IS MATH FOR YOUR CHILD LIKE A BATH IS FOR YOUR CAT?

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homeschool, math, algebra, trigonometry, student, wisdom, teaching, learning, dilligence

Can you get a visual here? Have you ever tried to bathe a cat? It’s the funniest thing in the world and it can totally traumatize your cat. They eventually dry out and forget about the bath but it leaves a lasting impression on them. The same is true with some kids and math.

Most kids enjoy the beginning stages of learning math. They love to learn all their numbers and to count things and divide things (especially when dividing candy equally amongst each other—you know, “One for me, one for you.”). It’s fun to learn how to cook using measuring cups and teaspoons. That’s one of the best ways to learn fractions. Telling time involves using numbers and time-out teaches them to appreciate every slow minute as it passes. Measuring their height as they grow is always something fun for kids. They love to count money and when they begin to earn money, they also begin to value it and their time.

But somewhere along the way, math gets hard. It turns into Algebra, Geometry, Statistics, Calculus and Trigonometry. You no longer teach 1+1=2 or 5×5=25.

You have to teach x + 23 = 3x + 45 or 3×2 + x – 2 = 0 or Area = l x w or Area of a regular polygon = (1/2) N sin(360°/N) S2, etc.

You hear the question over and over, “When am I ever going to use this?” You can’t help but think the same thing. I used to think about the fact that I had not used any of that math since school except to homeschool my kids.

Sometimes it’s only certain maths that snag up a child. One might like Algebra and another thrives with Geometry. I remember having to bribe my daughter with those little Halloween pumpkins or candy corn type candies—every time she got a problem right, she got a piece of candy. Algebra II and Trigonometry were pretty difficult for her, thankfully, or her teeth would have rotted out. When it came time to teach my son these higher level maths, I was exhausted and simply didn’t want to do it again.

The Power of Paint with Water

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art, easy, paint, water, with, written by Tricia

I have kept paint with water books on hand since my eldest was in the high chair. It’s a simple project to pull out.

For the littlest ones up to adults. (I still love to sit and paint a picture.) Often, painting helps beat the mid-morning fussiness or the afternoon grouchiness.

It’s just water. Place a paper towel underneath your picture for easy clean up. Empty pimento jars, baby food jars or bathroom paper cups work well for holding the water for dipping.

But the best part is – it is easy to say yes.

Educational experts might agree that using a paint brush is good practice in small motor skills.

I say paint with water is simply powerfully fun.

Do you have paint with water books at your house so you can say yes too?

The Habit of Improving

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Dr. Dale Henry, leadership

Last October, the Human Resources department where I work scheduled a leadership conference.

All of the managers and directors for the organization were required to attend.

Most of the people I work with thought this would be a colossal waste of time.  There was simply too much to do to spend two days away from the office at a conference.

The keynote speaker was Dr. Dale Henry.  Dr. Henry is founder and president of Your Best Unlimited, Inc., a Tennessee based training company.  After earning his B.S. and M.S. in Secondary Education, Dale Henry completed his Ph.D. in 1991 specializing in the area of Adult and Continuing Education.  In 1994, he was appointed Associate Dean of Professional and Graduate Studies for Tennessee’s oldest College, Tusculum College in Greeneville, Tennessee.  Dr. Henry has spoken to leadership teams for over 40 of the Fortune 50 corporations.

Dale emphasizes the vital importance of communication in leadership.  We as leaders must be able to articulate a vision.  Our leadership must “sizzle”.  If we can’t spark the excitement of the vision in those we’re trying to lead, the vision goes unfulfilled.  He talks about becoming the proverbial Cracker Jack; getting out of the box and becoming the prize.

How do we accomplish this?  By learning to become a servant of all.  There are two things the leader must never say: “That’s not my job,” and “I wish I had…”  Becoming a servant means helping others whenever and wherever we may be.  Dr. Henry was once mistaken for a hotel bellhop.  The hotel guest asked him to carry his luggage.  Dr. Henry picked up the guest’s luggage and carried it to his room.  When the guest realized that Dr. Henry was not the bellhop, he asked “Why did you carry my luggage?”  Dr. Henry’s reply: “Because you asked me to help you.”

Everyone who attended the conference thought it worthwhile after hearing Dr. Henry speak.  He has a speaking style that mixes laughter and seriousness in such a way as to have a lasting impact.

You can see clips of Dr. Dale Henry at his website.

Lunchtime Variety

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barbeque cups, chicken, crescent dogs, jelly, lunch ideas, peanut butter, quesadillas, roll up, written by Heidi

I am always looking for quick and easy lunches to make for my boys, so I thought I would share a few of our favorites and hopefully a few of you will share yours

• One of our favorites is Cheesy Crescent Dogs.  All you need is a can of crescent rolls, your favorite cheese (shreds or slices) and hot dogs. Just lay out the crescents, add cheese and then roll up a hot dog in the crescent.  Bake at 375 degrees for 13-15 minutes.

Morning light

I have pulled many an all-nighter in my day. I did not hang up my “night owl” ways when I became a mom either. I think I have gotten worse. I can be so much more productive at night! At night, no one screams  ”Mommmmmy, I’mmmm doneeee!” or “Juice! Please Mommy!” or “Mommy! Ella’s playing with the potty water again!” So I like nights and sometimes my work adds up and I catch God’s “sunrise spectacular” from the very beginning.

I love that dark blue color the sky gets right before the sun makes it’s debut! The night has been so dark but the light slowly starts to show signs of returning. The earth is still and quiet. The night is ending and the sun is just about to shine!

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I believe we see one of those “dark blue sky” moments here in the book of Ruth:

In just one short chapter, we find Naomi go from a wife and a mother of two sons – to just the mother-in-law to one seemingly foolish girl. All the things most precious and dear to any woman are stripped away over a series of 10 years. I can not fathom her grief.

“Then Elimelech, Naomi’s husband, died; and she was left with her two sons. They took for themselves Moabite women as wives; … The both Mahlon and Chilion also died, and the woman was bereft of her two children and her husband.” Ruth 1:4-5

So what else is a woman to do (especially in that day) but go home.

When she arrives home with her daughter-in-law Ruth, the text says,

The habit of contentment

If you follow me on twitter, you already know I love a great quote. My twitter, for the most part consists of quotes I have come across that I want to remember. As I was thinking and praying about what to share on the Habits page this week, I came across these Scriptures and a quote by Matthew Henry.

“Discontent is a sin that is its own punishment and makes men torment themselves; it makes the spirit sad, the body sick, and all the enjoyments sour; it is the heaviness of the heart and the rottenness of the bones. It is a sin that is its own parent. It arises not from the condition, but from the mind. As we find Paul contented in a prison, so Ahab discontent in a palace.” Matthew Henry

“But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain that we can carry nothing out.”1Timothy 6:6-7

In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider: God has made the one as well as the other”…Ecclesiastes 7:14

“Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5

As I begin this New Year, I am praying that it will be a year of contentment.

Contentment in the everyday ordinary moments…

The smile of my four-year old

The sweet hugs given from my ten-year old son

Late night laughter of my college-age girls… drifting up the stairs

The sound of my teenage son’s voice beginning to change

The thirteen year old transforming into a young woman before my eyes

The silliness of my eleven-year-old

The loose teeth of the eight-year-old…

The last few months before my oldest daughter becomes a bride…

“Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned
how to be content with whatever I have.” Philippians 4:11

Kim has been married for twenty-four years and a minister’s wife for more than twenty years. She has eight children. Their ages range from a twenty year old down to a four-year old.  After teaching in public and private school for several years, she has now been homeschooling her own children for the last fifteen years. She would like to say she reads, travels and does all kinds of wonderful things in her spare time, but the truth is she spends her spare time doing laundry.

The Heart of my life should be a Heart of Worship

There is a beautiful song called the Heart of Worship, and the chorus goes like this………

I’m coming back to the heart of worship
And it’s all about You
All about You, Jesus
I’m sorry Lord for the thing I’ve made it
When it’s all about You
It’s all about You Jesus
Its all about you
Jesus

We were singing this song in church last week, and as we sang the chorus I just kept thinking, this was a description of what my life should be as I live out my relationship with the FATHER that I have through JESUS CHRIST. Let me change the words of the chorus just a wee bit, so you can see where I am coming from.

My life is coming back to the heart of worship

because my life is all about you

All about you, JESUS

I’m sorry LORD for the thing I’ve made my life

When my life should be all about you

Yes, my life is all about you JESUS

 

My Grace is Sufficient for You

The phone rang in the middle of the night.

It was the call every parent dreads. Our daughter Julianne, a freshman at Liberty University, had been in an accident, and was in an emergency room 500 miles away.
When I went to bed that night, I had been looking forward to a good night’s sleep. My sister had come to visit, arriving on a red eye flight with her two preschoolers that morning. I was exhausted from getting up early to pick them up and couldn’t wait to get into bed. Around 10:45, I turned off my light. Unbeknownst to me, my daughter was at that time running for her life.
Julianne is our eldest child, and has always been the quiet, obedient one.  When we talked to her earlier that evening, she mentioned plans to go out with her friends. It was a clear, beautiful night, so, on the way back to campus, they decided they had enough time before curfew to park the car, walk up, and view the stars from a local train trestle…something many local people before them have done. Julianne was the least in favor of going, and two of her friends volunteered to stay behind with her while the others walked out onto the trestle. In the end, she decided to go out with them. No one pressured her; she simply decided she didn’t want to miss out on the fun.
It should be mentioned that the side of the trestle the students entered is wide open, with one small “No Trespassing” sign that cannot be viewed in the dark. Several news articles later showed the opposite side of the trestle, where barbed wire fence and large signs warn people to stay away. The five freshmen were not familiar with that side, and in their youth and inexperience, didn’t think trains came by that often or that fast.

But a train did come.

2012 Thoughts

Happy New Year from Habits for a Happy Home! I hope your New Year has started well. Our home is officially “undecorated”. The tree has been hauled off and the needles vacuumed. School is back in session. My mind is a jumble of to-dos (and I’m sure yours is too), so I don’t have a well-thought and structured post for you today, but I do have a few lingering thoughts I wanted to share.

First, there has been a lot of discussion here and everywhere lately about what to do about Santa Claus, so I wanted to share our family’s experience. If you’d like some background on this story, you can read here about when Santa first became an issue for us, back in 2007. Last Christmas (2010) in an answer to much prayer, the boys came to us and asked to know the truth about Santa. We told them the story about the real St. Nick, but we didn’t change much about our traditions. They still sat on Santa’s lap. We still left cookies for Santa and they still had Santa presents under the tree. This year was the first Christmas that we left Santa out of our Christmas completely. We focused instead on doing special things for others. Christmas morning the kids had 3 presents to open (one from Mom, one from Dad, and one from a sibling). We were thrilled to discover that our oldest two had made some surprise presents for us and for each other and tucked them under the tree. I worried that Christmas would be less magical without Santa. But in reality, it was more magical. Seeing the joy on their faces when they gave gifts to others from their hearts made this the most magical Christmas our family has ever experienced. No one was sad or disappointed Christmas morning. And when I asked our 9 year old if he thought Christmas was less fun without Santa, he said “not at all!”

I also wanted to report on our experience with Light ‘Em Up. We didn’t get to do as many of them as I hoped. One a day was a little unrealistic for us. Two or three a week was closer to reality. But we had so much fun doing what we could. Many of the people we surprised with kindness did something kind for us in return. They got a kick out of watching the UPS guys sit in front of our house eating their cookies. And then a couple days later UPS delivered a package for us with a note from them written on the box. Not that recognition is the reason to do it, but it was nice that the kids could see that what they were doing was making an impact. And we learned that bringing unexpected joy to another person is unbelievably addicting! We’re planning to continue with this throughout the year. People need to feel the love of Jesus all year long, not just at Christmas. Thanks again Courtney for the idea!

One last little completely unrelated thing to start your New Year… A wise friend from church told us something brilliant that they do at the start of each year, and I wanted to share it with all of you. At the beginning of the year (as in right now) go through your closet and turn all your hangars around so they are hanging backwards. After you wear something, hang it back up the right direction. At the end of the year, any hangars that are still backwards are clothes that you should donate. Isn’t that brilliant? Turning my hangars around right now…

THINKING ABOUT HOMESCHOOLING FOR HIGH SCHOOL?

If you’re like me, with the start of a new calendar year, thoughts of finishing the last five months of school begin creeping into your mind and you wonder what you need to do to get ready for the next school year. September will be here before you know it, right?

You may have given the idea of homeschooling for high school a little thought or maybe you have not allowed it to cross over yet. But eventually, if you homeschool all the way through elementary and into middle school, you will have to think about whether or not you want to keep your children home for high school.

Don’t let high school scare you. It’s super fun! It’s a great time to be with your child, helping him or her develop into an awesome young adult who desires to serve the Lord. So many teachable moments happen when you homeschool your teens all the way through high school. However, the thought of it can be overwhelming.

There are many ways to homeschool for high school. The options range from traditional school at home to classes outside of the home to online classes offered by homeschool umbrella schools and even many public school systems. If you worry about your teen having enough social time, make sure the opportunities are there for getting to know peers.

People often worry first and foremost about the credits. Oh, the credits. How in the world do you know how to do them? Well, that’s easy. Most public schools require four English credits, four Math credits, four Science credits, three Social Studies credits, two Foreign Language credits, one Physical Education, and one Health. The balance of the credits required for graduation is for Electives of your child’s choice.

Here is an example from the state of Georgia: http://www.gsfc.org/main/publishing/pdf/2009/Grad_Guidance.pdf

Now looking at your public school requirements is the first step but only the beginning. Next, take a look at the colleges that your child is interested in attending. If no preference has been made yet, then just check out the entrance requirements for your local colleges and maybe some favorites out of state. This will give you an idea of what might be required to enter the college. Even if college is not affordable for your family or your child has not yet decided a career path, I recommend preparing her for college anyway. That’s step two and that will give you a skelton for the classes your child should take in high school.

Before we go any further, let me answer the question: What is a credit? When your child completes 75% of a textbook, that’s a credit. But what if you are not using a traditional textbook? What if you change books midstream or use various library books—if you customize your curriculum? Usually, if you spend a school year on a course, that’s a credit—regular daily work for 180 days. A half of a year would be a half credit. For more details, check out this link at H.S.L.D.A. http://www.hslda.org/highschool/docs/EvaluatingCredits.asp

Okay, so you know what classes your child should take and how much time should be spent on those classes. Now what? Well, now you get to start teaching those classes. First, you want to set up a schedule for the classes. Map out the curriculum so that you can get it all done in your 180 days. Leave room for holidays, sick days, work days, volunteer days, and anything else that might interrupt a normal schedule. That way you won’t get behind.

Hopefully, this little snippet from my brain has helped dispel the rumors that homeschooling for high school is too hard. Watch for more homeschooling tips in the near future.

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