Calling our Students to a Standard of Excellence

It has long troubled me that
my children have a propensity
to try to do as little as
possible to get by.

But, if I think about it
I was that way too.

It is the natural way.

We have a friend who's daughter
is a neat freak and loves to
clean and organize. This girl is
the exception to the rule of most
families I know. I love her dearly
and want her for a daughter-in-law
so that I can live out my final
days in neatness. Ha!

However, part of our responsibility
in raising our children is to teach
them the meaning of excellence and
what that looks like in the every day
school day and in all that they do.

Easier said than done.

However, I think that a lot of this
is taught by example.

I know I fail at this often but it is always
my goal to complete every assignment, task or
duty...

With excellence.

Leaning on the Everlasting Arms...
Becky K.

Longwood Gardens and "Thank You!"

It is getting easier to do school again
now that we are feeling better.
Thank you, so much, for your encouragements!

This year's flu was just so devastating!

Yesterday, Mikey began the research for
his paper on old coins.

This is right up his alley as the lover
of money that he is.

Chelsea and Jonathan were able to enjoy
a different kind of learning as we went
back to Longwood Gardens.

We used our imaginations, our eyes, our noses
and even touch to enjoy the beauty and
fun all around us in this magical place!

While Jonathan was traipsing through nearly every
inch outside, Chelsea was learning how to put the
camera to very good use.

Here are a few of the pictures that Chelsea and Warren took.
Warren showed Chelsea
how to use a couple of the features
on the camera.







We spent some time in Mr. Dupont's home...while we were there I took a picture of a frog garden ornament. Chelsea looked at my shot and decided that she knew better how to take the picture. Here they are...mine first, then Chelsea's.


She was right!
Love that kid!

Well, for more pictures from our fun afternoon at Longwood Gardens check out my blog, Hospitality Lane or Chelsea's It's About Friends Blog. The pictures will be on her blog later today.

Blessings on your day!
Becky K.

Help! The School Year has stalled...

I am struggling this week to get back in the
swing of things since we all had the flu.
We are off of the track and need to get back on.

There is so much math to be done!

Help!

Any encouraging words will be appreciated.

Most Sincerely,

Becky

How Has Your Homeschool Year Gone?

We are nearing the end of our school year. I like to review what we have done during the year and to see where we can make improvements for next year. I like this picture above because it makes me think of my older girls and their love for reading. For one of them this is the year that reading became something she did for pleasure, for the other the love of reading continued strong. For our younger girls, one of them has delighted in her reading as well, and the other is just starting to sound letters out! What fun this is for me. I love reading!

In September, we went to Colonial Williamsburg. This was such a treat. Since it was a Homeschooling week the tickets were so inexpensive and made it affordable for our family. While there we met up with friends from our homeschool co-op!

Our cat Chloe had her second little of kittens.

Our dog Samantha had her first litter of puppies. 11 of them!

In December, we had a Jane Austen Christmas Ball! These are the students in my "Pride and Prejudice" class.

We also have done the usual subjects like math, science and history. These we have done well with. Below is a picture of Lindsay's biology lab class.

Areas we need to do a bit more work on are writing and health. I have daughter's who like to write a lot, and have one who would rather dissect a frog, than write. She can do it, and does well, but she just isn't a writer. So she has to work at it, force herself to do it. :)

Overall, I would say that we have had an excellent year of learning. How about you?

Change of Pace

Today we are doing something different.

We are still learning, of course, but as I have a cold, and don't feel like trying to read history aloud, I decided to bring on the fun!

First of all, we did spelling. Then 2 of my girls worked on their Botany, while my oldest girl work on a Story Starters story. She hates to write, but the story is about a horse or two so that should make it less painful for her!

Now, there is art going on. I have a neat book Usbornes's "The Children's Book of Art", by Rosie Dickins. Not only does this book talk about famous artists, and show their different styles, it gives this Mom a jumping off point for trying out the different styles. Today they are making paper collages, ala Henri Matisse. When he got to be 80 years old, he could not longer paint due to health issues. So he turned to what he called "Scissor Painting", or collage.

The girls also did some Home Economics by making a yummy salad for lunch. Later there will be some writing my the younger girls, and of course reading. I think we may do some music appreciation today, as well.

I love these opportunities to mix it up a bit and do the "fun" things!

Let him Write about This...

Neither of my boys just love to write...

Chelsea and I are the opposite.

I have a theory though...

I think that both boys really like the process
of being creative in writing if they are not
told what to write or if they feel that I am not
going to pick apart the spelling and grammar.

I believe this because they will choose a writing
assignment over math any day of the week and it is
usually very good, if you can overlook the spelling
atrocities.

Therefore, I am upping the ante a bit this week.

I will be assigning a research paper with a specific
topic and several questions to be answered.

Mikey will be doing his on Why the X-Box 360 has had
so many issues with overheating. How this has effected
anyone he knows who owns this game system? How this may or
may not effect him. What is one to do if they own a defective
system. What is the manufacturer's warranty and how has that
changed over the past year? What is the Red Ring of Failure?

Who knew there were so many pressing questions about the
X-box 360????

I know that this is a topic that will interest Mikey.
I also know that he will not be thrilled that I want
specific information and to have it put into a specific format.
He gets something...I get something.

Mikey has been a bit more interested in learning spelling
since taking on wii e-mail with a fellow homeschooler.

Ahhh...this is when it is important to know how to spell.

Finally!

But, before I give him this assignment I must treat him with
much tender care as he is very sick with the flu right now.
Hopefully by Wednesday...

See Ya!

Becky K.

Last Thursday's Music Class

Sometimes you just have to
review!

We needed to review the music
genres we have been studying
at my co-op class.

We did this by playing games.

We played Hangman...

Musical Chairs...

Name that genre...

and a quiz type game.

The kids had fun.

It is hard to pick out a specific
genre if it is close to another.

Sometimes both could be correct.

Such as Spiritual and Gospel.

Sometimes the two are almost
intertwined.

Anyway, I think that a few of these
students are grasping that music class
does not have to be boring and all about
lines and notes.

Not that these are bad, but if a
child is not interested in the
first place these hold an even
smaller place of interest for them.

It is so enjoyable that the time just
flies by!

Teaching rocks!

Becky K.