Saturday, June 25, 2011

the party is ON! This Monday

This Monday, June 27, in the first floor classroom there at Vintage Faith Church, corner of Mission and Highland in SC, 12:00 noon until 2:30.


Please bring:

1) an eatable to share (if we get a good blend of healthy and decadent, then it's lunch! I'll bring the dark chocolate brownies)

2) something to share with the group that you and/or your child is proud of that you made/accomplished/did this past. Let's inspire and encourage and celebrate with one another!

We had a request for meeting at the church rather than the park, so there you have it!  We will meet in the classroom but make sure the kids get plenty of time to run around in the gym. (In fact, I'm thinking we need a couple "party" games. . . let me know if any of you coming have brilliant ideas)

Please bring friends too!

Questions or comments, please leave them in response to this post. : )

Friday, June 17, 2011

Beautiful piece on homeschooling--must read!

This is a link to a wonderful, eloquent blog post about homeschooling, which I think you will all enjoy. 

I have to admit, about half-way through my eyes were glazing over her words,  with jealousy, because I could not get over the amazing photos of her homeschool space.  All those gorgeous retro school aids and tools!  Enough wall space for huge maps and art!  In fact, such an overabundance of unused wall space that they can line up their books side by side on a rail?!!!!!  Oh, I admit, I have big time envy.  BIG TIME.  Those of you who know my teeny tiny space I'm schooling in. . . this almost makes me want to cry, and I so full of lust.  So, I will finish reading the article when my eyes have cleared and God restores my heart. ; )

But still, read the post!  Be inspired by a home environment that perfectly incorporates learning and living and style and beauty of what's real.  In all senses of the word. : )

lisa

and a wee little tool for remembering a couple of letters

I don't have a rhyme for remembering how to write the letters of the whole alphabet, but most kids don't need it.  But some letters, like b and d and p and q are tricky.  Usually if my early readers come to a letter and they don't remember what it is, we just pause on that letter and sing the alphabet song while tapping on the letter until we get to the right one.  They get to the point where they can do it themselves when they get stuck, and stop when they recognize the correct letter. 

It is hard for the little ones to remember which of those four letters face which way, so I did come up with a little mnemonic device to help with remembering b and d:

You have to look at the alphabet in a line to understand this:

a     b     c     d     e
You see,
b is for baby
and c is for cookie
and d is for daddy.
The baby and the daddy are sharing the cookie,
and daddy has taken a big bite!

; )

I mean, it's not like a poem or anything, so if you just explain it however you think conveys the idea most clearly to your child.

Any of you  moms have little tricks and tools to share?  Please do!


lisa

Number Parade--little tool for learning to write numbers

This is a little thing, but something that I just used this morning with Bronwyn and thought it was worth sharing.

Years ago, when I was helping Gwynneth learn how to write her numbers, she had a hard time remembering which way each number was facing, and would often write them backwards.  So I came up with a little poem to help her remember, and it has helped all three girls.  It might only work well with kids who are already visual learners, but if your child tends to write letters backwards, it might be worth trying.

Point to the numbers as you read them aloud.


1    2     3    and       

say "Come on everybody, let's march some more!"


5     and       

say "We feel sick."  (sad voice)


    and      8    

say "We feel great!"


9     and     10   

say "Let's march again!"


See, for a visual person, the numbers 1, 8, and 10 look like they are facing the reader.  2, 3, 4, 7, and 9 look like they are facing left.  5 and 6 look like they are facing right.  So, if we pretend there is a parade and all the numbers are marching to the left, only 5 and 6 look like they are turning in the other direction, like they don't want to march.  I show this to my kids and teach them the rhyme, and then they can more easily remember which way to write the number.

Just a little silly thing, but thought it could be useful/fun for some of you. : )

lisa




Thursday, June 16, 2011

Welcome Summer Party--feedback request

Ok, Moms, since no one responded to the post about the end of the school year party, so let's just plan on having it at our next OSM, which is scheduled for June 27.  Let's plan on a fun time of hanging out and playing--have to make sure our kids are properly socialized, right? ; ) 

Let's each bring a yummy snack to share, and have show and tell, so you and your kids can show off something you did this past year that you are really proud of, or think others would enjoy hearing about.
And let's do it at our normal meeting time--12 noon to 2:30.

Do we want to meet at church, or do we want to meet at a park?  Now anyone who wants to join us MUST post a comment!  After I picked walking to Harvey West on what turned out to be the hottest day in decades, I don't want the responsibility of choosing.

Ok, ok, if NOBODY makes a comment, I guess I'll pick. ; )  But please comment!

FYI: geography app

Hello Vintage Moms!

One of the blogs I read just made a post about what sounded like a really fun application for the iPhone.  Doug and I don't have iAnything, so this is moot for us, but thought some of you more technologically-savvy homeschool moms might like to know about it.  It is called 'Stack the States," and fits in right with our OSM states learning we did this past year! : )  So if you are interested, follow the link.



Wednesday, June 15, 2011

you must be homeschooled if. . .

Found on another email group. : )




You Must Be Homeschooled If...

1. Someone asks what grade you're in and you're not sure.

2. You sometimes go to school in your pajamas.

3. You sleep till 9:00 am on school days, but get up early on Sundays.

4. Your favorite author is Jane Austen (girls) or Robert Louis Stevenson

(boys).

5. Your birthday is an official school holiday.

6. You don't get to stay home from school when you're sick.

7. Your favorite activity is reading.

8. You know what a unit study is.

9. You have attempted to teach yourself physics.

10. You know the scientific names of dinosaurs from A to Z.

11. Watching a movie means you'll have to write a report comparing the

film to the book.

12. You dress up as historical or literary characters for Halloween.

13. You exchange e-mail Valentines with your homeschool pen pals.

14. You can get science credit for going to the dentist or doctor.

15. You go to the park for P.E.

16. You check out at least ten books every time you visit the library.

17. You get books and science kits for your birthday.

18. Your board games all have names like "Bookworm", "Scrabble",

"S'math", "Game of Knowledge", and "Name The State".

19. Your home library is arranged in Dewey Decimal order.

20. Your favorite place to study is outside, under a tree.

21. You memorize math formulas and Latin root words for fun.

22. You never get nervous on the first day of school.

23. The only bully you ever run into is your big brother.

24. You are unaware of the current fads, fashions, and slang terms.

25. You have no idea what rock bands are currently popular.

26. You don't have to worry about forgetting your lunch or your schoolbooks.

27. You don't have to remember a locker combination, just your computer

password.

28. There are only nine students in your class - but all of them are

your brothers and sisters.

29. Your school bus is a nine-passenger van.

30. You can get extra credit for cleaning your room.


-----------------------------------
anyone care to add more?  do so in the comments! ; )


Wednesday, June 1, 2011

End of the Year Party! Let's Set a Date

Hello Moms!

Let's get a date and place scheduled for our end of the year party.  Do we want to have it at a playground?  If so, which one?  What day of the week works best for everyone?  Please give your input in the comments below.  If I don't hear back from everyone, I'll just pick a time and place and hope a lot of us can come. : )

lisa

Cute Preschool Printables


Just found this website that has some printable units for preschoolers. I have not yet looked at them, but heard at least some of them have a Scripture verse at the end. Sounds perfect for summer school. : )

LitWits 2011/12 Schedule - and there's still room in Heidi June 9!



Hello all! Many, many thanks to all of you who helped make our first year of LitWits such a big sucess. My sister Jenny and I have so loved working with such great kids, such fabulous books, and of course each other! What a dream, to be doing everything we love to do with people who make it so easy and fun. If you are interested in what we've been up to, check out our website for descriptions of our sensory immersion experiences and photos of kids having a blast with classic literature. We'll be holding our last spring workshop on June 9th - Heidi, by Johanna Spyri; there's still room, if you're interested -- then spending the summer getting ready for next fall.


The 2011/12 schedule has been posted on the website - wait 'till you see what great books we are going to explore next year! I am drooling (in a literary sort of way) just thinking about it! As much as we loved indulging in some of our personal childhood favorites last year, we've decided to broaden our definition of "classic" to include mid-twentieth-century books, a broader range of cultures and, by popular request, some workshops just for older kids.



We're always glad to hear from you, so please send us your thoughts, suggestions, recommendations, ideas and, most of all, your wonderful kids!



Hope to see you all soon,


Becky











Hi All,

Just wondering if anyone happens to have the teacher's Guide for Handwriting w/out Tears first grade book--the yellow one "My Printing Book". I just need the answers to page 67.

Thanks,
Lucy