Anyone else completely and utterly overwhelmed by the CiRCE threads?

[Moxie]

That is exactly the kind of education I wanted to provide for my children when we began homeschooling.  I thought that using Sonlight would take us in that direction but I'm realizing that it has not.  Sonlight has made my kids great readers but not deep thinkers. 

 

I feel like I need to send the family to an island for a few weeks while I read all about how to pull off this type of education.  Pretty sure that isn't going to happen.  Stupid laundry and dinner are getting in the way of Mom's research time!!

 

What about STEM??  There are only so many hours in a day.  How do I give my kids a classics based education and still have time to focus on the STEM subjects so they can get a job some day?  How does this work for boys who just want to work on the computer all day? 

 

I need more time!!

 

Maybe (quite possibly) I'm not smart enough to help them make the connections you guys are talking about.  I'm a very practical person and not very good at the deep thinking.

 

I'm struggling to move from theory to reality.

 

The CiRCE threads inspire me and make me feel like I need a nap, all at the same time!

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Critterfixer]

Yep.

But in a good way. 

 

[Above The Rowan]

OP you have fully articulated what I have been struggling with after reading through those threads. I find them inspiring, but overwhelming. I have decided to just stop thinking about them and just let the info sit in my brain for a while.

[KeriJ]

OP you have fully articulated what I have been struggling with after reading through those threads. I find them inspiring, but overwhelming. I have decided to just stop thinking about them and just let the info sit in my brain for a while.

 

I think that's wise. :)

 

The first time around, I got totally overwhelmed and ran away from those kinds of threads.  Then I let it sit for awhile.  Then I tried a curriculum that wore me out with all the details and busywork and was motivated to come back and read through it all again.  Now I'm just digesting it piece by piece...making tiny changes.  mostly just learning to "teach from a state of rest".

 

This inspired me and helped me stop hyper-ventilating. http://www.theimaginativeconservative.org/2014/03/quality-education-rocket-science.html

[Kristie in Florida]

I'm trying not to be. The biggest change I've made is to dig out all of the self-education materials I had accumulated while my ten year old was a baby and I was mourning not having a classical education. Now after  my babies go to bed I spend half an hour or so with my education. Instead of jumping into finishing whatever projects I had started before I am using this time to watch the videos on the Eight Essential Principles of Classical Pedagogy. After I finished those videos I will either listen to the free audios on the Circe site or re-read The Well-Educated Mind, I haven't decided yet. Baby steps. I may or may not order the logic and rhetoric materials from Memoria Press for myself when I order my daughter's curriculum. Some things we are learning side by side (Latin) and other things I try to learn ahead of her. HTH

[Moxie]

But, but, but, TIME!! It's slipping away! My son is in 7th grade. I only have 5 years left with him!! I need more time!!

[Kristie in Florida]

Well, technically, learning doesn't end the moment you graduate. You get the ball rolling. Show how awesome it is. He has his entire life to devour the great books. :)

[Angie in VA]

That is exactly the kind of education I wanted to provide for my children when we began homeschooling. I thought that using Sonlight would take us in that direction but I'm realizing that it has not. Sonlight has made my kids great readers but not deep thinkers.

I feel like I need to send the family to an island for a few weeks while I read all about how to pull off this type of education. Pretty sure that isn't going to happen. Stupid laundry and dinner are getting in the way of Mom's research time!!

What about STEM?? There are only so many hours in a day. How do I give my kids a classics based education and still have time to focus on the STEM subjects so they can get a job some day? How does this work for boys who just want to work on the computer all day?

I need more time!!

Maybe (quite possibly) I'm not smart enough to help them make the connections you guys are talking about. I'm a very practical person and not very good at the deep thinking.

I'm struggling to move from theory to reality.

The CiRCE threads inspire me and make me feel like I need a nap, all at the same time!

Ah, you are my soul sister, and not just because of your quote in my signature. I will be following this thread.

[scrapbabe]

Just listening. While the ideas in the Circe thread aren't entirely new to me, we got off track for a few years while we started a business and I had extreme health issues. My kids are older and I'd like to get back to homeschooling this way. It's a little more overwhelming because I don't have much time left with some of them. Although my oldest has attended a co-op the past three years where a classical education is modeled very well. So I'm not too worried about him.

[Above The Rowan]

"I need more time!!!" Keeps ringing in my ears (head?). My two are still young enough that I'm not feeling the time panic, so I DO want to start implementing SOME changes in the present moment, so that I am not also begging for more time when they are in high school. 

 

Part of that, for me, is letting go. Letting go of what other people think that children should be doing or ought to be doing. Letting go of this pressure I've been putting onto myself, more and more with each passing week it seems. 

 

Teaching from a state of rest. I think of ALL of the things I read in these "CiRCE Threads" recently, that is sticking in the forefront of my brain every day. 

 

My partner is NOT a literary kinda guy. He's very tech-minded, he works in a mining engineering firm. I, on the flip side, am a voracious reader (well I was, til I started bogging myself down with educational material reading lol). I am a lover of the written word, and raising children who can at the very least APPRECIATE literature of any sort, is of utmost importance to me in my homeschooling. Something my partner and I are working towards is a sense of balance. He and I have some very different strengths that, if we work together, can only benefit the kids. 

 

In the very present moment, trying to balance our homeschool a little better - trying to honour ALL of the various parts that make up our family, that is our goal. This actually means that we may move slightly off of the "strictly classical" path. We may relax a little more, may let go of a few subject areas in the short term. But hopefully, if our plan works out, it will reignite the joy and passion in our homeschool. And hopefully if all parts of our whole are honoured and tended to, we will ALL teach from a state of rest. 

 

Beyond that, any other changes seem incredibly scary to me lol. Just the act of letting go of the desire to live up to some curriculum writers' ideas of what we need to 'do'? That's hard enough. 

 

Holy heck, I'm totally rambling. I'm going to end it here haha. 

[ElizabethB]

You don't have to change everything at once!

Baby steps. Make sure your read alouds are high quality, don't feel bad if you have to drop one after a chapter or two if it is not working for your family at that moment in time for whatever reason.

We do a lot of science, but I keep the science efficient. I use mainly RS4K, it is efficient. I rarely do the experiments. They naturally watch a lot of science and engineering documentaries, I might add in a few to school if they did not.

We have read through the first level of RS4K Chemistry and Physics a few times when they were younger, and have read through the 2nd level of Chemistry 2 times and the second level of Physics 2 times. My kids love animals, we use a variety of resources for biology and zoology. I don't like the RS4K biology as much as the chemistry and physics.

[Jennay]

I find that my "state of rest" includes using a SL core as my base and adding in documentaries, field trips, more non-fiction books, and a couple hands-on projects here and there. When I am not so worried about what other methods I should be discovering, better books they (or I) should be reading, or superior philosophies I should be implementing I find I actually have the mental energy to really interact with my children on a deeper level over the books I already have on my shelves.   

[lewelma]

We do a lot of science, but I keep the science efficient...... I rarely do the experiments. They naturally watch a lot of science and engineering documentaries,

 

Same here.  We just read books and watch documentaries 10 months of the year and then do 1 big investigation for 2 months.  This works really well for our family because I'm not running around trying to organize weekly demonstrations/experiments that don't actually teach *my* kids much.  So much more relaxing (at least for 10 months).  We don't even follow a curriculum.  We just go to the library and get books out at an increasing level of difficulty. Then we READ.
 

Ruth in NZ

[ElizabethB]

I mentioned on the other the thread, but I also found the move from MFW to TOG freeing. Because you can't do it all, I found it easy to concentrate of the materials that best fit us--looking for basic efficient facts for history, and expanding in areas that we have good or interesting books for or slightly less good books in areas that they have a strong interest in. Also, the higher level questions are good to look at and incorporate the ideas behind them even for younger ages.

I take it week by week and day by day as well, I scan the materials and see what is efficient and what I think are good extra resources and then go by how much time we have that day and how interested they are, or at times, how important the topic is even if they are not interested. For example, they are not that interested in the reformation but it is important, so we spent a bit more time than they wanted on it.

I spent extra time on the explorers and their routes and journeys because they were interested and I have really cool books and maps and documents about them. (Well, really cool if you're geeky that way, LOL.)

[Cindyz]

Same here.  We just read books and watch documentaries 10 months of the year and then do 1 big investigation for 2 months.  This works really well for our family because I'm not running around trying to organize weekly demonstrations/experiments that don't actually teach *my* kids much.  So much more relaxing (at least for 10 months).  We don't even follow a curriculum.  We just go to the library and get books out at an increasing level of difficulty. Then we READ.
 

Ruth in NZ

 

Ruth, I love this idea.  Can you talk a little bit about how you go about choosing the big investigation?  I'm assuming that it would be led by the child's interest in the topics you've been studying - but even then - there's so much!  How do you narrow it down?  Can you give an example of some of the investigations you've done?  Thanks!  :)

[KrissiK]

Yes! That's the way I want to educate. I want to think. I want to be. But I spend my entire day keeping my sons from tackling eachother, and my oldest from throwing Legos at people. And we do art. But the whole snuggling in the couch while reading a story about Leonardo devolves into a huge fight about where each person sits, relative to where mom sits, compared to who sat there yesterday, compared to "if I sit by X he keeps elbowing me" to the odd man out pouting on a chair across the room. I am serious. I want my kids to love learning. I want that "Schole'" thing they're talking about in the CAP catalog. I listen to Dr. Christopher Perrin's lectures on-line and I want that life of reflection and contemplation. I want to join the Great Conversation! But you can't from an Insane Assylum.

[Above The Rowan]

I want to join the Great Conversation! But you can't from an Insane Assylum.

Love this. A lot.

[ElizabethB]

Ruth, I love this idea. Can you talk a little bit about how you go about choosing the big investigation? I'm assuming that it would be led by the child's interest in the topics you've been studying - but even then - there's so much! How do you narrow it down? Can you give an example of some of the investigations you've done? Thanks! :)

She has a big thread, it is in the best threads post.

[scrapbabe]

She has a big thread, it is in the best threads post.

Wait, what?  A best threads post?

[ElizabethB]

Wait, what? A best threads post?

They made it during the board switch over, a list of threads to make sure they didn't delete any of the really good ones, it is pinned on the site news and discussions board:

http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/431590-help-us-find-great-posts/

[lewelma]

Ruth, I love this idea.  Can you talk a little bit about how you go about choosing the big investigation?  I'm assuming that it would be led by the child's interest in the topics you've been studying - but even then - there's so much!  How do you narrow it down?  Can you give an example of some of the investigations you've done?  Thanks!  :)

 

Hee Hee, you must be newish.  :lol: Go check out these threads....

 

http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/361740-scientific-inquiry/

 

http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/463952-scientific-investigations-with-my-12-and-9-year-old/

 

And this thread is my thoughts on how to evaluate the usefulness of hands on science activities:

 

http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/425932-science-activities-setting-goals-and-evaluating-usefulness-of-activities/

 

That should keep you going for at least a few hours.  :001_smile:  Happy to answer questions!

 

Ruth in NZ

[lewelma]

Ruth do you have an opinion on the e-science/Aurora Lipper experiments? Are they worthwhile?

 

Do you have a list of experiments she does?  I went to the website but there is only one video about her experiments, and I don't want to make a judgement based on a single example of what she does.

[ElizabethB]

Hee Hee, you must be newish.  :lol: Go check out these threads....

 

http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/361740-scientific-inquiry/

 

http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/463952-scientific-investigations-with-my-12-and-9-year-old/

 

And this thread is my thoughts on how to evaluate the usefulness of hands on science activities:

 

http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/425932-science-activities-setting-goals-and-evaluating-usefulness-of-activities/

 

That should keep you going for at least a few hours.  :001_smile:  Happy to answer questions!

 

Ruth in NZ

 

She has been here, she was hiding under a rock then, I think!!

 

We did a big project like that when my daughter was in 3rd grade, she tracked and mapped lizards and found out a bunch of information about them.  The books and websites all say they are territorial, but I didn't realize how territorial until she started keeping track of all the lizards around our townhouse in California.  They were within a few feet of their normal hangouts about 90% of the time!  The kids named them all and could tell them apart in seconds.  I could only tell a few of them apart and I have a B.S. in Biology!!  (They did this all on their own and then I just added the map and a short paper about them to our records, they thought it was all for fun.  She thought it was the easiest end of year paper to write, LOL.)  We found out where they went at night about a month before we moved, at the time there was no information on the web or in any of the books (including adult books) at our library about where they slept at night.  Now there are several herp websites with this information.

 

We've been moving so much lately that we have not done a new project.  Your thread was inspiring and now that it's been almost a year without a move and it looks like we won't move this summer, we can start working towards projects.  My son is also old enough now for a project.

[lewelma]

We did a big project like that when my daughter was in 3rd grade, she tracked and mapped lizards and found out a bunch of information about them.  The books and websites all say they are territorial, but I didn't realize how territorial until she started keeping track of all the lizards around our townhouse in California.  They were within a few feet of their normal hangouts about 90% of the time!  The kids named them all and could tell them apart in seconds.  I could only tell a few of them apart and I have a B.S. in Biology!!  (They did this all on their own and then I just added the map and a short paper about them to our records, they thought it was all for fun.  She thought it was the easiest end of year paper to write, LOL.)  We found out where they went at night about a month before we moved, at the time there was no information on the web or in any of the books (including adult books) at our library about where they slept at night.  Now there are several herp websites with this information.

That is awesome!!!!
 

[justamouse]

Yes! That's the way I want to educate. I want to think. I want to be. But I spend my entire day keeping my sons from tackling eachother, and my oldest from throwing Legos at people. And we do art. But the whole snuggling in the couch while reading a story about Leonardo devolves into a huge fight about where each person sits, relative to where mom sits, compared to who sat there yesterday, compared to "if I sit by X he keeps elbowing me" to the odd man out pouting on a chair across the room. I am serious. I want my kids to love learning. I want that "Schole'" thing they're talking about in the CAP catalog. I listen to Dr. Christopher Perrin's lectures on-line and I want that life of reflection and contemplation. I want to join the Great Conversation! But you can't from an Insane Assylum.

When my kids were small, it was totally insane. Really. When I comment on these threads, its from a place of my youngest now being 8. Totally different world I live in. 

Take away the chairs, sit on the floor. Make everyone lie on their backs with a lego on their forehead and tell them no snacks (bike ride, whatever) if the lego falls off while you read. 

My kids NEVER just sat. Nate was busy in a corner doing something, the girls would color...as they got older and the pattern fell into place, it got easier. 

Hang in there. And make it FUN. BE funny. Accept that people will get zonked in the head, and be prepared to laugh.  You can laugh and be contemplative. Really. 

[justamouse]

When my kids were small, say, 12. 9. 4. 1.1. preggo me, vary that anyway you want. 14, 10, 6, 3, 3, 2...preggo me...

 

My day was laundry, meals, chaos, and a cockatoo who would throw food all over the floor and howl like a madman. The dogs were nuts, I had chickens, and a1000 sq ft house. 

My floor? forget it. It crunched all the time. My laundry was in my kitchen and there was an everest of laundry by the kitchen table at ALL times. Seriously, it was insane. It was utterly comic. 

The twins? Would cut each other's hair. They would hide the other while one wrote on the walls. They would bring chickens int he house (which I didn't have a problem with) they tossed Little Tykes down the toilet. They sprayed soda on the ceilings....

My favorite daydream was of a room with a bed and NO ONE there. I just wanted silence. I wanted to stare at a wall in peace, I truly could handle no more. So, <3 this too shall pass. 

[birchbark]

OP, I don't know if this will be helpful to you, but here are some posts that gave some practical help to me. Check out this thread directed to Andrew Kern with curriculum questions. His posts #4 and #25 I found helpful.

 

I guess the other post I had linked was taken down.

 

It does take some time for such a different perspective on education to soak into the brain! I am still learning and figuring out how to apply it to our lives two years later.

 

ETA: Those with young children may find inspiration from the Amongst Lovely Things blog. Sarah there has several young children and aspires to teach from this perspective. She is currently running a series on Teaching from a State of Rest.

[Cindyz]

She has been here, she was hiding under a rock then, I think!!

 

Now, now, be nice.  :)  This is a thread about being overwhelmed by all of the information on this forum, remember?  While this forum is absolutely an incredible resource, it definitely can be quite overwhelming.  I come mostly during planning time and when I need to research a topic. Outside of that I don't have as much time to participate on the forums as I would like.  I'm busy with lessons with my son, activities, family and friends.  I wish I did have time to read all of the wonderful threads here every day, but I just don't.  Thank you for the links to the answers to my questions.  It's more information than I could have possibly hoped for!

[lewelma]

Now, now, be nice.  :)  This is a thread about being overwhelmed by all of the information on this forum, remember?  While this forum is absolutely an incredible resource, it definitely can be quite overwhelming.  I come mostly during planning time and when I need to research a topic. Outside of that I don't have as much time to participate on the forums as I would like.  I'm busy with lessons with my son, activities, family and friends.  I wish I did have time to read all of the wonderful threads here every day, but I just don't.  Thank you for the links to the answers to my questions.  It's more information than I could have possibly hoped for!

 

You know I was just teasing.  :001_smile: The world does not revolve around Ruth! 

 

But seriously, if you have any questions, or want me to help you plan an investigation, or guide you through it as it unfolds, I am more than happy to.

 

Ruth in NZ

[EmmaNZ]

When my kids were small, say, 12. 9. 4. 1.1. preggo me, vary that anyway you want. 14, 10, 6, 3, 3, 2...preggo me...

 

My day was laundry, meals, chaos, and a cockatoo who would throw food all over the floor and howl like a madman. The dogs were nuts, I had chickens, and a1000 sq ft house. 

My floor? forget it. It crunched all the time. My laundry was in my kitchen and there was an everest of laundry by the kitchen table at ALL times. Seriously, it was insane. It was utterly comic. 

The twins? Would cut each other's hair. They would hide the other while one wrote on the walls. They would bring chickens int he house (which I didn't have a problem with) they tossed Little Tykes down the toilet. They sprayed soda on the ceilings....

My favorite daydream was of a room with a bed and NO ONE there. I just wanted silence. I wanted to stare at a wall in peace, I truly could handle no more. So, <3 this too shall pass. 

You just described my current reality. It almost made me cry. I'm so grateful that you posted. It gives me a lot of hope.

[JaneEyre]

Yes! That's the way I want to educate. I want to think. I want to be. But I spend my entire day keeping my sons from tackling eachother, and my oldest from throwing Legos at people. And we do art. But the whole snuggling in the couch while reading a story about Leonardo devolves into a huge fight about where each person sits, relative to where mom sits, compared to who sat there yesterday, compared to "if I sit by X he keeps elbowing me" to the odd man out pouting on a chair across the room. I am serious. I want my kids to love learning. I want that "Schole'" thing they're talking about in the CAP catalog. I listen to Dr. Christopher Perrin's lectures on-line and I want that life of reflection and contemplation. I want to join the Great Conversation! But you can't from an Insane Assylum.

 

I have started doing my readings first thing in the morning, before my boys even get out of bed. 

 

I usually take some muffins, hot chocolate, or something else in case they want it and I just snuggle under the covers with them, drink my decaf, and read.  I make sure they are awake and listening by talking with them and asking questions, but I can get LOTS more uninterrupted reading done like this!

 

Once they get up and get moving its harder to keep their attention :)

[coralloyd]

Yes! That's the way I want to educate. I want to think. I want to be. But I spend my entire day keeping my sons from tackling eachother, and my oldest from throwing Legos at people. And we do art. But the whole snuggling in the couch while reading a story about Leonardo devolves into a huge fight about where each person sits, relative to where mom sits, compared to who sat there yesterday, compared to "if I sit by X he keeps elbowing me" to the odd man out pouting on a chair across the room. I am serious. I want my kids to love learning. I want that "Schole'" thing they're talking about in the CAP catalog. I listen to Dr. Christopher Perrin's lectures on-line and I want that life of reflection and contemplation. I want to join the Great Conversation! But you can't from an Insane Assylum.

I don't know if anyone else has suggested this yet, but I read to my kids at the lunch table. I have done this for years. I started this when they were little because it was a way to keep them all in one place. 

[enchantedhome]

I loved those Circe threads, and now I'm wondering: has anyone decided to take that inspiration and apply it to using the TWTM in a truly classical way? I keep being drawn back to it time and again, because I think there is a workable approach being suggested by SWB. I do not want to reinvent the wheel, curriculum-wise. I like the idea of using her plans and suggestions, making my curriculum choices, and overlaying that with the inspiration and wisdom I've gleaned from Kern and Circe.

 

Anyone get what I'm saying? This is all a jumble in my head:)

[Mystie]

 I want that "Schole'" thing they're talking about in the CAP catalog. I listen to Dr. Christopher Perrin's lectures on-line and I want that life of reflection and contemplation. I want to join the Great Conversation! But you can't from an Insane Assylum.

 

I totally relate. 

 

I think these conversations, even this one here and not just the big CiRCE threads, are important pieces of the process. Don't be discouraged by small steps. We aren't going to achieve any ideals. But we can festina lente - make haste slowly - and that's a better way than total overhauls, which are crazy-making, especially since we can't *make* these little people alongside us into people they are not. :)

 

I'd love to hear more about what you love about the thought of "scholé" and teaching from rest and what is confusing and what has seemed impossible thus far.

 

I'm excited to announce that I'm on a team starting ScholeSisters.com this summer. We're partnering with CAP & CiRCE, trying to encourage and bring together moms who want to teach from rest and pursue a life of scholé.

 

Honestly, it really hard to translate what they say, which is usually aimed at schools to our situations as mothers who are managing every detail of our family's lives. We simply don't have the same kind of space in our days or homes for some of what the schools are doing (like Jenny Rallen's video of her class -- totally not feasible with one 5th grader, 2 younger students, a toddler, and a baby). But it's a needed message, full of wisdom, and the more I've lived it, the more peace has grown in our home and the more full our lives feel even though we're doing less. 

 

Keep this thread rolling with your thoughts and frustrations. It's good to wrestle with it - that is a part of contemplation. Don't let the visions of the ideal prevent you from taking small steps that work in your home with your family. 

[Moxie]

I totally relate.

I think these conversations, even this one here and not just the big CiRCE threads, are important pieces of the process. Don't be discouraged by small steps. We aren't going to achieve any ideals. But we can festina lente - make haste slowly - and that's a better way than total overhauls, which are crazy-making, especially since we can't *make* these little people alongside us into people they are not. :)

I'd love to hear more about what you love about the thought of "scholé" and teaching from rest and what is confusing and what has seemed impossible thus far.

I'm excited to announce that I'm on a team starting ScholeSisters.com this summer. We're partnering with CAP & CiRCE, trying to encourage and bring together moms who want to teach from rest and pursue a life of scholé.

Honestly, it really hard to translate what they say, which is usually aimed at schools to our situations as mothers who are managing every detail of our family's lives. We simply don't have the same kind of space in our days or homes for some of what the schools are doing (like Jenny Rallen's video of her class -- totally not feasible with one 5th grader, 2 younger students, a toddler, and a baby). But it's a needed message, full of wisdom, and the more I've lived it, the more peace has grown in our home and the more full our lives feel even though we're doing less.

Keep this thread rolling with your thoughts and frustrations. It's good to wrestle with it - that is a part of contemplation. Don't let the visions of the ideal prevent you from taking small steps that work in your home with your family.

Yea!! I'm so excited to see this!!

[Guest]

Me! I ran and hid. Then I read my WTM again and orderd MP packages. I just cannot do it. So I am better off doing what I can well than attempting something tepidly.

[KeriJ]

Me! I ran and hid. Then I read my WTM again and orderd MP packages. I just cannot do it. So I am better off doing what I can well than attempting something tepidly.

and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that!  The best plan is the one that gets done!!

 

eta: Dh coined this phrase the other day when he and I were discussing something similar:  "Simplicity lived out is better than complexity merely talked about."  Hubby or not, I wrote it down. :)

[Coco_Clark]

I loved those Circe threads, and now I'm wondering: has anyone decided to take that inspiration and apply it to using the TWTM in a truly classical way? I keep being drawn back to it time and again, because I think there is a workable approach being suggested by SWB. I do not want to reinvent the wheel, curriculum-wise. I like the idea of using her plans and suggestions, making my curriculum choices, and overlaying that with the inspiration and wisdom I've gleaned from Kern and Circe.
 
Anyone get what I'm saying? This is all a jumble in my head:)

This is what I've been doing this year. I've switched up many things in TWTM, I focused on just zoology this year instead of the zoology/botany/anatomy suggested, I dont focus literature around history quite to the extent she does, there are other tweaks as well. But TWTM is my general nuts-and-bolts guide. It's clear, no nonsense, and utterly do-able. I know a lot of people are overwhelmed by her schedules but I ignore them, lol. When you hear her speak it comes off like she does as well. Kern is my big picture and inspirational guide, though. His talks tell me where I'm going, TWTM tells me how to get there. I feel they are compatible.

[lewelma]

 
From the Forces & Motion 2 DVD:

"We’re going to study velocity, acceleration, forces, and Newton’s three laws of motion in this section. You’ll get to
throw things, build g‐force accelerometers, and much more as you uncover the basis of all physics in our crash course
in projectile motion. Build balloon racers, detect electric fields, construct a bridge that holds more than 400
times its own weight, float hovercraft on both land and water, create a rocket car, measure the Earth’s magnetic
pulse and so much more."

So it starts out with measuring how long it takes for a ball tossed in the air to hit the ground, sliding things off a board to experience friction, a race between a can of chicken soup and clam chowder to talk about inertia, momentum: sliding pennies and quarters into eachother,....a tug of war where the rope is wrapped around a column or pillar, hover craft, building a instrument out of magnets and pocket lasers that detects changes in the earths magnetic field. Since its not something easily accessible on her website without paying for it, I'm not too sure how much detail to post...

 

Of course, I can't quite tell what is happening without more info, but here is my best guess. I'm going to classify these activities into 3 groups: 

 

Demonstrate a known process

Build balloon racers,

detect electric fields,

construct a bridge that holds more than 400 times its own weight,  (if the video shows you how to do it, then it fits here, if you have to figure it out on you own it fits under experimentation)

float hovercraft on both land and water,

create a rocket car,

measure the Earth’s magnetic pulse

how long it takes for a ball tossed in the air to hit the ground,

sliding things off a board to experience friction,

a race between a can of chicken soup and clam chowder to talk about inertia,

momentum: sliding pennies and quarters into eachother,....

a tug of war where the rope is wrapped around a column or pillar,

building a instrument out of magnets (if the video shows you how to do it, then it fits here, if you have to experiment to figure out how to make it happen it fits under experimentation)

pocket lasers that detects changes in the earths magnetic field

 

Learn to use scientific equipment or techniques

build g‐force accelerometers

 

Do a real experiment where the answer is unknown (and thus you learn how to apply the scientific method)

I don't see any experiments in the list

 

So to me it looks like a lot of demonstrations.  This works great for kids who can't quite believe that something they haven't seen or experienced is real, and it works great for kids who just want to have some fun.  It does not work well for kids who say "I already know what is going to happen, so why do I have to do all this work?"  So you need to think about your individual student.

 

Also, I cannot tell how much these demonstrations will be linked to science.  For example, build a rocket car, balloon racers, hover craft: this looks to me like just having fun with your kids (which is fine, obviously), but if she links it to a scientific principle then it could teach some science.

 

Also, to be clear, your students will not learn about the scientific method with the demonstrations you have listed, and if they are couched in 'scientific method' terminology or the kids have to write up lab reports pretending that they did not know the outcome already (like, write down your hypothesis (when they already knew the answer)), then the program will lead to some serious confusion about what science is all about.

 

Can't tell you more without more information.

 

Good Luck,

 

Ruth in NZ

[thescrappyhomeschooler]

I truly want to get into the whole Circe ideology, but I just can't.  When I inevitably have a yearly freak out that I'm not providing my kids with the ideal education, I force myself to take a step back and see where we really are.  I'd love to be able to wholeheartedly follow at least one educational philosophy, but real life gets in the way.  

[KrissiK]

For me, part of the problem with my "three-ring-circus" is that my kids just want to "get it done!" They aren't interested in lingering or learning more, they want to get outside. Or build a fort with blankets. And I try to do interesting curriculum, and the things we have to do, like grammar, I try to get that done quickly. But I watched Dr. Perrin's video "Multus non Multum" much not many, about going deep into things, and doing a few things and doing it well and I think, how does that translate into real life? We have to do grammar and math and writing. What things in my day do we eliminate? Or, is it more like this.... I bought DS history Odessey 2 this year for history. It was basically world history. But I felt that it was just too broad, they did 2 days on Ancient Africa, then two days on something else, so I completely revised it and we focused more on Ancient Egyptian history, the Ancient Greeks and Romans. And I added in biographies, the Famous Men Series, Jackdaws.... We spent a month and a half on Ancient Greece. That's the one thing I am proud of this year that I think is what we're talking about.

[justamouse]

I truly want to get into the whole Circe ideology, but I just can't.  When I inevitably have a yearly freak out that I'm not providing my kids with the ideal education, I force myself to take a step back and see where we really are.  I'd love to be able to wholeheartedly follow at least one educational philosophy, but real life gets in the way.  

I don't think there is an ideal education in a one size fits all-there just isn't. And, I think you actually DO follow one educational philosophy, the one that apparently is working for your kids. :D  I mean, you want them to know what beauty is, you want them to seek the truth, and you want them to be virtuous-I know you, I see how you teach them and what you do. 

I think you're selling yourself waaayyy too short. 

Speaking about the classical teaching theories can tend to make them sound so unattainable...so misty. The GOOD about that, is that because they are universal, they can be applied in an individual way. But then, when we talk about that individual application, it's going to sound so different as to make us wonder if we're even talking about the same thing. 

[justamouse]

For me, part of the problem with my "three-ring-circus" is that my kids just want to "get it done!" They aren't interested in lingering or learning more, they want to get outside. Or build a fort with blankets. And I try to do interesting curriculum, and the things we have to do, like grammar, I try to get that done quickly. But I watched Dr. Perrin's video "Multus non Multum" much not many, about going deep into things, and doing a few things and doing it well and I think, how does that translate into real life? We have to do grammar and math and writing. What things in my day do we eliminate? Or, is it more like this.... I bought DS history Odessey 2 this year for history. It was basically world history. But I felt that it was just too broad, they did 2 days on Ancient Africa, then two days on something else, so I completely revised it and we focused more on Ancient Egyptian history, the Ancient Greeks and Romans. And I added in biographies, the Famous Men Series, Jackdaws.... We spent a month and a half on Ancient Greece. That's the one thing I am proud of this year that I think is what we're talking about.

Nothing is wrong with building forts with blankets. We do that all the time here. They need that just as much as they need to learn to read and to learn Latin. Same with getting outside. You can't find ant hills and salamanders inside. 

Don't idealize this and make some sort of pretty picture in your head about these snippets of how we do this stuff. Lingering over literature is JUST as poetic as building a fort, and I might argue that children of a certain age need more fort building and maybe only a few fairy tales. 

 Combine what curriculum you can. Can grammar be wrapped into Latin? Can grammar be wrapped into writing? Are they really all separate subjects? 

Sounds like your history was a blast. Getting outside and building forts is a lesson in wonder. Lessons are the parts of the day that are about order. You need both. 

[KrissiK]

Don't idealize this and make some sort of pretty picture in your head about these snippets of how we do this stuff. Lingering over literature is JUST as poetic as building a fort, and I might argue that children of a certain age need more fort building and maybe only a few fairy tales.
.

See, this is part of my problem..... I do idealize. And part of me is just as bad as that sports parent we all condemn who pushes and pushes his son to be a pro-football player because of his own unrealized dreams. Except i have a tendency to do that with academics. I don't think I push my kids that hard and am not that obsessed, but I did have a mediocre education and want so much more for my kids than I had. And they don't appreciate it, darn it! ;)

[ByGrace3]

I am...and I am trying not to be. I want to apply some of this...not just think about it. That's the difficult part. ;)

[thescrappyhomeschooler]

I don't think there is an ideal education in a one size fits all-there just isn't. And, I think you actually DO follow one educational philosophy, the one that apparently is working for your kids. :D  I mean, you want them to know what beauty is, you want them to seek the truth, and you want them to be virtuous-I know you, I see how you teach them and what you do. 

I think you're selling yourself waaayyy too short. 

Speaking about the classical teaching theories can tend to make them sound so unattainable...so misty. The GOOD about that, is that because they are universal, they can be applied in an individual way. But then, when we talk about that individual application, it's going to sound so different as to make us wonder if we're even talking about the same thing. 

 

Thanks, justamouse.  You are an inspiration to me.

[PeterPan]

bump

[Dory]

See, this is part of my problem..... I do idealize. And part of me is just as bad as that sports parent we all condemn who pushes and pushes his son to be a pro-football player because of his own unrealized dreams. Except i have a tendency to do that with academics. I don't think I push my kids that hard and am not that obsessed, but I did have a mediocre education and want so much more for my kids than I had. And they don't appreciate it, darn it! ;)

 

I'm late to the party and so have been just watching the conversation from the sidelines and doing some catching up. This post made me choke on my coffee (coffee in the nose is not cool!). This is exactly what my problem is too. I don't even realize how hard I am pushing my kids because I am seeing it as something I want without realizing that it doesn't line up with who there are or where they are at in life.

If those kids would just fall in line with my dreams we'd be great.

[1pageatatime]

I don't really think I feel overwhelmed? I found myself rolling my eyes and thinking, " Really? First Sonlight, and probably, HOD & MFW, are not good enough? And now not even TWTM?"

I think if I was brand new to homeschooling, my head would be exploding with confusion.

At the end of the day, what really matters is to read good books to your kids from a variety of genres; not fluff, but even fluff is fine now and then! Round out their education with exposure to the arts, take field trips, watch fun, educational films, explore their interests, don't overload them with workbooks/worksheets, get them outside exploring nature & being a kid. But don't try to do all of these things in a single week! ;)

Relax! If you use Sonlight, HOD, MFW or follow TWTM.... You've not ruined your kid.

[justamouse]

I'm late to the party and so have been just watching the conversation from the sidelines and doing some catching up. This post made me choke on my coffee (coffee in the nose is not cool!). This is exactly what my problem is too. I don't even realize how hard I am pushing my kids because I am seeing it as something I want without realizing that it doesn't line up with who there are or where they are at in life.

If those kids would just fall in line with my dreams we'd be great.

I think we all do that to some extent, it's just part of being a parent. 

I think that because of that, though, if we don't catch it and see it in ourselves, we can push really hard. That's where we have to stop and really look at who they are, and slow DOWN. 

If you're rushing along, you won't see that you're pressing them into something they're not. If you don't slow down, you won't be able to take the time to find out  what you should be reading and doing. 

An education is not a trip to the grocery store, where we're singleminded on our task and crossing things off our lists--and that's when we 'don't see'. We're so bizzy crossing things of the list and figuring out where we have to go next, we don't take time to actually BE with out kids, and teach them. We're teaching AT them. 

 

We ALL do this. Even knowing better, we do this. I think it's just human nature.