Laura, Author at | Page 79 of 101

Math Boy – Elementary Math

March 22, 2009 By Laura 4 Comments

As I pondered this post I had coming up, I had a vague recollection of blogging something similar before. So I went looking and found this post from almost a year ago; Math Madness and Memorization. So today’s post is basically talking about the fact that nothing has changed….but merely progressed quite a bit since then. I especially love the last 3 paragraphs of that old post, as my feelings have not changed, but only grown as well.

From the time this boy, {S} was about 1 year old, he has loved everything about letters and numbers. He was less than 2 years old when he already knew the entire alphabet. Not just saying/singing the alphabet…..but recognizing any letter, upper case or lower case, any where, any time, in any letter style. He gave the same zealous interest to numbers. Number recognition. Counting. He’s always been very physically active, but even so, he has always spent a lot of his mental energy on letters and numbers. And he still does.

All 4 of our kids happen to do very well with their schooling, and in all subjects. Naturally, I have a whole philosophy that explains why, in my eyes, they do so well….and enjoy it! (Because at this age, they need to have fun learning, to learn to love learning.) But {S} just has a particular fondness for numbers, in the form of math. And that’s the reason why he does so well in math. Simply because he loves it, so he enjoys it, so he learns more. I love the look he gets when you give him a problem. He looks off to the distance, and with that little content smile, you can see him calculate in his head. And then he whips his head back and let’s out the answer in a big announcement sort of way. And then he is ready for the next one. And the next one.

$homeschooling-math$

He usually zips right through his math, and rarely has one wrong either. If we ask {J} or {O} a math problem to do mentally, {S} often blurts out the answer in a heartbeat, because he can hardly contain himself. We have to remind him over and over to not answer for them. But he REALLY wants to….because he KNOWS THE ANSWER!

$math-workbook$

Most times, when he sees me correcting books, he wants to know if he had any wrong. He doesn’t much expect me to say ‘yes’ either. But on the occasions when I did say yes, because there was indeed one wrong, he’s off to get his pencil and eraser, because he MUST fix it.

He loves to count days too. How many more days until this day, or how many days ago that was. He wants to be the score keeper when they play Scrabble or Uno, so he can add the points.

$elementary-homeschooling-math$

He’s just really focused, and content, in the numbers world. I recall one week that he was just having a run of days of LOTS of extra energy, and it was tending to get him into trouble. So over those days, when he was ‘heading down the wrong road’ so to speak, I redirected his attention. I would simply call him over, and say “I just want you to stand here, and count to 100 by odd numbers…..real-ly slow-ly.” And he would say ‘Count to 100 by odd numbers? Ok!”….with a very pleased look on his face….because he was HAPPY to do it. Or, I would give him a REALLY big math problem. Any of those times, he never ask why I wanted him to do it, because he was so excited just to get to it, that the WHY wasn’t occurring to him. I could see the numbers going around in his head, and the little smile remained. Once in awhile he would just let me know what number he was on, to assure me he was going slowly.

By the time he was done, he was in a content state of mind, and would go off to play, imagine and create…..with the behavior we expect and appreciate. : ) Worked for both of us! I’m keeping that one in my tool box. ; )

The funny thing is…..when I was in school, I didn’t like math, because I wasn’t good at it. Actually, more likely, I wasn’t good at it, because I didn’t like it! It wasn’t FUN to me. I found math and algebra hard. But I was ‘Geometry Girl’. My teacher said I rocked Geometry in a second nature way, because I was an artist. The funny thing is….I do love math now, AND I’m pretty good at it! Maybe because I’ve been having FUN doing it!

The other day, {S} was talking to his big sister about math, and numbers. So she shared with him that soon with school, he would be learning how to add with carrying numbers over. She decided to show him what she meant, and then let him try it. Well by golly…he got it! And that has been his ‘new thing’ lately. I taught him how to know where to put the commas simply by giving him a pattern, left to right, 1-2-3-comma. 1-2-3-comma. We have not gotten into teaching the 1st grade trio the hundred-millions place, yet. lol. But I am guessing soon, now!! lol

After doing this particular math problem (above) at the table, he was pretty happy. As usual, he said “Hey Mama! I have a great idea! Why don’t you take a picture of me, and blog about it!!” (Well Ok…..twist my arm why don’t you, Math Boy. : ) And then he wanted me to take a photo of his shirt….which is his very favorite t-shirt (which he got from his aunt, uncle and cousins for Christmas one year.)

So I did.

I can see why he loves it.

It think it has the truth written alllll over it!

Save

A Simple Prayer Request

March 19, 2009 By Laura 4 Comments

We have lost our dear friend, Mr. Bill. Some of you remember this post from last November.

Since that day, Michael has regularly visited Mr. Bill. Sometimes at his home, and sometimes at our nearby hospital, as Mr. Bill has been very sick on and off over the past many months. With every visit, Michael has been happy to spend a couple of hours or more with him. If it was at his home, Michael would take care of all kinds of things around the house for him while he was there. When Michael got home, he would spend a couple of hours, talking and talking to us about Mr. Bill. He so enjoyed his company….his stories….his upbeat attitude, no matter what. He was funny! Michael just adored him. We all did, but Michael certainly spent a lot more time with him, with their visits. They were fast and good friends.

Mr. Bill was finally put into a care facility for good, last week. After a week of being extremely ill, Michael went to spend a couple of hours with him on Sunday afternoon. Mr. Bill was doing rather well that day, considering. But on Monday, he failed quickly, and passed away at midnight.

We are all sad….but only for ourselves. Mr. Bill was ready to go, and be with his Maker. To reunite with his wife. He said as much. And at 96, it was time. He’s been ill for so many months now, and never, ever complained. Always thought more of everyone else. Even when he couldn’t breathe. So we are happy he will suffer no longer. We are happy we do not need to worry if he is alright….comfortable…needs anything….or is having a good day. We need only close our eyes, and speak to him, to ‘check in’ with him. He is finally, and forever, perfectly fine.

He was such a sweet, faithful, compassionate and admirable man. I urge you to read the past post about him, to know the kind of man Jesus is welcoming back home. If you have the time. He was something else, and we will always miss him, but always smile at the memory of him. If you knew him, we think you would too.

If you have a prayer to spare, please say one for the soul of our dear, sweet friend.

Nicholas – A Massachusetts Tale – Elementary Reading

March 18, 2009 By Laura 5 Comments

I think I’ve mentioned, oh, maybe a kazillion times, that all of our kids just love reading books. (But it’s true!) Thank God too. I mean, to love reading is just, helpful, to get through the school years enjoyably. Because they love it so much, they are way above their grade level with that. So I started thinking they (the triplets; 6 years old) were probably quite ready for bigger chapter books. But….I really didn’t know, like, WHAT chapter books. Because the thing is, I am very particular about content of most anything where TV/videos/reading material goes. All I could really think of, was possibly some Magic Tree House books? Which turns out are pretty easy for them. But they do like the stories.

So one day not too long ago, I was at the children’s library with my girls. I am a fanatical person about really nice children’s illustrated books, as an illustrator of sorts myself. When I am looking through books, any books, I really do judge them by the cover. Especially if it’s a children’s book…..and has bad illustrated cover? I don’t even open it up. lol So I was flipping through and piling up a lot of ‘worthy’ books to have lined around our school window sills, for the kids to grab when they feel like it. I do this a lot. Even though…all 3 of the little ones just read them all in a matter of 30 minutes.

So sitting there on the library floor, ( I know…yuck….that’s what I was thinking at the time…), I started looking at the books on the shelf behind me, and saw this title: Nicholas – A Massachusetts Tale. Hmmm. That alone got my attention, so I grabbed it. One look at the cover, and I was sure it was a gem! ; ) I read the inside jacket of the front cover:

MEET NICHOLAS- a lively field mouse from
Massachusetts. He lives tucked under a
farmhouse outside Stockbridge until a flood
destroys the journal that contains his
family history. Faced with the loss of all
his family stories, Nicholas embarks on a
journey across the state to find his Uncle
William and a copy of the precious journal.

Early in his travels, Nicholas meets up with
a haughty chipmunk named Edward, and the
pair decides to head east together. Along
the way, they learn a great deal about their
home state-the animals that live there,
the geography, industries, and even about
the state’s history. West Tisbury is their
destination, but when they arrive there, will
they be able to find Uncle William, and will
he still have the remaining copy of
Nicholas’s family journal?

I was hooked already! I opened the book in the middle, and quickly read a few pages. It was passing my ‘appropriateness for 6 year olds test’ too. But dang…it was a big book! So I called {O} over, opened it to the first page, and told her to start reading to me. She did. Now, if you could hear this girl read anyway…she sounds like a little adult. I’m not kidding. Expression….use of punctuation….vocabulary and articulation…you’d probably chuckle. It’s just kind of funny. She almost sounds like a teacher or a librarian, reading to the children. So….it was cake for her. And I was EXCITED I found a great chapter book.

We checked it out, along with the ‘window sills’ pile, and {A’s} her own hefty pile, and headed home to meet the boys, who had been at a basketball clinic.

{O} got right to reading that book. After the first few chapters, she was telling me all about what happened. But you know…I couldn’t ask her any questions, because I hadn’t read it myself. So later when I got the chance, I read the first few chapters, just to check her com-pre-HEN-sion. (I just had to type that word out like that…because the kids love that word, and we always giggle when we say it. They also love…actual comprehension checks. Which works out great, because I love to put the little people on the spot, and they love to prove to me that I didn’t ‘get them’. We’re a very competitive family. lol)

Anyway, maybe a week or so later, {O} was done with the book. She had chatted excitedly every day, after reading a few chapters, about this little adventure Nicholas went on, or where she left off and she was wondering what would happen next. So when she was done….I grabbed the book, and read a few chapters a day myself, by the fire.

I am telling you…I am SMITTEN with this book. CHARMING. It really is. Now, I am sure, being a Massachusetts girl, it was all the more cooler. I grew up in western MA, and now our family resides on the south shore. So I was like “Hey! I know where that is!” As these little critters traveled across the state, meeting new friends along the way, and having quite the adventures, I learned quite a bit myself, about places I had always known, been, seen….throughout MA. Very interesting little bits I didn’t know. And having been to these places, it was all the more fun to read, and BE there. {A} had to grab it herself to read, and she enjoyed it as much.

Not only is the style of writing charming, but there are beautiful pencil sketches scattered throughout the chapters, from cover to cover.

When I was done, and with all of the chit-chat about the adventures of Nicholas, {S} decided he was going to read it too! He loved telling me what was going on, in between the chapters he read over those few days. It was nice to be able to have these conversations with him about the book, having already read it myself! When he was done….{J} decided he wasn’t letting it go back to the library before he read it too. (We’re a very competitive family.)

So basically….I guess we had a BOOK CLUB thing going on here. Only Daddy hasn’t read it. But hey…..he’s been busy reading the Bible cover to cover…and who am I to suggest interrupting THAT. He can just check this book back out later, if he feels left out. lol. (Because I am quite sure he won’t be done with his any time soon. That’s a bigger good book!)

So I have really just been eager to tell you about this great book, and I am glad I finally did. It’s great for any elementary kids….maybe even some middle school kids….to read. Especially if they are from Massachusetts….because it is loaded with history and geography. ALL good stuff. Just a great piece of children’s literature. It’s hard to find books this great these days! (Especially when you have to read them first, yourself, to find out if they are!) For picky me, there always seems to be parts that I deem inappropriate, unnecessary, or just a shame. Where, otherwise it would have been great. But this one is ALL good!! So I HIGHLY recommend it for your kids if they are at the right age or reading level. If not, than I highly recommend you cuddle up on the couch with your kiddos, and read it TO them! Huh, huh?? (Am I sounding pushy yet? lol) I looked it up at Amazon, and the (reading) age level for this book is 9-12 years old. As I said before, it’s 27 chapters, and 152 pages long. And did I mention it has great illustrations?

Once I was done reading the book, my attention/fascination turned to the author, Peter Arenstam. Wouldn’t you know…he’s a native of Massachusetts!….and lives very close to home. : ) I might go track him down very soon. Perhaps shake his hand. Maybe catch him off guard, freak him out a little, and hug him for a very long time? The illustrator is Karen Busch Holman. She and her pencils are very gifted. Together, they did one HECK of a job.

To our delight, there are TWO follow-ups, that we’ll be tracking down. (ETA:) Well, one is a follow-up (Nicholas-A Maine Tale), and the other looks like the beginning of a new series (Oliver’s Travels-An Ohio Adventure) , but I do not see a Book Two to it yet. AND….there is also a whole series on 2 other mice who go on state adventures, called Mitt & Minn. Same illustrator for those books, but a different author named Kathy-Jo Wargin. THAT series looks awesome too! I guess we’ll let you know~

Maine and Ohio! Here we come!!

(Oh gosh….I was so excited to blog about this book. I just knew I was going to blab on forever.)

Save

A Good Laugh About Blogging

March 17, 2009 By Laura 9 Comments

The other night, we were in a restaurant having a really nice dinner out, with my father / the kid’s Papa. We had been having a great time together all day, and it just continued through dinner. So as the 7 of us were gathered around the table, we chatted and laughed about whatever happened to come up.

Now, you need to know that my father is literally deaf in one ear, and can hardly hear out of the other.

So there was one specific conversation we were having, to which the topic eludes me, but it is irrelevant. Whatever it was, our son, {S}, responded excitedly with a suggestion that has become very regular from him: “Oh!! MAMA!! I have a good idea! You can take a photo and blog about it!”. His eyes were wide with excitement over his grand idea. To which my father chuckled and said, “Oh yeah? You want to take a photo, and brag about it, huh?”…..as he continued to cut up his prime rib.

Correcting what my father had heard, I said to him….”No Dad. He said BLOG about it.”

Dad (speaking 1/2 to himself I think) said, “OOhhhhh. I don’t know much about computers. So he said ‘blog’ about it. I see. I thought he said ‘brag’ about it.”

Wanting to make him feel better, I quickly replied, “That’s ok Dad. It’s kind of the same thing.” And then my husband and I busted out laughing hysterically for a good couple of minutes, some tears and all.

……..

We found such humor in my quick response, because sometimes blogging can so often come across as bragging. Can’t it? Especially when it is blogging parents. Don’t ALL parents, find themselves a little proud of their children, now and then? Be it of their accomplishments, a circumstance, compassion for others, progress with this or that, creations they made, or just the kind of little people they are evolving into? I think some sense of pride is born in all parent’s hearts, right long with their children’s naked little bodies slipping into the world.

We are, indeed, blogging parents. Our posts are often about our children. I think when you are a home schooling family, and the teacher of your children, the risk of appearing to brag is at a whole new level, sometimes before you even open your mouth. But there are such joys, rewards and pay- offs that come with home schooling especially, that it’s hard not to talk about it. Or blog about it. It’s hard not to share with others what a great job they are doing, if they are. Really knowing the labor that bared the fruit. It’s not about us being such great teachers for them. It’s about having witnessed the details of their progress right along. Every moment, of every day,of it. Remembering when you just presented a particular concept to them. It’s about experiencing it all, with them. Perhaps there were some struggles along the way that they have overcome. Or maybe they are just naturally dang good at one thing or another, and you can’t help but be impressed or awed at all they are capable of.

Being very prideful is a dangerous and sinful thing. Bragging is just as bad. I am sure any loving parent falls into that trap now and then. But the truth is…..these feelings many of us express are not necessarily always being proud, and bragging about it. It is not as if our kids are THE smartest kids in the whole entire world, nor the most talented and amazing. I know for us, what may look like excessive pride, is actually a feeling of being VERY PLEASED with how hard the kids work, and the progress we get to witness and acknowledge every day. To be a PART of it. It’s about feeling so BLESSED, and HAPPY….at the opportunity of watching our kids grow, loving to learn, and teaching US quite a bit along the way!

It’s about GRATITUDE to God, for trusting us with these beautiful little beings, to raise them to be faithful servants, and hopefully return to live with Him eternally, in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Yeah….it may look like pride and bragging sometimes. But generally, it’s not. (Not that we NEVER have. lol) For us, talking /typing about our kids and this and that, is just reviewing blessings and all there is to be grateful for. And hopefully encouraging others to do the same. So please excuse us if it ever seems we brag. We only mean to blog…about the blessings and joys of our every day. Our kids just happen to bring a lot of that to light, a lot. : ) Children have a way of doing that. Don’t they?

I have to say….I thought this conversation we had with my Dad was timely, because there have been a few posts that have been ready to post here on the blog, but that I have been putting off a little. They are just about the kid’s schooling, and some of the subjects and school excercises that they have joyfully embraced, or accomplishments that were big for them, in which they surprised even themselves. (With lots of photos, OF course. : ) But they are hard to share, review in words, or express the story of, without it seeming like bragging. But…we guess those who are going to see any of it as bragging, are going to anyway! Whether we say “We’re not!”, or not! Right? And likely, it’s really about them, and not us anyway. So we are putting that little fear aside, and will be blogging with those posts next.

NOW….enough about US. (Hey, it our blog you know. lol. ) We thought we would share a photo that is all about YOU!! This pretty bowl sits on the shelf of my computer work area, and every time a comment comes in from you, I throw your name in there! Maybe AGAIN….maybe for the FIRST TIME. But you never know…it just may be the name we pull for Our First Give-Away! We are more excited every day!! We can’t wait to make someone’s day, with the handmade gifts we are making just-for-you!!! Talk about FUN!!!

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

March 17, 2009 By Laura 3 Comments

May your neighbors respect you,
Trouble neglect you,
The angels protect you,
And Heaven accept you.

We Wish You, One and All, a Happy St. Patrick’s Day, Irish or not!

Amazon Affiliates