.

 

I confess, I've printed off more than one of Janice's posts - the way she writes and portrays herself as a pilgrim on the same path (banging shins and all), just further down the road from me, and slogging along behind someone else who has gone before her - I just love it! When I read posts like hers, this is what comes to my mind: :grouphug: We are all in this together. I SOOOOOO appreciate the support for teaching ourselves this stuff, so that we can teach our kids and lead them.......

[jail warden]

Wow this is AWESOME!!! I hope that I can be like this one day! I just feel a tad overwhelmed for now!

 

I love math so I would love to see one of those sessions too!

[Kelli in TN]

When I read posts like hers, this is what comes to my mind: :grouphug: We are all in this together. .......

 

Oh. Thanks a lot. Now I am going to be singing "We're all in this together" from High School Musical for the rest of the day. Thanks a lot.

 

 

:D

[Robin Hood]

Thank you so much, Janice. In the back of mind, I have been reasoning about why I should put my kids in school. I might have made the leap but for 2 things: my dh and I love what we do with TWTM. To keep it short and simple, figureatively, my car has run out of gas. I've been pushing it uphill. Watching your video filled my tank up with gas. I don't think it will run smoothly, but it's got some power now. Thanks.

[*anj*]

I really think the board admins should have a place where they stick things like this and we keep them permanently on the board. That way the newbies could read them when they are starting out. And the oldies can read them and re-read them and re-read them when they are burning out, fizzling out, can't get their candle relit.

 

 

Amen and amen. I am definitely at that place right now. The candle has burnt out and the wick's been snapped off. But watching Janice's video and then reading her clarification today have really helped me. I'm not saying that I'm "woo hoo, back on track!" But I'm feeling a flicker, and that's more than I've had in a long time. Time to fan it into flame, you know?

[Verena]

Your family is blessed to have you, Janice!

And to this gal, you are a tremendous encouragement and blessing as well! Thanks!

 

Grace to you!

[Janice in NJ]

It has nothing to do with homeschooling, but I thought I'd throw this tune out there in case you want to check it out.

 

Of course there are others, but this one "speaks" to me this time of year. Just like the cross, the "ta-da" is at the end. :001_smile:

 

Peace,

Janice

 

P.S. If you decide to check it out, watch the level of your speakers at the beginning - it starts out quietly but it gets loud really fast..... hmmmm... much like his little people! :001_smile:

 

http://web.mac.com/johnkerswell/iWeb/nuinchrist/Podcast/D4BD6706-08D6-4BC2-A954-88D35EB65E55.html

 

All of the tunes on the site were written and recorded by him.

 

Peace to you and yours this week!

[Holly IN]

WOW WOW!!!! :party:

 

Your kids are so far advance than my own 7th grader. I really have alot of work to do now! :glare: ha ha

 

I really appreciate what you did Janice! This was extremely helpful. I have alot to learn myself about diagramming as I didn't learn any of it in school.

 

Thank you so much!!

 

Holly

[Mom2boys]

Janice, thank you so much. This is just what I needed to hear right now. I am at a crossroads in my homeschooling. I have reached the point where I need to start teaching myself so I can continue to teach my kids, which is an intimidating prospect. Thank you for giving me the courage to move forward.