Practical Tips for Homeschooling with Toddlers and Preschoolers - October 26, 2012

(Compiled from the Panel of Speakers)

1.       Have a daily homeschool schedule written down. Kids should have a copy in their binders.

2.       Try to be consistent but be ready to deal with the unexpected.

3.       Include the babies and toddlers in your schedule.

4.       Spend time with the babies in the morning.

5.       Have a spot for each child at the table where they sit daily.

6.       Plan a daily nap and/or quiet time.

7.       Have activities planned for the little ones and rotate their activities every 20-30 minutes.

8.       Have the older children take turns playing with the little ones.

9.       Train them to be content playing by themselves (put on music/book on CD).

10.   Have lap time where they sit on your lap and color while you are helping the other children.

11.   Reward the school age children when they complete school work and chores all day without complaining (tickets).

12.   Have the older children teach the younger children.

13.   Make it a point to organize yourself and your home (laundry/meals).

14.   Use an occasional DVD that will not distract the older children.

15.   Be ready to deal with and expect behavioral issues.

16.   Make sure the kids on not waiting for you to get started.

17.   Have Bible time with your children.

18.   Being disciplined helps a lot. Break things down into lists for the week.

19.   Do the most critical subjects during one on one time with your child when your baby or toddler is napping.

20.   For times when your toddler is awake, have special activities set aside that he gets to do only during school time.

21.   Be aware that there are helpful tools available like occasional videos and educational computer games.

22.   Pray for help, and ask for help.

23.   Scale back your expectations.

24.   If the day is going poorly, stop. Take time to pray and relax.

25.   Be aware of your own capabilities and your own family.

26.   Use a pack and play.

27.   Be ready with a box of toys that are only available for school time.

28.   Have “school work” ready for your preschooler.

29.   Train the little one to take longer periods of alone time. Use a timer.

30.   Give them sensory activities: lentil beans on a cookie sheet, colored sugar or flour in a zip lock bag, packing peanuts (they will stick together when moistened), magnetic letters in a tin, magazine pictures to cut out, construction paper and a hole punch to make designs.

31.   Have clean up times throughout the day (three times might be before lunch, before dinner, and before bed). Make it a fun activity that everyone participates in.

32.   Read to them.

33.   Take everyone outside.

34.   Rotate toys.

35.   Use music as a timer for the little ones (Example: when these songs are done, we will play with you).

36.   Put the little ones to work. Have the wipe things down with baby wipes and match socks.

37.   Have the little ones “paint” with water.

38.   Make your own lacing cards.

 

Moms’ Time Notes - October 26, 2012

Announcements—Christine R.

·        Next week will be a craft week with Lisa A.

·        There is a new procedure for leaving early. If you leave with your child before his or her last class is over, please sign out in the moms’ book. Put your child’s name and “leaving early.”

·        Next week, November 2, we will have the blessing barn.

·        You should be receiving progress reports for any paid classes that your child attends.

o   If you have a question, issue or concern about the grade your child currently has, please talk with Brian or Christine R. and not the teacher.

o    The grades you are receiving for the progress report are for information purposes only and are not recorded anywhere.

o   Remember much of what is learned in class involves learning responsibility and organizational skills

o   Keep track of how your child is doing each week. Go over with your child what he or she is doing in class.

·        Megan Brown will be showing another writing video next week at 9:30.  If your child is in a writing class, you need to be teaching him and working with him on writing throughout the week.  Writing is a core subject and needs to be worked on daily.

Kristen H. — Psalm 145           

·        We took a look at Psalm 145 using some of the principles of IEW.  We started with the phrase, “They said, ‘God is good.’”

·        We took our first banned word, “said,” and brainstormed some verbs in its place: exclaimed, uttered, declared, shouted, proclaimed, praised, remarked.

·        Next, we looked at the word, “good,” and brainstormed some of the other attributes of God: holy, gracious, sovereign, merciful, patient, powerful, omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient, awesome.

·        Finally, we brainstormed some –ly words. How did they say, “God is good,”? (loudly, passionately, thankfully, continuously, faithfully, humbly, whole heartedly)

·        Psalm 145:7, “They shall eagerly utter the memory of Thine abundant goodness, And shout joyfully of Thy righteousness.”  As you memorize verse seven, think about these descriptive words, “Thine abundant goodness,” and “Your righteousness.”

Susan O.—Choosing Gratitude, Chapter 2

·        Chapter two focused on the three “G’s”: guilt, grace, and gratitude.

The definition of gratitude from Webster’s 1812 dictionary is:
An emotion of the heart, excited by a favor or benefit received; a sentiment of kindness or good will towards a benefactor; thankfulness. Gratitude is an agreeable emotion, consisting in or accompanied with good will to a benefactor, a disposition to make a suitable return of benefits or services, or when no return can be made, with a desire to see the benefactor prosperous and happy. Gratitude is a virtue of the highest excellence, as it implies a feeling and generous heart, and a proper sense of duty.

1.     We looked at guilt from the perspective, “saved from what?”.   If we look back at our lives before Christ, Colossians 1:13 tells us we were in the “domain of darkness.” Colossians 1:21 tells us we were alienated from God, hostile in our minds, and engaged in evil deeds. Colossian 2:12 describes us as dead in our sins. We were unwilling and unable to come to God.

2.     We looked at grace from the perspective, “saved by whom?” . He (Christ) took us out of the domain of darkness and presents us holy and blameless before God. He forgave us, took us, and cancelled our debt.  God did this. We must look at the subject.  Unless our thankfulness is directed to God, it is not true gratitude.

3.     Finally, we considered gratitude.  Some of the verbs in Psalm 145 are: extol, bless, praise, declare, speak, utter, and shout.   We can look at what the Lord has done. Psalm 145 talks about His mighty acts and wonderful works. He did these great acts for the Israelites, but what He has done for us is even greater. Preach the Gospel to yourself. Remember what God has done for you.

Moms’ Time Notes – October 19, 2012

Announcements: Susan O.

Legoland has been rescheduled for November 8. If you purchased tickets and will not be able to make the new date, please let Susan know. There is a waiting list for those who would like to go, and another PSP family may be able to purchase your tickets.

There was a flyer (3 pages) available with information regarding the Sacramento field trip. This flyer was also e-mailed to you.

o   The trip will be two nights; this was a result of the survey. 

o   The dates are February 25-27. You have until November 16, to sign up.

o   Round trip train tickets are $32. This is the special price for the Kids and Trains program. Children under the age of three will need a ticket at the regular price.  If you have a child under three, you will need to purchase one adult ticket at the regular price since the child cannot travel alone.

o   Susan will reserve a block of rooms at the Vagabond. However, you will need to call the Vagabond and reserve a room on your credit card. The price for a room is $80 per night. This includes two queen beds. Children may stay for free with the existing bedding, so you can bring sleeping bags.

o   Please refer to the field trip flyer for the itinerary/schedule for the field trip.

o   This is a walking field trip so you will need comfortable shoes.

o   See page one of the flyer which outlines exactly what you need to do for the Sacramento trip.

o   Page two of the flyer includes additional information regarding lodging, Amtrak, and points of interest in Sacramento.

o   Page three has choices to consider for your free time and for your meals.

General Announcements-Christine R.

Next week is make-up picture day. It will start at 8:15, and the photographer will only be here for about an hour. Get here early and go to room 135.

If you have not completed a Heritage Page, please do so and return to Christine R's mailbox.

Prayer sheets were in your mailboxes. They should be filled out and brought back next week (October 26). Also, bring back your prayer partner’s sheet from last month and return it to them.  Let them know you were praying for them. 

Keep thinking about and planning for American Heritage Day. It will be here soon.

When you bring dishes for the hospitality table, remember to pick them up at the end of PSP.

Panel—Homeschooling with Toddlers

We all feel the pressure of getting everything done and not ignoring are little ones.

o   There is no perfect day (Proverbs 16:19) .Be thankful you have the privilege to homeschool. Take the time to enjoy it. It will go by quickly!  There is no ideal/perfect homeschool mom. We all struggle, but God put your children in your family for a reason.

o   Make quiet time a priority. Your days will go better, and you will be more patient.  Two important things children need to learn are to love learning and to be independent. One way to achieve this is with the work box system created by Sue Patrick. If you have questions, regarding this system, you could ask Char M. (see separate attachment for more tips)

We were reminded during the discussion that as part of PSP we are required to be members of Homeschool Legal Defense. If you are not a member, you can visit the website HSLDA.org. Our group code is 296203.

o   Please refer to the document on practical tips for homeschooling with toddlers. You may want to print it out and refer to it for ideas.

Mom's Time Notes - October 12, 2012

General Announcements

·         Who to contact when you are going to be absent:

o   For nursery duty, please contact Alenosh C.

o   For coordinators, teachers,class assistants, please contact Susan O.

o   When you know of your absence in advance, please find a replacement and let Alenosh or Susan know.

o   If it is after 8:30 on a Thursday night, please e-mail them. If something comes up Friday morning, please e-mail Alenosh by 7:45 or call Susan’s cell.

o   Unless it is a last minute emergency, please decide by 6:00 p.m.on Thursday night if you are going to need to look for a sub for your position or not, so as to avoid late night phone calls and emails. 

·         There are children in PSP who have peanut allergies. Please do not have your children, including nursery children, bring any peanut products to PSP.

·         When dropping off your nursery children for PSP, please provide them with a change of clothes, diapers, water, and a snack. Make sure they are fed prior to PSP. They will be able to take finger foods for a snack time at the nursery, but please do not pack any peanut or milk products for the nursery. Also, make sure that your older nursery children know that their lunches are not for the nursery.

·         When you have the 8:30 nursery shift, make sure you leave home early, so that you can have the nursery ready for drop off.

·         Next week, we will be having another craft time with Lisa. Any moms who are in the moms’ room when Lisa is setting up please assist Lisa with the set-up and clean up.  You won’t want to miss it!

·         You can still order the all PSP picture for $10 on picture make-up day.

·         The Legoland field trip was cancelled. The new date will be either November 8, or 12^th. New tickets should arrive in the next couple of weeks.  

·         There are still some Grace School sweatshirts available. You can pay Julie S. if you would like to purchase one.

Speaker: Polonia H. —Educating with Excellence

Noah Webster’s 1828 dictionary defines education as:

“The bringing up, as of a child, instruction; formation of manners. Education comprehends all that series of instruction and discipline which is intended to enlighten the understanding, correct the temper, and form the manners and habits of youth, and fit them for usefulness in their future stations. To give children a good education in manners, arts and science, is important; to give them a religious education is indispensable; and an immense responsibility rests on parents and guardians who neglect these duties.”

We begin educating as soon as we bring our baby home from the hospital.  Homeschooling is a ministry that God put in our hearts. 

Noah Webster’s dictionary defines excellence as, “The quality of being excellent; state of possessing good qualities in an eminent degree; exalted merit; superiority in virtue.”

Whatever you do around your home, do with excellence. Excellence is something attainable. It is not perfection. Excellence is an attitude, a direction.

1.       We pursue excellence because the Lord commands it.  God has loaned us these children. They are a blessing and a heritage from the Lord. Our children belong to the Lord, and we only have them for a little while. It is an immense responsibility. Always remember, you are training a man or a woman. The responsibility is immense but not impossible. We have everything we need pertaining to life and godliness. Some people think that education is math, reading, and writing. This is not true; we teach and train our children in every area. Education includes growing in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and men. The work the Lord has given us should be done with excellence and joy. Biblical excellence is doing your best with what God has given you. Whatever amount of work God has given you, you can handle it. The parable of the talents is a tragedy of wasted opportunity. All who are faithful will be fruitful to some degree. Take advantage of the time you have. Impact their lives for the kingdom. Our commitment is to the Lord and not our children. Our commitment is to the glory of God (2 Corinthians 8:7).

2.       We pursue excellence because the nature of the assignment requires it. We are training a man or woman for the future. To educate with excellence means you do not grow weary. It requires your devotion, requires effort, requires money and requires consistency. Study your children and see how they function. Sit down and plan your day. Be intentional and purposeful. Be persistent until the task is done. Educating with excellence requires a heart totally devoted to the Lord. Do what you do for the Lord; otherwise, you are wasting your time. Your children will catch more from what you do than what you say.  The reward in the parable of the talents is based upon faithfulness not on results.

3.       We pursue excellence because the daily task requires it. The day in and day out can be taxing. It requires us to give our children a strong foundation. We need to teach them the basics: memorizing math facts, diagramming sentences, reading well, and writing well. Be a detective of your children. Know what they like. The early years are the foundation for all future learning. If you are homeschooling, do it with all your might. Teach them diligently; it requires maximum effort. Your labor is not in vain.

Speaker's Notes: Polonia Herrera - Educating with Excellence - October 12, 2012

Speaker: Polonia H.—Educating with Excellence

October 12, 2012

Noah Webster’s 1828 dictionary defines education as:

“The bringing up, as of a child, instruction; formation of manners. Education comprehends all that series of instruction and discipline which is intended to enlighten the understanding, correct the temper, and form the manners and habits of youth, and fit them for usefulness in their future stations. To give children a good education in manners, arts and science, is important; to give them a religious education is indispensable; and an immense responsibility rests on parents and guardians who neglect these duties.”

We begin educating as soon as we bring our baby home from the hospital.  Homeschooling is a ministry that God put in our hearts. 

Noah Webster’s dictionary defines excellence as, “The quality of being excellent; state of possessing good qualities in an eminent degree; exalted merit; superiority in virtue.”

Whatever you do around your home, do with excellence. Excellence is something attainable. It is not perfection. Excellence is an attitude, a direction.

1.       We pursue excellence because the Lord commands it.  God has loaned us these children. They are a blessing and a heritage from the Lord. Our children belong to the Lord, and we only have them for a little while. It is an immense responsibility. Always remember, you are training a man or a woman. The responsibility is immense but not impossible. We have everything we need pertaining to life and godliness. Some people think that education is math, reading, and writing. This is not true; we teach and train our children in every area. Education includes growing in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and men. The work the Lord has given us should be done with excellence and joy. Biblical excellence is doing your best with what God has given you. Whatever amount of work God has given you, you can handle it. The parable of the talents is a tragedy of wasted opportunity. All who are faithful will be fruitful to some degree. Take advantage of the time you have. Impact their lives for the kingdom. Our commitment is to the Lord and not our children. Our commitment is to the glory of God (2 Corinthians 8:7).

2.       We pursue excellence because the nature of the assignment requires it. We are training a man or woman for the future. To educate with excellence means you do not grow weary. It requires your devotion, requires effort, requires money and requires consistency. Study your children and see how they function. Sit down and plan your day. Be intentional and purposeful. Be persistent until the task is done. Educating with excellence requires a heart totally devoted to the Lord. Do what you do for the Lord; otherwise, you are wasting your time. Your children will catch more from what you do than what you say.  The reward in the parable of the talents is based upon faithfulness not on results.

3.       We pursue excellence because the daily task requires it. The day in and day out can be taxing. It requires us to give our children a strong foundation. We need to teach them the basics: memorizing math facts, diagramming sentences, reading well, and writing well. Be a detective of your children. Know what they like. The early years are the foundation for all future learning. If you are homeschooling, do it with all your might. Teach them diligently; it requires maximum effort. Your labor is not in vain.

Moms' Time Notes - October 5, 2012

General Announcements

DO YOU WANT A BABY HAMSTER?  LET CHRISTINE KNOW ASAP IF YOU DO!  PLEASEEEE J

·         School pictures were in your mailboxes this week (October 5,)

o   If you would like to order more pictures, they are still available to order. The large group, all PSP picture is still available for $10.

o   If you would like to order an ID, you may still do so  if you bring $5 on Oct. 26.

o   Picture retakes and make-ups will be on October 26.

·         Next Friday (10/12), we will be meeting in the basement instead of our normal moms’ time room.

o   There will be a speaker, Polonia Herrera, during moms’ time on educating with excellence.

·         There will be no Grace Grill next week. Be sure to pack a lunch.

·         Dad’s day (this Saturday, October 13, park day) sign-ups are in the moms’ time room.

                If he didn’t sign up, he still can just show up.

Bring either SNACKS or DRINKS (in an ice chest in cans, individual bottles or boxes:  NO 2 LITER BOTTLES)

·         Women’s Conference (this Saturday) You may pay $15 at the door to register if you don’t already have a ticket.

o    A group of women from PSP will be meeting at 8:00 AM that morning near the welcome center

·         For the writing classes, please make sure you are working with your students and helping them throughout the week. They are graded on the check-list, so make sure they are following directions. Make sure you are sitting with them and helping them. Have them go over the check list with you.  Check with Megan B. if you do not know how your child is doing in writing.

·         Also, remind your students that they need to be writing down homework assignments and that they know when they are having a test. Do not leave homework and studying until the night before PSP.

Announcements for American Heritage Day (All dressing up is optional, but encouraged.  Do not spend a lot of money on a costume.  Borrow something or go to a thrift shop!) 

·         Kim D. (50 States Class)

o   Each student will be choosing a state and researching a historical figure from that state. They will be writing some basic information about the historical figure on a sheet of paper and should include a picture of the historical figure on the sheet.

§  Include information like when the person was born, when the person died, and how the person was important to the history of that state.

§  This sheet will be their museum plaque for American Heritage Day. The students should dress in character and will hold up their plaque for this part of American Heritage Day.

§  Bring the plaque with you on that day. It does not need to be handed in early.

·         Konni T. (Business Class)

o   The students are completing reports on famous entrepreneurs and everyday entrepreneurs. 

§  The famous entrepreneurs will be highlighted for American Heritage Day. Students can dress in character. 

§  They will be serving food related to the entrepreneur.  

§  We will be going up to the business room.

§  The library class will also have art work on display that ties into two books they have been reading.  Make sure to walk through the library.

·         Ross H. (Music Class)

o   The students will be singing two songs, “God Bless America” and “The Battle Hymn of the Republic.” They will be singing in the chapel. You can have your students practice singing these songs at home. They can dress in red, white and blue for this part of American Heritage Day.

·         Brian R. (Government Class)

o   The students will be researching a president and making a poster about that president.

§  They may dress as the president or the first lady and will stand by their poster.

§  Students will answer questions about their president and will be in character.

·         Char M. (CA History)

o   The students will be displaying some of the maps, projects, and maybe some of the book reports they have completed.

o   They will also be serving some California inspired food.

o   Students can dress in red, white, and blue for this part of the day.

o   Any 3^rd-4^th grade students not participating in American Heritage Day may be able to help out with the food in CA History.

·         Joy C. (Cooking)

o   The students will be signing up for a food to bring on American Heritage Day.  Joy will be sending out an e-mail with more details.

·         All of the younger students are involved in some way. If you have an older student who is not in any of the classes that are participating in American Heritage Day, they will be able to help out in some way. If your student would like to research a president, he can. Talk to Brian R. for details. If you would like your student to help in some other way, talk to Brian or Christine R.

·         On American Heritage Day, there will be no lunch or hospitality table. 

·         The day will be a museum style and set up will be in different rooms.

·         The day will start in the chapel at 9:00.  It will most likely end around 12:30. Please feel free to invite dads and grandparents to this event.