My Homeschool Classroom

Isn't mommys desk pretty? It looks that way from Saturday to Monday......then



It looks like this :-) I have no idea why everything ends up on my desk. It's the smallest in the room!

Extra resources live here...usually. We also have bookcases outside in the hallway. Junk on the bottom shelf :-)

Our schedule and class white board. I left the vocabulary lesson on there.....don't judge the handwriting. LOL Under the board is a box of National Geographic and Rick the Ranger that I got from freecycle. Good to use in between lessons! The plastic draws hold different supplies. You know what the blue thing is :~)

This is the older boys desk. Yes that is 2 rolls of toilet paper on his desk and I have no idea why but I didn't find any spit balls so It's good. I straightened his desk for the picture. His desk is usually the messiest.

Taz's desk and the calendar that he uses every morning to announce the day, date etc. He uses the roll of contact paper on his desk to point. Very cute!

Our workbox system and worship center :-) Yes there are construction paper covered cereal boxes. It takes less room than some of the systems I have seen out there and our classroom is the smallest room in the house except for one of the bathrooms. I found this on a blog but hers were very very pretty. My boys wouldn't care if they were just the cereal boxes and no paper covers. You can find her post here... http://www.amothersjournal.com/2009/03/08/workbox-system/

I love looking at blogs and seeing what other people are doing. They always look so pretty and organized. I used to do pretty :-) Now if it works I'm ok with it. Sad really......maybe one day I will find the time to make all the things I love pretty.

I have already started planning for next year and how much money I need so my sweet husband will be able to budget it in. We are still kinda feeling our way through but it's been a fun, stress filled adventure.

Be blessed!

Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

Maybe not.....

I have been trying to get back to this but life seems to be so busy that I have no time for anything extra. Work, homeschool, housework, ministry.....I have been trimming away time wasters. We joined a homeschool co-op and playgroup. My pastor moved me into a new ministry leadership position. God has really been doing great things for us and our family. My intent is to widdle out time for this blog. Homeschool and devotional posts mostly. I have been getting excited about writing again. The things i have been writing may find their way here as well. Exciting times!

Looking forward.....

Time Management

Homeschooling seems to be causing me to look at my current time management issues. I have always been someone who likes order rather than chaos, and this is seemingly chaos. I read blogs to help me with ideas, books, curriculum, and ORGANIZATION. I have spent hours a day trying to reorganize my entire house because it has gotten out of control as of late (or maybe I'm just spazzin out because of the homeschool chaos?!) I'm thinking that I may be overwhelmed. I have no "personal" friends who are homeschooling at this time. Many have opted to put their children back into the school system so I am just figuring it out all on my own. May not be the best idea I have ever had.

There are so many excellent resources out there for homeschool but, alas, my funding is limited so I have to be selective about my purchases. I scour the Internet for free and cheap resources to supplement what we are doing. I find blogs and often wonder how they have time to blog...I can barely think of blogging but admittedly, I have several time wasters that I could do without. :)

My 2 boys that are still at home are both diagnosed with ADHD. Sizzlers, as Carol Barnier calls them. One I have been able to completely get off meds. Ok, we pulled him from public school after his teacher once again requested him to have a dosage increase and we saw that he was all but a zombie and couldn't possibly be making as much trouble in the class as she stated. Her biggest complaint, "he plays with his pencil". Once he was out of school we stopped the meds. I can handle the playing with pencils and if it takes him all day and 100 prompts from me to stop wasting time, it's only temporary, he will learn to focus himself eventually. My 21 year old did and I have faith that he will.

My 5 year old is worse than those 2 put together as far as ADHD. The jury is still out on him. :~) He is a very out of the box thinker. Yesterday, I woke up with his little skinny arm across my nose. As I opened my eyes, he realized that I was awake and said in his very excited voice, "Mom, smell my armpit!!! I washed it last night!!" Yes, Honey, I'm soooo glad you washed it. Good morning, Taz. Yes the child had his armpit over my nose. Just another day in this home. :~)

Have a blessed day!

Intercession

Intercession: Closing the gap (standing in) between God and people when the person is unable to do so themselves. Pleading with God for our needs and the needs of others. Taking a hold of God's will and refusing to let go. An unselfish act that moves God.

Often prompted by the Holy Spirit (prayer burden), the intercessor goes boldly to the throne room, in the presence of God and petitions for the needs of others not letting go until released by God or the answer is received. The Intercessory prayer perseveres (persists, maintains a purpose in spite if difficulty, obstacles, or discouragement, Continue steadfastly), prevails (to be or prove superior in strength power or influence), travails (painfully difficult or burdensome work, anguish or suffering resulting from mental or physical hardship), presses in and pursues with all deliberate speed. Intercession is also a type of warfare. A weapon that can pull down strongholds in the spirit realm and protect from or counter an attack of the enemy.

Hebrews 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Ephesians 6:18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints

2 Corinthians 10:3-4 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)

Luke 11:10 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. (continually asking, seeking and knocking)

Galatians 6:2 Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

1 Timothy 2:1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; (not the complete thought)

It is our responsibility to intercede on behalf of others, nations, etc.

Ezekiel 22:30 And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.

God sought someone to intercede but found no one willing so His wrath was poured out upon the people of Judah. They had been taken into captivity in Babylonia at this time.

Isaiah 59:16 And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore his arm brought salvation unto him; and his righteousness, it sustained him.

God wondered that no one interceded for the people of Judah.

Romans 8:29-30, 34 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
We are to be like Jesus. Jesus makes intercession for us therefore we should be interceding as well.

Psalm 106: 23 Therefore he said that he would destroy them, had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the breach, to turn away his wrath, lest he should destroy them.

Moses stood in the gap for his people.

Romans 8:26-27 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. and he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

This is just a blip of a study my pastor asked me to do. I can't wait to finish it!

Mama's Binder

About a month ago I came across my old old "control journal" that I created several years ago and I just put it on the shelve in the classroom. It had been modified and changed many times. It started as a fly lady type journal and changed as our life changed. The last time I used it was in 2005. A very traumatic year for us and it shows by the entries in the calender etc. I had since changed the binder to fit my needs and purchased a pretty purple one. (the one I have been using) As I went through my current schedule and routines today, I realized that pretty much none of it was working since I am now homeschooling. :) Can you say revelation????

I have been printing some pretties and working on the schedule and routines. I also realize I'm going to have to push myself harder on the days that I work to stick to it. I'm excited!!!! I have one binder for "home keeper" stuff, one for "Spiritual" stuff (Bible study, sermon notes etc) and one for Homeschool stuff. I just can't see toting a binder big enough to hold all that, so I separated it a long time ago. They are all 2 inch binders. I still need a larger one for the Bible study. :/

Just an update.

Be blessed!!

Random Randy

Since I really don't have time to write anything significant and my class is running wild today (love ADHD kids and their need to move their bodies), I thought I would just post randomness today.

• Homeschool is going well, I think. I kept wondering am I doing the right thing? Am I doing what I need to be doing? Would they really learn more in ps? Then my 10th grader who has hated and struggled with math from the beginning received her Math U See program, Epsilon. Yes her testing said she had to go back that far even though she passed algebra 1 in PS with a barely passing D. (don't ask how I feel about passing a kid with a D-it won't be pretty) She watched her first session and was like, "oh!!!" It was a eureka moment. Now I can't keep her away from her math work. Yep, maybe it was the right thing after all. :)

• I found a great site called sizzle bop. I have 3 sizzlers and sometimes my life spins out of control while trying to wrangle them. I'm excited about it. I know it's a minor thing but I like it anyway. (sizzler=ADHD in our case-fully diagnosed) I'm glad to know that I'm not alone and that stopping school half way through the day because 2 or more kids are unable to focus for the need to move their bodies is not as bad as I thought. This one little fact helped to influence my decision to school year round with more frequent breaks.

• Has anyone else felt the ground rattling lately? I don't know about where you are but around here, God has really been moving and shaking! It's exciting to see God work that way.

• Scheduling and getting every thing done is just not happening. Don't know why, it's just not. I can't seem to be effective at homeschool, housekeeping, and work. :/ I know it can be done. I just don't have the right formula yet. :) I only work part time, so that is pretty easy except that keeping my uniform clean isn't. I have finally caught up on the regular standard household laundry. :) that took more loads of laundry than I care to admit to. I have always been a routine kinda gal but I can't get it going right now. I have to adjust too much daily to really have everything in a routine. I'm miserable because when things are disorganized, I can't function. I have even considered canceling school for a week to get organized. I need to get rid of some junk too. I get the classroom all organized and pretty and before the end of the week I'm buried in stuff again.

• I work with a guy who is not just an atheist but very anti God. He is often offensive, rude and obnoxious, and not just about "religion". He seems to do these things to get a reaction from people, trying to make them angry. Once such instance of his behavior was when I first started working there, I was cleaning and minding my own business and he came up and started yelling, in front of customers in a chanty sort of way, "God is a cult, get out of the cult!" repeatedly. He has tried numerous times to "get my goat", pushing more and more buttons but he has never been able to fluster me. :) Monday night at work, he was asking questions about my beliefs and why etc. In a very non offensive way, he was curious. I pray that I will always be able to answer his questions from scripture and to be able to do so and to carry myself as the woman of God I am. God is so good, he turned this offensive, anti God person into a curious person. Is he a convert? not YET. :)

• Candy at My Blessed Home has been writing a series on Christians and the Torah that I find interesting and thought provoking. I love her! Here is the link. It's the first of the series.

• Stickers are my friend. The boys seem to get more done when they have stickers as a reward. Even the 10 year old. :) He is doing much better since we have been doing a sort of modified workbox system. He breezes through his assignments now.

Well that's all I have time for. I have so many ideas but so little time since I have bread to make and a house to clean! I hope to be able to get organized and routine so I can write more (ok and think more). Any suggestions are welcome! I just know that God is really blessing us right now and I have seen him move so much lately that I get awestruck at the greatness of Him!! I so want to write about what I have learned and what God is doing. It requires a bit of concentration and my little sizzler isn't having that today. I love my Taz, he is so full of life and love!

Be Blessed!

Biblical Wifely Submission

Hummm.....Now that is a difficult subject. I have struggled and struggled with this for years. In some areas I have made quite a bit of progress but in others I still catch myself not honoring my dear husband. It's usually small areas, but the little foxes spoil the vines. With the lives of children in the balance, I feel like I need to "step it up" a bit.

It's funny though, until two or three years ago I had never been taught to submit and honor my husband. We all know what my first response was. . . out right rebellion! Then I began to seek out God's word on the subject and realized this was what I should be doing. The problem was that it had never been modeled for me. I had no idea what this was supposed to look like or feel like. So I began to look for it in other women. So I learned what it was by studying the word and other godly women. I also learned that I wasn't the only one that struggled in this area.

Some men make it harder to submit or honor them by their actions and spiritual position. It's even harder to submit when our husbands aren't honoring God, or anyone else for that matter. What I did notice in God's word is that it doesn't say honor your husband only when he is right or not being verbally abusive or sinning. It just said to do it.

I recently came across an online study for A Wife's Biblical Submission. (I think I may have seen it before) It's a weekly lesson so I'm going to do it. My schedule seems to be quite fluid at this point, lacking anything that resembles structure so it seems to be a good time. My home school schedule is wildly varying, my work schedule changes, my husbands work schedule has never been predictable. So During my quiet time at night, I will be working on this study.

Any one want to join me?

What Does It Matter

This was written by my 17 year old daughter:

What does it matter that she smelled like she hadn't showered in weeks?
What does it matter that he had wiskey on his breath?
What does it matter that she had fresh cuts on her wrists?

What does it matter that you have condemned the just?
What does it matter that you have betrayed your family?
What does it matter that you have judged God's children with false power?

What does it matter that I have lived like hell?
What does it matter that I have broken my word?
What does it matter that I have wanted to take my life?

We have all fallen short of the Glory of God
but there is a difference in lived it and living it
What does it matter of the past
when the future is more important?.
Not one soul surpasses the power of God
It's ok to roll in dirt but eventually you need to let God wash you clean
One day every knee will bow, are you going to wait until the trumpet sounds?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~by 3P

Random Homeschool tidbits

As I go through this homeschool adventure, I'm learning that we spend time teaching stuff that they are going to learn on their own without a "formal" lesson. So why is it on the list of must teach topics?

For Example: Firemen as community service workers. Even my youngest (5 years old now) knows about them. We have watched movies, been to the station, played on the trucks and spoken to the firemen. One time we got to go into a "portable house" to learn what to do when there is a fire. We have done some of the same things with police, doctors etc. So why is this stuff formatted into a lesson? Sorry, I'll be skipping that one. I'd rather substitute say. . . nature study or Bible study. The joy of a 5 year old boy with a magnifying glass looking at God's world is much more productive I think. He thinks so far out of the box that I am suprized sometimes at what he learns from such simple activities.

Living Math:
Sounds great in theory. I'm just struggling to wrap my brain around it. Plus having the money to buy all those books boggles my mind. I'm working on planning a library trip and making it a weekly thing. I guess I just need to find or make a list of books I'd like them to read, math and otherwise.

Scheduling:
yeah, well
I schedule it alright. I just may change it at the last minute. I forget to print something, can't find what I want to use to teach etc. And seriously, I don't teach that much!! They learn and I teach maybe 45 mintues a day. I teach to all of them at the same time. I don't expect the 5 year old to understand it all but that doesn't mean he can't be exposed to it. I still feel like I need to work on this.

ADHD
Both boys are diagnosed with ADHD. Charlotte Mason methods seem to work best for them. I love Charlotte Mason too so it works out well. I found some great "distractions" for when they do have to focus. I have been kind of teaching the littlest (Taz is 5) but I don't push him. I just don't feel like its required yet but he wants to join in. We do lapbooks and file folder games and some writing. He has to be "in the mood" to color so we do a little of that. If you get special markers etc he is more interested but it's temporary. lol He recognizes almost all his letters and numbers, understands upper and lower case, counts etc. He would be starting Kindergarten in the fall if he went to public school so I think he is doing well for not having a lot of formal lessons.

Workboxes
I have been seeing this around lately on blogs etc. I love the idea of it and I think it would work great for the 10 year old boy. It would help him get through his day faster and I think, encourage him to stay on task-looking forward to the next box. I need to get the book to really get the idea of it. I'm working on it for both boys. It's going to require me to get my act together a little better. I like just pulling out whatever for the little guy rather than having a set schedule because of his inability to focus. As he gets older I want to impliment more "official" school, gradually.

The teenagers
Well, they are easier so far. We do Bible study as a family in the mornings and the girls have their assignments for the week on Monday and by Friday I get them back. One teaches something each Friday. Right now, it is science. One is doing earth science and the other Biology so each week we all get a science lesson. No, there is no test for us when they teach but it plants seeds for the boys for later. They 10 year old boy comes up with questions to annoy them, it's a fun time! They are exposed to the older kids lessons that I teach as well. They often get something out of it which I think is awesome.

So I guess, other than my own issues, homeschool is still going well. I often wonder if I'm doing enough, if they are learning enough, what am I missing that they need.

Our New Crazy Life

Well, homeschool is going well. for the most part. My husband finally insisted that I have things for a formal classroom for the kids. I think he wanted to buy everything in the office supply store. It was really hard for me to keep the costs down and buy only what was needed. It still came to $260.00! I still want some things but I won't be telling him. It's like being married to Tim the Toolman Taylor. Bigger is always better and even the lawn mower has a souped up motor from a race car. (ok, just kidding about the race car motor but it is more than we need) I probably spent 200 or so dollars on actual learning items called books.

We are in the new "school room" and it echos so I need a carpet in there. The kids are doing great with their learning and doing what is expected. I'm figuring out what works and doesn't as far as learning and learning styles and what I want to teach and do. I'm excited!

I'm also exhausted. I feel like I'm being drained and I'm over drawn so today was a free day. They could work on school if they wanted to and if they didn't, I was ok with that too. The girls opted to work on science! How cool is that?

My husband chaperoned the youth group on a trip to Hamilton, Alabama for a conference. I so wished I could go but I had to work. :( But I got to spend time with my boys alone and it was good! We even rented movies~ok, after watching the movies, I wished I hadn't because they had things in them that I prefer my children not see. Not excessively bad or obvious but still not my preference.

Lots of good things going on and I have seen God move so much lately. I'm excited about what God is doing around us. Next time I'll have to write about that. Right now, I need to get some rest for school tomorrow!

Be blessed!

Day 3 of Homeschool

We brought day 3 to an end and I can honestly say that today was an accomplishment. No one died, there was no blood shed and all the children have all their body parts. ugh! I did find myself wondering if I imagined that we prayed before we started! lol

Be the end of the first hour, I was done listening to complaining about assignments and had to take one teenager to task. ugh! I had argued with another about when to use do, does etc. How did she get to 10th grade not knowing this???? ugh! Then I had to prove that a contraction and a conjunction were not the same thing-to the same child. The littlest couldn't possibly sit still for 5 minutes. Thank God for educational computer games today! Not my preference but today I was happy to have pbskids.org on my favorites list.

Once the day was finally done, I had errands to run. I came back with a significant bottle of aleve. I couldn't find any earlier in the day.

On the upside, we got more of our books in today and I was so happy about that until one of the teenagers (who can't use do and does properly) informed me she wasn't going to read her science book. She is going to the principal when he gets home from work!

My thoughts were more of a Charlotte Mason, living books approach. It matches what I believe and fits 3 of the 4 kids personalities and learning styles. I think the older children need a more "standard" education because of college etc but I intend to do it my way. I will not mimic the public schools way of teaching.

There are a few books that I want to order for myself. Laying Down the Rails seems to be at the top of the list for now. :) I'm working on changing habits that they have learned from public school and attitudes that seems to be carrying over. I'm trying to keep on my toes and on top of the little things that lead to big things.

So, now I need a nap and I'm ready to go back at it tomorrow! I need more prepwork before I can impliment some of the new books we got today. :)

Be blessed!

Our First Day of Homeschool

Well, we officially started homeschool yesterday. I had given up on my husband ever agreeing with me about homeschool so I was totally unprepared when he suddenly choked on his dinner when the high school girls were telling him what had happened that day in school and he decided that it was time to pull them out and homeschool them. :) I had been telling him for years so I knew what was going on but somehow, hearing it from them made a huge impact. Yes, our public school system in this area is that bad.

I thought I would commemorate this historic event with "incidents" from our day.

AM: KK you may want to leave lines in between the vocabulary words she is telling us so you can write the definition.
KK: Definitions???? We have to write the definitions to the vocabulary words???
Me: KK what did you think you would do with the Vocabulary words???


Taz(4 years old): Mommy I don't have to take a nap. I can dream with my eyes open.
Me: You can!
Taz: Yeah, I'm dreaming about science right now.
Me: You are? What kind of science?
Taz: I'm dreaming about Dinosaur science! Raarrrr
(yes, he still took a nap)


and the first incident of the day. . . . .

Me: JD can you read Romans 14:12 for us?
JD: asdf ;aldjf asidu asdjfoia alskjdfoiae lasdjfo;iasde
Me: Hold that thought. I need more coffee before we can start this because I didn't understand a word you just said.
Everyone: laughing hysterically

With an abundance of coffee and more resources on the way, I think we have made a great start!

A Note to the Father

My whole body quivers
as I feel the presence of the Almighty God
Power, Righetousness and Glory

His throne sits on High
as His spirit searchs the earth
and touches His children
Healing, Power, Peace and Joy

Cleansing spirit, cleanse me
search out all evil in me
remove all impurities and ungodliness
put it under the blood and cast it into darkness

Fill this vessel Lord
make it yours for your service
mold and shape it to your will
anoint it, Lord and fill it to overflowing

Use this willing vessel for your Holy purposes
to accomplish what you desire for it, Lord
Thy will, O Lord, not mine