Jen's Mental Scribblings

I posted this news on the Homeschooling group I'm in on Yahoo groups...guess I should post it here too.

Part 1.
My son Ike has been lucky enough to attend the local Waldorf school one day a week for their Forest Friday program. He also went in for the Eurythmy class. He's learned a lot, made friends, and we have all enjoyed the community.

The school is discontinuing offering classes to the homeschool community. Darn.

I'm annoyed and disappointed. But I have to admit, there is part of me that is not too upset that our mornings two days a week will no longer suck. I think I am going to talk to the Eurythmy teacher and see if she is willing to come into our home one day a week. (She lives out of area and commutes here one day a week, another gig might make it more "worth" it for her) But I am going to miss the community very much. I really enjoyed the festivals and the class plays and all the other activities that made us feel like a part of the school.

I think this gives me the kick in the pants I need to search out other families in the area who are on this journey as well. There has GOT to be more people than just me where I live.


Part 2 follow up post, after someone making a comment about how its shame especially considering the economy
I think they went about it the wrong way.

First of all, I found them by accident, it wasn't like they were actively advertising to the Homeschooling community. And like I told Ike's teacher, the Bay Area is a huge center for Homeschooling and there's a lot of people doing it and a lot of them have a lot of money to spend on classes.

Second of all, they were opening their main lesson times to Homeschoolers. The teacher said that one of the reasons why they decided to close the school to part time students is the fact that the child would be signed up for one day a week, which wasn't often enough for the child to really get the rhythm of the room, AND attendance would be spotty. The families that signed up for days other than Forest Friday didn't seem to take it very seriously (I think I was the ONLY Waldorf Homeschooler, everyone else is ecletic.). So the kids ended up being a distraction because they didn't know what in the world was going on. They thought about leaving the outside main lesson classes open (i.e. art, handwork, spanish), but decided that the spotty attendance thing would get in the way.

She admitted that the Forest Friday worked out well for Homeschoolers, as it was a different atmosphere. However, due to pressure from full time student parents, the Forest Friday program is changing. A few parents were complaining about the loss of "real" classroom time for "real" work and felt that these outdoor excursions should be left up to the parents to provide. So it will become more academic and part of the environmental studies and will be day 2 in the rhythm and continuing work done in the classroom the day before.

But yea, its a shame, but they do have the entire summer to re-think the decision. They may change their mind, they may not. But I have enjoyed my year, so has Ike and I think it provided us a bridge year. We were in school full time last year, part time this year, and all on our own next. I think I need to change some of my plans a bit...this now gives us the opportunity to really enjoy the one co-op we went to a couple of times this year. We quit going because of icky weather and that I couldn't get Ike to do "school" work on that day. So we can change our weekly rhythm to make that our outdoor day.

My commentary at this point

One of the things I have noticed about the perceptions of homeschooling and after a year that I feel is completely justified is that Homeschoolers are flaky. They don't finish classes they've signed up for, they leave groups without notice, they make plans and then change their minds and don't follow through. Okay, not all Homeschoolers are flakes, but there is a sufficient number of them that the perception persists with just cause.

I think this is something we need to work on as a group.

And I must confess, I'm guilty of it as well. We started at a co-op in January. Now this one is a very casual one, no money is exchanged,its a parent led topic on a weekly basis at a local park. We quit going mostly due to crappy weather. Now that its summer (am I really sure about this?) we will start going again.

This weekend, with a lot of help and support from family and friends, I managed to get to the “Waldorf in the Home Conference” held at the Sacramento Waldorf School.  Amazing. I had a wonderful weekend. It was just awesome to be surrounded with people who all want pretty much the same thing and have the same goals. 

Here’s some of the best quotes/statements/notes from the weekend

 “When something knocks your socks off…follow the socks!”- Rahmina Baldwin Dancy

From Nancy Poer, Keynote Speech

When describing raising 6 kids including a set of twins “Glorious Chaos”

“Kali the Great Composter”

The longing for our other half is really our longing for Spirit. Which will not be fulfilled while we are in human form.

Quoting St. Joan of Arc

She was asked by the Inquisition “Are you in Gods Grace?” Response “If I am not, may he put me there. If I am, may he keep me there.” 

Cynthia Aldinger –Life as a Curriculum

When we become mindful of our work in the Living Arts, the children are free to either participate or play creatively and call upon themselves creatively

When we clean our home we release negative energy

This material physical world is the mystery children come to penetrate matter

Your Joy will not look like your neighbors Joy.

 Regina Ryan, Becoming Mother Keynote Speech

Everyone needs to become Mother

Qualities of Mothering

1.       The ability to listen both to the winthin and without

2.       Universaility

Delight is the giving and receiving of love

3.       Creativity

Feed your art or you become dry and crusty. Art is a living prayer and it feeds your soul

Practices

1.       Seek for the Goodness of Mother in men and women

2.       Fall back into Mothers Arms. Lean back and acknowledge She’s there

3.       Work your Spiritual Path

Motherhood is re-articulating your reality and spiritual practice. Affirm it daily

The necessity is the Mother of Spiritual Practice. The parts of the spiritual path are

1.       Self

2.       Self and Others

3.       Others and Self

4.       There is only one.

Nancy Poer- Kids and Nature Session

Mother Nature is our Great Teacher. If you are having problems with children, send them into Her arms.

Mother Natures healing gifts are our children’s birthright

Better to have a broken arm than a broken soul.

 Cynthia Aldinger- How are the Children, Keynote Speech

Life is a whole, not compartmentalized

When children work, they do so playfully

“When you stand in front of another human being you stand in sacred space” –Mr. Rogers

What do we need that might help balance our lives these children of labels (ADD, ASD, NDS) need.

1.       Pace of Life-allow penetration of life itself. Giving time for play and discovery

2.       Meals together-happy communion and connection

3.       Unstructured time in nature

4.       Sleep and rest-The Big Pause, we all still need this

5.       Celebration and community-we all need time to celebrate

6.       Rhythms and routine-“Chaos is best when it is an event not a lifestyle

There should be a way to live creatively in an institutsional form

T.O.A.D (the OverAbundance Disorder)

We are not talking about materialism, but the fact that we say “Yes” too lunch. Even to the beautiful, enriching events/things. Throwing away the excess creates space to rebalance

Its not that we cannot have it all, you can as long as you are willing to do a little tossing and kissing

 

Here's my theme/block plan for the girls

September (Michaelmas)

1 week ease into school (Form Drawing, Painting, etc)

2 weeks Apple Orchard

1 week St Michael & St George

 

October (Halloween)

3  weeks Harvest

1 week Halloween

 

November (Thanksgiving, Martinmas)

2 weeks Gnomes

1 week Martinmas

1 week Thanksgiving

1 week Falling Leaves

 

December (St. Nicholas, St. Lucy, Christmas)

2 weeks  Advent

2 Weeks Break!

 

January  (3 kings)

2 weeks  Jack Frost

2 weeks  Winter Woods

February (Candlemas & St. Valentines)

2 weeks  Winter Light

2 weeks  Winter Tea Time

 
March (Ike Birthday, St. Patricks Day, Mom Birthday)

2 weeks  Winter Goodbye

2 weeks  Raindrops

 
April (Easter)

3 weeks  Flowers and Fairies

1 week Easter Break

 

May (Beltaine)

1 week Beltaine/May Day

2 weeks Animals All Around

2 weeks  Dig a little Earth

 

Now just to find stories to fit all those theme. I'll be using one story a week, and building activities around that.

I lost my piece of paper with my outline of my lesson plans for second grade.

Good thing for me that I wrote them down somewhere else. I was about to panic, but then I remember that I blogged about it.

Man I'm smart.

Month of January: Language Arts Block
Spanish for month:
Wheels on the bus (Cante 46)

Homeschooling plans for the week of January 25-29
Music for the week: Baa Baa Black Sheep

Monday:
Ike: The Letter G and The Golden Goose (First Grade 109) Draw a G Goose in MLB
Elli and Gwen: Jack Frost (they get this story all week)
Baking: Icicle Bread Sticks
Afternoon: origami cranes
Activites:

    * All TKD (assuming I get to talk to Mr. Moore about it)

Tuesday:
Ike: Narrate and Summarize. Copy summary into MLB
Form Draw; First Grade page 110
Painting: Blue Hides her Face (WHE color story) Didn't get to this last week.
Activities

    * Ike: Eurythmy at MGWS at 8:40AM
    * Ike: Vision Therapy @ 2PM
    * Girls: Off to M's at 1:30

Wednesday:
Ike: The Letter K and King Thrush's Beard (First Grade 112)
Modeling: Thrushes
Afternoon: Milk Carton Bird Feeders
Activities:

• All: Co-op at Lincoln Glen Park @10AM

Thursday:
Ike: Narrate and Summarize, Copy summary into MLB
Form Drawing: review waves
Copywork: this week's Music
Afternoon: Ice Candles
No ACTIVITIES!!! WooT!

Friday:
Ike: Forest Friday
Elli and Gwen: KidsPark
Library Day


Last week's Goals
work on mollygm's hat (Finished on the Mom's Retreat. CUTE!!!)
finish "Ask and it is Given" (Even returned to the Library)
Start one of the sleeping books  ( Finished Both. Started some with Gray, but then he came down with a cold)
Practice Recorder twice (I cleaned house instead)
Prep for Mom's Retreat this weekend. (Awesome! See post here about it)

This Week's Goals
Practice Recorder Twice
Finish First Lord's Fury
Finish Temperaments in Education
Request St. Francis Book from library
Work on mollygm  daughter M's hat (Third try is the charm).
Paint with the kids this week

Musings Adding Co-op and Vision Therapy has eaten more out of my schedule than I realized it would Oy! I'm going to try and do school with Ike before co-op instead of walking the dog. That way we can just be done. Last couple of times we did it after we got back while the girls were in quiet time, but then I didn't get quiet time and I got cranky. We'll see what happens.

Month of January: Math Block
Spanish for month:
Wheels on the bus (Cante 46)

Week of Jan 11-15
Music for week: Three Blind Mice (WSSA 41)

Monday:
Ike Three, 3, III, triangles Three little Piggies (change from original plans) (Jacobs 39), examples in MLB
Elli and Gwen: The Candles, (winter Joy  26) (they get this story all week)
Baking: Apple Pie and GF bread for Mom
Afternoon: Ice Candles
Activites:

• All TKD

Tuesday:
Ike: Four, 4 IIII, IV, and squares Four shiftful brothers (first grade book, 169)
Form Draw Review
Painting: Blue Hides her face (WHE color story)
Activities

• Ike: Eurythmy at MGWS at 9AM
• Ike: Vision Therapy @ 2PM
• Girls: Off to M's at 1:30

Wednesday:
Ike: Five, 5, V, and pentagrams Star Brothers, (Math 29)
Modeling: Stars
Afternoon: Milk Carton Bird Feeders
Activities:
All: Co-op at Lincoln Glen Park @10AM

Thursday:
Ike: Six, 6, VI, and Hexagons. How Six Men got in the World (First Grade, 171)
Form Drawing: First Grade page 83
Copywork: this week's Music
Afternoon: Cut paper snowflakes
No ACTIVITIES!!! WooT!

Friday:
Ike: Forest Friday
Elli and Gwen: Kidspark in the morning
Library Day
Me: Dr. Kelli at 10AM, then to Green Planet Yarn to pick up order. Also get dry cleaning

Goals for myself this week
finish mollygm 's daughter's Christmas Hat (5 rows to go. Its so cute!!!)
Start mollygm s christmas hat
Practice recorder twice
finish "Simplicity Parenting"
finsh "Ask and it is given"

Month of January: Math Block
Spanish for month:
Wheels on the bus (Cante 46)

Week of Jan 4-8
Music for week: Are you sleeping (WSSA 40)

Mon
Ike: One,1, I the Grain of Corn (6th sense math) draw one in MLB (EDIT: I retold Old Turtle by Wood from Memory. It just seemed to fit better
E&G The mitten (Joy 27 and Picture book by Jan Brett)
Afternoon: sewing cards shaped like mittens
Baking 3 kings cake

Tue
Ike Two, 2 , II The two brothers (Math 19) (EDIT: I told Two Frogs instead. I was even able to make a "puppet" show out of it using two frog bath toys. He loved it)
Afternoon: Make Crowns (BTJ 78)
Painting: sun, grass, tulip (WHE color stories)
Form Drawing Review (80)

Wed:
EDIT Day was written off due to first day of Co-op. We had a great time. Free play &  TKD took up rest of afternoon)
Ike Three, 3, III, triangles Three sons of fortune (Math 27), examples in MLB
Afternoon: Paper snowflakes
Modeling: pyramids

Thurs
EDIT: Day written off due to LONG ass eye appointment. Spent rest of afternoon playing with friends and making playdough)
Ike Four, 4 IIII, IV, and squares Four shiftful brothers (first grade book, 169)
Afternoon Milk carton bird feeders
Form drawing: review
Copywork: This week's song.

Fri
Ike: Forest Friday (EDIT: Canceled due to lack of sufficient adults. Ike spent the day at school. Didn't go over very well, he's not used to the routine of the room and he's wiggly!)
E&G MOPS
Afternoon: Library, then kidspark, datenight for Mom and Dad

"I believe that the educational movement Steiner founded drifted very far from its source the moment [the act of] founding schools became more important than examining the quality of education the children were receiving and working to really convey the approach to other teachers in all manner of schools and situations. What we call “Waldorf Education” has largely come to mean a set of curricula and specific ways of introducing specific subject matter. This has nothing (in my opinion) to do with the original intent, which was to convey the attitude, the viewpoint toward the children and toward society (any society) with which a teacher could fully meet the physical, mental and spiritual needs of both the students and their community.

Any school is a Waldorf school if the intent of Steiner’s pedagogy is being met within its halls. What was the intent? The intent was to offer an education in a way that gave each child a fundamental, true introduction into the foundation of his or her society while at the same time enhancing that child’s ability to accurately perceive life around him or her without damaging the child’s innate capacity to be sensitively aware of the Creative Love behind the visible world (whatever that capacity might have been, whether large, small or nearly nonexistent—the teaching was not intended to train a student’s spiritual vision, just not to damage what already existed). The education was not intended to found schools separated from their society at large nor was it intended to model a particular belief system.

These goals can be met in a wide variety of settings, with an infinitely wide possibility of curricula, through the myriad possibilities of human personality."

Nancy Parsons Whittaker

Quote swiped from this page

Weekly
Verse Autumn Leaves ACT 48
Spanish Bi 420
Yoga AB 57
Music Twinkle Little Star
Handwork: Knitting

Monday:
Ike: Letter F, Next Part of Wise Sophia and The Little Fish (99), Draw F Fishes in MLB
E&G: Crumbs on the Table Earth, 382
Baking Day: GF Bread and something for dessert
Handwork Day (during Quiet time) Starting Ike on knitting

Tuesday:
Ike: Eurythmy class @ Morning Glory. Narrate and Summarize The Little Fish, put summary in MLB
E&G:  See Monday
Form Drawing: Castle form
Painting Day: Fish!

Wednesday
Ike: Letter H, Next Part of Wise Sophia and The Hut in the Forest (101), Draw H Huts in MLB
E&G: See Monday
Modeling Day: Huts
TKD: Ike @ 3:00 and Girls @ 3:30

Thursday
Ike:  Narrate and Summarize the Hut in the Forest, put summary in MLB
E&G: See Above
Form Drawing: Castles
Copywork Day: Autumn Leaves ACT 48

Friday
Ike: Forest Friday at Sanborn Park
E&G: MOPS with Me
Library Day
Kidspark for everyone after Library. Its Date Night.

So what did I accomplish on last weeks goals for me?
Knit some on Gwen's Hat
Read another chapter of "Power of Stories"
Cleaned Ike's room and made it easier for him to keep up.

Not on the list but accomplished
Practiced my Recorder twice.
Vacuumed and cleaned both bathrooms
Kept the girls room picked up
Didn't kill anybody.

I guess something is better than nothing.

This Week's Goals!
Knit some on Gwen's Hat (I'm on a time crunch. I need it finished by the Martinmas lantern walk (Nov 12)
Stitch some on Gray's Stocking
Read another chapter of "Power of Stories"
Finish current lecture in "Rhythms of Learning"
Practice Recorder at least twice this week.
Draw! I haven't worked on my drawing skills in awhile.

Weekly
Verse "Scary" ACT 46
Spanish Bi 400
Yoga AB 119
Music Itsy Bitsy Spider
Handwork: Spool Knitting

Monday
Ike: Letter W, Wise Sophia and The Fisherman's Wife AJTW Pg. 90. Come up with a list of W Words. Draw a picture of a W Water in MLB.
E&G: Goldilocks and the Three Bears
Baking Day: GF Bread, Something for Desert Night
Handwork Day (afternoon)
Outrageous Outgrowns Pickup

Tuesday
Ike: Eurythmy class @ Morning Glory . Narrate and Summarize story from day before. Put summary in MLB.
E&G: Goldilocks and the Three Bears
Form Drawing: Waves
Painting Day: Boat on Wavy Water

Wednesday:
Ike: Letter C, Wise Sophia and Poor Miller's Boy AJTW Pg. 97. Come up with a list of C Words. Draw a picture of a C Cat in MLB.
E&G: Goldilocks and the Three Bears
Modeling Day: More basic play. Try and make a cat.
TKD: Ike @ 3:00 and Girls @ 3:30


Thursday:
Ike: Narrate and Summarize story from day before. Put summary in MLB.
E&G: Goldilocks and the Three Bears
Form Drawing: Review of previous forms
Copywork Day: Scary ACT Pg 46

Friday
Ike: Forest Friday at Sanborn Park
E&G: Kidspark for morning
Library Day