What is Circle Time?

Hi! I was wondering if you would mind expounding some on the Circle Time that you do with you kids. I remember reading a post on this previously at your site and would love to start some of this with my oldest this fall (she’ll be 4) and need a little more direction. Any tips where to start and what to work on with her? And suggestions for scripture memorization? That’s an area that I struggle with so I need all the help I can get since I want to do it along with her. Thank you so much! Stephanie ♥ Stephanie- Starting Circle Time (or whatever you decide to call it) now is a great idea. It has been a part of our lives for so long now that I doubt even the 16-year-old can remember our days without it, although he seldom joins us anymore. Still, on the days he is with us, he participates by leading some of what we do, reading aloud, or quizzing the littlest ones on their catechism. You asked for tips on where to start, so let’s begin there. The first thing you want to do is to determine what it is you want to include in your Circle Time. This always fluctuates for us, meaning that there are seasons when Circle Time includes just the essentials like devotions, Scripture memory, and prayer, and other seasons when Circle Time is a long drawn-out session filled with singing, reading, and lots of laughter.
Ideas for Circle Time: Psalm or Proverb of the day- read one chapter a day. Let the children illustrate something from the passage that stands out to them. Prayer- my kids are particularly fond of “popcorn” prayer, where we go around the room with each person sharing one thing in prayer at a time. We use the acronym ACTS (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication) as our guide; the first person calls out one attribute of God in adoration to Him, then the next person, etc. Then the first person begins again by confessing a sin, and we move on around until the prayer is finished. Devotional- Books we’ve enjoyed over the years: My ABC Bible Verses, Discovering Jesus in Genesis, Discovering Jesus in Exodus, With the Children on Sundays, and the How God Used... series. Songs- We have worked on one hymn at a time, or our favorite hymns with everyone choosing one, or worship choruses we all like, etc. Sometimes I play the piano, sometimes one of the boys plays his guitar, sometimes we just get a little silly and sing at the top of our lungs. Catechism Review- No, we’re not Catholic. Historically, Protestants have used confessions to teach the truths of Scripture in a systematic way to their children and themselves, and we use the Westminster Confession in our home. The children’s catechism goes like this: Q. Who made you? A. God Q. What else did God make? A. God made all things. Q. Why did God make you and all things? A. For His own glory. Q. Why ought you to glorify God? A. Because He made me and takes care of me. If you’re not familiar with the different Protestant confessions, take a look at this site. Special Topic- From time to time we see areas in our lives that need attention. I’ll add some time to focus on those areas and hope to see a little progress. Currently we’re working on manners. Memory Work- Which verses or passages do you want your children to have committed to memory by the time they leave your home? Sit down and make a list sometime and then begin to memorize together. Competitions and rewards always motivate us when we get lazy. I recently purchased an audio Bible on MP3 and now we listen to passages over and over again to commit them to memory. Cards- We like the variety that flash cards give us. You can search the web for photos of famous landmarks to print out, make cards for the Greek alphabet, Roman numerals, sign language, U.S. Presidents, books of the Bible, and practically anything else you can think of that would be worth memorizing. ♥ I hope this gives you some good ideas to start with. Coming on Wednesday-- a contest to win a copy of my eBook all about Circle Time, Circle Time: Plan the Best Part of Your Day!

Living and Schooling in Small Spaces, Part III

You can find Living and Schooling in Small Spaces, Part I here. Living and Schooling in Small Spaces, Part II here. Dana's little piece of blogdom can be found here, at The Sunny Side of the Room. ♥

In the same room, we have a corner where the piano sits. Most of the piano practice happens during the morning chore time and then again in the evening.

Yes, we have a library-hallway too! This is my husband's most favorite and he reminded me to tell you about it. He thoroughly enjoys turning sideways to pass the shelves when the kids don’t quite push the books in all the way. ;)

The hallway closet has four shelves saved for school storage; curriculum that we aren’t currently using. Under that is the educational games shelf. We do have an attic that I used to store this stuff in, but the intense heat was warping the books and binders.

Lastly, my husband built loft beds for my 3 boys, who share a room. Under each bed they have a desk, bookshelf and bulletin board. They retreat here when they need to concentrate in quiet. As in any home, things are constantly morphing to fit the needs of growing individuals. We are extremely hard on our home because we live in it 24 hours a day. I remember the first time I read Kendra’s words reminding us that most of us left for school during the day, and our mothers tidied up behind us. This is a completely different lifestyle than I grew up in. My kids don’t leave. I need to have different expectations. Thankfully, my husband is very easy going and doesn’t mind a home that looks lived in. He’s a good balance for me as I seek to keep my expectations within reason. And I do my best to set up our home so my kids and husband aren’t frustrated by trying to keep it all perfect, yet at the same time can feel a sense of order and peace during their day.

Educating at Home, Guest Writers, Home Organization, School OrganizationKendraOctober 16, 2009 Comments

Living and Schooling in Small Spaces, Part II

Dana's Part One of Living and Schooling in Small Spaces can be found here. ♥

The dresser above (which will someday be painted black) holds manipulatives for math and phonics, coloring books, art supplies and some office supplies. Dictionaries and thesaurus are kept on top. Hanging above the dresser is a huge cork board where we pin not only the latest drawings and projects but also any lists, instructions and information we are currently learning about. Just by hanging it here, my students upload the information amazingly fast.

As soon as my daughter could sit in a chair unaided (above), I made her a little spot so she could be near us during the school day. The table top has had to hold up to tea parties, watercolors, play dough, and lots of coloring. At six years old, it is still her favorite spot in the house.

Above the dining table hangs a white board and corkboard combo that holds a yearly pocket calendar. This is a catch-all for sports game schedules and invitations. Each week I write appointments and practice schedules under the appropriate days and often the dinner menu. This saves me from hearing, “What’s today Mom?”, or, “How many days until…?” They just check the board.

This is the reading corner in our living room. The box on the table holds everyone’s book(s) they are currently reading and our read aloud. One floor basket contains books on a single subject-- currently weather. The other basket holds our other library books. ♥ Come back Friday for Living and Schooling in Small Spaces, Part III.

Educating at Home, Guest Writers, Home Organization, School OrganizationKendraOctober 14, 2009 Comments

Living and Schooling in Small Spaces, Part I

I am SO excited to bring you a series this week written by my sweet friend Dana. Dana and her family live in a small house on walnut acreage her husband farms. They homeschool their four children with grace, joy, and a terrific use of space. I hope you enjoy what Dana shares! p.s. She pronounces her name "Danna" :) ♥ Our home isn’t a matchbox, but for this family of two adults and four growing children it takes some creative organizing to make school and life fit. Years ago, a homeschooling mom of four told me that her goal was to have a home that didn’t show any signs of schooling. Ha! Ha ha! Totally unrealistic for me. Here are the big ways we use our little spaces. Our kitchen/dining/school area/bedroom (just kidding on the bedroom part):

We have two tables in this area. Both are used for school but this one holds the daily stuff. The other one we keep clutter-free for dining. The picture above was taken during a busy school day. What is out on the table can be easily put away in a just a few minutes. (The second computer is awaiting its permanent home in the mudroom.) For inquiring minds, that black thing on the right is a treadmill. Think: very active boys on rainy days.

The book shelf above holds only what we are currently using and reference material. I attempt to make it as uncluttered and coordinated as possible. I don’t have an office, so a little corner of the bookshelf holds binders that contain info that I need weekly. Underneath the shelf, we keep baskets of books by subject. This makes it easy for me to retrieve what I need quickly and keeps things from being scattered in every direction. Each child has a cubbie, a box and book slots to keep them organized. ♥ Good stuff, isn't it? Part two to come on Wednesday. Please feel free to comment or ask questions about Dana's organizational systems (and that cute apple-- what's in it, Dana?)

Educating at Home, Guest Writers, Home Organization, School OrganizationKendraOctober 12, 2009 Comments

Fall Schedule

So, how DO I keep two little preschoolers busy and content all morning long? It's a question I've been praying about and pondering all summer long. I even got panicky one night and with terror in my voice said, "I think I'm gonna cry!" My friend and pastor's wife Wendy recently encouraged our homeschooling moms at church during our Homeschool Encouragement Day. She said, "You might not know how it's all going to work out, but God does". I've been storing that in my mind ever since, putting the weight of the matter back where it belongs- with God. Thanks, Wen. Roughly, here's our day. It's a flow chart wherein I keep an eye on the clock but don't remain rigid because life happens:

- Breakfast and devotions- everyone present - Clean up (16-year-old and 14-year-old dismissed to start schoolwork)

- Circle Time: 2-year-old to play yard for 30 minutes 1-year-old to jumper with big brother nearby for 30 minutes

then

2-year-old to video for 30 minutes 1-year-old to play yard for 30 minutes

then

2-year-old to blanket time in school room for 15-30 minutes (depending on the time we need) 1-year-old to play pen in school room, same as above

- Chores (2-year-old likes to join siblings for chores, 1-year-old with Mommy) - Read Aloud (2-year-old with us coloring, 1-year-old to video) - Lunch - Clean up

- Quiet Hour and a Half (16-year-old and 14-year-old get me for the last 30 minutes if they need help, 2 little guys go down for naps)

- School work- I am available in the school room but tend to have some work to do- throw laundry in, fold laundry, file coupons, iron, knit, etc.

- Free time- little guys up from their naps. In case you are wondering, they are in their beds for a total of three hours, whether or not they are sleeping the whole time. Typically as they get older I can hear them quietly playing in their cribs until someone comes to rescue them.

- Evening Chores and Zones (each child is responsible for one room or area of our home to tidy)

- Dinner and family worship/devotions at the table for now- captive audience ;)

- After dinner my husband and I make ourselves available to the older guys who might need help with school work. Discussions after dinner are always fun, too. Little guys get baths and go to bed, and the rest are off to bed at staggered bedtimes.

♥ Is that helpful? Can I answer any questions? I'll answer one right off the bat: Yes, this will be tweaked and changed. Needs never stay static and I guarantee the schedule will morph come December when water polo gets thrown in the mix. But guess what happens in January? We'll have another driver. Can I hear a hearty "Amen"? :D

Circle Time, Educating at Home, School OrganizationKendraSeptember 4, 2009 Comments

Jumpin' On the Workbox Bandwagon- With a Twist

Anything that gets me organized, motivated, and allows me to keep school running (nearly) on its own is a winner of an idea. Sue Patrick's workbox system sounded like a good fit for our family, except I wasn't sure how in the world I would get so many boxes in our schoolroom (plus, my frugal side didn't like shelling out so many clams to invest in them, either). After reading through several great blogs which described how workboxes were being used in other people's homes, I landed on the idea of making work files for two of our children- the 3rd grader and the k/1st grader. While I am planted in the school room in the afternoons, available to any one who needs my help, these two girls can be working through their files systematically. Here's what we did:

I numbered 4 sets of file folders, 1 through 12. Each set holds the work to be done for each day, and I figured I'd just organize them for four days and keep Fridays for any make-up we need to do. There are 12 folders for each day because that number gives me a lot of options.

Each folder contains a designated activity or paper to complete. Here in folder number one we have Rod and Staff First Grade Reading Workbook papers, one per day.

Here's the fun part. I photocopied the boxes of several of her favorite games and then laminated them. Instead of having to put the whole game in the file or box, I just drop the card in and she goes and gets the game.

Works for outside activities, too...

...and chores...

...and snacks!

So, what goes into each folder? For our first grader:

1. Rod and Staff Worksheets 2. Rod and Staff Reading Workbook 3. game 4. penmanship 5. art or Literature Pockets 6. math 7. outside activity 8. snack 9. puzzle 10. fold laundry 11. dry erase board 12. tidy schoolroom

And for the third grader:

1. Math 2. Art 3. Pathway Readers 4. Visual Perceptual Skill Building 5. Cursive 6. outside activity 7. snack 8. Writing Tales 9.Craft 10. Copywork 11. Fold Laundry 12. tidy schoolroom

Educating at Home, Resources, School OrganizationKendraAugust 19, 2009Workbox, Workboxes Comments

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