Scheduled/planned learning versus Natural Learning

I have found that the longer I homeschool the more aware I become of the natural learning moments that come up and it's caused me to question as to which type of learning is more effect - the scheduled/planned learning or the natural learning.

I didn't really have anything in particular planned for little one's learning today.  Her Dad is still off and she likes spending time with him and often doesn't get to spend a lot of time with him so I'm letting her make the most of this time.  We'll catch up on the planned learning later.  In the meantime, I'm sure that she's learning lots while she's following him around all day.  On top of that, I make the most of the moments that she does come spend with me during the day.

Little one loves to read - well, she loves being read to because she's not actually reading on her own yet.  At one point today she came to me and asked me to read her a book.  We make regular visits to the library and always have a big batch of books on hand. 

The book that little one chose for me to read to her today - I always let her choose which books to read - was Brave Highland Heart by Heather Kellerhals-Stewart, with illustrations by Werner Zimmermann.  What a lovely book!  The illustrations and writing seemed to engulf us today as we took our time and read through the book discussing different things that came up while we read. 

The book is about a little girl who wants to stay up and celebrate the ceilidh with her family.  We talked about the bag pipes featured in the story and about the kilts.  This led us to decide that once we finished reading the book we would search on youtube for videos where we could listen to the bagpipes and see the people dressed in the traditional dress and doing the traditional dances.

This has become a ritual for us lately.  Something in a book that we've read sends us searching the internet for more information and we've traveled some amazing bunny trails of learning.  Little one loves it, and so do I.

Aside from our internet search, we also checked out her inflatable globe that we have sitting at the top of our watercooler and I pointed out to her where Scotland was and what continent it was on.  Of course we also talked about where it was in relation to where we live.

While we were reading I also took the time to explain to her the meanings of words that were new to her and pointed out to her words that she is starting to recognize and asked her to help me sound out some others that I knew would be easy for her.

Later tonight, just before bedtime, she came to me asking me to read to her again.  This time the book that she chose was Beach Ball by Peter Sis.  Though this is a book of few words we found ourselves lingering over the pages and we only made it through the first few pages before our reading time was up.  She begged for more but I promised we'd come back to the book tomorrow.

This book is one of those books where you search the pages for all that things that are hidden in them.  I'm not usually a big fan of those books but I like this one. 

One of the spreads that we did manage to get through tonight had us searching for things that began with the different letters of the alphabet.  Unbeknownst to little one while we were doing this I was checking out to see if she recognized the letters and the sounds that each of the letters made.  I wasn't the least bit surprised to discover that she did. 

Another spread had us looking for things of different colors and patterns.  Once again, unbeknownst to her I was checking to be sure that she recognized and could name the different colors and types of patterns.  Once again I wasn't surprised to discover that she could. 

The next page had us looking for numbers of things and of course once again I was taking advantage of the chance to see if she recognized the numerals and could estimate the number of items and then check by counting.  Once again no problem. 

And we had so much fun as we went through all this.  We're looking forward to doing the shapes, opposites, and animal pages tomorrow.

So, while there wasn't any scheduled/planned learning for today, it doesn't mean that learning didn't take place.  There was lots of natural learning taking place and I sometimes wonder if that kind of learning doesn't have a more lasting impact than the scheduled/planned learning.

That's what's on my mind today.

First Day of School

Today could have been little one's first day of school.  It felt kind of weird to read all the facebook statuses about how sad or excited everyone was to be sending their kids to school.  It made me glad that I got to sit and cuddle with my little one as we continued the natural learning processes that we have been doing since the beginning.

That's what's on my mind today.

I love playing with information!

I've recently taken on the job of updating membership information for our provincial homeschool association and I am having so much fun doing it!

DH had the day off today and little one announced that she had to help Daddy so she spent the day with him and I enjoyed playing with information.  I inputted a bunch of stuff into a master spreadsheet so that I could see what we were missing.  I then made a number of information specific spreadsheets from the master spreadsheet so that we could more clearly see how we were doing in certain areas.  It really was a lot of fun.  Then I sent out a bunch of emails requesting updates for information we were missing and I got so excited when replies started coming in.

I can't wait to play with the information some more.  I know I'm weird.  :)

That's what's on my mind today.

Changing Focus Yet Again

I can't ever seem to settle on a focus for my blog, but then again, right in the heading I say that "this is a place for me to share whatever happens to be on my mind at the moment".  My mind changes it's focus often, and that's not necessarily a bad thing, so that would explain why the focus of the blog changes so much.  I'm going to stop worrying about finding one particular focus and I'm just going to do what my heading says I planned to do in the beginning, use this place to share what happens to be on my mind at the moment.

What happens to be on my mind right now is homeschooling, though I really hate that term.  Maybe that's a blog post for another time.

My baby is 4, turning 5 in November.  Everyone is always commenting to her about her starting school this year.  It drives me crazy!  And it's causing some confusion for her.

In our province children can be enrolled in a public school in the year that they turn 5, so that would be this year for my little one.  You are not actually required by law to register a child for school until the year they turn 6, and even then there is always the option of homeschooling.  An option that we took advantage of for our 3 older children, who are all now over the age of compulsory education and are in the workforce.

Why would everyone just assume that I am going do anything different this time around?

Maybe part of the reason is because, well, I am older.  I had my baby when I was over 40 so if I continue to homeschool her right until she is past compulsory school age I will be homeschooling until I am almost 60.  That does sound old but I think there are at least some older teachers in the public school system.

Maybe part of the reason is because little one is, in a way, like an only child.  All her siblings are basically young adults and she has nobody close to her own age to interact with in our home.  It's the old "socialization" concern again.

Either way, I wish they would stop, but I know they won't.

In the meantime I am gearing up and starting to get excited about starting over again.

Finished Day One of the B90 Challenge!

It's my third time reading this particular portion of Genesis since January 2010.  :)

I had started a Bible reading plan at the beginning of the year and had read all of Genesis, as well as other books.  I did real good with that plan until about April.  I had been doing my Bible reading online and I started having computer troubles and that's when I started to fall behind.

Then, in April I got a new Bible, because my old one was worn out and falling apart and I was afraid to take it out in public for fear of losing pages.  When I got my new Bible I decided that the first thing I wanted to do was read the Bible from cover to cover.  I wasn't following any particular reading plan.  I was instead just reading along, starting from the beginning.  I had made it as far as Exodus 11.  I really wasn't as consistent in my Bible reading as I would have liked.

When I read Life as Mom's post yesterday about the Bible in 90 Days Challenge that was starting today I was intrigued.  I had read about the 90 challenge before and was tempted to try it before but I resisted the temptation.  This time, however, I gave in.  :)  I really liked what she said about wanting to do the challenge because she wanted to spend more time with Jesus and get to know Him better.  That resonated in my spirit.  My time with Jesus has been sadly lacking lately and I decided it was time to do something about it and I figured this challenge would help.  When I popped over to read Mom's Toolbox's post about where this challenge originated I was sold.

I printed off the schedule this morning and started in to read.  I was in the house alone so I started reading out loud, and I really liked that.  I've decided to try to do most of the reading out loud in my house if possible.  It just feels good to have the word actually spoken in my house.  I read for a bit this morning and finished it off this evening.  I even read one extra chapter thinking that it was part of the prescribed reading for today.  So, I'm ready to start with Genesis 18 tomorrow.

Read Your Bible in 90 Days

I just signed up for a Read Your Bible in 90 Days Challenge.  You can read all about it here - http://www.momstoolbox.com/blog/2010/04/05/bible-in-90-days-sign-up-for-the-july-2010-edition/ .  My Bible reading has been haphazard for a while now and I'm hoping this will get me on track again.

It's Bloggiesta time again!

It's been over a month since I posted here.  I kinda got in a slump, but....I'm really hoping that participating in the 3rd Edition of the Bloggiesta this weekend will break me out of that slump.  I completely missed the first bloggiesta but I did manage to participate in the second one and I learned alot while participating.  I'm hoping for the same this time around.  If you are interested in learning more about blogging and getting ideas for things to do with your blog, be sure to check out the Bloggiesta, and let me know that you do.  Now to go find some Mexican treats to enjoy during the party  ....    :)  

If it's not lapbook trouble it's modem trouble!

Been missing posting partly due to modem trouble.  I finally got the laptop up and running again and I started having trouble with my internet connection.  It was coming and going.  DH blamed it on my daughter's new mac but I was convinced it was the modem.  Turns out I was right. :)  Things finally seem to be straightened out.  Sure hope it stays that way.

Happy Scrapbooking Day!

I miss scrapping.  It's been a long time.  I don't know if, or when, I'll ever pick it up again.  I love it, but I don't have the time, space, or money for it.  Most of the time I don't think about it much, but once in a while it strikes me, and today is one of those days.  The first Saturday in May is known as National Scrapbooking Day.

I've had a lot of fun during National Scrapbooking Day in years past.  I think the most fun was the year I was in to digital scrapbooking and I celebrated the day with Digitals and 3Scrapateers.  Every NSD I'm tempted to visit those sites and play again.

I'll miss my laptop tonight

I've been banned from it for the night.  My eldest son and eldest daughter have booked a hotel room for DH and I for the night, with a couple of stipulations, I'm not allowed to take my laptop and he's not allowed to take any fire department work.  Seeing as the playoffs are on, I think they should have added another stipulation - no hockey.  I'm trying to decide if I'll add that stipulation myself or just take a book to read while the game is on.  Hmmmmm.....

When your children ask...tell them

These words, taken from a passage in Joshua, sum up my philosophy of parenting and teaching - when they ask, tell them.

I remember being struck by these words years ago and I was reminded of it again tonight as our pastor's message was taken from Joshua 4.  In the passage, God divides the Jordon river so that the Israelites can cross to the other side on dry land, but He gives special instructions for them to do something while the river is divided.  He tells them to collect stones from the middle of the river bed and to use them to erect a memorial so that when their children ask about it they can tell them about the miracle of the dividing of the Jordon.   I think it is a lesson in the importance of handing down the stories of our faith and walk with God and how "memorial stones" or items can spark our children's curiosity to ask and remind us to tell.

I've taken the words, even further, however, and I've used them as the basis of parenting and teaching my little one.  I haven't set up a structured learning plan for her yet, but I have followed her leading, while at times putting things in her path to see if she wants to explore them.  When she asks questions, I answer them as best I can and try to expand on her curiosity to make the most of her interest, but I stop when the interest is gone.  This method has been working quite well with her so far.

Blech! I hate hockey play-offs

For quite some time now I have been enjoying some peace and quiet and time to myself rather late at night when everyone else is gone to bed.  Lately, however, my time to myself has been interrupted.  I hate it!  There was a time when I loved to watch hockey, but that was over 20 years ago before I married a man that lived and breathed hockey.  Before long I become totally sick off it.  Even then, for many years I still liked to watch the playoffs, but finally there came a point when I couldn't tolerate hockey at all.  This year it seems worse than ever to me.  I really hate it!  It make it that much worse now because it's cutting into my time to myself.  The over time lately is really, really making me want to scream!  I can't wait for it all to be over and done with.  Hence my six words for this Saturday

Hockey play-offs are wrecking my routine!

By the Rivers of Brooklyn by Trudy Morgan-Cole

The first book I read by Trudy Morgan-Cole was Esther: A Story or Courage and I absolutely loved it.  By the Rivers of Brooklyn is only the second book by her that I've read, and while it is nothing like the first, I thoroughly enjoyed it too.

I am a big fan of historical fiction, and, being a proud Newfoundlander, I especially like finding a good historical fiction book that is based in Newfoundland, or about Newfoundlanders.  In By the Rivers of Brooklyn, Trudy Morgan Cole tells the story of three generations with Newfoundland roots, starting in 1924.  The story concentrates mainly on the women, with the men being mostly in the background.  It tells about how many family members had to leave Newfoundland for work and how some never did come back to stay.

The story starts with a girl searching for the illusive trunk in the attic that holds information about her family history.  I think it's something we all do in one way or another.  She never does find the "trunk" but there is a scene near the end of the book that does tie back to the opening scene in a really neat way.

Though totally different from the first book I read by Trudy Morgan Cole, this book, like the first, has left me wanting to read more of her work.

Today is the Launch of the Get To Know Contest

All children/youth ages 19 and under are invited to submit art, writing and photography to the Robert Bateman 2010 Get to Know Contest.  Check out the official Get to Know Contest rules page for information about the prizes and guidelines as to what is expected.  For inspiration and ideas, check out the past winners of the Get to Know Contest.

The idea of the contest is to get the kids outdoors exploring and learning about the world around them.  They have until the 28th of May to submit entries and they can submit as many entries as they like.  So take advantage of the nice days for the next month and a bit and get out and "Get to Know" the amazing world around you.

Today our local homeschool support group went on a hike and I introduced the contest to the children/youth and they set to work right away.  I'm looking forward to seeing what they come up with.

I'd love to hear from you if you decide to join in the fun.

God Let's You Choose Your Own Adventure

I had a thought today.  Psalm 139 is one of my favorite chapters in the Bible and the last part of verse 16 is one of my favorite verses.  It says, "All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be."  I've always loved that thought.  Before I was born, God wrote the story of my life.  He had it all planned out for me.  One thing I never really understood, however, is how to reconcile that thought with the fact that God has also granted me free will to make choices in my life.  The way I've always reconciled it was to think that God knew me so well He knew which choices I was going to make, so that's how He could write the story of my life before I even started to live.  Today, however, I had another thought.

A nice while back I heard about these Choose Your Own Adventure books where the reading could determine what happened in the story by making choices along the way.  Now, I have to admit that I have never really seen one of these books.  What I've heard and read is that at certain points in the book the reader is asked to make a choice between a couple of ways that the story can proceed and, depending on the choice they make, to turn to certain pages in the book to continue.  The choice they made would determine what happened in the story.

I have always been fascinated with the "if..then" statements in the Bible.  Some great examples can be found in Deuteronomy 11:13-17.  God sets before His people a couple of different paths they can take and tells them the results of each path, and the results are quite different, depending on the choice they make.

My thought today was that maybe when God wrote the story of my life, He wrote it like a Choose Your Own Adventure book.  He gives me choices to make along the way.  The choices I make determine how the story goes.  But He doesn't leave me stumbling along not knowing which way to go.  He provides direction, but it's up to me whether I follow His directions or not.  That's doesn't mean that every path leads to the same ending.  It doesn't.  The ending is determined by the choices I make.  I must choose carefully.

Fun, Colourful Newfoundland Art

 A day or so ago I came across The Grumpy Goat Gallery blog and I spent a lot of time checking out the fun, colourful artwork displayed on it.  Go take a look.  Be sure to read some of the blog posts, too.  They are quite entertaining. The blog, and artwork, is the work of two artists living in Upper Island Cove, Newfoundland and on their blog they extend an open invitation to all to drop by their studio.  How I would love to do that!  Maybe some day.  For now I have to be content with a virtual visit via their blog.

I came across their blog thanks to the Newfoundland and Labrador Blogroll, another site which I very recently discovered.  Being the proud Newfoundland that I am I had to add the blogroll to my reader so that I could discover other Newfoundland blogs to boast about.  The blogroll has a blog of the week feature and I can't wait to see which great Newfoundland blog will be featured next week!

I Don't Like that She Reminds Me of Me

Have you ever seen yourself in a character in a book you read?  That's what's happened to me, and I'm not happy about it.  I don't like this character.  She's a good woman that's been dealt a hard hand in life.  She tries to make the best of it but she makes some big mistakes.  She tries, really tries, to make things right but reaches a point where she doesn't want to try any more.  She becomes bitter and unhappy and she doesn't realize how much it affects those she loves.  I don't want to be like her, but I am.  Is it too late to change?  Can I make up for the damage I've caused?

Straight Out of the Camera

Here's the photo that I used in the banner I created.  This is what it looks like straight out of the camera.

As you can  see, there's isn't much colour in it but I wanted a black and white, with shades of gray colour, scheme for my blog so I totally striped it of all colour before using it in the banner.

post inspired by

Can't wait!

Less than a month before conference!

No more snow...

... at least on my blog, but there was plenty outside my window when I got up this morning.  Blech!  It was snowing and blowing most of the day.  The snow seems to be disappearing fast, though, and I'm hoping we don't get any more.  I'm also happy to finally have managed to clean the snow flakes off my blog.

Here's what it used to look like:

It was a great look for the winter but winter is over, at least it's supposed to be.  :)

I did a lot of playing around with my blog today.  I just couldn't get a background that I like but I'm finally satisfied.  Having said that, however, I don't know how long I will keep this look.  It's okay for now but I might want something more summery for summer.  We'll see.

I created the blog banner using a photo I took a while ago while little one and I were checking out our favorite summer haunt.  The sun was starting to go down and it looked so nice.  While playing around in my graphics program I discovered the tree graphic and thought it went well with the picture.  I used it in the banner and also in the background.  I decided to make the trees white in the background graphic to contrast the tree in the banner and also because the silver birch tree is my favorite tree.  I created a number of different background graphics before I finally settled on one that satisfied me.

So, what do you think?