Homeschool Mother's Journal - 2

In my life this week...

We have started preparing for my sister to return home with her husband and their 2 children! That means a little more organizing and shifting of rooms and boxes! Not an easy task, but one I look forward to!
In our homeschool this week...

We started learning about the Skeletal system and I actually saved bones from our dinner to look at! Not exactly what I had in mind when I started Homeschooling! But very fascinating!
We are also preparing to add Bella (K4) to our Homeschooling classroom! Trying to get another desk, figuring out where her workboxes will go.
Places we're going and people we're seeing...
We are hoping to spend some time with friends that were visiting Cali for a few weeks. That is code for (we are breaking out the smoker and throwing in some ribs!)
My favorite thing this week was...
On a trip to Costco late one evening, all four kids in tow,  I was witness to the pure joy of my children for no other reason, except life. I threw the usual task of trying to keep reigns on them and let them run, jump and giggle through the isles. Yes, a few innocent customers may have been horrified in the process, however no one was injured. In the parking lot, while I was lagging behind, Liora in sling, I was able to witness the singing and hand motions of Jonah and Ellie of a new song they had learned in Children's Worship. I could not keep from smiling and giggling myself. How wonderful it must feel to dance and jive in the middle of a parking lot without a second thought about who is watching........
What's working/not working for us...
Planning did NOT happen this week at all! I fell off that wagon with such a busy weekend last weekend. But we trucked right along anyway! What did work was our Science and History Units again! What fun we had watching videos on the San People of the Kalahari Desert in Africa. We'll be cooking up Fried Plantains and Papaya Fried Rice next week to taste some African dishes!
Homeschool questions/thoughts I have...
Reading "The Schools our Children Deserve" is incredibly thought provoking. I'm questioning a lot of what we do and how we do it in our Homeschool setting. It seems so much of what I believed to be a healthy learning environment, may not be! Gonna keep reading though........and sharing! 
A photo, video, link, or quote to share...
David Perkins (on memorizing random facts and dates in school)

~"Over and over again, studies have demonstrated that we memorize best when we analyze what we are learning, find patterns in it, and relate it to knowledge we already have. In other words, when we think about it."

There has to be a connection between what we are learning and ourselves, if not students simply memorize facts until they need them for a test, and then mind dump them! If we want learning to make an impact our children need time to digest and connect with the information!And that takes...well.....time!

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