Designing a home-centered life: learning, exploring, and creating with our five littles
When we begin Classical Conversations Cycle 3 in the fall, my littles will be ages 3, 6, 8, 10, and 11. This is our second time through this cycle and my oldest son's last time. I've decided to create a book list all my own this year. (As opposed to previous years where I've layered over an AO list.) I have consulted my best "book buds" - Five in … [Read more...]
In Spring and Summer, we're very nearly all baseball all the time in this family. Since my crew loves the game, I thought perhaps they would love some books involving the game. These books are their favorites, but they are more than baseball books. They're just really great stories. So, maybe they'd be home runs with your gang even if … [Read more...]
"Art is one of the basics for little children. They love talking, listening to stories, and drawing or painting." Isn't what Susan Schaeffer Macaulay shares in For the Children's Sake: Foundations of Education for Home and School true? Put two of those together and I think you have some of the best building blocks for teaching art. I've made … [Read more...]
At the end of each school year, I pencil out a simple, summer schedule. Mostly full of hopes for our summer and a tiny bit of intentional learning. This year, I’m keeping it even more simple than ever before. Because I’ve learned something this year. I don’t want more, I want more in our less. I want to pick some really good stuff and … [Read more...]
Guys, seriously so many good books in this world! I get so excited when I find some we love and I love sharing them with you. Here are some books we love reading that just so happen to teach us great things about animals. They're like science in a storybook. 1. I Love My Daddy, Because... - In beautiful drawings of daddy animals caring … [Read more...]
Have you ever been in a conversation with someone who name drops? Well, Leigh Bortins is kinda like that, but with books. In a totally innocuous kind of way, of course. This year I totally lucked out with Leigh Bortins as the featured speaker at the practicum I attended. Throughout her talks, Leigh shared with us books she has read, … [Read more...]
Our family listens to a lot of audiobooks for 2 main reasons: 1. My littles love them and 2. They learn so much. I couldn't even begin to count the times my littles have quoted a line, asked a question, or made a connection based on a story they've heard. We borrow from the library or buy favorites. When we buy, we usually get the CDs, burn them … [Read more...]
I'm a find what works and stick with it kind of girl, so it might not surprise you to know much of our summer plans are the same as last year. And our goal is most definitely the same: We're taking a summer break without taking a brain break. All that said, here's what this summer looks like for us -- Math: We're using Life of Fred as a … [Read more...]
Over the past couple weeks, I had the great opportunity to read a preview copy of The Conversation by Leigh Bortins. I really don't think I'm overstating when I unequivocally tell you, you should read this book! In the grammar stage with your littles? Read this book - it will fuel your excitement for the future! In the dialectic … [Read more...]
If I could, I would say to my littles, "If you get nothing else, get this." I'm not sure I'm the teacher I should be with this, but I do want to be. Reading this book brought me closer than before and reading Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan with my littles has reminded me. Maybe today you need to be reminded of the cleansing pleasure of … [Read more...]