25 Things I Want My Ranch Kids to Know

LOVED this post!!!!

25 Things I Want My Ranch Kids to Know

http://thesagebrushsea.wordpress.com/2012/05/24/25-things-i-want-my-ranch-kids-to-know/

GRADUATION INTERVIEW WITH JORDAN

 

Registered Student from 2000 to 2012.

Attended Public School from kindergarten till the end of grade 4.

Jordan was a traditional home education student from September 2005 till June 2012.

I interviewed Jordan on May 26 using the graduation interview format shared by Wes Beach at his website - http://www2.cruzio.com/~beachhi/graduation.html.

“There is no graduation from education.” ~Greg Denning

 

 

1. Why do you want to be done with high school? Why do you think you will be successful even though you haven't done all the usual courses associated with high school learning?

(J) – I have heard adults and teachers alike say that the stuff they learned in high school, they do not use the information given to them in high school, nor do they remember a lot of it. I would rather use my time doing and learning things that are beneficial to me now. I can always take time in the future to learn the things traditionally taught in high school. When I need to know it, I will learn it. I can be successful because I know how to learn, I am a problem solver and I know where to go to find the resources I will need to learn and I do well in what ever I choose to take on.

2. What are your plans for the next few years? You don't have to have everything planned out; just tell me what plans you do have, even if they are very vague.

(J) - I want to get my house ready to move into. I would like to do some volunteer work at the James River Horse Palace. I will work at 43 Ranch. I would like to purchase another horse, maybe get one that I can gentle.

3. Do you feel you know your own capabilities well? Are you confident in yourself? Are you reasonably certain you can follow through with the plans you talked about in the previous question?

(J) - I think I know my own capabilities and I am somewhat confident in myself. My experience has been that I can take on most projects that Dad has given me on the Ranch, but sometimes I need him to leave (not watch me) so I can figure things out on my own. I do believe I can follow through with my plans from the previous question. They are all things that are very important to me. I believe anything is possible if I want to do something, I could do it.

4. What do you think your diploma should be based on, and why do you think you deserve a diploma?

(J) - My mom has always said her goal was to have us know how to learn. I believe I have the skills to know how to learn, I have demonstrated my ability to learn on my own and pursue what interests me. For example I have bought my horses, taught myself guitar and fulfilled my desire to have independence (I have bought a truck and a home for myself).

5. Tell me about your past educational experiences.

(J) – I went to public school till grade 4. I was spoon fed information there and was not taught how to learn. I prefer home schooling because I like to work at my own speed and enjoy the freedom of time to do so.

Some of my favorite learning experiences from my home schooling years would include:

• Mom's experiment of using classical music to help us learn math. It didn't help us with math but we made up some great stories to match the music.

• Our trip to California. Some of the highlights were the wax museum, the tour of the aircraft carrier, the tour of the Queen Mary, and the whale watching tour.

• Our trip to the Vancouver Aquarium.

• Least favorite memory would be the day math took 6 hours to complete.

6. What skills do you think you possess? Of course there is the typical math and reading. But what about researching necessary information, dealing with people, setting up opportunities for yourself? Tell me about any special skills you have.

(J) – I believe I am a strong reader and pretty competent in math up to the algebra level. I am able to research for information I want or need but would like to improve on following the 'rabbit trails' I come across. I do not feel that I am good writer but I can communicate my ideas and such in conversation. If I am asked questions, I need time to think about my answer before stating what it is. I am a team player, I like to work with others. I am a problem solver, I like to figure things out. My self-management skills are good. I am able to get myself to work on time and use my time efficiently while working. I have an eye for details.

My special skills would include: driving a variety of tractor models, horsemanship, horseback riding, cattle management (moving the herd, sorting, etc), backing up trailers, and playing guitar.

7. From the list on page 50 of the “Job Seekers Handbook”, which attributes do you have that employers are looking for?

Optimism, enthusiasm, motivation, logical thinking, sound judgement, initiative, assertiveness, leadership skills, loyalty, punctuality, an ability to learn, communication skills, problem solving skills, drive and ambition, dependability, responsible, stability, honesty, maturity, friendliness, and an ability to set priorities.

8. What are some of your passions?

(J) – Horses and guitar.

9. List any life experiences that have enabled you to grow into a more mature, wiser and accomplished person.

(J) – Our trip to California, the many experiences working on the ranch, purchasing my horses, purchasing my truck, my education at home instead of public school and my involvement with our Christian community (my extended spiritual family).

Anything else you would like to include?

I would like the opportunity to get a job in the horse industry. A long term goal would be to own a large horse ranch that handles boarding, breeding, rehabilitation of horses and riding lessons.

I would like to stay living in Alberta, in the woods somewhere in a ranch style house.

People I look up to and would consider mentors would be - in my close connections it would include my dad and my uncle John. In the horse industry I look up to Stacy Westfall and Jonathan Field.

HOME EDUCATION REPORT

 

 

December 2011 to June 2012

Traditional Home School

Students:

1. Jordan

2. Deanna

 

I have found this school year we have engaged in a more relaxed approach to education and have allowed the kids to have a self-directed education, encouraging autodidactism. The list on the following pages will show what they have been doing with their time this reporting period.

“Autodidacticism (also autodidactism) is self-directed learning that is related to but different from informal learning. In a sense, autodidacticism is "learning on your own" or "by yourself", and an autodidact is a self-teacher. Autodidacticism is a contemplative, absorptive procession. Some autodidacts spend a great deal of time reviewing the resources of libraries and educational websites. One may become an autodidact at nearly any point in one's life. While some may have been informed in a conventional manner in a particular field, they may choose to inform themselves in other, often unrelated areas.

Autodidactism is only one facet of learning, and is usually complemented by learning in formal and informal spaces: from classrooms to other social settings. Many autodidacts seek instruction and guidance from experts, friends, teachers, parents, siblings, and community.”

quoted from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autodidacticism

BOTH STUDENTS:

1. Temple Grandin Workshop --- http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$department/EFE.nsf/all/DF6A9B1C5032CE8D872579210061A9E1/$file/FFGA-workshop.pdf
   Wednesday January 18, 2012 at the Alumni Centre at Olds College from 9:30 - 4:30
   Dr. Temple Grandin - Understanding Cattle Behaviour to Improve Handling
   Importance of Reducing Stress During Handling ---
   She has done extensive work on the design of handling facilities. Half the cattle in the U.S. and Canada are handled in equipment she has designed for meat plants. Other professional activities include developing animal welfare guidelines for the meat industry and consulting with McDon-alds, and other companies on animal welfare. In January Temple will be sharing some of her ex-tensive knowledge on animal behaviour and handling at the on-farm level with us!

2. DVD watched - The Climate Change Skeptics DVD Set (Unstoppable Solar Cycles - The Real Story of Greenland and Climate Catastrophe Cancelled) www.fcpp.org Presented by Frontier Center

3. Blog entry January 19, 2012 -- It is moments like this that I really love home education.  Right now my kids are busy downloading and listening to information that they are all of the sudden interested in.  Jordan mentioned he wanted to know more about trigonometry and was checking out lectures via the iTunes U app I posted earlier but wasn’t really connecting with what he found.  So I introduced him to the Khan Academy website and now he is listening to the lectures there and watching the video tutorials.  Deanna found a treasure of animal lectures and more at the iTunes U app and has been downloading some so she can listen to them tomorrow.  How cool is that?  It is moments like these that all my fears of not following the regular education route fly away and I know my kids will be okay even though we have chosen the road less travelled.  :)

4. DVD watched -- “I AM” - “Director Tom Shadyac speaks with intellectual and spiritual leaders about what's wrong with our world and how we can improve both it and the way we live in it.” quoted from http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1741225/ Official Website - http://www.iamthedoc.com/

5. Kids attended the All Candidates Forum at the Sundre Legion 7pm on April 9, 2012. (Provincial election) Jordan was torn on who he would vote for if eligible. He could see that the Wildrose candidate was eager and had all the right answers but that our current MLA with the PC party had the experience and record of doing a great job for our constituency. Deanna decided by the end of the forum that she would vote for the Wildrose candidate if she was eligible.

6. Watched the Leader's Debate for the provincial election for the provincial election.

7. Skating days in December and January on our local pond.

8. Peak Theatre Play in March called “LOOKING”. http://www.albertawest.info/2012/03/fun-and-games-at-sundre-arts-centre.html

9. Red Deer Homeschool Players Play called “WRANGLER RANCH” in March.

10. Oprah's Master Class featuring Jon Bon Jovi. (http://www.oprah.com/own-master-class/Oprahs-Master-Class-Jon-Bon-Jovi) - “Jon shares the lessons he has learned throughout his life, from never taking no for an answer to honoring your commitments, finding your own path in life and believing in the value of community. And he's still using those lessons to help charities make a difference in the world.”

11. Sundre Community Choir Spring Concert – April 14.

12. Planting multiple gardens this spring. We planted our own garden, a garden for our neighbor who is undergoing chemo treatments right now, and our friends the Desrosiers.

13. Read many novels and watched numerous movies.

JORDAN:

1. Job application practice. (I had Jordan take the time to fill out this application because he had never filled one out before and this particular application asked about his faith life as well. I was interested to see how he would answer. He has shown interest in working in a Christian camp as a horse riding assistant.) - http://www.camp-evergreen.com/pdfs/employment-new-app.pdf

2. The Woodworker's Guide to Shop Math -- http://www.amazon.ca/Woodworkers-Guide-Shop-Math/dp/1558706216/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1338325377&sr=8-2

3. English for Everyone - http://englishforeveryone.org/

4. Online guitar lessons at JamPlay.com - http://www.jamplay.com/ (He loved using this website for guitar lessons because it allowed him to work at his own pace and also gave him the freedom to do lessons around his full schedule. There were times he was practising midday or other times he would be doing a lesson at 11pm.)

5. CANADIAN FIREARMS COURSE -- NON-RESTRICTED - March 16-17 -- Written Exam 94%
   Practical Exam 90%

The Canadian Non-Restricted Firearms Course will run Friday, March 16, from 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm, and Saturday, March 17, from 9:00 am until we are finished. Successful completion will allow you to purchase non-restricted rifles and shotguns.

The Non-Restricted Course is a total of 8 hours of instruction; this includes time to safely handle non-working non-restricted firearms and dummy ammunition, and to practise safely handling firearms in range or field situations, as well as safe transportation and storage. There are two tests: a written test (true/false, multiple choice) and a practical test where each person has to individually show me they have learned the material we covered during the course. The end time will depend on the final number of students, and how long it takes each student to complete the practical test. Expect to be here until late in the day. If you have to be somewhere at a specific time (i.e. you have to work, or a important event), please let me know so we can try to accommodate that.  

6. Volunteered as an assistant coach with the Fun Team Soccer League in Sundre. April to June 2012

7. Jordan was employed with his uncle at a local sawmill from November 2011 to the end of February 2012.

8. Jordan has been employed with 43 Ranch Ltd since March 2012 and plans to continue with employment there until June of 2013, at which time he will decide whether or not to stay on with the ranch or pursue other interests and employment elsewhere.

9. Jordan started a discussion with Wes during the provincial election asking questions about politics, what does right wing and left wing mean, the different political parties in Alberta, and how people perceive campaign promises.

10. Jordan shopped and saved for his own truck. He was able to pay cash for the truck and insurance. He is now the proud owner of a 1992 GMC half-ton truck. (He also had to have it inspected and repaired for insurance reasons.)

11. Housesitting job – March 30 to April 01.

12. Attended all three days of the MANE EVENT in Red Deer in April. Attended a variety of workshops to advance his horse knowledge. http://www.maneeventexpo.com/RedDeer/Default.aspx

13. Jordan bought two horse training DVD series to help him with his horse training aspirations. Both sets are by Jonathan Field. The first set is called “Natural Foundation of Horsemanship Collection”. (http://www.jonathanfield.net/index.php?p=1_61) The second set is called “The re-Start is Everything.” (http://www.jonathanfield.net/index.php?p=1_76)

14. Jordan bought himself a home, which will be moved onto our family property this June.

DEANNA:

1. Learner's Licence studying and online practice exams. She plans to get her learners licence this summer.

2. iTunes University App --- Deanna listened to various lectures from the ANIMAL SCIENCES DEPARTMENT -  UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE, KNOXVILLE. Here are a few – 1. body conditioning scoring, 2. bull to cow ratio, 3. bulls during calving seaon, 4. how many heifers should be kept.

3. Deanna started writing a book as a project with her friend Nicole.

4. Deanna's friend Johanna shared this with Deanna: “Maybe you've already seen this but if not read this article and watch the movie: Invisible Children responds to criticism about ‘Stop Kony’ campaign - BlogPost - The Washington Post”

5. Deanna played around with this free program – Google SketchUp - http://sketchup.google.com/

6. Deanna attended the “Daines All Black Bull & Heifer Sale” http://www.innisfailauctionmarket.com/sales.asp

7. DVD watched – FORKS OVER KNIVES -- http://www.forksoverknives.com/ and
   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forks_Over_Knives “Forks Over Knives is a 2011 American documentary film directed by Lee Fulkerson, an American independent filmmaker. The film examines the "profound claim that most, if not all, of the degenerative diseases that afflict us can be controlled, or even reversed, by rejecting our present menu of animal-based and processed foods,"[1] principally by tracing the careers and research of American physician Caldwell Esselstyn and professor of nutritional biochemistry T. Colin Campbell.[2]”

8. Still working through Teaching Textbooks ALGEBRA – this will be continued into the next school year. http://teachingtextbooks.com/v/vspfiles/tt/Algebra1.htm

9. Started a new blog during calving season called “43 Ranch Reporter”. http://43ranchreporter.blogspot.ca/

10. New duties during calving season – data entry. Deanna was responsible for entering data on all the calves born and any medical treatment given to calves.

11. Animal management with her potbellied pigs. Deanna had her sow Daisy bred. There were 4 healthy piglets born. When the piglets were 7 weeks old, she was able to sell all of them. Currently she has her sows bred and are expected to deliver in August 2012.

12. Deanna acquired a new potbellied pig (a sow) for $5 at the Olds Auction Mart.

13. Deanna decided to down size her animal herd. She sold her two nanny goats and the potbellied boar. Her current herd includes 4 rabbits, 2 pregnant potbellied pigs, 3 budgies, 3 chickens, 2 dogs and a cow/calf pair.

14. Variety of babysitting jobs. She gained a new client in April.

15. Gym Time organized by Central Alberta Homeschool Activities (January). Helped teach a two-stepping class.

16. Annual fieldtrip to the Innisfail Odd and Unusual Sale. She didn't come home with any pets this year.

17. Many hours learning new dance moves via the various “Just Dance” games for Wii.

18. Semen testing the bulls.

19. Writes poetry on a regular basis, shares it on Facebook with friends and family.

20. Collecting ideas to explore on Pinterest. http://pinterest.com/deannaschrock/

21. Tried having hermit crabs as pets.

22. Deanna was given a cow who was pregnant. Deanna now has her own cow herd of two. The cow had a girl.

23. Working through the book “All About Homophones”. http://www.allaboutlearningpress.com/all-about-homophones/

LOOKING AHEAD TO NEXT SCHOOL YEAR:

1. This has been Jordan's last year as a registered student. He has decided it is time to move on. He is currently employed full time and has bought his first home with plans to move out of the family home this summer. We are not exactly calling this a “graduation” because - “There is no graduation from education.” as quoted by Greg Denning. I have interviewed Jordan as to his plans now that he moving on from being a full time student. I have included the interview with this report.

2. Deanna will continue on with her algebra curriculum.

3. I am hoping to get Deanna involved in a variety of volunteer opportunities that align with her interests and future plans. She loves animals and children, so I am hoping to get in with the local daycare or playschool and maybe the vet's office or one of the dog groomers.

4. Deanna would like to operate a housekeeping business after high school, so we may find resources (books, mentors, work opportunities) for this industry to help her further explore this option.

SOME QUOTES THAT HAVE SPOKEN TO ME THIS SEASON ABOUT HOME EDUCATION:

1. said by Cindy Rushton on her FB page: Did we homeschool so our children would value education more than anything in this life? No. We homeschooled our children first and foremost so they would value relationship first and foremost. Relationship with God, family, church, friends, the world--first. Today, I am so blessed to see both of my children with a priority for relationships. A priority for family. An education is nice. Books are nice. But, it is all empty if education is the mark. An education should first prepare our children for LIFE. The main thing God created us for is relationship. Anything else is a cheap substitute that will bring emptiness. God, give us Your vision, Your priorities, Your best. When we seek YOU first, all these THINGS are added. Help us to see clearly what YOU want in all things and never settle for less than your best.

2. "As regards knowledge, we need to avoid approaches that imply that everyone needs to know the same bank of information and that learners of the same age need to know identical things. Subjects--the staple diet of schools--are only a minor part of the toolkit of knowledge and are declining in importance and, in any case, learning the toolkit does not constitute an education. We do, however, need another kind of knowledge to be effective in the modern world--to know how to find out, to learn, relearn and unlearn, and how to manage our own learning. In other words we need to become competent, capable and confident researchers." by Roland Meighan in the essay Restructuring Education So it Works for Kids and Society from the book Life Learning: Lessons from the Educational Frontier

3. "It's obviously impossible to learn more than even a tiny fraction of the accumulated knowledge that exists. It seems to me that the great thing about having so much to learn is that there's plenty to go around--every person's 'tiny fraction' can be unique at the same time that it overlaps with other people's fraction. Our lives are short, so why learn about anything unless it's necessary or meaningful?" by Sarabeth Matilsky in the essay What is Education? from Life Learning: Lessons from the Educational Frontier

Pear & Celery Salad

 

4 stalks celery diced
2 tablespoons fruit vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
2 ripe pears diced
1 cup finely diced white Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup chopped pecans or pine nuts
Salt and pepper to taste
Lettuce
Toss and enjoy

WITH YOU GOD IS PLEASED

http://thegodjourney.com/2012/05/25/with-you-god-is-pleased/

Successful Teen Homeschooling: Two Vital Factors

http://lauragraceweldon.com/2012/05/24/successful-teen-homeschooling-two-vital-factors/

When Parenting Knocks the Breath Out of You

I needed to hear this message today.

http://wearethatfamily.com/2012/05/when-parenting-knocks-the-breath-out-of-you/

a couple of quotes from the article:

“Let’s face it, we’re sinners raising little sinners. That’s a whole lot of flesh. Just because it’s hard doesn’t mean you’re a bad parent.”

 

“My kids belong to God. He uses their trials to work in them just like He uses mine. ”

Forming Their Normal

http://www.thebettermom.com/2012/05/forming-their-normal/

“….It got me thinking about how we are creating our kids’ normal….”

Two quotes from the post:

1.  “I’m talking about the kind of normal where it just seems natural, logical…second nature.
Habits formed.
Patterns woven.
Instincts chiseled.
Grooves worn into the foundation of every day life.”

 

2.  “But patterns and habits are difficult to break–
To change what has become our normal.
It was just a reminder that every single day
Little eyes are watching…
Little ears are listening…
My patterns, my responses, my norms…slowly becoming theirs.”

It’s the Little Things Posted

I enjoyed this article – “It’s the Little Things”.   http://blogs.babble.com/babble-voices/tanis-miller-hogwash-from-a-hoser-redneck-mommy-style/2012/05/24/the-little-things/

She writes, “it took me 15 years to figure out why I wanted to be married to the man but I finally articulated it.”  I love what she figured out. 

Nine Dangerous Things You Were Taught In School

http://www.forbes.com/sites/jessicahagy/2012/05/02/nine-dangerous-things-you-were-taught-in-school/

The people in charge have all the answers

Learning ends when you leave the classroom

The best and brightest follow the rules

What the books say is always true

There is a very clear, single path to success

Behaving yourself is as important as getting good marks

Standardized tests measure your value

Days off are always more fun than sitting in the classroom

The purpose of your education is your future career

treating them with kindness

Marc and Angel Hack Life - Practical Tips for Productive Living

When you have people speaking to you who are angry and upset, and you nevertheless remain very present and continue to treat them with kindness and respect, you place yourself in a position of great power. You become a means for the situation to be graciously diffused and wisely healed. A Zen teacher once said, "When somebody backs themselves into a corner, look the other way until they get themselves out. And then act as though it never happened." Allowing people to save face in this way and not reminding them of what they already know is not their most intelligent behavior is an act of great kindness. This is possible when we realize that people behave in such ways because they are in a place of great suffering. People react to their own thoughts and feelings and their behavior often has nothing directly to do with us. - via: http://www.marcandangel.com/

the smile

I enjoyed reading this post – “the smile” by Serena Woods.  But the comment left by Rosy really struck me.  This is what Rosy wrote – “I used to tell my children, if I can't hug and kiss a person affectionately then I have no right to judge or correct him/her.”

Read more: http://www.graceisforsinners.com/the-smile/#ixzz1vY0vTb4e
Under Creative Commons License: Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives

temptation

"Satan does not tempt us just to make us do wrong things— he tempts us to make us lose what God has put into us through regeneration, namely, the possibility of being of value to God. He does not come to us on the premise of tempting us to sin, but on the premise of shifting our point of view, and only the Spirit of God can detect this as a temptation of the devil." Oswald Chambers

Just Guide Gently

http://momheart.org/just-guide-gently

Motherhood: The Power of A Kitchen Table May 11, 2012 in Storytellers

http://www.prodigalmagazine.com/kitchen-table

recipe from facebook

I want to try this…

Simple Life Celebrations

I wanted to share this quick little yummy Black Bean Salad recipe for your weekend - I found one and modified it for my tastes. Everyone liked it at the "Picnic in the Park" on Wednesday:
Mix Together:
1 can Black Beans, rinsed & drained
2 mandarin oranges, peeled & cut in chunks
1 sweet yellow pepper, cut in chunks
2 green onions, chopped
2 carrots, peeled & grated
Add Dressing:
Juice from 2 small limes (about 1/4 cup)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp soya sauce
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes or Mrs. Dash
2 tbsp fresh cilantro or parsley
Let me know if you try it this long weekend!

interesting findings about motivation

This lively RSAnimate, adapted from Dan Pink's talk at the RSA, illustrates the hidden truths behind what really motivates us at home and in the workplace.

 

LESS CONSUMPTION = LESS WORK

http://www.missminimalist.com/2012/05/less-consumption-less-work

living for everyone else

I liked this article because it reflects many things of my life.  My husband and I have chosen a life that is simple, peaceful and full with as much freedom of time as we can get.  We don’t make much money but enough to cover our expenses.  Many times over the years we were asked why Wes didn’t go and get a better job, one that made more money.  They couldn’t understand our choice to live simply, a farm lifestyle and culture to raise our kids.  But this article sheds light on why we weren’t and still are not living for everyone else and worldly standards.  We are living the life God has provided for us and it has been great.  :)

__________

http://mnmlist.com/everyone-else/

mnmlist: living for everyone else

A lot of people don’t do minimalism because it doesn’t seem realistic for their lives. But what they often mean is that they don’t want others to think they’re weird.

Wearing the same clothes every day might seem weird to your friends and co-workers. Having no car might make you seem like an oddball. Not having a smartphone might make you uncool. Living in a small home or an RV might make everyone think you’re poor or crazy. Eating vegan food might make the meat eaters in your life groan or roll their eyes.

But who are we living for? I am all for living to help other people, but when we live our lives to the expectations of other people, we end up living lives we don’t want. And what do we get when we live up to the expectations of all these other people? They really don’t care — they just don’t like things different because they are uncomfortable with change. Staying the same as everyone else doesn’t make everyone else happier — it just doesn’t force them to reflect on their lives.

Where do these expectations come from, anyway? Other people didn’t just make them up — they are customs built up over the years, often very consciously by corporations trying to get us into expensive buying habits. For example, we have so many clothes, gadgets and other possessions because ads have sold us on the idea that we need clothing to look stylish, to be successful, to feel like a woman, to be as good as the people on TV. It wasn’t always this way, and it’s up to us to decide whether we want it to be that way from now on.

I’m not saying we should go live in the woods and ignore society (though that’s not a bad option). I live in society, and yet no one minds me wearing the same clothes all the time. People don’t go wild with anger when they hear that I’m not buying Christmas presents. I might get a raised eyebrow when they find out I don’t have cable TV or a car, and I might have to explain myself when they hear I’m a vegan, but no one gets mad at me and they go on with their lives. I sure go on with mine.

The way everyone else does things isn’t working. People aren’t happy with a life filled with possessions. Driving cars all the time adds to stress, makes people unhealthier, pollutes. People get unhealthy with their standard American diet. Just because everyone else thinks this is the way it should be done, doesn’t mean it’s the best way. Go against the stream — the other fish don’t know where they’re going either!

When it comes to others, be helpful, compassionate, grateful. But don’t live up to their expectations. You’ll be freed of the shackles of meaningless customs, so that you can live as you want.

a homeschool funny

I Was Never Called to "Raise Godly Children"!

I needed to read this – “I Was Never Called to "Raise Godly Children"!”  http://www.keepinitreal-gina.com/2011/03/i-was-never-called-to-godly-children.html

Happy Mother’s Day!

 

 

http://www.keepinitreal-gina.com/2012/05/1-corinthians-13-for-women-free.html

Fibromyalgia Awareness Day is May 12!

Fibromyalgia Awareness Day! -- It is a real condition that debilitates a persons life. Please learn more about the truth of fibromyalgia! Thanks.

advice to young new workers

 

Do you remember your first job?  What did you learn from it?

What advice would you give to kids going out to work for the first time?

choice

"Nothing stands still....
Life is but a series of moments,
each containing a choice.
Each choice is either to obey the present impulse of the Spirit
or to disobey.
Each choice is either to act in love or in selfishness,
in faith or in unbelief."
~Andree Seu

Hmmmm, should I get an RV mat for the new RV?

RV mats sold in Bowden --  http://rvmats.ca./shop.html

Relationship Homeschooling posted on FB:

Relationship Homeschooling posted on FB:

A couple weeks ago I heard a woman talk about the best advice her dad had given his kids growing up and thought it was GREAT advice. He told them that it was their responsibility to become interesting people for the benefit of others. Thus he encouraged them to read, learn, and always be prepared with an interesting story. My experience with this man's children demonstrated the power of that truth. What great advice!

How To Be More Interesting (In 10 Simple Steps) - Forbes

www.forbes.com

How to be interesting (in 10 stupid-simple steps):             1.Go exploring. Explore ideas, places, and opinions. The inside of the echo chamber is where all the boring people hang out.             2. Share what you discover. And be gener...

the greatest enemy of Christ?

"If we were writing a treatise, we could show that what is called 'Christianity' is really the greatest enemy of Christ."

- T. Austin-Sparks

Isn't it puzzling that kids brought up in loving, Christian homes choose to rebel against their parents, or worse, against God?

Loving — Even When it Hurts

Tips to help parents through their teen's rebellion -- http://www.focusonthefamily.com/parenting/parenting_challenges/teen_rebellion/loving_even_when_it_hurts.aspx

unschooled

My friend Susan pointed out today that Peter and John were unschooled!  This made me smile!

Susan wrote, “I laughed when I read the "Unschooling is unBiblical" quote because recently I learned that Peter and John were unschooled.  NIV Acts 4:13”.  (referencing this article - http://www.christianunschooling.com/discovery-channel-doesnt-count/)

Acts 4:13 --  ¹³ When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.

the value of discussion in your learning

Continue Your Education the Easy Way by Finding a Discussion Buddy -- http://lifehacker.com/5908504/continue-your-education-the-easy-way-by-finding-a-discussion-buddy

Minimalism

“Minimalism for me is about having room for experiences and people.” – quoted from http://www.missminimalist.com/2012/05/real-life-minimalists-sarah-circus-nachos/

Every Monday I read Real Life Minimalists.  This weeks post is about Sarah who is going through all of her father’s belongings after his death.  I dread the idea of anyone going through my things after my death.  I participated in this job a couple of years ago when my dear “Grandma P” passed away.  It made me really think about all the stuff we collect over the years and how much of it we don’t need or use.  So slowly I have been going through my home trying to eliminate all the excess.  I like the idea of minimalism, maybe one day I will be able to say I am a minimalist.  :)

Too many open tabs… I want to go back and explore these links

 

Rethinking Motivation in Education -- http://networkedblogs.com/xhNiB

 

Unschooling blog carnival - http://unschoolingblogcarnival.blogspot.ca/2012/05/may-carnival-ode-to-motherhood.html

 

I’m THAT Mom - http://ll-unschooling.blogspot.ca/2012/05/im-that-mom.html

 

Lifelong Learning blog - http://ll-unschooling.blogspot.ca/

 

Teens and Unschooling -- http://sandradodd.com/teens/

 

No Graduation for Kirby - http://sandradodd.com/teen/kirby

 

Self-Directed Learning: A Four Step Process   -- http://cte.uwaterloo.ca/teaching_resources/tips/self-directed_learning_four_step_process.html

 

How Should Schools and Parents Be Involved in Kids’ Online Lives?  --  http://blogs.kqed.org/mindshift/2012/04/how-should-schools-and-parents-be-involved-in-kids-online-lives/

 

Why it is called a learning experience -- http://green-mangoes.com/?p=4110

 

Discussion archive -- http://www.facebook.com/groups/homeschoolingunschooling/doc/207121689379161/

our children are not projects

seen on Facebook at Relationship Homeschooling

‎"We need to approach our children not as character projects, but rather, we must see them with hearts of sympathy, with compassion and understanding, and with ears that listen. You see, homeschooling is not about lesson plans and research papers and standardized tests. Homeschooling is about building a relationship with our children, friendships that will last our entire lives on earth and clear into eternity. Homeschooling is merely the tool where by we build those relationships." ~ thatmom.com

overwhelmed

getting kids excited about reading

I might be able to handle a system like this

My Minimalist Filing System --- http://www.missminimalist.com/2012/05/my-minimalist-filing-system/

GREAT ARTICLE ABOUT LEARNING

ORIGINAL POST CAN BE FOUND HERE - http://zenhabits.net/learn/

What I’ve Learned About Learning

‘We learn more by looking for the answer to a question and not finding it than we do from learning the answer itself.’ ~Lloyd Alexander

Post written by Leo Babauta.

I am a teacher and an avid learner, and I’m passionate about both.

I’m a teacher because I help Eva homeschool our kids — OK, she does most of the work, but I do help, mostly with math but with everything else too. I also teach habits, writing/blogging, simplicity and other fun topics in online courses.

I’m a lifelong learner and am always obsessively studying something, whether that’s breadmaking or language or wine or chess or writing or fitness.

Here’s are two key lessons — both really the same lesson — I’ve learned about learning, in all my years of study and in trying to teach people:

1. Almost everything I’ve learned, I didn’t learn in school; and
2. Almost everything my students (and kids) have learned, they learned on their own.

Those two lessons (or one lesson) have a number of reasons and implications for learning. Let’s take a look at some of them, in hopes you might find them useful.

Why Learning is Independent

One of the foundations of Unschooling, which Eva and I and the kids do here at home, is that you’re not teaching subjects to your kids — in fact, you’re not really teaching them at all. They take responsibility for their learning, and do it because they’re interested in something, not because you tell them they should learn it.

This is exactly how I learn as an adult, and so I know it works.

When teachers (wonderful people that they were) tried to teach me something in school, I often became bored, and just did what I needed to do to do well on the test. Not because the subject or the teacher was boring, but because it wasn’t something I cared about. They wanted me to learn it because they thought I should, but that’s not why people learn something. They learn it because they care about it — because they find it incredibly interesting, or because they need it to do something they really want to do.

When teachers succeeded in getting me to learn, it was only because they made something seem so interesting that I started to care about it. But then I learned on my own, either in class while ignoring everyone else, or more likely after class in the library or at home.

That’s because someone walking you through the steps of learning something doesn’t work — you aren’t learning when you’re just listening to someone tell you how something works. You’re learning when you try to do that something — putting it into action. That’s when the real learning begins and the superficial learning ends — when you try something and fail, and adjust and try again, and solve countless little problems as you do so.

The best teachers know this, and so they inspire, and help you to put the learning into action.

As an adult, I’ve learned a lot on my own. The stuff I’ve just read, I’ve mostly forgotten. But the stuff I’ve put into action by playing with it, by practicing, by creating and sharing with others — that stuff has stuck with me. I truly learned it.

I learned about blogging when I started blogging, and kept doing it for five years — not by reading blogs about blogging. My students have learned habits and decluttering and meditation and blogging from me not because I told them something brilliants, but because the ones who really learned put it into action. They formed a simple habit, decluttered their homes, did 5 minutes of meditation for 30 days, blogged.

This is where the real learning happens — when the fingers start moving, the feet start dancing, not when you hear or read something.

How to Learn (or Teach)

The teacher’s job, really, is to fascinate the student. Fascination is the key to learning. Then help the student put the fascination into action.

It follows then, that if you’re teaching yourself, your job is exactly the same.

Here’s how to learn:

1. Get fascinated. As a teacher, you should fascinate the student by rediscovering with her all the things that originally fascinated you about the topic. If you can’t get fascinated, you won’t care enough to really learn something. You’ll just go through the motions. How do you get fascinated? Often doing something with or for other people helps to motivate me to look more deeply into something, and reading about other people who have been successful/legendary at it also fascinates me.
2. Pour yourself into it. I will read every website and book I can get my hands on. Google and the library are my first stops. They’re free. The used bookstore will be next. There are always an amazing amount of online resources to learn anything. If there isn’t, create one.
3. Do it, in small steps. Actually doing whatever you want to do will be scary. You can learn as much Spanish vocabulary as you like, but until you start having conversations, you won’t really know it. You can read as much about chess as you like, but you have to put the problems into action, and play games. You can read about how to program, but you won’t know it until you actually code. Start with small, non-scary steps, with as little risk as possible, focusing on fun, easy skills.
4. Play. Learning isn’t work. It’s fun. If you’re learning because you think you should, not because you’re having fun with it, you will not really stick with it for long, or you’ll hate it and not care about it. So make it play. Make games out of it. Sing and dance while you do it. Show off your new skills to people, with a smile on your face.
5. Do it with others. I believe most learning is done on your own, but doing it with others makes it fun. I like to work out with my friends and with Eva. I like to bake bread for my family. I like to play chess with my kids. That motivates me to learn, because I want to do well when I do it with others.
6. Feel free to move around. I will dive into something for a couple weeks, and then move on to something else. That’s OK. That’s how passion for a topic often works. Sometimes it will last for a long time, sometimes it’s a short intense burst. You can’t control it. Allow yourself to wander if that’s where things lead you.
7. But deep learning takes months or years. You can learn a lot about something in 2-4 weeks, but you really become an expert at something only after months and years of doing it. I knew a lot about blogging after 6 months, but I waited a couple years before I was comfortable teaching others about it. Even now, after 5+ years of blogging, I’m still learning. The same applies to habits — I’ve learned a lot after 7 years of successfully creating habits, and now can actually teach it with some confidence. So how do you allow yourself to wander, but stick with something for long enough to get deep learning? By wandering around within the topic. You can learn a lot about wine in a month, for example, but what if after that you focused on cabernet sauvignon for a month, then zinfandel, then pinot noir? What if then you decided to learn about Oregon pinot noirs, then Sonoma pinots, then (the wonderful) pinots from Burgundy? You’d be wandering around, but going deeper and deeper. You can also move away from a topic, then get fascinated with it again and come back to it.
8. Test yourself. You can learn a lot of information quickly by studying something, testing yourself, studying again to fill in the holes in your knowledge, testing again, and repeating until you have it by heart. That’s not always the most fun way to learn, but it can work well. Alternatively, you can learn by playing, and when you play, allow that to be your test.
9. Disagree. Don’t just agree that everything you’re reading or hearing from others on a topic is correct, even if they are foremost experts. First, experts are often wrong, and it’s not until they are challenged that new knowledge is found. Second, even if they are right and you are wrong by disagreeing, you learn by disagreeing. By disagreeing, you have already not only considered what you’ve been given, but formulated an alternative theory. Then you have to try to test to see which is right, and even if you find that the first information or theory was right and you were wrong, now you know that much better than if you just agreed. I’m not saying to disagree with everything, but the more you do, the better you’ll learn. Don’t disagree in a disagreeable way, and don’t hold onto your theories too tightly and be defensive about them.
10. Teach it. There is no better way to cement your knowledge than to teach it to others. It’s OK if you don’t really know it that well — as long as you’re honest about that when you’re teaching it to someone. For example, I’m a beginner at chess, but I will learn something about it and teach it to my kids — they know I’m not a tournament contender, let alone a master, and yet I’m still teaching them something they don’t know. And when I do, I begin to really understand it, because to teach you have to take what you’ve absorbed, reflect upon it, find a way to organize it so that you can communicate it to someone else clearly enough for them to understand it, see their mistakes and help correct them, see where the holes in your knowledge are, and more.
11. Learning can be subliminal. We think we’re in control of our minds and we’re like programmers telling our minds what to learn, how to learn, and what data to retain. No. Our minds work in mysterious ways, and cannot be tightly controlled. They wander, latch onto the weirdest things, and soak up more than we know. Later, you can come back to what you’ve absorbed, and test yourself, and find you knew something you didn’t realize you knew. The lesson is to expose yourself to as much as possible on a topic, and allow yourself to absorb it. Sometimes your mind will pick up patterns you didn’t consciously realize were there, but then can use those patterns later when you put the learning into action.
12. Reflect on your learning by blogging. You soak up a ton of information and patterns, and you can put that into action, but when you sit down and reflect on what you’ve learned, and try to share that with others (as I’m doing right now), you force yourself to think deeply, to synthesize the knowledge and to organize it, much as you do when you teach it to others. Blogging is a great tool for reflection and sharing what you’ve learned, even if you don’t hope to make a living at it. And it’s free.

‘The only thing that interferes with my learning is my education.’ ~Albert Einstein

Being Productive Discussion

I discussed with Deanna today that life has been unbalanced and too full of leisure.  I want us to get back to using the hours between 8am and 6pm for being productive.  So that means she can choose the following activities: learning, employment, volunteering, housekeeping, cooking, really anything that is productive and not entertainment and leisure.

She did not seem very keen on the idea when I had to leave for Calgary this morning.  But when I returned home, she had chosen to act on our discussion and was productive while I was away.  Along with her animal chores, she had helped Wes move cattle, did laundry and the dishes, vacuumed the floors, took the garbage out, grabbed the mail, put stuff away in the living room and kitchen. Plus she had done a couple of tests online as practice for her learners license.  It was very encouraging to see her take an initiative today.  :o)

__________________________

This discussion reminded me of the routines of Helen and Scott Nearing that I had read about years ago in their books.  What I remembered was 4 hour blocks of time but couldn’t remember anything specific, so of course I Googled it.  This is what I found (seems like a good plan):

“Helen and Scott were devoted to a lifestyle giving importance to work, on the one hand, and contemplation or play, on the other. Ideally, they aimed at a norm that divided most of a day's waking hours into three blocks of four hours: "bread labor" (work directed toward meeting requirements of food, shelter, clothing, needed tools, and such); civic work (doing something of value for their community); and professional pursuits or recreation (for Scott this was frequently economics research, for Helen it was often music - but they both liked to ski, also). They clearly honored manual work, and viewed it as one aspect of the self-development process that they felt life should be.^{[5]  “}

^{Quoted from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helen_and_Scott_Nearing}

The $100 Start-Up (I think I may read this book)

The official book trailer for "The $100 Startup: Reinvent the Way You Make a Living, Do What You Love, and Create a New Future" by Chris Guillebeau. Learn more at http://100startup.com
All over the world, and in many different ways, thousands of people are rewriting the rules of work, becoming their own boss, and creating a new future. It's a microbusiness revolution―a way of earning a good living while crafting a life of independence and purpose.

Let us all remain kind and sane this summer sports season!

your legacy

“The things you do for yourself are gone when you are gone, but the things you do for others remain as your legacy.” ~ Kalu Kalu

a quote from Ann Voskamp

"Every time fear freezes and worry writhes, every time I surrender to stress, aren't I advertising the unreliability of God? That I really don't believe? But if I'm grateful...for a million faithful moments, my life speaks my beliefs and I trust Him again."  

~ Ann Voskamp

it is just that simple

Life after high school… how will you spend your time and money?

The average college family spends about $20,000 per year to put a kid through school. What could you do with that money-instead of spending it on tuition and dorms-while still giving yourself a higher education? This thought experiment reveals how self-directed learning offers a cheap, effective, and highly rewarding alternative to 4-year college.

 

 

 

Update from Blake Boles: The money saved after four years was incorrectly reported as $27,000. It should be $22,000. Apologies for this simple calculation error! -

10 Things Your Commencement Speaker Won't Tell You

Class of 2012,

I became sick of commencement speeches at about your age. My first job out of college was writing speeches for the governor of Maine. Every spring, I would offer extraordinary tidbits of wisdom to 22-year-olds—which was quite a feat given that I was 23 at the time. In the decades since, I've spent most of my career teaching economics and public policy. In particular, I've studied happiness and well-being, about which we now know a great deal. And I've found that the saccharine and over-optimistic words of the typical commencement address hold few of the lessons young people really need to hear about what lies ahead. Here, then, is what I wish someone had told the Class of 1988:

Click the link to read the rest:  http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304811304577366332400453796.html

This is a great idea…. an annual purge!

“I think you’ll enjoy this submission from Becky L., who tells us about her annual purge—something I also love to do each January!”   --- http://www.missminimalist.com/2012/04/real-life-minimalists-becky-l/

What I have been reading… learning and inspired… stirring within me love and good works :o)

 

Dinner Table Theology and Why I am the Worst - http://deeperstory.com/dinner-table-theology-and-why-i-am-the-worst/

 

An unhealthy emphasis on certain church gatherings? -- http://www.alanknox.net/2012/04/an-unhealthy-emphasis-on-certain-church-gatherings/

 

Why Are Campouts Great? Community --- http://eric-carpenter.blogspot.ca/2012/04/why-are-campouts-great-community.html

 

A well-rounded look at the “one anothers”  ---  http://www.alanknox.net/2012/04/a-well-rounded-look-at-the-one-anothers/

 

The Sovereignty of God in Salvation - (Romans 9:1-24) -- http://bible.org/seriespage/sovereignty-god-salvation-romans-91-24

 

Why I Do What I Do - http://triciagoyer.blogspot.ca/2012/04/why-i-do-what-i-do.html  (quote from the article about her work with pregnant teens – “Being a person who is available, welcoming, nonjudgmental, and authentic stands out like a familiar face in a crowd of strangers”)

http://www.womentoday.org/interviews/triciagoyer.html

 

Hear It on Sunday, Use It on Monday: A Crowd of Witnesses in Real Life  --  http://www.michellederusha.com/2012/04/hear-it-on-sunday-use-it-on-monday_30.html 

 

Guest Blogger: Man-made aspects of religion were coming back to haunt me  --  http://www.alanknox.net/2012/04/guest-blogger-man-made-aspects-of-religion-were-coming-back-to-haunt-me/

 

If You Have Been Looking for a Sign -- http://www.aholyexperience.com/2012/04/if-youve-been-looking-for-a-sign/

 

 

 

I have had these pet peeves myself

My 7 Pet Peeves about Worship Music in Church  -- http://tolovehonorandvacuum.com/2012/04/my-7-pet-peeves-about-worship-music-in-church/