{"id":1612,"date":"2014-11-18T12:05:05","date_gmt":"2014-11-18T12:05:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.janice-campbell.com\/?p=1612"},"modified":"2015-08-31T19:46:59","modified_gmt":"2015-08-31T19:46:59","slug":"autumn-carnival-looking-forward-looking-back","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/doingwhatmatters.com\/autumn-carnival-looking-forward-looking-back\/","title":{"rendered":"Autumn Carnival: Looking Forward, Looking Back"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Autumn<\/a>

Autumn Leaves by John Everett Millais (1829\u20131896)<\/p><\/div>\n

It seems just yesterday that all the trees were glowing with reds, oranges, and yellows, but now “all the leaves are brown, and the skies are gray<\/a>,” a line that I now cannot get out of my head (click and listen at your own risk). We’ve had an extended autumn it seems, with many beautiful days, and now we’re tucked in until spring. Well, except for the holidays, of course.<\/p>\n

This 463rd Carnival of Homeschooling offers a smorgasbord of creative ideas, inspiration, and practical tips. As you read each post, I hope you’ll find kindred spirits among the bloggers, and lots of good\u00a0things to read as you sit by the fire and sip tea.<\/p>\n

Teaching with Charlotte Mason<\/h3>\n

In\u00a0A Homeschooling Year with a 9 Year old Girl<\/strong><\/a> at Journey and Destination<\/em><\/a>, Carol offers a “description of our year using Ambleside Online Year 3,” with the alterations she made for using it in Australia. I must refer you to another post on this site as well\u2014Handicrafts: Sewing Projects for Beginners<\/a><\/strong> speaks to something I believe is critical to wholeness\u2014the ability to work well with ones hands. The article begins with a quote from Charlotte Mason’s Parent’s Review<\/em>: ‘The child is only truly educated who can use his hands as truly as his head, for to neglect one part of our being injures the whole . . .” Young people who grow up using their hands to make, fix, and do useful things always have the confidence that goes with competence.<\/p>\n

\u00a0Teaching Shakespeare<\/h3>\n

Shakespeare can be incredibly fun\u2014or really tedious if not creatively taught.\u00a0In\u00a0Teaching Macbeth: Book Covers and Poetry Project<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>at\u00a0Small World at Home<\/a>,\u00a0<\/em>Sarah describes “one of the fun Macbeth projects I did with my high school literature classes at our homeschooling co-op.” By engaging the creative side of the brain, conceiving and executing a project such as this\u00a0can help students analyze literature. (JC)<\/p>\n

Reading Aloud<\/h3>\n

At Amongst Lovely Things<\/a><\/em>, Sarah suggest that “there is nothing like a good children\u2019s novel, shared out loud” and offers a list of\u00a0\u00a0Favorite First Novels to Read-Aloud with Kids<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u00a0Teaching Math<\/h3>\n

It’s almost always best to learn a skill from someone who loves it (which is why I teach literature and writing rather than math), and\u00a0in\u00a0Roadmap to Mathematics: Kindergarten<\/a><\/strong> at\u00a0Let’s Play Math<\/em><\/a>!, Denise offers some excellent tips and resources to help you teach kindergarten math in an engaging way. She suggests that “Whether you are a radical unschooler or passionately devoted to your textbook \u2014 or, like me, somewhere in between \u2014 you can help your children toward these grade-level goals by encouraging them to view mathematics as mental play. Don\u2019t think of the standards as a \u201cto do\u201d list, but as your guide to an adventure of exploration.”<\/p>\n

Learning\u00a0About Beauty<\/h3>\n

\"A<\/a><\/p>\n

I\u00a0was delighted to read\u00a0Patterns, architectural and otherwise, in the Library Project<\/strong><\/a> at Like Mother, Like Daughter<\/a><\/em>.\u00a0I’ve had A Pattern Language: Towns, Buildings, Construction<\/em>\u00a0on my Amazon wish list for\u00a0a few years. Beauty has much to do with proportion, scale, and pattern, and much knowledge of this\u00a0has been lost in modern times. In order to pass it along to our children, we must learn it, and\u00a0this book sounds like an ideal introduction to the topic. Thanks to Leila’s\u00a0review, I’ve bumped it back to the top of my wish list.<\/p>\n

To help kids learn about patterns, Dollie offers instructions with photos for a Pattern Learning Box<\/strong><\/a> at Teachers of Good Things<\/a><\/em>.<\/p>\n

Parent Tips<\/h3>\n

In 5 Habits to Show Kids Love<\/strong><\/a> at Simply Convivial<\/em><\/a>, Mystie offers\u00a0some very practical ways to keep kids’ tanks full of affection. If a child doesn’t feel loved and valued, it’s going to be very, very hard to teach them anything. so if warmth and affection don’t come naturally (or even if they do), this might be helpful.<\/p>\n

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At 7 Sisters Homeschool<\/em><\/a>, Sabrina interviews a mom who has homeschooled through a longterm chronic illness. In “When Mom’s Chronic Illness and Homeschooling Have to Work Together Somehow<\/a><\/strong>”\u00a0they explore questions such as “What happens when Mom has a chronic illness?” and “Can homeschool continue and be successful?”<\/div>\n
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In Homeschooling will not make your family happy<\/a><\/strong> on Notes from a Homeschooled Mom<\/a><\/em>, a\u00a0graduated\u00a0homeschool mom offers a reality check, saying “If you think that by homeschooling your family life will instantly be all sunshine and roses, you can throw in the towel now.” However, there is hope: \u00a0“. . .\u00a0being the kind of parent that kids want to be around\u00a0. . .\u00a0that guides, cajoles, hugs, and supports, will make your homeschooling family happy,”<\/div>\n
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In\u00a0Another cool benefit of homeschooling – Take your daughter to work day<\/strong><\/a> at\u00a0Why Homeschool<\/em><\/a>, Henry shares an upcoming adventure he and his daughter are going to have.<\/div>\n
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In\u00a0Parents Need to “Deschool” Too: Part One<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0at\u00a0My Own Mind<\/a>,\u00a0<\/em>\u00a0Karen asks, “Getting frustrated in your homeschool?” and provides a reminder for parents to deschool a bit.<\/div>\n

“Thankfulness” just in time for Thanksgiving<\/h3>\n

\"Working<\/a>Since I may not be posting again before Thanksgiving\u2014must get my classic Cranberry-Orange Relish ready!\u2014I will share once more the post containing my favorite Thanksgiving poem, “Gratefulness” by George Herbert<\/strong><\/a>, along with the announcement that Working it Out<\/em><\/strong><\/a>, the wonderful devotional book that\u00a0helps you learn to understand poetry while spending a year with George Herbert is now back in print. I’m so glad\u2014I believe it\u00a0would\u00a0be a joy for your whole family to study together.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

A Poetic Dessert<\/h3>\n

And finally,here is a video recitation of Percy Bysshe Shelley’s “Ode to the West Wind<\/strong>.” It seems to evoke the mood of the day. I hope you enjoy it!<\/p>\n