Monday, November 29, 2010
Friday, November 26, 2010
Home Spun comic strip #555
My goodness! I'm so sorry I'm late with this today. Whenever my routine breaks I tend to forget to do things.
By the way, this is not a plea to my parents to take our kids today. They have, in the past, helped me out a lot. Whether they are enhancing our homeschooling by taking the kids on a field trip, or simply by giving me a much needed break, my parents have always been there for me when I need them. I know that isn't the case for others, either because of distance or philosophical differences, so I want my family to know I appreciate everything they do for me. Aside from my parents, we have relatives who have helped us with money for classes or educational purchases, who have given the kids subscriptions to magazines like National Geographic Kids or Lego Brickmaster, and family and librarian friends who have been an endless supplier to our book addictions. Thank you to all of you!
Carnival at Mrs.Mama Hen
The latest Carnival of Homeschooling: Our Great Nation edition is running at MrsMamaHen. If, like me, you've decided the mad rush of Black Friday isn't for you, or you need something to read while waiting on line, go on over and take a look at this week's submissions!
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Home Spun comic strip #554
No one understands a homeschooler like another homeschooler. Even if your methods of educating your children are completely different (and let's face it, there are as many ways to home educate as there are homeschooled children) we all can sit down together and empathize with those unique challenges we face. Are my kids learning enough? Will strangers ever stop mentioning socialization? Am I screwing them up? We voice our trials and anxieties among them because we know they will empathize.
And they will never say, "If it's so hard, why don't you just put them in school?"
Monday, November 22, 2010
Stores are Such Dorks
My friend Home School Dad had an interesting article recently about stores and their perception of when holidays occur, as well as their importance. It got me thinking. You know what happens when I think.
This time of year, anxious to bring customers in, stores resemble a desperate teenager, full of drama and ready to date the first person who asks. The problem is that desperate isn't pretty. Desperate people tend to embarrass themselves. And when they do get a date, they can't understand why they end up with losers with no loyalty. That sounds harsh, but consider our stores this time of year.
When I was a kid (and yes, I know I sound ancient using that phrase), we used to spend Thanksgiving with family. We would watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade without even noticing it was a giant ad for the department store. They were so nice, they offered all this entertainment, giant balloons and marching bands, and left you all warm and fuzzy before you sat down to give thanks and enjoy a huge dinner. After dinner, you either watched football, or if you were in my family you watched the lineup of giant ape movies. Mighty Joe Young always came on first, so I've never seen the beginning of it because it overlapped with our meal or traveling to relatives. King Kong followed. I remember these not so much for the movies, but for the Toys R Us jingle every time a commercial came on.
I don't wanna grow up!
I'm a Toys R Us kid!
They have a million toys in store
You'll really flip your lid!
From bikes to trains to video games
They're the biggest toy store there is!
Gee whiz!
I don't wanna grow up
Cause baby if I did
I couldn't be a Toys R Us kid!
Sad isn't it? That was from memory. But that's my point. Back then, stores used Thanksgiving for not-so-subliminal advertising while people were sedated from turkey. These days, many stores are open on Thanksgiving. They can't even wait one day to start the holiday shopping madness. Desperate!
And then it got worse. Not only did they try to entice you to leave the comfort of home on Thanksgiving, they also wanted you to get out before Thanksgiving! Shop til you drop! Doorbuster sales! Lower than Black Friday prices! Desperate!
I am not saying stores shouldn't entice you to spend. They have stuff, and we need stuff. Maybe not as much as the stores think we need, but still, it's a symbiotic relationship. My issue is with the desperate tactics. Because this is a case of the desperate preying on the desperate. Stores play upon our desperate need to find a bargain. Think about it. Do you really need to get up at 5am because a TV or video game is 70% off? Do you really want to risk getting into fights with other customers or getting trampled to death in sale-fevered crowds? And all this for a store that isn't thankful enough for its customers and employees, it needs to open on Thanksgiving?
This time of year, anxious to bring customers in, stores resemble a desperate teenager, full of drama and ready to date the first person who asks. The problem is that desperate isn't pretty. Desperate people tend to embarrass themselves. And when they do get a date, they can't understand why they end up with losers with no loyalty. That sounds harsh, but consider our stores this time of year.
When I was a kid (and yes, I know I sound ancient using that phrase), we used to spend Thanksgiving with family. We would watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade without even noticing it was a giant ad for the department store. They were so nice, they offered all this entertainment, giant balloons and marching bands, and left you all warm and fuzzy before you sat down to give thanks and enjoy a huge dinner. After dinner, you either watched football, or if you were in my family you watched the lineup of giant ape movies. Mighty Joe Young always came on first, so I've never seen the beginning of it because it overlapped with our meal or traveling to relatives. King Kong followed. I remember these not so much for the movies, but for the Toys R Us jingle every time a commercial came on.
I don't wanna grow up!
I'm a Toys R Us kid!
They have a million toys in store
You'll really flip your lid!
From bikes to trains to video games
They're the biggest toy store there is!
Gee whiz!
I don't wanna grow up
Cause baby if I did
I couldn't be a Toys R Us kid!
Sad isn't it? That was from memory. But that's my point. Back then, stores used Thanksgiving for not-so-subliminal advertising while people were sedated from turkey. These days, many stores are open on Thanksgiving. They can't even wait one day to start the holiday shopping madness. Desperate!
And then it got worse. Not only did they try to entice you to leave the comfort of home on Thanksgiving, they also wanted you to get out before Thanksgiving! Shop til you drop! Doorbuster sales! Lower than Black Friday prices! Desperate!
I am not saying stores shouldn't entice you to spend. They have stuff, and we need stuff. Maybe not as much as the stores think we need, but still, it's a symbiotic relationship. My issue is with the desperate tactics. Because this is a case of the desperate preying on the desperate. Stores play upon our desperate need to find a bargain. Think about it. Do you really need to get up at 5am because a TV or video game is 70% off? Do you really want to risk getting into fights with other customers or getting trampled to death in sale-fevered crowds? And all this for a store that isn't thankful enough for its customers and employees, it needs to open on Thanksgiving?
Friday, November 19, 2010
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Musical Learning Playlist
I've noticed a lot of renewed interest in Tom Lehrer's The Elements song because a certain boy wizard sang it recently. While Daniel Radcliffe did a great job, I think I still prefer the original, which my kids have been trying to sing for years. Hey, you try singing lines like this to the tune of "Modern Major General":
Anyway, all of the excitement got me thinking of all the wonderful songs I know that have helped us sing our way through various subjects. I decided to list a few of the songs and albums, just in case anyone is interested.
English
Grammar Rock: When Marina was young, I designed our entire English language curriculum after these videos. They fun to listen to, fun to watch, and they actually did help her grasp the concept of everything from nouns and pronouns to subjects and predicates. My all time favorite is the Interjections song.
Silent E: If you thought Tom Lehrer only covered science and math subjects, here's a cute little song about silent E.
Math
Multiplication Rock: OK, so I have a thing for Schoolhouse Rock. I still love singing along to Three is a Magic Number and Ready or Not, Here I Come (the five table). Also good are many of the Money Rock tunes, although my son thought Tax Man Max was creepy. Just a note, I'm linking to Schoolhouse Rock's site here, which has the lyrics to all of their songs. You can probably find the videos on YouTube as well, I'm just too lazy to link everything.
New Math: Also from Tom Lehrer, but easier to sing along to, this song not only helps with understanding subtraction (kind of), it also gives a taste of base eight. Other math songs by Tom Lehrer include That's Mathematics and The Derivative Song.
Science
The Elements Song: This is the Tom Lehrer version, which a librarian introduced me to about five or six years ago. There are many YouTube animations of this song. Look in the YouTube sidebar if you want to find a different one. There were a couple I liked, one strobed too much, this one seemed the most child-friendly.
Meet the Elements: For a slower paced introduction to elements, They Might Be Giants has this song. The video I linked to is also wonderful, by Boing Boing Video.
Science Rock: Again, by Schoolhouse Rock.
The Universe Song: This song by the Animaniacs is now slightly outdated (poor Pluto)
Brainstem: Pinky and the Brain teach about the parts of the brain.
Pump Your Blood: Not too long ago, I talked about this song from Happy Days. It's still stuck in my head.
History
Yakko's World: The Animaniacs were very good at educating us in a fun way. Challenge for this song--which countries does he mention that are no longer considered countries? (I'm just putting that out there, don't ask me for an answer.) Also check out Wakko's 50 State Capitals and Yakko's Presidents. The Presidents song is also out of date now. We need to add lyrics for George W. Bush and Barack Obama.
America Rock: Not a fan of all of these, since some are oversimplified, but they are a good starting point for American history. And everyone in my history class knew the Preamble to the Constitution thanks to Schoolhouse Rock.
Big Bang: Barenaked Ladies song that is now the theme song for the show Big Bang Theory. Wasn't sure whether to put it here or in science, but since there are a lot of historic references in the song, I chose history.
Beethoven's Wig: Love these songs, and many give a smattering of history in lyrics set to classical music. You can find the lyrics to the song Kings and Queens of England here. It's set to Purcell's Trumpet Tune.
I know there are a lot more out there, but I only have a limited amount of writing time today. Please let me know if I broke any of the links. Feel free to add some of your own favorites in the comments.
And iron, americium, ruthenium, uranium,
Europium, zirconium, lutetium, vanadium,
And lanthanum and osmium and astatine and radium,
And gold and protactinium and indium and gallium
Anyway, all of the excitement got me thinking of all the wonderful songs I know that have helped us sing our way through various subjects. I decided to list a few of the songs and albums, just in case anyone is interested.
English
Grammar Rock: When Marina was young, I designed our entire English language curriculum after these videos. They fun to listen to, fun to watch, and they actually did help her grasp the concept of everything from nouns and pronouns to subjects and predicates. My all time favorite is the Interjections song.
Silent E: If you thought Tom Lehrer only covered science and math subjects, here's a cute little song about silent E.
Math
Multiplication Rock: OK, so I have a thing for Schoolhouse Rock. I still love singing along to Three is a Magic Number and Ready or Not, Here I Come (the five table). Also good are many of the Money Rock tunes, although my son thought Tax Man Max was creepy. Just a note, I'm linking to Schoolhouse Rock's site here, which has the lyrics to all of their songs. You can probably find the videos on YouTube as well, I'm just too lazy to link everything.
New Math: Also from Tom Lehrer, but easier to sing along to, this song not only helps with understanding subtraction (kind of), it also gives a taste of base eight. Other math songs by Tom Lehrer include That's Mathematics and The Derivative Song.
Science
The Elements Song: This is the Tom Lehrer version, which a librarian introduced me to about five or six years ago. There are many YouTube animations of this song. Look in the YouTube sidebar if you want to find a different one. There were a couple I liked, one strobed too much, this one seemed the most child-friendly.
Meet the Elements: For a slower paced introduction to elements, They Might Be Giants has this song. The video I linked to is also wonderful, by Boing Boing Video.
Science Rock: Again, by Schoolhouse Rock.
The Universe Song: This song by the Animaniacs is now slightly outdated (poor Pluto)
Brainstem: Pinky and the Brain teach about the parts of the brain.
Pump Your Blood: Not too long ago, I talked about this song from Happy Days. It's still stuck in my head.
History
Yakko's World: The Animaniacs were very good at educating us in a fun way. Challenge for this song--which countries does he mention that are no longer considered countries? (I'm just putting that out there, don't ask me for an answer.) Also check out Wakko's 50 State Capitals and Yakko's Presidents. The Presidents song is also out of date now. We need to add lyrics for George W. Bush and Barack Obama.
America Rock: Not a fan of all of these, since some are oversimplified, but they are a good starting point for American history. And everyone in my history class knew the Preamble to the Constitution thanks to Schoolhouse Rock.
Big Bang: Barenaked Ladies song that is now the theme song for the show Big Bang Theory. Wasn't sure whether to put it here or in science, but since there are a lot of historic references in the song, I chose history.
Beethoven's Wig: Love these songs, and many give a smattering of history in lyrics set to classical music. You can find the lyrics to the song Kings and Queens of England here. It's set to Purcell's Trumpet Tune.
I know there are a lot more out there, but I only have a limited amount of writing time today. Please let me know if I broke any of the links. Feel free to add some of your own favorites in the comments.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Carnival at Nerd Family
The latest Carnival of Homeschooling: Open House is up at the Nerd Family! Please take a moment to read some of the interesting links from other homeschoolers in the blog world!
Monday, November 15, 2010
Home Spun comic strip #550
In hindsight, I probably should have let Marina work on an edible model on her own. The problem was that I was looking at it as more of a history project, while she saw it as an art project. I know I'm not much of a team player when it comes to my art.
These days, it seems like teamwork is all important. I was surprised at how much time is spent working in groups in Marina's and her friends' college classes. While I agree that it is a necessary skill in today's workplace, we should not overlook the value of individual accomplishments. Especially since many "teams" consist of one person doing an inordinate amount of the work while others contribute little or nothing. Sad, but true.
Update for mom and dad: I'm not denying the importance of teamwork, only the lack of balance (as usual). In Marina's words: "It's like, working alone, you're not allowed to do it at all." There is a place for teamwork, but when it comes to more artistic endeavors, there is a certain need for solitude. Dad, guidance, assistance and support are not the same as teamwork. Teamwork, in the sense I am speaking, implies a group working together to solve a problem, research something, critique each other, etc.
In my own opinion, teamwork is used in schools to figure out who the leaders are. Someone (usually the one most interested or concerned about their grades) usually takes control of the group, and if they are a good leader, they delegate and make sure everyone in the group is contributing. If they are a bad leader, they do the project all themselves or just bark out orders. Marina has already shown her talent for leadership, but she also prefers her independence and alone time when she is creating something. I think this is true of many creative people, and we should respect it.
Friday, November 12, 2010
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
If Stress is Normal, Why be Normal?
"Stress is normal."
We've been hearing this a lot lately. Usually from well-meaning family and friends. And to some extent, they are correct. In our society, stress IS normal. It's a part of our everyday life. But why is it normal? And should we accept it?
Let's take a look at the words themselves.
Stress noun
2 a state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or very demanding circumstances:he's obviously under a lot of stress
Oxford Dictionaries Online
Normal adjective
1 conforming to a standard ; usual, typical, or expected:it's quite normal for puppies to bolt their food normal working hours
Oxford Dictionaries Online
Perhaps I'm am being overly simplistic here, but if it is "expected" that the standard for our society is a "state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or very demanding circumstances," I worry about the state of our country.
I think of students experiencing the demands of high stakes testing.
I think of employees working long hours and in fear of losing their jobs.
I think of commuters stuck in traffic for long hours.
Stress may be a normal condition of our life, but that doesn't mean we have to accept it. Stress is not healthy. It puts us in a constant state of fight or flight and pumps adrenaline into our system. The result? Depression, irritability, intolerance, road rage, overeating, lowered immunity, illness, heart attack. I could go on, but hopefully you get my point.
This does not mean that I don't recognize the benefits of stress. I've done some amazing work under the pressure of deadlines. I'm sure there are plenty of people in competitive sports who live for that adrenaline rush. What concerns me is the constant stress we seem to be put under and the seemingly constant message we get that that's how it is, so we should get over it.
I remember clearly the days before my worst asthma attack. I hadn't been sleeping well because I was dealing with a cranky, teething 18 month old. I was working teaching gymnastics at the time and when I opened up about my recent stresses, I almost burst into tears. But the response I received was less than sympathetic. I was berated for my practice of family bed and extended breastfeeding. Obviously any stress in my life was my own fault. If I would just put her in another room and let her cry it out, everything would be fine. By reaching out, I exposed myself to criticism, so I closed into myself again. Days later I would pass out in the ER driveway, gasping for breath.
We all have choices to make in life. Some choices are expected of us, like getting good grades, going to college, or doing well in your chosen profession. Sometimes our choices don't follow the well worn path. But whether the choice is acceptable or not, we should listen when someone says they are stressed. It doesn't mean we have support their choices. I don't expect people outside my homeschooling community to understand my stress and fear of judgment while filling in quarterly reports. I don't judge the mother who is trying to make ends meet while singlehandedly raising a child. Making an unpopular choice should not mean we have relinquished our right to community support. Knowing that stress is normal does not mean that an individual should suffer silently.
My dear readers, next time someone tells you they are overworked and stressing out, listen to them. That simple act of listening is one of the greatest methods of support we can offer.
We've been hearing this a lot lately. Usually from well-meaning family and friends. And to some extent, they are correct. In our society, stress IS normal. It's a part of our everyday life. But why is it normal? And should we accept it?
Let's take a look at the words themselves.
Stress noun
2 a state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or very demanding circumstances:he's obviously under a lot of stress
Oxford Dictionaries Online
Normal adjective
1 conforming to a standard ; usual, typical, or expected:it's quite normal for puppies to bolt their food normal working hours
Oxford Dictionaries Online
Perhaps I'm am being overly simplistic here, but if it is "expected" that the standard for our society is a "state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or very demanding circumstances," I worry about the state of our country.
I think of students experiencing the demands of high stakes testing.
I think of employees working long hours and in fear of losing their jobs.
I think of commuters stuck in traffic for long hours.
Stress may be a normal condition of our life, but that doesn't mean we have to accept it. Stress is not healthy. It puts us in a constant state of fight or flight and pumps adrenaline into our system. The result? Depression, irritability, intolerance, road rage, overeating, lowered immunity, illness, heart attack. I could go on, but hopefully you get my point.
This does not mean that I don't recognize the benefits of stress. I've done some amazing work under the pressure of deadlines. I'm sure there are plenty of people in competitive sports who live for that adrenaline rush. What concerns me is the constant stress we seem to be put under and the seemingly constant message we get that that's how it is, so we should get over it.
I remember clearly the days before my worst asthma attack. I hadn't been sleeping well because I was dealing with a cranky, teething 18 month old. I was working teaching gymnastics at the time and when I opened up about my recent stresses, I almost burst into tears. But the response I received was less than sympathetic. I was berated for my practice of family bed and extended breastfeeding. Obviously any stress in my life was my own fault. If I would just put her in another room and let her cry it out, everything would be fine. By reaching out, I exposed myself to criticism, so I closed into myself again. Days later I would pass out in the ER driveway, gasping for breath.
We all have choices to make in life. Some choices are expected of us, like getting good grades, going to college, or doing well in your chosen profession. Sometimes our choices don't follow the well worn path. But whether the choice is acceptable or not, we should listen when someone says they are stressed. It doesn't mean we have support their choices. I don't expect people outside my homeschooling community to understand my stress and fear of judgment while filling in quarterly reports. I don't judge the mother who is trying to make ends meet while singlehandedly raising a child. Making an unpopular choice should not mean we have relinquished our right to community support. Knowing that stress is normal does not mean that an individual should suffer silently.
My dear readers, next time someone tells you they are overworked and stressing out, listen to them. That simple act of listening is one of the greatest methods of support we can offer.
Monday, November 8, 2010
Friday, November 5, 2010
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Halloween to El Dia de los Muertos
Marina's...
Sierra's (she did two)...
Mine...
The costumes. This year Chase was the dreaded pirate, a character from an online game, and Sierra was Little Red Riding Hood...
We also made sugar skulls for today, El Dia de los Muertos...
Chase's...
Sierra's (she did two)...
Mine...
The costumes. This year Chase was the dreaded pirate, a character from an online game, and Sierra was Little Red Riding Hood...
We also made sugar skulls for today, El Dia de los Muertos...
Happy (Learning) Days
I woke up this morning thinking about Happy Days. Remember Happy Days? Fonzie, Richie, Ralph the Mouth, and Potsie. Potsie was my favorite. Maybe it was because everyone always made fun of him. Maybe because he seemed quieter than the other characters. Maybe I just liked hearing him sing. I don't know. I just had a soft spot for him.
I've come to realize there are a lot of instances in my childhood where I learned valuable lessons that set me on the path to homeschooling and eventually unschooling. Every once in a while, they pop up in my memory, offering me a flash of inspiration. This morning, I was thinking about an episode from when the gang was in college.
Potsie was having trouble in a biology (anatomy?) class. He couldn't remember details of the different systems and the professor taught with threats, belittling and scare tactics. Potsie thought he was too stupid to understand these complex biological systems and questioned whether he should even be in school at all. That's when Fonzie stepped in. Fonzie showed him how to use his gifts to help him in his studies. Potsie passes the big test, but the teacher accuses him of cheating. Fonzie and the class show the teacher how Potsie used his gift of song to pass.
What I love about this episode is that it shows there are many ways to learn subject matter. Potsie couldn't learn in a traditional way, but through his own creativity, he could compose a song to help him remember. I know I always learned best when I could use my artwork in an assignment. Copying a picture and labeling the anatomy of a cricket, illustrating the poetry of Edgar Allen Poe, making a diorama of a California gold prospector (which actually earned me a low grade because I forgot to write about the Gold Rush); activities like these were all interesting to me and I remember them to this day.
Early in homeschooling, I always tried to use my children's interests to help them learn. Whether we built models out of food, sang along to classical music with funny lyrics (Beethoven's Wig and Disney's Silly Classical Songs), or simply incorporated dinosaurs into the curriculum, I tried to help make the subjects relate to my children, instead of making my children relate to the subjects. I'm such a Potsie.
You can see the Pump Your Blood scene here.
I've come to realize there are a lot of instances in my childhood where I learned valuable lessons that set me on the path to homeschooling and eventually unschooling. Every once in a while, they pop up in my memory, offering me a flash of inspiration. This morning, I was thinking about an episode from when the gang was in college.
Potsie was having trouble in a biology (anatomy?) class. He couldn't remember details of the different systems and the professor taught with threats, belittling and scare tactics. Potsie thought he was too stupid to understand these complex biological systems and questioned whether he should even be in school at all. That's when Fonzie stepped in. Fonzie showed him how to use his gifts to help him in his studies. Potsie passes the big test, but the teacher accuses him of cheating. Fonzie and the class show the teacher how Potsie used his gift of song to pass.
What I love about this episode is that it shows there are many ways to learn subject matter. Potsie couldn't learn in a traditional way, but through his own creativity, he could compose a song to help him remember. I know I always learned best when I could use my artwork in an assignment. Copying a picture and labeling the anatomy of a cricket, illustrating the poetry of Edgar Allen Poe, making a diorama of a California gold prospector (which actually earned me a low grade because I forgot to write about the Gold Rush); activities like these were all interesting to me and I remember them to this day.
Early in homeschooling, I always tried to use my children's interests to help them learn. Whether we built models out of food, sang along to classical music with funny lyrics (Beethoven's Wig and Disney's Silly Classical Songs), or simply incorporated dinosaurs into the curriculum, I tried to help make the subjects relate to my children, instead of making my children relate to the subjects. I'm such a Potsie.
You can see the Pump Your Blood scene here.
Monday, November 1, 2010
The November Carnival of Unschooled Life is Up!
The November 2010 edition of the Carnival of Unschooled Life is happening right now at The Expanding Life! If you are an unschooler or interested in unschooling, have a look at this months links for some inspiration!
Home Spun reprints #287: Don't Forget to Vote!
I'm posting some reprints this week because last week got away from me and I'm still trying to catch it.
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