Posted by Cindy on January 28, 2008
Okay, so my Charlotte Mason friends may raise their eyebrows to this post. I can get overwhelmed with all the “stuff” that’s out there to teach. Good stuff like artists, composers, Latin…. Things that just seem to slip by the wayside sometimes when the phonics and math lessons drag on far too long.
Even though it may be considered cheating, there are times when I leave art/artist study to chance. I know, I know. You’re gasping right now. But, I feel that this method at least gives the kids a fighting chance to soak in some artist knowledge when mom takes off for the day to finish the laundry, start supper and chase the wild toddler.
Mind you, there are times when all is right in the homeschool week and we joyfully sit down to gaze at beautiful artwork, learn about an artist and try our hand at some fabulous technique. But, ahem, those weeks are coming fewer and farther between as the school year plugs on and the baby becomes more mobile! So, just how do I try to teach art without really teaching art?
I use the same learning center plan that I’ve used so many times in the past:
*Choose an artist.
*Find info books about him/her from the library.
*Set the books out on a table with various art supplies.
*I might try to find a poster or print some pictures from
the internet of some of the artist’s work to tape to the wall.
*Let the kiddos read the info books, look at the art and
use the art supplies to try their hand at what they’ve seen.
They typically enjoy the free art time. I do have to admit, though, they almost always do better artwork after a lesson with me. But, masterpieces aren’t my main goal (although it would be nice.) I’m simply aiming for art appreciation and enjoyment right now.
As a side note: Discovering Great Artists is a WONDERFUL book for ideas and artist information!
Also, Month By Month Masterpieces is a nice addition because it comes with poster sized prints of ten pieces of art that are studied in the book. Although, as I linked to it from Amazon, it’s looking like it might be out of print. It’s good, but not worth the $49 dollars that someone is trying to sell it. 
Posted by Cindy on January 25, 2008
Our toys are in jail. They have visitation rights, but very limited. You see, since I couldn’t lock the messy children up, the toys had to be the ones to suffer.
They’ve been in jail for almost a month now and the time apart from the children seems to be doing everyone well.
We took every toy in the house and put them all in their appropriate boxes, bags or containers (like they should’ve been to begin with.) Then, I carted an old bookshelf up to our bonus room space and started stacking toys. It didn’t matter whether they were attractively placed or easily accessible because the kids weren’t going to have “unsupervised visitiation rights”.
If they want a particular toy, they have to go through the guard (me) to get it. I go to the bonus room area and pull out the whole container. In other words, if Caleb wants one particular spy toy, he has to take the entire spy gear box. As long as the spy gear (or other type of toy container) stays neat, he may keep the container as long as he likes. No other container of toys may be played with until the first container has been returned in its entirety.
I really thought this idea might not work, but it has! It has!! The house AND bedrooms are staying tidy. The kids are enjoying their toys more. And I’m smiling more!
Sorry that I have no pictures to share. Our camera finally died. Just took it’s last breath one afternoon without warning. Maybe we’ll have a new camera soon. That was to be my Christmas gift, but the dryer took it’s last breath before the camera. We’ve buried two important things this month.
Posted by Cindy on January 24, 2008
Mammoth Cave is the most amazing site! As the longest cave system in the world, there are many tours offered to cover miles and miles of underground beauty. We chose the easiest tour because of Eli, but it also happens to be one of the most beautiful tours as well. The Frozen Niagra tour is one of the only “wet” tours, which means you get to see God’s work in action. Stalactites and stalagmites are being formed as you watch. Plus, you get to see the most amazing works of God’s hand, including a huge formation appropriately called the Frozen Niagra that looks as if Niagra Falls has been frozen in rock.
Even as we listened to our tour guide talk about millions of years, we were able to clearly see God’s handiwork through the flood. We were able to quietly explain to our children how the truth of the Bible could be proven in spite of some of the things the tour guide was saying. I actually got brave and asked what sorts of fossils they’ve found in the cave. He said, “Oh, we’ve found many, everything from mollusks to shark’s teeth.” Sharks teeth!?? How can they explain sharks teeth (a salt water animal) being found inside a cave in the middle of Kentucky? Well, we just winked at our children because we all knew the answer.
Can you see the running water over the cave entrance, as well as the frozen water? It was just above freezing outside, but the temperature inside the cave remains a constant 54 degrees all year long.
After a Friday full of caving and swimming at our hotel, Saturday was conference day. CHEK puts on a Leadership Conference every year to encourage and inform the support group leaders in KY. It was a wonderful day! (Especially because Steve took all the kiddos away for bowling and shopping for the entire six hours of the conference!!) Many good speakers, a round table discussion and getting to know new homeschooling friends from around the state = a great time!
I had the opportunity to present a workshop on managing your homeschool group without neglecting your family. Even if you’re not a support group leader, you may find some of the organization principles helpful. Here’s the link to my workshop notes if you’re interested.
For those of you who live in KY, CHEK is updating their website. Over the next few months, you’ll want to check in often to see what’s new. They’re also beginning a monthly newsletter that you can sign up to receive for free – look for the sign up box on the website.
Posted by Cindy on January 23, 2008
I read a blog post last week that really touched me. Under His Construction wrote about talking to others about our children – “venting” about the struggles of our children to others. I had the opportunity to present the devotion at co-op this week and the Lord very clearly put this topic on my mind. Here are notes from the devotion.
Leviticus 19:16
Do not go about spreading slander among your people.
Do not do anything that endangers your neighbor’s life. I am the LORD.
Proverbs 11:13
A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy man keeps a secret.
Proverbs 20:19
A gossip betrays a confidence; so avoid a man who talks too much.
1 Timothy 3:11
Likewise, their wives must be reverent, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things.
Proverbs 16:28
A perverse man sows strife, and a whisperer separates the best of friends.
Proverbs 17:9
He who covers a transgression seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates friends.
Proverbs 18:8
The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to a man’s inmost parts.
Proverbs 26:20
Without wood a fire goes out; without gossip a quarrel dies down.
Leviticus 19:16
Thou shall not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people:
2 Thessalonians 3:11
For we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner, not working at all, but are busybodies.
1) We are clearly warned against gossip/slander/talebearing. Usually, we tend to think about this in terms of talking about friends or acquaintances. We might even consider that we shouldn’t speak about our husbands poorly. But, how often do we put this in terms of speaking about our own children?
2) How many times have we found ourselves “venting” about our children to others? How many times have we “asked advice” about a particular problem with our child to anyone who will listen? How many times have we told a tale about them in front of others, only to see their mortified face afterward? How many times have we been so frustrated that we let spill out our frustrations on the phone to a friend, only to have them listening in the other room?
3) I truly believe there’s a difference in asking advice from a “mentor” about an issue with a child and just openly complaining about the child. I believe there needs to be one or two close friends or “older women” that you can go to when you need godly counsel. But beyond those couple of people, spilling our child’s struggles to anyone who will listen can only be classified in my mind as gossip about our children. Even still, I believe what we share with close friends or mentors needs to be guarded carefully. Carefully in the way that we are really seeking counsel and not just venting, and careful in the way that we don’t speak about our children so that they can hear us.
4) When thinking about close friends or mentors, I feel like it’s very important to really know the person with whom we’re talking. Will they possibly continue the gossip? Will they give us godly advice and not just help us to continue the cycle of complaining?
5) What we expect from our children is most often what our children live up to. Our expectations are not always spoken to them. Unspoken expectations are read from things like our attitudes, facial expressions and what they overhear us saying about them. When we talk about them to others, what they hear from our mouths becomes a form of the “expectation” they relate to themselves. Even if they don’t hear us talking about them, children most often know that we have been. Don’t be fooled into thinking that they don’t know what we’ve said – even little bitty ones.
6) And what happens when they overhear us talking about them? Besides the expectation they start to internalize, what else happens? Bitterness, anger, dejection, hurt feelings, thoughts that they can’t possibly be good enough, thoughts that they are causing all the strife in our houses, withdrawl, sibling rivalry….????
7) Go back and reread 2 Thess 3:11. When we talk, talk, talk – even in the name of “I’m getting advice from a mentor” often gets us nowhere. Actually getting to work on the “issues” we have with our children is what will really make a difference.
So, what to do? Practice building our children up to others. Not only will it reap positive results if our children overhear us, but it’s likely to paint a better picture in our own minds of our children. The problems may no longer seem so bad. Ken Ham always says how you see things depends on the glasses you’re wearing. This holds true with our children as well. Looking at them from dark and negative glasses will hide all their wonderful qualities and keep us focused on the bad that needs to be fixed. Putting on positive glasses will help us to focus on their good qualities, in turn, the bad qualities are likely to be pushed out as the good qualities keep growing.
May you be blessed as you strive to uplift your children and train them to wholeheartedly follow their God and Savior. May we always be mindful of the nudging and teaching of our Lord as He shows us the way in His Word.
