•11:07 AM
We started using a new art book called the Usborne Complete Book of Art Ideas. I've had it around here, but haven't put it into use.
So, we decided to pull out our art supplies. What a mess! I have a huge box of crayons that used to be several separate boxes. The crayons were discouraging for the kids to use because they could never find the color they needed. So, I pulled out a plastic drawer from one of our organizers, found some cardboard and cut it to make dividers in the box. Then, we sorted by color family.... kind of. Reds, pinks, oranges, browns, yellows, blues, greens, purples, grays, whites, blacks and metallics. They're much more excited about using the crayons now!
On another note, Daniel is enjoying math activities. Talley sticks, matching and order, and abacus. His reading is coming along well, too.
I'm learning that you really have to have fun with your kids if you want them to learn. Some of my greatest learning experiences were with teachers who had a love for teaching and learning and having fun with it all. I will never forget those teachers.
In other classes (which sadly was the majority of my elementary and middle school classes), the teachers did not have a heart for the children or the subjects. I often wonder what happened to them. They must have had some reason for wanting to teach, but they were always in a bad mood. They must have had to become hard shelled due to educational politics or one too many kids disrespecting them. I don't know.
As parents, we are the natural teachers for our children. We love them like no other person can.
A close friend of ours recently asked me if I thought it was right for a child to see their parent also as their teacher. I was totally confused by the question. It made no sense to me. Don't we teach our children about every other aspect of life? When children come home from the educational institution, aren't parents expected to do homework with their children? What's the difference here? It just seems more natural to me for children to learn from their parents than from anyone else as they did for thousands of years before government enforced institutionalized schools were created. I have nothing against other methods of education. If we faced the possibility of having to place our kids in public or private school, I'm sure things would turn out fine. I'd be involved as much as possible and that's what makes a difference in the education of our kids.
I'd love to read your comments on this if you'd like to post. Positive and negative perspectives are welcome.
So, we decided to pull out our art supplies. What a mess! I have a huge box of crayons that used to be several separate boxes. The crayons were discouraging for the kids to use because they could never find the color they needed. So, I pulled out a plastic drawer from one of our organizers, found some cardboard and cut it to make dividers in the box. Then, we sorted by color family.... kind of. Reds, pinks, oranges, browns, yellows, blues, greens, purples, grays, whites, blacks and metallics. They're much more excited about using the crayons now!
On another note, Daniel is enjoying math activities. Talley sticks, matching and order, and abacus. His reading is coming along well, too. 
I'm learning that you really have to have fun with your kids if you want them to learn. Some of my greatest learning experiences were with teachers who had a love for teaching and learning and having fun with it all. I will never forget those teachers. In other classes (which sadly was the majority of my elementary and middle school classes), the teachers did not have a heart for the children or the subjects. I often wonder what happened to them. They must have had some reason for wanting to teach, but they were always in a bad mood. They must have had to become hard shelled due to educational politics or one too many kids disrespecting them. I don't know.
As parents, we are the natural teachers for our children. We love them like no other person can.
A close friend of ours recently asked me if I thought it was right for a child to see their parent also as their teacher. I was totally confused by the question. It made no sense to me. Don't we teach our children about every other aspect of life? When children come home from the educational institution, aren't parents expected to do homework with their children? What's the difference here? It just seems more natural to me for children to learn from their parents than from anyone else as they did for thousands of years before government enforced institutionalized schools were created. I have nothing against other methods of education. If we faced the possibility of having to place our kids in public or private school, I'm sure things would turn out fine. I'd be involved as much as possible and that's what makes a difference in the education of our kids.
I'd love to read your comments on this if you'd like to post. Positive and negative perspectives are welcome.
