A Very Full August
Submitted by kim on Mon, 09/08/2014 - 19:40 in Homeschooling, Lessons for Mom, Nathaniel's Story, Parenting
August. Seems it was here one day and gone the next. I will try to hit the highlights here...
First week of August found Nathaniel in same day surgery again for another diagnostic bronchoscopy. His trachea development is stagnant. Still just a pin hole opening through the stenosis and webbing. The doctors were not able to find a cause for aspirating. His trachea did grow in length and we were able to size up from a 3.5 neo tracheotomy tube to a 3.5 pediatric tracheotomy tube. A difference of six millimeters in length.
What We've Been Reading in September
Submitted by kim on Wed, 09/25/2013 - 13:55 in Homeschooling, Parenting
I love reading with my children. Here's a list of what I've been enjoying with them this month:
With Drummer and Dune Buggy for Writing:
Written Anything Good Lately? by Susan Allen
Since they are short, picture books are fantastic lesson starters with older children. After reading the book aloud, we each made a list of genres we would like to explore in our writing this year - one genre for each letter of the alphabet.
With Drummer: (9th grader - Our read aloud books tie into his history studies.)
Subjects for Freshman Homeschool Year
Submitted by kim on Wed, 09/04/2013 - 12:32 in Homeschooling
I'm somewhat of an eclectic homeschool mom. Over the last 22 years, I've found some favorite publishers, favorite texts, and favorite order of teaching topics to my children. I've learned that homeschooling has to first and foremost work for my children and me. We do a lot of reading and writing, a lot of math and critical thinking, a lot of interacting and talking between parents and students. We do very few workbooks. We have a firm daily schedule that serves as a guide through our day so we all know what to expect, but it doesn't control our lives.
Drummer is a freshman and will use the following curriculum and texts for his studies this year:
Character Qualities for '13-'14 School Year
Submitted by kim on Tue, 09/03/2013 - 17:00 in Character Building, Homeschooling
We started our '13-'14 school year today! It's my 22nd year as a home school mom. That is a bit unbelievable to be honest.
Growing up in Ohio I never started school before Labor Day so for my internal calendar, we're right on time even though most of the schools in our community returned weeks ago. Our family accepted the foster pre-adoptive placement of an infant this summer and life has been a bit crazy. I'll definitely be writing more on this sweet little guy in the future, but for now I want to focus some of my posts on getting our family back into our homeschool routine.
Paper Bag Vacation Journal
Submitted by kim on Sun, 07/21/2013 - 14:55 in Homeschooling, Writing
I grew up as a year around resident in Lakeside, Ohio. It is one of the few existing Chautauqua in the United States and the unique setting definetly shaped who I am today. Reflections of experiencing Lakeside, both as a summer and winter resident in my childhood and as a returning vacationer, has filled many journals.
I-Search Papers: The Writing Project With Potential, Part 1
Submitted by kim on Mon, 03/18/2013 - 08:59 in Homeschooling, Writing
It’s been a while since I’ve posted on teaching writing. Life is full. Caring for my home and family, homeschooling our two sons still at home, my graduate classes, and process of becoming foster-adoptive parents has me very busy. But I wanted to take a moment and share about some amazing work that has been going on in our writing community.
Our group has been working on I-Search papers since Christmas. I-Search papers are slightly different than typical research papers. They are usually written in first person and the format allows the student to describe the process of the research as a story.
Quick and Easy Way to Organize Report Writing
Submitted by kim on Tue, 02/26/2013 - 11:20 in Homeschooling, Writing
One of the parents in our Write Next To Me Writing Community shared an organizational idea for the reports we're working on. My son tweaked the idea creating a great tool to keep all his notecards and papers in order.
I was so impressed! Every teacher and parent needs to see this amamzingly simple idea that requires NO trips to the craft or office supply store!
He started with a file folder.
It's Monday? Write Again! #8
Submitted by kim on Mon, 11/12/2012 - 13:25 in Homeschooling, Writing
I am doing a case study this month of a young man who is a published author. I've spent time watching his writing process and discussing his drafts and finished pieces of writing. Yes, I've spent hours sitting next to him just watching him write! You can learn amazing things about writing by watching people write and reading case studies of individual writer's processes to get words on paper.
It's Monday? Write Again! #7
Submitted by kim on Mon, 10/29/2012 - 01:08 in Homeschooling, Writing
Hello Monday!
Are you excited to write with your children this week?
I thought we'd stick with the topic of revision. Remember revision is not editing for spelling and grammar usage. Revision goes deeper and gets at the ideas presented in the writing. Enjoy the printable I created after reading Teacher Adolescent Writers by Kelly Gallagher.
It's Monday? Write Again! #6
Submitted by kim on Tue, 10/23/2012 - 18:48 in Homeschooling, Writing
When you revise a piece of writing, think of yourself as a photographer. Sometimes a photographer takes a photo using a wide-angle lens, getting the whole picture. Sometimes he or she takes a photo close up, zooming in on just one part.
Writers use both approaches when they revise. They focus on the big ideas of the whole paper, and they work with individual sentences and words.
The Wide Angle
