The First Week of School

I've spent the entire summer planning for this school year, little by little. I am indeed a planner; doing it slowly in small bits, so that when the time comes, things are laid out and I don't feel like I've sprinted to accomplish the finished product. This is my method for almost everything: daily tasks, reading, or organizing an event. 

One of my friends is a self-declared "curriculum junkie." This means that anytime I have a question about a school method, book, web site, etc., I simply ask her. Eliza was instrumental in my planning, because she introduced me to the Ambleside web site. This site provides a 36-week curriculum guide for all levels, following the Charlotte Mason method. I printed out the list of materials for Level 1, along with the week-by-week guide, and ordered the books I would need. (Level 1 isn't necessarily first grade; it's just the first year of the program). 

How wonderful to have science, geography, history, poetry, Bible, and literature all laid out for us for the entire school year! My only job weekly is to decide how much to do each day. For example, if in Week One we have to read two Aesop's fables, I decide on which days we will do that. If we are to read a certain chapter of Just So Stories, it's my job to figure out how to divide the chapter into sections that will keep my girls' attention. 

As I had the whole summer to gather the necessary books and plan Week One, we were ready to go on Monday, August 22. This year, we are launching full force into narration, the main method by which Charlotte Mason assessed her students. Because we are (myself included) learning how to listen well in order to retain information, I break down the reading passages into small bits and have the girls retell me what they remember, rather than reading three pages and requiring them to recall the whole selection at once. 

These are the science books we're currently enjoying:

I've mentioned Outdoor Secrets before, and substituted it for The Burgess Bird Book, which we read last year. We started it this summer, and are continuing it; that's the beauty of the guide: I can insert my own books if we've already done one that's listed. Parables is a beautiful yet meaty text. Chapter One is short, yet the print is tiny and rich, so I broke it into three segments that we dissected over three days. The story was about a caterpillar who doesn't realize that she will become a butterfly. My girls and I delighted in Just So Stories, also reading Chapter One over three days. I had the globe ready so we could examine the location of England and Ireland, as well as lines of latitude and longitude. Paddle-to-the-Sea is a nice addition, each chapter being only a page long, but for variety's sake I divided Chapter One into two paragraphs so we could read a tiny bit and linger over it. 

Incidentally, not all of the books I mention will be read each week. Some weeks, we will skip a book, then get back to it the following week. 

Copywork is essential to our learning, and the opportunities are endless. We might copy a Bible verse, the moral of an Aesop's fable, and some days, the girls practice in their handwriting book, copying lines from hymns. Most of our copying is done in cursive.

Here are our history and literature books:

I've only included ones we're currently using; next semester we will also use Lamb's Shakespeare and a book on Viking tales. As with science, not all of these books are read each week. The readings are doable, not enormous amounts, and captivating. Charlotte Mason believed in quality, not quantity; we may read only a paragraph or two, narrate it, and move on to another item. 

Why so much reading, and how to avoid burnout, you may ask. I wondered the same thing, which is why I was a tad leery of how this first week would go. I also was nervous about how to incorporate so many different items/subjects; Mason's method teaches many subjects, but in small bits. It fits me perfectly, because as you know, I love to read, and I accomplish things marathon-style, not as a sprint. We don't read all of these books every day. In order to keep ideas flowing, I try to flip back and forth with each side of the brain. We might start with Bible (Ambleside also tells me which readings to do, and I decide how to break them up by day), then read a selection from Our Island Story, followed by math, then move to Aesop. After that, we might do nature study outside (this is once a week), then go our daily grammar lesson, followed by one of the science stories...you get the idea. Not all of the reading selections/narrations are done back to back.

Because Aesop is a big part of our year, I'm making an effort to incorporate this book into our lessons, too: 

At the pool one day this summer, I came upon Eliza in her chair, and she was poring over another edition of this book. She said it would go hand in hand with the fables we were reading, because Writing Rhetoric teaches kids to write based on particular styles of writing, with Level One focusing on fables. She had used it last year, and because she's my curriculum mentor, I went home and ordered it. 

Remember how I mentioned already having a lot to cover? One can get overwhelmed at the size of the lessons in this book, thinking, "How on earth will I fit this in, too?" I've learned as a homeschooler (and as a classroom teacher, too) that we have the freedom to take tools and use them to help, not hinder us. This book has only fourteen lessons, and there are thirty-six weeks in the school year; why not (you guessed it!) break it into small bits and digest them slowly? One lesson will take us at least two weeks (perhaps three) to complete, but what's the hurry? It would only stress us out to cram it all in, and learning is about retaining ideas and growing, not checking off boxes just to say we did it. I like this addition to our fables, and my girls responded well to it. 

I confess to being a grammar nerd. I haven't singled it out as a subject until this year, when I decided to purchase these: 

I am crazy about this book. For someone who has to fit in grammar but doesn't want it to be cumbersome, these are fabulous! A page is done each day...then the book is put away. Why drive kids nuts with fifteen examples in one sitting, when one a day will do? (Do I need to say it..."small bits"!!!). Here's Day One of the Grade 3 book: 

This takes less than five minutes, then we close it, and are on to the next activity. No time wasted, no complaints...We're left satisfied because we've eaten only a small bit, digested it well, and are ready for a different type of morsel. 

Ambleside poetry is executed very easily: read a poem a day. Level One is comprised of three poetry books, one every twelve weeks. The first is Stevenson's A Child's Garden of Verses, but because we did this last year, I decided to substitute this tried and true classic: 

I have several reasons for choosing this, the main one being that Mother Goose is just fantastic. Secondly, it might not be long until my girls are past taking nursery rhymes seriously (although I've always enjoyed them and even loved to copy them myself as a kid). For twelve straight weeks, all I do with this book is find a poem in it every school day and read it aloud. That's it...no tearing it apart and concocting a theory about its real meaning, just simple enjoyment. You know what I'm thinking, so I won't say it..."S.B." hahaha

Of course, my children are required to practice their reading and spelling. I have decided that with the workload this year, I'll only make them read aloud to me three times a week, just to exercise that muscle. My fourth grader passed the reading test yesterday morning when I went to wake her, only to find that she'd been in bed for who-knows-how-long, propped up with a book. I've learned that it's good to have them practice, but there's no need to force chapter books on them; they pick these up on their own, at their individual speed, when they decide they're ready. I have yet to figure out why we've adopted this notion that first-graders need to be reading at sixth-grade level, but that's for another day. Our spelling instruction still comes from All About Spelling, which I have loved for three years and highly recommend. I've narrowed this down to twice a week this year. 

For a nice break once a week, I bought a Lee J. Ames drawing instruction book. We draw other times, like in nature study, where we do freehand drawing and watercolor. I got the Ames book because I loved his books as a child, and also so we could "teach" ourselves together how to draw fun things. Here's what happened on Wednesday when we took a break from reading and drew puppies instead: 

One thing I love about our school is that I'm not teaching two little girls; there's a third one in there...me. What fun it is to read these stories with them, practice my own cursive, try to narrate passages myself, and get to draw, too! 

The one thing I haven't written into our curriculum is Spanish. This first week, I threw in some old songs that we enjoyed learning last year, just to refresh their memories. The Internet abounds with songs (Barbara MacArthur sings my favorites) that teach children days, months, letters, body parts, family members, etc. One exciting reason that I haven't focused too much on Spanish is that I am about to acquire my own instructor for that subject: my 96-year-old grandmother. She will be coming to live with us Labor Day weekend, and I am counting on her to cover this area with all of us. If I don't practice, I get rusty myself!

Finally, a nice idea hit me right before school. Instead of regular notebooks, I took the girls to pick out their own hardback journal-type books to serve as their notebooks this year. These are where they do their copywork, write sentences, and even draw, although our nature notebook is separate and unlined. 

So far, so good...thank You, Lord. We're looking forward to a wonderful second week, and are wishing all the teachers and students out there a fantastic year. 

Good Music

One thing my husband and I have always loved is music. We are both blessed to have been exposed to many genres over our lives. His Dad introduced him early on to Gene Pitney and to musicals like "South Pacific" and "Oklahoma!"; my Dad drove me to school every morning singing along to Frankie Valley and the Four Seasons, Johnny Mathis, and Tommy James and the Shondells. As children, Jeremy and I both gained an appreciation for our parents' musical era while also loving what was popular at the time. The eighties had a wide range of sounds: from Van Halen to Hall and Oates, from The Outfield to Chicago, from Belinda Carlisle to Metallica...we grew up hearing it all. 

As fans of nostalgia living in a hipster time and area, we often bemoan today's contemporary tunes, with their lack of creativity and annoying monotony. Like adults have always said of top 40 music, "There's just nothing good anymore." The hard part is, I think this time it's true; today's songs really all do sound the same, and what we've found is that our millennial friends have no idea that up until about twenty years ago, "good music" actually did exist! Unfortunately, there's something uncool for many folks about going into the past; surely we're enlightened enough to not have to do that! 

It seems to us almost a crime that "young folks" today (i.e., those who don't remember or weren't exposed to any music before 1995) have no clue of the musical feast that has been prepared and set before us. Actually, it's not just younger people; there are plenty of ones my age (40) who act as if they've never heard good music at all, clinging to today's stations as if it's cool. The twenty somethings have a reason, but what's your excuse if you graduated from high school before the year 2000?  

If I sound indignant, it's because I am! C.S. Lewis once described us as "an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased." Now, he was talking about us in reference to the Lord, and how we settle for mediocrity too easily, but I think this quote captures our lack of variety in musical taste, too. Our culture "settles" for things too easily; we accept lack of imagination too readily, and can't fathom going outside the box. 

Wise Solomon, in Ecclesiastes, states that there is nothing new under the sun. This has to be true, as God Word says it is so. We see things today as revolutionary, new, cool, head and shoulders better than anyone has ever done them. Music is no different. I witness folks who have had the misfortune of never hearing truly good music playing with mud pies, having no idea that if they just got on YouTube or iTunes, they could broaden their horizons, and have a holiday at the sea. Dare to go back...way back...maybe to...dare I risk being uncool...oh, the '70's or '80's? 

Jeremy and I took this dare last week, although for us, it wasn't terribly risky since we already listen to old stuff. The challenge was being not stared at as we boarded the shuttle at Biltmore Estate with people fifteen to twenty-five years older than we are. My indignation rose then, too, as I thought, "Where are the people in their forties who grew up with this stuff? Why do we look like tots compared to these other folks?!" I didn't think one had to be twenty in 1982 to appreciate its music; even a first-grader like me back then could discern a fine tune! 

Do you remember Michael McDonald and Boz Scaggs? If you're 35 or older and say no, just Google a tune. If you're younger, still Google it, and enjoy a kind of music you probably haven't heard unless you're in the grocery store (provided you're not walking around with your own earbuds in). I knew most of the words to the songs they sang; I think we both felt like little kids again, hearing these two guys sing. Others there were taken back to high school or even to being in their twenties or older, but it doesn't matter; music is for everyone, regardless of your age, or its decade. We love Glenn Miller's orchestra, and that's World War II era! Go back to the twentieth century and find something different to listen to.

I wish the lady weren't behind us in the photo, but at least we got a shot of the House. It was a beautiful evening and setting, not hot...just right. I was so excited, I couldn't stand it. Michael McDonald, formerly of The Doobie Brothers, appeared on time, sat down at his keyboard, and rolled out all the tunes we knew, and even ones we didn't. At 64 years old, he still has his unmistakable voice, although hitting high notes was a little difficult. 

He sang all the familiar songs: "Sweet Freedom," "Minute by Minute," "It Keeps You Running," "I Keep Forgetting" (which, he said, he does a lot these days at his age), "On My Own," "Taking it to the Streets," and my favorite, "What a Fool Believes." He also added some random oldies like "I Heard it Through the Grapevine," and "What the World Needs Now." I was surprised when he threw in the Kenny Loggins song "This is It," in which he sang backup in 1979. McDonald is a likable performer who obviously delights in sharing his songs on stage.

As Michael was singing, I looked to the left, and a stunning full moon stared over the crowd, a reminder of God's provision, beauty, and goodness. To the right, I had this view:

As thrilling as it was to hear Michael McDonald, Boz Scaggs was even more fun. As a kid, I knew some of his songs, but have become more of a fan as an adult. 

This 72-year-old man performed with the energy he probably had thirty years ago, and with the same voice, too. He blew me away, and hearing his music live was exhilarating. His are the type of songs (Michael McDonald's, too) that should be listened to around the house while cooking or cleaning. Boz (too good a name to not use when talking about him) started off with some new songs I hadn't heard, then launched into my favorite, "Jojo," which sounded almost just like the recording from 1980. He, too, sang all the famous ones: "Lowdown," "Georgia," "Look What You've Done to Me," "Miss Sun," and did an amazing rendition of "Lido Shuffle." 

I rode home driving Jeremy nuts with all the video clips I'd taken, and might've created the same sensation for my parents with each new one I texted. I wanted to share these treasures! These are only two phenomenal artists whose music needs to be dusted off and heard today. Others I love and haven't mentioned are Billy Joel, Elton John, Christopher Cross, Paul Davis, Dan Fogelberg (I like his "harder" songs like "Missing You" and "Heart Hotels" better than the soft ones), Kenny Loggins (I did mention him), Men at Work, Tower of Power, Earth Wind & Fire, and even guys like Dave Matthews and Hootie, who had so much good stuff before 1995 when they became internationally known. 

Take the music dare...you'll be so glad! God gives us good music for our enjoyment, and it's because of Him that these performers are able to write and sing as they do. The pleasing sensation of a good song is a gift from God. Imagine how the songs of heaven will sound (we can't). Don't settle for mud pies when you can have a holiday!

Under a Tree

Yesterday was unusually fall-like. We enjoyed a lazy Monday, not having to rush to be anywhere, able to stroll through the morning at our leisure. In the afternoon, the girls and I took our worn quilt outside, the one we use for sitting under our big maple tree. 

What joy it was to read a few pages from two books we pick up and read from time to time: 

How nice to slowly digest books like these, not speed-reading just to get done, but rather taking snippets and chewing thoughtfully on them together. 

After a little while of reading, we moved on to a game that hasn't been opened since the days my Dad and I used to play it: 

I had no idea what a hit this would be with my young ones! What fun it was to shake up the word cubes in the cup, throw them out, and make silly sentences! We decided to forgo the timer in the interest of leisure, and simply each took turns with no rush. While I waited for my turn, lying back on the blanket and breathing the fresh air, this was my view:  

How soothing to be under this tree, gazing at its healthy leaves as they wave slightly from the soft breeze! The feeling in the air reminded me of school starting long ago, the coolness of summer hinting at changing into fall. Maybe you recall that from your school days, too; I love the sensation of exciting things on the horizon: a new school year, a new season approaching...the first glimpse that cinnamon, football, apple-picking, and colorful leaves are coming. It was a treat to have the reminder so early, as it usually isn't on my radar this soon in August. I once heard pastor Tim Keller say that we shouldn't try to "make a moment last forever," because "we end up polluting it." I confess it was hard to resist the temptation to want to bottle up this sweet time, but I was able to focus on it and thank God for it. 

Our family enjoyed a vacation in Destin, FL last week...a new place for us with beautiful beaches that my family says remind them of our beloved Cuba. We visited Maguires Pub, a place famous for its steaks. I noticed two items on the menu that had me whipping out my camera...of course "for the blog":

I can live with 18 cents for a bowl...just not $18! No soup is that good!

This must indeed be a grand burger, but who needs caviar??

And one more thing to make you go "hmmm"...Here's a shirt I stumbled upon in a thrift shop:

No, just no!! I love to eat my pizza, but have to draw the line at wearing it!

This morning, some new bird friends dined at the feeder. We identified them as brown-headed cowbirds: 

The photo isn't the greatest, but it's the best I could manage. The male has a coppery-brown head and iridescent black feathers, while the female is a plain, soft brown. Cowbirds are known for laying eggs in other birds' nests, forcing these birds to draw from their own supplies in order to feed the foreign baby. This is the first time we've seen this couple in our yard, and I'm glad they stopped by, but I hope they don't stick our other bird friends with their eggs.

Finally, here's a delightful way to end the day...a mint Oreo cookies and cream sundae, made for me by my girl. 

Until next time!