better than recess

One of the concerns expressed by people not familiar with homeschooling is that homeschooled kids "miss out" on social interaction with other kids at school. When we homeschooling parents point out the very obvious fact that the vast majority of time the kids are at school, they are being told NOT to interact with each other (i.e., the typical school classroom), these other people unfailingly mention recess as some sort of paragon of childhood socialization.

Well, here's a typical week (this week, actually) in our homeschool, you tell me what they're missing socially:

Above: my boys (standing atop the yellow submarine) play at the children's museum with other homeschooled kids during lunch break at the Monday Homeschool Classes.

The kids up in J's lofted bed with their friend E (middle) when he was over for his weekly visit on Wednesday. I'm actually not entirely sure what they were doing at this point, but I'll bet it had something to do with some sort of imagined adventure.

A few of the attendees at Open Gym Day with the homeschoolers on Thursday. J is sitting on the edge of the stage in blue (he and his buddy R are looking at their new friend E's -- to their left -- Pokemon cards). Zoo Boy is being dramatic at the edge of the stage. There was of course lots of running around and basketball court action, but my sad little camera phone just couldn't capture all that motion in the indoor lighting. (Heck, this photo is partially blurry, and everyone was holding still!)

R and E challenge J (back to us) and Zoo Boy (behind J) to a game of Foosball at the gym. There are other table games available to the kids, too -- air hockey, pool. Some families brought art supplies this week to make valentines. Since we don't have the gym next week, we all brought treats as well and made a Valentine's Day party out of it. Some of the girls handed out valentines to some of the boys and ran off giggling -- it was pretty cute!

We met up with B (in the black) and his mom at our favorite park on Friday. I'm not sure which the boys enjoyed more, playing in the Nature Center (always popular!), visiting with the farm animals in the barn, or splashing around in the puddles in the parking lot.

Recess shmecess. I don't see any advantage at all of kids being turned out on the same fenced playground with a same-aged mob every day for 15 minutes, when they can instead be out interacting with their peers for hours in a variety of stimulating environments. THAT is my definition of socialization.

spellcheck no workie

WHAT is up with the spellcheck function on blogger these days??? I'm glad I'm amusing so many with my typos and spelling mistakes (misteaks?) in my last several blog entries, but REALLY, I'd prefer to avoid the public humiliation if I could.

So pleez exkews the speling misstakes -- they are kerently unavoydible.

matreshka

As I vowed I'd do, I began our fuller homeschooling rhythms anew this week. One of the things I've been pondering over the past month is the fact that J is obviously ready for a bit more of a challenge in my curriculum story selection. Yet, Zoo Boy is only just now truly ready for the Folk Tales we've been reading. So I spent a lot of time trying to figure out how to work our rhythms so that I could meet both of their needs. I was, for the most part, unsuccessful. One of the things that makes our daily rhythms work for us is that I don't try to pack it with too many things -- my kids clearly need a lot of room to move at their own pace and time to fully explore what grabs their interest. Rushing them through transitions and in and out of activities would do nothing except erode the sense of integration we've worked for the past couple of years to build. So I had to come up with another solution.

Enter the Kindergarten Fairy Tale (also known as the quasi-fairy tale). This is a story that speaks to the child that is needing more adventure and challenge in their stories, but is still listening to the story with "literal ears" -- meaning that the words and language in the story are taken at their literal meaning. For example, when a child in the story is carried away by a large bird and imprissoned in a cave, the child listening to the story thinks of this event as having actually happened, rather than seeing the symbolism of a child being seperated from his family. Obviously, the goal of reading our children stories is NOT to scare them, so until they are really ready to hear full Fairy Tales, a quasi-fairy tale is a step in that direction.

Also, there is a basic difference in the way a Kindergarten Fairy Tale and a real Fairy Tale ends. For the young child, fostering a sense of safety in their home life is what they need. So Kindergarten Fairy Tales bring in the adventure and exploration the child is starting to crave, but also ends with the character returning, unchanged, to the home they've always known. In a real Fairy Tale, the character is somehow significantly changed by the end of the story, and goes to live in a new or severaly altered home. (For example, the orphan boy becomes a prince and goes off to live in a castle.)

The logical first step in J's progress through the curriculum stories was to see how he responded to the Kindergarten Fairy Tales, so instead of trying to fit in a story for each boy during the day, I decided instead to try out a Kindergarten Fairy Tale with both of them, to give myself a chance to judge J's response to the story, and make sure it wasn't too much for Zoo Boy. I chose "Matreshka", a traditional Russian Fairy Tale (modified by Enki Education to better meet the needs of the young child) because it was labeled for younger children, and because the story revolved around the magic inside a set of Matreshka dolls. J is particularly fond of his set of Matryoshka dolls, and I figured it would be well-received.

I was right! Reading the story for the first time yesterday, both kids were on the edge of their seats. As soon as the story ended, J declared "PHEW!" (indicating to me that he, indeed, is listening with "literal ears", and hence not really ready for the full Fairy Tales), and dashed off to find his own Matryoshka dolls, immediately setting to work re-enacting the story. Zoo Boy, meanwhile, returned to a book he'd been reading prior to beginning the story, obviously not worried about the content of the story despite having looked a bit intense during the scary parts (like where Baba Yaga threatens to turn the little girl into a dinner goose). After today's telling, both boys jumped right into pretend play with the Matryoshkas, quoting the repeating verse in the story, and reliving the more exciting moments.

So I'm very comfortable telling these quasi-fairy tales to the kids right now. Mindful of meeting Zoo Boy where he needs to be met, I'm planning on alternating between a Kindergarten Fairy Tale one week and a Folk Tale the next. That way I think I can meet the needs of both boys well, and at the same time not mess around with a lovely daily rhythm that supports all of our needs. I'll have to get more creative with our time once J becomes ready for the 1st Grade materials, but until then, I don't want to mess around too much with what has been working beautifully for us!

18-1, 5 reasons to be proud

I didn't want to just ignore the fact that our boys in blue, our beloved New England Patriots, were beaten in the Super Bowl on Sunday. Ignoring it makes it seem like there's something to be ashamed of, and I'm not ashamed of my guys -- I'm proud of the season they had, the camraderie they shared, and the poise with which they faced what had to have been the dissappointment of their lifetimes.

First, I must give props to the New York Giants. They bested the best. My gosh, never have I seen a team fight harder, make more impossible plays, or put their heart so thoroughly into a game. Their defense was absolutely on fire, and little Eli Manning, who until this moment seem to stand perpetually in the shadow of his older brother's accomplishments, finally came into his own. Way to go, fellas, well done.

I read an upsetting article yesterday, entitled "5 Places For Patriots Fans to Place Blame" or some such nonsense. (I'm not linking to it, because I thought it stunk and I don't want anyone else reading that sort of drivel!). The gist of the article was that there was a hundred reasons to blame the loss on, but here's the top 5.

I've been a Pats fan my entire life. Born and raised in Massachusetts, it was inevitable. (Unlike here in Connecticut, where allegiences seem divided between NE, the Jets, and the Giants -- which never made any sense to me, incidentally -- I mean, they are the NEW ENGLAND Patriots. CT is part of New England. Should be a no-brainer as to who the "home team" is.... But I digress.) And I choose not to wallow in self-pity and dissappointment, but rather to embrace all that there is to be proud of our team. Maybe there ARE a hundred places we could lay the blame for this one loss. But there are least a THOUSAND reasons to be proud of what our Pats have accomplished. Here are my top 5:

1. 18-1. For some reason, the Giants and their fans seem to think that throwing this stat around is somehow insulting to us Pats fans. But think about it -- 18 - 1. No other team in football history has ever had such a record! WHAT exactly is there to be ashamed of about that?

2. Taking the high road. With all the mud-slinging that every other team in the league seemed to want to do against the Pats all season long, for all the outlandish predictions and degredations, the Pats players never responded in kind. They praised their opponents when they deserved it, and kept their mouths shut when they didn't. My heart swelled with pride as I watched the clips of post-game interviews with Tom Brady, Randy Moss, and Tedy Bruschi. They each gave a heart-felt congratulations to the Giants, acknowledged their accomplishement, and spoke towards the future of their own organization. There was no sour-grapes, no mud-slinging, no accusations of it being anything but a fair, hard-fought win. That's MY team!

3. Focus on the game. Despite a lot of distractions being thrown at them from all angles on and off the field, the team held their focus on playing the game of football all season long. I don't care what you want to say about management or the coaching staff (and I have my opinions on that, but that's a whole 'nother topic), what the game of football comes down to is the play on the field -- the players' ability to focus on the task at hand and work the situations to the best of their ability. Even the most empassioned of their critics can't ding the Patriots for their ability to focus.

4. Teamwork. There are no stars on the Patriots team. Or there are 11 stars (whichever 11 happen to be on the field at the time) -- whichever way you look at it, it tells the story that the Pats wanted told. They are team first, individuals second. Everything they put forth on the field and in the locker room is to benefit the team. Yes, individual records were set. But that's not what made those individual players the happiest -- it was how those records benefited the team as a whole that made them proud.

5. Tom Brady. Ok, ok, I know I just said no stars, teamwork, blah blah blah. But let's face it, without Tom Brady at the helm, there's not much to talk about. He defines the team, he sets the example, he is everything a leader is supposed to be. And he's ridiculously talented. And easy to look at. He's pretty much the perfect football player. And apparently a really nice guy. He's my kids' hero, and I'm thrilled with that. And for as much as he's done this season, his records, his acclaim, the one thing I am most impressed with is how he could take the pounding he took on Sunday evening, and still get up every single time he was knocked down, and step right back into the game and his leadership role, in the biggest game of his life, as though nothing had happened, as though this was just any other play. This is the stuff legends are made of, and I am awed and inspired to watch him. He not only defines football for me, he defines why people like me are as passionate about football as we are.

And I guess that's all I've got to say on the topic. We now enter the football-less portion of the year. The part where I get desperate enough to watch golf, and even take a breif interest in baseball. (Sorry, there's just no getting me interested in basketball....) That's what I'm sad about -- that I don't have the game to look forward to each weekend. Not the loss. Not when I have an entire year of exciting wins, professional poise, pinpoint focus, inspiring teamwork, and Tom Brady, waiting to start anew in the fall.

january vacation week wrap-up

I'm not sure I even have much to say about our "vacation week" that I didn't already say in my post from Friday. But I felt like I should keep up the "week in review" format for Sundays, so here are some photos from our week.

First, a photo that needs no explanation. We had lousy weather this week, which kept us primarily indoors (until today, when we took a really nice walk as a family).

The newest addition to our favorite children's museum, a pair of Clownfish. I just love these colorful little guys, and have long-planned to have our own little community salt water tank with our own clownfish. Maybe some day. Right now we're too busy trying to hatch out parakeets....(by the way, we're up to 4 eggs in the nest box, and Pear is being a good, attentive mama to them, while Pineapple is being the epitomy of the watchful, protective papa).

J and his friend E play tic-tac-toe at the museum on Monday, while both were there for Homeschool Chorus. E also came to our house for a playdate on Wednesday.






J tackles the climbing wall at the boys' friend, Fluffy's, birthday party yesterday.










The boys and The Map Man play a rousing round of "Moose in the House", their new favorite card game. REALLY cute game, by the way -- the idea is that you play room cards on the other players to build a house, and then open the front door and let a Moose in, trying to empty your hand of Moose cards and fill your competitor's houses with Moose (Mooses? Meese?). There are closed door cards that you can play on your own rooms to shut the door and keep a Moose out. And there are Moose Trap cards (a giant mouse trap baited with a head of lettuce -- I tell ya, the game is HILARIOUS!) to rid yourself of a Moose. At the end of the game (when the card deck is gone), whoever has the least Moose in their house wins! Despite the fact that the game claims to be for ages 8 and up, J and Zoo Boy both quickly picked up on the rules and strategy and worked together to fill their father's house full of Moose. (Glad I'm not living in THAT house!)

Ok, so enough vacation, back to something a little more structured next week!

social climbing

Today we went to the most fabulous birthday party, for the kids' friend, Fluffy, which was held at a fitness club with a large climbing wall. (Look at the photo, there's J in the gray, scaling the wall like a small mountain goat, with Fluffy in the red to his right.) Not only was the facility smashingly fun, but the party itself was a perfect size, all boys who are steadily developing good friendships with each other, and their parents (who also get along wonderfully well, if I do say so). Just a really, really fun time for all!

Zoo Boy eats pizza and chats with the birthday boy. There was pizza, there was cake, there was icecream, there was an indoor playscape, there was a room full of toys, and of course there was the climbing wall! Zoo Boy wasn't particularly keen on the idea of climbing (no big deal, there was plenty else to do), but the rest of us were up for the challenge!

Fluffy's mom, and my good pal, Kyra gets J situated in his harness and psyched up for climbing. Kyra scaled the wall too. So did I (once anyway), and so did The Map Man (several times, and at a much more challenging level than us -- this is something he's always wanted to do). Fluffy and J climbed over and over again, J increasing his confidence (and the height he climbed to) with each try. Fluffy is an old pro, and I'm sure his ease with the climbing helped J muster the courage to climb ever higher.

Fluffy and J casually chat as they climb.






My own personal Spider Man, nimbly making quick work of the wall. I'm sorry, but I just have to say, doesn't he look HOT up there, clamoring around like a teenager?! (I'm guessing I didn't strike quite the inspiring figure he did up there -- in fact, I was threatening Dave, Fluffy's dad, the entire time NOT to get any video shots of my butt. He cooperatively promised to keep my butt anonymous. Thanks, Dave!) I'm thinking I need to get The Map Man out there climbing on a regular basis....

Anyway, a really SUPER fun day, thanks so much Kyra, Dave, and Fluffy for inviting us to the party and showing us such a great time!

idling

Hey, look what's happening at our house today! Yup, you guessed it, an ice storm. I know, I know, just shocking isn't it. Once upon a time we used to get SNOW storms in February, but courtesy of global warming, ice now fills our lives in the winter.

Lying in bed this morning (long past when I should have been OUT of bed), and realizing that it was the first day of February, I thought about the pace of our homeschooling (and lives) during the past month. To say it was a slow pace is somewhat of an exaggeration. We just plain and simple had our engines in idle. Two of the four weeks boasted no organized curriculum plan at all (this week being one of them), the other two weeks an extremely relaxed version of our usual lesson plans. I realized where we were headed before even beginning this week, and decided to go ahead and call this a "vacation week". Or reorganization week. Or meditate-and-search-for-motivation week. In any case, I had planned to take a couple weeks off in March, but it had become glaringly clear that I needed it NOW. In fact, given the general yearly rhythm of our household, I'm seriously considering scheduling the entire month of January off next year.

Here's what my bed looked like most of this week, as I played solitaire with my curriculum materials, shifting piles of movement activities onto stories that seemed to support basic themes, moving this craft to that pile because it looked like a better fit. Eventually, I put everything away where it belonged in the original package, and started over from scratch. That's not a bad thing -- it means that my kids have shifted in their needs enough that what I THOUGHT we'd be working on now (back when I came up with our curriculum plan at the start of our Winter Semester) no longer fits their needs. So the whole darned thing needed to be ravamped, something that just wasn't possible during the course of a "normal" homeschooling week.

In anticipation of a week of idling, I decided to upgrade our music access system. Up until this point, we've been listening to music and stories on tape on a vastly outdated, immensly inadequate boom box, which required the kids to hold stock still in order not to cause a skip on the CD. It seemed insane to be playing peppy, exercise-inducing music while the kids clung to a nearby chair to prevent themselves from moving to the beat of it. So, thanks to a very patient, technologically-proficient young man at the electronics store, we stepped into the 21st century and bought an iPod and a speaker base for it, and thanks to some tolerant friends (who I don't think screamed with each email from me), I actually managed to figure out how to upload (download?) the kids' music CDs onto it. Here's Zoo Boy dancing in the living room this week, in sheer delight of being able to MOVE to the music finally. Occassionally they forget, and I find them huddled in the chair, afraid to breath. But with frequent gentle reminders that they CAN get up and dance, they are slowly adjusting to the freedom to shake it whenever they want to.

J has spent a good part of the week running various experiments (like this one, where he's using a magnifying glass to see if he can make his smallest Matroyshka doll look as big as the biggest). Like The Map Man said, everything is an experiment to J. Which is beyond cool, considering that just a few short years ago, he didn't have the capacity to wonder about things. He wonders plenty now! An oft heard phrase around here these days is "I wonder what would happen if...."

Which is the best part about idling. Despite doing nothing that even resembles organization, a week (or two, or four) of idling really give the kids the freedom to explore the possibilities and answer their "I wonders" to the fullest extent.

However, as great as all that is, it's time to kick ourselves back into a higher gear. February is here, winter will be gone before we know it, and there's still some unexplored corners of our winter universe that I want to introduce them to. So next week, it's back to a more structured day for us!