Bus ride and more...

"The wheels on the bus go round and round, round and round, round and round..." Today, we're taking Taliesin and Nathanael on a bus ride, then it off to the library for their edible book contest. The book they picked to make an edible rendition of was a children's book about the John J. Harvey fire boat. It's an interesting story. I definitely recommend it! I'll be sure to post a picture of this afternoon's events!

Kandy

The past few days

The past few days have been busy ones. Tuesday was our unschooling group - an Earth Day celebration at Sunset Park. It was so much fun. We were there almost four hours. I have some pictures that my neighbor across the street took. I'll post them as soon as I get my college work caught up for the week. Wednesday, the boys had a relax day. We played and played and played some more and read books. Today was our food day. We made pizza this morning and then created an edible book for an edible book contest at the library on Saturday. Taliesin and Nathanael are so creative. I sometimes cannot believe the ieas that they come up with.

Tonight I'm finishing up one of my history assignments. I just finished a critique for my theology class over the role of women in the church. It's definitely creating some discussions! And I'm really enjoying studying the medieval time period in history. I was just telling people at work tonight that if I could go back in time to visit any era, I would definitely want to visit the Middle Ages for a few days and then on to the Italian Rennaissance - to watch Michelangelo paint the Cistine Chapel and Leonardo DaVinci paint the Mona Lisa.

Trying to keep up with everything for the past few days has been a challenge in itself. My e-mail has over three hundred e-mails that I have not read yet. But at least Taliesin, Nathanael, and I are all enjoying our education. :^)

Kandy

child-directed learning

A few days ago, there was a posting on the Homefires discussion forum from Diane Flynn Keith. It talked about how sometimes we, as parents, feel as though we have to push our kids into learning based on what others are learning in public schools. I know I am guilty of that sometimes. Sometimes it takes days like the past few days to snap me back to where I should be. Taliesin is learning the mandolin and has been practicing for a talent contest coming up next month. You should have seen him beam today when he played the song "The Wheels on the Bus Go Round and Round" with minimal help. He was so proud of himself. Right now, both boys are in the back yard helping their dad with planting a garden. Nathanael is mesmorized with the earthworms and grubs Kelsey has been unearthing with each dig with the shovel. Taliesin takes each earthwom and puts it beside our newly planted grape vine because they will help it grow. I just need to remember these moments the next time I think I need to press more school subjects on them. :^)

Today

Today was a nice, relaxed day. My sons needed it after such a busy day yesterday. :^) I spend much of the late morning watching theology lessons on DVD, then finished reading my theology lesson for the week. It's really very interesting. This week's lesson was the second half of a chapter on ecclesiology - the doctrine of the church. Today, the neatest thing happened - another proof that unschooling works! Taliesin and Nathanael were watching a video on trucks, tractors, and trains. One part of the video has some farmers in South America. I was upstairs studying, when Taliesin came upstairs from the basement where he was watching the video. He searched his bookshelf in the kitchen full of "school things" for his floor puzzle of the United States. He opened it up and brought it to me, asking, "Mom, where is South America? I can't find it." I explained to him that the United States is part of the continent North America. So I took him downstairs again and showed him a map of South America that hangs on his school room wall. I told him that the farmers on the video were probably somewhere around Brazil. Then we went through the maps of each of the continents. He's definitely becoming quite interested in geography. Looks like we'll have to check out some more books about cultures found in other countries. We started that before, and both Taliesin and Nathanael really enjoyed it. Then we just started getting into other things; but I think Taliesin will be ready to get back into it!

It's Been Forever!!!

It has been forever since I've had time to really get back to the blog. LOL. First the holidays; then birthdays; then Easter; and always school with Taliesin and Nathanael, college and work. But I decided today I really need to get back into blogging. Taliesin and Nathanael attended their first cirucus today. Each year, the Shriner's put on a circus to fund their hospitals. Recently, Taliesin read in one of his Dora the Explorer phonics books about a circus. He asked what a circus is. So we promised him that next time one came to town, we would go. So our school day today was going to the circus (and an open house the art center and McDonald's and the park). But they both really enjoyed it! Taliesin said his favorite part was the dog tricks. Nathanael said his favorites were the tigers and elephants. I do think they were both intrigued by the motorcycle stunts. I, myself, really enjoyed the acrobats. They've always been my favorite part of a circus. Kelsey said he just enjoyed the whole thing. It's been a nice, relaxing day.
Next week, I've told Taliesin and Nathanael we really need to focus on their projects for the upcoming homeschooler's project fair. Their topics are pirates and knights, so it should definitely be fun. Taliesin is also working hard on his mandolin. He has a talent contest coming up at church next month; so he's pretty excited.

Until next time, which should not be as long as it was this time. :^)

Kandy

Happy Thanksgiving!

Just wanted to post a Happy Thanksgiving!

God bless.

Kandy

Tree Machine

I just had to pass this along. Today my four-year old went to his art/dance class at the art center. I always wait on him in a room outside of his class. Today his art teacher came out all excited and told me on her way through, "You are going to flip when you see what he made today. It is awesome!" She walked into the other room, and she and another person carrying a camera went back into the classroom. I heard his teacher tell the other woman, "This is the tree man." When class was over, my son showed me his creation. Today they had made inventions, and my son's was a tree machine. They had used everyday things to make something (we do that a lot and call it recycled art. We like to look at "Look-Alikes books, too). His teacher was just amazed at what he had done. I smiled and agreed that it is very creative. It was great! I felt like adding, "See what unschooling does," but I didn't. :^)
Kandy