My Educational Philosophy

Now, please realize that I retain the right to change my mind but for now I would like to offer this as my educational philosophy. It is short and sweet but workable and for now that is good enough for me.

I want for my children Confidence, Skills, and Inspiration.

Let me elaborate:


Confidence to me means that they have the courage to try new things, meet new people, take intelligent risks, make mistakes and learn from them and to be who they were born to be.

Skills means they have the skills they need to fulfill their purpose in life. Reading, Writing, Mathematics, Cultural and Religious Literacy, Critical Thinking, Communication Skills, Household duty skills, research skills, and relationship skills.

Inspiration in this sense means an ability to hear and understand God's plan for them. I want them to think for themselves and figure out what their spiritual life will be and how they will accomplish the mission God has for them.

I'm sure I will edit and refine this philosophy but for now I am going to work on how this philosophy will be put into practice.

Karina

When I Weave, I Weave.....

Today we (all my boys and I) met with our facilitator Mrs. Linda Johnson. Linda has been trying to understand "voice" in each of us and how we nurture that voice. She shared with us the 4 steps to voice.

1. Put information in. In the mind, heart, soul through reading, viewing, experiencing etc.

2. Talk about it.

3. Write or Draw about it.

4. Share it. In some form

She then had us view a great dvd called Celebrate What's Right With the World. This is a documentary by Dewitt Jones a photographer for National Geographic. What a beautiful film about perspective, faith, wisdom, and life. As we watched we drew in our notebooks and wrote words that stood out to us. Then we gathered again and discussed our thoughts and feelings about the film. I was thrilled to hear what my boys had to say. They each took something different from the film and made it a part of them.

The part that I took to heart was the story of the old woman who weaved. When Dewitt asked her what she thought about while she weaved she said, " I wonder when I am going to run out of thread." This shocked him because she had come across as a very wise woman and he had expected something more profound but as he thought more about that answer he realized just how wise that statement was. She was saying, "When I weave, I weave." She was talking about being present. Not worrying about the future or regreting the past just being. Very wise.

And so I will try to weave when I weave, sleep when I sleep, play when I play and work when I work. What a great learning activity. Thanks Linda.

Karina

Two More Finished Millions to Go

Books that is. The kids and their dad just finished James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl. They also finished The Secret of Nimh two weeks ago. They are reading machines and I am so excited about it.

James and the Giant Peach was especially fun as Clayton put voices to the characters and made the kids laugh with his funny caterpillar songs. I was very impressed. I am so grateful that he has taken such a big role in our homeschool this year. It frees up time for me to give more individual attention and also gives me time to do some much needed cleaning, though I often find myself gravitating to the livingroom to enjoy the readaloud with everyone.

What will they choose next? Clayton should pace himself though. I'm not sure he can top his performance of James and the Giant Peach.

Karina

Our Classic Spot

A classic is something, someplace, or someone that you return to over and over to learn new things. We have a classic spot south of our little town. It is a garden of eden in the midst of rolling prairie. A snake-like creek flows through it and vegetation grows thick because of it. We snapped some pictures today and I thought I would share them.

Jarett's 7th Birthday

Here are some pics of Jarett's surprise birthday party. He had been hounding me for over a week. He really wanted to know when his "friend" birthday party could be. He had his Witbeck birthday party and his Rasmussen party but he still needed his "real" birthday party. I was partied out so I told him that I would surprise him. It worked. He stopped hounding me and I was able to put together a fun pirate party for him.

The Mighty Volcano

We had a little fun playing with vinegar and baking soda today and we made a MIGHTY VOLCANO. I learned that my youngest doesn't like to get dirty. He said, "do I have to use my hands?", "what if I get my pants dirty?", and "can I take a bath?".

I am going to have to add "mud pies" to our curriculum. Maybe I'll even help. I need to learn that getting dirty is fun too.

Jonathan Livingston Seagull

The kids and their dad just finished Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach. A classic story of a loner accomplishing great things. So much wisdom in that little book.

I read this book to Carter and Abby our first year of homeschooling and Carter still remembered it.

Dare to be Different.

A Boy and his Dad

My oldest son is 13 and LOVES his dad. Worships him, begs to "hang out" with him and pretty much just wants to be him.

Now I think his dad is pretty cool, but all this dad worship has got my knickers in a knot and I am feeling a little left out. I know it is only natural for a young man to want to emulate his father and that it really is such a blessing that at 13 he still thinks his dad is "the bomb" but what happened to MOM!!!!!

Ever Straddled the Border?

When you head south on Waterton Lake you get to a point where you cross into the United States. The kids got a real kick out of being able to put one foot in Canada and the other in the U.S.

I just think it is a very cute picture.

Waterton

Ah, Waterton. Such a romantic place. The beauty is breathtaking and on August 28 Waterton was as breathtaking as I have ever seen her.

We were priviledged to go on a twilight boat ride with my sister's family. This is a photo Clayton captured. You can even see the moon.

Those of you who know Waterton, Ab, have you ever seen Waterton Lake so calm? I haven't. It was a trip I will not forget.

Pudding Printing

I decided to throw caution to the wind today and try to teach printing with pudding. I knew that it might get messy but I never expected this.

Jarett who is 7 and not in the picture was just as bad but he couldn't wait for me to download the images on my camera so I would have room on the memory card to take a picture. He wanted in the shower right away.

Note to self, always have the camera ready.

We did this little activity for Jarett, who hates to write and struggles with printing. Even with pudding he didn't last too long. We got to E but he was much more willing to listen and learn how the letters are made. I think they had a fun time.

Adam who is almost 9 practiced his cursive writing. Can you imagine how many kids might just love penmanship if their first exposure to it included playing with pudding? I think we might even maintain the art of penmanship in the age of computers if teachers took this approach.

Well who is to say, but for this family it was a hoot!!! I think big brother and sister will be a little insulted that we didn't include them. Maybe next time.

Karina

Stone Fox

The book "Stone Fox" was a hit. Clayton liked it so much he read in the morning before work, and then finished when he came home for lunch. And yes, they did have an emotional response. Jarett my 7 year old said, "mom why do you always pick such sad books." "What do you mean,"I said. "I mean in "Where the Red Fern Grows" the dogs die, in "Little Britches" the dad dies and in "Stone Fox" the dog dies too." I guess I better pick a happier one next time.

Clayton started to read "Jonathan Livingston Seagull" by Richard Bach to the kids last night. That one is happy I think.

Karina

P.S. no family reading tonight, both mom and dad have headaches.

Day 2

Today went quite well. There were very many happy moments and I am seeing a disturbing trend. My kids want to learn. I had planned a week of light learning along with heavy cleaning to prepare for our first official homeschooling week. Boy was I off base. They are complaining that we aren't learning enough, and I don't think it is because they would rather learn than clean. They just seem more motivated to learn. All of them, even the young ones seem keen to learn. Now this doesn't mean that when we actually do sit down to learn something there isn't fidgeting, fighting, or odd questions out of the blue but they are trying.

We are trying to finish My First Book of Canadian History and today we discussed the Metis Rebellion of 1885. I was pleasantly surprised with how much they remembered from previous conversations and the connections they made.

For "recess" we danced to music very loud, and skipped rope. Well, the kids skipped rope.

We tidied up the 3rd level and Abby and I put together the grocery list so that we could go shopping in the afternoon. Abby and I had a lovely time shopping together. We went to the Teacher Resource store and she purchased a sketch book and two unit studies to work on this year. Ancient Greece and China. She asked if she could get an ipod touch if she completed these materials. Her father and I will have to discuss it but I think it might be a good deal. They are lengthy unit studies that cover all of the subjects while teaching the topics. I hope she enjoys them

Well this isn't a very exciting blog post but I need to be recording the daily successes so when I have those very trying days I can look back and say, "Hey, we are doing alright".

Karina

Books Read and Reading

I thought I might keep a record of the books our family has and is reading here. Sometimes homeschooling mom's feel they are not doing enough. Keeping a good record helps combat that discouragement. So, beginning in August we read "Little Britches" by Ralph Moody together as a family. I love this book. It was my 4th reading and the kids 2nd reading. We read it 2 years ago. What a difference a few years makes. My older two children 11, 13 remembered the book quite well. The 9 and 7 year old not so much. But the 9 and 7 year old sat much better through the reading than I remember them being able to last time and the 11, and 13 year olds had more to say. It is and was for us a very emotional reading, especially for Carter who is so attached to his daddy. I won't spoil the ending but you can imagine I'm sure.

Carter and Abby listened to Silver Chair by C.S. Lewis. They spent one whole afternoon and finished it. (It was a requirement for them to attend an educational camp and they both wanted to attend) I'm not sure their reaction to it, but I liked to see them put their minds to reading and accomplish the goal.

Clayton is now reading to them "Stone Fox" by John Reynolds Gardiner. Such a great little book that can be read in under 2 hours. There may be an emotional response to this one as well. I know I was teary when I read it.

So that is what we are reading so far. This weeks goal is to finish "My first History of Canada" , begin our daily reading, and get our house organized for easy facilitating of learning. I love the flexibility of homeschooling. We can work our way up to full throttle.

Karina

A New School Year

I can't tell you how typical this blog is of my life. Start something and sporadically continue it. How frustrating is that. So again for the millionth time, I will commit to doing better. I have friends who actually read this blog and they are disappointed daily in my lack of thoughts. I repent and seek forgiveness.

This past year has been a crazy time. My in-laws moved back, I was diagnosed with a type of Rheumatoid Arthritis, I was the president of a newly created private school, I resigned that position, and now we are back to a new beginning.

We began our back to school night routine this evening. The goal is for lights out at 10pm so that mom and dad can have some time to themselves. It is 10:24pm and I still hear chatting, running water, and Carter just asked if he should turn out all the lights. Not bad for the first run.

Clayton has agreed to read to the children most nights, an hour or so before bed. I think this will be very helpful. I plan to tidy the house while he is doing this and I really think that will help with the chaos of morning routines. I'm crossing my fingers.

I am happy to be beginning again. I have a few hopes for this new school year.

1. I will learn how to be "unapologetically" KARINA
2. I will feel confident in the choices I have made in educating my children.
3. I will treat myself like a caring mother would. Feed myself nutritious meals, take care of my body, get enough sleep, speak kind words and be encouraging.
4. I will learn to value my own opinion.
5. I will listen more intently to my children's needs.

As you can see, this year is mostly about ME. Selfish you say. No, not selfish, more like self-awareness, self-care, self-nourishment and self-discipline. My plan is to be an example of wholeness for my children. Freedom is our goal and when we are whole we are free from addictions of all kinds. Addictions to food, sleep, abusive people, fear, hate, and so many other idols that create bondage. I am setting out on a journey to more freedom and hopefully my kids will follow.

Unapologetically,
Karina

The Love of a Dog

Today has been a great learning experience. One that I do not wish on anyone. Our puppy (really our 2 year old dog) ran away with a dog friend yesterday. We have driven over 200km of gravel roads looking for the pair of adventurers since last night. It is painful to have him gone. My oldest son is taking it the hardest. Oscar is his puppy and you know how close a boy and his dog can become. I am finding it quite difficult as well.

I warned the kids before we got the dog how hard it can be when they leave, either from old age, accident or as we have now experienced, running away. I can only hope that he soon becomes uncomfortable, missing his soft couch and warm home, and finds his way back to us. I pray he finds his way home.

So is it worth loving a dog? Yes, I have to say the joy and the memories are worth it. When I was my oldest son's age I lost my dog too. She had to be put down because she was nipping at the neighborhood children. It took me a long time to forgive the man who made my dad put her down. This man owns the local gas station and I see him regularly. I can honestly say I don't even think of the hurt when I see him. It is completely healed. Maybe time does heal all things.

I remember my dog fondly and love that we had such a great bond. I hope to some day play with her again. I'm sure I will. If Oscar does not return, this hurt will heal as well, over time, and we will have the memories. But I sure do hope to hear his bark soon.

Karina

Three Cups of Tea - A Book Review

I have been on a fabulous journey lately and I thought I would share it with you. Have you ever felt drawn to a book? What I mean by that is this; you are browsing books in Costco or Chapters and a certain book stands out to you. You pick it up, read the back cover, think " hmmm sounds good, put it down and continue browsing. Next shopping trip you are browsing books in Superstore and the same book jumps out at you, you think "hmmm I remember that book, looks interesting but I have so much reading to do" and off you go to get your groceries. Finally you are browsing Chapters.ca just for fun and out pops this same book. "OK, OK, I'll buy you. Don't expect to be read anytime soon though." And so my journey began.

The title of the book that seemed to be stalking me is "Three Cups of Tea, One Man's Missions to Promote Peace.... One School at a Time." by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin. The book is the story of Greg Mortenson a mountaineer who stumbled upon the little village of Korphe in Northern Pakistan, starving and suffering from exposure after a failed attempt to reach the summit of K2 a daunting peak on the Pakistan/China border and his subsequent life mission of promoting peace one school at a time. I read this book like you drink a hot cup of tea. Little sips now and then. I found it to be heart-warming, and full of sadness all at the same time. This book challenged my assumptions of life in Central Asia, the people, the Taliban, the women and how peace is achieved. I learned about the customs, religious beliefs, and attitudes of the people of Pakistan and Afghanistan. I learned of their struggle to survive and also of their goodness. I feel now that I am a bit more culturally literate as to the way things work in that part of the world. I especially loved hearing how the people in this area reacted to 9/11. They reacted with sadness for those who lost loved ones, and they prayed for them.

Mortenson believes that education is the way to fight terriorism. He says, "If we try to resolve terrorism with military might and nothing else, then we will be no safer than we were before 9/11. If we truly want a legacy of peace for our children, we need to understand that this is a war that will ultimately be won with books, not with bombs." He was dedicated to providing education for all, including girls. He has accomplished his mission by building relationships. He said, "By building relationships, and getting a community to invest its own land and labor, we can construct and maintain a school for a generation that will educate thousands of children."

Mortenson was beloved by many Pakistan people at a time when hate for America was very prominent. He was welcomed into their villages and treated like family because of his humble, teachable manner. He sought first to understand and then to be understood. His integrity played an important part as well. The people could trust him. He kept his promises. His co-author describes the characteristics that led him to his success. Mortenson lacked ego, trusted his gut feelings, was steely- minded and seemed to "wing it". He also had enemies and flaws.

Reading this book has helped me to understand what it takes to be successful in carrying out a mission. I think we often think that a person needs to be perfect in order to do some good in this world. They must be a certain way in order to accomplish great things. As I learned about Mortenson's character I learned that this is a false assumption. Yes, he has developed great characteristics but he is still human. I do believe that his overriding character of humility and love is what predicts his success.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn more about fulfilling a mission or life purpose. I also recommend it to those who would like to understand some of what is happening in the Middle-East and how we might contribute to peace. There is also a children's version which I intend to buy so that I can share this great story with my children. If you have read this far, thank you for allowing me to try to articulate my feelings about this book. I also invite those who are talented in the area of editing to critique my grammer and punctuation. This is something I need help with and welcome any advice.Sincerely,Karina

Birthdays, why?

Why are birthdays so special? Mine has always felt like an after thought. Of course I was born on January 2, a time when everyone is tired of gifts and special days. Because of this experience I always try to make my kids birthdays special. This is not an easy task as the children seem to desire more each year. I'm glad there are others in their lives that help make the day a special occasion.

A dinner out is a nice way to celebrate a birthday. On the ages of 8 and 12 we take our children to a very fancy restaurant. It is our way of saying, YOU ARE SPECIAL TO US. On other birthdays we will also take the kids out for dinner to Tony Romas which gives free meals to the birthday child. It gives the kids practice eating in public and helps them practice their manners.

Sometimes circumstances postpone the dinner. Adam's birthday was in September. About the same time by husband's grandfather passed away. 6 months later Adam got his fancy 8th birthday dinner out at Ric's Grill at the top of the old Lethbridge Watertower. Maybe this meant even more to him than if we had taken him out on his birthday. It may even be easier to remember. I hope they remember. I hope they know how much we love them.

Isn't that why we celebrate birthdays. We celebrate the day the person came into our lives and in doing so express our love for them. Birthdays are important and I want to continue our little traditions long into the adult lives of our children so that each year they are reminded of how special they are to the people who chose to bring them into this world.

Now if I can just remember these thoughts when a dozen 11 and 12 year old girls are giggling after midnight and all I want to do is sleep. The theory and the reality are sometimes very different but the result is the same. A child has concrete proof that they are special.

8 Habits I'm Learning About

Such a long time since I have posted anything. I feel like I am just coming out of an intense fog or some sort of hibernation. I almost forgot about this blog and what its purpose was. The search for an understanding of freedom and how to impart this knowledge to my children.

I was introduced to a book called ," The 7 Habits of Happy Kids" by Sean Covey. A tremendous children's book that illustrates Stephen Covey's 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. As a family, we have been studying the 7 Habits and I have been trying to implement them into our family culture. Here are the 7 Habits:

1. Be Proactive: You are in Charge.
2. Begin with the End in Mind: Have a plan.
3. First Things First
4. Think Win-Win
5. Seek first to Understand, then to be Understood
6. Synergize: Work as a Team
7. Sharpen the Saw

I am now reading the book, " The 8th Habit" by Stephen Covey. The 8th habit is to Find Your Voice and to inspire others to find their voice.

Can you imagine the freedom that comes from implementing these habits. At this point, the habits are giving me a language in which to guide my family. When the kids are bored I can say, "Be Proactive: You are in Charge". When the boys need to clean their room I can say, "Let's Synergize". I am loving this new change in our family and I have great hopes for the positive feelings that can envelop our family if we practice these habits.