Hey there! How are ya? Thanks for dropping by! You may have noticed that it has been a couple of months since our last post. Don't despair! We haven't forgotten about you and our little blog!
These past few months have been full of crazy ups and downs, twists and turns. Feels like things are finally settling a bit and we should be back up and running soon!
Thanks for hanging in there with us...
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Planting the seeds to homeschooling....
I found out recently that a good friend is going to homeschool two of her children. I also found out that one of her other kids has a lot in common with my own son despite a 6 year age difference! We got to talking about our boys, homeschooling, and so much more. And, my friend asked me, "So, what made you decide to homeschool?" Hmmm...that is a BIG question. And, to answer, I have to go back to when I was a child myself, in fourth grade and wanting to know what made mushrooms grow.
Mushrooms? Yes, mushrooms! Imagine a huge backyard with gigantic redwood trees, undergrowth of ferns and moss, bushes and plants everywhere and tons of shade. Imagine a yard with all kinds of great hiding spots among the plants and under branches, and behind little hills. Imagine a yard filled with magic! That's what I grew up with. And it did seem magical. There was always something new to look at or a new game to play. We spent HOURS outside in our yard. We had a big hill that we could ride our bikes down. We had little trails winding through the bushes. We had a blast! And, we had mushrooms - lots of them! We had all kinds of them but the best were the ones that had flat tops that would grow to several inches in diameter.
I was fascinated by the mushrooms. They looked funny. They smelled funny. They felt funny. (No, I never tasted them....) In 4th grade I was fully becoming a science nerd. I loved science and my teacher was by far the BEST science teacher in my entire school career! But, I wanted to know what made these mushrooms grow. I disected them. I read about them. I sketched and studied them. But, nothing really gave me the information I was looking for. So, I asked my teacher.
Boy, was that a let down! The response? "We don't have time to discuss mushrooms. We have more important projects to take care of." What? Really? I hadn't interrupted class to ask my question. I hadn't said that I wanted to know about mushrooms instead of our other projects. I wanted to learn about mushrooms in addition to whatever we were already studying. It was like an intellectual slap in the face to my 4th grade self. At that moment, I remember thinking very clearly, "I wish I could learn at home! I'd get a lot more done and know so much more stuff!" At the time I had never heard of homeschooling but the seed was planted...
Mushrooms? Yes, mushrooms! Imagine a huge backyard with gigantic redwood trees, undergrowth of ferns and moss, bushes and plants everywhere and tons of shade. Imagine a yard with all kinds of great hiding spots among the plants and under branches, and behind little hills. Imagine a yard filled with magic! That's what I grew up with. And it did seem magical. There was always something new to look at or a new game to play. We spent HOURS outside in our yard. We had a big hill that we could ride our bikes down. We had little trails winding through the bushes. We had a blast! And, we had mushrooms - lots of them! We had all kinds of them but the best were the ones that had flat tops that would grow to several inches in diameter.
I was fascinated by the mushrooms. They looked funny. They smelled funny. They felt funny. (No, I never tasted them....) In 4th grade I was fully becoming a science nerd. I loved science and my teacher was by far the BEST science teacher in my entire school career! But, I wanted to know what made these mushrooms grow. I disected them. I read about them. I sketched and studied them. But, nothing really gave me the information I was looking for. So, I asked my teacher.
Boy, was that a let down! The response? "We don't have time to discuss mushrooms. We have more important projects to take care of." What? Really? I hadn't interrupted class to ask my question. I hadn't said that I wanted to know about mushrooms instead of our other projects. I wanted to learn about mushrooms in addition to whatever we were already studying. It was like an intellectual slap in the face to my 4th grade self. At that moment, I remember thinking very clearly, "I wish I could learn at home! I'd get a lot more done and know so much more stuff!" At the time I had never heard of homeschooling but the seed was planted...
To be continued tomorrow with having my son, his early elementary years in public school and the transition to homeschooling... I never did go back to studying mushrooms. I know a bit more about them than I did in fourth grade, but not much...
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Thinking about homeschooling this fall...
Summer should be about relaxing, chilling out by the pool, fun and games. But, as any homeschooling parent knows, it is also a time to start thinking about the fall and homeschool curriculum and planning! This year, however, I am at a bit of a loss...my son is on the cusp of...I don't know what. Yes, he's nearly 12 and that means lots of physical changes, but he also seems to be on the verge of something huge intellectually. I see it, right there, just brewing under the surface. But, what is it? How to tap into it? How to help him bring it out? I'm at a loss.
I've been looking at homeschooling materials, curriculums, plans, and on and on but have yet to find anything that I think will truly tap into my son's desires, needs, and potentials. Everything seems to be either just oh so easy - read: boring. Or, so far above and beyond that I worry about his ability to really *get it* or about the possibility of burn-out.
Part of me wants to let go and let JP find his own way via unschooling (or, child-led learning). He has concrete enough interests that I know he will learn more than I can possibly imagine. But...I am not that courageous. I don't doubt my son's ability to learn and pursue his passions, but I doubt my own ability to help him in those pursuits. How do I help an 11 year old boy who is interested in nuclear energy? In how atomic bombs work? In all things warfare related (though he is a peace-lover)? In computer everything? I just don't know...
Sure, there is conventional wisdom like, "Go to the library!" or "You can find some great videos at..." or "Take him on field trips..." Guess what? None of that has been completely satisfying for him so far. I could sign him up for classes but who has the money for that? Not me... I could send him to camps. But again, with what money?
Right now I am feeling rather lost. So, what is the plan for fall? I have absolutely no idea...we'll figure it out when we get there...
I've been looking at homeschooling materials, curriculums, plans, and on and on but have yet to find anything that I think will truly tap into my son's desires, needs, and potentials. Everything seems to be either just oh so easy - read: boring. Or, so far above and beyond that I worry about his ability to really *get it* or about the possibility of burn-out.
Part of me wants to let go and let JP find his own way via unschooling (or, child-led learning). He has concrete enough interests that I know he will learn more than I can possibly imagine. But...I am not that courageous. I don't doubt my son's ability to learn and pursue his passions, but I doubt my own ability to help him in those pursuits. How do I help an 11 year old boy who is interested in nuclear energy? In how atomic bombs work? In all things warfare related (though he is a peace-lover)? In computer everything? I just don't know...
Sure, there is conventional wisdom like, "Go to the library!" or "You can find some great videos at..." or "Take him on field trips..." Guess what? None of that has been completely satisfying for him so far. I could sign him up for classes but who has the money for that? Not me... I could send him to camps. But again, with what money?
Right now I am feeling rather lost. So, what is the plan for fall? I have absolutely no idea...we'll figure it out when we get there...
Friday, June 25, 2010
Our workspace...
Seriously, this is my workspace...kind of hard to imagine how non-Lego based crafting gets done, eh?
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Travelin' Thursday...
Whew! Time is ticking! JP and I leave for our cross-country adventure in only 34 days! Can you believe that??? I can't! I feel like we still have so much to do in order to prepare. Everything from continuing to sort, purge, pack to planning logistics, to getting important papers together to....EVERYTHING!
Excuse me while I take a moment to have a stress-relieving scream....
As always, I would love to hear from anyone that has made a cross-country move by car. Advice? Thanks for reading!
Love, M and J
Excuse me while I take a moment to have a stress-relieving scream....
Much better now that the screaming is done with. Now, down to business! Or....blog writing in order to prolong the inevitable packing, planning, purging, sorting...
The last *major* move I made was in October, 2002 and it was from Portland, Oregon to Northern California. It was a fast, scary move that I felt I had no choice but to make. I was escaping an abusive relationship and trying to save the emotional and mental health of myself and my child. It was tough! I couldn't have done it without my sister and my brother-in-law. At the time, I felt broken emotionally, mentally, financially. I was physically drained from stress and worry. I asked my sister and her husband to help, and they did. In 24 hours they were in Portland, got a moving truck, got it packed, and helped me finish up some last minute details. I left so many things behind! So many things! I had no choice. I had to grab the things that were most important to me, the essentials for getting by, and that was it. I had to leave most of the things that I merely liked but wanted to keep. I left books. I left dishes and pots and pans. I left a few pieces of furniture. I left tons of JP's toys. I left so much stuff. BUT, I also left with my self and my child intact. I left with a foundation to build on.
I never want to make *that* kind of move again. Never.
So, in 34 days, what kind of move do I *want* to make? I want to make a move that is filled with fun, adventure, and excitement! I want this to be a move where, although we will have many uncertainties, it will be fun to experience the road ahead. Thankfully, this time, if we leave things behind, I know they will be safe. If we leave things behind, we can come back for them later, and we can know that my mom will keep our things for us.
In 34 days, we will be off to see 13 states over the course of about 17 days. We will stop in cities, towns, and other locations of historic significance. We will stop in places that are one of a kind - places we may never have visited otherwise. And, with JP being on the cusp of 12 years old, we are doing it at the perfect time! JP is already an excellent traveler, having been up and down the Pacific Coast by car numerous times, and having flown to Mexico City and back. He loves looking out the window and seeing the changing scenery. He loves thinking about (and discussing) what the area would have been like a few hundred years ago. He loves seeing historic sites and envisioning what it would have been like to live there. JP even loves the drudgery of travel - he loves going for miles with nothing really to see except more of the same stuff he saw for the last four hours. He loves taking turns choosing what to listen to on the radio or cd player. He loves stopping at rest stops and comparing how each one is different from the others - "Mom! This one has Doritos! The last one only had M and M's in the vending machine! And, do you remember the first rest stop today that had NO vending machines and a broken toilet?" Seriously, my kid *LIKES* rest stops...weird...
I wish I could be as laid back and relaxed about this adventure as my boy. But, I can't. I have to do all of the planning. I have to worry about how much this trip will cost. I have to worry about having cell phone service if we have a problem. I have to worry about where we will stay each night. I have to worry about....everything. So, I'm trying to focus less on the big picture and more on breaking things down step by step...but, that picture is BIG and hard to ignore. This is a HUGE move. This is our entire lives changing dramatically for at least the next two years while I go to graduate school in another state...on another coast...where we know one person...one person that we haven't seen or spoken to regularly since were kids and saw each other during annual vacations.
This is huge.
How are we going to do it? How can we not do it? This is huge...huge in a positive way. Huge in a reshaping our futures for success and living out our dreams kind of way. I mean, isn't that what living in the United States of America should be all about? Just because it is 2010 and our economy has all but fallen apart and times ahead are so uncertain for so many of us doesn't mean anyone should give up the fabled "American Dream." If anything, those of us that have felt bogged down should say, "I HAVE A DREAM AND I AM GOING TO MAKE IT A REALITY! I CAN AND I WILL!" Stay tuned as JP and I make our dreams become realities!
As always, I would love to hear from anyone that has made a cross-country move by car. Advice? Thanks for reading!
Love, M and J
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
BREAKING NEWS!
BREAKING NEWS! Our art has been published online by the literacy magazine, Literacy Head!!! Literacy Head aims to teach literacy through art. They contacted me a few weeks ago about including this piece with the word "zigzag" and it was just published!
The piece featured:
The piece featured:
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Response to "The Loneliness of Genius"
Do you have a child that is considered "gifted" or that you suspect falls into that category? I do. My nearly 12 year old son, JP, falls into that category. Ever since he began to speak and develop his personal interests, others have noticed. At three and four years old, my adult friends were calling him "the little professor" because he was already obsessed with physics, numbers, and words in ways that other young children aren't. In 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grades, he had horrible problems fitting in at school. On the playground, he was becoming the weird kid that the others avoid. When they wanted to play soccer or basketball, JP wanted to talk about astrophysics and alternate universe theories. He just didn't fit in and it was beginning to turn into a serious problem. So, I finally decided to start homeschooling him! I figured that by homeschooling, we could move at JP's pace (in most subjects he was far ahead and bored in school), and we could meet other quirky kids just like him. And, I was totally right! JP is infinitely happier, still thinking constantly about physics, numbers, and words, and he is just blossoming into a wonderful young man!
So, it was with great interest that I read an article called "The Loneliness of Genius" by Rod Dreher. I recall feeling just like the kids that Rod describes and I saw these same things in my son before we began to homeschool.
Here is my response to that article:
This sounds sooooo much like my son. My son was assessed as "gifted" in early elementary school and this article is such a perfect description of what my son and I deal with. He is just shy of 12 years old and struggles with basic math facts yet can figure out complex physics problems intuitively and correctly. He talks about all kinds of scientific "stuff" that I can barely comprehend and is basically teaching himself. He also intuitively composes beautiful poetry and hilarious short stories. He writes fantastic, complex music with his keyboard but has no formal training other than several lessons from his 18 year old cousin.
He has extremely few friends his own age but *many* friends who are either several years younger or adults. So many of the adults in his life have been fantastic at helping to guide my son. He gravitates towards adults while most kids his age shy away from them. He counts *my* friends as his own friends.
The best advice that I have for any other parent with a kid like this is to consider homeschooling. And, if for some reason you can't homeschool, consider an alternative school situation of some sort or have a trusted friend or family member help you manage homeschooling. If I can homeschool as a single, working mother, then you can find a way to homeschool or give your child an alternative education as well. Surround your child with positive adult role models that understand how special these kids are. Give them as much access to sound educational materials as possible but also give them opportunities to have fun within the parameters of their interests - golf and archery are both exciting and fun for my son but in large part because they involve physics and math. ALL of my son's "fun" and "recreational" interests involve science, language, or math in a very intense way. On the surface it may look like his just playing with Lego's but in his mind, I know he is seeing 3-D objects and problems and trying to work out solutions. But, to him this is FUN.
It is very easy to cause these kids to burn out or to become self-defeating perfectionists. Recognize that they have their own needs that are very different from what we are lead to believe children need and then go with it. As a parent, I had to figure out on my own that it is ok for my son to be "different." He doesn't need to adjust. He doesn't need to fit in. He doesn't need to "man up" as a former friend once told me. He needs to be emotionally and intellectually supported. As a kid, I was told more than once that I didn't "need to know" about this or that topic because it simply wasn't what the teacher wanted me to learn. I was always intellectually hungry but because of the way the traditional school system is set up, I only had time and energy to learn what the school system wanted to teach me. I took honors and college prep classes because it was the only way to feel challenged (and even then, not really...). But, by the time I graduated from high school, I was burnt out on studying. I hated school and was bored. I don't want that for my son. Instead of asking him to meet me where *I* am, I strive to meet him where *HE* is intellectually and emotionally. This has been the biggest key to our success as a homeschooling family with a gifted child. He still has to do his chores. He still has to follow my rules. He still has to do actual school work. But, beyond that, he is free to be himself and not what some institution or group of others thinks he should be.
When I first told my son's 4th grade teacher that we would be homeschooling after the winter break, the teacher was delighted. He thought it was just what JP needed emotionally and intellectually. He felt that to continue public school (or even private school) would just break JP down and that it would lead to disastrous consequences. JP's childhood may be moving along a path of carefree joy, but he is heading towards a fantastically wonderful adulthood! Getting there hasn't been without struggles, and I am sure there will be more ahead, but recognizing that the path won't be easy, and finding alternative solutions, like homeschooling, have helped tremendously along the way.
So, it was with great interest that I read an article called "The Loneliness of Genius" by Rod Dreher. I recall feeling just like the kids that Rod describes and I saw these same things in my son before we began to homeschool.
Here is my response to that article:
This sounds sooooo much like my son. My son was assessed as "gifted" in early elementary school and this article is such a perfect description of what my son and I deal with. He is just shy of 12 years old and struggles with basic math facts yet can figure out complex physics problems intuitively and correctly. He talks about all kinds of scientific "stuff" that I can barely comprehend and is basically teaching himself. He also intuitively composes beautiful poetry and hilarious short stories. He writes fantastic, complex music with his keyboard but has no formal training other than several lessons from his 18 year old cousin.
He has extremely few friends his own age but *many* friends who are either several years younger or adults. So many of the adults in his life have been fantastic at helping to guide my son. He gravitates towards adults while most kids his age shy away from them. He counts *my* friends as his own friends.
The best advice that I have for any other parent with a kid like this is to consider homeschooling. And, if for some reason you can't homeschool, consider an alternative school situation of some sort or have a trusted friend or family member help you manage homeschooling. If I can homeschool as a single, working mother, then you can find a way to homeschool or give your child an alternative education as well. Surround your child with positive adult role models that understand how special these kids are. Give them as much access to sound educational materials as possible but also give them opportunities to have fun within the parameters of their interests - golf and archery are both exciting and fun for my son but in large part because they involve physics and math. ALL of my son's "fun" and "recreational" interests involve science, language, or math in a very intense way. On the surface it may look like his just playing with Lego's but in his mind, I know he is seeing 3-D objects and problems and trying to work out solutions. But, to him this is FUN.
It is very easy to cause these kids to burn out or to become self-defeating perfectionists. Recognize that they have their own needs that are very different from what we are lead to believe children need and then go with it. As a parent, I had to figure out on my own that it is ok for my son to be "different." He doesn't need to adjust. He doesn't need to fit in. He doesn't need to "man up" as a former friend once told me. He needs to be emotionally and intellectually supported. As a kid, I was told more than once that I didn't "need to know" about this or that topic because it simply wasn't what the teacher wanted me to learn. I was always intellectually hungry but because of the way the traditional school system is set up, I only had time and energy to learn what the school system wanted to teach me. I took honors and college prep classes because it was the only way to feel challenged (and even then, not really...). But, by the time I graduated from high school, I was burnt out on studying. I hated school and was bored. I don't want that for my son. Instead of asking him to meet me where *I* am, I strive to meet him where *HE* is intellectually and emotionally. This has been the biggest key to our success as a homeschooling family with a gifted child. He still has to do his chores. He still has to follow my rules. He still has to do actual school work. But, beyond that, he is free to be himself and not what some institution or group of others thinks he should be.
When I first told my son's 4th grade teacher that we would be homeschooling after the winter break, the teacher was delighted. He thought it was just what JP needed emotionally and intellectually. He felt that to continue public school (or even private school) would just break JP down and that it would lead to disastrous consequences. JP's childhood may be moving along a path of carefree joy, but he is heading towards a fantastically wonderful adulthood! Getting there hasn't been without struggles, and I am sure there will be more ahead, but recognizing that the path won't be easy, and finding alternative solutions, like homeschooling, have helped tremendously along the way.
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