Far Out, Dude.
Greetings! Today the sun is shining and that is cause for celebration!
I am excited about the new direction we have taken in our homeschool: focusing on hands-on activities and for the most part, laying the workbook aside. I glance through them to gather the ideas I want to share with Theo and then chuck them in the trash where they belong (jokes).
(Theo did threaten to throw "How To Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Days" in the trash last night. His hatred for this book is growing exponentially by the day. I wish I understood why; too formulaic? Too easy? Don't know. Eric told him to finish the book and that we would then have a bonfire in which it is reduced to ashes.)
Time is valuable these days, with the many things we do on a day to day basis (though I think our busy/rest balance is pretty spot-on for the most part), and I have found that Theo's capacity for focused schoolwork is limited (at the very most) to an hour. BUT only if that hour is spent doing hands-on things. If workbooks are the main thrust, he gets worn out, wiggly and impatient after ten minutes.
This morning we started with math, working on "number stories" using the whiteboard (always ups the fun factor for him) and little blue blocks. Experimenting with the many ways to make different numbers, we had fun and the concept is sinking in. Bringing in the "story" piece is always a big win with Theo; stories are what inspire him.
We continue to work on writing out number words and numbers. He still writes numbers backwards from time to time, but I am convinced he will outgrow this with time. I keep modeling the correct form (and sometimes he rewrites it correctly on his own) and keep the conversation light and the tone neutral.
This morning I skipped "How To Teach Your Child to Read" and let him read me a book, instead (Loose Tooth). He knew most of the words in the book and we had fun with it. We played a site word game and now he is watching "Martha Speaks" ("It is a learning show, Mama!").
I am convinced that at Theo's age, things need to be fun, creative and inspiring. This link will take you to a little blurb by Julie Bogart, who homeschooled five children of her own. They are now adults, living in the real world, working and flourishing. She has said elsewhere that "there are no educational emergencies". I have written this on the blackboard at home to remind myself whenever possible: do not panic! The sense of urgency and anxiety many of us bring to learning needs to go, as both are a sure way to stifle learning and make kids clam up.
The main goal for us is to foster a love of learning. Luckily, Theo is a kid who naturally loves to learn. I am simply feeding that natural tendency as much food, water and sun as I can, to help it grow.
I am excited about the new direction we have taken in our homeschool: focusing on hands-on activities and for the most part, laying the workbook aside. I glance through them to gather the ideas I want to share with Theo and then chuck them in the trash where they belong (jokes).
(Theo did threaten to throw "How To Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Days" in the trash last night. His hatred for this book is growing exponentially by the day. I wish I understood why; too formulaic? Too easy? Don't know. Eric told him to finish the book and that we would then have a bonfire in which it is reduced to ashes.)
Time is valuable these days, with the many things we do on a day to day basis (though I think our busy/rest balance is pretty spot-on for the most part), and I have found that Theo's capacity for focused schoolwork is limited (at the very most) to an hour. BUT only if that hour is spent doing hands-on things. If workbooks are the main thrust, he gets worn out, wiggly and impatient after ten minutes.
This morning we started with math, working on "number stories" using the whiteboard (always ups the fun factor for him) and little blue blocks. Experimenting with the many ways to make different numbers, we had fun and the concept is sinking in. Bringing in the "story" piece is always a big win with Theo; stories are what inspire him.
We continue to work on writing out number words and numbers. He still writes numbers backwards from time to time, but I am convinced he will outgrow this with time. I keep modeling the correct form (and sometimes he rewrites it correctly on his own) and keep the conversation light and the tone neutral.
This morning I skipped "How To Teach Your Child to Read" and let him read me a book, instead (Loose Tooth). He knew most of the words in the book and we had fun with it. We played a site word game and now he is watching "Martha Speaks" ("It is a learning show, Mama!").
I am convinced that at Theo's age, things need to be fun, creative and inspiring. This link will take you to a little blurb by Julie Bogart, who homeschooled five children of her own. They are now adults, living in the real world, working and flourishing. She has said elsewhere that "there are no educational emergencies". I have written this on the blackboard at home to remind myself whenever possible: do not panic! The sense of urgency and anxiety many of us bring to learning needs to go, as both are a sure way to stifle learning and make kids clam up.
The main goal for us is to foster a love of learning. Luckily, Theo is a kid who naturally loves to learn. I am simply feeding that natural tendency as much food, water and sun as I can, to help it grow.
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