-Charlotte Mason
XO
from out here on the prairie!
Where the Blacktop Ends |
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... woke up one morning to snow!! It's mostly gone now, but it was a glorious frosty surprise in which we were out playing before 7 am. ... participated in an online nature exchange and received a fun package of beachy items all the way from sunny CA! The sand dollar and piece of lobster shell were the favorites. ...said goodbye to our chickens. It was a cold but successful butchering day. Despite the gross factor, I have to recommend the experience to everyone at least once. There's something natural and wholesome to get up close and personal with the circle of life of which we are so often far removed. Oh, and I learned what the eggs look like when they're not out yet... strangely fascinating. I kept recalling childhood memories from butchering day at Grandpa Joe's farm w/ my large herd of relatives. We are hoping to raise a new flock again next spring. ...stuck the baby in a giant pumpkin... he didn't like it too much. I thought it was very cute. ...took an evening walk down our country lane. ...read a favorite story and had a birthday party. The big 2! ...harvested the last of the garden. Carrots. Yum! Harvesting in snow reminded me of when we planted last April. See? ...did some geography and some sloyd with friends. "We must make it our business, as much as in us lies, to bring beauty to places where it is not."
-Charlotte Mason XO from out here on the prairie!
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First Steps to Reading: the kindergarten continuation of an adventure that began in babyhood5/23/2013 “Many persons consider that to learn to read a language so full of anomalies and difficulties as our own is a task which should not be imposed too soon on the childish mind. But, as a matter of fact, few of us can recollect how or when we learned to read: for all we know, it came by nature, like the art of running; and not only so, but often mothers of the educated classes do not know how their children learned to read. ‘Oh, he taught himself,’ is all the account his mother can give of Dick’s proficiency.” - CM 1/199 “But the learning of the alphabet should be made a means of cultivating the child’s observation: he should be made to see what he looks at.” - CM 1/201 From the very first day 'official' day of kindergarten, when I, teacher/mom, left a welcome note on the chalkboard and we ate sack lunches on the back steps, read stories and baked a batch of cookies together, to the mid-year tweaking of the daily routine, to the latest decisions on where to store supplies out of the reach of chubby little 18 month old little brother's hands, this year has been filled with challenges, delight, and lots of fresh air! In this post, I'm setting out to document a part of that process that I am witnessing here at home, the exciting 'learning to read' phase that has begun! After reading Volume 1, I felt free to be purposfully relaxed about the process so as not to burn either of us out. I hope to remember some of how this went for when my 2nd is ready for reading, though I know the learning process is as individual as the child. Regardless, here's what I've observed. I remember asking my professor, while everyone else was furiously taking notes, in our reading methods class in college, "...but how do they actually learn to read?" If I remember right, she chuckled and never really answered my question, but instead handed us some activities to use in our future classrooms. Now, here I am, a mother, watching it all unfold before my eyes with my own child, and I'm agreeing with that 'mystery' aspect that I was left with in college. It used to freak me out a little, back when I had my first classroom, I wanted firm sureness, but I now view it as one of the awesome intricacies of how our brains were created to capture and lay hold of information. I probably will never fully understand that. What I do understand is the part where the Holy Spirit leads my child's mind to just the right knowledge at just the precise time. The best part is that, as the one who is with my child daily, I get to assist in that divine process as opportunities are revealed to me. It's a pretty cool experience, when you think about it. Read Mason's 6 volumes for more on that. Here's how it began. As a baby/toddler my son had some letter toys. I sewed some big cloth ones; he had a wooden puzzle and ABC blocks. We hung his name on the wall in his room, and he began to recognize and learn those letters almost without prompting. It was like curiosity got the better of him, and he had his own interest in those ‘shapes’ that he was seeing repeatedly in the world around him. He would ask me, “What’s that letter, Mom?” I never drilled him with flashcards; we didn't watch alphabet DVDs. We learned the letters A, J, Q, K while playing card games. He knew D was for Dad, and M for Mom. and we read S-T-O-P every time we walked to the end of our road. Simple. At the beginning of the Kindergarten year I began to make 'letters' a more focused thing. We had 10-15 minute ABC lessons 3x’s / wk when we did our ‘school’ days. We really only did the fun things like play ABC Go Fish, put together a letter train puzzle, and read ABC books. We sang the Alphabet song while putting the ABC refrigerator magnets in order, and then we tried learning the song backwards, ha! I found some ABC dot-to-dots; we took sticks and made giant letters outside, or drew them in the dirt. He learned to write his own name during this time. One purchase we made was these wood pieces. They helped to mentally visualize the letters' shape. About halfway through the year, I could tell his interest was growing; he began to fill up piece after piece of scratch paper with E’s, P’s, and T’s etc. and explain how he was being a book writer. So, keeping it interest driven, we went a little further, and I started loosely doing a letter of the week lesson. This I kept very simple, practical and something that requires little to no prep! I didn't want to weekly find library books to go along with each letter, or remember to print off a coloring page, or spend time pulling together craft supplies for a cute pinterest letter project. I didn't even put the alphabet up on the wall. My intention with the letter a week (or so) was for visualization and to help his hand muscles learn write them properly. To begin a lesson, I modeled the letter on my own piece of paper or wherever, and then he'd try writing in the air or a tray of sand. I switched to cornmeal and now we use salt because it seems more sanitary and cleans up better. We use a personal sized chalk board and did the 'wet, dry, try' method modeled after this curriculum, which I didn't buy but did read up on. After I'm sure he's able to form the letter correctly, he writes one capitol and one lowercase in his own special word notebook as best as he can. We made our own notebook with paper like this. Other days we play a game, ABC-Sound Go Fish and consonant dominoes are current favorites, or we just play around with our movable alphabet. I'm still on the hunt for the perfect set of ABC game cards with beautiful illustrations on them. For now, I like these free printable ones. Each lesson is no longer than 8-10 minutes- no exceptions! The lessons flowed like a breeze until we hit 'Ss." I noticed frustration and that the fun seemed to be out of the lesson. So I completely backed off. I didnt even mention the letter lesson for a few weeks. We instead played games, and read together on the couch. Once while waiting in line, we drew S in the air. Once while finger painting we made S on the paper. Once while counting for fun, I drew on paper for him an S next to a 5 next to a 2 and we identified each one. After a while I pulled out the letter lesson (as above), just to test the waters and he wrote his Ss with not a worry! Now we're off again to finish up the rest of the alphabet. My other goal during our lessons is for him to give focused mental effort for a short period of time, a gentle building up to first grade work. In the context of everyday life, the letters we are learning pop up quite often, of course. I love seeing how he's noticing. If I'm observant I can tell exactly what he already knows, and I don't have to quiz him over it in any way. I think Mason would describe it in her own lovely way, as a living idea that is forming its due relations. Other times during the day I have some ABC things around that he can pick up as he wants. Before I mention any, I just want to say that with a little creativity, I believe a child can have a quality education without spending a fortune on curriculum or manipulatives. On that note, here are 3 we like:
So, for the pre-reading skills level, this is what we're doing, nothing elaborate. Next will come those very first reading lessons, which I am really looking forward to doing when he's ready! I hope to follow and document how we use Mason's method as outlined in Volume 1 and described well in this series of lovely blog entries. I am also liking this book for possible future phonics instruction. Teaching my kids to read was one of the things I was most looking forward to experiencing when we started homeschooling. Now there are so many things I look forward to, I wouldn't even know where to start!
“Reading presents itself first amongst the lessons to be used as instruments of education, although it is open to discussion whether the child should acquire the art unconsciously, from his infancy upwards, or whether the effort should be deferred until he is, say, six or seven, and then made with vigour.” - CM 1/200 Like a moth to a flame, toddlers and chickens definitely go together, I do believe! This lovely sight was a new first for our book: First Canadian Goose nest discovered- which was being sat on until Little Eagle Eyes, quiet as he was being, accidentally startled the mama off into the water where daddy was clucking his disapproval of us. We made sure not too get too close. All we were going to do was to walk the shoreline and admire the diamond-y waves. These babies are as big as my palm! Wouldn't it be awesome catch a glimpse of the goslings later on? Words to a song that's been speaking to me:
Blessed are the ones who understand We've got nothing to bring but empty hands Nothing to hide and nothing to prove Our heartbreak brings us back to You And it all seems upside down 'Cause my whole world is caving in But I feel You now more than I did then How can I come to the end of me And somehow still have all I need God, I want to know You more Maybe this is how it starts I find You when I fall apart 1 Week ago : Sled ride/nature walk Yesterday: Planting carrots Today: Good thing it's under plastic! Happy May Day!
Ahhhhh... when I awoke this morning I let out a deep sigh- A FULL NIGHT'S SLEEP! That hasn't happened in a long while. {thank you, baby!} :) And while we were resting soundly upstairs, something exciting was going on downstairs, unbeknownst to any of us. A tiny miracle was taking place... ... this little one emerged from a 20 day sleep. Talk about well-rested! From: March 17: the Saint Patrick's Day finding of Fuzzy, the Wooly Bear Caterpillar To: May 25: the mid-night emergence of Fuzzy, the Isabella Tiger Moth Let's just say there was an excited little boy at the breakfast table! A little naptime sewing in honor of new fabric and new tastes. Another tiny discovery- in Grandpa's bushes. A handful of wildflowers he picked for me found their way to my kitchen window sill. "Two small arms to hold you tight,
Two small feet to run, Two small eyes full of love for you, One small son." -Unknown Psalm 107:1 "Give thanks to the Lord for he is good..." "As for the baby, he is in bliss: ... he kicks and crawls, and clutches the grass, laughs soft baby laughter, and takes in his little knowledge of shapes and properties in his own wonderful fashion..." -CM Vol. 1
Since many of my friends have asked about this, I thought I'd use this space to share about our experience with cloth diapering so far. I never thought cloth diapers were for me. We used disposables with our firstborn until just at the end when we decided to try cloth to see if we'd even consider it for a future baby. It wasn't as terrible as I thought it would be (even my husband agrees.) We really liked the affordability as well as the benefits to that baby skin. Plus, living in the country where a person's trash is his own to deal with.... well, you get the idea. I read that "If you launder cloth diapers at home, you can save as much as $1,500 over the entire diapering period. This includes all your diapers, covers, and wash products. In fact, each time you use a disposable, it costs you nearly a quarter. By contrast, home washing can cost as little as five cents per change." With our firstborn we used Kushies brand all-in-ones with velcro and the wrong detergent (Dreft). They were a hassle to wash with the velcro, and were kind of smelly from the detergent. At least we learned what didn't work. I did some more researching before our second was born. The choices out there can be overwhelming! I did try sewing some newborn all-in-ones using recycled material from bedhseets, flannel shirts and bath towels. They worked fairly well, but he grew out of them fast, and I didn't have enough covers. I didn't like the wool soakers I made from sweaters. They took FOREVER to dry! This is what we use now. Bum Genius 4.0 Pocket Diapers wash out great in our HE washing machine since they separate into two pieces. I line dry the covers and use this soap. Here is what I use as far as Washing instructions and here's a little more of the science behind it all. I found it helpful to know. This is also a wonderful thing to have to make the cleaning process easier!! Sunshine drying and stain removal This is the wipes solution I have used so far. Just mix it, put it in a spray bottle and use with cloth wipes. It smells really good! I heard that adding a touch of a carrier oil such as apricot really helps out too. I have seen recipes for homemade solutions that I might try out in the future. Some great friends of mine sewed me some cloth wipes out of flannel as a baby gift. Baby wash cloths work well too, and who doesn't get a zillion of those as baby gifts! For diaper rash I have used coconut oil- from the grocery store because regular creams don't work with the cloth. I have heard that California Baby or Burts Bees will work since they are all natural. We also do baking soda bath soaks to take away redness. When my second was newborn we used disposables for about a month and a half. I was noticing his skin wasn't liking it. I asked a nurse about it and she said, "Oh it's just his skin getting used to the plastic." When we made the switch over, his skin was much happier. It stays that way as long as I change him promptly. I still find it easier to use disposables when we go away for the whole day or longer. But for evenings out or short trips a wet bag makes diapering away from home convenient while still using cloth.
Lastly, I should add that we dry pail the diapers. We wash every other day and have 20 diapers total. The whole process works well for us. I still think if we lived in a city, I'd consider a diaper service! I'd still like to try sewing my own pocket diapers similar to these using a pattern that was shared with me by an inspiring friend who has sewn quite a few for her little ones. It's been a while since I sat down to my sewing machine, though! We took a little walk around the yard this weekend. The weather was absolutely gorgeous and the sunlight was amazing in that golden hour before sunset. The birds were chirping all around us. With the intentional practice we're starting to be able to distinguish their calls. The elm tree This is the first year we have seen asparagus coming up. The poor plant has been transplanted 3 x's but is in it's final resting place, I think. The rhubarb is greening nicely too. My son discovered this plant growing in the grass in the front yard. It's leaves are very thick and velvety like Lamb's Ear, but we don't know what it is. We wandered down to our little creek bed, splashed around, and threw in some grass. One of our goals for our son by age 6 is to be able to describe in his own words 3 walks and 3 views. So, we choose to take him repeatedly to local places of beauty to take walks and enjoy the views. This usually happens over the weekends. This next place is one of my favorites. My husband took this special picture of baby and I taking in the view. Once when we came here we startled a Great Blue Heron who was standing on this very spot. It was wonderful to watch him spread his wings and fly off into the sky. Looking out over the edge. Notice his sheriff badge he just had to wear? :)
... because last week he blessed our family with another little boy!!! We were blessed to have a wonderful home birth, and have been resting up and working our way into new rhythms since that time. I have to say, despite the lack of sleep, I LOVE being a mommy again! As Mason says, "Let us believe of the children that trailing clouds of glory do they come from the place where all things are possible, where any delightful thing may happen." Vol. 2 p 210
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Welcome!
"I am recording this so that future generations will also praise the Lord for all He has done." -Psalm 102:18 I am a mama to 2 sweet brothers who aspires to a "thinking love" toward my children.
Take a peek into our journey towards a living education inspired by the writings of Charlotte Mason. Be sure to leave me a comment if you're inspired! I prefer to keep my text and images right here. Please don't copy without permission. Thanks! Categories
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August 2018
I Participate"In this field small efforts are honoured with great rewards, and we perceive that
the education we are giving exceeds all that we intended or imagined.”
- Mason “It may be that the souls of all children are waiting for the call of knowledge to awaken them to delightful living.”
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