Aug 2 2016

Tuesday Tome Week 31 – Nurtured By Love

Posted on August 2, 2016 by Adriana Zoder

Nurtured by Love was written by Shinichi Suzuki when he was in his 80s. His wife, Waltraud, translated it into English. The subtitle is “The Classic Approach to Talent Education.” If your child is taking music lessons from a Suzuki-certified teacher, you will probably be required to read this book as a Suzuki parent.

Suzuki’s idea about learning an instrument has to do with fluency in one’s native language. Just as Japanese children become fluent in Japanese and master complicated dialects by the age of four or five, American children become fluent in English, their native language, and master the accent of the area in which they were raised. It works the same way for an instrument. Continue reading »

Aug 1 2016

Science Camp

Posted on August 1, 2016 by Adriana Zoder

This week, Monday-Friday, 9am-12noon, at the Lutheran Church on Pullen Road in Sevierville, our children are attending a science camp. Several science teachers from the local community college and from the public school system put this program together for free, in order to revive the old way of teaching science: through experiments.

Looking at rocks up close

The camp director said she has been a lifelong educator and has noticed that over the years the school system has transitioned to worksheets and away from hands-on experiences. For children, science is fun if you show them experiments and let them handle substances. That’s how they develop an inquisitive mind and they learn to think outside the box.

Jul 30 2016

Story of the World, Vol. 2, Chapter 41

Posted on July 30, 2016 by Adriana Zoder

Chapter 41 deals with more explorations in North America. We learned where the name Canada comes from (kanata, an Iroquoian word) and what it means (village or settlement or land). There were two stories: one about John Cabot and the other about Jacques Cartier. In all honesty, all this was new to me. I love learning alongside my children.

Jacques Cartier coloring page

Newfoundland or Terre Neuve sounds like a great place to visit one day. I imagine the climate is similar to Sweden, where I lived for three years, so summer would be the best time to plan a trip up there. Continue reading »

Jul 27 2016

Story of the World, Vol. 2, Chapter 39

Posted on July 27, 2016 by Adriana Zoder

Chapter 39 deals with England’s Best Playwright – William Shakespeare. For the first time in two years, I chose not to read something from our main book of history (Story of the World). The first story which explains entertainment during Elizabeth’s reign and the details of Shakespeare’s life and career was fine. I read that to them. But the second story was a summary of Macbeth.

William Shakespeare Coloring Page

Especially because of my youngest being only six years old, I chose to skip that part. Assassinations and too much revenge, too much description of the bad guy’s feelings of envy, jealousy, greed etc. While I can appreciate Shakespeare genius at capturing the transition from good to evil intents in somebody’s heart, I don’t think children can focus on that. They just get the shock of the violence described. Continue reading »

Jul 26 2016

Tuesday Tome Week 30 – One Amazing Thing

Posted on July 26, 2016 by Adriana Zoder

One Amazing Thing was the book of the month of August at our book club. Its author, Chitra Divakaruni (say that three times fast!), teaches Creative Writing at the University of Houson. Her 18 novels have received awards and been translated into 29 languages. Two have been made into movies.

I read this book in three days and I could probably have read it in one if I were not a mom with responsibilities. What a great story about the human condition! Continue reading »

Jul 25 2016

Story of the World, Vol. 2, Chapter 38

Posted on July 25, 2016 by Adriana Zoder

Chapter 38 deals with England’s greatest queen: Elizabeth I. Two stories cover her ascension to the throne and then the reign itself. Bauer simplified the plot quite a bit and it’s a good thing, because it is already quite convoluted.

Queen Elizabeth I coloring page

The children retained the details quite well and I don’t know if it’s because the chapter was so clearly laid out or because they are getting older or because simply they paid attention better than other times. Narration went well and so did the questions, though they still don’t answer in full sentences all the time. Continue reading »

Jul 21 2016

Princess Camp

Posted on July 21, 2016 by Adriana Zoder

This week, my daughter and I attended Princess Camp at the Community Center in Gatlinburg. Janice Collart, who teaches tumbling and dance throughout the year, organizes a four-day princess camp in July. It is a drop-off event, but you know me. I don’t drop off my children somewhere in the name of education or fun.

Princess Camp – Day 3 outfit

While big brother was in Daddy Camp, i.e. he went with daddy wherever daddy’s job took him every day, my daughter and I went to Princess Camp. It was three hours every day – the fastest three hours I have ever experienced. They really kept the princesses busy. Continue reading »

Jul 20 2016

Story of the World, Vol. 2, Chapter 37

Posted on July 20, 2016 by Adriana Zoder

Chapter 37 deals with Nicolaus Copernicus and Galileo Galilei. The title is … May I just say – all over again – how much I am enjoying myself in history this year? My son loves science and a history lesson about scientists really grabbed his attention. My daughter liked the topic, too. I love it when the kids are listening.

The Solar System Coloring Page

The scientific method explained all over again, the facts of these good Catholic men going against an establishment they revered and feared – what’s not to like? Who needs fiction when we have history? Continue reading »

Jul 19 2016

Tuesday Tome Week 29 – Child Guidance

Posted on July 19, 2016 by Adriana Zoder

If you are a Christian parent, you will probably enjoy Child Guidance, learn a lot, and, at the same time, you will be challenged by it. It would be hard to read it in one week because it is such a deeply spiritual book. You would want to savor some of the principles outlined and really meditate and pray about them before you read more pages.

It contains practical advice but also general principles in how to guide your child toward maturity. It also makes it clear that we cannot expect children to do and be something we are not, as parents, as adults. So you will be challenged to become a better person, a better parent, a better Christian as you read this book.

Jul 18 2016

Story of the World, Vol. 2, Chapter 36

Posted on July 18, 2016 by Adriana Zoder

Chapter 36 explains more about the Reformation and the Counter Reformation. Personally, I have read a few books about the reformers and the amazing work of Melanchton. So I was glad to see Ms. Bauer mentioned his contribution to the Reformation. If you are looking for some good reading on the matter, you should read The Great Controversy – it’s about church history from AD 70 through the Protestant Reformation and beyond. You can read it for free here.

Stained Glass Coloring Page

The kids liked the story about the Council of Trent because of the two bishops who were acting silly. Also, because it took 18 years for this meeting to accomplish all its goals. That’s quite a meeting. Next time you have to sit through a one-hour meeting somewhere, before you complain, remember the Council of Trent. Continue reading »

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