Nature Connections: Autumn Makes My Heart Sing
Because autumn is my favourite season, and the photos mostly speak for themselves. An almost Wordless Wednesday.
Self-Control, NutureShock, Tools of the Mind & Homeschoolers
I have recently been reading the book, NutureShock, by Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman. I’ll admit, I haven’t finished it yet, but it’s already got my mind whirring. Essentially, it is a subject-by-subject look at emergent research in the field of child development. Each chapter covers a different topic, and summarizes and extrapolates from new research being done in that field. Topics covered include, Self Control, Lying in Children, Language Development, and Sibling Rivalry. All of the chapters I have read so far have been fascinating, and sometimes, enlightening. Last night, as I finished the chapter on self-control, my mind was whirring. It hit home with me, in particular, as I have a very active boy, who sometimes finds it hard to sit still. Sound familiar? I’m guessing a good half of people (or more) with young boys (or children) can relate. Anyways, as I read over the research on the Tools program, I started thinking about how some of their findings could apply in a homeschool setting. Here’s a quick overview. Tools of the Mind is a program that was founded in 1993, by researchers from the Metropolitan State College of Denver. Read more about it’s history here. The program combines two critical elements, play and self-control. From what I understand from Nuture Shock, these are some of the things it incorporates: 1. Learner Choice. Children are asked to choose what role they will play in the active / imaginative play in the classroom. Although topics are chosen, children choose their own individual roles. The example they give: children are told they will be playing firefighter. They are...
Librarian’s Pick: When You Were Small
For this week’s Featured Friday, I’ve decided to feature one of my favourite picture books. It lives on our bookshelf, and makes me happy every time we read it. It’s beautiful, it’s touching, it’s sweet and it’s silly. When You Were Small is written by Sara O’Leary and illustrated by Julie Morstad. It’s published by Simply Read Books. One of my absolute favourite publishers (every book is a treasure). It is one of my favourite gift books. It may be a little early, but just in case you are looking for a wonderful Christmas gift for a parent, child (or both!), you might want to consider it. It’s understated. The illustrations are done in pen and ink, mostly black and white, with light colour washes. It’s a family history story. And a bedtime ritual. Every night Henry asks, “Dad, tell me about when I was small…” It’s just the right amount of silly. “When you were small, we used to give you baths in the teapot.” “When you were small, we let you sleep in one of my slippers. The left one.” It’s lyrical. Each page starts the same way, and has the same lovely cadence and rhythm. “When you were small…” It’s beautiful. The binding is lovely. The book has a matte finish, with lovely muted colours. It could be on display in a fancy home. It could live on your coffee table. It has a great ending. “Don’t you remember?” Henry’s father replies. It doesn’t belong on a coffee table. It belongs on a bedside table. Kid’s or parent’s. It speaks to imagination, a family’s love for...
Why I Love Kids in the Kitchen
I’ve always been a proponent of letting the kids help me in the kitchen. Since Dylan was old enough to stir, he’s been helping me bake muffins (and the occasional batch of cookies), make smoothies and (were it but true) clean the kitchen. This has resulted in some rather interesting creations, and some very fun afternoons.
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