Yep, this is pretty much the extent of our vocabulary curriculum. Actually, I would consider this “extra”. Good conversation is all that’s really necessary for a substantial vocabulary. As someone mentioned in the last comment thread, if parents simply speak deliberately–enunciating clearly and being liberal with the words they use, even with the youngest children, there’s no need, as far as I can see, for a formal vocabulary curriculum.
Remember, your children began learning an entire language at birth, and you were their primary teacher. Their vocabulary continues to grow and I submit it can continue to be taught in the same way you’ve been teaching it since birth. (If your vocabulary is limited, you can learn alongside them with this small idea.)
Words used throughout the normal flow of the day are much more likely to “stick” than 15 random words on a sheet of paper that the student is supposed to memorize. It goes the same with any piece of information: experience creates context in which information is best retained.
So back to our board: this contains our WOD (word of the day). Sometimes I leave it for a couple of days. The challenge is to use the word as often as possible in the correct way. Sometimes we have a contest to see who can find the most uses for it.
Fun, simple, quick.
A good place from which to glean WODs is your read-alouds as you come across words that may not be understood. Context is best.
Relaxed homeschooling, for us, doesn’t mean we don’t sit down and do “school work”. It just means that we also “think outside the classroom” and text books and worksheets are tools, while our education extends far beyond them.
A lifestyle of learning seems to me not only more natural and comprehensive, but easier to implement as a busy mom.
Mary Hood said: “God didn’t create classrooms, He created families.”
The sensibility in that statement meets me as a mom. Mothers are often overwhelmed by the task of homeschooling because they are trying to run both a family and a school.
What if much of the education of children just happened naturally inside family life?
Especially for little ones, there are many things that can be taught in casual conversation, multi-tasking during a chore, etc.
A few random things we do:
Sing learning songs together during chores or play time. We’ve been singing the “Months of the Year Song”. We also enjoy singing Scripture this way as well.
LISTEN. God bestowed the wonderful gift of curiosity into children which, if we are available and ready, can be an important key to knowledge. Hear their questions and be ready to help them find answers, even if you plant seeds by giving them an overview of what you know. I said the word “electricity” yesterday, and my 4-year-old asked, “Who’s ‘Tricity’ “? She wasn’t really interested in electricity, but she listened intently as I explained how it was responsible for turning on things.
Ask questions. Whatever is in front of us, I try to get into the habit of asking, “Do you know why ……?”
Do math. Math is everywhere and it makes better sense when it is taught in the context of real life. Even the rote stuff–multiplication tables, for example, can be practiced while we fold laundry or do dishes together. It just takes remembering to “redeem the time”.
Make good use of writing opportunities. A card or thank-you note makes a great use of time and energy and can double as language, writing and grammar. It makes better sense to have a reason for writing when possible. After all, the only reason grammar, spelling and language matter is so we can communicate our thoughts to others.
Sometimes I just need to revisit the reasons we educate in the first place. Learning can take many forms. Don’t be afraid to tailor it to your season of life, not only giving yourself a break if you can’t duplicate a classroom, but possibly even finding that it’s better that way.
What are some of your “real-life” learning strategies?
Jasmine Baucham had a great post about the error of a typical homeschool argument we hear often. I found it excellent food for thought…
“I’m going to be completely honest here:
Some of us have a huge bias when it comes to arguments about education.
You know the kids I’m talking about.
They’ve been educated in an echo chamber, a place where the curriculum is a unified effort to teach them one way to think.
They learn to view the world through a single lens: the worldview that they’re being taught.
They don’t live in the real world.
They’ve been told what to think and how to act from a young age; their responses to certain stimuli are deeply ingrained in them. And because of all of this, they’re biased. When they speak, they’re often just parroting what they’ve been taught….”
There is little more humbling than hearing one’s self recorded (especially when one’s self is from the South ). Nevertheless, I was grateful to spend some time yesterday talking to Kevin Swanson on his radio program Generations With Vision, about family economics, sharing a little about our home business and how it all started. (There was so much of I thought of later that I would have liked to talk about, but it was a very spontaneous interview.)
I think you’ll enjoy Kevin’s dynamic passion for family enterprise.
You can listen to it at Generations With Vision, if you promise to remember that my gift is writing, not speaking
It’s no coincidence that the approach of a new year finds us making resolutions, new goals and priorities. There is just something so motivating about coming out of December–with all the stress behind you but the mess still with you. You’re still suffering from a sugar high and you know this is the time to move toward health again. The house has taken the back burner to your overbooked calendar and now it begs your attention. You notice that the lack of routine and schedule has your kids a little out of whack and you’re eager to return to normalcy. Perhaps your spiritual food has been displaced with holiday food. Your finances need an overhaul too.
And you’re up for the challenge. So before I go tackle my ginormous to-do list, I thought I’d offer you the same encouragement and tips I’m trying to give myself (some of these came from my husband):
Regarding the house:
Drink your coffee first (unless you’re trying to give it up, in which case, I have no idea how to encourage you there.)
Tackle one room or area at a time. THIS is a hard one. You know the routine. You pick up an item from the kitchen and take it where it belongs and alas, that room is a disaster too, so you busily begin cleaning there. Resist the urge. My husband suggested that I take the stray item to the room it belongs and wait to put it up until I get to that room. Another tip is to have a box for stray items and just place them in that as you go through a room.
Create a place for everything.
If you have children, delegate. But be specific, because it is overwhelming to them too. Let the littlest ones be your “go-fers” taking trash and stray objects to their place. Give one a trash bag and make it their job to collect all the trash, or a basket to collect stray items, etc.
Purge, purge like never before. This is the time to get rid of things you know just take up space. I try to remind myself that as soon as I toss it, I won’t remember it anymore.
If you homeschool…give yourself a “reorganizing vacation”. Don’t feel the pressure to rush back to school until you’ve gotten everything under control. School time will be far more productive and pleasant if you’ll allow yourself that time. If you still feel pressure, maintain your daily reading and wait on the more stressful subjects.
Regarding your health:
Change in baby steps. Add an extra glass of water to your diet (maybe switching at meal time).
Find a good multi-vitamin. Research on line and ask around. Getting the proper nutrition is important to having the energy to accomplish all we must do in a day!
Find some kind of exercise you will do. More than ever, at my “older” age, I’m realizing how important it is to exercise. For Christmas I asked for a mini-trampoline. Read about the benefits of rebounding to see why I was so excited to get it. Not only does exercise do the obvious for your health, but it improves your mood and sense of well-being. Who of us couldn’t use that?
Just adding fruits, nuts and vegetables to your current diet is a great step. Make a glass of fruit juice or vitamin-enriched drink part of your morning routine.
Regarding your finances:
Despite how painful it can be, a written budget is really the only way to stay on top of finances. We have found too, that the more variable your income, the more important it is to write out a yearly budget. For us, the bulk of our income comes in the summer. So unless we plan to spread it out over the year, we find ourselves lacking in the winter months. Dave Ramsey has the best resources I know of and I would encourage you to check out The Total Money Makeover–it was a life-changing book for us…truly.
Actually use your budget Ramsey suggests the practical method of an envelope system. Whatever you have allotted for a certain category (food, clothing, entertainment), spend that and no more.
Start a change jar. This is a very simple, painless way to save a little extra money for a rainy day. We’ve done this for years–sticking our spare change in a jar, and it adds up in a hurry. Think of something to save for and write it on the jar and get everybody involved!
Learn to sell on eBay or Amazon. With a little forethought, extra cash throughout the year can be earned by selling items around the house. You could designate a specific savings goal for your eBay selling.
Regarding your spiritual life:
Make a sermon part of your day. Or at least, every few days. With the convenience of Sermon Audio and similar sites, getting spiritually fed has never been easier. A few of my favorites: Voddie Baucham, John Piper, David Platt, Paul Washer, Ravi Zacharias, Alistair Begg, Joe Morecraft, Mark Driscoll…to name a few.
Make Bible reading a priority. Even if you don’t get up early enough for quiet time, gathering the children around to read a portion of Scripture daily is not only a great spiritual benefit, but it paves the groundwork for habits in their own lives for years to come.
Other random tips:
Commit to reading a spiritually-challenging book once a month.
Make a list of character traits you would like to improve, and begin praying, being deliberate and working toward those. (For me, cultivating a gentle spirit is at the top of my list.)
Engage your children in more thoughtful discussion. Remind yourself that discussion is a primary means of education–and it can happen anywhere!
Determine to be a blessing to your husband. So often this gets overlooked. But it should be a priority!!!! A family where the husband and wife are a team, where they cultivate friendship–that’s a family that will thrive. Just a sincere word of gratitude can go a long way toward being a “crown” to your husband. You are the one person given to him to be his cheerleader. Encourage his strengths, and do not focus on his weaknesses. (It helps me, when I tend to want to dwell on his weaknesses, to redirect my thoughts to my own weaknesses. Wow. Changes perspective quickly.)
Add laughter. This has been on my mind a lot lately. Life can really squelch out the fun if we let it. Adding a bit of laughter can change the quality of everyone’s life! Find something to laugh about…make jokes with each other, smile at your children’s antics. Nothing is so important that it has to squash our joy!
What are your tips or words of encouragement as we begin the new year? What are some things you are purposing to change?
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homeschooling | Word Warrior | 
March 9, 2010 11:59 pm | 
Comments (26) 
It’s no coincidence that the approach of a new year finds us making resolutions, new goals and priorities. There is just something so motivating about coming out of December–with all the stress behind you but the mess still with you. You’re still suffering from a sugar high and you know this is the time to move toward health again. The house has taken the back burner to your overbooked calendar and now it begs your attention. You notice that the lack of routine and schedule has your kids a little out of whack and you’re eager to return to normalcy. Perhaps your spiritual food has been displaced with holiday food. Your finances need an overhaul too.
–it was a life-changing book for us…truly.
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