The fresh but sunny weather coupled with the smell of woodsmoke in the air definitely tells us we have started our Autumn season here!
Leo has started his Vikings topic - with mum yesterday, he started to read a book by Rosemary Sutcliffe 'A Wayside Tavern' which covers the period around the last of the Romans leaving Britain, to give him a good sense of the time around the coming of the Vikings and Saxons. They did a review on what they've read so far, Leo always takes it in and remembers so much. Jealous of his good memory!
Today was brilliant, he worked with me so enthusiastically he was a joy to be with. We started with a bit of fun, he coloured in a Viking helmet for us to start our Viking display on the wall with; though he did already know that the helmet was historically incorrect, and told me that the helmets did not have the horns that we usually think of when we think of Vikings.
We found a recipe that the Vikings used - baked apples. All ingredients that would have been available to them - apples, dried fruits, oats and honey. Leo did all the work himself so it really was a learning experience. Our recipe was larger than we needed, so he used his maths to halve all the quantities, which he did fine. We set the timer and he was really impressed with his efforts, though he wasn't mad keen on the taste - we discussed how much sweeter foods are today as compared to this...
We also found Viking runes and wrote lots of family names down - later on in the topic we will make gifts for people using their rune names.
Lastly he did some piano practice - not much, but he practiced the tune from Lesson 1, and became more secure on it and better at 'one finger at a time' so it sounded better. And he was so enthusiastic which is so lovely to see!
oh and as a little aside we put stars on the solar fabric that he had left from before, and have now used up all the fabric, so his project for tomorrow at Nan's is to take the fabric and sew it into bags which will be Christmas gift bags.
It was a fab day where he got so much done and clearly enjoyed doing it. I compare it with what he was learning at school before he left - which was nothing, because he was so anxious and unhappy! It's heartwarming to see how rich his education is at home and how much he's able to do.
Tuesday, 10 September 2013
Monday, 2 September 2013
Anyone for Tennis?
Ok.......sooooo, after that summer break :-)
To summarise.....
We've played tennis at the free local courts.
We've picnicked at the palace again.
We've all (me, Andy, Leo) had a birthday. Leo is now 11.
We've seen cousins, grandparents, and schoolfriends.
We've been allotmenteers and have harvested peas, runner beans, potatoes, courgettes, blackberries.
We've been out on our bikes.
Leo has grown a couple of inches in a matter of weeks.
Which means he needs a new bike.....sigh
Leo has had lego set after lego set and has got great at reading the instructions and building them (though he would still rather other people did it for him)...
Leo has designed board games with Gran and collaborated on the latest 'Ned Littlebed' story.
Leo did an archery course with the Home Ed group - each Friday, with about ten other kids. He did really, really well, picked it up quickly - and ended up getting numerous bullseyes! He enjoyed being the only left hander in the group. He doesn't want to pursue it as a hobby, but he did really well. I was proud of him not only for doing so well, but also for speaking up, answering questions, and generally taking part, from the first week onwards!
Basically we enjoyed the summer and the hot weather.
Leo decided he doesn't want to have Home Ed 'terms' as that is too school-y, but he wants Home Ed 'Seasons' which is brilliant, because it means we can use the natural framework of the seasons to give our work some shape, which is something I've always been keen to do, based on the Steiner model. There will always be seasonal related projects and activities we can do.
For the autumn season, we are just starting to plan. Today was our own 'not back to school' picnic at the Palace (again!) where we found a new spot just for us - a lovely picnic table under a big tree...Tomorrow is the first day of the autumn home ed season, and starting as we mean to go on, our planning will involve Leo from the start, and we'll sit down together and plan projects and subjects from the list I've prepared. Also, first new thing of the season is music - Leo wants to learn an instrument and we've decided that I will teach him.
He's still pretty allergic to the whole idea of teachers.....but that's fine. It will have it's place in time, for now I am able to start him off.
For me, I'm so, so, so glad that he is not starting Bay House in a couple of days. He is so, completely unready for secondary at barely 11. Being the youngest in the year at school coupled with his dyslexia and hypermobility has always meant that he has not been ready for what faced him and it's brilliant to have been able to remove that dynamic from his life. I started secondary at 12, not 11, because that was the way it was done then.....suddenly now it's at 11, which is too young in my opinion and for Leo, way too young. I am feeling so happy that we can give him what he needs, and continue a more primary approach for as long as he needs it.
The imminence of what would be his secondary school start date, is making me VERY grateful that he is able to be educated at home.
So tomorrow - planning, and piano :-)
To summarise.....
We've played tennis at the free local courts.
We've picnicked at the palace again.
We've all (me, Andy, Leo) had a birthday. Leo is now 11.
We've seen cousins, grandparents, and schoolfriends.
We've been allotmenteers and have harvested peas, runner beans, potatoes, courgettes, blackberries.
We've been out on our bikes.
Leo has grown a couple of inches in a matter of weeks.
Which means he needs a new bike.....sigh
Leo has had lego set after lego set and has got great at reading the instructions and building them (though he would still rather other people did it for him)...
Leo has designed board games with Gran and collaborated on the latest 'Ned Littlebed' story.
Leo did an archery course with the Home Ed group - each Friday, with about ten other kids. He did really, really well, picked it up quickly - and ended up getting numerous bullseyes! He enjoyed being the only left hander in the group. He doesn't want to pursue it as a hobby, but he did really well. I was proud of him not only for doing so well, but also for speaking up, answering questions, and generally taking part, from the first week onwards!
Basically we enjoyed the summer and the hot weather.
Leo decided he doesn't want to have Home Ed 'terms' as that is too school-y, but he wants Home Ed 'Seasons' which is brilliant, because it means we can use the natural framework of the seasons to give our work some shape, which is something I've always been keen to do, based on the Steiner model. There will always be seasonal related projects and activities we can do.
For the autumn season, we are just starting to plan. Today was our own 'not back to school' picnic at the Palace (again!) where we found a new spot just for us - a lovely picnic table under a big tree...Tomorrow is the first day of the autumn home ed season, and starting as we mean to go on, our planning will involve Leo from the start, and we'll sit down together and plan projects and subjects from the list I've prepared. Also, first new thing of the season is music - Leo wants to learn an instrument and we've decided that I will teach him.
He's still pretty allergic to the whole idea of teachers.....but that's fine. It will have it's place in time, for now I am able to start him off.
For me, I'm so, so, so glad that he is not starting Bay House in a couple of days. He is so, completely unready for secondary at barely 11. Being the youngest in the year at school coupled with his dyslexia and hypermobility has always meant that he has not been ready for what faced him and it's brilliant to have been able to remove that dynamic from his life. I started secondary at 12, not 11, because that was the way it was done then.....suddenly now it's at 11, which is too young in my opinion and for Leo, way too young. I am feeling so happy that we can give him what he needs, and continue a more primary approach for as long as he needs it.
The imminence of what would be his secondary school start date, is making me VERY grateful that he is able to be educated at home.
So tomorrow - planning, and piano :-)
Friday, 12 July 2013
Update...
Well that was a long break and my intention to keep this as a sort of diary of our Home Ed, has fallen at the first hurdle. We've been busy, Leo's been learning loads - it's just a question of recording it!
I've been ill too with clusters of horrible migraines, so that has been a challenge too.
I think the best thing for me to do is upload some photos to remind me of what we have done....
Leo also wrote letters as part of his civil war project while with Gran, which I know she and Grandad were impressed with. Gold stars all round! The Civil War project has pretty much ended and feels like it was a very good start - for all of us!
This last couple of weeks (to try to catch nearly up) we've been swimming in the new local leisure centre (busy, even on a school day!) and have played some tennis...there's been a hiatus this week with much less 'formal' stuff being done, as I have been so ill - and the weather has been amazing, so it's been a summer holiday week in some ways. We made our second trip to the lovely Bishops Waltham palace and had a picnic there. One of the many beauties of home ed, is that we have the flexibility to plan our weeks to suit. It felt just right that Leo was able to be out and about much more in the sunny weather while it's here.
I've been ill too with clusters of horrible migraines, so that has been a challenge too.
I think the best thing for me to do is upload some photos to remind me of what we have done....
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| Leo's lunch recently, the main attraction of course is the PEAS which are Leo's own allotment grown.....he has eaten more at the allotment than he has brought home, but that's what it's all about. They're so sweet, and have been a great success |
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| I made some window stars - they always feel so summery |
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| Just a reminder for me really - I finished a needle felted decoration on Mum's scarf. Want to do more of this... |
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| Andy and Leo on their way out - Saturday mornings are 'bushcraft' and they've been out foraging and finding lots of interesting natural stuff. Leo will be making a 'bushcraft folder' where he records and identifies. |
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| As part of the Civil War project, Leo and Andy foraged for sticks and feathers, to make a home made quill like the soldiers would have written home with. There's also a random bit of sea sponge in this pic |
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| Leo's been photographing local beach life during bushcraft.... |
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| Sea Kale....eatable?! |
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| And they've been foraging and finding things in the woods too. This trip Leo found and photographed lots of fungi. |
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| 'Field Trip Fridays' have included a visit to Bishops Waltham Palace. Never been before, but have been back - lovely place. This believe it or not is just the bake and brewhouse! |
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| Standing here gave us all a realisation for the wealth of the church at the time this place was built |
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| The fireplace in the bakehouse....could do some real baking in this...should have stood Leo in the photo for scale, it's HUGE |
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| Lesson preparation is becoming part of my evenings....this was a bit of maths, and a practical task for the civil war project.... |
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| Leo made a lantern - like those displayed by the people of the safe houses on the 'Underground to Canada' - we read the novel of the same name and Leo learnt a lot about how hard the slave life was, and how almost impossible escape was. |
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| We made a quill pen and Leo practiced writing with it. Not easy! |
Leo also wrote letters as part of his civil war project while with Gran, which I know she and Grandad were impressed with. Gold stars all round! The Civil War project has pretty much ended and feels like it was a very good start - for all of us!
This last couple of weeks (to try to catch nearly up) we've been swimming in the new local leisure centre (busy, even on a school day!) and have played some tennis...there's been a hiatus this week with much less 'formal' stuff being done, as I have been so ill - and the weather has been amazing, so it's been a summer holiday week in some ways. We made our second trip to the lovely Bishops Waltham palace and had a picnic there. One of the many beauties of home ed, is that we have the flexibility to plan our weeks to suit. It felt just right that Leo was able to be out and about much more in the sunny weather while it's here.
Thursday, 13 June 2013
Please let me do another worksheet........
Yes, those words were really what Leo said to me on Tuesday. Words I never, ever expected to hear him say in a million years, as he is a boy who worried about, and hated, Maths more than anything else at school. I mean really worried.....and not just 'oh dear I'm worried about maths' but as in crying, nightmares......I had prepared a worksheet for us to do, and he enjoyed it so much that he ended up doing three complete worksheets. They are quite basic at present precisely so that he can succeed and we can build his confidence.
A good start!
The Civil War ink project went really well too. Leo made the ink with blackberries, salt and vinegar, and we then used a technique of wetting the paper and then dropping the ink on. He made a cover for his Civil War folder and really enjoyed the technique and enjoyed experimenting, coming up with a 'flicking' technique of his own, which made what looked like blood splatters, something that pleased him greatly. He's bloodthirsty!!!
I think I'm going to try and update this blog perhaps weekly as a summary of what we've done - I just don't get time during the week, really so maybe a week's worth of photos and notes will be what I need to aim for...
A good start!
The Civil War ink project went really well too. Leo made the ink with blackberries, salt and vinegar, and we then used a technique of wetting the paper and then dropping the ink on. He made a cover for his Civil War folder and really enjoyed the technique and enjoyed experimenting, coming up with a 'flicking' technique of his own, which made what looked like blood splatters, something that pleased him greatly. He's bloodthirsty!!!
I think I'm going to try and update this blog perhaps weekly as a summary of what we've done - I just don't get time during the week, really so maybe a week's worth of photos and notes will be what I need to aim for...
Monday, 10 June 2013
New starts
Well. We had no internet while we were away for the last week during our holiday in Malvern, so keeping this blog going wasn't an option really!
We did have a fabulous time, really fun and relaxing. Leo climbed the Herefordshire Beacon, the 'British Camp' with us and made it no problem, he's a very good walker, better than me, that's for sure. He learned about the history of the British Camp - it's an iron age fort basically, so he was able to see and feel the fortifications of it as he went - and we discussed (and experienced!) the fact that being in residence at the top of a big steep hill gives you a massive advantage, as any potential marauders are pretty puffed out by the time they are near you ;-)
Other stuff he much enjoyed (apart from spending holiday money, haha) were daily walks on the local common, lots of playing ball and kite flying.
We came back to check the Allotment 'project' - weeds had almost overtaken it, in just a week or two, but this is Leo's patch after some intensive weeding....
So today marked the start of our new 'term' of homeschooling. We have a loose timetable based on who he is with each day. Mondays are Gran, so it's humanities - English, History but of course it's all wider than that in reality. Leo has chosen to study the American Civil War as his first project (because Wolverine was in the civil war.......!!) so they spent the morning researching it. Already one of the beauties of homeschooling is totally obvious, in that as well as choosing to study something he is interested in, he was able to record his research in ways that the Occupational Therapist recommended - using a scribe, (eg Gran) and computer. School never got this together despite many requests and despite the OT recommending it in his official care plan! Now he can record in ways that suit him and enable him to learn best - he's making a lapbook/folder for his civil war studies as a good way of collating/presenting his work.
After they were done, he and gran had a long walk down to the sea and around the local woods and back through the village. All in all a lovely 'first' day for him!
Tomorrow it's our day together, which means starting the day with Maths, then we are tailoring our art/craft session to the Civil War project - we're making home made ink, as the soldiers would have done when they couldn't get proper ink away from home. We need to get a couple of things for the ink project, so following Maths we will be walking to town to get Supplies, which should have us firing on all cylinders for being creative when we get home!
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| Llyncroft, Malvern |
We did have a fabulous time, really fun and relaxing. Leo climbed the Herefordshire Beacon, the 'British Camp' with us and made it no problem, he's a very good walker, better than me, that's for sure. He learned about the history of the British Camp - it's an iron age fort basically, so he was able to see and feel the fortifications of it as he went - and we discussed (and experienced!) the fact that being in residence at the top of a big steep hill gives you a massive advantage, as any potential marauders are pretty puffed out by the time they are near you ;-)
Other stuff he much enjoyed (apart from spending holiday money, haha) were daily walks on the local common, lots of playing ball and kite flying.
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| Leo and Dan conquer the Herefordshire Beacon! |
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| Very successful kite flying |
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| Leo has herbs - Rosemary, Lavender, celery, thyme, and Mint - and at the back, potatoes, onions, and broccoli |
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| Very Important Moment - first harvest from the allotment - Radishes from Leo's patch! |
So today marked the start of our new 'term' of homeschooling. We have a loose timetable based on who he is with each day. Mondays are Gran, so it's humanities - English, History but of course it's all wider than that in reality. Leo has chosen to study the American Civil War as his first project (because Wolverine was in the civil war.......!!) so they spent the morning researching it. Already one of the beauties of homeschooling is totally obvious, in that as well as choosing to study something he is interested in, he was able to record his research in ways that the Occupational Therapist recommended - using a scribe, (eg Gran) and computer. School never got this together despite many requests and despite the OT recommending it in his official care plan! Now he can record in ways that suit him and enable him to learn best - he's making a lapbook/folder for his civil war studies as a good way of collating/presenting his work.
After they were done, he and gran had a long walk down to the sea and around the local woods and back through the village. All in all a lovely 'first' day for him!
Tomorrow it's our day together, which means starting the day with Maths, then we are tailoring our art/craft session to the Civil War project - we're making home made ink, as the soldiers would have done when they couldn't get proper ink away from home. We need to get a couple of things for the ink project, so following Maths we will be walking to town to get Supplies, which should have us firing on all cylinders for being creative when we get home!
Friday, 31 May 2013
Starting our new lives
Leo left school (for ever!) on 3rd May 2013...since then, he has had lots of rest and play time to help him get over what had been an extremely stressful time at school - so stressful it made him really ill with anxiety. So the weeks since 3rd May have been very healing, and a good time for all of us to acclimatise, think, and percolate ideas about home education.
I'm feeling unbelievably grateful to Leo's grandparents, because we literally couldn't do this without them. We are all SO lucky, he has the best and most supportive grandparents ever!
So far we know that homeschooling Leo will have a waldorf steiner flavour, in that it will be hands on, infused with art craft and handwork, cross curricular and project based, and based on age, stage and readiness. All of the things that school was not.
We are packing up to go away for a week and Leo's 'official' homeschooling starts when we're back, but I am absolutely sure he will be learning tons while we are away too. We're taking advantage of our home educators National Trust membership, and hopefully taking advantage of free HE membership to an English Heritage site, too.
The very first thing we did together after school finished, was make a 'wheel of the year' - again, this is steiner inspired and it reminds me to keep things seasonal because there is so much to be gained from focussing on the seasonal festivals. Also, it is good to have the months of the year up on the wall, it will help Leo sequence them in his mind.
So that's the blog started. It's going to help me remember what we do day to day, a lot of which I just KNOW I would forget in the general busy-ness!
I'm feeling unbelievably grateful to Leo's grandparents, because we literally couldn't do this without them. We are all SO lucky, he has the best and most supportive grandparents ever!
So far we know that homeschooling Leo will have a waldorf steiner flavour, in that it will be hands on, infused with art craft and handwork, cross curricular and project based, and based on age, stage and readiness. All of the things that school was not.
We are packing up to go away for a week and Leo's 'official' homeschooling starts when we're back, but I am absolutely sure he will be learning tons while we are away too. We're taking advantage of our home educators National Trust membership, and hopefully taking advantage of free HE membership to an English Heritage site, too.
The very first thing we did together after school finished, was make a 'wheel of the year' - again, this is steiner inspired and it reminds me to keep things seasonal because there is so much to be gained from focussing on the seasonal festivals. Also, it is good to have the months of the year up on the wall, it will help Leo sequence them in his mind.
So that's the blog started. It's going to help me remember what we do day to day, a lot of which I just KNOW I would forget in the general busy-ness!
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