Betty Jo always shares some great funny cartoons and memes to get my Monday started off right.
Twelve Days of Homeschool https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rN4o3OxFzqA&index=5&list=RDRWa0rzvesCE
Happy Monday! And, Happy (back to) Homeschooling!
betty jo
“You and I only have this day, this moment to choose to live for what matters.” Sally Clarkson
“Teach us to number our days that we might present to thee a heart of wisdom.”
Psalm 91:12
I was really struggling today because I have so many things I wanted to get done from history plans to blog posts from cleaning my bedroom to making sure my school plans are ready to go for next year. I managed to have the day to myself and was planning on getting lots of things accomplished.
Then the interruptions started: the kids (who are happily spending the day with grandparents and friends) needed to stop by and pick up some things they had forgotten, my husband needed some unexpected help with our home business, some other volunteer obligations I had needed pressing attention, etc.
I felt so tempted to throw my hands in the air and declare the day a complete failure and loss. It was already lunch-time and nothing on my list had been checked off. Thankfully, God sent me a sweet reminder in the form of the quote and verse above.
I may not have gotten the things on my list checked off but I did the things that were important for today. I did get a few sweet minutes with my children this morning, helped my husband and be grateful for the blessing of working together side by side, and focused on that which God had set forth for my day.
Each day we get to choose how we spend our time. Though there will be interruptions, there will be problems, and opportunities, we can choose to focus on the people and on the things of eternal importance or we can choose to close our eyes to the needs around us and miss out on opportunities. This doesn’t mean that we have to say yes to everything or that we never need to just wash the dishes or write the lesson plans. The key is to be aware and make sure that we prioritize those things that are important and not just the urgent.
I’d love for you to tell me in the comments how you are making today matter!
I am looking forward with sharing a variety of books with you (at least one a month). I will choose books that are relevant to my life as a mother, a wife, a Christian, and/or a home schooling mom. I am currently reading, A Life That Says Welcome, by Karen Ehman and look forward to sharing my thoughts on it in the next week or so. I know that I will also be sharing about Sally Clarkson’s new book that is being released soon, The Lifegiving Table: Nurturing Faith through Feasting, One Meal at a Time. I have really enjoyed several of her other books including, The Lifegiving Home, so this is one I’m very excited to check out.
If you are interested in checking out either of these books, I’ve included links for your convenience. (These are affiliate links but do not change your cost). I would love to hear about books that you love or books that you want to know more about. Reading has always been a passion of mine, but at times it has been put on the back burner due to children and life circumstances. It is my personal goal to read at least two books a month not including those books I am reading to my children or previewing for them. Please leave me a comment with your favorite book or a book you would like to see reviewed.
Impact-Site-Verification: 44950a9f-1809-4b4a-a24b-6de85d0f3549
I’m so excited to be taking over the reins of this blog. My name is Dawn Peluso and I was one of the folks that helped Diane with the Schoolin’ Swag Facebook page. I’m a homeschooling mom of 3. Our children are 11, 9, and 3. We live in Eastern, NC and enjoy hiking, the beach, and spending time with family. We are active in our church and strive be a family that follows Jesus.
We use a variety of materials and methods in our home school and like to say our style is “Charlotte Mason Eclectic”. In particular, we enjoy using lots of good books, nature study, hands-on history, cooking, and traveling to create a family culture of learning and growing.
Look for more posts over the next couple weeks with information about book reviews, fun home school ideas, and more.
My plan for the blog beginning in September is to have a weekly post about the history that we are studying that week (my husband and I are creating a hands on American history program for our kids and I will share that plan and the resources that we are using, in case anyone else wants to join us on that journey), Product reviews, a monthly book review of a book for Moms, lots of guest posts from other homeschooling moms about what they are doing in their home schools and a variety of other content. I’m very open to hearing from our readers about what you would like to see and making sure we are meeting those needs.
Yesterday was a bit frustrating for our oldest. He had a couple of quizzes, and one of them was the sort that required psychic ability in order to answer some the questions. The interpretation of truth was a bit subjective, and if answers were not given according to the thinking of the assessment writer, well, they were wrong. It reminded me of this humorous portion of an “I Love Lucy” episode:
This is one of the reasons I love having a front row seat for educating our kids. I was able to come in the back door on that quiz, see the way some the questions were phrased rather ambiguously, and make a judgement call.
Yes, I have eliminated quiz questions. Sometimes I’ve tossed out entire assessments because there was a better way to see if my child had assimilated knowledge. I don’t think questions which ask for ridiculously detailed information are necessarily profitable. What was the name of a certain prominent person’s second cousin’s husband’s pet? Nope.
I also know our kids, and I have watched them shaping into who God intends for them to be. Because of that, I can decide if certain questions, projects, even subjects should carry more weight with regard to time and focus. Yes, we fulfill what the state requirements mandate; but we do it our own way, and reasonably. 😉
Some material is simply twaddle. I really dislike busy work immensely. Things which occupy time, but don’t serve to build or teach much of anything (except perhaps patience) are subject to educational extinction in our house.
Today, I punted a quiz. I saw my child struggling to decipher it, and making several attempts to answer the way the program wanted him to answer. He kept his cool. He did not get angry and storm off. He did not declare he hated the subject, hated the program, or hated school. He handled the whole thing maturely. So we went question by question verbally, and I tweaked the phrasing so he could comprehend more fully what he was being asked. His understanding was more complete after that than it would have been if he had guessed his way through, absently clicking buttons. He passed just fine, mom style. I commended him for his attitude and perseverance. I told him that was of more value than A’s to me.
Give yourself the freedom to do this.
For the love of learning,
Diane 🙂
Lessontrek has been a very popular planning and scheduling tool at Schoolin’ Swag! Our friend Jason Pessemier has been hard at work, tweaking and upgrading as he can, to make this valuable tool even more user friendly and seamless. I asked Jason if he would tell me what the most common questions about the product are, so users could find answers easily here at the blog. Here is what he shared.
1. Question: How do I add hyperlinks in a lesson? I need to click to websites for my child’s assignments.
Answer: To set up, click a lesson block, paste the URL and click save. To access, navigate to the lesson block and click the Open button, then click the hyperlink in the upper left.
2. Question: How do I print in color?
Answer: Make sure your browser’s Print Settings is set to print in color. Most browsers set their Print Settings to Black & White
3. Question: What curriculum can I use in Lessontrek?
Answer: You can use any type of curriculum or you can create your own. Lessontrek was built to be as flexible and easy-to-use as possible.
4. Question: Can I add weekends to Lessontrek? We sometimes have classes or we like to add household chores to our calendar.
Answer: Yes, make sure to click the Show Weekend check box located inside your Student Home modal.
5. Question: Can I use Lessontrek if I’m a public or private school teacher?
Answer: Absolutely! We encourage anyone to use this if it fits their needs. School teachers are currently using Lessontrek and they love it.
Here is a list of items Jason plans to add, as he is able:
There is some great pricing available right now at Lessontrek!
Want to try a FREE TRIAL? Click here!
Got another question for Jason? Let me know in the comments!
I am putting together a fun end-of-the-year giveaway at Schoolin’ Swag for our 4,600-ish wonderful, hard working, homeschooling mamas! Wanna take a peek at the lovely items being offered?
These items are being donated by mamas in our group, many of whom also have home businesses to help make ends meet. This is one of the few times each year that we allow personal advertising in the group, and I’m happy to give the opportunity to help a great cause! Homeschooling!
From Charissa Rice (Mary Kay), we will have a bundle including the Satin Lips set and Ultimate Mascara!
From Rebecca Pahnke Thomas, we have Mint Bliss Energizing Lotion from Mary Kay (she is not business building, just being SO sweet in donating!) as well as Citrus Bliss Invigorating Essential Oil Blend from doTERRA!
From Hope Turner (Young Living), we’ll have a cute diffuser necklace and a bottle of “Stress Away” essential oil, as well as a couple of other samples and a Lavender Bath Soak.
From lovely member Lynette Dickson, we have a hand crafted natural bronzer, using the winner’s choice of combination of cocoa powder, rose powder, and ginger root powder for shimmer. Mmmmmmmmmm…chocolate and shimmer!
From Perfectly Posh member Leah Cherrone, we have the donation of the “Posh to meet you” kit by Perfectly Posh contains a Good Vibes BFYHC (big fat yummy hand cream-smells like mango with a hint of coconut), a Strawberry Fields Forever chunk (bar soap, smells like strawberry and lime–I LOVE THIS…SO yummy!) and a Santa Monica Smooth lip balm (peach, orange and mint, with a hint of caffeine). Also included in this bundle is a “dogbone” pillow made of dress weight denim. It is medium firm (not softy soft, not hard). It is designed for neck support and easy to carry or hang to store with the handles.
Next, from Krysten Glor (31 Gifts), we have a $25 gift certificate to use however the winner’s heart desires! So many cute choices!
From Karen Daniels (Plexus), we have a 7-day trial pack being offered! I have loved the “Pink Drink”…certainly worth giving it a go if you’ve never tried it!
From Ashley Moore’s Etsy shop, we have a $20 gift certificate to use toward her super cute selection of hair accessories and baby barefoot sandals (which are darling)!
Now, from Dana Malone of One Buffalo (products with integrity), we are offering a bundle of natural, organic body care products, including:
Lotion Stick – Mint, made with only organic shea butter, organic coconut oil, beeswax and essential oil
Lip Balm, made with only organic cocoa butter, organic coconut oil and beeswax
From our wonderful crochet guru Denise Hockenberry, we’ll have a cute and practical spa bath set including 3 wash cloths, 6 face scrubbies, and 1 soap saver!
Further, from Jen Figueiras (Jamberry Nails) we have a $20 gift certificate, plus a mini application kit and the 2 sheets of accent nails! Just in time for summer! 🙂
From one of our newest members, Brittany Barber (It Works), we have an Ultimate Body Applicator (value $25), which is a non-woven cloth wrap that has been infused with a powerful, botanically-based formula to deliver maximum tightening, toning, and firming results where applied to the skin.
Moving on (!), we have a Moonstruck 3D Fiberlashes set from Amy Hardy Moye (Younique)! Increase your lash volume by up to 400%!
From our darlin’ brand new Avon rep Diana Doggett, we have a fun little package including nail polish (Pastel Pink), lipstick (Divine Wine), and Mark lip gloss duo (Glow Baby Glow and Girly Girl)!
Finally, from two wonderful authors, Karen Ehman and Ruth SchweKaren Enk (I LOVE “Hoodwinked” which was also co-authored by them), we have a copy of “Pressing Pause“! I am so tickled to be able to include this in our event!
We have taken a new direction in our education, and it is more demanding with many more assessments and evaluations (read: quizzes and tests) than what our kids had been accustomed to. To them, it can seem tedious…but it helps me to ensure they know what they are doing before coming to that realization on a big exam.
I’ve often told our kids that failures can be a stumbling block or a stepping stone…the choice is ours. Today, one of the kids had an assessment on a math lesson and failed badly. We were about to see how that plays out in real life.
In going over the answers, I saw that at least half of the errors were simple things like not paying attention to the wording or the symbols in equations. This was not an official quiz, so I cleared all the work, had my student come by me, and we went through the assessment, question by question. We reviewed concepts. We looked up definitions. We worked things out on the Boogie Board. We even borrowed the brains of Sal Khan for one particular question. The result? When the assessment was retaken, the result was well above average. But that is not the best thing.
I didn’t look for perfection. I looked for education. Real learning. Not just the “I think I have an idea, and so I will color in this bubble” facsimile of going-through-the-motions education.
Coming out of this experience, I know my student has a solid grasp on where the weaknesses were in understanding and comprehension. Exactly. My finger is right on that pulse. When we were done with our session, we both knew the material (I’d forgotten all about “multiplicative inverses”…so, thanks Sal!) solidly. That’s important. It’s supremely key if we are going to call what we are doing e-d-u-c-a-t-i-o-n. In the words of a family friend, “Do you understand what you know about that?”
Getting A’s is all well and good, but if the grade is achieved by skillful guessing, or merely a rudimentary understanding (the “I’ll learn this for a test, but I plan to let it vaporize post haste!” kind), then we need to look more closely at how we are educating and less at the alphabet. Quizzes, tests, and exams are not the end. They can be used as a means to achieve learning, if we choose to grade smarter instead of harder. Grading, if you choose to do it, should be a used as a barometer. It should tell you if the synapses are connecting. It should never be interpreted as a reflection of who your child is. Let’s all remember that.
Dear Homeschool Mom,
We have found a new direction for our schooling that provides quality education as well as convenience for us. It packs a punch financially, but getting the membership saves us a considerable amount of money over doing their monthly subscription. So, I have some items to gleefully clear out of my room (which is the storage for much of our school stuff).
I am a purger by nature. I’m also pretty frugal. Put those two together, and…you have this post. 😉 So, here goes!
Prices have a little bit of room for negotiation. 😉
First, I have this Pre-Algebra set from Teaching Textbooks. We have really liked the approach of this math. Great for visual and auditory learners. Easy to understand instruction. Pages are a wee bit tired. Gently used, with a little bit of highlighting. Disks work fine. Asking: $100 for all, Paypal preferred (shipping included-Continental US only)
The Christian Light Level 4 books I have available are all new. The two text books are like new, with only light wear. It is not the complete set, but most of it is there. In most subjects only the first couple of workbooks are missing. All answer keys and teacher editions are new. Asking $200 for all, Paypal preferred (shipping included-Continental US only)
The Algebra 2 and Health high school texts from BJU Press are gently used. Asking $20 for both, Paypal preferred (shipping included-Continental US only)
I have the Life of Fred Language Arts for high school, complete set. Great condition, only a few pencil marks in one book. Books C and D are like brand new. Asking $60 for both, Paypal preferred (shipping included-Continental US only)
The Easy Spanish and Webster’s Spanish dictionary are also gently used. Asking $20 for both, Paypal preferred (shipping included-Continental US only)
The Story of the World, Volume 3 set has some light wear. Includes Student Text, Activity Book (all pages intact), and Test and Answer Key (like new). Asking $65 for all, Paypal preferred (shipping included-Continental US only)
I apologize for images which have turned or rotated. I can’t seem to figure out how to edit them in WordPress! If you would like a better image, respond to the email below, and I’ll be happy to send you one.
If you are interested in any of these items, please send an email to blest2bwest@wyoming.com . I’ll try and respond promptly with any further details you need.
