So one of the biggest challenges to home schooling is teaching to multiple age/grade levels. Kids are supposed to learn with their age group right? That's how school does it. 25 six and seven year olds in a classroom for a year......
Actually, it is so much more natural to teach multiple age groups together than it is to pigeon-hole them into a 'grade'. Kids develop and learn in all different ways and at different speeds. By teaching them in a multi-age setting using multi-sensory techniques, you are sure to address all the learning styles of each child, as well as capitalizing on their strengths and strengthening their weaknesses.
If you put multiple ages together, it allows for the more advanced kids to work with peers on their level. It allows for the older and/or more advanced kids to be mentors to the younger kids. There is no better way to learn something than if you have to teach it to someone else! Use multi-sensory techniques to address the needs of all learners. School focuses on visual and auditory learning and expects all kids to conform. By offering learning through multiple modalities, you can use each child's strength to help them overcome their weaknesses.
The basis of learning comes through the senses. Babies and toddlers learn EVERYTHING through their senses (sight, taste, touch, smell, sound). Babies put everything in their mouth right? They explore their environments through dumping, shaking, banging, throwing, eating, smelling.....This doesn't actually change as we get older. If we tap into using the senses to teach, it will be more meaningful to the child. For a child who has a hard time listening to a lecture on the Boston Tea Party, you could bring them to Boston and walk the Freedom Trail. They will get to see where it all happened, touch the buildings, smell the sea air, hear the sounds of the ships in the harbor....I don't know about you but if I were taught this way, I might actually be able to tell you something about the Boston Tea Party.
Here in the Northeast, we have a tremendous amount of resources, cities, museums at our disposal. Many of them are minutes or just a few hours away. This year, whether you home school or not, supplement your child's education with a trip or experience. It will make the learning so much richer!
Monday, September 17, 2012
Friday, August 24, 2012
The Problem with Public Education
As the new school year approaches, I cannot help but reflect on WHY I am not sending my kids this year.
So clearly I have a problem with public school if I am going to these great lengths to avoid it right? Well, sort of. I don't have the 'usual' problems that you hear, such as: bullying, inappropriate peer models, religious objections to curriculum, socialization problems....My problem is pretty simple really - I hate how much they sit and push papers! I know, I know, you've heard this before. But think about it. They are in school for 6 1/2 hours a day. 30-40 min for lunch, 20 min for recess (and not always), 40 minutes for special. Once in a while they have 2 specials in one day, so make it an even 60 minutes for specials. That leaves 4 1/2 hours of sitting at a desk!
I am sorry but I cannot sit at a desk for 4 1/2 hours, let alone my 5 & 7 year old children. And we wonder why things like ADHD are on the rise?! Not only are we asking these kids to sit for tremendous amounts of time, we are also asking them to do things that developmentally, their bodies are not necessarily ready for. Did you know that developmentally, a child can wait until age 5 to choose hand dominance and that's considered within the normal range? How do you expect a 5 year old (or in some cases 4 year olds) to be able to write their name, letters, numbers and soon enough words, if developmentally they should just be choosing hand dominance?!?!
Think about when you went to kindergarten. I don't know about you but I went to half day kindergarten, we had NAP TIME, snack time, play time & maybe watched a filmstrip (yes I am THAT old) on a letter a week. THAT WAS IT! I was able to read and write at that point, but not all children are ready for that at 5. We spent the entire time socializing, learning through play and experiences, singing songs.....sound familiar? So what the hell are we doing now? These poor kids come home with packets of worksheets each day, they play outside once or twice a week, and they have a kitchen set in their classroom that doesn't get touched. Unbelievable!
Now it's easy for me to say because I am not responsible for teaching 20+ 4-6 year olds right? WRONG. I have taught in the classroom before. Except I did it with 18, 4-5 year olds, half of which had special needs. It is possible to teach a large group of children in a hands-on, multisensory way. I came from a school that refused to do worksheets. Our preschool was modeled after our kindergarten, so they did not do worksheets either. Well then, how do they learn to write? oh, I dunno - sand, fingerpaint, magnetic letters, shaving cream, pudding, chalk.........How do they learn their letters and to read? By being offered a literature rich environment. How do they learn math? Through counting & sorting manipulatives. Learning through hands on experiences. What a novel idea. For example, when we read the '3 Little Kittens Who Lost Their Mittens' the students listened to the story at circle, they acted it out, they had a felt board to act it out, they had REBUS charts (matching a word to a picture), they had mittens at the water table & had to hang them on a clothesline (also a fine motor activity), they counted cats and mittens, sorted cats or mittens by color or put them into patterns (math activities), they had cat books in the library, housekeeping, and listening centers............shall I go on?
If I can teach 4 and 5 year olds, half of which have special needs, in a center based, hands-on, multisensory way, why can't our teachers do it with older kids that have no disabilities? I realize there are unidentified students with special needs in these classrooms. I realize that teachers have little creative license in their classrooms. Districts purchase curriculums that the teachers are forced to teach.
However, I do not give the teachers a full pass, there are ways around this, I did it. But your district, the one YOU PAY TAXES TO, needs to hear this in masses from it's taxpayers. Most teachers went into teaching because they love it. They are creative, innovative and have the ability to teach children in a variety of exciting, interesting, and more appropriate ways than these curriculums allow them to. Get involved in your child's education.Write an email, attend a board meeting, talk to your principal.....
Demand more of your schools.
So clearly I have a problem with public school if I am going to these great lengths to avoid it right? Well, sort of. I don't have the 'usual' problems that you hear, such as: bullying, inappropriate peer models, religious objections to curriculum, socialization problems....My problem is pretty simple really - I hate how much they sit and push papers! I know, I know, you've heard this before. But think about it. They are in school for 6 1/2 hours a day. 30-40 min for lunch, 20 min for recess (and not always), 40 minutes for special. Once in a while they have 2 specials in one day, so make it an even 60 minutes for specials. That leaves 4 1/2 hours of sitting at a desk!
I am sorry but I cannot sit at a desk for 4 1/2 hours, let alone my 5 & 7 year old children. And we wonder why things like ADHD are on the rise?! Not only are we asking these kids to sit for tremendous amounts of time, we are also asking them to do things that developmentally, their bodies are not necessarily ready for. Did you know that developmentally, a child can wait until age 5 to choose hand dominance and that's considered within the normal range? How do you expect a 5 year old (or in some cases 4 year olds) to be able to write their name, letters, numbers and soon enough words, if developmentally they should just be choosing hand dominance?!?!
Think about when you went to kindergarten. I don't know about you but I went to half day kindergarten, we had NAP TIME, snack time, play time & maybe watched a filmstrip (yes I am THAT old) on a letter a week. THAT WAS IT! I was able to read and write at that point, but not all children are ready for that at 5. We spent the entire time socializing, learning through play and experiences, singing songs.....sound familiar? So what the hell are we doing now? These poor kids come home with packets of worksheets each day, they play outside once or twice a week, and they have a kitchen set in their classroom that doesn't get touched. Unbelievable!
Now it's easy for me to say because I am not responsible for teaching 20+ 4-6 year olds right? WRONG. I have taught in the classroom before. Except I did it with 18, 4-5 year olds, half of which had special needs. It is possible to teach a large group of children in a hands-on, multisensory way. I came from a school that refused to do worksheets. Our preschool was modeled after our kindergarten, so they did not do worksheets either. Well then, how do they learn to write? oh, I dunno - sand, fingerpaint, magnetic letters, shaving cream, pudding, chalk.........How do they learn their letters and to read? By being offered a literature rich environment. How do they learn math? Through counting & sorting manipulatives. Learning through hands on experiences. What a novel idea. For example, when we read the '3 Little Kittens Who Lost Their Mittens' the students listened to the story at circle, they acted it out, they had a felt board to act it out, they had REBUS charts (matching a word to a picture), they had mittens at the water table & had to hang them on a clothesline (also a fine motor activity), they counted cats and mittens, sorted cats or mittens by color or put them into patterns (math activities), they had cat books in the library, housekeeping, and listening centers............shall I go on?
If I can teach 4 and 5 year olds, half of which have special needs, in a center based, hands-on, multisensory way, why can't our teachers do it with older kids that have no disabilities? I realize there are unidentified students with special needs in these classrooms. I realize that teachers have little creative license in their classrooms. Districts purchase curriculums that the teachers are forced to teach.
However, I do not give the teachers a full pass, there are ways around this, I did it. But your district, the one YOU PAY TAXES TO, needs to hear this in masses from it's taxpayers. Most teachers went into teaching because they love it. They are creative, innovative and have the ability to teach children in a variety of exciting, interesting, and more appropriate ways than these curriculums allow them to. Get involved in your child's education.Write an email, attend a board meeting, talk to your principal.....
Demand more of your schools.
Monday, August 13, 2012
Herkimer Diamond Mining
So, although homeschooling 'officially' starts in September, we decided to use this trip as a kickoff to our homeschooling experiment. We put a little more thought into it, used the experiences to ask questions, get them to ask questions, investigate, etc. And for the most part it was successful...........
I had never been to Herkimer before, nor had I gone diamond mining before. Frank had talked about it. His brother goes a lot and has shown us his many treasures. I was excited and very interested to check this out. Let me set the scene: Diamond Mining!! Pictures like the one above, are posted EVERYWHERE. The campground has a jewlery case full of these diamonds, jewlery made out of the diamonds, paperweights, you name it! I had visions of digging up little nuggetts of shiny treasure. I wasn't envisioning anything HUGE but several inches maybe. So we get our gear, go in and pay and get ready to dig up awesome diamonds. Remember, the girls were hoping to get a bucket full to sell at $50 a pop in order to buy a cruise ship...
We show up to a shack that immediately put Deliverance banjo music into my head. There were giant rock piles, dirt piles and MUD. I took my children to the bathroom before starting and it felt like something out of Silence of the Lambs. But 'I am going to keep an open mind', I think to myself. Up we go hauling all our tools and shovels. As we are walking up, a woman and her daughter are walking down. They inform us that the diamonds are EVERYWHERE! So I think 'OK This could still be great!' Finally, Let's Start Looking!!
And looking, and looking.......and digging, and smashing rocks with mallets, and digging some more.........OOOOOOHHHHHHHH! WE FOUND ONE!!! Ok sorry but it looked like broken glass and was the size of a polly pocket shoe (and you all know how much I love those!). After about an hour, we found 5 more polly pocket size 'diamonds.' Another hour goes by, it is hot and humid, Frank has smashed about 2700 rocks and NOTHING! The kids have resorted to playing house on some rocks that resembled a table and chairs and I just sit quietly and wait.......As we decide to leave, I am feeling somewhat guilty, like we didn't give it a fair shot............... until I hear another person say (who had a sledgehammer going against a 50 lb boulder) "I'd keep going if I thought there was a HUGE ONE INCHER in there." REALLY?! A one incher is considered HUGE? I'm done!
I took the kids back with me to the campsite and OCD Joe decides to go back for MORE! So I send him on his merry (and deluded) way and go poolside with the kids. I guess this could be considered our first FAIL of the homeschooling experience. But oddly enough, it wasn't. I was shocked but my eldest asked to go back after an hour of swimming! OCD Joe & daughter came back with some really cool 'diamonds.' They both enjoyed the experience and me and my youngest enjoyed the pool.
Maybe this control freak is starting to learn that it doesn't all have to come from her or be planned by her to be a success?
NAH probably not!
The Expectation:
I had never been to Herkimer before, nor had I gone diamond mining before. Frank had talked about it. His brother goes a lot and has shown us his many treasures. I was excited and very interested to check this out. Let me set the scene: Diamond Mining!! Pictures like the one above, are posted EVERYWHERE. The campground has a jewlery case full of these diamonds, jewlery made out of the diamonds, paperweights, you name it! I had visions of digging up little nuggetts of shiny treasure. I wasn't envisioning anything HUGE but several inches maybe. So we get our gear, go in and pay and get ready to dig up awesome diamonds. Remember, the girls were hoping to get a bucket full to sell at $50 a pop in order to buy a cruise ship...
The Reality:
We show up to a shack that immediately put Deliverance banjo music into my head. There were giant rock piles, dirt piles and MUD. I took my children to the bathroom before starting and it felt like something out of Silence of the Lambs. But 'I am going to keep an open mind', I think to myself. Up we go hauling all our tools and shovels. As we are walking up, a woman and her daughter are walking down. They inform us that the diamonds are EVERYWHERE! So I think 'OK This could still be great!' Finally, Let's Start Looking!!
And looking, and looking.......and digging, and smashing rocks with mallets, and digging some more.........OOOOOOHHHHHHHH! WE FOUND ONE!!! Ok sorry but it looked like broken glass and was the size of a polly pocket shoe (and you all know how much I love those!). After about an hour, we found 5 more polly pocket size 'diamonds.' Another hour goes by, it is hot and humid, Frank has smashed about 2700 rocks and NOTHING! The kids have resorted to playing house on some rocks that resembled a table and chairs and I just sit quietly and wait.......As we decide to leave, I am feeling somewhat guilty, like we didn't give it a fair shot............... until I hear another person say (who had a sledgehammer going against a 50 lb boulder) "I'd keep going if I thought there was a HUGE ONE INCHER in there." REALLY?! A one incher is considered HUGE? I'm done!
I took the kids back with me to the campsite and OCD Joe decides to go back for MORE! So I send him on his merry (and deluded) way and go poolside with the kids. I guess this could be considered our first FAIL of the homeschooling experience. But oddly enough, it wasn't. I was shocked but my eldest asked to go back after an hour of swimming! OCD Joe & daughter came back with some really cool 'diamonds.' They both enjoyed the experience and me and my youngest enjoyed the pool.
Maybe this control freak is starting to learn that it doesn't all have to come from her or be planned by her to be a success?
NAH probably not!
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Curriculum
Because I am an 'A' Type planner personality, it is getting a little late for me NOT to have all my ducks in a row. I know, I know, I'm crazy. Put it this way, I have the first 5 months of my Girl Scout Troop meetings planned already (which doesn't start until October)!!! I am currently planning a Disney trip that is over a year away. I am getting better about this however, after being married to one of the most laid back people I know for almost 13 years. He's the type that throws a tee shirt and underwear in a bag and says 'let's go!' This gives me mini heart attacks!
But when it comes to homeschooling, I've got a framework in mind, but nothing PLANNED. Everyone keeps asking me what curriculum I will follow. I'm not sure I need a curriculum. I know this sounds crazy, and maybe because I am a teacher I'm a little less worried about that, but I truly believe in natural environment learning. I know what a kindergartener and second grader should be learning for the most part. I can look up the state standards online to check myself. But I haven't planned out, in excruciating detail, what we will do everyday. It's amazing. And liberating. Not being chained down to a schedule!
For those of you who know me (and those of you who are like me), you understand how monumental this non-planning is. I don't think it's procrastination either. I am just at peace with the fact that everything will fall into place. Crazy right? I do have a million and 1 ideas. Maybe it's because I can't (or don't want to) limit us to one path. I could go thematic (apples in September, pumpkins in October). I could go by interest (teach everything in relation to Butterflies). I could go by our travel plans (teach based on what trips we are taking that month). I could let the kids decide...NO NOT THAT!
If you were in my position and could framework your child's education any way you wanted, what would you do? Seriously, I want to know!
But when it comes to homeschooling, I've got a framework in mind, but nothing PLANNED. Everyone keeps asking me what curriculum I will follow. I'm not sure I need a curriculum. I know this sounds crazy, and maybe because I am a teacher I'm a little less worried about that, but I truly believe in natural environment learning. I know what a kindergartener and second grader should be learning for the most part. I can look up the state standards online to check myself. But I haven't planned out, in excruciating detail, what we will do everyday. It's amazing. And liberating. Not being chained down to a schedule!
For those of you who know me (and those of you who are like me), you understand how monumental this non-planning is. I don't think it's procrastination either. I am just at peace with the fact that everything will fall into place. Crazy right? I do have a million and 1 ideas. Maybe it's because I can't (or don't want to) limit us to one path. I could go thematic (apples in September, pumpkins in October). I could go by interest (teach everything in relation to Butterflies). I could go by our travel plans (teach based on what trips we are taking that month). I could let the kids decide...NO NOT THAT!
If you were in my position and could framework your child's education any way you wanted, what would you do? Seriously, I want to know!
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Socialization
So "Socializing the kids will be your biggest problem" is something I hear a lot in response to our decision to homeschool. And, I'm sorry but I just have to roll my eyes and laugh. Why is it that people assume the best and/or only socialization for our kids happens at school? Have you spent any time in your child's public school lately? Socialization time is pretty pathetic if you ask me. AND it is very contrived. In my experience, the kids spend multiple hours a day at a desk getting in trouble for socializing. Then they go to lunch for a 1/2 hour and have to sit with their class. They are not allowed to wander around & socialize with their peers. Finally, they MAYBE get 15-20 minutes of recess a day (definitely not everyday) and again, it's usually with their class. Once in a while other grade level classes or other grades are together, but not often. THAT'S IT!
So if my calculations are correct, I will be stopping my kids from about 45-50 minutes a day (on a good day) of socializing with their classmates - not their friends, not people of their choosing - their classmates. OK you've convinced me. We're going back! (note sarcasm here).
I bring this up because we have just returned from another camping trip. We camp all the time during the Spring, Summer & Fall months. We went to a campground by ourselves, no friends from home, no family members. And in about 35 seconds, my kids were off riding bikes, having glow stick wars, and playing kickball with a bunch of other kids they had never met before. OK, OK! It took more than 35 seconds, but you get the point. We go places like this all the time. It's always new (or at least the people are new) and every time my children make new friends. They played with boys and girls of all ages. No one cared how old you were, no one cared where you were from, no one cared what grade you were in. Basically the only requirement was keeping up with the pack and even then, they'd slow down for the little ones from time to time. No parents were organizing games or activities. Parents weren't involved at all. There were no fights or problems. And this went on for days. And this happens every time we go away - which is a lot!
I had commented to Frank about how impressed I was that all the kids were getting along, being friendly, sharing, using kind words.....and he pointed out that I always say that but it's always about the other kids. So I need to give props to my kids for being friendly, and sharing, and using kind words and always including others! (OK brag session over).
So after watching my kids, yet again, participate in this kind of play, when encountered with "How will you socialize your kids?" I just bite my tongue, smile and say "They'll be fine."
So if my calculations are correct, I will be stopping my kids from about 45-50 minutes a day (on a good day) of socializing with their classmates - not their friends, not people of their choosing - their classmates. OK you've convinced me. We're going back! (note sarcasm here).
I bring this up because we have just returned from another camping trip. We camp all the time during the Spring, Summer & Fall months. We went to a campground by ourselves, no friends from home, no family members. And in about 35 seconds, my kids were off riding bikes, having glow stick wars, and playing kickball with a bunch of other kids they had never met before. OK, OK! It took more than 35 seconds, but you get the point. We go places like this all the time. It's always new (or at least the people are new) and every time my children make new friends. They played with boys and girls of all ages. No one cared how old you were, no one cared where you were from, no one cared what grade you were in. Basically the only requirement was keeping up with the pack and even then, they'd slow down for the little ones from time to time. No parents were organizing games or activities. Parents weren't involved at all. There were no fights or problems. And this went on for days. And this happens every time we go away - which is a lot!
I had commented to Frank about how impressed I was that all the kids were getting along, being friendly, sharing, using kind words.....and he pointed out that I always say that but it's always about the other kids. So I need to give props to my kids for being friendly, and sharing, and using kind words and always including others! (OK brag session over).
So after watching my kids, yet again, participate in this kind of play, when encountered with "How will you socialize your kids?" I just bite my tongue, smile and say "They'll be fine."
Saturday, June 23, 2012
No more teachers, no more books............
There is so much learning that goes on when children are exploring. Learning doesn't have to be limited to a textbook or worksheet. For example, we are growing blueberries this year - yes we fell short of a full garden, but it's a start. My kids picked out the blueberry bushes, dug the holes, put in the peat moss & planted them, they water them regularly and will be picking and eating the blueberries soon! We also planted butterfly bushes. Every summer we hunt for caterpillars and grow them into butterflies. We wanted to create a garden space for our butterflies this year. Hopefully it will attract more butterflies than we grow. My kids can study the different kinds of caterpillars, butterflies, what they eat, the patterns on their wings. We will surely go to the butterfly house at the Bronx Zoo and compare/contrast our butterflies to theirs. Maybe find out about plants they have and get them for our butterfly garden.
We also plan to travel this summer. We go camping a lot. One of our trips will be to Herkimer where the kids can go 'Diamond Mining.' I have never been there either so I am excited to learn about this. They will actually be digging up their own crystals. How fun! Be careful though and watch your wallets - they are planning on selling the crystals at $50 a pop in order to save up enough money to buy their own cruise ship!
I love the thought of children learning this way. It is so authentic, interesting and active. It will be so meaningful to them. I guess that's why my kids are excited to homeschool. This is how we have always done things. Now they get to do it full time.
Monday, June 11, 2012
Microscopic Toys
Ok so this really has nothing to do with homeschooling, but everything to do with kids. What the hell is up with all of these toys the size of a pin head?!?!Really?!?! Whose brilliant idea was it to come up with toys we can barely see? You know what I'm talking about - Polly Pocket, Baby Zoobles, tiny Lego pieces.....
Someone who hates Mothers must be inventing these toys - Baby Zoobles?!?! Zoobles are only the size of a quarter - WHY would you need a BABY one? And what about Squinkies? I mean really! It seems that every toy out there has a miniature version of itself. I know I'm talking about girl toys but I know it also exists with boy toys. But I guess as long as we continue to purchase these things, they will continue to make them.
I have to say I have fed into this a bit. I have purchased Polly Pockets - but in my defense, I had never really seen these things before I bought them. Ever since I tried to put a shoe on one of those friggin dolls, I am completely ANTI microscopic toys! We have them but I didn't buy them. And for those of your reading, for the love of God PLEASE stop buying them for my kids! lol
And while we're on the topic of ridiculousness and toys - WTF is up with toy packaging?!?! Why does a toy need to be wrapped in plastic, taped down with twist ties and screws? I think if the apocalypse happens, I am not going to care if Barbie has a hair out of place! It takes an hour to get each thing out of the box.
OK! I feel better now. Thanks :)
Someone who hates Mothers must be inventing these toys - Baby Zoobles?!?! Zoobles are only the size of a quarter - WHY would you need a BABY one? And what about Squinkies? I mean really! It seems that every toy out there has a miniature version of itself. I know I'm talking about girl toys but I know it also exists with boy toys. But I guess as long as we continue to purchase these things, they will continue to make them.
I have to say I have fed into this a bit. I have purchased Polly Pockets - but in my defense, I had never really seen these things before I bought them. Ever since I tried to put a shoe on one of those friggin dolls, I am completely ANTI microscopic toys! We have them but I didn't buy them. And for those of your reading, for the love of God PLEASE stop buying them for my kids! lol
And while we're on the topic of ridiculousness and toys - WTF is up with toy packaging?!?! Why does a toy need to be wrapped in plastic, taped down with twist ties and screws? I think if the apocalypse happens, I am not going to care if Barbie has a hair out of place! It takes an hour to get each thing out of the box.
OK! I feel better now. Thanks :)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)