Critterfixer Posted February 14, 2013 Share Posted February 14, 2013 The February Mutiny is underway in the house. As captain of our little ship, it compels me to listen to the grumbles of the men before the mast, albeit with a tone-deaf ear. The yelps are for MORE FUN! We are going out for a bike ride this morning—but that escape. Not fun. So how does FUN look in an educational setting? I’m not much fun myself. But I am willing to find out how to have some fun and have it now and then for the sake of the hands, and as a reward for generally being pretty reasonable when it comes to doing things the captain’s way. Ideas? Thoughts? General reprimands? Comments on needing to change my whole philosophy of education? I should add that the hands are silent on what their idea of FUN looks like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
North Coast School Posted February 14, 2013 Share Posted February 14, 2013 Lap books always cheer up my little sailor! Schooling at the library instead of home, cooking projects, a trip to the museum, schooling at the park, nature walks. When all else fails, tell them to run around the block a few times until they've had enough FUN. :hurray: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*Lulu* Posted February 14, 2013 Share Posted February 14, 2013 Compared to swabbing the deck seat work looks like fun, would that help? :p Around here I add educationally based games and extra physical activity to lighten the drudgery. Beyond that they have to make their own fun. I remind them that Mom does not equal playmate and they need to figure it out. (I have found they are their most creative and inspired in play and activity when they have drug themselves around the house crying bored for a bit. Of course they do not say bored out loud because around here it will earn you a chore. Instead they mope and sigh and use synonyms and creative phrases to hint at their lack of fun!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted February 14, 2013 Share Posted February 14, 2013 Some "quick fixes" to what you are already committed to using: - Do different output than writing reports or filling in the blanks or traditional mapwork -- have DC put together a video, a power point, a diorama, a skit, etc. and give it as a presentation on the history, or science, or literature. They can either work as a team, or each do their own, and then present at the end of the week/month to the rest of the family. - Once in awhile, don't write in the workbooks -- write on a whiteboard, or in chalk on the sidewalk (if you're really worried about record keeping, just snap a quick picture of student and work, print it, and tape it to that page of the workbook). - Drop one subject a day; write each subject on an index card, put all in a jar, and draw out one a day, and that's what's dropped. Sometimes having "permission" (drawing the card) to not have to do math or grammar or whatever is hard or not enjoyed, lightens the whole day! - Once in awhile, do school in an unusual place -- in bed, up in a tree, under a card table covered by a blanket, in a big cardboard appliance box, at the park... - Once in awhile, do school in costumes -- or pajamas. Add to the atmosphere by speaking only in accents while doing school. (In your post, you have a great Napoleonic British Navy thing going! :)) In these past threads are lots of Ideas for injecting "fun" into the day, or supplements to add engagement. What are you using that is fun and "outside of the box"? Wacky Wednesdays, need Goofy Ideas X-post: so thoroughly bored with homeschooling (need your ideas for engaging resources) What curriculum have you had the most fun with? What materials have you really had fun with? What are your favorite educational games? I need ideas for an educational, yet fun 7th grade year What fun things did you do with your older students this year? How to make high school more fun BEST of luck in overcoming those winter, mid-semester blues! Warmest regards, Lori D. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gentlemommy Posted February 14, 2013 Share Posted February 14, 2013 I'm no fun when it comes to school. We just do what needs to get done, and then we go do fun stuff. Before you all thnk of me as a dictator, my dd is one who will never like schooly stuff. If it smells like something 'educational' or school work-in-hiding, she knows. We did give them some Cat in the Hat science videos for Valentines day, so they watched part of one today. Otherwise, our fun stuff happens when school work is done-bike rides, trips to the yogurt bar place, play dates, bounce house place, park, ect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayne J Posted February 14, 2013 Share Posted February 14, 2013 I am in the thick of it too, and my solution has been to choose a read-aloud/literature book, add recipes based on food in the book, a few hands on crafts and call it good. Repeat if necessary. We are doing The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe, cooking Mr. Tumnus's tea for Lucy, and making a papercraft wardrobe, among other things. Maybe we will get a copy of Swallows and Amazons next--I hear it is full of proper British spreads. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Critterfixer Posted February 14, 2013 Author Share Posted February 14, 2013 Many good ideas. I'll be sifting them to see what I can use. Reading Lori-D's post actually made me think about what the problem may be. We never are done. Oh, yes, we finish work for the day. We get through our subjects. But there's no light at the end of the tunnel that they can see. Me, I always treated finishing one thing as a chance to go on to the next thing, and that's plenty for me. But I don't think it is for them. What's the point of finishing todays Math if you will have to do the next lesson tomorrow? And what's the point of finishing your Latin book if Mom will just give you the next Latin year when you finish the first? If I'm not careful, I may just raise the next generation of work-a-holics in the family, or create a resentment that I'm going to find very hard to live with when they are teenagers. We need more signals that completion is a fine thing and a chance to rest a bit on the oars before setting sail again. I'm thinking that 90% of this "School is no fun" actually comes from the inability to say, "Mom, we never really finish!" We need to come up with some concrete ways to celebrate finishing in some way. Not daily (the reward there is being able to go play what you want) but maybe I ought to celebrate completion of quarters or six weeks in some way. After all, they could be the kinds of hands that live for shore-leave. :tongue_smilie: (We surely do have a ship and all things nautical going on, you are right. We went down and drooled all over the sail-boats this morning after our bike ride at the park. I think we are going to have to pick up All Sail Set, or Swallows and Amazons for our next read-aloud.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom22ns Posted February 14, 2013 Share Posted February 14, 2013 I copied this post years ago and no longer know who to give credit to. I thought she had a lot of easy "fun" ideas though. I came into home schooling after a work background heavy on adult training and education. It was very much considered my job to present the material in a way that was both engaging and easy to understand. The 'students' were expected to keep up their end of the bargain - - pay attention, do the required work - - but if a certain seminar or presentation wasn't getting the job done, it was up to me to figure out why and change it. I was never allowed to tell my students to suck it up, Therefore, I've never had the issues some others have with the idea of making school interesting, engaging, and yes, fun! I've seen plenty of middle-aged business men madly compete for the very non-lavish prizes I used to hand out in seminars, so I have no qualms about occasionally declaring it Math & Cookies Day or acting as a game show host for Latin vocab review. I also think that hours of school with one or two or three students can get tedious rather quickly - - let's face it, there is a fair amount of silly fun in school that hs kids miss out on. My kids work hard and I challenge them often, but we also have lots of fun as we go. It certainly doesn't have to be complicated or time-consuming. Just make a list of things that might spice up the day, and jot a note once or twice a week on the calendar to try one. *99.9% of kids love whiteboards and colored dry erase markers; invest in some small ones and one on the wall if you can. My kids love ours (I have a 10yr old dd, too), and recently swooned when we did Latin conjugations with new, hot pink markers. *Along the same lines, don't hesitate to buy occasional fun things that you don't 'need.' Our fun stuff includes a school bell and a hall pass, because it amuses my kids to no end to ask permission to use the restroom (and then have me check for their pass upon return). *Head outside on nice days; an old blanket and a $6 lap desk mean that you will never gaze longingly out the window again. *Offer occasional, unexpected prizes - - a piece of candy, a notebook with kittens on the cover, red ink pens (another universally popular item, dunno why). Sometimes we do very silly prizes, you got the answer o' the day correct! you get a stamp ON YOUR FOREHEAD!. *Almost anything that has to be studied/reviewed can be turned into a quick, no planning required game: call out Latin words, kids have to sit for the nouns and stand for the verbs; have the kids toss a ball to each other as they answer questions, if they answer wrong, they have to run a lap around the yard (my kids love this; why??); have Topsy Turvy Day and let her be the teacher, quizzing YOU; another foreign language one is to call out the word and the kids have to perform an action related to that word (start with easy ones, like 'jump' and move on to harder ones like 'think' or 'dream') *Don't forget actual games - - bingo for most subjects, word games, math games, art games, science games! *The quickest way to engage learners is to, well, engage them - - that is, actively involve them in the learning process, rather than expecting them to just receive and manipulate information all day. Science experiments, art projects, all that messy stuff. *Create opportunities for home schooled kids to share and display their work: frame and hang art work, put good papers on the fridge, make a deal about showing the non-teaching parent the history notebook, send photos and samples to grandma. It's very disspiriting to most kids to knock themselves out finishing a project only to have mom quickly grade and file it, never to be seen again. *Make a show of it when kids finish a book or course - - wow, look at all the math problems you've worked! look, you were only adding when you started, and now you can do long division! my kids have the silly gene, and they run around the house with the book, doing the Dance of Joy, and then write messages and draw pictures all over it (ComPletd by Lucy, on a Thursday, happy face and rainbows). *get out of the house - - field trips, of course, but also try schooling at the library, the park, Starbucks! mix it up, it's way too easy to fall in a rut as home schoolers who rarely HAVE to leave the house. Most kids love a change of scenery, especially one that involves snacks. *when you do stay home, remember - - hey, you're at home! nothing wrong with the occasional jammie day, right? None of this helps if you're using a curriculum that is a poor fit for your child. SWB says something to the effect that tears during the occasional math class mean a rough day or a hungry kid; tears every day mean it's time to switch curriculum. I just reread this, and I'm thinking that perhaps I have exceptionally goofy kids. No matter; the point is, I mostly agree with your dd, and you will find what works for you. If your curricula isn't just deadening, no major changes might be needed, and you can even schedule in your attempts at levity! Just write in code so the kids don't know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MelAR05 Posted February 14, 2013 Share Posted February 14, 2013 I copied this post years ago and no longer know who to give credit to. I thought she had a lot of easy "fun" ideas though. I came into home schooling after a work background heavy on adult training and education. It was very much considered my job to present the material in a way that was both engaging and easy to understand. The 'students' were expected to keep up their end of the bargain - - pay attention, do the required work - - but if a certain seminar or presentation wasn't getting the job done, it was up to me to figure out why and change it. I was never allowed to tell my students to suck it up, Therefore, I've never had the issues some others have with the idea of making school interesting, engaging, and yes, fun! I've seen plenty of middle-aged business men madly compete for the very non-lavish prizes I used to hand out in seminars, so I have no qualms about occasionally declaring it Math & Cookies Day or acting as a game show host for Latin vocab review. I also think that hours of school with one or two or three students can get tedious rather quickly - - let's face it, there is a fair amount of silly fun in school that hs kids miss out on. My kids work hard and I challenge them often, but we also have lots of fun as we go. It certainly doesn't have to be complicated or time-consuming. Just make a list of things that might spice up the day, and jot a note once or twice a week on the calendar to try one. *99.9% of kids love whiteboards and colored dry erase markers; invest in some small ones and one on the wall if you can. My kids love ours (I have a 10yr old dd, too), and recently swooned when we did Latin conjugations with new, hot pink markers. *Along the same lines, don't hesitate to buy occasional fun things that you don't 'need.' Our fun stuff includes a school bell and a hall pass, because it amuses my kids to no end to ask permission to use the restroom (and then have me check for their pass upon return). *Head outside on nice days; an old blanket and a $6 lap desk mean that you will never gaze longingly out the window again. *Offer occasional, unexpected prizes - - a piece of candy, a notebook with kittens on the cover, red ink pens (another universally popular item, dunno why). Sometimes we do very silly prizes, you got the answer o' the day correct! you get a stamp ON YOUR FOREHEAD!. *Almost anything that has to be studied/reviewed can be turned into a quick, no planning required game: call out Latin words, kids have to sit for the nouns and stand for the verbs; have the kids toss a ball to each other as they answer questions, if they answer wrong, they have to run a lap around the yard (my kids love this; why??); have Topsy Turvy Day and let her be the teacher, quizzing YOU; another foreign language one is to call out the word and the kids have to perform an action related to that word (start with easy ones, like 'jump' and move on to harder ones like 'think' or 'dream') *Don't forget actual games - - bingo for most subjects, word games, math games, art games, science games! *The quickest way to engage learners is to, well, engage them - - that is, actively involve them in the learning process, rather than expecting them to just receive and manipulate information all day. Science experiments, art projects, all that messy stuff. *Create opportunities for home schooled kids to share and display their work: frame and hang art work, put good papers on the fridge, make a deal about showing the non-teaching parent the history notebook, send photos and samples to grandma. It's very disspiriting to most kids to knock themselves out finishing a project only to have mom quickly grade and file it, never to be seen again. *Make a show of it when kids finish a book or course - - wow, look at all the math problems you've worked! look, you were only adding when you started, and now you can do long division! my kids have the silly gene, and they run around the house with the book, doing the Dance of Joy, and then write messages and draw pictures all over it (ComPletd by Lucy, on a Thursday, happy face and rainbows). *get out of the house - - field trips, of course, but also try schooling at the library, the park, Starbucks! mix it up, it's way too easy to fall in a rut as home schoolers who rarely HAVE to leave the house. Most kids love a change of scenery, especially one that involves snacks. *when you do stay home, remember - - hey, you're at home! nothing wrong with the occasional jammie day, right? None of this helps if you're using a curriculum that is a poor fit for your child. SWB says something to the effect that tears during the occasional math class mean a rough day or a hungry kid; tears every day mean it's time to switch curriculum. I just reread this, and I'm thinking that perhaps I have exceptionally goofy kids. No matter; the point is, I mostly agree with your dd, and you will find what works for you. If your curricula isn't just deadening, no major changes might be needed, and you can even schedule in your attempts at levity! Just write in code so the kids don't know. Thanks for posting this!! It's wonderful! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracy Posted February 14, 2013 Share Posted February 14, 2013 Around here, "fun" is whan dad walks in the door. I am sure that is the only reason we get anything done during the day, because "fun" is sure to walk in the door later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alice Posted February 14, 2013 Share Posted February 14, 2013 Some things we’ve done lately in addition to others already mentioned... *Pop popcorn and have a video lunch. We’ll watch a science video or recently we’ve been watching Where in the World is Carmen SanDiego. Sort of semi-educational. *Have teatime. I’ll do some of our readalouds or we’ll work on memory work but we’ll drink tea or hot chocolate and have snacks. *Switch the subjects around. Do something that is usually last or usually done “only if there is time†first. Yesterday we started with Art which often takes a back-burner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Photo Ninja Posted February 14, 2013 Share Posted February 14, 2013 Some fun ideas Picnic in the yard or park. Do your reading aloud there Math in the treehouse (or spelling or whatever. Snacks makeit even more fun) Build a fort or pitch a tent and do lessons in it, even if it is indoors. Game day - instead of usual lessons, play math games, spelling games, write round-about stories, do a craft, geography games, etc. backwards day - wear clothes backwards, eat dessert and dinner at breakfast time, something fun or unusual for lunch, and eggs and pancakes for dinner. Walk backwards all day. Dress up day - get creative and dress up as whatever. Pajama day is fun unless that happens regularly in your house already. Ler your dc choose the order in which they do their lessons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted February 14, 2013 Share Posted February 14, 2013 ...what the problem may be. We never are done. Oh, yes, we finish work for the day. We get through our subjects. But there's no light at the end of the tunnel that they can see.... If I'm not careful, I may just raise the next generation of work-a-holics in the family, or create a resentment that I'm going to find very hard to live with when they are teenagers. We need more signals that completion is a fine thing and a chance to rest a bit on the oars before setting sail again. I'm thinking that 90% of this "School is no fun" actually comes from the inability to say, "Mom, we never really finish!" We need to come up with some concrete ways to celebrate finishing in some way. Wow! How insightful! Definitely bookmarking your revelation here! :) BEST of luck in finding specific ways that help your family be "done" for the day or the week, or with the unit or the book... Warmest regards, Lori D. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted February 14, 2013 Share Posted February 14, 2013 I copied this post years ago and no longer know who to give credit to. I thought she had a lot of easy "fun" ideas though. *Offer occasional, unexpected prizes - - a piece of candy, a notebook with kittens on the cover, red ink pens... a stamp ON YOUR FOREHEAD!. *Create opportunities for home schooled kids to share and display their work...It's very disspiriting to most kids to knock themselves out finishing a project only to have mom quickly grade and file it, never to be seen again. *Make a show of it when kids finish a book or course... Some wonderful ideas in this list for how to celebrate being "done"! :) Thanks SO much for sharing this! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2boys030507 Posted February 14, 2013 Share Posted February 14, 2013 I see you have twins. My older to boys are both working through Apologia's Swimming Creatures this year. We were starting to get bored with it. So two weeks ago, I had each of them pick a chapter we haven't done. The assignment is to teach the family your chapter. They will be done with this this weekend or early next week. They each had to read the chapter. Pick one animal and do library research on it. Write a report and come up with a creative presentation. The research and reports are finished. Now they need to finish up their presentations. The boys have been eager to get to their science projects which seems to make everything else go more smoothly. Also, my oldest finished up his grammar book on Monday of the week. As a reward he didn't have to do grammar for the remainder of the week. He was very excited and hopefully more willing to start his next book on Monday of next week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weederberries Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 Our fun: Write with scented markers. Brownie Points - I bought a cookie sheet at the dollar store, hung it on the wall, cut brown rectangles and attached magnets. They earn one rectangle/brownie for a day when all 3 cooperate fully with school. It takes 12 "brownies" to fill up the pan. When it is full, we bake and eat brownies. (Gotta say, we've been waiting too long for those brownies and that mix is calling my name in the pantry.) Zap-it game - I saw the game on Pinterest. We play with our spelling words, you could make it math facts, vocabulary, review questions... Write each word/fact/question on a tongue depressor and put in jar. Add 2-4 sticks that say "Zap It." Player A draws a stick and asks player B. Player B keeps the stick if he gets it correct or replaces the stick if it is incorrect. If Player A draws a Zap It! stick, Player B's sticks are all returned to the jar. The zap it stick gets set aside, not returned to the jar - unless you want to play an eternal game of zap it. Player B draws a stick for Player A...back and forth until all sticks are collected by players (all zap it's set aside). The player with the most sticks wins. More spelling fun: spell words in chalk on sidewalk, smear shaving cream on desk and spell in it, build words with tiles or letters from a magazine, spell in string. Declare themed days. PJ day, backward day (clothes, schedule, writing?). If completion needs a reward, how about inviting friends and family over at the end of a semester and presenting your work? This is a good time to display all of your projects, practice speaking skills by reciting a poem or two. Spend a week reviewing, baking treats, and cleaning for your open house. When grandparents and others arrive, they should be prepared to answer questions about their work and projects and give the main idea studied with that project. Display your work, present orally and field questions with your guests. Try a reward for completing a workbook. Have ice cream with dad or whatever treat/time together might entice them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Critterfixer Posted February 15, 2013 Author Share Posted February 15, 2013 Lots of good ideas here. I'm sitting down Saturday afternoon with a pot of tea and a notebook for spring quarter planning and part of the planning will likely include a good bit of what I've read here. One thing I know we are doing to celebrate completion: The boys are one chapter away from reading their first joint chapter book, A Cricket in Times Square. We were already going to get a prize at the end of it (and I should have taken my clue from how enthused they were about the reading once they knew that the completed project -read one chapter per day and provide a chapter summary-would end with a prize!) So we are going to get a prize, AND I think we may just go do something special as a family to celebrate as well. I think it will be an even bigger deal for them to have their father in on the praise for their hard work. It won't be a huge deal, but a way to mark the place in their minds as a milestone of completion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 :hurray: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gentlemommy Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 Good ideas here... I've promised my girls a trip to the ice cream store or buying something from the ice cream truck on Saturdays, provided they have completed their school work all week without complaint. Bribery? Sure is, but I'm not above bribery lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Critterfixer Posted February 15, 2013 Author Share Posted February 15, 2013 Complaining has it's own "reward". :D But I don't really see it as bribery to have some sort of reward system for work done well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracy Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 But I don't really see it as bribery to have some sort of reward system for work done well. :iagree: That would be like saying that your boss is bribing you to come to work by giving you a paycheck. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Critterfixer Posted February 15, 2013 Author Share Posted February 15, 2013 I like work and I like my paycheck. But what I really like is getting home and being able to enjoy that. And I think that is what is missing from our educational experience so far--the going home and enjoying that. The boys and I work a lot. It's not always easy, just the three of us, all week. School, taking care of the animals, working on and around the house. They are a lot of help, and often I am guilty of just taking that for granted. I think one of the things on my list, along with a better "paycheck" system is to give a number of personal affirmations to both of them. They need to be told more often how much I appreciate that they put the chickens up at night, make their beds and clear their dishes without being reminded (at least not often!) and helping me with the trashcans, picking up firewood, etc. And they probably need to hear a lot more praise for good attitudes with their schoolwork than being growled at for bad ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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