I just finished reading this very well written article over at Raising Olives.

"If you believe that God requires people to be educated, then you must also believe that God’s Word equips and prepares us to educate.  The best method for educating children will not be found apart from God’s Word."

Yes, Kimberly and I are of one mind on this topic......please go over and read the full article here

Yes I know I post a lot on the subject of homeschooling....but it is on my heart and I want others to truly think about the implications of allowing your Christian children to go to Government run schools....we are losing our youth to a Godless culture......public school is one of the main reasons.

Books cover the couch, the kitchen table, the counters....math, phonics and writing....legos ah! yes the legos....the carpet is covered...I can never conquer the legos! Lunch dishes in the sink waiting and it is already time to get dinner going...

The mess is never ending....always returning and I struggle to make this life balance. My mom's house was always spotless....yes she only had 3 children and we left to go to school everyday...my 7 are always here always learning always creating...growing!

But the seen things can sometimes overpower the unseen. The mess that is staring at me can talk of the learning and growing that happened here today or of the books that were not put in their place and the paper that is left out another mess to pick up. How I view it makes all the difference.

Ann has a wonderful post up at her site and she says

I water this grove of children. The water pours and think how I want a crumbless, smudgeless, spotless house, a house with empty laundry baskets, empty sinks, empty garbage cans, with floors like mirrors and mirrors like water, and a pantry lined neat like books in the study and pies lining the counter like sweet children all in a row. I want the (seeming) perfection all day that only happens at night when the whirl slows to a still and the six children sleep, their books and their legos, their papers and their creations, all finding their resting places too. I want a father-in-law who walks in mid-spin and sees what I have done with a day, with a week, and smiles his satisfaction.

I want things seen.

These can be idols.

Yes these things can be idols....clean houses and mannerly children....

 How do I forget that I actually exist more, fully, wholly, when I do that which I was made for? Worship. Communion. Prayer, hidden and intangible, it is the day’s true product, it’s ultimate purpose.


So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
Daily I must remind myself.....the unseen is what is most important! The process of life here is messy and ditry and gets out of control sometimes...but we are growing and learning and striving to become more like Him and that unseen stuff is THE MOST IMPORTANT!!



So I am happy in this mess and we take time to gather in the mess and pray to the one that covers our messes.... forgives our messes....the only one that can bring balance......the only one that matters. And we are investing in unseen things...that will last forever!


Please go and read Ann's post on prayer this week..... Walk with Him Wednesday

(picture from this past week of Caleb praying....just last week he began asking to open during our prayer time, his prayers have touched all our hearts this week...precious!)

You might remember sometime ago I posted about this wonderful site that hosts nature study challenges using The Handbook of Nature Study....We love this book as our third copy of it can attest too.....I believe the first copy was left out in a tree fort....the second forgotten out by the swing in the rain...we all love this book and our copy is worn and well used! I have decided to make an effort to pick up again on these wonderful challenges as Caleb is now old enough to hike along with us and explore as well. Barb has just started the Autumn challenges so jump in and join us as we explore Gods creation! She is even sharing journaling papers and other additional things to make your nature study easy and fun!

On a side note, Emily is using Barbs High School Art Curriculum this year and loves it....

I just came across this quote and had to post it

John Wesley on education:

" Let it be remembered, that I do not speak to the wild, giddy, thoughtless world, but to those that fear God. I ask, then, for what end do you send you children to school? “Why, that they may be fit to live in the world.” In which world do you mean, — this or the next? Perhaps you thought of this world only; and had forgot that there is a world to come; yea, and one that will last for ever! Pray take this into your account, and send them to such masters as will keep it always before their eyes. Otherwise, to send them to school (permit me to speak plainly) is little better than sending them to the devil. At all events, then, send your boys, if you have any concern for their souls, not to any of the large public schools, (for they are nurseries of all manner of wickedness,) but private school, kept by some pious man, who endeavours to instruct a small number of children in religion and learning together."

John Wesley actually thought this back then...
I wonder what he would say today?

Visit the Wise Womens Blog to read more on the perils of putting christian children in public schools.

Good morning! Today we are getting back to our routines and we are soooo ready! I say routines and not schedules...I don't do good with schedules. they are rigid and I can never adhere to them! But routines are much more flexible and and give me set goals...not set times!
It's a fact that children do better when they know what to expect! (I do , too!) We have used many different types of schedules and routines over the years....and I have learned not to be afraid to change things up if it's not working!

One thing that really helped me to set order to my day was Managers of their Homes and Managers of their Chores. You can check out these resources and many other great ones like them at The Maxwells site Titus2
(another great book they have is Homeschooling with a meek and quiet spirit...but that is another post)
For my big family this type of scheduling worked great....block scheduling. I have taken and tweaked this over the years and we now schedule blocks of time for certain things...not really giving a certain subject a set time but more a broader sense of what we hope to accomplish.
We also are pretty relaxed schoolers and so believe learning happens all the time and not everything fits in a schedule box. So we arrived at our loosely structured day....(which I will share at the end of the post)

Today we are easing into our routines....I have found that starting back in after a break goes better if we add in one or 2 activites at a time. So this week it is table time with phonics and math for my little ones. And the olders are setting up their notebooks and organizing their materials. I let them set their own pace. This is what homeschooling is about...teaching them how to learn and then stepping back and letting them do it! My 3 older girls are mostly independant now and tht frees me up to be with the littles.

So right now our routine looks something like this...(remember this is mostly for my younger ones)

Block one approx. 8am -9am get up, am chores, breakfast

Block two approx. 9am-10am table time- which may include devotions, phonics, math, copywork

Block three approx. 11am-12pm read alouds - we read aloud for many subjects- history, science, literature

Block four approx. 12pm-1pm lunch, free time, mid day cleanup

Block five approx. 1pm-2pm quiet time- this includes nap time for youngest and quiet reading or play for others

Block six approx. 2pm-on free time, art time, play time, more reading, nature walks, fun stuff!

Now truthfully our day rarely looks like this....but this is what we strive for....it is a loose routine that gives us goals to get done most of the things we want to!
We always start our day with devotions! This year we are using Character Sketches and I am looking forward to it! The day is always better when we start it with God and His word!
A couple of notes...our table time is the time of day when I (Mom) am available and right there to help with what ever they need. I can guide teach and listen during table time. I have 4 boys doing table time right now and it can be a bit crazy!! I am hoping the workboxes will be a way to organize that time better! I will keep you posted on how that goes!
And the quiet time hour is something I learned about many years ago when my kids were all little....we put that in place and have used it ever since! It is a way for Mom to get a break too and a good habit to instill in us all!
Speaking of habits....that is an important part of homeschooling. Get your kids into good habits from the beginning and your day will be much easier!
Well I am off to get the kids and get our day started! Many blessings as you plan and schedule your days!

With all this talk about planning for the year I thought I would put up a quick post about the most important part to my homeschool planning.

Prayer,

this is the single most important aspect to my decisions for our learning path. Going to God and seeking His plan for each of my children is the only way I will succeed in this homeschooling adventure. These are His children and only He knows the paths they will go on......I need His daily input into these plans so that I can equip them to carry them out. Yes that is what I am doing through homeschooling....

Equipping my children to carry out Gods plan for their lives

That is my job. And if I am not in constant prayer before, during and after I make these plans

the road will be hard

I will be striving in my own strength

I will fail

For without His guidance and strength I can do nothing.

The worlds view of what should be taught is very different then Gods view. Don't let the voices in this world turn you from the goals God has given you for your children. We are walking a narrow path and we need to keep our eyes on the only one that can guide us.

Some things that I revisit every year.......

Ann Voscamps post on Holistic Homeschooling a must read! This is how we plan our day.

My daily time with the Lord.....rising early and spending time being filled so I can pour it out later on my children

Our day begins with devotions.....this year we are using Character Sketches Volume 1
Scripture memory and prayer

Our favorite time......learning about HIStory.....yes because it all is His story! This year my older girls are using Exploring America
and my younger crowd is using the Truthquest Guides for American History.

Read alouds are one of our favorite times and both of these history programs are literature rich!

We are going to try out My access for writing this year. It's an online writing program.

These are a few of the things that will make up our day. The kids are all using different math programs and maybe I'll post about that another day. I really just wanted to share about that most important part of bringing all your plans before God.

So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10

The road will still not be easy but I can be assured that when God is in control of my plans the outcome will be better. We will be following His plan and that can only bring blessings.

be blessed as you plan and pray for your new learning year!

We love file folder games! There are loads of places online to find ideas and directions for games that you make and keep in a file folder. My children have used the ones we have made for years and they hold up really well. They are great for making learning fun! And cost is a minimum!

Shanna Clark over at Intergritas Academy is offering a new selection of file folder games that she has made! I was lucky enough to get a couple to download and try out so I could write a reivew.

I already had the file folders. So all I did was print out the downloads that she sent to me, cut them out and then I laminated them. I always laminate mine for extra duability! I also put library pockets on the back to hold the game pieces, you could also use a ziploc baggie.

The games we made are the Don't be late game, matching the digital time with the clock. Name that state game for looking at the picture of the state and naming it and also the option to name the capitol as well. And a letter matching game for matching the upper and lowercase letters.


So, as soon as they were made the kids were grabbing them to play with. My 5 year old was especially enjoying the letter match game!


One great thing about these games is that they can be done independently with minimal help from you! The layout and colors of the games are great! And they seem to be a big hit over here. So if you are interested in a way to get some fast and easy file folder games onto your shelf go check out Integritas Academy. If you sign up for the email list you get a free file folder game!

blessings

A post on homeschooling and planning is long overdue.....I am always excited this time of year as the kids and I look forward to what God would have us learning for the upcoming year. We are pretty relaxed schedule wise....we keep to routines much better. Using loose blocks of time to try to get things done.

Now our homeschooling is so intertwined with real life I wish we did not have to have any routines...but with a big family that would be chaos.....
And remember our God is a God of peace and order and so our homes should try to achieve that as well. At least our goal should be that.....even if we don't always achieve it!! ; )

Over the next few days I will be sharing our planning process as I am in the thick of it right now. We have vacation coming up and then I want to be able to fall back into our routines when we return. We do learn year round but the summer is much more laid back. We like to keep up with math and reading through the summer months.....and the kids all have their notebooks filled with topics that interest them and those studies never end.

I have decided to try workboxes to give my younger guys more independaece this year. You can check out the ideas behind them here at Sue Patricks site.
It seems the system is the talk of all homeschoolers right now! We are adapting it to fit our large family with not so much space. I plan on posting pictures and explaining the ways we will be using this system for my younger guys and my high school girls. I am pretty excited at getting started and so are the kids...believe it or not!!

I also wanted to set up my files a little better. I have always liked Dawns crate file system and so decided to set one up for myself. Instead of explaining it all here go over to Dawns and read the post to learn more. Basically there is one folder for each week of the year. So it is a weekly planning system....which I love and have always done. On the front of each folder I stapled a sheet for that week....a to do list, plans for that week, dinner menus......whatever I want to remember for that week. Dawn just put a lined piece of paper but of course I went into photoshop and created my weekly list sheet which I will gladly share with you if you would like it. I put some flowers on it and just made it mine....I am going to see how I use it and I might end up tweaking it a little.

Here is the download link for my weekly file folder sheet that is pictured above. If you have any questions on it just ask.

I'll be back soon with pictures and a detailed account of how we are going to be using the workboxes in our home.

Blessings!

Months ago we started memorizing the ten commandments....and we still are not finished...
I just found this and now we just about have it done in only a few hours....

This video is a wake up call to Christians.....I feel very blessed that we have homeschooled since my oldest was in kindergarten. Public schools teach our children nothing about the God that we serve.....

Kelly over at Generation Cedar has put up a couple of posts on Public Schools that should not be missed.....she says it much better than I.
http://generationcedar.blogspot.com/2008/12/you-shall-have-no-other-gods.html