I've Managed to Stay Organized!

Usually homeschool bloggers talk about their organized school storage towards the beginning of the school year. I took pictures of my homeschool shelf back in August, but never got around to blogging about it. 

So.. I'm a little late.  What can I say?

Perhaps it is a good thing that this post is insanely late, because now I can brag that I haven't had to reorganize this little space mid-year like I've had to do in the past. 

That's HUGE for me! 

I'm no organizer, as we've been in our new house almost 2 years now and I'm still trying to figure out how in the world to get everything in its place, but I guess the trick is finding a system that works for you. 

Well, this system has worked well for me. I am proud to say that I have had an easy time to keep my shelves organized.

Are you ready for it? 

This is how it looked in August. 

These are deep shelves that are normally used in the garage. It's not very pretty, but it has tons of space so it does the job well, especially since I have so much stuff.  I attached a shower curtain to the top with some yarn to make it a little more attractive.

In case you're interested, here's how I organized everything. 

The first shelf is where I keep all the lesson plan and work books. They are kept in magazine boxes that I already had from a couple of years ago when I was trying to organize all our reading books. Behind those boxes are extra supplies that though they are "out-of-sight", they aren't "out-of-mind".

The left side of the 2nd shelf is organized by "subject" where I keep all of our visuals and manipulatives in baskets. Behind those baskets are extra manipulatives that wouldn't fit in the baskets. Again, they haven't been "out-of-mind". I've reached back there plenty of times to pull out what we need and then place them right back. 

The right side of the same shelf is our writing/coloring supplies. Last year, the kids had their own school box with all of their supplies in that. I was replacing supplies before the year was over. I did not want to do that again. This year, I thought I'd try to keep all the supplies together in their own boxes and we'd just pull out the particular box we needed for the day. This has worked very well. The only problem hiccup is reminding the kids to put the box back on the shelf when they are done with it. 

{That's not really a big deal though.} 

The 3rd shelf contains a stack of paper trays on the left and my supplies to the right of that. My "office", if you will. {smile}

The bottom paper tray is a stack of scrap paper the kids are allowed to use for drawing, writing, coloring or just cutting up. 

The next tray up holds all our construction paper. 

The next one up is Jonathan's tray. All of his paper work is placed in his tray when he's completed a worksheet, or whatever paper work he has done. 

The top tray belongs to Adelle. Her tray also contains all the paper work she's done this year. When we're done with this school year, I will go through both trays and keep the "important" papers, the one's that show progress, tests and anything I find too cute to toss. 

The very bottom shelf holds puzzles, play dough and learning games and a big box of future curriculum. I had no where else to store that. {shrug}

I have a small wooden shelf turned sideways that sits up against the main shelf. The wooden shelf holds all of our arts and crafts supplies. I must admit that I don't have that shelf organized very well. I don't have the energy to try to make it work smoothly, but we are consistent in returning the supplies back to that shelf, even if it isn't right back where we picked it up from. 

Here is what it looks like today. Not very different.    

{BIG SMILE}

Traditional Arithmetic: Part 2

Where in the world has Cyndi Homeschools been? It has been one struggle of a school year! This blog has been laid aside as a result of a tired mama trying to survive a K5 super active boy and a 2nd grade drama queen girl. I'm exhausted! As inconsistent as I am, I don't want this blog to just stop. I want to keep it going. So here's to beginning to post again!

I have an unfinished series, per se, to complete: Traditional Arithmetic. 

In Part 1, I mentioned that in the front of the Arithmetic Lesson Plan book, the writers explain why they chose to teach traditional arithmetic. I shared the first three of seven reasons they give. 

Let me continue...... 

4. Traditional arithmetic trains the intellect. 

     Would you read this article more closely if a graded quiz followed or if you were given an oral examination? If you were expected to know these facts, you might make a list of them and say them over and over until you had them memorized. You would probably review them every day for several days to make sure you remembered them. Traditional arithmetic expects children to learn and remember necessary facts. A traditional arithmetic program is not ashamed that children must memorize facts, because memorization of facts promotes an acceptance of absolute truth. Children need to memorize facts for these three additional reasons. 

     a. It lays the correct foundation for understanding mathematics. - Just as a Christian memorizes Bible verses and principles to build strong Christian character, the math student memorizes facts to build mathematical knowledge. 

     b.  It increases the child's capacity to understand concepts. - Math is a building-block subject in which facts are needed to learn new concepts. A child can easily understand that 2 x 6 = 12 because he knows that 6 + 6 = 12. 

     c. It helps the child develop concepts. - Have a child memorize that there are twelve things in a dozen. Teach the concept that one half is one of two equal parts of a whole. The child can then bring together the two learned facts to tell that there are six things in one-half dozen. He can also tell that six inches are one-half foot because he has memorized that there are twelve inches in a foot. 

5. Traditional arithmetic is usable. 

     Why do you enjoy a beautiful painting? You may like to look at its beauty of color and light. You may enjoy the memories it brings to your mind. All would agree that the painting brings beauty to our lives. These are appropriate responses to art. The modern mathematician views math in the same way you view your painting. He sees the beauty of structure and form. Modern math inappropriately tries to make all children learn and appreciate this structure. The appreciation of math for its structure is a mistaken view of mathematics, for God used mathematics as a tool to benefit mankind. The using of mathematics in science, architecture, business, technology, etc., is what makes math beneficial - not the learning of its rigid structure. Children are taught in traditional arithemetic to count, add, tell time, give change, find interest, etc., because it is useful for them to do so. 

6. Traditional arithmetic builds Christian character. 
     Do you believe Philippians 4:8? Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Story problems do more than help children apply mathematical knowledge. They influence the thinking of the children by the way they are presented and the subject matter of the word problem. They can show people working, tithing, enjoying God's world, and engaging in Christian activities, or they can show only secular interests and behavior. The A Beka traditional arithmetic program uses word problems that help to develop strong Christian character. 

7. Traditional arithmetic lays the foundation for higher mathematics.
     Elementary arithmetic, quite naturally, begins with the most elementary, basic arithmetic processes. Children learn best when they proceed from the particular to the general, from the concrete to the abstract. Traditional elementary arithmetic properly emphasizes the facts of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division that accord with the child's stage of mental development and have immediate practical application. Traditional arithmetic lays a solid foundation for high school math, which appropriately (but still gradually) introduces the child to a higher level of abstraction. He learns and understands algebra and all higher math better if he masters arithmetic first.


And there we have it. The foundation for using traditional arithmetic. This is certainly the way I learned math growing up. I see absolutely no reason to switch to a different method.

Moments to Remember ~ The Dry Erase Board

Moments to Remember was developed as a simple way to look back on our week as homeschoolers and find photos that encompass the memories we want to remember. The week may have been tough, there may have been more bumps than smiles, but in the end, these are the moments that keep us going; the ones we need to remember. 

(created by Homeschool Creations)

Jonathan asked if he could write on a dry erase board. He usually just scribbles and draws all over the board. This time, when I looked to see what he was doing, I found him doing this......

Something is sinking in, eh?!?

Traditional Arithmetic: Part 1

I guess I didn't look over my curriculum teaching books very well, b/c I have noticed some things that are in there that I didn't see before. For example, there is a scripture memory plan in the front of the arithmetic books. REALLY? I mean, I knew that there is a place for grades for bible memory verses, but I thought that was part of the Bible curriculum kit, which is separate from the parent and student kits. *slap my forehead*  

So we have begun to use this portion of the curriculum to learn scripture. I was already teaching the children verses on my own, but this curriculum is having the kids memorize 6-verse passages every six weeks. I didn't realize the kids were capable of learning such big passages! So we are currently memorizing Psalm 100. 

The second thing I didn't see in my curriculum lesson plans book is that the writers give reasons for choosing to teach traditional arithmetic. There are seven. I looked them over. I like what I see here. I didn't necessarily choose our curriculum based on its teaching principles. I just knew that it is Bible-based and it's pretty thorough.

So, I just wanted to take a little time here to share why we are using traditional arithmetic. There are seven reasons, but I'm going to share only three of them today. 

(Note: What you are about to read comes directly from the A beka's curriculum lesson plan book.)

1. Traditional arithmetic gives glory to God.

     Do you believe that God created the heavens and the earth? Do you believe that God had a plan for creation just as He had a plan for the salvation of man? God is never surprised by His actions. Our orderly, rational God used mathematics as He created the world and set it into motion. Traditional arithmetic promotes structure and order and shows children an aspect of the order of the real world. It helps children to know more about the character of God Who created them. Children find exactness, preciseness, and completeness in traditional arithmetic, just as is expected in God's world. 

2. Traditional arithmetic promotes absolute truth.

     Do you believe that there is a right answer and a wrong answer? Do you believe that Jesus christ died for your sins and rose from the dead? A Christian answers yes because a Christian believes that in this world of changing social standards, truth remains unchanged and unchangeable. Traditional arithmetic is the mathematics program that promotes absolute truth. In traditional arithmetic, children are not taught to manipulate sets and thus change truth. Instead, they are taught truth as created by an orderly, rational God. 

3. Traditional arithmetic encourages good work habits. 

     Do you believe that a job worth doing is worth doing well? Colossians 3:23 says, And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily as to the Lord, and not to men. More than any other subject, arithmetic requires the stretching of the brain, constant thinking and remembering and complete attention. Just as the body is tired after a physical workout, the mind is tired after a math workout using traditional math.  But also as the physical workout strengthens the body, the traditional arithmetic workout strengthens the mind. 

     C. T. Studd, missionary to Africa, understood this principle of doing a job well and used it to his work with a people who had just risen from the depths of cannibalism. Studd's reasoning is described: 

     Every pole had to be exactly the right length, placed at the right angle, etc; and he had a purpose in it, for the natives must be taught that good Christianity and lazy or bad workmanship are an utter contradiction. He believed that one of the best ways to teach a native that righteousness is the foundation of God's Throne was by making him see that absolute straightness and accuracy is the only law of success in material things.   

(C.T. Studd, Norman Grubb, 

Fort Washington, Pennsylvania, 

Christian Literature Crusade, 1972, 1974)

(Back to me)

It may take us a little longer to get through the lessons than the plans say and we may have to work harder, but in the end, my children will know absolute truth, precision and how to work hard. 

It Seems We Struggle A LOT

All 3 of us have struggled since we started this year's formal school lessons. I have struggled with juggling everything, which is one reason I haven't blogged until now. Adelle has struggled with the load of her work this year...... 

This is not the face of a happy camper. This is the look of not wanting to think and do the work. And when she's not crying and fussing about it, she's just taking her sweet time to complete tasks.

I'm not sure if it's b/c the work load is a lot more this year, if we were just too laid back last year; if it's the difference in curriculum or if it's just the move from first grade to second grade. Nonetheless, we're pressing through.

Jonathan has associated school work with the worksheets. If we haven't done a worksheet, we haven't done school, or so he thinks. That's not a bad thing, I guess. Right now his work is easy. He's sat in on Adelle's lessons and he's really between K5 and 1st grade, but I went ahead and got him a K5 curriculum. Maybe that was a mistake on my part.

*Shrug*

So in all our struggles, I have come up with a schedule. We've never followed a strict schedule before and so it will take a little more discipline on my part, but I believe it might be beneficial for all of us. This will be a flexible schedule b/c obviously we're going to have "life" happen and there is one day in our week where we are away from the house more than we're home. School usually goes on the road with us, but it's not quite the same.


The schedule is planned as follows: (I couldn't get my picture of our poster to load)

8:30 - Together: - Devotions, prayer, memory verses

9:00 - Together: - Bible

9:30 - Adelle: Arithmetic & seat work - Jonathan: Independent activity

10:00 - Jonathan: Numbers and worksheet

10:30 - Adelle: Language Arts - Jonathan: Independent activity

10:45 - Adelle: L.A. seat work - Jonathan: Phonics

11:30 - Adelle: A.M. Reading - Jonathan: Free play

11:45 - LUNCH

12:30 - Both: Handwriting

12:50 - Together: History or Science, Music or Art

1:15 - Adelle: P.M. Reading - Jonathan: Independent activity

1:30 - Finish any incomplete work

The bottom line is, we're going to have a goal schedule set before us that we will follow as close as possible and the structure should help us out a bit.

(At least that's what I'm thinking.)

This IS War

I was reminded this morning (how could I forget?) that we are engaged in spiritual warfare. We are all in a spiritual battle - whether we know it or not. The enemy uses anything and everything to keep us from reaching the Lord whilst our souls cry out to God the Father. 

2 Corinthians 10:3-5 says, "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ." 

This battle rages on and will continue to do so until Christ's second coming and Satan is locked up in the fires of Hell forever. Until then, we must fight.

Galatians 5:16-17 - "But I say, walk by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desires of the flesh. For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please."

All believers have the presence of the indwelling Holy Spirit as the personal power for living to please God. Walking is a continuous action, or a habitual lifestyle. Walking also implies progress; as we (believers) submit to the Spirit's control, we grow in our spiritual life. The flesh is not simply the physical body, but also includes the mind, our will, and our emotions - which are all subject to sin. The flesh opposes the work of the Spirit and leads us toward sinful behavior, ruinous thoughts and feelings that we would not otherwise be compelled to do, think and feel. 

So walking by the Spirit means fighting in a war between the Spirit and the sinful nature. The connection between verses 16 and 17 indicates that those who live by the Spirit are not neutral in this war. They are committed to fight of the side of the Spirit against the desires of the sinful nature. This inner spiritual warfare is the nature of the Christian life; it is the experience of all those who live by the Spirit. The conflict Paul is describing here is not the moral conflict that everyone feels at some time, nor the conflict of a wayward Christian who is no longer committed to Christ. This is the conflict of a thoroughly committed Christian who is choosing each day to "walk by the Spirit".  Each day the Christian who chooses to walk by the Spirit is engaged in a fierce battle between the Spirit and the sinful nature. 

Ephesians 6:10-17 - "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, agains the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having everything to stand firm. Stand firm, therefore, having girded your loins with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."

Did you notice that this passage says to stand firm 3 times? Paul calls Christians to take a firm position in the spiritual battle against Satan and his minions and the full armor of God is our defense. The Christian armor is made to be worn and there is no taking it off until we have done our warfare and finished our course. 

We must fight. We must fight with all we have, never growing weary of doing good. All of us, collectively and individually, are in this battle. Don't let the enemy slip in. Don't give in to weariness, sadness, pain and offenses. Go after God with all your might; with all your mind; with all your heart; and with all your strength. 

It is tough. It is tough as moms. It is tough as wives. It is tough as Christians. It is so crucial (and I am so 'preaching' to myself here) that we make sure to spend quality time (daily!) with the King of kings; reading (and rereading) His word and communing with Him. 

Let us turn off the computers, the TVs and the phones. Let's open the Word (our sword) and pursue God like never before. He promised that if we draw near to Him, He will draw near to us. (James 4:8)

(I wrote this with the help of the Matthew Henry Commentary and the commentary of my study Bible).

Finishing Up 2013-14

It was way too nice to study indoors!

The Lord has blessed us with another successful school year. While we've had several set-backs and some sicknesses, I feel that we have covered enough lessons from this curriculum to call it complete. However, we have a little bit more to learn. 

While we enjoyed the relaxed approach of My Father's World, I feel as though the phonics lessons were a little lacking; a bit too vague. Next school year, we are going to go with to the curriculum we used before, which was A Beka Book. It is a bit more rigid and uses a spiral teaching method, but it's very thorough. We'll just have to make adjustments to the lesson plans a bit. 

With all that being said, we are going to use the month of May (and possibly part of June) to fill in the gaps with the Abeka Grade 1 lesson plan books I just purchased (gently used) from a friend. My goal is for Adelle to receive one phonics/spelling and handwriting lesson in the mornings while continuing to play fun math games, experimenting with some kid concoctions along with fun science explorations in the afternoons from now until mid-June. 

My intentions for next school year is to start Adelle in 2nd grade and Jonathan in K5 in mid-July. Our school years have played out to be year-long with frequent breaks through-out. I expect this school year to follow suit. History repeats itself, right? Not to mention that we are creatures of habit. 

*wink*

*big smile*

Now, I must think about a bit of a tighter or more structured schedule and how I am going to teach 2 different grade levels, both with a high demand of parental involvement. 

I desire your prayers and will listen to all the advice you can offer!