What Works Wednesday: How I Educated Myself

I already knew how to read when I entered first grade at St. James Elementary. In fact, I don't remember a time not being able to read, or write for that matter. Maybe it's just my poor memory, since I do have what seems to be years of my life that I cannot remember at all, or maybe it's because I'm already half-past the age toward self-destruct. But I don't want to go there . . .

This July 18th post I'm linking up with What Works Wednesday thanks to Upside Down Homeschooling:

 When my first child was born 26 years ago my husband gently brought up the subject of homeschooling—NOT! He matter-of-factly told me that we would homeschool. (It was kind of like the way he announced that we'd have our babies at home the year before.) His desire for homeschooling stemmed from his misadventures in public school education. He did not want his sons to have to go through what he did. I however, loved school, and used to play teacher to my younger sister, the student. I kind of liked the idea!

 My baby—the last of the bunch!

So, I  left nine years of registered nursing behind to embark on this new journey called boys and all that would come with it. My heavenly dreams of having a child finally materialized, but with my mind reeling and my heart skipping, there was a lot I needed to know, and quickly. I had a great desire to learn. I read numerous books. I interviewed people. I took classes. I discussed things with hubby, and the perfect plan ensued.

In time, I found myself as the nurturing Momma hen to four delightful boys (about three years apart in age). Our homeschool journey fascinated me. Having loved books and going to the library as a child, I adored taking the boys to check out books and we read aloud 'til they dropped off to sleep at night. And I discovered the classics that I had missed as a child (pretty much all of them) so I delightedly would read, while the child-in-me clapped at each book's end for an encore.

 Just about all grown up!

It dawned on me down the road, somewhere between consonant blends and algebra, that I was getting much more out of homeschooling than I'd realized. I had been educating myself right along with the boys! 

The history and geography I knew little of and hadn't liked in grade school, now caught my attention through the lively stories we read and fun activities we did. The arithmetic I had forgotten, reappeared with new meaning. Experiments pretty much just happened in our household and my love for nursing and the workings of the human body kept me on my toes fashioning unit studies using living books in many fascinating areas of science. The arts I enjoyed gave me opportunities to share with my sons and we ventured into new crafty areas. The creative writing I adored (needing much polish) opened doors for self-improvement as I learned many of the missing links in my English education. Bible studies came alive as we took from what we learned to make our lives more complete and useful with our new understanding of God's design for our lives and grace through Jesus Christ. 

Of course, parenting, being a homeschool Mom, and attempting to keep a marriage in swing was/is quite an education in itself.

I think there is a point here somewhere . . . You will learn what you have an interest in learning. Force feeding doesn't work. A child needs to be engaged to learn, just like we do as adults. Sure, I learned things and passed tests with As for many years growing up, but that information quickly left me. Last year I studied for four months every day and re-took my RN licensure exams and passed! I was stunned, but you know, I had some interest in the material, but did cram a lot in and that short-term memory study for a test didn't last too long. If I don't use the material much will be lost. We can expect the same from our kids.

Perceptions are important. Writing is not a school subject, it's a necessary life skill. Engaging children in such a way that appeals to them is a worthy goal in all subject areas. Embracing a child's learning style and individual abilities just adds more education to your life! 

Now that all my sons have graduated, homeschool hasn't ended for me, and it hasn't ended for them. In fact, my youngest son wasn't all gung-ho about the graduating aspect completing 12th grade at all. I thought it was a big thing—apparently not for him. He said he doesn't like the way some new grads he knows think that they've arrived somehow. For him the transition toward his future life is just another step in the learning game, as it should be. Every day brings something new and there is so much to learn! I like that mindset. And I admire and respect his perspective, so I didn't make a big deal of graduation (even though I wanted to).

We educate ourselves in our own ways. Just by living, we learn whether we want to or not. Make the most of it!

“I have set the Lord always before me: because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope” (Psalm 16: 8, 9).

I think I've had a pretty good education thus far—thanks guys, for all you've taught me!  

Happy Homeschooling!

—KathyMarie

You Have Something Worth Saying—15 Ways to Embark on a Wild Writing Adventure

I had the privilege of sharing my experience with, and love for writing with our local homeschool group this week, along with several published authors. Below, I am sharing part of a handout I prepared (along with some commentary) to help young students.

Do you want to write and publish your work? Where do you begin?

15 Ways to Embark on a Wild Writing Adventure 

1. Believe in yourself, and be the peculiar person that God made you to be

 Everyone is unique. We all come from different backgrounds with special gifts, experiences and talents. Don't try to be someone you aren't—tap into your own creativity and style—making it your own.

2. Possess a growth mindset—you can learn and do what you put effort into

 I wish I had understood this much sooner in life, so I really want to emphasize this. Don't hinder yourself by thinking you cannot learn something—you most certainly can! Even the most talented and experienced people began at the bottom, putting forth a lot of patience and practice. If it's worth doing, don't limit yourself.

3. Think creatively—play with words and sentences and make it FUN

 Writing is hard work, but you can make it more fun if you view it creatively and lightheartedly. Enjoy the process of writing.

4. Write ‘til your hand and wrist hurts—NOT, but write every day you can

 Practice, practice, practice. The best writers got that way by doing what they love: writing.

5. If you have a brain freeze, write anyway, and see what surfaces

It happens sometimes. But there is a type of writing known as freewriting where you just write and see what comes. It could get you started to where you want to go.

6. Finish what you start (or play trashcan basketball with your paper wads)

It's a good idea to give each project your all, and then look toward the final edit where you can change it anyway you want. It just might be that it needs a new twist or a major overhaul, but your diligent attitude will pay off.

7. Keep breathing . . . and save editing until you get your thoughts down 

Spelling, grammar, the hard stuff . . . let it wait till you have something nice to work with. No one writes the perfect paper first time around.

8. Read a lot—including classics, and reach beyond your normal interests too

I did not know about the classics until I was a homeschooling teacher, and then I read aloud with my sons and read also on my own. Becoming well read will add a wonderful element to your overall writing experience, growth and knowledge base.

9. Read how-to books or web sites on the craft of writing

I'm going to do a post following this one with some favorite and new links that will greatly help you.

10. Be brave—share your work with others

Don't be shy, but most beginning writers are. Find a friend, family member, or small group of writers who will join forces to help each other improve and bounce ideas around.

11.  Listen to constructive feedback, even if it’s your mother (you don’t have to agree if you don’t want to)

It's your work, only make changes that you decide, but do listen to and respect your reader's comments.

12.   Be an inspiration to yourself and take a writing course (you might find out a lot more about who you really are)

You may not know what you are capable of until you stretch yourself into a new learning zone. Try it!

13. Enter a contest (you could win $$$) or submit your writing to a friendly market

Just start somewhere. Once you get a small (or big) effort published or known, you'll be spurred on to new writing heights.

14. Set goals, and plan out the steps to get to where you want to be, marking off little achievements as you go

Lists can be your best friends. Decide your plan and make it happen. You'll feel great as you get closer to your big goal, and when you do, celebrate!

15.   In everything, give thanks! (It could be worse you know—think Cinderella)

Attitude is everything. Did you know that God can take something that seems bad and turn it into something good? There are going to be trying days and hard times, but take heart and know that everything will work out in the end. You can do this!

  Think About It . . .  

“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

—Philippians 4:8

"If you cannot do great things, do small things in a great way."—Napoleon Hill

“Don't say the old lady screamed. Bring her on and let her scream.” —Mark Twain

"So the writer who breeds more words than he needs, is making a chore for the reader who reads."  —Dr. Seuss

"Always be a first-rate version of yourself,

instead of a second-rate version of somebody else."
—Judy Garland

Tricks that Encourage Young Writers

I often hear from homeschooling moms who ask me how to motivate their kids to write and to enjoy writing. What is the trick, they want to know. There are a number of things that could contribute to their dilemma and many ways they can begin to implement good habits leading toward inspiring children to enjoy writing.

Writers learn by writing.

Perhaps young students have been pressured into writing before they were ready. Maybe the required writing activities held no real interest or meaning to the child. A lack of a good read-aloud diet and good oral skills could be the cause of immature language development. Kids are not made from a cookie cutter mold but there are some tricks (if you prefer to call them that) that will help your students become more interested and engaged in writing pursuits. Let's look at these closer.

Writers are comfortable writing.

Writing is hard work. Kids need plenty of time to get comfortable with writing—even the use of a crayon or pencil. Aren't most little kids pleased as punch with their new discovery in drawing (writing): You find your child's pictorial portrait on the wall or creative signature on the side of the house, crayon marks on the curtains, and marker stains on clothes and skin, etc. But some kids haven't had enough time to develop before they are suddenly required to make these neat little lines and circles and stay between the lines—and it's simply boring. Boring to those that already have a good grasp on things and boring and frustrating for those just starting to form letters and understand the process. Don't rush the process too soon if met with defiance.

When my guys were small most of them had a great vocabulary but slowly emerging writing skills. We did a lot of oral narration. I would write down what they dictated to me. This could be in the format of a letter to Grandma, a story that we made into a book, or a funny poem to be shared or just a retelling of something they learned or experienced. Oral "writing" is a prelude to the writing process. Once they get good at oral communication, the next step is getting what's in their brain onto their paper. Copywork can be used effectively here, as they copy what you have written down for them.

Writing takes patience and lots of practice. The best writers tell us the more they write the better they write. Give your kids time to practice their wonderful new language skills with plenty of encouragement. Help them brainstorm for ideas when appropriate. Editing is also a major part of writing which they learn as they go, but be careful, too much criticism too soon will only backfire. Let them get those thoughts down without worrying about spelling and correct punctuation just yet. Find positive things to say about a funny word or interesting thought or sentence that they used. Keep the atmosphere a lighthearted one.

Writers are good readers.

I mentioned a read-aloud diet. The avid reader is most always a better writer; they go hand in hand. I found this to be true in my own family. My oldest son learned to read early at age five, was fluent by seven, and adored reading. He was also a natural writer. The two middle boys were late readers who weren't fluent until ages 10 and 11. My last son was sort of average and in between the others but he was slower in language development—it just did not come easily to him. For all the boys, reading aloud offered them the ability to hear the words and gain proper grammar and excellent language syntax in which to base their internal linguistic processes. It all certainly pays off big time in creating a love for the written word and its capabilities. Kids who are not read to often and who may be less than great readers will most certainly be far behind their peers who are.

Writers are curious minded, and good communicators with many interests.

What excites your child and what interests do they have? How can you develop these into a writing passion? You don't want to stifle your child's natural curiosity and many kids get turned off in school subjects by having to digest and spit back endless amounts of information that have no real interest or meaning to them. I don't know who makes up those elementary scope and sequence charts or who writes those snippety texts, but I refused to follow their classroom focus. Instead search out real living exciting books that grab interest. Look for colorful language and stimulating detail about the subject matter. Let them get their hands dirty. It could make a huge difference in how your children view learning and their desire to learn more and to express themselves through words and writing about those interests. Hey, if you haven't given lapbooks a try, I highly encourage you to give it a whirl.

Writers write for a reason.

My boys always wanted to know the relevancy behind what I asked them to do. It wasn't good enough if I said, "because I said so," plus I could see their point. Why not make the things I asked them to do useful? What is relevant? How can I turn this writing assignment into something useful in the real world? After all, isn't that what I was preparing them for—the real world?

Writers need an audience.

Everyone has something to say, in their own unique voice. Keeping a journal is wonderful in and of itself and I certainly encourage kids to do this, however, it makes a big difference when they are able to share their writing and impact an audience other than themselves. Getting feedback on a job well done is important and the encouragement will spur them on to continue writing and consider other projects. There are many ways to do this, from reading a paper to Dad and sending a thank-you note, to getting a poem published in a magazine, or even publishing your own E-Book.

Over the years we made homemade books, wrote book reviews (Amazon.com and the local newspaper), started the Homeschool Gazette and participated in other newsletters for kids, wrote letters to family, sent anonymous Scripture notecards, made scrapbook pages, narrated, participated in homeschool classes, blogged, entered contests, wrote letters to the editor, made up written tests for friends and family, acted out stories, gave oral presentations, participated in a local theater workshop and wrote play scripts, wrote letters to companies about their products, and much more.

Writing is habit forming. 

Make it special, make it fun, and write everyday if possible. Enjoy, and remember that parents should share what they write with their children also. That's one of the best models children can have, to see Mom and Dad enthusiastically engaged in writing.

Writing is not a school activity, it's a lifestyle habit that is necessary, pleasurable, and rewarding.

SusanEvans.org—It's Everything You Love About Homeschooling

Homeschool mentors. I've been greatly influenced by them over the 20+ years we've homeschooled.

If I'd had access to Susan Evans remarkable website and blog, filled with articles, audio workshops, E-Books and hands-on resources, I'd have considered myself in Homeschool Heaven. And that's what it feels like when you enter her site and hang out awhile. It's everything you know you and your kids LOVE about homeschooling.

With almost 100 articles on a variety of topics and subjects, a ton of ideas to use with unit studies (my absolute favorite and effective way to teach), awesome real-life photos, and intriguing hands-on, ready-to-use resources for purchase, you need to add susanevans.org to your list of favorites. Oh, and I love that she includes a Charlotte Mason primer on the famous set of books.

Does she have experience? I'd say. She grew up in Guatemala as a missionary kid (read her E-Book!), raised by Christian parents. At 18, she moved to the U.S. and earned a Bachelor's degree in English. She was a certified teacher and taught for seven years before having children. She's taught in public and private schools, including two years in London, England. She was a middle school drama director and became popular for her hands-on learning, which she incorporates in her methods of teaching her own children at home and willingly shares with others in workshops and through the web. She loves God, delights in her husband and four kids, has a BIG heart for homeschooling, and loves to play dress-up.

In fact, go to her site now and you can sign up for the free workshop: "Boxes, Forts, and Tents." It's packed with fun ideas. And at times during the year, she shares her children's hands-on learning yearbooks as well. These are incredibly unique works, that include lots of fun unit study ideas with pictures galore! Hint, hint—are you making scrapbooks or yearbooks with your kids yet?

Another thought about those mentors. When you search the web you can find a lot of info, even free info, but it costs something to those that provide it. Be generous—if you are blessed by something or someone, let them know! Buy a product you'll love, share on FB, tell your friends!

My Article is in The Old Schoolhouse Magazine!

Gee, it's long past time for updating this blog. I'm excited this month because I am a published author in the summer issue of TOS, and guess what? It is going viral for FREE. My story is on page 72, a new version of my blog entry from many years back when we first moved to the natural state of Arkansas.

Check it out for yourself here: Free digital Summer 2011 edition of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine. Feel free to pass it on and share with your friends.



I'm in my last year of homeschooling with my youngest son this year and doing a lot of reminiscing. How did so much time fly by so fast? We are so blessed.

So for now, my life is turned toward homeschool planning with Jeremie—his last year. I can't believe that this awesome homeschool journey with our four sons is ending . . . but I'm reminded that our education NEVER ends. It's cool that I am still on FIRE about learning after all these years. That's how God made us. I've loved learning along with my sons . . . but the journey is never ending for me. How about you?

I saw this quote this week and remembered reading Teach Your Own many, many years ago—so glad I took the time!

"What makes people smart, curious, alert, observant, competent, confident, resourceful, persistent—in the broadest and best sense, intelligent—is not having access to more and more learning places, resources, and specialists, but being able in their lives to do a wide variety of interesting things that matter, things that challenge their ingenuity, skill, and judgment, and that make an obvious difference in their lives and the lives of people around them."

—John Holt~ Teach Your Own

Motivating Boys to Do School

I responded to an e-newsletter about this subject when a frustrated mom said her boys "do not want to do their schoolwork, and it is a battle come school time." Her slightly older daughter was a different story. I thought I would share my perspective here:

I've been a homeschooling mom of four sons for the past 17+ years and I think I've learned some valuable lessons. I know that this is not necessarily a "boy" problem, though it may be more prevalent since boys tend to mature slower than girls. Some personality types adore all the paper work and attention to details while some students (especially some boys) just aren't impressed. All children however should have a natural curiosity and be excited about learning which can be expressed in a number of ways—other than writing or filling in workbooks etc. If you use a "canned" curriculum that is meant for a classroom of kids, there is no way that you will be teaching to your individual child's strengths, interests or abilities.

We approached school as an enjoyable learning time and "lifestyle" together—very flexible. My desire to learn along with my sons meant that I was always very involved. I made time to do more fun things together, tap into their interests, utilize more oral (rather than written) expressions of learning in the earlier years, along with many hands-on activities. We always read aloud and discussed many great books together. Unit studies worked very well for us. I had two very late readers who eventually caught up. I had a gifted son who needed very little from me, as well as two sons with delayed abilities which meant doing math together for many years, lots of spelling games, and utilizing hands-on learning. My advice is to tune into your children's needs and wants.

How do you get them to care and become self motivated? You have to spark their interest. They have to see a relevancy in what you are making them do. Here are some ideas: Find more practical and interesting writing assignments—a letter to Grandpa, a friend or the President! Keep notes about observations for a science project; design a game and write the activity cards for it; create true/false questions about a subject you are learning and test Dad and your friends; dramatize a story; let them dictate a story or poem to you and make it into a real book to be shared; write a review on a book they liked for a kid's magazine or Amazon.com; make a recording of a story complete with sound effects; enjoy scrapbooking as a family writing captions for photos or each member can tell their side of the picture story presented. Project oriented ideas can be wonderful motivators adding a fun element. (see my list of many more ideas in a previous posting)

Help children to take pride in their work. Offer encouragement and praise for each little success they show. Take it one step at a time. It may be that your expectations are too high. Help them form good new habits and enjoy expressing their ideas. Learn to enjoy your boys and their unique perspective on life and don't be afraid to ask them what they'd like to learn and follow up on it. Pray, pray and keep on praying for God to guide you in this awesome journey of living and learning with your precious children.

Photo Credit: Benjamin takes a different look at Jeremiah who is reading a creative story he wrote to a class of other homeschoolers.

A Brand New Homeschooling Year!

I'm finding out that when you have a side job that consists of a lot of writing, you don't have much time to write the things you really want to write about—I miss that part of my life!

I haven't written here in so long I feel the urge to just put down a little something so here goes:

Anyway, we've started a brand new school year here, with the last two boys in homeschool high school. I love the beginning of the year and the goal planning stage. The boys have written their goals and I've been working on mine and things are going well. I REALLY want to encourage as much independence as possible with our studies and assist the boys in meeting their goals. I'm open to "What do you want to study for history or science?" as well as "What are your personal goals?

One of Jeremiah's goals is learning how to speak, read and write French. He got interested in this over the summer when he met some French speaking Canadians. I'm thrilled!

I'm utilizing some DVDs this year and we're enjoying one called "How to Be a Super Star Student". Sounds kind of corny, I know, but there's some good stuff in it—and stuff to make you think seriously about study habits and your future. Math DVDs and Language/Composition are on the agenda as well. Standard Deviants has some fun stuff—and you know—we're learning too! Have you guessed I have an auditory learner? I should have been using more DVDs and audios all along!

I look forward to the coming year in a big way. I'm filled with expectations as I always am, but each year that I get closer to the idea of the empty nest, I just want to cherish the days as long as they are there. Sometimes I reminisce about the olden homeschooling years but they are gone. It's a different homeschooling scene here now. But you know, it's just as good!

I hope you have some worthy goals lined up for yourself and family and enjoy the year to the fullest!

The Eruption

I want to share this poem because it has touched me so.

By Jen Abbas, an18-year-old child of divorce:

The Eruption

Divorce is like a trembling earthquake,
The world shakes, rumbling with rage,
And all the anger, guilt, and frustrations
That have been festering for so long
below the surface
Suddenly spew upward in an inferno of hate
or apathy.
At times the earth calms and you think the
turmoil is over,
Settled, stable, but then the cycle begins again,
Repeating, repeating, repeating.
You are weary, you want to rest,
And that is when you realize the shaking has
stopped,
But there is an eerie feeling lurking in the air.
You are hesitant to believe anything anymore,
You are so tired after struggling for so long,
And so you rest on the one solid patch of land,
Only to watch it split in two,
Two separate, distinct parts that will never
come together again.
Each new patch supports part of you,
And as you watch, they pull away.

Curiosita

"It had long since come to my attention that people of accomplishment rarely sat back and let things happen to them. They went out and happened to things." ~ Leonardo Da Vinci

From the category of famous people, the young man I am tutoring chose to compile a notebook on Leonardo Da Vinci . Good choice! We've studied him before, but can you ever stop studying Leonardo? I had never heard of Leonardo's horse ordeal until recent weeks. How did I miss that before? The Creative Thinker of All Time boasts of amazing accomplishments. He was an artist, architect, sculptor, inventor, engineer, and scientist. He was also an entertainer, musician, production designer and manager, writer, naturalist, scholar and philosopher. Has his understanding of the world opened doors of knowledge for us? From his exemplary life, we can see that Leonardo surely went out and happened to things!

Curiosita - An insatiably curious approach to life and an unrelenting quest for continuous learning, is the first of the seven Da Vincian Principles expounded upon in the book How to Think Like Leonardo Da Vinci by Michael J. Gelb. As a mother, I can visualize the natural curiosity and desires of my little boys to explore, taste and experience the fascinating world around them, and as a homeschooling mom, I'd never want to see this innate lust for learning end.

I have been researching Leonardo in my own curiosity quest. I've always liked to draw and I admire beautiful paintings and the artistic talents of others. I am a fan of museums and have seen many famous paintings in my lifetime. I'd like to think like Leonardo, and learn seven steps to genius every day as the title suggests (I'd like to try writing backwards, though I'll leave out dissecting bodies, thank you).

Mr. Gelb believes that our learning power can improve with age (I'd like to believe that). Couldn't I use this knowledge to pattern our own education? I wonder how far we are from Leonardo's methods? The Curiosita Self-Assessment checklist the book provides claims that your answers tell how well you are already using it and where to improve. Here's the list:

• I keep a journal or notebook to record my insights and questions.
• I take adequate time for contemplation and reflection.
• I am always learning something new.
• When I am faced with and important decision, I actively seek out different perspectives.
• I am a voracious reader.
• I learn from little children.
• I am skilled at identifying and solving problems.
• My friends would describe me as open-minded and curious.
• When I hear or read a new word or phrase, I look it up and make a note of it.
• I know a lot about other cultures and am always learning more.
• I know or am involved in learning a language other than my native one.
• I solicit feedback from my friends, relations, and colleagues.
• I love learning.

I can check yes by a number of these, but also would need much discipline in others. In light of the above and what I know about Leonardo, I see a correlation with Charlotte Mason's educational philosophy. Ms. Mason wrote "Education is an atmosphere, a discipline, a life," and the CM school motto is "I Am, I Can, I Ought, I Will." She also said: "We trust much to good books - Once more, we know that there is a storehouse of thought wherein we may find all the great ideas that have moved the world." She encouraged keeping journals from an early age and the study of languages. Children were to be free in their play, letting them use their imaginations and providing time for their many self motivated projects, but parents were always present guiding lights. History (chronologically) and nature study were emphasized. Both Charlotte and Leonardo were advocates of virtue, including truth and beauty. Relating more specifically to children and curiosita Charlotte shares this:

"The idea that vivifies teaching. . . is that 'Education is a Science of Relations; by which phrase we mean that children come into the world with a natural [appetite] for, and affinity with, all the material of knowledge; for interest in the heroic past and in the age of myths; for a desire to know about everything that moves and lives; about strange places and strange peoples; for a wish to handle material and to make; a desire to run and ride and row and do whatever the law of gravitation permits. Therefore. . . we endeavor that he shall have relations of pleasure and intimacy established with as many possible of the interests proper to him; not learning a slight or incomplete smattering about this or that subject, but plunging into vital knowledge, with a great field before him which in all his life he will not be able to explore. In this conception we get that 'touch of emotion' which vivifies knowledge, for it is probably that we feel only as we are brought into our proper vital relations." ~ Charlotte Mason

Wow! Doesn't that sum it up? Curiosita is just the first of the Da Vincian Principles and is demonstrated by a continuous quest for learning . In that chapter the author lists a number of exercises one can do to improve your skills and apply this concept. He asks the question "What would you learn if you could learn anything at all?" Most of the people he asks answer with things that express an ideal or dream hobby, something they always wanted to do but never did, and I'm thinking to myself, I have a lot of those. Some I have touched on in the past but just failed to continue to make time for them. Mr. Gelb finds that people who pursue those hobbies passionately live richer, more fulfilling lives. And Charlotte Mason would agree. There are many hobby-like activities I'd love to pursue further, and I'd like for the boys to find new ways to enjoy life too. As a people, we have all kinds of excuses for not doing those things (I'm guilty), but as Leonardo would answer, "You can have no dominion greater or less than that over yourself." It's never too late!

Some other insights I found in these interesting exercises included the free writing technique that we have been employing at home (I've mentioned this in an earlier post). He calls it stream of consciousness writing but it's the same thing, where you write continuously, always keeping your pen moving, paying no attention to grammar or spelling etc. I liked this metaphor of the poet's motto: "Write drunk, revise sober." I'll have to remember it.

Leonardo kept a notebook with him wherever he went. I bought a nice leather journal for that purpose in the last few years, and though I did that for several months, I didn't continue to lug it around, but wrote in it at home. He used his notebooks (seven thousand pages still exist but authorities estimate it was twice as many) without organization, mixing all kinds of thoughts, letters, doodles and drawings, new vocabulary, plans, scientific treatises, questions and even copy work!

The Great Problem Solver was a man who asked many questions. He felt this was much more important than giving right answers. Quite the opposite of today's educational institutions. Finding and asking the right questions will lead you to the solutions. I think I need to re-emphasize this approach to our learning at home.

Leonardo taught himself Latin at age 42. Babies learn languages easily, but at any age this is a fun hobby and you can actually learn faster than a baby. We've dabbled in German in past years when one son had an interest and recently Jeremiah developed an interest in French. I picked up a freebie - a set of learning cassettes that we still have to delve into. I love language; the etymology of our own English leaves much to discover. Leonardo defined over nine thousand words in his journals.

Charlotte Mason had much to say about developing good habits. Leonardo was keen on observational and emotional intelligence, studying people and their habits, much as he also studied nature and animals. He majored in getting along with others! A required book for graduating in our homeschool is the favorite classic How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie.

I'm only in the beginning chapters of How to Think Like Leonardo but let me share briefly, the remaining seven principles:

Dimostrazione - A commitment to test knowledge through experience, persistence, and a willingness to learn from mistakes. Sensazione - The continual refinement of the senses, especially sight, as the means to enliven experience. Sfumato - A willingness to embrace ambiguity, paradox, and uncertainty. Arte/Scienza - The devepment of the balance between science and art, logic and imagination. "Whole-brain" thinking. Corporalita - The cultivation of grace, ambidexterity, fitness, and poise. Connessione - A recognition of and appreciation for the interconnectedness of all things and phenomena. Systems thinking.

I'm looking forward to learning more from Master Da Vinci in these next chapters and modeling the Da Vinci lifestyle and information I am learning to my boys, applying more to our home schooling. To start, I have a nature watercolor painting and colored pencil drawing I could complete and possibly submit to the Boone County Fair this week. I'm also going to get out those French tapes. Having had Charlotte Mason as a mentor gently leads the way. Au revoir, or as Leonardo would say buona notte.

Featured Drawings: Leonardo's Christ Figure 1490 and Study of a Womb 1489 from his journals

A Job Well Done

"Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might." -Ecclesiastes

The packed auditorium was buzzing with excitement as we sat among a few scattered parents and dozens of children of all sizes and ages. It was Jeremiah's turn to audition for his first full length play, Seussical the Musical. He had been given a page of script in which he had just a few minutes to review and then gave a "cold" reading. Pretty good.

We waited some more. Time to sing. Wait a minute, can Jeremiah sing? His chosen song was the humorous parody Cats in the Kettle sung to the tune of Cats in the Cradle as written by Weird Al (If you've never heard it, look it up on the web). The audience was tickled with his antics and his voice, and I think that's what won him the part of The Grinch. He also played a double role as the eagle.

Though on stage for most of the production, his speaking (and solo singing) parts were relatively small. He went to almost all of the practice days of which there were too many, often having to wait long periods for his turn to come up. He really gave his all to each of four performances.

Well the play has been long over for months now, but several lasting friendships resulted, and so many good things have transpired as part of that experience. (A dream of mine was for the boys to be able to participate in the realm of drama or perhaps speech in some way.)

A few weeks ago Jeremiah got notice in the mail that he was nominated for an award and to please come to the awards ceremony which was last Saturday night. We went not expecting anything but a good time, but we were pleasantly surprised. The very first award given was for "Outstanding Performance By a Supporting Actor in Children's Literature" (of which all nominations were from Seussical) and Jeremiah won! He went up on stage and received his award and said his thank-you.

This unexpected delight was recognition of a job well done that somebody(s) had noticed. It amazed us to think of the large cast of characters in the play and that he was chosen. A speaker for the Arts Council summed it up this way: "Their role may or may not have been a big one, but their performance was such that when you walked out the theater door, their character made a definite impact on you."

Congratulations again to Jeremiah for a job well done!

Our Family's Favorites & Worthwhile Reading List

The following list of books include some of our all time favorites and inspirational treats (in no particular order). Many have been delightful read-alouds, especially those at the top children's section. There are some genres I'm not including like much adult fiction and very young children's books, poetry, political or historical, though they'd have a place in my favorites also, and I'm sure I've left out a few that should have been included here. These are mainly from the gist of our normal life's reading. If you want to explore new horizons or have a life changing experience, check these out!


Children/Teens:

• Heidi by Johanna Spyri
• Little Britches, Father and I Were Ranchers by Ralph Moody (and others in the series)
• Sir Gibbie by George MacDonald
• A Hive of Busy Bees by Effie M. WIlliams
  
• Treasures of the Snow by Patricia St. James
• Mama's Bank Account by Kathryn Forbes
• Understood Betsy by Dorothy Canfield Fisher
• James Herriot's Treasury for Children by James Herriot
  
• Cheaper by the Dozen by Frank B. Gilbreth and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey
• Charlotte's Web by E. B. White
• The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi
• The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
• Little Women by by Louisa May Alcott (also Little Men)
• The Swiss Family Robinson by Johann D. Wyss
• Black Beauty by Anna Sewell
• Far North by Will Hobbs
• Lost on a Mountain in Maine by Joseph Egan
• Pagoo by Holling C. Holling
  
• Minn of the Mississippi by Holling C. Holling
• Benjamin West and his cat Grimalkin by Marguerite Henry
  
• Leonardo Da Vinci (Childhood of World Figures) by George E. Stanley
• Painting America's Wildlife: John James Audubon by Janet Stevenson
• Seeing Fingers - the story of Louis Braille byEtta DeGering
  
• Little House in the Big Woods (and others in the series) by Laura Ingalls Wilder
• Caddie Woodlawn by Carol Brink
• Missionary Stories for Children
• Summer of the Monkeys by Wilson Rawls
• Nothing is Impossible: the Story of Beatrix Potter by Dorothy Aldis
  
• So Dear to My Heart by Sterling North
• Rascal by Sterling North
• Young Thomas Edison by Sterling North
• Holes by Louis Sachar
• The Giver by Lois Lowry
• The Saturdays (and others) by Elizabeth Enright
• The Merry Adventure's of Robin Hood by Howard Pyle
• The Great Fire by Jim Murphy
• An American Plague by Jim Murphy
• Carry On, Mr. Bowditch by Jean Lee Latham
• The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Spear
• Hank the Cowdog (and many in the series) by John R. Erickson
• The Chronicles of Narnia (series) by C. S. Lewis
• Cricket in Times Square by George Selden
• There's an Owl in the Shower by Jean Craighead George
• My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George
• Door in the Wall by Marguerite de Angeli
• Homesick by Jean Fritz (and her many historical fiction biographies for children)
• The Great Brain by John D.l Fitzgerald (more in the series)
• The Borrowers by Mary Norton
• Golden Goblet by Eloise Jarvis McGraw
• The Ransom of Red Chief and other stories by O. Henry
• Adam of the Road by Elizabeth Gray
• Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes
• Watership Down by Richard Adams
• Pollyanna by Eleanor Porter
• Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
• Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien
• The Wheel on the School by Meindert Dejong
• Wolves of Willoughby Chase by Joan Aiken
• Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
• All Creatures Great and Small and others by James Herriot
• One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich and others by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
• The Strange Lives of Familiar Insects by Edwin Way Teale
• Tesla: Man Out of Time by Margaret Cheney
• Scottish Chiefs by Jane Porter
• The Librarian Who Measured the Earth by Kathryn Lasky
• Archimedes & the Door of Science by Jeanne Bendick
• Snowflake Bentley by Jacqueline Briggs Martin
• Augustus Caesar's World by Genevieve Foster
• The World of William Penn by Genevieve Foster
• Material World by Peter Menzel (photographic journal)
• Honey For a Child's Heart by Gladys Hunt

Women's Interest:

• The Story of My Life by Helen Keller
• Mrs. Mike by Benedict and Nancy Freedman
• Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
• The Small Woman: The True Story of Gladys Aylward of China by Alan Burgess
  
• Honey For a Woman's Heart by Gladys Hunt
• I'm Going to be the Greatest Mom Ever by Terri Camp
• Fascinating Womanhood by Helen Andelin
• Created to Be His Helpmeet by Debi Pearl
• How to Become Your Husband's Best Friend by Gary Smalley
• Creative Counterpart by Linda Dillow
• The Fruit of Her Hands: Respect and the Christian Woman by Nancy Wilson
• Praise Her in the Gates: the Calling of Christian Motherhood by Nancy Wilson
• Intimate Issues by Linda Dillow and Lorraine Pintus
• Seasons of a Mother's Heart by Sally Clarkson
• Tilly by Frank E. Peretti
• Pro-Life Christians by Joe Gulotta

Educational:

• Ignite the Fire by Terri Camp
• The Holy Bible
• A Child's History of the World (also Art & Geography) by V. M. Hillyer
• The Way They Learn by Cynthia Tobias
• Teach Your Own by John Holt
• How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
• The Law by Frederick Bastiat
• Preparing for Adolescence by Dr. James Dobson
• The Well-Educated Mind by Susan Wise Bauer
• Literature Alive! by Cay A. Gibson
• The Moral Compass by William J. Bennett
• Letters to Jessica by Robert Bissett
  
• Square Foot Gardening by Mel Bartholomew
• The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz

Marriage/Family Helps:

• Jumping Ship by Michael Pearl
• Grace Walk by Steve McVey
• Shattered Dreams: God's Unexpected Pathway to Joy by Larry Crabb
• The Marriage Builder by Larry Crabb
• Wild at Heart: Discovering the Secret of a Man's Soul by John Eldredge
• Sheet Music by Kevin Leman
• Love is a Decision by Gary Smalley & John Trent
• The Blessing by Gary Smalley & John Trent
• His Needs, Her Needs - How to Build an Affair Proof Marriage by Willard F. Harley Jr.
• The Proper Care and Feeding of Husbands by Dr. Laura Schlessinger
  
• Marriage Fitness by Mort Fertel

Health, Nutrition, Cooking:

• Inflammation Nation by Floyd H. Chilton
• What the Bible Says About Healthy Living by Rex Russell
• Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon
  
• God & Vitamins by Marjorie Holmes
• The Hallelujah Diet by George Malkmus

I love to get recommendations and always have a "to read" list going. Please share your favorites with us too!

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

What I'm Reading

I don't usually read much fiction for myself. The last book of fiction I read was the huge Echo in the Darkness by Francine Rivers, which was recommended to me. I mostly read it when it comes highly recommended which is what interested me in the book Honey for a Woman's Heart. I gave "Honey..." also to my mom as a gift and she has dissected it and is finding all sorts of great treasures as a result which we discuss together.

I still like to read kid's picture books. This week at the library I found Leonardo's Horse by a favorite children's author, Jean Fritz. I have a collection of hers but didn't even know about this particular book. Now I need to buy one for my own. I have read much fiction, especially historical fiction with the boys over so many years of homeschooling (my favorite activity!) but I tend to love what is true the most and that is what excites me - real stories of real heroes in real life!!

There's a slew of interesting books all beckoning me at once. Let's see what I am reading at this scene in my life...

• Honey For a Woman's Heart by Gladys Hunt
• Living Peacefully in a Stressful World by Ron Hutchcraft
• The Teenage Liberation Handbook by Grace Llewellyn
• The Bible Cure for Weight Loss & Muscle Gain by Don Colbert, M.D. (rereading)
• The Writer's Jungle by Julie Bogart
• Families Writing by Peter R. Stillman
• Home by Choice by Brenda Hunter, Ph.D.
• Caring Enough to Forgive; Caring Enough to Not Forgive by David Augsburger
• Write Upon My Heart : Cheerfulness by Keepers of the Faith Publishing
• The Raw Food Gourmet by Gabrielle Chavez
• Your Right to be Beautiful-the Miracle of Raw Foods by Tonya Zavasta (a bit at a time)
  
• Juices & Smoothies by Suzannah; Farrow, Joanna Olivier

With the Boys:

• It's a Jungle Out There! by Ron Snell
• Created for WORK - Practical Insights for Young Men by Bob Schultz
• Fearfully & Wonderfully Made - a Surgeon Looks at the Human & Spiritual Body by Dr. Paul Brand & Philip Yancey