Belatedly

Just to announce a pause on this blog - the children started school on September 9th 2009 - so far they are enjoying it immensely.
The little school they attend is firmly based on Bible principles, there are under 60 children, aged from 5 - 16 in the entire school.
I have no idea whether this will be for the remainder of their education, or just a short spell, while other changes are worked in our lives.
I miss my home educating friends online a lot, but for the moment, it feels safer not to inhabit that world, while wounds heal, and we make a positive new start.

Where are we now?

Tricky one.
It's hard to say why, in one simple sentence, but there is every possibility we will be trying to get the girls into a tiny christian school, despite some reservations, and the very real chance that there will not be places available.
To be honest, I wonder myself how it has come to this, but I think it breaks down like this:

• Friends, associates, normal life - we just don't have them. The girls are normal, outgoing, friendly children, they WANT to be around other people. We on the other hand have tended to be a bit isolationist. I now regret that, and feel socially challenged at every turn. I don't want that for them (mind you, bear in mind that I went to school.) Homeschoolers repeatedly tell me that family comes first (but they have ten children, I have two) that as long as they have one good friend (they don't) and other children at church (zero) they'll be fine. That they don't need lots of friends. (No. But one would be nice.) Maybe in America, where christians and homeschoolers abound. But in this country? Where christians are in short supply and two home educators who think alike are even rarer? (see below)
  
• The passage of time ... we had this house on an agreed low rent while we 'did it up' for two years. To our horror, the rent review has just come around and the rent has gone up massively. Two years have gone. But that's OK, since we now have a fabulously made over house to live in, right? Wrong. We have decorated one room, and the kitchen is currently being redone. But what else happened? Like most home educators, we had to put education first and put life on hold. I don't regret that, but I'll turn fifty this year. I don't have forever.
• Kind of related - God's call on our life is clear(ish) to us - it has to do with living on the land, farming in a small way, bringing people out into creation and teaching and sharing skills,what most of you would call homesteading. We always believed that homeschooling was inextricably linked with that. Now it seems like it may be curtailing it?
• The hormone wars. The journeys into and out of the childbearing years of womanhood are tumultuous ones - at the moment, we have one of each going on, and one in the wings. It can be scary.
• Burn out. I feel all home edded out. I wonder if it's the year I've spent doing Ambleside? I never felt like this before. This is the one side road we have not yet fully explored - the one where we don't go to school, but we also don't do homeschool the way we have been doing.
• Disappointment. I have to say, and this is harsh, but true - home educators, both christian and not, have disappointed me beyond belief. The cliqueishness, the rudeness, the lack of consideration - I have stood there red faced while a particular mother talks over my daughter's head to invite another child to her precious drama group, saying 'oh do come, we would so like you to come' - leaving my poor daughter wondering what she has done wrong to be so totally, totally excluded. I have watched embarrassed as other mothers are invited to things, and I have eventually had to say 'er .. what's this about then?' only to be told grudgingly what's going on. We went yesterday to an event where one group of home edded children were positively herded by their parents to keep them away from our 'unknown' children. I am sick to my stomach with home educators. The worst offenders are 'christians'
• Disappointment #2. The Badman Report has brought out the worst in us. The bickering and mudslinging are offensive to me, and a poor example to my children.

Looking at it here, in black and white, it seems fairly done and dusted, actually. I've had enough.

However, whether there actually is a way out, is another matter.

Recession Tip of the Day .... (x-posted)

I was thinking this morning, about the budget, and the dire economic future which seems to await us, and I wondered, what can we do, to help our children adjust to this new era, this different life? I don't think any of us has yet grasped the significance of these momentous times.

One thing worth doing, I think, is to look at what they are reading. I am so very affected by what ever is on my bedside table, and I am sure my daughters are too. I think of their younger days, and our passion for the Little House books, and remember how cheerfully they endured our very, very broke days, all because it was so Laura!

I'm no expert on ballet books or school stories, but I do know my pony books, and so I'll make my case, if I may, with them. Make it a history project if you have to, or just raid the second hand bookshop or e-bay, but do think about a trip back in time, to the days when materialism was less rife, and some real values lurked beneath the adventure and the dreams come true.

I am blessed with two daughters whose favourite reading matter is older than their mother, but in case you're not, as an example, in the very wonderful series my children call 'the David and Pat books', you will meet David, a very ordinary boy from a working class home, with a passion for horses.

David makes friends with Pat, the privileged daughter of the local Master of Foxhounds, and together they share many adventures with their ponies. The series goes on into young adulthood, and while some dreams come true, reality brings David crashing back to earth in other ways. David has to work hard. He can take nothing for granted, and he accepts his parents' limited circumstances, and loves and admires them for their hard work and honesty.
David reappears, as an adult, in one of my very favourites, 'For Want of a Saddle', but that's another story.
Compare and contrast with the modern equivalent, the 'Chestnut Hill' books.

Now, don't get me wrong, I'm a Chestnut Hill ADDICT! I can't put them down. But Dylan, Mallory, Honey and the gang are a completely different kettle of wild salmon, believe me. They never don a T-shirt without our knowing its provenance, and that label better be the best. Only Mallory, the scholarship girl, is a little strapped for cash, but that's OK cos her friends are all so totally LOADED they help her get by! The cream of the crop are gathered at Chestnut Hill, the boarding school for wealthy horse lovers.
While the good guy usually wins through, and the bad guy - or girl in this case - the insufferable Lynsey, does indeed have even MORE dosh than the others, as shown by her 'immaculately tailored' ... erm ... everything.... nevertheless, knowing how fertile, not to say febrile, the girlhood imagination is, I've got to say that in today's climate, the pony mad girl would be way better with David and Pat, and the solid, English values of courage in adversity, frugality, and cheery perseverance, than all the catered social events and hired in fancy dress that Chestnut Hill has to offer.

So today's recession tip is : what are we reading, and is it helping us to feel positive about the challenge to come? As adults, we could do worse than fall back on my beloved Miss Read (I'm hoping to start a read along on a dedicated blog, soon) and her solid village values, and of course the redboubtable Nella Last and her wartime (and peacetime) perseverance and public spirit. Maybe we could encourage our children to find the same inspiration in the books of yesteryear - anyone want to suggest alternatives for other genres?

Nature Study

Boo's Bible Narration

Naaman and Elisha

H's History Narration

The Berlin Wall

Oh, I love a good story .....

And this is a very good story .....

I love E-books!

Never really bought into the whole 'ebook' idea.
However, we are thinking really hard right now about trying to come up with home businesses we can run alongside homeschooling. We already have small, farm based enterprises. We sell eggs, and half lambs for the freezer now and again. We hope to revive our vegetable box scheme, but it's a long time in the reviving, for various reasons.
All these things, I truly believe, benefit and enrich our homeschool experience. The girls talk confidently about the difference between the kind of tomato a supermarket wants to sell (tough skinned, very uniform, ripening en masse at the same time, oh and if possible, maybe tasting slightly of tomato) as opposed to the kind of tomato we want to eat, and to provide for our customers (soft skinned, who cares about uniformity, ripening over a long season, but first and foremost, tasting wonderful) - and they understand all about the market forces at work in seed production, EU legislation on seed registration .... all of which does not come into your standard school class, but is useful, and practical, and makes them better informed people.
What it doesn't do, is add much to our income! The little it does add, is gratefully received, but it's not making the hole any less deep!
As part of our research, I opted for a two for one special over at The Old Schoolhouse Magazine where I bought 'Homework' (sorry guys, the two for one offer is over!)
What a fabulous book! And so easy to read, laptop on lap! No shipping, instant delivery, and full, full, FULL of inspiring stories, and vital information that made me go 'Oh. Good Point...'
Then, this weekend, I also got a free e-book over at Econobusters - this one was on menu planning. Once again, delighted! I don't know about you, but getting meals on the table seems to take way too much time, when there's so much else to do, homeschooling, and (ideally!) earning a living alongside.
So, that's it. I'm a convert. I love e-books. Bring 'em on!

We are on week 17

of Ambleside Online - with some adaptations - so we have just passed the half way stage.
We have lost a couple of weeks of late, through family happenings, and life in general, and I am keen to get caught up. However, now is as good a time as any for a mid term review (not a good word in UK Home Education circles, at the moment!) so here I go.

Bible - H is now doing 'Genesis - Finding Our Roots' - and it is a fabulous book! I suspect it may take rather longer than planned, but she is really learning to dig in the Word and study, so that's OK by me. Boo, using our old family Children's Bible, is narrating her way through some Old Testament themes. She has finished the Exodus, and is now working on Samuel.

Galore Park (Boo's English, and we are waiting for Math, and H's English, Math, Latin and French) is brilliant. Everyone is doing well with this, though H is as ever falling further and further behind as the year goes on. So from now, I have to do some shoulder sitting. She is capable of keeping up the pace, but her mind wanders very easily.

Ambleside Online is a wonderful curriculum. My main complaint is that there we are a bit left to our own devices on the Artist and Music, and while that was fine when the children were younger, and I actually took Art Appreciation A level myself, I struggle to find the right things to discuss in, for expample, a Caspar David Friedrich painting. I did obtain a book from the library, but it hasn't helped an awful lot. The same goes for Lizst - and of course with the pressure of curriculum and life, the tendency is to let it slide.

History and history supplemental reading, the latter changed by me most of the time to reflect our English heritage, is a sure fire winner. Absolute shelfloads of books have been read. Boo read the biography of Abigail Adams and loved it. She is now into Victorians, and I am looking into a field trip - anyone have suggestions?

H is completing 20th Century and using SOTW. While the quality of this series goes without saying, I am very disappointed in the anti British slant, and will not be using it again. I am glad H goes on to Churchill next year, and will be looking for alternatives for Boo's next year, as she finishes Our Island Story this year. H has also read a mountain of supplementals, including 'Warhorse' and the 'Flambards' trilogy.

Science - Apologia Astronomy is great, though it is taking rather a long time. I was going to go on with starting H on the General Science next year, but it is now between that and Galore Park.

Our nature notebooks are woefully neglected - can only resolve yet again to turn over a new leaf (ha ha!)

We are so *busy* about farm garden and kitchen, that I feel sadly lacking in any actual *teaching* around farm, garden and kitchen! That needs to be rectified.

We are thinking of moving to year round schooling, taking breaks as needed. As we are currently trying to develop more income streams for the family, in an attempt to bring the family vision of farming to reality, I thought it might offer more flexibility. Though I shall mourn my long summer break, which was one of the reasons I originally thought about home educating - I was horrified at the cut back to the long school hols!

I recently purchase the excellent 'Home Work' and 'Living and Learning on One Income' from The Old Schoolhouse - and it struck me that the successful homeschooling home business families in the former, almost all schooled year round, taking breaks as and when to fit in with the business.

Does anyone else school year round? Any thoughts or opinions to offer?

Netball - Christian Home Ed Sports Club

The girls just love our sports club - Alyson as you can see is teaching them the basics of netball.

Design and Technology :)

Back in January .... Making Marmalade

We all love marmalade. One of the things that is really important to me, is that the girls will take in their stride the things I had to struggle to learn. That the rhythm of the seasons will come naturally to them, and the day to day tasks of farm and life will be to them like breathing.

And in January, that means marmalade. Slicing the peel, scraping the pith, pouring the juice, and putting the pips and pith into a muslin bag, to provide pectin for the set.

It gives me great joy, that my older daughter relishes marmalade time, and could honestly have made the 18lbs we put away on her own. Only I enjoyed doing it with her.

Earth for Sale

Earth for Sale poster, Exploring Creation with Astronomy. As you can see, God has created the world with 'terrific tilt' and 'great gravity' whereas mother is unable to take a straight photograph. {sigh}
Unfortunately, Boo's doesn't come out quite so well



though I did manage a straighter picture!

Cherry Bites

Cream together 4oz of margarine or butter and 5oz of caster sugar, mix in an egg, beaten, 10oz self raising flour (or in our case, plain flour and 1tsp baking powder) and a tsp of vanilla essence. Mix until smooth, then weigh into half ounce balls (these made the small ones, and we were destined to make way more than the intended 20, so we made ours a bit bigger). Roll each one in porridge oats, then put onto a greased baking tray, flatten with a fork, and add a quarter of a cherry (we went mad, and used half) Bake in the centre of a moderate oven (gas mark 4, 350F or 175C) until golden brown. Or Gordon Brown, as my two insisted. ('Is it Gordon Brown yet?' 'No, it's barely even Peter Mandelson')
These were whipped up on Monday afternoon, as Daddy had the pastor and church secretary coming round for a meeting while we were out at Guides. They ate them, so they must have been OK!

Or maybe we just press on ......

Great article in the Ecologist...

The one where no one has any friends.

Home education and friends. There I've not said it. The S word.
I don't believe home schooled children have a problem with socialization – at least mine don't. In my experience, it's quite the reverse. State educated children of our acquaintance (whose parents insist on rolling out the old socialization chestnut before someone's got to the last syllable of 'home ed-u-ca- ti......' ) stand sullenly in corners and look at you as if you are an alien if, in your ignorance, you address them, having not been born in the same academic year as them. Clearly a huge social gaff.
But I am getting increasingly worried about 'friends'. Which is different.
I look back on my schooldays, and I look at well adjusted, pleasant 12 year olds of my acquaintance (I run a Guide Unit, I have a good selection to study) and I think ..... I loved my friends. They were how I practised being a grown up. They were really, really important to me .....
And my children, have no friends.
You can go to groups, but it doesn't WORK the same, does it? You're not confined against your will in the same space for eight hours a day with a common enemy! That's what friendship is really about, in the 'high school' years.
So on and on we ponder.
A home edding friend last night confessed to having made appointments to view local schools.
I'm beginning to wonder if I should be going with her.

International Baccalaureate

As any new home educator knows, the first question you need to ask (and so, of course does everyone else) concerning your child, even at the age of four, is 'what about exams? Will s/he do GCSEs then?' Obviously.
Well, as the years have gone by, I looked into the International Baccalaureate, and really really like what it had to offer - not just the Diploma Programme, which is an A level equivalent, but also the Middle and Primary Years programmes - I love the ethos, the international flavour, the emphasis on team work and global justice ...
We have an IB School fairly near to us, where my children could realistically progress, aged 16, and there was talk of the IB Online - so I got in touch and put our names down enthusiastically, as would be participants in this development.
I must say, that the IB Online people have been polite - though not really recognisable as actual people - but the main IB folks, well that's a different matter.
Their website is so full of useful information, forums and information sharing, and I wondered if I might get a password to access all areas as it were - I emailed explaining our desire to get onto the Online programme, and asked if I might be permitted Access.
I did get a reply. In fact, I got two. They were both rather rude and told me that the IB is most definitely only for schools. Not (if an email could spit, this would have done) homeschoolers.
Well, sorry guys, but if you truly believe in your programme as an education for a better world, maybe you had better get with the programme (pun intended) - if you plan on spending the next couple decades herding people into schools, just when the rest of the world has realised it can work just about anywhere, and having a massive downer on flexibility and really radical solutions .... then you may be last century's big idea, after all.
We've done the global lesson on poverty, and found it very useful. Obviously we won't be able to share that with others who have done it.
So three cheers for the fabulous idea, but a real thumbs down for not being more open minded.

Our Homeschool Goals for 2009

As we battle on, unsure for the moment whether homeschool will be our continuing lifestyle, we still need to be very positive about our current situation.
Ambleside Online with some adaptation is working well for us. My goals for the year are:

To work with the children in an intense space, usually after breakfast and before lunch, leaving more independent studies to be fitted in around the day.

To know when to leave some of the elements of AO in order to allow in the things we have found to be beneficial, such as some of our Galore Park books.

To get H thoroughly grounded in the methods involved, ready for next year's journey into HEO, if that is what's in store for us.

To encourage Boo in her math and science, since she is now saying she would like to study veterinary medicine – I know she's young and may change her mind, but I believe in following their dreams.

To get really into Bible history – I'd like them to know the stories, the grand design of God's Word, and to feel at home in that friendly territory.

To live with joy and purpose, alive to the seasons, celebrating the grace and bounty of our world, and to impart that intentionality, that experience of the 'now' to the children, so that where ever they go, whatever they are called to do, they will know how to grasp a shard of pure joy, and frame it in their hearts forever.