Thursday 3 March 2016

Door Hanger {Virtual Fridge}

This Week
This is our final project from Clever DIY.  Today Nathaniel made a Door Hanger from their Room Project box.

This project took him a quarter of an hour to complete and he was inspired to make a time lapse movie of himself doing the project.

I don't know what was more fun the door hanger or the time lapse movie !









This weeks Feature

This weeks feature is a tutorial from over at Raven Threads and is a mini tutorial on how to Create an Illustrated Dictionary.  I love the samples of the children's work and how even the youngest member of your home school can make their own dictionary.

Your Turn

I invite you to take some photo's of your children's artistic pursuits put them in a post and link up with me I would love to come over and see the wonderful art your children have enjoyed doing.
Virtual Fridge Link Up

Blessings
Chareen

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Please NOTE by adding your links to the Virtual Fridge link up YOU are giving the hosts of the Virtual Fridge link up permission to use a photograph from your blog to feature 
your ART along with a link to your art/tutorial.

Add YOUR LINKS from your BLOG or INSTAGRAM

Tuesday 1 March 2016

Words, Words and more Words

Welcome to the fifth annual Virtual Curriculum Fair. Today is week one of the 2016 Virtual Curriculum Fair. This week homeschool bloggers from around the world are sharing their language arts recommendations. They will be sharing their perspective on how to teach: phonics, reading, writing, grammar, spelling, speech, literature, Latin and foreign language studies.

This year I will be co-hosting with  Kristen over at Sunrise to Sunset and Laura over at Day by Day in our World.  If you have any posts on the topic of Language Arts please add your link to the linky at the bottom of this post we look forward to seeing what you use to teach language arts.

Language Arts

Have you ever stopped to think about it our whole world runs on communication and to communicate you need words.  Words take on many forms they can be both verbal or non verbal.  When you start home educating you are faced with the task of finding a way to teach your children to communicate in a multitude of ways.

Then the questions start:
  • What are you using to teach grammar ?
  • Are you doing a second language ?
  • How are you tackling literature ?
  • Are you using phonics ?
  • Which spelling program are you going to use ?
  • How do you teach your children composition ?
  • Will you be joining the local speech and drama club ?
Some days it feels as though the questions are never ending.  Each time you do a google search you discover that there's a new program that promises to do it all for you!  (If only they could go to sleep on a magic pillow and wake up well educated ...) Do not let these sorts of questions fluster you or make you feel as though you can not teach your children well.

The most important question to get settled in your mind is:  What is my my homeschool philosophy? Once that is settled then start looking for programs that will help you school your students within that framework.  Personally I am leaning towards a Delight Directed and Charlotte Mason approach in my homeschooling.  Now that I know that I look for products that will help me educate Nathaniel in that manner with the long term goal of addressing the areas in the questions above.

Every year new products appear on line and I'm so grateful to companies that provide updates to their products too. The downside is I keep wanting to buy something new ...

In the past I have used and been pleased with the following items and will be continuing to use them this year:
On this blog
We enjoy great literature and are trying to follow a Charlotte Mason approach with reading twaddle free literature.  I share a new book each week on a Tuesday called Tuesday's Treasures.  Be sure to come back each Tuesday for a new book.

Second Language Resources
For more information on Language Arts you can read the posts from past fairs here:
We have some wonderful homeschool bloggers sharing their thoughts and inspiration on Language Arts and your homeschool.

Be sure to grab a cup of coffee / tea and take some time over the week ahead to read over these posts:
Add your posts about anything Language Arts related to Week 1 - Language Arts link up below.

Monday 29 February 2016

Week 3 & 4 {HSMJ}

In my life this week…
Wow those two weeks sped by a lot faster than I expected.  Why is it life seems to zoom past when you get older ?  I've always enjoyed the idea of writing out scripture and have done so a few times in the past.  This month over at His Mercy is New Candace is inviting us to write out Philippians in the month of March.  She has a FREE printable (you can download it without subscribing) to help keep you on track. She has a page full of links to FREE monthly calendars and printables to pray God's Word.



Helpful homeschooling tips or advice to share…

In our home school this week…



My favourite thing this week was…

 On the WWW I’m reading…

Blessings
Chareen

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Friday 26 February 2016

Easy Key Rings {Virtual Fridge}

This Week


Our THIRD art project from Clever DIY. Nathaniel made three key-rings with the contents from their January box - My Room.

These were very easy to make.  We used foam shapes and craft glue.

This weeks Feature

This weeks feature is from over at Homeschool Coffee Break.  These Chinese Paper Cutting motifs were inspired from Geography Through Art.

Your Turn

I invite you to take some photo's of your children's artistic pursuits put them in a post and link up with me I would love to come over and see the wonderful art your children have enjoyed doing.
Virtual Fridge Link Up

Blessings
Chareen

Connect with me
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Your hosts are


Add YOUR LINKS from your BLOG or INSTAGRAM


Please NOTE by adding your links to the Virtual Fridge link up YOU are giving the hosts of the Virtual Fridge link up permission to use a photograph from your blog to feature 
your ART along with a link to your art/tutorial.

Add YOUR LINKS from your BLOG or INSTAGRAM


Friday 19 February 2016

A Day Home Schooling an Only


Welcome to a day in our home school.  I don't know where or how the tradition started but we always wake up and enjoy a cup of tea together.  It's something we did as a family before the children joined us and once they were about four months old they joined us for a wake up cup of tea.  It's what we do to start off our day.  Very few days go by without a morning cup of tea.  Somehow it does not feel complete unless we have sat together in the lounge before Paul leaves before work.  These day's it's just the three of us as Jane is currently enjoying a year overseas working and exploring the U.K. at the moment and Timothy has a slightly different schedule to us.

As I share our day with you I would leave one word of caution.  Never try to make a carbon copy of another families normal day.  Every home schooling family is unique and therefore so should their day be unique.

The Schoolhouse Review Crew would like to welcome you into their homes this week as they share their unique and individual days with you.

Paul works a slightly unique roster meaning that our daily rhythm is slightly different every week.  On a work day he leaves for work at around 7:30 am.

Once he leaves it's time for breakfast, bed making, getting dressed for the day and morning chores.  These are normally things like unpacking the dishwasher and either starting the clothes washer or hanging the already washed clothing. Once these are complete it's time to begin with our school work.


We start our reading list with bible study and encouraging books.
We then read some more and explore different subjects.  If Nathaniel asks a question while we are reading we will take some time and look for the answer.  We also do word studies while we are reading.  Little Pilgrim's Progress has given us plenty of opportunities to expand our vocabulary recently.

 Our currently read aloud for fun is The Trumpet of the Swan by E.B.White.  This is such a beautifully written story.
This year I am adding in poetry reading.  We are not studying poetry but rather just taking the time to read it as part of our day.  We are using Favorite Poems of Childhood.
My all time favourite composer study series is from Zeezok publishing and we are currently reading their book on the life of Joseph Haydn - The Merry Little Peasant.

 We take a small break and then it is time for music practice followed by morning tea.

 Followed by more time cuddled together on the couch when we tackle our history read alouds. This year we are continuing our journey with the ancients and have added an introduction to Australian History.  Our books are:
 Some days we choose to watch documentaries on Netflix or we take one off our DVD shelf.  Yesterday we looked up a few YouTube clips about the ancient Chinese practice of foot binding.

By now it's usually lunch time and time for more chores.


 After lunch we tackle the remaining books in our pile and this day it was the sciences. We are reading:


Next it's time to get out all the pencils and practice the rest of the Three R's. It's time writing and arithmetic.

Most afternoons we have something happening.  Some days it's art co-op and on others it's fellowship etc.



Paul get's home at around 5 pm and then it's time to play with Pugsley and do evening chores.  Pugsley adores Nathaniel and loves his ball (Yes it's a golf ball.  That's the only ball he does not destroy!)

 Homeschooling an only has stretched me in ways I never thought possible and it's a blessing in the most amazing ways as well.  Asperger's Syndrome frustrates us both some days and on other days it's brought about much laughter.  Every day is different and yet somehow the same. Homeschooling has been one of life surprises and it's biggest blessing.  I'm grateful for each new day I get to be this boys Mom and friend.  I get to be there for every amazing adventure and new discovery.  His passion at the moment is movie making and through this I am learning how God has made this miracle gift to me in His image and not mine.

Thank you for sharing our day with us.  I endevour to share our days / week each week on a Saturday via The Homeschool Mother's Journal and daily on Instagram (@Chareenr).  You can see what our favourite books are and hands on projects we have been up to as well as the places we explore on our Field Trips.

This post is part of the Schoolhouse Review Crew blog Hop A Day in Our Homeschool.  Be sure to check out what my homeschooling friends days look like.

Blessings
Chareen 
A Day in Our Homeschool


A Day in Our Homeschool 2017


Saturday 13 February 2016

Week 2 {HSMJ}

A photo posted by Chareen (@chareenr) on
 In my life this week…
It felt really great to be blogging again and journaling my school week. I was so pleased to read this article Is the ANZAC Spirit Dead? by Sydney Criminal Lawyers. Our family has been personally impacted by this very thing.  It saddens me deeply that this is the case in Australia.  There is NO ANZAC Spirit at all.

Helpful homeschooling tips or advice to share…

In our home school this week…



 Things I’m working on…
My Faith

 On the WWW I’m reading…
 I’m cooking…

 A photo, video, link, or quote to share…

It amazes me how many younger people are starting to realize that social media is not true social interaction. Prince Ea has put up a video on YouTube with a gentle reminder: Can We Auto-Correct Humanity?


Blessings
Chareen


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Monday 8 February 2016

Be True To Yourself - Unlocking FREEDOM

This weekend while spending time with my sister she encouraged me saying:

 “Be true to yourself.” I have really been struggling with feelings of insecurity, yes even after 14 years (edit:18 years now)  of homeschooling!

As I went through my week my heart kept reaching for His. “Lord why do I feel this way ?”

and His reply kept echoing. “Be True To YOURSELF

“But Lord WHAT does that have to do with the way I feel ??”

---oOo---

One of the root causes of my heartache was feeling as though I had somehow failed. I wondered why I felt this way? I have two children that have completed homeschool and are finding themselves and their place in the wider world and yet I feel as though I have not accomplished / completed something important.

As I pondered my feelings and via a conversation with a friend it became clearer. When I started homeschooling I was full of excitement and anticipation. I attended any and all homeschool meetings and listened avidly to all the conversations, diligently sought advice on different issues, carefully looked over anything new on the market, attended all the homeschool trips that fit our very tight budget and constantly strive to grow. It was all new and exhilarating. I looked forward to each monthly meeting, any homeschool conference and the fortnightly homeschool co-op meetings. Each time I heard what someone was doing that sounded wonderful I had added it to my list of what we were doing. I loved the results of what each of these families were doing and wanted that fruit for my family. As the years went by I began to become bone weary.

“Oh Lord I am sooo very tired, I just can’t anymore….”

The Lords answer was to pick me up and move me to another country…
This time it was from New Zealand to Australia.

Over time my strength returned but my heart still ached with inadequacy and His voice this week keeps saying: “Be true to YOURSELF

I have spent the last week meditating on His words to my spirit and looking back it has become clearer. I now know what He is saying to my heart. Each time I had attended a meeting I would take each of the homeschool Mom’s who in my eyes were successful and given them a place of authority in my life. I had taken their family vision and tried to add it to mine. I had given them too much authority to speak into my life. I had not taken the new idea to the Lord in prayer and had not asked Him if it was for us.

I now realise that if the Lord wanted ALL those things for my children He would have placed my children in those families. He did not. He chose my family and I had not been TRUE to myself and who HE had made me. I had added all these carbon copies and the burden was too heavy for me and for my children. I had been trying to mold myself to look like these super successful homeschool Moms.

In Colossians 3:1 it says: Set your hearts on things above. This is the key that is setting me free and healing my heart. I need to focus on Him and His design for my family and not strive in the flesh to perform. I had been trying to do all these things to be successful in the worlds eyes and had taken my eyes off HIM.

He has been reminding me to ask Him and He will show me. I need to Trust in Him with all of my heart and lean not on my own understanding. As I acknowledge Him in ALL my ways He will make my path straight. (Proverbs 3:5-6).

My encouragement to you is to take your eyes off your homeschool friends (especially the super successful ones), homeschool leaders and the latest trend and place them firmly on your Lord. He has a plan for you and it is a good plan.

In His word this week He reminded me: Come to me all you who are heavy laden and find rest for your souls (Matthew 11:28-30). If you are exhausted or feeling overwhelmed take some time. STOP what you are doing and write a list. Prayerfully take it before your Heavenly Father and seek His heart for your family.

Be TRUE to yourself and who He has made you. When He formed you He placed within you all you would need through Him to succeed at the task He has placed before you.

Blessings

Chareen

---oOo---

A few years ago I wrote this post as a guest post. It's a post that is still relevant to me today.  My friend recently stopped blogging and has placed her blog on hold as her life journey has taken a new turn. I needed to refresh my heart on this truth and emailed her to see if she still had this writing.  She found it in her archives and has emailed it to me so that I may add it to my blog to refer to whenever I need reminding of His love for my family. This post was written about four years ago.