We love French in our homeschool. I have started teaching my children French on a regular basis this spring. We joined the Alliance Française of Knoxville, signed up for Popi, and watched Caillou on youtube. However, I felt the need for a systematic approach to learning French. Enter Petra Lingua. Continue reading
Mom Monday Week 34 – Einstein Flunked Physics
Posted onSo, it’s a new homeschooling year. Some of you have already started. Others, like me, wait for September. Regardless, we all start the new school year with mixed feelings, don’t we?
Somewhere, mixed in with excitement and confidence, there are some fears. Maybe you don’t like a particular subject. Maybe you don’t know much about a subject. Continue reading
DIY Fall Wreath
Posted onI blame it on the Art Museum. I spent thirty hurried minutes in there the other week. Taking frantic pictures and answering my children’s questions, I was also trying to absorb the sights for my own soul.
“Where is ‘my’ painting?” I murmured. I was looking for a very specific painting by Catherine Wiley – one that I remembered from my visit two years ago. They had another Wiley, just as breathtaking, also of a mother with a child outside, but not “my” painting. Continue reading
Wonderful Wednesday – Summer Cattail Study
Posted onA few weeks ago, we headed back to our cattail patch for a summer nature study. By “our” I mean a cattail patch about five minutes from our house, where we did our spring cattail nature study.
I printed out the toppers from Handbook of Nature Study – a blog we follow loosely for our nature observations.
I glued the toppers to white paper and divided it into four parts, so they could draw four objects.
While there, I asked the kids to walk around and get as close to the cattails as possible. Continue reading
Wizzy Gizmo Review
Posted onThis summer, my children have really enjoyed listening to an audio drama called “Who Created Everything?” produced by Wizzy Gizmo. In fact, they ask for it every time we get into the car. Sometimes we get back home from our errands and they stay in the car to listen to it to the very end – as if they have not listened to it before. Continue reading
Our 2014-2015 Curriculum
Posted onOur eclectic homeschool combines the classical method à la Susan Wise Bauer, some Charlotte Mason ideas, and the Moore Formula.
For the 2014-2015 school year, we follow The Well-Trained Mind suggestions for first grade, add a bit more art and music appreciation, and take a relaxed approach to it all. After all, when the 180 days of official school are over, learning does not stop. We homeschool year round, with lots of breaks. As such, I don’t feel compelled to finish a textbook by a certain date in spring. Continue reading
Mom Monday Week 33 – Fortune and Fame
Posted onLast week will go down in history as one of the best weeks of my life. I will not bore you with my happiness. But so many good things happened every day, I was afraid something really terrible was just around the corner. You know how life is… Just when things are going well and you relax, wham! Continue reading
Mom Monday Week 32 – Teach Them How to Pray
Posted on“I would pray, but I don’t know how… Nobody taught me how to pray… Nobody… taught me… how to pray…” says Sandra Bullock’s character in “Gravity” – a recent Hollywood movie which garnered seven Oscars. If that’s not the cry of every adult who grew up without religious guidance from his parents… If that’s not the cry of every young adult who goes off to college, runs into trouble, and does not know what to do.
I know that cry. Nobody taught me how to pray growing up. Continue reading
1,000 Books Before Kindergarten
Posted onWhat if you did not have to pay for college because your child got really high SAT scores? What if I told you all you needed to do is spend 20 minutes of your time every day reading to your child since birth until way into the teen years? By the way, it’s never too late to start. Continue reading
French Friday, Allons Danser! Review
Posted onFor a couple of months now, the kids and I have been listening to Allons Danser! – a CD with French music for kids, produced by Whistlefritz. It has been such a great tool for my French Play Group, not just for my children. We use the Bonjour, Les Amis song to start the meeting and Au Revoir to close. Continue reading