You know your children are schooled at home when...

My girls have been taking their end-of-year tests this week. It's been fairly entertaining for me. You can tell we've not done much standardized testing - in the past, they've taken the Woodcock-Johnson test, which is nothing like the fill-in-the-bubble kind they took this year.

Yesterday, I saw Abbie come out and get her iPad. I asked, "Are you done with your test, Sweetie?"

She said, "No, I need to look up what 'perpendicular' means."

I got to explain that if she doesn't know something, that's fine, but she can't look things up while she's taking the test. She was not amused.

Today, I heard the girls talking and went in to tell them they needed to be quiet.

"Emma's just explaining how to factor and cancel," says Abbie.

I tried very hard to keep a straight face, and told them they are not allowed to help each other on their tests, either. The looks they gave me were priceless - they were aghast. Emma informed me that she is against testing. If she only knew, right?

Isaac wants to spend lots of time outdoors, and I'm trying to make sure he can do that as much as possible, which means I get to go, too. This is not my favorite time of year for out-of-doors adventures, but it's not as hot and humid now as it's going to be in July and August, so I go. This morning, he wanted to dig up the dirt where our little pool used to be, because he has a plan to lay a foundation with our friend Jeremy. (Jeremy is an adult friend who mulched our flower beds and has done some other landscaping for us, and he let Isaac help him. He's always amused by the plans Isaac makes for them.)

Then, we had to go explore "The Woods." "The Woods" are a small line of trees and brush between our house and the neighbors. We had a dead tree fall across our driveway last week, so he wanted to go look for more dead trees. Then he found a small, gnarled dogwood tree with a really big vine crawling up through it, and discovered he could sort of climb it. This afternoon, we got to go back out and look for more climbing trees. Alas, we don't have any that are good for climbing. Poor boy. He worked hard to climb what we have, though!

WhenI told him it was time to come in, he asked if we could please do "just one more thing." He wanted to go on a nature walk. I agreed. He said, "You know, Mom, part of a nature walk is finding out what things are." Yes, son, I know this. I thought he might want to identify things and was debating running in for an insect book when he said, "Oh, look, this is a stick. And look over here! Another stick!" We spent a few minutes finding interesting sticks and even found one that looks like a gun. He said, "This was the best nature walk, EVER!"

REVIEW: Prima Latina from Memoria Press

I have wanted to teach Latin to my girls for years, but have felt strangely intimidated by it. I have no idea where my fears came from; I love languages, have a degree in linguistics, and know quite a bit of French and some Spanish. Latin should have been a no-brainer, but for some reason, it wasn't. My girls were resistant to the idea, too, so it was easier to avoid it altogether.

When the opportunity arose to review Prima Latina from Memoria Press, I decided the time had come to give Latin a try. Although the program is geared toward students in grades 2-4, and my girls are in 6th and 7th grades this year, I thought it would be a gentle, low-stress introduction to Latin, and it has proved to be just that.

We received the complete set (priced at $90.90) from Memoria Press, including the teacher's manual, student book, flash cards, DVDs, and pronunciation CD. I was able to obtain a second workbook from a friend so each girl had one to use. The workbook is printed in two colors (see a sample here), and the pages are nice and uncluttered, with plenty of room to write. The teacher's manual (sample here) has the entire student book with answers, as well as teaching tips, a vocabulary drill sheet to copy, tests, and answer keys. The flash cards contain all the vocabulary words in Prima Latina, as well as all the words you would need for the next program in the series, Lingua Latina. The pronunciation CD contains all the words from each lesson, as well as 4 hymns from Lingua Angelica, Memoria Press' Latin reading and translation course.

Prima Latina is an introduction to Christian Latin, which means that students learn ecclesiastical pronunciation. (If you're interested, there is a nice post about the differences between ecclesiastical and classical Latin here.) The program consists of 25 lessons, with a review scheduled after every set of 5 lessons. Students learn 5 vocabulary words in each lesson, along with their English derivatives, as well as a practical Latin phrase, and one line of a prayer. They will have learned an entire prayer by the end of every 5 lessons.

The DVD is truly the pièce de resistance. It contains 9 hours of instructional videos, done by Leigh Lowe, author of the program. She speaks to the students, and encourages them to interact with her. It was fun for me to listen to the girls repeating things back to her, and having them engage orally made it much easier for them to retain the information they learned.

I was able to assign the girls to watch the DVD and complete the workbook pages for each exercise, and since they are older, they completed 3-4 lessons per week. They would never admit it, but I think they had fun. I loved the vocabulary and the English derivatives—it helped them make great connections with both languages. My favorite part, though, was learning the prayers, particularly the Gloria Patri. I can still hear the Gloria Patri in English in my head, from the years we attended a Lutheran church. I've found myself appreciating hymns and liturgy more and more, and for some reason, learning the Gloria Patri in Latin has been a precious, precious experience.

My goal with using Prima Latina was to introduce my girls to Latin, so they would be ready for a more age-appropriate program in the fall. We've accomplished that, and it's gone very well. We will be continuing with it through the summer, and I look forward to using the program with my son in a couple of years. If you're looking for a Latin program for younger children, or even for older children with some angst about Latin, Prima Latina is a great place to start.

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REVIEW - Logo Adventures from Motherboard Books

Have you ever taken a computer programming class? I did once, in college. I had no idea what I was doing. It was not one of my more stellar moments, I confess.

When the opportunity arose through the Schoolhouse Crew to review Logo Adventures from Motherboard Books, I was intrigued - and a little anxious. I certainly did not feel qualified to teach any kind of programming. However, Phyllis Wheeler, the author of the program, is not only a mechanical engineer with programming experience, she is a fellow homeschool mom. She has developed products to fill a need for homeschoolers looking for computer curriculum. She made sure they were accessible to parents who might not have extensive (or any) background in computers.

Here is a great thing: when I received my copy of Logo Adventures, I found that it is written so students can work independently! Also, I have a computer-savvy husband, so he has been the teacher for the material these past few weeks. Here is what he had to say:

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I was excited to have the opportunity to work with my girls on learning the basic skills of computer programming. I learned BASIC long ago on an Apple ][+, and have used those skills many times over in school and my job. I had never heard or used Logo before, so I was learning too!

Installing the included MicroWorlds EX Logo environment was smooth, and we were up and running quickly. It runs on Mac or Windows so everyone can enjoy the fun.

Logo Adventures does a great job of introducing Logo to new users. Logo is a neat first programming language due to the instant graphical feedback. It takes the concepts of programming, including sub-routines and if/then statements, and brings them to a graphical media that is fun to observe. The Logo interpreter provides instant feedback to the issued commands, making the language easy to learn and use.

The first few lessons went quickly, as the girls easily picked up the basics of Logo. The mix of graphics with the programming really kept the interest of both girls through the introduction. Also, the some of the well-placed questions in the lessons would lead them to some really cool patterns, which would then lead them to experiment further.

Here are some screen shots of the work they did:  

Abbie's practice drawing a triangle, with some variations:

My eldest likes to be colorful:

Each lesson was progressively more difficult. There are a couple of projects, each a couple of chapters long, completing the book. We did not finish the projects before this review, but I will certainly be continuing this until we do get through them.

Logo Adventures teaches the basics of computer programming, and introduces the logic needed to be successful at it. I have found the lessons enjoyable myself, and the girls have found them fun and challenging. There were days where the "Logo Laptop" was very heavily used at the expense of other subjects, to the dismay of my wife, who would have liked to see a little more work in some of their other subjects.

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Well, there you have it - a review from someone who knows about computer programming! My girls really do enjoy working in Logo. It was hard to get them off the computer sometimes, and on to other things. My older girl is somewhat averse to anything that makes her think through things carefully, which Logo did - but she kept with it. I know what a difficult time I had with a very basic computer programming experience when I was in college, so I am thrilled that the girls have had this introduction. I believe it will ease their way into any other programming skills they decide to learn later on, because now they know they CAN do it and it's not excessively difficult. Also, they enjoyed it, which is not something I can say about my own programming experience. They were excited to share their work with their dad and me, and that means a lot.

The details:

Logo Adventures come as a spiral-bound book with the answer key in the back. We were instructed to tear out the answer before giving the book to the girls. Obviously, Ms. Wheeler has met my oldest child. :-) The book also comes with the MicroWorlds EX installation CD, which installed easily onto the little Apple laptop the girls used, as Todd mentioned above. The system requirements are Windows XP/Vista/7/8, and Mac OS X Version 10.4 or higher. 

This program is available from Motherboard Books for $129.99. It's intended for children ages 8-12, and works well for younger children because there are no variables used; however, my 13 year old daughter was engaged and challenged by the lessons, so if you have older children who've never been exposed to programming, I think it's a nice intro for them too. It's also an excellent introduction to reasoning, and is another reason I was excited to review the product. I didn't tell the girls they were going to learn good reasoning skills; they were excited to be doing something fun and connecting with their dad.

My family really enjoyed using Logo Adventures. If you're looking for computer programming curriculum that's easy to teach and fun for the students, look no further!

Click here to read more reviews from the Schoolhouse Crew!

Shower the People You Love with Love

News of a tragedy has left me heartbroken this week. I'm sorry to be vague, but I can't share the details.

Take time to tell those you love how much they mean to you. When someone makes this world a better place, makes the sun shine a little more brightly, be sure to let them know. Truly, you never know when your last chance to do so will be.

I saw this quote on Facebook yesterday:

Encourage someone today. Be an angel to somebody today. Be a blessing to those who deserve it and those who do not, because you may never know whose life you are turning around. Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.  

I know you've seen those "pay it forward" things - how one act of kindness can grow into something so beautiful it takes your breath away; and how one person reacting badly can start a spiral of ugliness that is also breathtaking in its tragedy.

So. Make an effort to bless someone--with a smile, with a word of thanks, with a helping hand. Perhaps you can forgive, let go of a grudge, restore a relationship. You will never regret reaching out in love.

New from TOS - Schoolhouse Library!

The folks at The Old Schoolhouse Magazine have put together a great library of digital resources for homeschoolers! There are more than 175 items available, including audio books, blackline maps, ebooks, lapbooks, video, and more. It's a fantastic price, too! Check it out!

Schoolhouse Library

MOLLY CREW REVIEW: Simplified Pantry

As a member of the Schoolhouse Review Crew, I received three ebooks from Simplified Pantry to review, and chose to focus on Paperless Organization:

I'm sure you've heard the term "paperless organziation" - the idea is to stop printing everything from articles to receipts, and instead develop a system that makes them available to you electronically. My husband is working toward going paperless for the things he does for our home, and I know he would love it if I could do the same. It has always seemed a little overwhelming to me, though, so I haven't done much before now to that end. I am constantly printing things that I'd like to read later, but what usually happens is I get piles of paper that are messy and disorganized - not to mention unread.

Have you ever made a home management binder? I have. I still have it, in fact - it moved with me from our previous house, over three years ago. It was a lot of fun to print all that stuff and put it in a notebook. It's so pretty! I have not looked at it much, except sometimes when I'm cleaning my room when I run across it and think, "Oh, yeah, I did have this, didn't I?" I haven't updated the information in it and it just needs to be taken apart and recycled at this point.

Mystie Winckler, the author of Paperless Organization, is a busy homeschool mom of three who works hard to maintain an orderly and harmonious home. She found, after her third child was born, that she needed to simplify things like grocery shopping and meal planning. She had a home management binder, but found it too bulky and time-consuming. As a fellow homeschooler, she knows what our days look like, and how little time we have to spare. She developed these ebooks from her own efforts to keep her home running smoothly. She blogs at her Simplified Pantry site, as well as at Simply Convivial, about how she implements what she's written in her ebooks.

Mystie's book on paperless organization describes her electronic version of a home management binder. She explains what organization is, and what it isn't - along with the wisdom that one cannot truly "get ahead" with organization, one can merely keep up with it, like treading water. I think that's been part of my mental block about organization: I can't make it instantly perfect, and it's going to take consistent effort to keep on top of it.

She recommends using some free, online tools and their corresponding apps for wireless devices. She also explains exactly how to use them, which is SO helpful. She gives examples of setting up your calendar, to-do lists, daily schedules for home and homeschool, and so much more. Her system is based on the principles in the book, Getting Things Done by David Allen. I haven't read it, but I plan to do so.

The first thing I did was create accounts in the three programs she recommends, if I didn't already have one: Evernote, Remember the Milk and Google (mail and calendar). Evernote is free, but in order to access your notes without internet access, you have to upgrade to a premium account ($45 for 1 year). Another option is to use Simplenote for your shopping lists. I opted to sign up for Simplenote, for now. Once my accounts were set up, I started working through her instructions.

Setting up mail filters and Remember the Milk were both pretty simple. I have tweaked the system a bit - I use Apple Mail, because I have more than one email account, and all my email collects there. I did learn how to apply filters in Apple Mail, which is something Mystie recommends, to file away email I need to keep but don't necessarily need to see, like order receipts. Also, shortly before I received this ebook, I started using Cozi as my calendar, and I like it, so I'm going to continue with it.

Evernote takes quite a bit more time. I had signed up for an account previously, but had no idea how to use it. Mystie's book has made that so much simpler! She showed me how to use features of this program I didn't even know were there - like stacks. She explained how Evernote works like an electronic notebook, and it makes ever so much more sense now. She walks through using Evernote as a filing cabinet, a home management system, a homeschool system, and a blogging system. I'm still working on getting all my stuff set up, but I really like her method. She has created some templates for things like To Do lists, which you can access and use as they are, or tweak to suit yourself.

Here's a picture of Evernote on my iPad:

Like any new system, implementing it and keeping it up takes time. It's worth it, though, to have less paper making a mess in my house, and to have everything available at my fingertips in one place. This is a great system, and it's certainly making my life easier, even with the learning curve to get it up and running.

In addition to Paperless Organization, Mystie has two other ebooks available:

Simplified Dinners:

and Simplified Dinners Gluten/Dairy Free:

These two books show you how to keep staple ingredients on-hand for easy dinner planning and prep. They contain the same recipes, with modifications on the gluten/dairy free book. The recipes included are:

• Slow-Cooker Roasts
• Slow Cooker, No-Defrost Chicken Pieces
• Chicken-in-a-Pot
• Skillet Cutlets with Pan Sauces
• Marinades for Grilling or Broiling
• Foil-Packet Fish
• Stovetop Pasta
• Bean Pots
• Fajitas
• Quesadillas
• Taco Bar
• Burritos or Enchiladas
• Taquitos
• Frittata
• Oven Omelette
• Pizza
• Simple Stir-Fry
• Potato Hash
• Baked Potato Bar
• Bean Soups
• Stews
• Blended Vegetable Soups
• Quick Soups
• Main Dish Salads
• Vegetable Side Dishes
• Salads
• Starch Side Dishes

Each book includes a master pantry list, and a menu planning chart. She recommends keeping your recipe list limited for ease of shopping and preparation. Her statement is that limitations bring freedom - you make very few decisions on the spot in the store, and knowing what you need and don't  need allows you to walk through the grocery store without stressing. Her system in these books works really well with her Paperless Organization system - imagine that. ;-)

All three of Mystie's ebooks are available at her website, Simplified Pantry. You can choose PDF or Kindle format for your files. Paperless Organization is $3.99, and each of the cookbooks is $12.99. 

Mystie is offering a special right now: 30% off when you enter TOS2013 at checkout! 

The discount will work on any or all of my eBooks, from May 20 through June 3rd. This makes it a GREAT time to try her books. You won't be sorry!

Click to read more reviews from the Schoolhouse Crew!

The Beginnings of My Library

I don't know if I've mentioned it here before, but I'm working towards opening a library of living books in my home. I was inspired last summer by the wonderful women at Living Books Library in Virgina, Elizabeth Cotrill and Emily Kiser.

I have always loved books, and since starting my journey with living books thanks to Charlotte Mason, I want to share them with other people too. My friends laugh at how obsessive I can be about books, so I thought I'd share some pictures of what I'm doing.

In the pictures above, you see some of my collection, beginning with the top left and going clockwise:

1. Some of the books I need to enter into my database
2. Books that have been entered, but need to be sorted to see if they need repair
3. Books in various stages of repair
4. Books that don't need repair, might need a label removed, but are mostly just waiting for bar codes

What is a living book, you might ask? A living book is one that "conveys truth in beautiful language," according to Liz an Emily. It will most likely be written by one author who is passionate about the topic, often in narrative form. A living book is one that will help a child form a relationship with its subject. There is an excellent article on living books from Simply Charlotte Mason here.

Where do I find all these books? Well, I go to library sales when I can, and have found some great things - my best deal to date was a copy of Andy and the Circus by Ellis Credle for $1! That's a book listed in a popular homeschool curriculum called Five in a Row. It's out of print and can be very hard to find. As I type this, the cheapest copy on Amazon is $58.

I make lots of little trips to the local thrift shops, and am continually amazed by what I find there. My family takes an annual trip to Michigan, and my favorite part is visiting the thrift shops in Marquette. I always find TONS of books up there. I am glad people donate their treasures, but I always feel a little bit sad that they've let go of something so wonderful. I also go to used book stores when I can, but there aren't many of those in my area.

I keep an eye on what other homeschoolers are selling - I have some friends who hit library sales in their area and then decide to part with some of their treasures.

"Kerri the Book lady" comes to the Charlotte Mason conference each year, and she spends the rest of the year combing book sales for living books. She brings what she finds to sell at the conference and I come home with quite a stack from her inventory every time.

So, how do I know what specific titles I'm looking for?

For starters, I've been using the Ambleside Online curriculum for several years now with my girls, and they have book lists for each year. There isn't a bad book among them. I try to collect those whenever I can.

There are many books about books out there - you may have heard of Honey for a Child's Heart by Gladys Hunt, Books Children Love by Elizabeth Laraway Wilson, or The Read-Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease. These are all excellent references for good books. My favorites, though, are Who Should We Then Read? Vols. 1 and 2 by Jan Bloom. Jan discovered wonderful books as a child, and home educated her own children with living books. Together with her friends Karen and Mari, she compiled her two amazing books, which include lists of authors with a short bio for each and their entire bibliography. She printed them as spiral-bound, half-page sized books, easily portable. They might not contain every good book, but they certainly contain quite a number of them, and I carry them in my purse when I go book shopping and refer to them whenever I have a question about an author. I try to highlight the titles I already own, so I don't repeat purchases, but I'm a little behind on that.

Another source for wonderful living books is Truthquest History. Michelle Miller has put together a wonderful history curriculum, with lists of living books for each topic, for multiple ages. I've been going through the lists in her American History for Young Students I (Exploration to 1800) and looking for books to read with Isaac this coming fall. Michelle also runs the Children's Preservation Library in Michigan.

I don't pretend to know everything there is to know about living books. Far from it! I'm learning as a go, and am so grateful for the resources available. There is a Yahoo! group for homeschool librarians, where several people who either already have libraries or are hoping to start them share their knowledge and ideas. The amazing people who attend the Charlotte Mason conference are willing to help too.  The mission - and it is a mission - to share living books is alive and well.