tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20885721318135641812024-02-22T09:41:07.222-08:00the organic learning projectReal learning is a process of discovery, and if we want it to happen, we must create the kinds of conditions in which discoveries are made. We know what these are. They include time, leisure, freedom, and lack of pressure. - John Holtsusanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18193533967105091516noreply@blogger.comBlogger34125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2088572131813564181.post-35287051961774189912009-10-19T09:30:00.000-07:002009-10-19T09:37:57.065-07:00Read ThisHere's a link to a wonderful post about homeschooling and unschooling, about structure and habits and how it can all fit together. So thoughtfully and beautifully written. <br /><br /><a href="http://patriciazaballos.com/2009/10/14/the-homeschooling-habit/">The Homeschooling Habit </a>at the wonder farm.susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18193533967105091516noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2088572131813564181.post-63436049018258776042009-10-19T08:44:00.000-07:002009-10-19T09:00:07.636-07:00Bookmaking with Kids<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-0k1RK00362ffzKGUS_NZnxTzClFriqKLxZfZ2Ztb7uwaNuUiIF7a54mhGbk-Gz9pJrfcay3NSEnMpeDssX959E2IYHhoD4eA3-zz2qOeMFR9lNQhmgv7YdAvdjPWMPziGhV0mzg-2ow/s1600-h/how+to+make+books.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-0k1RK00362ffzKGUS_NZnxTzClFriqKLxZfZ2Ztb7uwaNuUiIF7a54mhGbk-Gz9pJrfcay3NSEnMpeDssX959E2IYHhoD4eA3-zz2qOeMFR9lNQhmgv7YdAvdjPWMPziGhV0mzg-2ow/s400/how+to+make+books.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394339966664711906" /></a><br /><br />Since I first learned how to write, I've always been interested in making books. In fact I still have some of my earliest projects. But with all the busyness of life, I've kind of forgotten about the possibilities for making books with my own kids -- until I found this site. Just take a look around. You'll love it, you'll be inspired, and you'll come away with lots of ideas to use with your kids or whole family.I can't wait to get started!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.bookmakingwithkids.com/index.php">Bookmaking with Kids: For the Love of Reading, Writing & Art</a>susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18193533967105091516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2088572131813564181.post-86607775060682541032009-09-30T08:09:00.000-07:002009-09-30T08:39:57.358-07:00Adventures of Riley<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitS_W4xTQ28EjsF4LCOTtmdLR1rvGbHZyYs9EvphLcWl4tRBzLgObG-Gu0QNnyGXB9HtBXK_7AzEGzQxH-kqPqu71QZWI6EluLn0o_9GXLlMKjwQS7O4EU4BfBdrNoGcNr7qH9CcXNOWk/s1600-h/adventures+of+riley.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387278808995625762" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitS_W4xTQ28EjsF4LCOTtmdLR1rvGbHZyYs9EvphLcWl4tRBzLgObG-Gu0QNnyGXB9HtBXK_7AzEGzQxH-kqPqu71QZWI6EluLn0o_9GXLlMKjwQS7O4EU4BfBdrNoGcNr7qH9CcXNOWk/s400/adventures+of+riley.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Here's my latest favorite easy non-fiction series: <a href="http://www.adventuresofriley.com/">Adventures of Riley</a>. This series takes you all over the world exploring different environments and touching on various environmental issues like the bleaching of coral reefs or the shrinking rain forests and talking about how you can make a difference. The stories are fun and it's an easy way for me to talk about different places and issues with my 4 and 5 year old. Plus, I love the pictures! Each page is a blend of photos <em>and </em>drawings so you see the real place or real animals along with the fictional characters and their adventures.susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18193533967105091516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2088572131813564181.post-90558400889812612832009-09-19T08:37:00.000-07:002009-09-19T08:46:21.630-07:00My New Planner!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDhBGgE4s5x4Of2s4xr9_3zBCXJqrgY9XECPwpTPk3wHVRed8suge3vt-rlXHe5FO9-xU4vOugF42pvwsiImRp0V7xC_SVkxlBkciJxmqX7PpfvA_SLlqiL2_UewwbxLXLJ4hMRseoLDk/s1600-h/busy+body+book.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 138px; height: 182px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDhBGgE4s5x4Of2s4xr9_3zBCXJqrgY9XECPwpTPk3wHVRed8suge3vt-rlXHe5FO9-xU4vOugF42pvwsiImRp0V7xC_SVkxlBkciJxmqX7PpfvA_SLlqiL2_UewwbxLXLJ4hMRseoLDk/s400/busy+body+book.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383205283347851874" /></a><br />Before I forget, I wanted to show you my new family planner. It just came in the mail yesterday and I already have it penciled up! It's called the BusyBodyBook and I love it! There's a two page spread for each week divided into three sections: "ToDoodles" which is just open space, a check-off list, and then a gridded section for planning activities or just general calendaring. Plus it's got pockets, calendars, a dates to remember section for birthdays etc..., tear out note paper, and it's cute to boot! Take a look for yourself! <a href="http://www.busybodybook.com/index.html">BusyBodyBook</a>.susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18193533967105091516noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2088572131813564181.post-53097487072412751052009-09-19T08:31:00.000-07:002009-09-19T08:37:29.439-07:00It's Getting Better!And just when I was feeling a little discouraged, it's all turned around with Beck and now he's <span style="font-style:italic;">asking</span> for his little learning sessions with us. I'm delighted, of course, since this is what I love. I love seeing his confidence build, I love seeing him gain skills, I love all the fun materials, and I love having this one-on-one time with Beck.susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18193533967105091516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2088572131813564181.post-89200715416171093742009-09-15T07:59:00.000-07:002009-09-15T08:39:52.164-07:00It's OfficialWell. The school year officially started so we've also "officially" started with homeschooling. Official means that I now have a Partners in Education discount card at the University Book Store for 20% off on all purchases <span style="font-style:italic;">and</span> we've started some more formal structured learning with Beck. <br /><br />The truth is, it hasn't gone that well. Beck seems reluctant to try anything new - like holding a pencil correctly, for example. And it's been hard for me to figure out where I stand exactly on all of this. Part of me thinks we should just wait until he's asking to learn these basics and part of me thinks there isn't anything wrong with working together for a short time each day to practice some of these foundational skills. I guess we'll work it out as time goes on.<br /><br />And the other part of our official start is that we're trying to do at least one activity a week with the Seattle Homeschool Group. We joined last spring and get the newsletter each month, but until now we haven't done much with the group. So last week we tried the "Not Back to School Picnic" which was a large and well attended gathering. Too large, really, if you ask me. We didn't connect with anyone and I just didn't have the energy to chase Ember, keep my eye on the boys, <span style="font-style:italic;">and</span> walk up to complete strangers to introduce myself. <br /><br />Yesterday we had more success. We went on a "Smallfolks Ramble" - a short hike in one of the nearby parks. There were only a handful of families and we all got a chance to mingle and chat along the trail. Plus the boys had a blast. Beck ran down the trail full tilt with another boy and Yogi plodded along in the middle of the pack with another 4 year old boy. They held hands most of the way. It was very cute!susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18193533967105091516noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2088572131813564181.post-3919812861724840622009-09-03T08:46:00.000-07:002009-09-03T08:51:26.298-07:00KindergartenAnd <a href="http://www.boston.com/news/education/higher/articles/2009/08/30/pressure_cooker_kindergarten/?page=1">here</a> you can read about some of the many reasons we are not sending our kids to kindergarten.<br /><br />From the article "Pressure-Cooker Kindergarten" in the Boston Globe<br /><br />"Meanwhile, more and more children are “failing” kindergarten, according to the Alliance for Childhood report -- and missing out on the kind of early schooling that does help develop 5-year-old minds. Winifred Hagan is a former kindergarten teacher and a vice president at the Cayl Institute in Cambridge, a nonprofit that sponsors conferences for principals and fellowships for the study of early childhood education. She worries that vulnerable kids are being sent down a path to failure inside a system that was created to meet purely political goals. “Kids are spending hours of their day sitting with pencils and tracing dotted lines,” she says. “And we call that education? We are kidding ourselves.”susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18193533967105091516noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2088572131813564181.post-12917618879188911642009-08-31T09:43:00.000-07:002009-08-31T09:45:29.907-07:00Not the best way to start with homeschoolingHere's what I found when I tried to put some books on hold just now:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWAUSgQ0bC96Z21we0pjgE-Xk7wj5QH26qo8NhCWuYCJkHFjxLB3ZfWEVPMf0K0LERfKjD5icDYDEQlj8sS294z3RBLhuOrsbEOO-QQXpfDaxWx7of86lcw2DByW_iZeAE1PDwULoxBQE/s1600-h/library+is+closed.gif"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 88px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWAUSgQ0bC96Z21we0pjgE-Xk7wj5QH26qo8NhCWuYCJkHFjxLB3ZfWEVPMf0K0LERfKjD5icDYDEQlj8sS294z3RBLhuOrsbEOO-QQXpfDaxWx7of86lcw2DByW_iZeAE1PDwULoxBQE/s400/library+is+closed.gif" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376169534871327858" /></a>susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18193533967105091516noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2088572131813564181.post-64839022877734237502009-08-31T08:56:00.001-07:002009-09-01T22:11:19.490-07:00Getting Started<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgytcULYAt1ZVfSourNZ-BxQRlQBXagAW8OEUluC9n5NTB75gYjh3b1Z8GfWKW_yXzwCzN0tLIBQCSjCl_VcHRAZkzoAA8KcAotSzpP2rNWWf7jLw7ALD03n0u0CeGVOHFIQ11PPHT2-hc/s1600-h/crossing+the+finish+line.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 86px; height: 129px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgytcULYAt1ZVfSourNZ-BxQRlQBXagAW8OEUluC9n5NTB75gYjh3b1Z8GfWKW_yXzwCzN0tLIBQCSjCl_VcHRAZkzoAA8KcAotSzpP2rNWWf7jLw7ALD03n0u0CeGVOHFIQ11PPHT2-hc/s400/crossing+the+finish+line.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376166736717681474" /></a><br />Well, here we are: the last hot breaths of summer and in the next week or so all of my original mom friends have their oldest starting kindergarten. I keep flashing to this vision of all of us in track suits, arms high in the air celebrating our victory as we cross the finish line...We made it! And even though we're homeschooling I still have a little of that feeling, the feeling of crossing the threshold into a whole different phase. And I'm excited! I feel this awesome sense of relief knowing that I don't have to send Beck away and I love gathering up all my supplies and ideas and preparing our space downstairs as our workshop. I just can't help it. It's the teacher in me that likes all this stuff.<br /><br />And I'm not sure how much we'll use it or how structured we'll end up being, but I have purchased some curriculum. Both boys expressed an interest in a math "workbook" so after reading a lot of reviews and comparing options I bought the beginning level of <a href="http://www.mathmammoth.com/">Math Mammoth</a>. We also have a lot of manipulatives and I'm trying to gather together lots of different games where we can play with numbers.<br /><br />I ordered the beginning package of <a href="http://www.hwtears.com/">Handwriting Without Tears</a>. And I'm looking into some options for reading. Of course we read all the time and talk about words and letters, but Beck wants to R.E.A.D. so I'm going to do what I can to help him along the way. <br /><br />Does this sound too much like "school at home"? I met some other homeschooling moms the other day who said they started out with a lot more structure than they ended up having. All I can say is that we're learning as we go.susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18193533967105091516noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2088572131813564181.post-43033161574687391452009-08-27T09:39:00.000-07:002009-08-27T09:52:08.991-07:00A Space for Children<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoS2YjKB0Cac3rX0cfL2uwQpw-PTRfFSD9opUPiN0aqFRwjHRJTuXCkh1DpxDVJmstWZjfj-L27I3_xKx_UBDbBlEvNBDEUdWFNQB6Ic9jAVAC4S5eABeuDCfIjD8ysBe3pIMdbHBYo0Y/s1600-h/designs+for+living+and+learning.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoS2YjKB0Cac3rX0cfL2uwQpw-PTRfFSD9opUPiN0aqFRwjHRJTuXCkh1DpxDVJmstWZjfj-L27I3_xKx_UBDbBlEvNBDEUdWFNQB6Ic9jAVAC4S5eABeuDCfIjD8ysBe3pIMdbHBYo0Y/s400/designs+for+living+and+learning.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374684146344438610" /></a>I checked out this book, Designs for Living and Learning and spent a few weeks looking at it this summer. First of all, it's a beautiful book to look at - full of glossy photos with explanations and interesting ideas for setting up a spaces where children spend time. It was actually written for people working in childcare or preschool environments, but since we're homeschooling I'm always interested in getting new ideas for our space here at home. <br /><br />And I especially liked a "preschool assessment" list included in the back of the book. It's a list of things to look for in a preschool environment, but it's a nice reminder of what to consider including in the space where your own children are at home. (I'm only including the items that make sense for a home environment!)<br /><br />1. I can see who I am and what I like to do here.<br /><br />2. The natural world can be found here (such as objects from nature, animals, living specimens).<br /><br />3. There is something sparkly, shadowy, or wondrous and magical here.<br /><br />4. My [parents] leave a special object out here every day so I can keep trying to figure out more about its properties and how it works.<br /><br />5. There are materials here that I can use to make representations from what I understand or imagine.<br /><br />6. I can feel powerful and be physically active here.<br /><br />7. I can learn to see things from different perspectives here, literally and through assuming roles in dramatic play.<br /><br />8. I see my name written, or I get to regularly write my name here.susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18193533967105091516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2088572131813564181.post-12321266366262602082009-08-24T08:33:00.000-07:002009-08-24T08:59:52.742-07:00Easel Painting<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbJumfts-3Wfk9rY3I0zsLBMWiqqdpz_xuTDFI5T97GXL40fX7zmC5hCKf3E465vnSSrQbaGjIUr7Gxm3oUXFcvhOzMIi_d9nwcrz9AEZDG6V5uOeYXRMAGkn7De_hriwyU_3bun5F1ew/s1600-h/IMG_2790.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbJumfts-3Wfk9rY3I0zsLBMWiqqdpz_xuTDFI5T97GXL40fX7zmC5hCKf3E465vnSSrQbaGjIUr7Gxm3oUXFcvhOzMIi_d9nwcrz9AEZDG6V5uOeYXRMAGkn7De_hriwyU_3bun5F1ew/s400/IMG_2790.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373553983096691474" /></a><br />Here are the boys with the new double-sided easel that Chris built. Right now they're just playing and experimenting with the paints and brushes, but in a few weeks I plan to start working through the exercises in <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Children-Painting-Cathy-Weisman-Topal/dp/087192241X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1251128148&sr=1-1">Children and Painting</a> which is the best book I've ever seen on the subject. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2CvfMr-7ZlmZclP4pv0d_vpoiXmXVF-aKS23-RfnyErxyAQB8cWxYJU4TyLPveuGlRghI8e5h-jNuDE-XHfSrIkKxOYAWZZYdIEUo4MXzUILq2NakkIXo_Nvd9Z1beOtE_tZsJHd4lMc/s1600-h/children+and+painting.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 140px; height: 140px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2CvfMr-7ZlmZclP4pv0d_vpoiXmXVF-aKS23-RfnyErxyAQB8cWxYJU4TyLPveuGlRghI8e5h-jNuDE-XHfSrIkKxOYAWZZYdIEUo4MXzUILq2NakkIXo_Nvd9Z1beOtE_tZsJHd4lMc/s400/children+and+painting.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373559858779819058" /></a>I used it when I taught in the classroom and my students loved the projects and learned a lot about the basics of painting and of art. <br /><br />I guess the boys figure that easel painting requires special attire because they both grabbed their "Dr. Nailbender" caps - a freebie from Dunn Lumber - and popped them on their heads before they started!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9TDhXmF-Q7zXqdumzNyzdCAxNDWSWU8G0gkiwwEamZUG_za_W2g5qz5AS3i98Gwt6DnYrmZYWElqv2vE7sJF_UwTjls7NY72jhKnxF4VqDUv0G7V4s-i2G4mAx7EKnPEHTS6n8QPwdtE/s1600-h/IMG_2785.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9TDhXmF-Q7zXqdumzNyzdCAxNDWSWU8G0gkiwwEamZUG_za_W2g5qz5AS3i98Gwt6DnYrmZYWElqv2vE7sJF_UwTjls7NY72jhKnxF4VqDUv0G7V4s-i2G4mAx7EKnPEHTS6n8QPwdtE/s400/IMG_2785.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373554232429231906" /></a>susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18193533967105091516noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2088572131813564181.post-47744990088892718132009-08-08T22:00:00.000-07:002009-08-08T22:15:46.863-07:00An Evening at the Zoo<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuH5WKuVfEQ-S6jj9HE9UaORtouxwjPItUn2vi9On8X6JyiUgJSNRDFumY072TUPEiDBJNSwIbtUgE32YKGvEWb3BTPdPJkbMEVvHMh933XV4cc51y4cv5jgciazNsGFrSG0FOLOKNhXg/s1600-h/IMG_2678.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuH5WKuVfEQ-S6jj9HE9UaORtouxwjPItUn2vi9On8X6JyiUgJSNRDFumY072TUPEiDBJNSwIbtUgE32YKGvEWb3BTPdPJkbMEVvHMh933XV4cc51y4cv5jgciazNsGFrSG0FOLOKNhXg/s400/IMG_2678.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367826987760475650" /></a><br />A few weeks ago we packed a dinner picnic and headed to the zoo for the evening. When you live in a crowded urban area, you start to learn the best times to visit places and for us, evening is the best time at the zoo. Parking is a cinch, there are no lines to get in, and once we're there we almost have the place to ourselves. Plus we've learned that the zoo stays open for an hour after they <span style="font-style:italic;">stop</span> letting anyone else in. And they feed the animals in the early evening so you often get a good show.<br /><br />During this particular evening, we had an incredible time watching the elephants out in their yard. They were very active and doing all kinds of interesting things like drinking water, playing with balls, and breaking large sticks with their trunks. And we saw all of this with nobody else around!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj60H2liAwyM3kKk3N6mmUS3v2wG8oJwen2zfO_XGRCC4Mb2dS-sE4MvmV3RWOzegKG_luhY3cWMdB2GhazNmtMbaR8BwQEUZnVgxuYrqBm1UEryUg4qw2sRCOeEjaYi-WuTUzC7D3ECXM/s1600-h/IMG_2696.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj60H2liAwyM3kKk3N6mmUS3v2wG8oJwen2zfO_XGRCC4Mb2dS-sE4MvmV3RWOzegKG_luhY3cWMdB2GhazNmtMbaR8BwQEUZnVgxuYrqBm1UEryUg4qw2sRCOeEjaYi-WuTUzC7D3ECXM/s400/IMG_2696.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367827348224712018" /></a><br /><br />Ember, who's usually so confident, was scared of the elephants. She completely freaked out.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYbLgXZ0FWt143rJ1DHJeuB9aES0CHzHkh_w1jFYsm94wcB-j7KO4NjBbsisWw14GwZv7o1DYC7SSI8o123dkPewcVaPaoos3pNnQzh_73Nwfe-uobIWTtWB0-eP8JaBQaFvvTh1LTJhk/s1600-h/IMG_2686.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYbLgXZ0FWt143rJ1DHJeuB9aES0CHzHkh_w1jFYsm94wcB-j7KO4NjBbsisWw14GwZv7o1DYC7SSI8o123dkPewcVaPaoos3pNnQzh_73Nwfe-uobIWTtWB0-eP8JaBQaFvvTh1LTJhk/s400/IMG_2686.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367827685445686546" /></a>susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18193533967105091516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2088572131813564181.post-79449636710213708832009-07-30T12:49:00.000-07:002009-07-30T13:04:21.983-07:00Playstands<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8FmXHHBdF6M-1_P2c9vETDFkgiTHmKFWK3PuVI3X28cDGolz83VVbfmGCr_QLrBpZLJKeftyqmBX1hdvTFTwnNudRMF1OZt-HvHNRcBADbq6TcMOOojCZSDSFUEc2xusaTDWBlX5cVzs/s1600-h/Playstand+4.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 253px; height: 337px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8FmXHHBdF6M-1_P2c9vETDFkgiTHmKFWK3PuVI3X28cDGolz83VVbfmGCr_QLrBpZLJKeftyqmBX1hdvTFTwnNudRMF1OZt-HvHNRcBADbq6TcMOOojCZSDSFUEc2xusaTDWBlX5cVzs/s400/Playstand+4.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364343001277254274" /></a><br /><br />Now that our basement will be warm and cozy over the winter months, I've been thinking about what I'd like to see for the kids down there. My latest interest is in building a playstand. I love the simplicity and open-endedness of them. I think they're pretty, they can be used for so many different set-ups, and we don't have anything like it. You can buy these Waldorf inspired playstands at various places for about $100 each or about $300 for a pair of them joined by an archway, but Chris thinks we can build a set of our own for much less.<br /><br />I found two places with free plans:<br /><br />Against the Grain Carving has <a href="http://atgcarving.com/freeplaystandplans.aspx">plans</a> for the set pictured above.<br /><br />And at <a href="http://www.ericsprojects.com/?page_id=40">Eric's Projects</a> you can find free plans for a simpler version.<br /><br />We also ordered plans for about $20.00 from <a href="http://www.playstandplans.com/">Playstandplans.com</a> which include full-sized patterns to trace and cut for the set pictured below:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlW_wnMtFqBlkffipQO8aJXeXH59jdFmqadDkmyEOG3Haugu-zWYwMOWA5QL3eXE6aB8xF0LmnGNj8aWqEGVZQ2Q7Q1EW66r8xksbpdbD3jlf3jauNSpOJuSEs7u8dbedcTkmPbGv0OMw/s1600-h/playstand.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 201px; height: 189px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlW_wnMtFqBlkffipQO8aJXeXH59jdFmqadDkmyEOG3Haugu-zWYwMOWA5QL3eXE6aB8xF0LmnGNj8aWqEGVZQ2Q7Q1EW66r8xksbpdbD3jlf3jauNSpOJuSEs7u8dbedcTkmPbGv0OMw/s400/playstand.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364346035210481170" /></a><br /><br />I'll post photos on our progress and the final result!susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18193533967105091516noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2088572131813564181.post-45273317942070455442009-07-27T10:39:00.001-07:002009-07-27T10:58:47.626-07:00The NeighborhoodI just read <a href="http://www.nybooks.com/articles/22891">this article by Michael Chabon</a> about the "lost wilderness" of childhood and it strung a chord with me. And while I agree that there's value in roaming the neighborhood without the constant monitoring of adults, that there's value in discovering your "place" and all it's secrets, hidden corners, alleyways, interesting gardens, houses under construction, noticing the way it all changes through the seasons -- I'd be worried to let my kids do it here. <br /><br />On the other hand, we've been taking family walks together once a week and I'm delighted and amazed with all the exploration and discovery that goes on. It's a 26 minute walk that I usually take each evening by myself to get away from all the chaos, but with the family it can take up to 2 hours. The boys poke around, feel the bark curls on the Paper Birch trees, scoop up handfuls of cottonwood fluff to throw in the breeze, sample the blueberries just ripening on the neighbor's bushes, gaze at the lake and Mt. Rainier in the distance, and discuss Daddy's commute over the floating bridge and to the city of Bellevue beyond -- all which is part of the view on our walk. It's good stuff and when I see the boys in action, on foot and taking it all in, it reminds me how important this roaming around is -- even if Chris and I are along for the ride.susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18193533967105091516noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2088572131813564181.post-48938778809319014912009-07-09T10:50:00.001-07:002009-07-09T10:56:23.953-07:00Powerful WordsI recently read parts of <span style="font-style:italic;">How Lincoln Learned to Read</span> by Daniel Wolff. Here's a quote that caught my attention:<br /><br />The argument that got the [common school funding] movement going again wasn't so much the nation's need for literacy or a unifying patriotism, but for obedience. What made a republic successful, Noah Webster wrote, was "a singular machinery...which takes the child as soon as he can speak, checks his natural independence and passions, makes him subordinate to superior age, to the laws of the state, to town and parochial institutions." It was like religion: a child had to be taught to answer to higher authority.susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18193533967105091516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2088572131813564181.post-36801073735519127512009-04-27T09:19:00.001-07:002009-04-27T09:21:20.716-07:00Our Classrooms Last Week<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxBXV8jZmuxPWYShylRpA6NJgqxPc-MOJng6ERDvpHgQWwUOqCIikCVlG34BaNHDyJ1AJMdBD39QLp-65k1Oc_LxuugrOPdTJNE_E6v_wvSf_dxxlF20vjitxAZn3ZB53tE6E_uj_Sd4M/s1600-h/IMG_5736.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxBXV8jZmuxPWYShylRpA6NJgqxPc-MOJng6ERDvpHgQWwUOqCIikCVlG34BaNHDyJ1AJMdBD39QLp-65k1Oc_LxuugrOPdTJNE_E6v_wvSf_dxxlF20vjitxAZn3ZB53tE6E_uj_Sd4M/s400/IMG_5736.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5329406890611176386" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFsKPFf2ZZAOHI-u6b9uKb_nX0cFPYw3IClVsf41cWgj-FXodQ-crgTiSg3LGerKENmnX1EOox9OU5BGqFMb5EL_RRI26hnV5cGWhv-p1aIsMqNRQRaaixLSSDWb_BwfPRFdSyH1S_AMk/s1600-h/IMG_5718.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFsKPFf2ZZAOHI-u6b9uKb_nX0cFPYw3IClVsf41cWgj-FXodQ-crgTiSg3LGerKENmnX1EOox9OU5BGqFMb5EL_RRI26hnV5cGWhv-p1aIsMqNRQRaaixLSSDWb_BwfPRFdSyH1S_AMk/s400/IMG_5718.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5329406886687273346" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQQHbpGk80DCgVa3MWSwew_pqTjtwKvMaoMarZaXcXQpv0W_jV9io-VQn7tvTrhvNQ6YhA1gdcVZOndHKe9OfZqA3PwFDcwkE0PjZgl6rknXX6z6x9C5DUdlwih8ITQAR8amfXOENa9Rc/s1600-h/IMG_5710.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQQHbpGk80DCgVa3MWSwew_pqTjtwKvMaoMarZaXcXQpv0W_jV9io-VQn7tvTrhvNQ6YhA1gdcVZOndHKe9OfZqA3PwFDcwkE0PjZgl6rknXX6z6x9C5DUdlwih8ITQAR8amfXOENa9Rc/s400/IMG_5710.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5329406885512192850" /></a>susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18193533967105091516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2088572131813564181.post-49050195789706652542009-04-16T08:18:00.001-07:002009-04-16T08:42:39.131-07:00How Children FailI just finished my latest John Holt book called <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Children-Fail-Classics-Child-Development/dp/0201484021">How Children Fail</a> and I thoroughly enjoyed it. After years of teaching in my own classroom, I related to SO MUCH of what he had to say. One thought that was new to me was the idea that school can actually lead to misunderstanding, more confusion, less confidence in your own ability to reason, the slow destruction of common sense. <br /><br />Of course I always knew that school lumbers along at a slow and boring pace, that it's disjointed and interrupted and disconnected from "real life". But I hadn't really considered how damaging it can be - not just to one's self esteem, but to one's <span style="font-style:italic;">ability </span>to learn. I think that I've always assumed that the really confused kids just weren't very bright. Now I wonder how much school and teachers and all the nonsensical busywork impacted their confusion. <br /><br />The other thing that I'll take from this book is how powerful it is to be a careful observer of learning <span style="font-style:italic;">and</span> of misunderstanding. I think Holt refers to it as plumbing the depths of their misunderstanding - something that teachers rarely, if ever, have time to do for individual students.<br /><br />And finally, what made me laugh was that this book was written in the 1960's! It could've been written today. It's all still completely relevant.susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18193533967105091516noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2088572131813564181.post-42110931190706432122009-04-07T20:48:00.000-07:002009-04-07T21:36:16.124-07:00Time Goes By series<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiITl9pq_Hp9vugBc9Uyc-12tthG8TIvZZ9kqCcavWmgmtpN8ieebfabSpoRigi0O6VxV2eXTCcbf7VzWu0ugEfqe59xccrvXV17RYRBMUyiKVVBZLE91FRpJshvCQTj2IqmDrCrpbe_ZY/s1600-h/day+at+zoo.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 250px; height: 250px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiITl9pq_Hp9vugBc9Uyc-12tthG8TIvZZ9kqCcavWmgmtpN8ieebfabSpoRigi0O6VxV2eXTCcbf7VzWu0ugEfqe59xccrvXV17RYRBMUyiKVVBZLE91FRpJshvCQTj2IqmDrCrpbe_ZY/s400/day+at+zoo.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5322174308277671154" /></a><br /><br /><br />The Time Goes By series is my newest find at the library. These aren't the typical look and find books, although there are things listed to find on each page. And the pictures don't have the map-like quality of Roxie Munro's books. Instead, this series brings you to a place which you get to experience over a passage of time: <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=4wdMs5OwJRIC&printsec=frontcover&dq=a+day+in+a+city&ei=9yXcSZqaCIjSlQSN5MX9Dg">A Day in a City</a>, <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=xz1xattH_DcC&printsec=frontcover#PPP1,M1">A Day at an Airport</a>, <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=rQim9lRiH_AC&printsec=frontcover&dq=a+year+in+a+castle&ei=LybcScyGFpDSkwSx063dDg">A Year in a Castle</a>, etc... <br /><br />The illustrations are of the same view, but change on each page spread as time goes by and lots of things happen! They are packed with details: some pictures have cut-away walls so you can see inside of buildings, they contain lots of little stories that you follow visually, there are some people who show up only once, and others that appear throughout the day, and each page has a "follow the action" key on the sidebar illuminating the time and where it fits in. <br /><a href="http://www.lernerbooks.com/cgi-bin/books.sh/lernerpublishing.p?navaction=f6_series.w&navvalue=Series,0x0000000003126c25">Here</a> is the complete list of titles.susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18193533967105091516noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2088572131813564181.post-9950076927796932082009-04-07T20:34:00.000-07:002009-04-07T20:43:37.833-07:00Our Homeschooling JourneyIt looks like we won't be enrolling Beck in the Homeschool Resource Center after all. At least not for the beginning of next year. You have to complete an 8 week (one hour per week) class and it just got too complicated trying to figure out childcare and rides to preschool on the mornings I would've been in the class. Now I'm thinking that we'll re-visit that idea next spring when both Beck and Yogi are school-aged. And that'll give me a year of doing our own thing and finding our way with it all.<br /><br />I did manage to attend a "parents' night out" with our local homeschooling group. I was a little nervous, but found everyone to be very welcoming. Like I said on Homecake, it felt like I found "my people" and that's a good feeling.susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18193533967105091516noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2088572131813564181.post-64428708010879963962009-04-02T08:16:00.000-07:002009-04-02T08:43:23.738-07:00Bananagrams<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrpg_5Zh_8W0RjroL50etdwZJ58djApeGulXD6KWzh0tk4nQoLvntFIJnGjpz3t9zU1XXWVNH994dkXaCuyfc7c34F1PHMw53XoS5Brp8j8bbgoGPvaRO68wmCKfuLN5wZK6koULDx6Ao/s1600-h/bananagrams.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrpg_5Zh_8W0RjroL50etdwZJ58djApeGulXD6KWzh0tk4nQoLvntFIJnGjpz3t9zU1XXWVNH994dkXaCuyfc7c34F1PHMw53XoS5Brp8j8bbgoGPvaRO68wmCKfuLN5wZK6koULDx6Ao/s400/bananagrams.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5320113773656982946" /></a> I've seen <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Bananagrams-BAN001/dp/1932188126/ref=pd_bbs_1?ie=UTF8&s=toys-and-games&qid=1238685429&sr=8-1">Banangrams</a> in stores for awhile now, and a few weeks ago I finally got a set thinking that I'd put it on the shelf until my kids could read and spell words. And then after seeing all those cute little letter tiles, I decided that they'd be just the thing for my boys to play with <span style="font-style:italic;">now</span>! <br /><br />My first thought was to put out just the letters necessary to make words within a certain word group: tan, man, van, ran, etc... with the hope that they'd come up with the words. Instead, they immediately dumped my little sorted basket out and mixed them in with all the other letters. They quickly found the tiles to spell their own names and then began setting them up in tiny domino lines. So much for spelling out the "_an" words! <br /><br />Now I have all the letters dumped into a larger basket and they help themselves to it as they wish. I still find myself <span style="font-style:italic;">wanting</span> them to work on making words, but I'm convinced it's better not to push it at all - or at least I'm willing to see what happens with no "teaching" on my part. <br /><br />Here's a quote I read in <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Children-Fail-Classics-Child-Development/dp/0201484021/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1238686917&sr=1-1">How Children Fail</a> by John Holt last night that relates to this constant struggle I have in wanting to teach:<br /><br />"<span style="font-style:italic;">But it is just as true of intelligence as it has always been true of school subjects that teaching --"I know something you should know and I'm going to make you learn it" -- is above all else what <span style="font-weight:bold;">prevents</span> learning.<br /><br />We don't have to make human beings smart. They are born smart. All we have to do is stop doing the things that make them stupid.<br /><br />Ingenious teachers, "gifted" teachers, teachers who are good at thinking up new and better ways to teach things, can do just about as much harm to their students as the teachers who are content to plug along with the standard workbooks and teachers' manuals. These gifted teachers <span style="font-weight:bold;">can't stop teaching</span>. They are like someone who tries to help a friend start a car by giving it a push. He grunts and strains, the car gets rolling, the engine catches are begins to run. The driver says, "It's going now, you can let go." But the pusher won't let go. "no, no," he says, "you can't go without me, the car won't go unless I keep pushing." So the car, now ready to run at full speed, is held back - unless the driver want to break free and leave the helper on his face in the road. And most learners, children above all, <span style="font-weight:bold;">can't</span> break free of their teachers."</span>susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18193533967105091516noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2088572131813564181.post-33749211349856601002009-03-30T22:46:00.000-07:002009-03-30T23:11:26.214-07:00Searching for Cactus<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3j0ohsbPG0VcGxuVh_eK24tD0neshYNku-bhFeyegcfoRG9Gj4U8i6UShthnVk_mh9G3Bv8C1QAG71J99BV9CHmlwpg6E_4mDPG3IymrwaMAKl93RV3otQOoPqQfTjMXR2zMGPzFBShA/s1600-h/20090323_0828.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3j0ohsbPG0VcGxuVh_eK24tD0neshYNku-bhFeyegcfoRG9Gj4U8i6UShthnVk_mh9G3Bv8C1QAG71J99BV9CHmlwpg6E_4mDPG3IymrwaMAKl93RV3otQOoPqQfTjMXR2zMGPzFBShA/s400/20090323_0828.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5319229373530709570" /></a><br />We just returned from a week in Death Valley and it was a wonderful adventure with the kids. I love taking them out into wild places. I love how easily entertained they are. I love seeing them explore and discover and get comfortable outside. It really is so deeply satisfying. Is it because this is what <span style="font-style:italic;">I</span> love so much? Or is it seeing them so occupied without any material things, no toys, no legos, no stuff.<br /><br />Anyway, at one point after a hike, Chris pulled our rented mini van over to the side of the road so we could look more closely at some cactus plants. I thought about encouraging them to get out and have a look, but the boys were tired from our hike and whined about getting out. I said we'd be just a minute and right there near the car anyway. <br /><br />Sure enough, after a few minutes they unbuckled themselves to see what we were looking at. Then <span style="font-style:italic;">they</span> wanted to find their own examples of the plants. Both boys pointed things out with great excitement and took their time looking at the spines and comparing the varieties of cactus. It was perfect. And a good lesson for me in letting them take the lead.<br /> <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglywfGlzDAdgYwsCY1lI0YiIYbz0glkc7ap1PsekFoHeByA13xOJ-U1Z0CfEhrNPjZ6JFwvac13L0YZG11NIHxg7XGNwU4IlaM22O5PHXF-BwznR_n7HYJruv7Oh8hVcAUWvFez9QpceQ/s1600-h/20090323_0822.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglywfGlzDAdgYwsCY1lI0YiIYbz0glkc7ap1PsekFoHeByA13xOJ-U1Z0CfEhrNPjZ6JFwvac13L0YZG11NIHxg7XGNwU4IlaM22O5PHXF-BwznR_n7HYJruv7Oh8hVcAUWvFez9QpceQ/s400/20090323_0822.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5319229749257622898" /></a>susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18193533967105091516noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2088572131813564181.post-84461907781373030322009-03-19T22:54:00.000-07:002009-03-19T23:02:07.886-07:00Homeschool Resource CenterWell, we're thinking about signing Beck up for the Homeschool Resource Center in a neighboring school district. Some of the <span style="font-weight:bold;">benefits of doing this include</span>:<br /><br />1. attending any of their offered classes is optional<br /><br />2. you get a budget of $600 per year per enrolled child to spend on curriculum materials, theater tickets, art supplies, etc...<br /><br />3. some of the classes (like pottery or the lego design class) look like fun<br /><br />4. access to an art lab, science lab, and library<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Drawbacks include</span>:<br /><br />1. you have to meet with one of their staff (not a certified teacher) to go over curriculum goals each quarter<br /><br />2. your child has to participate in state testing - although they are willing to work with you if you'd like to do an alternative method of assessment<br /><br />3. I'm sure there are others that I don't know about yet!susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18193533967105091516noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2088572131813564181.post-4137100867042968472009-03-16T19:52:00.000-07:002009-03-17T22:12:20.225-07:00Seasonal Tableau<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg94cQuZGm4srs7i79Qe7FS37NB1uZLhLsMtefYffsixEp_roAKlfnAMMQPla0TTjII8jM4kRcYioUTMO30RsgqzqJC9ONrMlCzj1fwKEnH43hOY9HZsIw6_HnZ1v0Mec8wpPIxy6_DnKk/s1600-h/20090317_0117_BW.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg94cQuZGm4srs7i79Qe7FS37NB1uZLhLsMtefYffsixEp_roAKlfnAMMQPla0TTjII8jM4kRcYioUTMO30RsgqzqJC9ONrMlCzj1fwKEnH43hOY9HZsIw6_HnZ1v0Mec8wpPIxy6_DnKk/s400/20090317_0117_BW.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5314390930030461218" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-u7F_p2hlOWiWYTnkohhNy9LXFECWDlKEc7_9uAQWewXzOJmiXm5Awj-olrWI8W4TPsZhCaoM5FKNoJNqY1xZtzMWttaz3EQZz6x9Uvs0bU1Dy4YT56Ge0jrAQ5abTP4OVxc35mJs_qQ/s1600-h/20090317_0117.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-u7F_p2hlOWiWYTnkohhNy9LXFECWDlKEc7_9uAQWewXzOJmiXm5Awj-olrWI8W4TPsZhCaoM5FKNoJNqY1xZtzMWttaz3EQZz6x9Uvs0bU1Dy4YT56Ge0jrAQ5abTP4OVxc35mJs_qQ/s400/20090317_0117.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5314390926213233842" /></a><br /><br />We're just a few days away from spring, (though you wouldn't notice by poking your head outside around here!) And with the changing of the seasons it's time to change the seasonal display! I love this idea because it's so fun and simple and even obvious, yet I hadn't thought of doing it before I saw a photo of one on <a href="http://ourunschooledfamily.blogspot.com/2009/01/our-nature-table.html">"our unschooled family"</a> blog. I'm sure it's done in Waldorf schools, but this year the boys and I have been setting up our own seasonal displays. <br /><br />We gather all the little odds and ends around the house that might work: a teacup from my grandmother's collection, a porcelain Hagen-Renaker animal or two, a photo, a pressed leaf, a shell or rock, a curl of bark or twist of ribbon. We talk about what the season reminds us of, what we like to do and look forward to doing, find things outside on our ramblings and then put it all together in a little display. It changes daily as they like to add and subtract from it and play with the figures and other loose parts. <br /><br />A few times they've been dead set on adding something that seems totally unrelated like a little black plastic gorilla that Yogi likes to add <span style="font-style:italic;">whatever</span> the season, but that's ok too. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Nature-Corner-Celebrating-Seasonal-Tableau/dp/0863151116/ref=wl_itt_dp?ie=UTF8&coliid=I1E4046GG1R4MT&colid=CM1N7BGMQ02T">The Nature Corner</a> book has been recommended too, but I haven't gotten my copy yet!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmpu2O6hC_HWfAzNxmF9vc-0K1yPx0a_wyYFOTkkgC9We09UlyhfRVzzc816Jhqj1W7MxIY7cSd7-kvDuDsjUNajJfYDne4XycWTLqZ4Tkk9Qh6xZSBIwj6jku6UeUdIUod9z4AOlUEG0/s1600-h/the+nature+corner.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmpu2O6hC_HWfAzNxmF9vc-0K1yPx0a_wyYFOTkkgC9We09UlyhfRVzzc816Jhqj1W7MxIY7cSd7-kvDuDsjUNajJfYDne4XycWTLqZ4Tkk9Qh6xZSBIwj6jku6UeUdIUod9z4AOlUEG0/s400/the+nature+corner.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5313987664620256194" /></a>susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18193533967105091516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2088572131813564181.post-85980489836260653332009-03-13T19:56:00.000-07:002009-03-16T19:52:03.021-07:00Meditation<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoH19iZEjCugW3zfdMyr7I-qibPwFEwZ9z0lJ0UTDvInWWKdd0QQfY_mTtxTGxPiAPbTYa8X2EA9fr5IRQj6TTRu4FyN70NhUKZmV8paohmQpViEXb4LO-OOUgcw29JIL0FWzwgkW7GOg/s1600-h/piggy+meditation.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoH19iZEjCugW3zfdMyr7I-qibPwFEwZ9z0lJ0UTDvInWWKdd0QQfY_mTtxTGxPiAPbTYa8X2EA9fr5IRQj6TTRu4FyN70NhUKZmV8paohmQpViEXb4LO-OOUgcw29JIL0FWzwgkW7GOg/s400/piggy+meditation.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5312878497498840450" /></a><br />I just wanted to point out this book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Peaceful-Piggy-Meditation-Kerry-Maclean/dp/0807563803">Peaceful Piggy Meditation</a> since I've really never seen any other written for kids that even mentions meditation. I started my own meditation practice a few years ago out of desperation. I was suffering from chronic muscle tension brought on by stress. After years of trying various things ranging from muscle relaxants to acupuncture, massage, and chiropractor - nothing really worked. The acupuncture came the closest, but it meant weekly visits and a lot of money. <br /><br />Then I had my second baby when my first was only 18 months and the pain became unbearable. I look back on that time and shudder. The tension between my shoulder blades was so intense that I couldn't sleep at night. <br /><br />So, I ended up taking a class on relaxation at the community center where I was introduced to meditation and yoga. I never thought of myself as someone who would meditate, but I went into it with an open mind. And then an amazing thing happened. The tension in my back slowly started to go away. I felt happier, I became pain free, it was empowering.<br /><br />Over the last few years I have gone through spells of doing nothing, and other times with focused daily meditation and I can truly say that it has the power to change your experience of being alive. It's simple, but not easy and sometimes a little mysterious.<br /><br />My kids see my cushion in the basement and they've seen me meditate so I like how this book just keeps it in the conversation. Instead of being dismissed as something only certain types of people do, it becomes something very normal that anyone can do.<br /><br />The author, Kerry Lee MacLean, also has a <a href="http://www.kerryleemaclean.com/">website</a> where you can learn more about the her work. Click on the <span style="font-style:italic;">Meditate with the Piggies</span> if you want to share it with the kids! It's pretty cute.susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18193533967105091516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2088572131813564181.post-3212445846095089702009-03-10T13:21:00.000-07:002009-03-10T16:45:25.146-07:00Literacy Hit ParadeI've been wanting to write this for several weeks now, but with 3 kids ages 5 and under, I'm having a hard time finding the time! Anyway, here are my latest big hits in the literacy department.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF-N_gGs98ri80JX5S1yJDxEF2WlsdwqV0gvpd6j-4rUBk3roViC360dYM-GcYX2gY3-H3cndOJnS95RnbiwuPTFCOe8s6W7sXDWnAOiz3Az19d38K34mg8t4UJt8P7ToAckuq9mQMBEE/s1600-h/book+easels.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 148px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF-N_gGs98ri80JX5S1yJDxEF2WlsdwqV0gvpd6j-4rUBk3roViC360dYM-GcYX2gY3-H3cndOJnS95RnbiwuPTFCOe8s6W7sXDWnAOiz3Az19d38K34mg8t4UJt8P7ToAckuq9mQMBEE/s400/book+easels.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5311659015902698386" /></a><br /><br />1. <span style="font-weight:bold;">Book easels</span>. My husband says these make our house look a little like a library, but I don't mind. I know from my years as a children's librarian that the books on display are the first books checked out. The kids just can't help it. They look so inviting and they <span style="font-style:italic;">have</span> to have them which is just fine with me. At home I set up book easels in our living room and just put a new set of books in at the end of each day. Invariably, these are the first books my kids ask about. And a lot of times they just pluck them off the stands to look at them on their own. I've been checking out a lot interesting nonfiction these days purely for the purpose of independent browsing. I purchased my easels from <a href="http://www.demco.com/CGI-BIN/LANSAWEB?PROCFUN+LWDCWEB21+LWDC265+PRD+ENG+FUNCPARMS+ZZWGOTOPG(A0800):BLK149">DEMCO</a> which is one the library supply catalogs I used when I was a librarian. They are simple, inexpensive, and 100% effective! The large all-purpose easels are $2.49 or $2.39 if you buy 6 or more.<br /><br /><br />2. <span style="font-weight:bold;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Multi-Purpose-Clip-On-Light-Assorted-Colors/dp/B000RSMD5K/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&s=furniture&qid=1236726946&sr=1-11">Clip on reading lights</a> for bed</span>. I love to settle into bed each night with a good book. It's been a lifetime ritual and one I'm passing on to my kids right now. For Christmas both boys got<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJmCvfp-22qatLE8Bikw_jQYIdn8N0zroRF_Hs2n_Lyil4esV8AzACF6ijup6ZYbqGeleMlGhouqAW9RSjRXpzzhEQGrBywfNhyhkSsyzBTES87ODg4z-4woWwGmJQXbnKVaVOUrEUMyU/s1600-h/clip+on+light.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 280px; height: 280px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJmCvfp-22qatLE8Bikw_jQYIdn8N0zroRF_Hs2n_Lyil4esV8AzACF6ijup6ZYbqGeleMlGhouqAW9RSjRXpzzhEQGrBywfNhyhkSsyzBTES87ODg4z-4woWwGmJQXbnKVaVOUrEUMyU/s400/clip+on+light.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5311708558886539746" /></a> an inexpensive clip-on light for their bed. Each night after we read stories together, they get to pick a few books to take to bed. We say good-night and they are on their own to look at their books and turn off their own light when they're ready. Besides promoting reading on their own, I like how this makes them responsible for lights out.<br /><br /><br />3. <a href="http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/50021076">White board easel</a>: We got ours from Ikea and then bought a big set of colorful whiteboard markers and an eraser from an office supply store. It's set up in the living room and each day I try to write one "secret message" for the boys to read. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPfcdwE0YsjrAokyL_fwV1YeYlOqooMQsxFagq7bjmH-SX8QEpR4OBcqpT7_Z9up-faD_HZQ1fxPpkLttKZwZXjVv9z60LaNJ2c8ZAd0kd89DdQkZaveBYjxziyhOv2SYLHDfnnM2SHlc/s1600-h/white+board+easel.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPfcdwE0YsjrAokyL_fwV1YeYlOqooMQsxFagq7bjmH-SX8QEpR4OBcqpT7_Z9up-faD_HZQ1fxPpkLttKZwZXjVv9z60LaNJ2c8ZAd0kd89DdQkZaveBYjxziyhOv2SYLHDfnnM2SHlc/s400/white+board+easel.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5311708034476421794" /></a>I usually include their names which they can already read and a few other easy site words and then also include some words which are easy to sound out. They love trying to read the messages and when they see their own names they are always interested to see what it says. Sometimes they just erase it and use the board for their own pictures or messages which is also great. I just try to sneak a message in at some point during the day and wait for them to notice. It's fun and gets us talking about words and letters in a natural way.susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18193533967105091516noreply@blogger.com1