Piney Woods Homeschool

I haven't put a lot of thought into Advent this year.  However, I did pull out the resources I have. (Not candles, though; I'm not sure I have candles yet.  Oops.) One I haven't used before, although we've done a Jesse tree in various forms for many years, is the Jesse Tree book.  I need to go through it and match it with the sheets I printed to supply us with inspiration (and tracing patterns if needed) for the pictures for each story.  (We've done lots of different types of images in the past; this year I thought we'd draw or trace pictures onto plastic cut from milk or vinegar jugs, then color them.)  Since I'm using our tabletop tree for a baby shower the first week in December, it won't do for our Jesse tree this year, but it isn't big enough to handle four daily ornaments for 25 days anyway.  We usually use it for our weekly ornaments.  (See next paragraph for more on that.)  We have a larger tree that is still small that we rescued fr...

"No plan survives contact with the enemy" and no school schedule survives the first few days of school.  Accepting that as true, I am still thrilled that our new scheduling system has survived the first *day* of school.  Every year, and sometimes more than once a year, we have to completely revise our way of tracking schoolwork and managing its implementation.  This year we had students in three separate years plus a challenging (sometimes deliberately challenging) preschooler.  Our previous methods of managing students and work simply wouldn't do. We are still using the chart format schedules I've described before.  I have a copy of each student's schedule, and the older two also have their own copies.  This year I categorized the work on each schedule so that all of the work that didn't merit its own separate line item in our daily work list was combined with other work to make three or four (or in a few cases five) days of assignments.  Then I...

In preparing for this carnival, we were exploring the ideas encompassed in Charlotte Mason's principles #2, 3, and 4 : 2. They [children] are not born either good or bad, but with possibilities for either good or evil. 3. The principles of authority on the one hand and obedience on the other, are natural, necessary and fundamental; but 4. These principles are limited by the respect due to the personality of children, which must not be encroached upon, whether by fear or love, suggestion or influence, or undue play upon any one natural desire. The assigned reading was the text of Volume 2 .  Volume 2 applies to children of all ages (some of the other volumes are more age-specific).  This volume lays out principles for parents rather than instructors.  Should you want to discuss this volume with a group online, check out the Ambleside Year 0 Yahoo group , where it is not currently being read but often rotates with Volume 1 .  (The CM Series list may read it...

Recently I visited a local health food store, seeking out a particular employee for advice on choosing a pro-biotic for my youngest child.  A friend recommended this employee for two reasons, both because she is knowledgeable about these products and because she "talks to Papa."  I waited quite awhile to speak with her as she was in conference with other customers, but when I had my turn she listened attentively as I described our issues and what I hoped the pro-biotic could help us avoid.  She asked some questions, spoke to the boys with interest (only the boys were with me), and took us to find an appropriate pro-biotic.  Her advice, however, was not what I expected. "Here is a pro-biotic, and here are digestive enzymes.  These may help for a time, while you wait.  But I can't tell you what to do.  You will have to ask the Holy Spirit what you need to do.  It may be inconvenient, what He tells you, and it may be very difficult, but that isn't ...

I did not write this post; it is not about my own family.  I thought this might inspire some of you, so I requested permission to reprint this since the author did not at the time have a blog of her own. This post is reprinted with permission from a Year 0 post by Sarah in AR.  One day, I was referring to a parenting book for advice b/c I'd been noticing my children's behaviour and obedience weren't what I thought they should be. As I was reading, they included the scripture Prov 29:15, "a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame." Somehow, that verse pricked my heart, as I realized how often I was telling my kids "Just go play while I get my housework done," and then feeling guilty b/c there never seemed enough time left over to work on forming habits or teaching them how to do helpful things around the house..... Well, here was the answer! I was "leaving them to themselves" too often, while *I* tried to do everything myse...

Bible 1. In your own words, tell about one of the days of creation. Also, explain why the activity on this day is important. 2. In your own words, explain why Matthew included the genealogy at the beginning of his book and why this is important. Writing Write 4 lines of a poem that you memorized this term. (Type this here.) Dictation The boy was very ill, he said, and weak from the loss of blood; but his mind was so troubled with anxiety to disclose something, that he deemed it better to give him the opportunity, than to insist upon his remaining quiet until next morning: which he should otherwise have done. (Study this, then come to me for dictation.) Composition 1. Describe your favorite scene or character from the Shakespeare play you read this term. 2. Name any of Oliver Twist’s "friends" and tell how their actions effect Oliver’s situation for good or bad. OR tell the story of Antigone or Aristaeus the Bee-keeper U.S. History 1. What do you know about ...

Bible 1. In your own words, tell what it means to be made in the image of God. 2. In your own words, tell about the Magi and why it is significant that God sent the star for them. Shakespeare Describe your favorite scene or character from the Shakespeare play you read this term (All’s Well that Ends Well). Pilgrim’s Progress 1. Tell me about an obstacle Christian faced and how he got past it. 2. Tell me about some help Christian received—who helped him and how? Little Duke What was your favorite part of Little Duke? How did the Little Duke change during the book? Wind in the Willows Which character was your favorite? Why? Did Toad change during the story? How did he change or why did he not change? Seabird What kind of ship has Seabird been on so far? Tell me a little bit about what that kind of ship does. Parables from Nature Tell me about one of the parables you’ve read this term. “The Circle of Blessing”, “Active and Passive”, “Not Lost, but Gone Before” ...

"Strong willed" is probably a misleading description.  One thing that drew me to Charlotte Mason immediately was her insistence that the child wasn't strong willed--the child had a weak or untrained will . Better than the term "strong willed" I think is the term "spirited," because that gets more to the heart of the matter.  Spirited kids are intense, in many different ways, and their intense tenacity is what gets them the label "strong willed."  But just trying to bend their will to yours does not help them to manage their intensity--that intensity is given to them by God and can be an asset, but not until it has been brought under management by their wills.  Perhaps they have those intense wills because they will need them to manage their other intensity! "Raising Your Spirited Child" by Mary Sheedy Kurcinka provides the best insights I have seen into the spirited child.  She helps you know whether you have one, what ...

How do we teach our children to use money wisely, to make it their servant and not their master?  Should we give a regular allowance, or perhaps pay for chores performed?  Should we let children spend their money as they like or require them to spend it under our direction? Some popular financial advisors and authors of books on parenting advise not to give an allowance but rather to pay for chores performed.  One argument in favor of this approach says that this method prepares children for the working world by teaching them that money must be earned. No work, no money.  Less work, less money.  More work, more money. But although some people still receive their pay strictly based on the work they do (ie: I do a job for you, you pay me a certain amount), many of us receive salaries.  If I am paid a salary and I do not do some of my assigned work, I am not typically docked pay.  Typically I am reprimanded.  If my work does not improve, I lose m...

I love a beautiful, tidy schedule!  I love those neat homeschooling plans with each student in his proper place!  (I really mean that; this is not sarcasm.  I had tons of nifty neat-o forms for my Daytimer when I was working.)  Alas, God knows I love those things and tend to make them idols from which I derive my self-image, so He has thoughtfully blessed me with a family and circumstances that make such plans impossible to live by.  The more I have struggled to make them work for me, the more complications He has heaped upon me. All of that is to say, if you find that scheduling your day into precise segments does not work for you, do not despair!  For some families, it apparently works well.  But you are not alone in your situation--many of us must use a much more flexible, organic approach.  lol  When AO had its one and only conference back in 2005 ( notes ; reviews and a link to purchase CD's which are well worth listening to), one ...

The Bible for School and Home is the revised name for the series by J. Paterson Smyth referenced by Charlotte Mason under the original name The Bible for the Young.  The completed series contained seven volumes, four covering the Hebrew scriptures and three covering the Gospels.  Although this series is in the public domain, not all the books are apparently available online, exactly, but I have been able to find sources for all of them (I think). Schellermark Ministries has a site called The Writings of J. Paterson Smyth , from which you can order CD's of various volumes for $5 each.  I believe these CD's contain scans of the pages, but I haven't yet received one so I can't say for sure.  Joshua and the Judges is available here as a typed-out pdf which can be downloaded. Hathi Trust Digital Library links to scans of the first three volumes ; see the links labeled Full View at the bottom of the page. Prophets and Kings , volume 4 in the series, can be accessed...

For ease of reference, the PNEU Bible schedules (from the now-defunct Charlotte's Daughters website ): PNEU Bible Curriculum Bible sequence Hebrew Scriptures Grade 2: Genesis 1-15 (1-4; 6-9:17; 11:1-9; 12:1-9; 13) Genesis 17-18, 21-24, 27-29, 32-33 (18; 19:1-30; 21:1-21; 22:1-18; 24; 25:27-34; 27:1-45; 28:10-end; 29:1-20; 32; 33) Genesis 37-48 (37; 39:1-6,21-23; 40-45; 46:1-7,28-34; 47; 48) Grade 3: Exodus 1-14 (1:1-14; 2; 3:1-20; 5; 12:31-42) Exodus 15-20, 32; Numbers 13-14 (Ex. 15:23-27; 16:1-15,32-36; 18; 19:16-19; 20:1-17; 32:1-8,15-24,30-35; Num. 13:1,2,17-33; 14:1-10,18-25) Numbers and Deuteronomy (Num. 23-24; Deut. 31; 34) Grade 4: Joshua 1-10; 24 (1-4; 6; 7; 9; 10; 14; 20; 22-24) Judges 2-16 (2:1-23; 4-7; 8:22,23,32-35; 10:6-18; 11:1-12,28-40; 13-16) Judges 13-14, 16; I Samuel 1-3, 5-8 (I Sam. 4; 8-13; 15; 17) Grade 5: I Samuel 9-17 (I Sam. 18:1-16; 19:1-17; 20-27:4; 29; 31; II Sam. 1) I Samuel 18-24; II Samuel 1-7 (II Sam. 2:1-11; 3:27-39; 5:1-7; 6...