Tuesday 17 September 2013

Teaching History Revisited

Teaching history is not solely about the subject of history or a set of isolated events found important by some textbook author. For me personally  learning history chronologically is at the very heart of all our learning. To aid our historical studies we made our own Book of Time. Dates help us to anchor our learning as we mark them off on a time line.

To aid this assimilation of history and to make it more real for my children I have added in family to our book of time including important dates (marriage, immigration and the births of nieces and nephews).

When I started home educating I only had the experience of history via a textbook. I am grateful to Sonlight who introduced me to studying history in the context of excellent literature. I agree with this statement by Jimmie Lanely
 "But living history books — even historical fiction — capture the imagination while informing the mind. The reader soaks in the the facts of history in a natural and enjoyable way that forms a much stronger base of understanding than rote memorization."
his·to·ry noun \ˈhis-t(ə-)rē\
  1. tale, story 
  2. a : a chronological record of significant events (as affecting a nation or institution) often including an explanation of their causes
    b : a treatise presenting systematically related natural phenomena
    c : an account of a patient's medical background
    d : an established record  
  3. a branch of knowledge that records and explains past events
  4. a : events that form the subject matter of a history
    b : events of the past
    c : one that is finished or done for
    d : previous treatment, handling, or experience (as of a metal) 
For Us
Sir N is eight this year and we are concentrating on exploring the world around us.  We are working our way through Sonlight's Core curriculums until he is 12 when we will be adding in Mystery of History for the high school years. I am also adding in missionary biographies.  We are currently reading Seed Sowers and a YWAM biography Jim Elliot: One Great Purpose.

Charlotte Mason said, “The fatal mistake is in the notion that [the child] must learn ‘outlines’ of the whole history… just as he must cover the geography of all the world. Let him, on the contrary, linger pleasantly over the history of a single man, a short period, until he thinks the thoughts of that man, is at home in the ways of that period. Though he is reading and thinking of the lifetime of a single man, he is really getting intimately acquainted with the history of a whole nation for a whole age.” Home Education, Vol. 1 Part XVIII.–History, p.280 

Although I have a liking of Charlotte Mason philosophy I am in no way a purist in my approach. I am more an eclectic home schooler in my history studies approach. I have been influenced in my approach by Charlotte Mason, Sonlight and The Well Trained Mind.

For Further Reading
Over the years I have come to realize that history is more than what has been dictated upon us by textbooks at school. It is a rich tapestry of life.  Every single thing that happens every single day is a historical fact. Science, Math, Geography it's all a form of history as every single aspect of every single subject has taken place at some point in time and by adding these points to a time line we grow in our understanding of the world we live in.

"In history, a great volume is unrolled for our instruction,
drawing the materials of future wisdom 
from the past errors and infirmities of mankind."
Edmund Burke
Blessings
Chareen
This post is part of the Homeschool Help series brought to you by a group of homeschool Mom's from around the globe.  Do not forget to visit and read their inspirational insight.

This week
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Tuesday 10 September 2013

Journals in Homeschool

This is rather an interesting topic.  My first question was "What's the difference between a journal and a notebook ?" Over the years I've heard both terms used interchangeably and wondered if they were the same thing or not.

notebook [ˈnəʊtˌbʊk] n
  1. a book for recording notes or memoranda 
  2. (Economics, Accounting & Finance / Banking & Finance) a book for registering promissory notes
  3. a book of or for notes, esp. a book or binder of blank, often ruled pages for recording notes
  4. a small, lightweight laptop computer.

jour·nal (jûrnl) n.
  1. Personal. A personal record of occurrences, experiences, and reflections kept on a regular basis;
    a diary.
    b. An official record of daily proceedings, as of a legislative body.
    c. Nautical A ship's log. 
  2. Accounting
    a. A day book.
    b. A book of original entry in a double-entry system, listing all transactions and indicating the accounts to which they belong. 
  3. A newspaper. 
  4. A periodical presenting articles on a particular subject: a medical journal. 
  5. Engineering / Mechanical Engineering
    The part of a machine shaft or axle supported by a bearing. 
  6. Government, Politics & Diplomacy
    an official record of the proceedings of a legislative body 
  7. a periodical or magazine, esp. one published for a group, learned society, or profession.
After having a good look at the definitions I discovered that it depends of the use of the book as to the correct term used.  You would keep a personal journal in a lined notebook or you could use a lined notebook to keep an official journal. It really does become a play on words.

Homeschool Notebooking
Within the home education community however notebooking refers to a school folder in which a student records what they have learned.  There are some amazingly creative home educators who create some rather impressive notebook pages for a variety of educational topics.  You don't need a fancy page however you can simply used lined paper and write out your thoughts.

Notebook Page Resources
Homeschool Journal
Journaling with in the homeschool community often refers to a more intimate and decorated book.  Although some homeschoolers will journal along a notebooking style. More often than not however they would use journaling in Nature Study.

For the last couple of years I have been journaling here about my week in the Homeschool Mother's Journal. This is a great link up to meet like minded homeschoolers and a relaxed way to keep a diary journal of what you've been up to. I have always intended on starting a Nature journal/notebook and recently Sir N and I started one as spring is upon us.

Journal inspiration

If you are after an inspirational book on Journaling I highly recommend books from the author Gwen Diehn.  In particular try to get her book The Decorated Journal {Creating Beautifully Expressive Journal Pages}. This book is full of inspiration.  She shares a multitude of ways to do a journal and how to personalise a journal as well as the educational benefits of different types of journals.



Do you use journaling or notebooking and what are your favourite resources ?

Blessings
Chareen
This post is part of the Homeschool Help series brought to you by a group of homeschool Mom's from around the globe.  Do not forget to visit and read their inspirational insight.



This week
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Sunday 8 September 2013

{MADE} Creativity & Freedom - Anna Tapp

The art of drawing is not my strength and I fear not being able to get it perfect ... However it's so apt for me that MADE began on the first Monday of Spring here. My current expression of art is photography. This is how my week began through the lens last Monday.
 

It's actually the end of week one and I've only just managed to watch the first course video.  Anna shared this week with us about the Freedom we have as the Children of God in our Creativity.

There is no predicting the places to which you will travel, once you let go of doubt and start walking forward in freedom. - Anna Tapp

Highlights
  • Art is not just about perfection it's about expression.  I've never really thought about that.  I have been too afraid to create because I want perfection on the page.  
  • Each of us is meant to display a facet of God’s being. Yes I tend to forget that. In order to accomplish that I need to turn back to Him and allow Him to set me free from the chains that bind me.
  • Personal freedom needs to start with the creative being accepting who they are, and what they have to share
  • We were meant to be conduits for a creative God What me creative ? Oh yes I forgot I'm made in the image of a Creator
  • You are a beautiful, unique vessel of God’s glory.
  • My destination may never be what I picture when I first start walking, but that doesn’t mean I'm traveling the wrong way. These words were like life giving water to my thirsty soul today. One day I will blog about it ...
  • To believe (not just long for, but really believe) that my interests are important and valid 
  • Creative freedom can be a prideful endeavor, or it can be an open exercise of following the Spirit. Thank you Anna for putting this out there.  I struggle in this area so much ...
Connect with Anna
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.” Revelation 21:1-4


The first week has been so good for me.  I am amazed at the perfect timing of the course content it's perfect for where I am at spiritually.  I am blown away by the word in due season spoken to my heart.  I encourage you to join MADE.  There are over 170 people sharing the journey and it's not too late for you to embark on 16 weeks of exploring God - centered creativity. For those of you not wanting to do the course but connect with Christian creatives have a look at Epiphany Art Forums

Blessings
Chareen
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