The WTM Anniversary Conference. Fabulous.

[cathmom]

So why should students memorize the list of prepositions? :D

[Rhondabee]

Thanks again, Colleen (and Susan)! Simple and sweet.

 

:D:D

[LibraryLover]

So why should students memorize the list of prepositions? :D

 

 

You know what you need? lol It's fun, I swear:

 

 

 

(It's the Preposition Song. It's a little fuzzy, but the kids crack me up. There are others)

Edited May 6, 2009 by LibraryLover

[abreakfromlife]

Karen, you went? Wow! I'm glad I didn't know that....I would have been sorely tempted to talk to you about tagging along and sharing a room, and we really didn't have the money for me to go. You shouldn't have been so shy - it's not like you've never met internet people before :D:D:D

[Frontier Mom]

Becky,

Thanks for sharing your points as I missed the last session because we had to get back. A couple of questions if you happen to know.

 

The individual quiet time - was this the same 30 min. she indicates that she has a basket of books she wants each child to enjoy. Was there a time here? Here at our house, we call this DIRT time - daily individual reading time. We have been lax lately as they have gotten older but I need to reinstate DIRT time.

 

Also, does she suggest the student extend their high school time before college or work during that time? This is an interesting option, something I never hear around my neighborhood. Seems the parents are in a big race to get their child into "x" college, no matter what. Puts lots of pressure on the kids, that's for sure. These aren't home educators though.

[oliveview]

Kristi,

 

She said that they have a 2 hour quiet time every day. In this time they can nap, read, or do other quiet activities. She said the if children share a room they can be put in a living room or the kitchen, where ever, but that is where they have to stay.

 

She did speak about early college and expressed a strong feeling against it. She talked about many feeling that it was a "badge of honor" to have their child in college early and it validated the parents as "good". She said that there is always more to study and learn and that most children, from her teaching experience, don't have the intellectual maturity to get the "most" out of their college experience until they are 19. She talked about gaining college admission and then getting a deferment for a year to travel, study, or work, much like a "gap year".

 

That is what I remember. I didn't take notes on this portion of the conference. Others may remember more.

[Tammyla]

:bigear: :lurk5:

 

Thanks for the notes and comments, I wish :crying:...

 

I'm consoling myself with the new edition;).

[abreakfromlife]

that would have been easy to do - it would have been dh that would have been harder to talk into it :D that would have been fun! Glad you got to go - that must have been a nice break from the kids!

[Kathy in MD]

Kristi,

 

She said that they have a 2 hour quiet time every day. In this time they can nap, read, or do other quiet activities. She said the if children share a room they can be put in a living room or the kitchen, where ever, but that is where they have to stay.

 

She did speak about early college and expressed a strong feeling against it. She talked about many feeling that it was a "badge of honor" to have their child in college early and it validated the parents as "good". She said that there is always more to study and learn and that most children, from her teaching experience, don't have the intellectual maturity to get the "most" out of their college experience until they are 19. She talked about gaining college admission and then getting a deferment for a year to travel, study, or work, much like a "gap year".

 

That is what I remember. I didn't take notes on this portion of the conference. Others may remember more.

 

:iagree:

 

A couple of additions. If two children must share a room during nap time, they should be separated by a "wall" of dresser drawers (or book cases) with stuffed toys filling the gap between the dresser and the ceiling. The goal is that the dc can't see each other or throw things over the barrier to each other :lol:

 

Also studying is generally not allowed during this time. The reading is to be pleasure reading. This is a break from studying and stretching the brain.

[skaterbabs]

What Sherry said. ;)

 

It's Susan's daily afternoon "Mom is off-duty for two hours" time, and in their family during this time the kids are expected to quiety rest or amuse themselves without bothering or interacting with anyone else.

 

As for early college, I got the impression that it was more to give the child time to work or travel or whatever.

[Colleen in NS]

So why should students memorize the list of prepositions? :D

 

Here's what I wrote in my notes during Jessie's FLL workshop: to be able to eliminate prepositional phrases from a sentence that you are trying to diagram or "fix", so that you can find the subject, direct objects, or indirect objects in a sentence.

 

I'm glad we memorized them, because ds has recently come across this in his R&S 5 work, and he knows the prepositions, so he can easily eliminate the phrases in his mind while diagraming. It just makes tackling the sentence a whole lot easier. Only I couldn't put that into words until Jessie explained.

 

The individual quiet time - was this the same 30 min. she indicates that she has a basket of books she wants each child to enjoy. Was there a time here? Here at our house, we call this DIRT time - daily individual reading time. We have been lax lately as they have gotten older but I need to reinstate DIRT time.

 

I got the impression that it's a two hour quiet time, in which her kids just play and read, and they read a variety...the occasional assigned lit. book, the occasional "I think you'll enjoy this" book, and the pile of whatever fun reading they want to do (my son lit right up when I mentioned to him the Lego Bionicle books example, :lol:). She talked about having control of all 8 of her family's library cards :lol: that are allowed 40 books each, and that their house is overflowing with library books, so the kids are never lacking in finding something interesting to read. Plus all the books she buys and then questions herself about why she bought them if they aren't instantly read - that was funny! I pick up books from thrift stores all the time and throw them on the shelf, hoping they'll catch someone's interest. I also remember reading somewhere that Susan has a card at W&M and had something like 300 books checked out on it for the past year - that was hilarious! Anyway, I don't think their reading/playing is limited to that two hours, either - it's part of a lifestyle. She gave an example of one child who was enthralled by a book, so she let him read for two whole days and required nothing else of him academically.

 

I came home and instantly reinstated this. We already have the two hour quiet time and have for years, but I was letting "homework" creep into part of it. No more. We're getting back to where we used to be - hours of reading and playing every day, and not so much of my control of it involved.

 

Also, does she suggest the student extend their high school time before college or work during that time?

 

I don't think it was an extension of high school time. I think it was various options - work, travel, volunteer, study an interest, whatever. I've read a lot on the high school boards about "gap years," and think it's a great idea. Susan's comments about her college freshmen, 18yo vs. 19yo and maturity level, made sense to me. It helped hearing this from a professor.

 

with stuffed toys filling the gap between the dresser and the ceiling. The goal is that the dc can't see each other or throw things over the barrier to each other :lol:

 

Her demonstration of this and my mental image cracked me up!!!:lol:

[ChemMommy]

...inquiring minds with credit cards want to know.....

[Oak Knoll Mom]

...inquiring minds with credit cards want to know.....

 

They were recorded, but the conference manager mentioned that there was a lot of background noise being picked up in the recordings. Not sure if that will affect whether or not they offer them for sale.

[Frontier Mom]

Thanks Colleen for the details. I hated I had to miss the last two sessions.

 

Clarification please: Did she mention the purpose for the two hour time? For instance, was it to allow for uninterrupted study time, to teach them to entertain themselves, to have uninterrupted free reading time or something else? As I have older students, two hours without any studying time would be extremely hard for us to fit in daily. However, if it is time after lunch for reading literature, working on academic work and free reading, that would be doable.

Edited May 6, 2009 by Frontier Mom

[Colleen in NS]

Clarification please: Did she mention the purpose for the two hour time? For instance, was it to allow for uninterrupted study time, to teach them to entertain themselves, to have uninterrupted free reading time or something else? As I have older students, two hours without any studying time would be extremely hard for us to fit in daily. However, if it is time after lunch for reading literature, working on academic work and free reading, that would be doable.

 

My understanding is that the purpose is:

 

- solitude for each family member each day

- teacher is "off duty" for a couple of hours, to rest, read, or attend to other things

- time to read, relax, play, do child-chosen projects

 

Benefits:

 

- kids have learned to entertain themselves and use their imagination

- kids have had more time to browse through lots of books

- kids have developed their interests during this time

[Kathy in MD]

Thanks Colleen for the details. I hated I had to miss the last two sessions.

 

Clarification please: Did she mention the purpose for the two hour time? For instance, was it to allow for uninterrupted study time, to teach them to entertain themselves, to have uninterrupted free reading time or something else? As I have older students, two hours without any studying time would be extremely hard for us to fit in daily. However, if it is time after lunch for reading literature, working on academic work and free reading, that would be doable.

 

The 2 hour nap time was mom restoration and recovery time. Susan's demonstration of what her mother looked like at half increments during the nap time was great. The first half hour had Jesse crashed on the sofa and out cold. :lol: It's also free marriage therapy. :001_smile:

 

A bonus is that the kids are also rested and recharged to finish school work and the rest of the day. This time is NOT study time for the kids.

 

But the main purpose is for mom's sanity.

Edited May 6, 2009 by Kathy in MD
too much info

[LibraryLover]

I checked PHP today, and several audios have the word "New!" near them, along with "From the conference". I don't know how new or what conference, however. I was going to ask.

[Sugarfoot]

I truly appreciate all of you posting your thoughts/notes from the conference. I really wanted to attend, but we were scheduled to see Dave Ramsey on May 2nd. He was great, but still....

 

Reading this thread has been so uplifting.

 

Thank you!

[Colleen in NS]

I checked PHP today, and several audios have the word "New!" near them, along with "From the conference". I don't know how new or what conference, however. I was going to ask.

 

I saw those a couple of weeks ago. I think they are from other conferences they have spoken at. The ones from this past weekend won't be available for a few months, we were told. But, I picked up a couple of them - the Joy of Classical Education and the one about Great books being history as literature - I think they are different from the workshops we heard, so it'll be fun to hear the perspectives on those, too.

Edited May 6, 2009 by Colleen in NS

[LibraryLover]

I saw those a couple of weeks ago. I think they are from other conferences they have spoken at. The ones from this past weekend won't be available for a few months, we were told. But, I picked up a couple of them - the Joy of Classical Education and the one about Great books being history as literature - I think they are different from the workshops we heard, so it'll be fun to hear the perspectives on those, too.

 

Yah, I did not think they could possibly be ready! If audios from 4 days ago were truly were avail, it would have stated "10th Anniversary Conference!" lol Not to mention more splash /advertz here.

 

At any rate, I'm looking forward to them. Let us know how you like the audios you ordered (or PM me). I am always iffy about pur$chasing conference audios. The sound is never great.

[Novafan]

FTR, I tried the 2 hour rest period yesterday and today and it worked like a charm. :thumbup1: Yesterday I did it from 4 to 5:30 while I made dinner, so I didn't necessarily rest, but making dinner was SO nice while it was quiet. That and I find cooking to be relaxing. Today I did the rest period from 3-5 and I snuck in a little nap. My children all played alone in their rooms quietly and were so pleasant when it was time to regroup and move on to your next activity of the day (gym for me and two of my kids and T-ball for the other w/ daddy).

 

I highly recommend trying the mandatory rest time.

[Strawberry Queen]

I have to say that this is so wonderful to read. Right now I'm at my I just want to be done school 'cause it's spring time of year. I really need this pep talk and your notes are very helpful I think I'm going to have to buy some of the conference cd's and the new WTM if my local hs store has it.

 

Thanks sooo much. :001_smile::001_smile::001_smile::001_smile:

[LivingLatin]

I wasn't sure the conference was going to be worth it for me, as a just-starting out homeschooler with my oldest only in kindergarten, but it was worth every penny. What's more, I flew in from Seattle, so it was a fair number of pennies! I was able to corner Mrs. Wise at one point and ask her my questions about teaching reading, and she answered them very helpfully. In the week I've been back, my son has already been much happier about his reading lesson because I've been implementing her suggestions. Before the conference, I felt his learning progress was slowing down; now I see him picking up momentum again.

 

I was able to meet many other practitioners of classical education, which was more valuable to me than I would have thought. My oldest son's name is Thales (as in Thales of Miletus), and in talking about him with some homeschooling mamas there I didn't have to explain his name to blank stares, for once!

 

Even though I'm a long way from any progress in this department, because my children are still so young, I got a lot out of SWB's talk on teaching independent learning. I'm a bit of a reluctant homeschooler -- I would prefer to be working on my writing -- so that gave me hope that one day I'll have more time for my own work than I do now.

 

Having read this thread, I'm now very sad that I missed SWB's final session. It sounds as if it was very valuable and inspirational. My baby was getting irritable at that point, so I had to take him upstairs to our room for a nap, since he wasn't able to be quiet any more. (For those who were there, I was the one who had the little bald baby boy who was often falling asleep on the floor at the back of the auditorium. I'm really glad I brought him with me, because his over-the-top friendliness helped me to meet so many interesting people!)

 

If this conference were to happen again, we would shell out to bring my husband and older kids too. I know they'd enjoy both the conference and the town of Williamsburg.

 

Nealy

mama to

Thales, 12/9/02

Lydia, 2/26/06

Odin, 12/12/08

[Colleen in NS]

I wasn't sure the conference was going to be worth it for me, as a just-starting out homeschooler with my oldest only in kindergarten, but it was worth every penny. What's more, I flew in from Seattle, so it was a fair number of pennies! I was able to corner Mrs. Wise at one point and ask her my questions about teaching reading, and she answered them very helpfully. In the week I've been back, my son has already been much happier about his reading lesson because I've been implementing her suggestions. Before the conference, I felt his learning progress was slowing down; now I see him picking up momentum again.

 

I was able to meet many other practitioners of classical education, which was more valuable to me than I would have thought. My oldest son's name is Thales (as in Thales of Miletus), and in talking about him with some homeschooling mamas there I didn't have to explain his name to blank stares, for once!

 

Even though I'm a long way from any progress in this department, because my children are still so young, I got a lot out of SWB's talk on teaching independent learning. I'm a bit of a reluctant homeschooler -- I would prefer to be working on my writing -- so that gave me hope that one day I'll have more time for my own work than I do now.

 

Having read this thread, I'm now very sad that I missed SWB's final session. It sounds as if it was very valuable and inspirational. My baby was getting irritable at that point, so I had to take him upstairs to our room for a nap, since he wasn't able to be quiet any more. (For those who were there, I was the one who had the little bald baby boy who was often falling asleep on the floor at the back of the auditorium. I'm really glad I brought him with me, because his over-the-top friendliness helped me to meet so many interesting people!)

 

If this conference were to happen again, we would shell out to bring my husband and older kids too. I know they'd enjoy both the conference and the town of Williamsburg.

 

Nealy

mama to

Thales, 12/9/02

Lydia, 2/26/06

Odin, 12/12/08

 

OH yes, I know who you are! You had the long black braids - you look like my mother when she was in her 20s! I stopped to admire your baby several times - I have wavy, light brown shoulder length hair and sat near the front most of the time - red shirt one day, blue shirt the next. The night Jim Weiss was doing storytelling, I was sitting near you and desperately longing to hold your sweet baby. :D

 

That independent learning one was so encouraging to me, too. It's good to have a practical plan to take them through to help them become independent learners with a solid foundation in skills. I must go through my notes on that and start implementing some of it here.

[skaterbabs]

I was the one who had the little bald baby boy who was often falling asleep on the floor at the back of the auditorium. I'm really glad I brought him with me, because his over-the-top friendliness helped me to meet so many interesting people!)

 

 

I remember you too. :) My MIL and I chatted with you for a few minutes between sessions. :) I'm a redhead, my MIL had very long grey hair.

[LivingLatin]

Yep! That was me. :)

 

Getting to meet so many people who put so much thought into their kids' education was a wonderful experience. I'm really hoping they'll put on another conference soon.

 

And you should have asked to hold the baby! I'm happy to share the 4-month-old love. :D

 

Nealy

mama to

T, 12/9/02

L, 2/26/06

O, 12/12/08

[LivingLatin]

I remember you too. :) My MIL and I chatted with you for a few minutes between sessions. :) I'm a redhead, my MIL had very long grey hair.

 

Yep. We had a great conversation! (I got the impression your MIL helps with the teaching. How cool is that?)

 

Nealy

[skaterbabs]

Yes, she does, and it's very cool. :)

 

She takes the boys (11 and almost 13) since DS #1 has (had) a serious case of "if Mom assigns it, I am NOT going to do it." :glare: After five sons, she has a pretty good grasp of what will motivate them. lol

 

That also allows me to focus on DD, who is very... intense. :lol:

[specialmama]

 

1) Not every assigned lit book should be discussed and written about. For a good student, only every other book should be discussed and have essay(s) assigned. A poor student should have even fewer. The goal is to encourage and maintain a love of reading. Too much analysis turns all books into puzzles to be solved, not stories to be enjoyed. Susan has seen too much of this in her freshmen students. Even 3rd graders have interupted storytimes with lit analysis.(was this a story Jim Wiess told?)

 

2) Stories that make a big emotional impact probably shouldn't be discussed or analysed. Let the teen just soak it in, and think about it on his own.

 

3) Don't analysis a story to death!!!!!!!!!! At the logic stage about a week total should be spent, including reading time. At the Rhetoric stage, longer works will stretch that out to 2-3 weeks. You may assign different essays to a 2-3 week book, some essays may be written before the book is finished.

 

 

 

Excellent food for thought. My dd is such a bookworm it would be impossible to even discuss each book anyway! LOL! But, I have to wonder, how would this affect a literary unit study, such as Further Up & Further In? :confused: I was toying with the idea of doing it in 2 years, just because we adore C.S. Lewis, I love unit studies, and it seems like a fun change of pace. Now, I don't know. Anybody have an answer to how this would impact a literary unit study that takes months to complete? :confused: Would that be considered analysing a story to death? :confused:

[Colleen in NS]

Would that be considered analysing a story to death? :confused:

 

yup. :D

[Colleen in NS]

BTW, there are pictures on the social group now.

[specialmama]

yup. :D

 

Pooh. :glare: I was afraid so.

 

Thanks, Colleen!

[Peela]

Excellent food for thought. My dd is such a bookworm it would be impossible to even discuss each book anyway! LOL! But, I have to wonder, how would this affect a literary unit study, such as Further Up & Further In? :confused: I was toying with the idea of doing it in 2 years, just because we adore C.S. Lewis, I love unit studies, and it seems like a fun change of pace. Now, I don't know. Anybody have an answer to how this would impact a literary unit study that takes months to complete? :confused: Would that be considered analysing a story to death? :confused:

 

I seem to remember SWB suggesting indirectly that Literary Lessons from Lord of the Rings was analyzing a really good book to death. (that is a year long study of LOTR with unit studies on related topics).

I have always understood that SWB felt that preserving love of reading is important and over analysis of literature might destroy love of reading......however, that is still going to be different for each family and child. In our case, LLfrom LOTR was a bonding experience for us as a family- we did it mostly orally together. I dont disagree with SWB at all and I find her view very freeing...but I felt the benefits outweighed the disadvantages and I think it is important to take your own family context into consideration. We didnt analyse anything else that year.

[cathmom]

Analysing a book to death is when your 11th grade English teacher points out every time Fitzgerald used the words "red" and "yellow" or some variation thereof when reading The Great Gatsby.

[skaterbabs]

Analysing a book to death is when your 11th grade English teacher points out every time Fitzgerald used the words "red" and "yellow" or some variation thereof when reading The Great Gatsby.

 

 

:lol:

 

That's one way to put it!! lol

[specialmama]

I dont disagree with SWB at all and I find her view very freeing...but I felt the benefits outweighed the disadvantages and I think it is important to take your own family context into consideration. We didnt analyse anything else that year.

 

Good point, Peela. I may still do FUFI, but I'm no purist so I shall sleep well at night. :001_smile:

 

I did find SWB's article on unit studies and I do agree with the "traps" she cites, and the need for rigorous subjects to be separate, especially in regard to grammar level students. Good info in that article. However, having just had a chat with a board member and friend, and discussing the recent ebb & flow of people scrambling to switch curricula based on the recent recommendations, I'm hereby freeing SWB from the imaginary podium we put her on and being my own thinker, grateful for direction, guidance and inspiration when I need it, yet weighing it with what works for my family, and if FUFI is it, then so be it. :thumbup: Like I said, I'm no purist, I'll still sleep at night.... or I'll stick with Tapestry :lol: whatever works!

[Carol in Cal.]

I seem to remember SWB suggesting indirectly that Literary Lessons from Lord of the Rings was analyzing a really good book to death. (that is a year long study of LOTR with unit studies on related topics).

QUOTE]

 

But she didn't say it nearly that strongly. I have heard her allude to this curriculum twice now, most recently at the 10th anniversary conference, and she said both times that she has not really looked at this curriculum yet, but that her reaction to it was, "Why?" As in, why take the chance of killing the love of this superb set of books by studying them to death? And I think that that is really a fair question, and one that, as you suggest, each family must answer for themselves. Lots of people consider TWTM and SWB's curriculum suggestions to be quite normative, and I think that she is wise and helpful in stating that her priority would be to preserve the love of literature and reading ahead of any particular curriculum. Now, I'm with you--we are using this curriculum ourselves, but as LOTR is both my and my DH's favorite book, I am being EXTREMELY careful not to use the curriculum in such a way that the book gets killed or even slightly sullied. DD has had the whole series read to her at an early age, she has read significant parts of the books herself, and she has seen the extended version of the movies.

 

I think that there is much of value in LLLOTR, but it is important to use it carefully.