3 Things They CAN Do On Their Own

Doing on their own is a glorious moment for parents and children. 

Parents welcome the growing independence (well, for the most part) and children gain confidence and a sense of contribution. 

With eight very different children, adult to infant, we have experienced these milestones at varying times. There have been no two identical developmental time tables. Yes, there are milestone guidelines, but what takes one four-year-old child six months to practice and master may take another three weeks. Both four year olds achieved the milestone, but with different processes and progress. That is the beauty of life, unique and individual.

With all their distinctive characteristics, there are wonderful ways these littles could be independent, work on their own, with some guidance and forethought from us.

One- They can process and participate in decisions. 

In doing so they can independence and confidence, two important aspects of future growth and development. Participation in decisions also gives them age appropriate control, again important to growth. Participation in decisions also gives them opportunity to gain important life skills: cause and effect, collaboration, cooperation, and conversation. 

Two- They can be a part of the family helping team. 

Just as processing and participating in decisions, children gain independence and confidence when they realize they can contribute to a cause bigger than one person can manage. They realize their contribution makes a difference in others lives. Setting the table, gathering and emptying smaller trash cans into one large one, folding laundry, watering flowerbeds, washing a car, and many other life skills. Our family members have come to realize, when we work together, completion and care are quicker and there is more time for play and entertainment. Children thrive when they feel like a part of a bigger team effort; they feel a sense of camaraderie and community life skills which will later be used outside the family unit.

Three - They can care for many of their physical needs

Tooth brushing, putting dirty dinner plate in the dishwasher, placing shoes by the front door, replacing borrowed library items to a library bin, putting laundry away; these are all practical ways littles can care for themselves. If parents repeatedly do for the child what he can do for himself, self-governance and responsibility will be delayed. Delayed too long has huge life impacting consequences. 

An older, wiser mom once told me, "You are supposed be working yourself out of job!" 

Yep, I have, and I am. It is hard work, but a work worth the effort, many times over.

Littles (and not so littles) are very capable of doing for themselves. When I allow them, they can say, "I CAN!" with confidence which perpetuates ingenuity and  fosters responsibility; three vital life skills children need in their life tool box. What begins with putting away laundry and brushing teeth progresses to driving a car, building a marriage, and eventually parenting another generation. 

 It is hard work, but a work worth the effort, many times over.

Old Magazines Become Interest-Driven Math Tools

Torn Paper Rainbows

"Cheryl, take the kids out to see the double rainbow!" 

Mom called, encouraged.

Out we went. Raindrops continued to fall. 

Sun brilliantly overcoming wet shadows. 

Children and I look up, mesmerized, awed!

Like a fresh watercolor. Radiant.

Learning moment launched.

"I want to make a rainbow!"

Pulling from my mind activity file, construction paper colors gathered. Glue found. 

Together, thirty minutes, tearing paper-- fine motor strengthed--a colorful paper rainbow appeared. 

Mesmerized, awed. 

"Mom, look what we created!"

A together moment. A learning moment. 

And a rainbow gleaming through water droplets started the process.

It was simple and it was glorious. 

Middle and High School Learning Environments

Though summer annual evaluation season ended a few weeks ago, I will continue posting frequently asked questions to help equip and empower parents. Knowledge in the high school years is power and adds confidence to the journey.

Recently in our area there seems to be limited diversity in learning environments for middle and high schoolers. Many venues provide only traditional classroom settings or online meetings. This is not the best setting for my child. What other opportunities are available and acceptable?

This is a tremendous question with valid concerns.

First, check the home education laws in your state

Second, having some experience with online learning is beneficial. Online education is growing. It did prepare our graduates for post-secondary education.

Those points being said...

Home educated middle and high schoolers have the opportunity to partake in a variety of learning environments; a definite advantage over their public and private schooled peers.

Our middle and high school students learn widely from a variety of environments. One started a business and learned on the job, everywhere from church fellowship hall craft shows to convention trade show floors. Another learned from independent study, volunteering, and conversation from professionals in the field. Still another learn from contractors, field work, job shadowing, and collaboration with peers. Our home education statute allowed us the freedom to utilize these means. We are all grateful we could fit learning with learning style and student interest.

When designing courses or considering courses for middle or high schoolers the learning environment is essential and often dependent on the learning style and strengths of the individual. For example, if the student learns best by observation, perhaps best fit environments would include laboratory settings, field work, internships, job shadowing, or apprenticeship. In these settings, the student can observe to learn. If the student is an auditory learner the best settings may be research laboratories or classroom instruction.

When the course is complete, if our students were applying for a university requesting course descriptions in addition to a transcript, I made sure to be specific about which environments the student used. Often the environments, being different than a typical classroom or online setting, were intriguing.

Yes, the reward was worth the effort. The contents of the course descriptions, transcripts and cumulative folder were the documents which set a solid foundation for resume writing.

And in the end, as we--student and parent--looked over documents, the accomplishment was a part of our celebration of high school and the ability to finish with excellence.

As you consider the potential learning environments your learner may have access to, ponder how those opportunities may benefit your young adult. The results can be astounding.

Purchase Celebrate High School: Finish with Excellence.

Magnificent, Make-A-Difference Middle School

Celebrating high school begins in middle school. Given opportunities to develop strengths and interests, the middle school years and their subsequent experiences set the stage for future decisions. Decisions move middle schoolers forward, or set them back,

Middle schoolers need coaches, cheerleaders, people to cheer them on, answer their questions, affirm their successes, and come alongside when ideas fail. Like adults, middle (and high schoolers) gravitate toward sources or encouragement and affirmation.

Our experience is that middle and high schoolers will hang out most with those who encourage and affirm them best. 

Mike and I were (and still are with our current middle and high schoolers) intentional to champion their interests. As a result we were (are) invited into their successes and their messes!

Middle schoolers need help understanding themselves. Mike and I have learned that before we can help our middle and high school young adults understand themselves, we must know them! To know them, we must spend time with them (even when it's hard to be with them). Spending time means observing, listening, and asking. We watch how they respond in both stressful and rewarding circumstances. We observe what activities they enjoy and what makes them smile. Body language and verbal responses are windows into their hearts. What they read expresses their interests. Who our children talk about gives us understanding into the character they emulate or respect. Knowing our children takes diligence and purpose, but is deserving of my time and energy.  

When we come to know our children--what motivates, intrigues, and captivates them--we can begin to help them understand themselves. 

Middle schoolers want to make a difference. Middle schoolers need time and experiences to help them understand who the are and what they can contribute to the family, community, nation, and the world.

They need something to ponder, practice, and pursue, a way to make a difference. 

Making a difference they feel the satisfaction of collaborating and contributing, serving and giving.

Middle schoolers need help managing their time. Several facets of life motivate middle and high schoolers to manage their time: knowing they have skills to solve a problems, having a project to complete or understanding their skills can contribute to a cause. When these aspects are discovered and fostered, managing their time matters.

Time management is a necessity for accomplishment.

Middle schoolers encouragement for organization. Middle schoolers are not usually naturally organized. They usually need parents to help them brainstorm ideas. They need someone to take them shopping for organizers.

Organization is often key to time management. 

Middle schoolers need help finding and using resources. Middle schoolers have ideas and interests they want to pursue. There are things they want to build, books they want to write, businesses they want to start, logos they want to design, and fish they want to catch. Resources, tools, and significant people put those ideas and interests in motion. One of the greatest resources is time--time to process, time to think, time to talk through ideas. In and through conversation and experience, middle schoolers learn to plan, design, analyze, and evaluate, all which work together for understanding.

Without time, these key life skills cannot develop. 

Middle and high school young adults are really not any different than adults. 

Adults thrive when they understand their strengths and have the freedom to grow in those strengths, when they have people to help them process ideas and adults, when they have access o necessary tools and resources to carry out the plan, and when they are surrounded by supportive family and friends. 

Middle schoolers will surprise you! Middle school years have great potential to directly impact a student's entrepreneurial ventures, employment, or college and career path by offering options of promising study. Be ready for your middle schoolers to surprise you! Ours have surprised us many times with their ideas and plans. They had solutions we had not discovered, insight we could not see. Theirs were not only better, but because they "owned" the plans, they were more excited and successful in executing the steps to reach their goals.

This content is excerpted from the new expanded edition of Cheryl's book,  Celebrate High School: Finish with Excellence, A Guide for Middle and High School Home Education.  You can order a copy of this book by emailing Cheryl at cheryl@cherylbastian.com. This book will also soon be available on Amazon.

Cheryl will present Celebrate Middle School at the 2016 FPEA Convention. 

Bowling Lessons, Mom Style

Family bowling day. 

Love the summer kids bowl free program. Our busy week had branched us out, but today we gathered together, to reset, to enjoy one another. As I watched each child approach, toss, and celebrate their frames, I reflected on my motherhood journey.

I reflected:

• High five when they score a turkey...and when only one pin falls. Each pin is worth celebrating!
• Sometimes you have to use strategy. Other times use the ramp to guide the ball.

• Love your husband well, even if the ball rolls to the gutter. No doubt there was effort behind the throw even if the end result was not what was intended.
• One person's three pin is an another person's strike; everyone is unique. Celebrate the individual, not just the accomplishment.
• Use the bumpers (a.k.a support network) when needed...and be willing to be someone else's bumper.
• Everyone needs encouragement, even the pro bowler (a.k.a veteran mother)
• Don't head to retirement too early; there is always a beginner needing some tips and hints to the game.

• Use the right size ball for YOU. Heavier balls, ones suited for someone else can cause injury.
• Approach the lane confidently...and focus on the pins.
• Adapt your approach to your game. Some bowlers walk methodically and launch, others walk to the line and throw. Each approach is unique to the bowler.
• Don't let the one pin left standing discourage your game. There is a reset button.

Family bowling day. A day of family togetherness and learning, for all ages, bowlers and non-bowlers. A day well-spent. 

Real-Life Learning: Teaching Elapsed Time

"Mom, can I use your phone?"

"We want to see how long it takes to get home!"

Elapsed time. A very abstract concept for a concrete six-year-old learner. The concept is often taught on paper with a story problem:

Emily is baking chocolate cake. The cake must bake for 38 minutes. If Emily puts the cake in the oven at 2:15 pm, what time will she need to take the cake out of the oven?

Most children learn elapsed time by this manner. This is a necessary piece of the elapsed time puzzle. However, there is another piece many parents and teachers miss. Internal, personal understanding of elapsed time is not something that can taught on paper. It must be experienced, not just once, but many times. Understanding this part of the elapsed time concept is a necessity for life. Without it, time management is nearly impossible.

"Don't start the car yet! I have to set the time. When I tell you, turn the key."

Seconds later I was told to start the car. The stop watch on my phone ticking away, I pulled out of the parking space. Heads craned around confining seat belts (though we were excited about learning, I reminded learners they must remain in their seat belts). Shouts of learning excitement filled the car.

"It's two minutes thirty seconds!" An older learner shouted. Little learner listened, as the digital numbers were read orally; another important skill.

"Now it's four minutes twenty-nine seconds!"

Six minutes forty-two seconds later, we pulled in the driveway. 

We experienced lapsed time, visually, auditorily, and kinesthetically.

We unpacked groceries and learners had more ideas:

• How long will it take to fill a gallon milk jug with water, faucet open as far as possible?
• How long will it take for a marble to roll down the KNEX ramp?
• How long will it take me to get dressed?
• How long will it take for water to boil?
• How long will it take for the clothes to dry in the dryer?  or Is the time on the dryer dial accurate?
• How long will it take for us to get to the library? Does it take longer to go to the library than to the grocery store? (Comparison of time is the next level of elapsed time. Write down each elapsed digital time and subtract to find the difference.We do this every day! )

Teaching elapsed time can be fun and relative to life.

It can also help children and young adults plan their days well. Will I have enough time to brush my teeth and still read an extra paragraph before emptying the dishwasher for mom? Will I have time to stop for gas and still get to work on time? 

If you are looking for ways to make take math off paper for little learners ages 4 through 8, you may find A Month of Math: Measurement or A Month of Math: Geometry helpful resources.

Playing Store

Playing store. Growing up I played "store" or "restaurant" in the basement with my childhood friend. Her mom saved empty oatmeal containers, cereal boxes, plastic ketchup bottles, and any other container resembling our favorite foods. When a container couldn't be saved, we made our own paper food--fried eggs, bacon, tomatoes, lettuces. We also made our own menus (spelling and handwriting practice) and added prices on handmade receipts (math practice). With all the fun we had, we never once thought about the academic skills we were practicing!

Funny how some childhood games and activities cross generations. Years ago as a mom of two young boys, I saved their favorite food containers. We set up a small store along the wall of our already cramped kitchen. When I mopped the floor, empty boxes tumbled off make-shift shelves. When the boys were learning to add, I made the prices using single or double digits (yep, cheap cereal). Later when they learned dollars and cents (which was way before the textbook told us to...cause they wanted to learn), adding three digits was one of their favorite past times (adding decimals can be learned early if there is practical application and interest). They played for hours, practicing math skills, learning conversational/interpersonal communication in a natural, real-to-life scenario. Best of all, they learned to cooperate, take turns and defer to one another.

Fast forward 8 to 10 years, my daughters have taken "store" to a whole new level. For the past few years they have worked at building a "community" in our garage. And, yes, on the way to our extra fridge, I weave my way through the streets, pass the Buy One Get One signs (handmade) and eye the paper Mochachinos (they look so real my mouth waters).Shops have come and gone as interest waxes and wanes or neighbor children knock on the front door to play. It is fun to watch. On any given afternoon life-learning and role-playing take math and language arts concepts off the page and into mock-life experiences. I reminisce as I remember the relationships and practical learning that took place in a basement 35 years ago.

"Let Me Do It!"

Toddlers are industrious! They can accomplish much in a short time. Unloading cabinets. Emptying bags of flour for "snow". Unwinding tape rolls. But there is more...

Given a task, an important one, one they care about, they will accomplish much and feel incredibly empowered, eager for the next "job". Last night was one of those moments.

Mr. Red, the fish we inherited from great-grandma when she passed, needed a clean bowl. The water had become a science culture, I am sure, though I didn't test it. Poor Mr. Red! Sick children needed care. Mr. Red had to wait. I moved the fish bowl to the kitchen counter, near the sink, grabbed an extra large coffee cup from the cabinet, scooped Mr. Red into the cup, and within seconds was joined by our toddler who "wanted to help".

"Let me do it, too!"

What toddler doesn't like to play in water!

Mr. Red was swimming happily in the coffee cup I placed out of reach. I dumped the yucky water and poured the rocks and stones into water to be washed. Chair pushed to the sink, smiling toddler turned on water and began cleaning rocks.

Thirty minutes later, the toddler had cleaned every rock and placed all of them back in the bowl. She was so proud to contribute, to care for our beloved Mr. Red. She knew she could be a productive, contributing member of the family, accomplishing tasks of importance. Her smile spanned ear to ear, dimples dotting each corner.

My toddler is like me. She wants to contribute. She wants to serve, to care. In doing so, she catches a glimpse of the much bigger picture, one much bigger than herself. What started as "let me do it!" ended with "I like being a part of a family!"

How can your child contribute? How can he or she make a difference and catch a glimpse of a greater community? Imagine the possibilities!

• help organize the pantry, cylinder cans on one shelf, rectangular boxes on another. 
• water the plants, inside or out, with a pump spray bottle (great for fine motor skills)
• fold washcloths in half and half again
• match socks
• sort laundry
• organize the plastic container cabinet
• sort coins- pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters
• roll coins (get paper rolls at the bank)
• make sandwiches (spreading is a great skill)
• empty bathroom trash cans into the larger garbage can
• carry hampers to the laundry room
• make cookies (with supervision and help)
• help put seeds in seed beds
• help wash the car (and clean out the inside)
• put library books in the bag to go to the library

Spelling and Hair Cuts

"Mom, can I go with you to your haircut?"

Sure. Impromptu date with one of my littles. Who could pass up such an opportunity?

On the car ride to the salon, the little discovered she had a small tablet and pencil in her "purse". She pulled it out and exclaimed, "Mom, I can do my spelling! I will just look for words."

Fabulous!

The drive went unusually fast, probably because we were busy looking for words, spelling.

We arrived and parked.

My daughter eagerly carried her tablet into the salon, dreaming aloud of the words she would find.

As I took the salon chair and greeted my stylist, my heart warmed as I noticed my daughter walking, pausing at each station to write.

"H-A-I-R!"

"C-U-R-L!"

My stylist watched my daughter intently, thoughtfully, perhaps a bit too intently as I watched ALOT of hair fall to the ground.


He finished cutting my hair. I noticed the cut was a bit shorter than usual.

Short hair. Four pages of words.Natural spelling. A testimony to the unique opportunities home education provides. Nothing beats a child excited about learning, smiling at her accomplishments. Those moments are valuable. The hair, it will grow back.

Skittles Math

Skittles, 49 cents at the local Walgreens.

Breakfast dishes in the dishwasher. Mom has a surprise!

Bag opens. Mom pulls out five small bags of .....SKITTLES! 

Time for Skittle math. 

First we sorted the colors. The littlest learners loved this!

We counted.

Then we used mom's circle cutter to cut out construction paper circles in corresponding colors.

Then we graphed the colors. 

Oh no! Problem!

13 circles don't fit on the paper.

One learner's solution: 

one circle = 2 Skittles

1/2 circle = 1 Skittle

Problem solved!

Counted and graphed.

We discovered of the five bags of Skittles we opened (each child had their own bag), two bags contained 61 Skittles and three bags contained 62 Skittles. I asked the children to look at the weights on the bags. Same weights. Interesting. 

Could a machine deposit Skittles in each bag according to weight? 

Great question asked by one learner. Others agreed this must be the case. 

One learner added Skittles of two different colors. 

Two-digit addition. Visual representation.

One learner decided to represent each color as a fraction of the whole bag. 

Each learner used their empty package to create a unique cover to their Skittles Math book. 

Sale

Interest

Math

Problem solving

Understanding

LOVE!

Problem. Solution. Others Benefit.

My daughter saw a problem. Our play set needed care in order for our littles to have any chance of enjoying it the way she did.

"Mom, what if make the repairs, add additional weather conditioning?" 

Not really how I wanted to spend my time, but she was right. I appreciated her initiative, her heart. I knew I needed to encourage and help in the process.

Our family embraced the idea. The littles would appreciate our efforts.

Off to the home improvement store. Call Pop for instruction.

In days, work started. In days, work completed. 

Ingenuity. Initiative. Collaboration.

Problem. Solution. Others benefit. 

In the process, relationships were deepened and my daughter initiated a project, saw it to completion while involving others, and learned new skills.

Where will this experience be documented in her high school accomplishments? Another day. Another blog.

We DID Accomplish Something!

"I can't believe we did all this!"                                                

"Look at my photo book!"

"My reading list is HUGE!"

"I can't wait to show you the book I wrote!"

The exclamations of evaluation season are exhilarating! Children astounded by what they learned, eager to share what they accomplished. These are the days of summer, when children sit at our table and page through work samples and explain projects which denote the progress of their year. Booklists. Art pieces. Maps. Rock collections.

In our state we are blessed to have portfolio evaluations as an option for our annual home education reviews. My children, and the children of families we evaluate (my husband is a state certified teacher), appreciate this option. Evaluation days are show-and-tell days, days when parents and children see the fruits of a year well spent, remembering relationships built, whether with grandma or the local baker who hands out free cookies. Who doesn't like the opportunity to share what they accomplished? Children wait all year for evaluation day.

And moms? Speaking from experience, putting our children's portfolios together is hard work filled with satisfaction. Seeing the binder expand as projects, papers, photo sleeves, and pamphlets are added, reminds me that, indeed, we did accomplished quite a bit. Refreshment to my heart as I remember the days when I asked, "Are we getting anything done?"

As this weekend approaches and passes, Monday will arrive and once again the doorbell will ring. On the other side of the door waits a child, eager to page through a portfolio. The child's smiling face is the product of the wondrous, creative opportunities made possible by parents who sacrifice time and energy to educate their children. Now that is the ultimate accomplishment!

*This blog post is not intended to be legal counsel. As home educators, parents hold the responsibility as to the education of their children.

Spelling Cereal

Two weeks after an incredible "buy one get one free" sale and an impromptu spelling lesson with the cereal purchased at the sale, Dad was home, watching the young ones while I headed off to an appointment. When Dad asked what each child would like for breakfast, the four year old promptly asked, "Dad, could I have some of that spelling cereal?"

Dad wasn't quite sure whether spelling cereal was a breakfast choice or one of our educational games.  Upon further questioning, the four year old exhorted, "Dad, just open the pantry."

He did and quickly found out that spelling cereal was indeed a breakfast choice. It was letter-shaped cereal we had used for spelling a few days prior.

When I arrived home, my husband quipped, "Will you quit having so much fun with the kids!" I snickered.

Reflections from the Laundry Room

The laundry room.

Do you have a place in your home where treasured memories are stored? Maybe important papers? Maybe journals of days past? One (yes, that assumes there are others) of mine was a box in the laundry room. It was way up high atop the file cabinet (yes we still own one).

Last night I began the PROCESS of dejunking the laundry room, under the influence of my very organizational-minded daughter. It started with the box.

I began digging. Tossed some papers in the trash. Read entries from my college journal, the one I kept while dating Mike. Shared some of my thoughts with our children and then made a "keep" pile. Next I pulled out a binder of notes I had scrawled on napkins, scraps, and bulletins; a book someday. I added the binder to the "keep" pile. Another binder. This one from back in the 1990s when I was a homeschool support group leader, penning a monthly encouragement column for the newsletter (remember those "newsletter" days?). I sat, reading over the columns, smiling at the names, remembering field trip moments and living history events. People I had known, people I walked the homeschooling journey with, fifteen to twenty years ago.

As I sat reading, I remembered my early years of home education when my oldest were five, seven, maybe ten years old. I purposed to provide an environment of love, grace, enrichment; a place where they could be challenged intellectually but yet love to learn, to dig deeper but also master their math facts and memorize the periodic table. I planned my days with the "goal" or "what I thought they would need" when they walked over our threshold. I loved those days. Blossoming with potential, fresh with anticipation, hope and aspiration. I loved being a mom, being with my children, watching every light bulb light. I considered how their early passions—strategy, the outdoors, people, analytics — might be used in their future.

Forward to today. The oldest are now young adults, one graduated from college, pursuing an MBA, working full time, the other embarking on upper level classes in physical therapy. Each of them unique. But here is the interesting part...at least to me, the lesson I reflect on. The lesson which will impact the education of the ones still at home. Though I envisioned young men walking across my threshold, educated a certain way, prepared for certain things, I would have never dreamed my young strategist would be asked to teach small business skills to people in Haiti. Had I known that, I would have prepared him a different way!

But wait! Prepared him a different way? He IS prepared. That is the lesson I learned. Though we had our vision set on something totally different, God used our faithful prayers and provided EVERY opportunity my son needed today. His learning at home PREPARED him for where he is today. And, I am glad I really didn't know exactly what he would need, because in my heroic attempts to PREPARE him, I would have pigeon-holed him, given him too narrow a perspective, limited what I thought "he needed". There is no way I would have ever fathomed him teaching business skills to potential business owners in Haiti. And even if I did, how would I have taught those skills?

I look over my thoughts in those notebooks. All I thought I had to do. All I thought I knew, but really didn't understand. All the books I thought we had to read. All I purposed. All great things.

Now however, I see differently, what he took from his days in our home. The ability to communicate with others and work with individuals very different than himself. The ability to take risks, to visit places that might not be safe, for the sake of something bigger than he can understand. The ability to solve a problem, a problem he didn't even know he would have. The ability to pour his heart into something, not give up, and walk faithfully when the future is unknown.

Those boxes of treasured memories, the ones that are stored in the deep, dark corners of closets, atop tall places in the laundry room; I'm glad my daughter encouraged me to purge and organize. In the process I was able to reflect on our years and look to the future, with new anticipation. What opportunities will our children have ten years from now? I don't really know, and I am glad. That reflection causes me to use what we have and know today, to the best of our ability, with what is provided, and allow God to plant our feet to destination I cannot possibly know or understand.

Real-Life Learning: Photography

Real-life photography problem demands solutions. Finding a solution offers learning. 

Problem: Mat 30 photos for entry into the fair with a deadline looming, T-minus 36 hours

Possible solutions: 

• Buy pre-cut mats
• Hire framer to cut the mats

Scenario: Shopping several craft stores reveals pre-cut mats are not available in bulk quantities. Smaller group packs of three mats begin at $3.99, however none of the craft stores have enough group packs to fill our need of 30 mats. Single mats ranges from $2.00 to $5.00, pending size. Dollar signs begin to appear about the same time a young gentlemen rounds the corner. He had another solution, a solution I didn't want to hear, a solution nonetheless.

Solution: Use the 40% off coupon from the craft store to purchase our own mat cutter ($27.99 less 40%) and buy the LAST bulk package of mats (without the inside frame pre-cut). Bulk package contains 35 mats, just enough for our project and a few to spare should be over cut or scratch a mat. 

Conclusion: "Perfect mom! If I am going to be a photographer and mat my own work, economically this is the best solution."

Real-life photography problem demands solutions. Finding a solution offers learning. 

What a grand lesson for our daughter, a budding young photographer! Math, Economics. Design. Practical life skills. Photography application. Can't beat it! 

We will let you know how the photos do in the fair.

Learning and Paper Trails

Learning is often measured in paper. Thirty-problem speed drills. Handwriting practice sheets. Standardized tests. Lab reports. In and of themselves, these items aren't terrible. They have their place. However, valuable learning also takes place when there is no visible, tangible trace.

We have had one of those weeks, weeks where most learning will not be measured in paper. Stellar, life-impacting learning occurred, but we didn't have sheets and sheets of paper to prove our efforts. During the course of the week, we had the opportunity to:

• learn number recognition while playing BINGO with Great-grandma
• counted and rolled coins (collected in the family change jar)
• played Pizza Fraction Fun 
• weighed produce with a kitchen scale
• made figures with tangrams
• wrote letters on the driveway with sidewalk chalk
• retold a story we heard someone else tell and then discussed how point of view and experiences determine potential bias
• read a recipe, followed directions, and measured ingredients
• listened to Jim Weiss stories on CD

• spelled three- and four-letter short vowel words on a white board
• listened to The Tale of Two Cities and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (books on tape)
• reviewed state abbreviations while driving to Grandma's house
• assembled a floor puzzle of the United States
• listened to mom read Meet the Pilgrim Fathers by Elizabeth Payne
• learned body systems and their functions while listening to Lyrical life Science: Human Body
• listened to the Biology audio text while creating pencil drawings
• discussed the nutritional content of three types of cereal
• cared for the neighbor's dogs

Children were engaged. Learning occurred. No paper trace for these activities. The evidence resided in the minds of the young learners. How did we document our learning? We kept a resource list and took pictures of the white board, tangram creations, and completed puzzle. The rest...you will have to ask the children. I am sure they would be more than willing to share their adventures!

CH, CH, Chocolate Chip Pancakes

What do "CH" sounds and CHocolate CHip pancakes have in common? Yummy learning!

This morning I ventured to the local grocery for a bag of grapes. Fast forward fifteen minutes into my shopping journey and I found myself dreaming up an engaging learning activity, sure to spark the young ones' curiosities.

Arriving home, I was greeted by three youngers and one older all wondering what was tucked in the grocery bags. To their utter surprise, mom had purchased buy-one-get-one chocolate chip pancake mix. Not the healthiest breakfast choice, but a grocery bargain as well as a catalyst for a morning of learning fun.

We read the box, followed directions, and mixed the ingredients. As I "wrote" in the pan, three pair of eyes gazed eagerly.

"MOM, you wrote a 'C'!"

Yes, indeed! Encouraged by her excitement, I "wrote" another letter.

"MOM, you wrote a 'H'!"

Yes, indeed! We now had two letters bubbling away.

"What sound do they make together?" I inquired. We all made the "CH" sound.

After making a batch of pancakes, we sat to eat. As we enjoyed our yummy CHocolate CHip pancakes we thought of more CH words.

Later in the morning, as I helped the olders with math and language arts, a younger learner cut CH words from the weekly grocery ad, creating a CH meal on a paper plate.

A productive morning indeed!

Learning and Life Collide: Making Yogurt

Dining at a friends home recently, the hostess inspired me as she began heating milk to make yogurt. As we visited, she told me she had been doing this for quite some time. Me, I had never tried. However, with a family of nine consuming a minimum of 3 quarts of yogurt a week, I was empowered to give the process a try. My friend shared her yogurt making wisdom--explaining the cooler method she found by trial and error to be easiest.

When I returned home, I began my first yogurt making attempt by placing "homemade cooler yogurt" into a search engine. I read. I compared. I gathered needed equipment, most of which I had. My first attempt was successful, very successful, and I realized this process was yet another example of how learning and life collide. I wanted to involve my children in the process.

The first attempt, a successful walk through for me, I decided I understood the process enough to involve my children for my second yogurt making event. I retrieved the candy thermometer (left over from our yummy lollipop making experiments) from safe storage and gave the children a quick review about the care, use, and purpose of a thermometer. They were, once again, intrigued. We attached the thermometer to the side of the pot, poured in the milk, and turned the burner on medium. Each took a turn stirring. We periodically checked the temperature of the milk, giving us repeated practice reading a thermometer. One of the children drew a thermometer with the current temperature of the milk. A great way to incorporate multiple learning modalities.

As the milk heated we prepared the canning jars and discussed the difference between pints and quarts. The oldest helpers reviewed how many pints and quarts were in a gallon. One of the children suggested we pour pints of water into our empty milk jug to see if our calculations were indeed accurate; an excellent visual for our younger learners to have a concrete experience in measurements. We followed the remaining instructions and placed our yogurt into a cooler to "culture". After eight hours of "culturing" in the cooler, we placed our fresh yogurt in the refrigerator. We were all very excited about what we had accomplished together. In fact, we were all so enthused we decided to calculate how much money we had saved by making our own yogurt. What a learning experience!

My third attempt produced yogurt which was just a tad thicker than milk. Still yummy, just runny. Trying to figure out what went wrong. However, with fresh fruit, it made great breakfast smoothies.

There are several recipes, some using milk, others using soy or powdered milk. Experiment and choose what works best for your family.

Helpful links for yogurt making:

http://thefrugalgirl.wordpress.com/2008/07/27/how-to-make-homemade-yogurt/

http://fiascofarm.com/dairy/yogurt.htm

http://www.choosing-natural-health.com/make-yogurt.html

http://livelonger.hubpages.com/hub/How_to_make_your_own_yogurt_-_An_illustrated_guide

http://cookingsimplefood.wordpress.com/2010/08/06/making-homemade-yogurt-in-a-styrofoam-cooler/

http://www.nourishingdays.com/2010/11/how-i-am-making-yogurt-right-now-the-cooler-method/

http://www.mysisterskitchenonline.com/2006/10/10/homemade-yogurtcouldnt-be-easier/

Crockpot versions:

http://ourlifesimplified.com/kitchen/all-recipes/homemade-yogurt-in-a-crockpot/

This crockpot version has become my favorite, though my ancient crockpot takes six hours on high to reach 180 degrees! Still beats having to worry about stirring in between family needs. I simply put the milk in the crockpot at 9 AM and never open the lid until 3 PM when I check the temperature and begin the cooling process. When the milk lowers to 110degrees, I add the starter, wrap in a towel and place in a cooler overnight. BEST yogurt ever! It was worth the tweaking to figure out what process worked best for our family.

http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/2008/10/you-can-make-yogurt-in-your-crockpot.html