The best language arts lesson ever

in my opinion!

We are finally starting to learn the ways and methods that Charlotte Mason so strongly promoted over a hundred years ago. In doing so, we came across Intermediate Language Lessons by Emma Serl. Wow!

First I must say that this is a curriculum (can you call it that?) that I would have never envisioned myself using a year ago, or even when we first started homeschooling. But, thank you Jesus, I have caught Your vision for our family and how we should be homeschooling.

My oldest son is a talker and a thinker. He LOVES interacting with me and our whole family. He's so stinkin' smart and yet he was really struggling with Language Arts at times. Not because he didn't understand it, necessarily, but because he was reading the how-tos on a piece of paper and wasn't interacting with the creator of the workbook. He was learning grammar - and lots of it, but there isn't a whole lot of thinking when it comes to grammar - let's be honest. I think he was feeling bogged down with all the nuts and bolts of the lesson instead of actually learning.

I bought the book used on Amazon and gave it a shot. It cost us less than $10, so I thought "it won't be a total loss if it doesn't work." I even started it reluctantly because I just thought it couldn't be that easy. Many of the ladies on the MFW group were saying that they did much of the lessons orally - this would be a DREAM to my son, who just really hates handwriting.

So, we began....

We aren't turning back. He's in 6th grade and when we finish this school year, he'll be moving onto the nuts and bolts stuff in a better laid out manner - a recommendation from MFW. But, I can honestly say that I will miss these lessons with him.

Just to give you an idea of some of the things that we have done in the past couple of weeks:

We have conversed over the hows and whys of homeschooling - who pays for it, what the jobs of us as his parents are in our homeschool, how things work in our homeschool, etc. The lesson suggestion was to do this about the school, but it was written in something like 1913, so we adapted. The questions were all there for me to ask him and he had to answer in complete thoughts.

Today we had a debate!! A real debate along with outlines that each of us made. The debatable statement was something to the effect of "A girl or boy is better prepared for business work if they graduate with a high school education than if they just completed the elementary courses and started working." He took the affirmative and I the negative. Daddy (Big P) (the Principal) had to evaluate who had the better argument. We both learned a ton. I learned a lot from him and we had a great conversation in the meantime.

ooh, ooh, I almost forgot (editing is wonderful!)... one day we did a picture study on The Gleaners. This is where you look over a piece of art work or picture and you study it and ask yourself or answer questions about the picture in order to really understand what the artist was really trying to portray in the piece. Great conversation skills in this, looking for detail, thinking, being descriptive - all of these are essential for writing well.

It was really absolutely wonderful. P.9.G. is begging to start these lessons. This book goes from 4th to 6th grade, so she will be starting with our new school year. I'm sure that she'll know LOTS of the mechanics of grammar that are in the book, but we will be able to learn so much together as we interact in this very special way - learning.

I'm teaching my children to be thinkers and how to learn. They aren't memorizing things for a test and promptly dumping the information.

Oh, we have also gone onto narration. Wow - what a concept!! We will be starting copywork soon - this method is from the Bible! Who would have thought? I'm sure I'm one of the last people on this wagon, but boy am I glad to have finally made the switch in thinking and in doing.

I know that we have learned a lot. Even though there are times when I think "I can't do this anymore", I know that God keeps me going. Even when there are times that I really blow it, God keeps me going and humbles me through it all. And my sweet DH is so precious to go with the flow of my whims. I'm stuck on this Charlotte Mason thing, though. I believe that it is and is going to meet the educational needs and learning styles of my children.

Best of all, I'm learning to relax through it all. I did say learning! Relaxing is very hard for me to do....

In Christ,
Christine

Busy day...

Wow - I feel like I accomplished a lot today. yeah!!

1. Took children (2, 4, & 5) with me to laundry mat to strip cloth diapers.
2. While waiting on the diapers at the laundry mat, went to library. Didn't have card with me so asked them to hold our books until tomorrow.
3. Came home and started lunch.
4. While I was making lunch C.12.B. was mowing lawn, Big P was hanging the wet, clean diapers on the fence line for sun bleaching. This is one of the final steps in preparation to sell them all.
5. Had delicious lunch.
6. After lunch we started schoolwork. Big ones did independent work while I nursed A.2m.B. B.5.B. watched movie for quiet time and fell asleep on couch.
7. Cleaned out most of front entry.
8. Did Intermediate Language Lessons with C.12.B. P.9.G. is BEGGING to start this. Soon, deary, very soon!
   
9. Did science (yeah for Apologia Elementary).
10. Made and ate dinner while watching Creatures that Defy Evolution.
    
11. Trained dog with P.9.G.
12. Got diapers off line.
13. Exercised with Walk Off the Pounds DVD.
    
14. Shop vac'd up 2 gallons of water from the bathroom floor.
15. Put boys to bed.
16. Helped C.12.B. find owner's manual online for the lawnmower he is going to use to start his small engine repair instruction through 4-H.
17. Helped C.12.B. fix up his blog a bit and edit a post.

going to bed to read for a bit and SNOOZE! Tomorrow is errand/grocery/chick-fil-a day, so have to get an early start.

In Him,
Christine

Homeschool Curriculum For Sale

I accept paypal or check (have to wait for check to clear). Please email me at inhisgrip@embarqmail.com if you are interested. I’m willing to make a deal for purchasing multiple items.

Christian Light Education (CLE) stuff – all are Sunrise edition -

Math 5 – Complete Set – Brand New - $25 ppd

Language Arts 4 – $16 ppd

**Includes: Teacher’s Guidebook, Answer Keys, LUs 406-410 unmarked

Reading 6 – $14 ppd

**Includes: Teacher’s Guidebook, Answer Key, LUs 604, 605 unmarked, Calls to Courage (great condition)

Social Studies 3 – $13.50 ppd

**Includes: Teacher’s Guidebook w/ answer keys, LU 305-306, Living Together on God’s Earth (good condition, with some shelf wear on cover and binding)

Scope and Sequence set – brand new in package - $3ppd

Homeschool Handbook – great condition - $15ppd

Other Homeschool stuff:

The Home School Organizer by Gregg Harris - $20ppd

Great condition. One page in back that needs reinforcements.

My Meez

Isn't this fun?!

we LOVE camping and I usually do the hairbrush/singing thing at home with my children - not out at the state park, but you get the idea. :)

And the winner is....

Abiding Joy! Hubby did a random number pick. Congratulations KB! You can check out Abiding Joy's blog at http://covereddaughtersofsarah.blogspot.com.

KB, I'll have Nancy Baetz email the copy of your book to you. Congrats. Hoping that it helps you to cut Visionary Jr. and Commando Jr.'s hair. :)

Blessings in Christ,
Christine

Freebie!!! Giveaway!!

Don't know what else you would call this! I've exhausted all the things I can think of.

Anywho, Nancy Baetz, Author of Haircuts for Little Men, has so graciously offered to let me give away a free copy of her book!

Here's how it will work.

I don't have any fancy clickable box to put up or even the time (let along knowledge) to create something like that. So, this will have to do! :)

1. Leave a comment on my most recent post - LittleBit Mama's Barbershop. Try to be nice! LOL

2. Post a link to my blog on your blog.

3. Email me (inhisgrip@embarqmail.com) that you did so and include the link to your blog.

4. I will compile all the entries and randomly pick someone to be the grand recipient of this wonderful little book! I'll do the drawing on Saturday evening (the 21st) at 7pm.

This should be fun as it is my first opportunity to do something like this.

Blessings in Christ,
Christine

Littlebit Mama's Barbershop

I believe it was on my previous blog at homeschoolblogger that I posted pictures of a haircut that I have little "L". Well, that was sort of a "wing it" kind of a thing.

I'm now learning how to cut my boys' hair!! Last night I picked up a pair of haircutting shears at Walmart. I then got Nancy Baetz's ebook "Haircuts for Little Men". You can pick up your copy through this link for a discount. I read through the instructions, washed their hair, and went to work (at our kitchen table, of course!). Wow!! What a great book! Very well done!!

Below are the results of which I am very happy with. I did B.4.B's first, because he needed a haircut the worst. I cut it a little shorter than I like, but it will be grown out again in 2 weeks - no prob. Like Nancy mentions in the book, and like I have always believed - Hair grows back! I remember when P.9.G. cut her hair. I think she was 2 or so. Most of my friends and family were having conniption fits, but not me! It grows back!!! L.2.B. was very fidgety, but we got it done. Practice makes perfect, or progress at the very least. I'm looking forward to saving some buckage in this area. C.12.B. even said that he would let me cut his!! P.9.G. is getting her bangs cut by Mama in the morning. :)

For descriptions on the pics, click the picture then click notes.