Interest-led learning

The best thing about homeschooling--well, except for the time we spend together as a family, being able to read wonderful books together and, of course, being able to count household chores as home ec.--is the ability to fine-tune your child's education to fit their specific interests. In our family, this has looked like an entire year's worth of math geared towards the theme of a veterinary clinic, an ongoing study of the flags of the world and a rather in-depth and involved investigation into the science of the submarine.

None of this was scripted--not in the earliest stages, at least. Each of these things that has contributed to the uniqueness of our own homeschooling journey came about primarily because one (or more) children developed a deep interest in a topic that held enough mystery for all of us that we decided to give it a go. In most of the instances when I have followed my children's lead, I've had to be especially creative in crafting resources into usable materials. For instance, when Jo was especially anti-math, but extremely pro-animal science, I did a bit of legwork and wrote a math text of my own for her. It was nothing more than a spiral-bound notebook that I titled "Country Doctor Case Files" and filled with scenarios and story problems that forced her to add, subtract, estimate, weigh, measure, multiply and divide. Each of these skills were ones that she had the ability to do, but not the desire. Seeing the problems presented in the context of something she was most definitely interested in gave her the chance to see that those skills were important--and so was her passion for all things hoofed and pawed.

Most recently, I've found myself dabbling in the world of lapbooking--again, following my children's interests. While I am not a huge fan of the genre I call "Cut! Color! Paste!" just for the sake of cutting, coloring and pasting, my children seem to get something out of lapbooking that they really enjoy. I think it's an outgrowth of the fact that we are a very oral-driven family. We read a loud for a good portion of the day, and the children have found wonderful ways to keep their hands busy. Coloring, drawing, playing with Lincoln Logs or Legos, knitting and sewing are all activities that have become the norm around here. Lapbooking seems to take the coloring and drawing bit and fuse it to the reading; more often than not, they are asking for lapbook ideas that go along with what we're reading about. In that sense, it's sort of a glorified extension of the Dover coloring book collection we already have in heavy rotation.

In addition to the lapbook addition to our family homeschool routine, we've also been hearing from Jo that she would like to pursue piano lessons. Her best friend is a very gifted pianist, so perhaps the interest stems mainly from the desire to have yet one more thing in common with R. I don't know. She says that it only makes sense; her life's calling--stated since she was 7-- is that she wants to be a missionary in Chile with Christian Veterinary Missions. Of course, she says, she will have to be able to conduct some sort of worship service, right? Hence, the piano lessons.

The main concern I have here is that, to date, Jo has showed no sign whatsoever of having a shred of musical talent. She comes by this honestly; both dh and I played instruments in middle and high school, but neither or us rose to the cream of the crop, if you know what I mean. While Jo adores classical music (right now, of course, she's a Tchaikovsky fanatic), I have no reason to believe that she's any more talented in this discipline that either of her parents.

(Logan, however, appears to be a different story. This boy is nothing but recessive genes, I tell you!)

Since we first began this homeschooling journey, our family has been dedicated to following the talents, interests and gifts that each child is called to. So far, that has never steered us wrong. A steady diet of wonderful literature, thought-provoking culture and history, new ideas, sound doctrine and ample opportunity, coupled with the fact questions are enthusiastically encouraged has produced children who are not afraid to try new things and, if need be, to fail.

This is why--despite the fact that owning a piano was certainly never on my list of things to do--we're scanning Craig's List and checking out our options. Another interest has called. We owe it to our children to answer, if at all possible.

Attn: Sonlight Users!

If you're a blogging Sonlighter, and would like to join our blog ring, click here to fill out a submission! To put some sort of standard into effect for the ring, I am asking that you currently be using at least some part of a Sonlight Core in order to join the ring. If you have any questions, please contact me while I'm a homeschoolingmom3 where the yahoos are.

Hope is on the line

I can't say anything about it, other than we're being submitted on a child. I can't tell you how much hope that one little call has beamed into my day. I have been almost afraid to think about the adoption since the beginning of the Advent season--it feels like poking a bruise to realize that another year will drop away from the calendar and we will still be waiting. But this one call ... one little call ...

If you've never been through the process, it probably makes no sense at all. But if you have, you are sighing right along with me, nodding your head and saying, "I have so been there." Because whether or not this is our child, this is the proof that God is moving. And today, I needed to see that. And my God answered.

The Nutcracker

To prepare for our upcoming trip to see a performance of "The Nutcracker," I have been collecting resources. Since my dear friend E. tied up the extensive collection of "Nutcracker" books, recordings and videos available through our library system almost single-handedly (grin), I'm left culling the best of the 'net. Here are a few of the gems I've found among the offerings:

History, story, review and more:
Official Nutcracker Ballet Homepage
Lessons Plans to pull from:
NYC Ballet plans for 4th-5th grade
PBS Great Performances "Nutcracker" page
Telling A Story Through Dance (Kennedy Center)
Fun Lessons (plans with a craft)

Music clips:
Nutcracker Suite Overture
Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies
Russian Dance
Chinese Dance
Arabian Dance
Dance of the Reed Flutes
Waltz of the Flowers

Tchaikovsky:
Wikipedia bio
Tchaikovsky visits America
Tchaikovsky Research

Video clips:
Chinese Dance
Arabian Dance
Dance of the Mirlitons
ABT/Baryshnikov Dance of the Children, more

Nutcrackers:
Steinbach factories & nutcrackers

Books:
DK Illustrated Ballet Stories
PNB Presents: Nutcracker
Nutcracker Nation

Time to vote!

I admit to feeling a bit like a heel for posting this, but a SL friend told me that everyone actually expects you to post a reminder like this, so here goes:

Voting begins today for the annual Homeschool Blogger Awards. This blog was nominated for both the Cyber-Buddy and Variety categories. If you're so inclined, zip on over and check out the nominees, then cast your vote!

Jesse Tree

Whether you are Catholic or not (we're not), here's a great site to get you started with a simple version of a Jesse Tree. Not being a super-crafty homeschooling mom, I like the easily printed ornaments (I print them out in black and white so my dc can color them while I read) as well as the simple, unscripted lead-ins to each day's reading. The format has allowed me to have a reading prepared with no research on my behalf, explain what the ornament symbolizes, and then let the discussion follow the children's natural interests. Then, the children use glue sticks to post their ornaments on their own, individual butcher-paper trees.

How was your in-law's visit, MG?

It went really well, thanks for asking.

Dh's mom seems to have discovered the wisdom of taking hormones (which I have maintained that she needed for the past decade). Say what you will about those little faux woman-stuff pills, but here's my testimony:

Dmil had only been on the things for six days when she arrived on our doorstep. She was a bit catty, but still a far more tame version of herself than I have come to expect in recent history. Her nasty comments, intolerable hot flashes that cause her to rage at innocent bystanders and generally foul mood were in shorter supply than I can recall since dh and I tied the knot. Still, there were more than a few snide side comments, mostly pointed in my direction, and nearly all having to do with the fact that I ordered our turkey dinner from a grocery store.

By day eight on the medication, she was almost mellow. No joke, guys. She averaged one nasty comment a day from then on, and was so darn amiable that dh and I let her take our kids to the movies without us. We were that certain that she wouldn't pull a "Grandma Dearest" on them. She even ate a meal at a restaurant without sending any portion of her meal back. You really can't grasp how unlike her that is.

This was an earth-shattering difference. Prayer and hormones. A winning combination!