Tolle Lege Christian Academy

Narration

One of my goals for this year is to have JB narrate (Charlotte Mason (CM) style) from at least one subject each day.  For some reason, she does not seem to enjoy narrating orally.  However, she asked if she could do a written narration for one exercise this week (a narration of the first chapter of The Adventures of Danny Meadow Mouse by Thornton Burgess), and it was so nice!  Much more expressive and detailed than the verbal narrations that she has done.  :-)  Being the proud mamma, I just thought I'd share.  I'm going to type it up exactly as she wrote it----spelling, capitalization and punctuation are hers.  :-)  The only thing I've changed is typing JB where she actually wrote her first and last name.  :-)

Danny Meadow Mouse is Worried
Narrated by JB age 7

Danny Meadow Mouse was sitting on his doorstep thinking and thinking.  But of course he was only thinking because he was worried.  He was worried because his tail was so short!  The reason he was worrieing about that was becasue---well nobody knows not even Danny himself.  But I can tell you somthing.  When he had met his cousin Whitefoot the day before Danny saw how elegantly he was dressed.  And Danny thought the most wonderful thing about him was his long slim tail.  And since then he was jealous about that long tail couisn Whitefoot had and the short tail he had himself.

At the bottom of her composition she drew a quick sketch of Danny. 

Since this chapter and narration was a part of her Classical Writing Primer (Spring) work, she has already asked when she can do another from that book.  :-)  We'll continue to work on verbal narrations, but I will also allow her to write anything by request (though this is not a requirement of CM at her age). 

Outside Our Window

We had so much fun watching the birds at our feeder this week.  I was glad I had the camera nearby.

And We're Off!

We are off and running in JB's Second Grade year!  She was so eager to begin, that we just jumped in mid-week last week.  We celebrated the first day with a special breakfast and new supplies.

Here are a few shots of some of the work she has completed already.

A lesson from I Can Do All Things

Copywork from Classical Writing Primer (Spring)

Science notebook page from our first week of Noeo Chemistry 1

It's a Wrap!

We are taking a couple of weeks off before we start second grade!
We are excited to be ending one year and starting another.  Here's to it!
:-)

Revisiting Plans

I went to a Charlotte Mason (CM) seminar not too long ago, thanks to a lovely hostess and Simply Charlotte Mason's excellent DVD seminar.  I have been studying CM for the past few years, and I have used some of her methods loosely.  I say "loosely" because I have been a very "eclectic" homeschooler so far and feel like I've not settled into a groove, so to speak.  I know that I will continue to draw from various resources and methods (especially Classical resources---though I consider CM a Classical method in and of itself, but that is another post), but I am more convinced than ever that CM in all of its glory :-)  fits both my daughter's natural interests and style of learning; and our family goals for education very well.

I truly think that many of Charlotte Mason's methods could be applied in any type of home or school education program.  For example, in a time when many public schools are cutting art and music programs, CM's art and composer study would be a breath of fresh air to students and teachers alike.  In the home, what freedom we have to focus on the Beautiful even more!

So the stirring that has been in my mind/heart all along coupled with the highly practical and motivational teaching from Sonya Shafer has inspired me to more thoroughly and consistently apply CM methods to our home school as we prepare to begin our new year.  The "short version" of the decisions I've been working through is this:  we are not going to be using My Father's World (MFW) Adventures program this year.  (I do realize it uses CM principles.) For the expanded version, keep reading.  :-)

Instead, we are going (to remain) on a dual track history focus.  We will work through Early American history while also studying Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome.  We are going to be attending a Bible study next year that is focusing on the book of Acts, so what better time to study the ancient Greeks and Romans?  JB loves American history so here we are (right where we started).....LOL.  I have been busy searching various curriculum websites as well as using my trusty Truthquest History guide, All Through the Ages book, and Baldwin Project Online Books/Yesterday's Classics to find excellent living books for our studies.

I actually worked through Simply Charlotte Mason's (SCM) Planning Your Charlotte Mason Education several months ago and now I have revisited those notes and plans and am ready to take the plunge in ideals, ideas, methods and resources!  Since I am soooooooo not good at following someone else's schedule (I discovered I'd probably be off track with MFW by week 5 I think it was----because I wanted to devote more time to one subject area), I am also taking the plunge to use SCM's CM Organizer for at least three months to see how it will help track my own schedule.  I've subscribed to use it in the past without much success---but they have added additional features and there are many more tips on how to use it now than when I first subcribed.   Since it is so flexible and I now understand how to use it in varied and better ways, I can be sure that I will always be *exactly* where I should be, because the schedule will work for me and not against me.  It won't matter if we speed up in some areas and slow down in others.  The CM Organizer will keep me organized!  LOL 

So for all posterity, here is the initial plan of action as for what subjects we will study each week with an approximate time for each lesson (note:  I've added in a couple of things that are strictly CM, but that we enjoy such as science experiements and history projects)

Bible Reading/Scripture Memory (M-F; 15 min.)
Grammar/Daily Language (orally done) (M-W, F; 10 min.)
Math (M-F; one 10 min. oral lesson and one 20 min. lesson at another time each day)
Latin (M-W; 10 min.)
French (Th-F; 10 min.)
Handwriting (learning cursive) (M, Th; 10 min.)
Copywork (Tu, W, F; 15 min.)
Dictation (M, F; 5 min.)
American History/Patriotic Songs (M, Tu; 20 min.)
World History (W, Th; 20 min.)
History Project/Notebook Work (F; 30 min.)
Map Drill (M-W, F; 5-10 min.)
Geography (M; 15 min.)
Picture/Artist and Composer Study (with Tea Time-M; 20 min.)
Art Project (F; 30 min.)
Science Reading/Experiments (M; 30 min.)  Natural History Reading (Tu, W; 15 min.)
Nature Study (F; 30+ min.)

Hymns (with Bible study once or twice a week)
Poetry/Folk Songs/Read Aloud (with or after lunch or read aloud in the evening daily)
Independent Reading daily

I know that some days in some areas we will not spend as much time as listed, but I think overall this is a good estimate of the ideal routine I'd like to have.   I hope to share even more weekly reports this year, so stay tuned.  :-)

Our Upside Down Container Gardening

Leaving a Legacy

I often wonder and pray over what sort of legacy I will leave through my interactions with those around me.  The years are passing so quickly, and more and more I find myself hoping for each day to be used to bring honor and glory to God and for my time to be used more wisely.  As the poet says, I have "miles to go before I sleep".....but I will endeavor toward those goals.   JB is growing fast, and it is not lost on me how short our time together each day really is; nor how short the time is that I have with anyone here on this earth.  

As soon as the words "leave a legacy" enter my mind, so does the song "Legacy" by Nicole Nordeman.

Today is the birthday of my Granny, who passed away when JB was a toddler.  These words from the song fit her----she left exactly the kind of legacy that the songwriter dreams of; and I pray that I will do the same.

I want to leave a legacy
How will they remember me?
Did I choose to love? Did I point to You enough
To make a mark on things?
I want to leave an offering
A child of mercy and grace who
blessed Your name unapologetically
And leave that kind of legacy

My sweet Granny, you are remembered for the sparkle in your eyes when you'd dance a little ditty, for the songs you'd sing on our walks together, for the prayers I could hear you whisper at night -----and most of all for your love for me and my family and for our Lord and Savior. 

Blog Changes

I've been working on the header for the blog and making some changes to the format.  Stop by and check it out if you're reading through email or a reader.  :-)  Thanks!

Hopefully everything works well in all browsers!  It took me quite awhile to get the header just right (at least in Firefox and IE).

:-)

Wrapping Up First Grade

JB and I have decided on an official end to her first grade year (May 15th) !  I can't believe  how fast the days have passed.  Second grade here we come!  Since we school year round, we are finishing up with first grade in a few weeks and then taking two weeks off before we head into our new year!  She is excited to see her new materials coming in, and I am having fun planning as well.

We are going to be using  My Father's World  Adventures program as our main guide for second grade.  JB really wanted to study more American history, so we chose that program.  She is also excited that we will be learning about the different states and their capitals.  If all goes well, we will follow that up with Exploring Countries and Cultures and then plunge into the four year history cycle.  Try as we might, ancient history just wasn't striking our fancy this year, so to speak.  :-)  We did study the ancient Egyptians, but it will be fun to focus on American history next year.  It is really where JB's interest is----along with current events.  She is very interested in political events already. 

She has also requested to learn French, so I am busily researching different beginning programs.  I'll post all about our new resources sometime soon. 

We so are so proud of JB and all of her accomplishments this year!  

Enjoying The Science Mouse

JB is happily reading the latest issue of  The Science Mouse (The Great Spring Migration)! Past and current issues are posted here.  JB submitted a book review for publication, which appears on page 9.  :-)

Congratulations to Science Mouse for another job well done!  We are learning a lot from your articles!