Niche Homeschool Group

Homeschool and parenting as a passion October 10, 2007

For me, I’m passionately learning to make time to read the books I enjoy because it fills my cup.  I’m passionately learning to be a better mom.  Each day, my older child achieves an age that I’ve never “mothered” before.  Each day is new and interesting and enormously challenging- -but enormously rewarding.  I am passionately learning how to budget my time–my largest resource–so that I am a better home manager (my husband might be the President, but I am the CEO, the CFO, and the COO, and I’m the one with veto power!).  By choosing to stay home and educate my kids, I am passionately learning how model for them the things I want them to learn, like love of reading, love of learning, a love for nature and all the beauty around us, love of hard work (okay, we’re really struggling here), love and compassion for others, how to serve, help and bless others, how to seek truth, how to stand by their values, how to be courageous, how to be humble, and how to be passionate learners themselves of what it is they want to learn.  And I am passionately learning how to sacrifice some of my desires, wants, and needs to make these things happen for my children because I know that one day, in the not too distant future they will leave my nest, hopefully in the form of the men I know they can be, and I’ll have all the time in the world to continue to work on the things I want to do.  So while I absolutely applaud that you are learning to play the piano (BTW, I have some great piano music I can share with you, if you like), and frankly I believe the greatest way to teach our children to become independent learners who enjoy learning, is to model learning–to learn something ourselves (even surreptitiously) while they observe us.  To accept setbacks graciously on the days we struggle, without giving up, of course, and to enjoy and share our triumphs with them when we succeed.  Then they see how it’s done.  But I think you, and all of us, are passionately learning more than we can ever begin to quantify.  And I believe that when we perceive our job as mothers/educators in this light, we begin to feel more rewarded for our efforts than otherwise possible.Joy to all!

Lorayne

What are you passionately learning?

When families make the choice to homeschool, the main teacher, usually the Mom, takes on the main Role Model role. The fact is, whatever we moms do, our kids will want to do to. We inspire them, and they inspire us. I assume that probably every homeschool family wants their kids to grow up to teach themselves what they want to know, the be self-starters, to be independent their learning. Kids are born being passionate learners, and most families hope that when they leave the nest, they are still passionate learners. But what about us? What are we passionately learning right now?

  Now the whole time that I’ve been homeschooling I haven’t been passionately learning something every day. We all go through times of rapid learning and down times, that’s natural. Lately I have been passionately learning piano, with such a desire to learn that I itch to play, I am excited for free time so I can sit and bang out the new songs I’m learning. As my kids listen to me play, sometimes they dress up and dance to the music, but mostly they just keep on doing whatever they were doing. When they hear me play the same line of music 10 times, I hope they are hearing my determination. As they hear each new song take form and unfold into a beautiful melody they can dance to (they are such natural dancers!) I hope they see that determined practice creates results. As they see my face shine after successfully playing a complicated song very well, I hope that they see that learning is *fun*.

  I give thanks to DD (5), who inspired me to take up the piano about 6 months ago. I had already had 3 years worth of lessons about 10 years ago, and I am happy to say that it’s all coming back. I am learning the music I want to learn, because now a days you can look it up online, hear the notes and print the music, all for free.

  So I want to know - how is this working in your family? What are you passionately learning?

Peace,
Mama S

Some math games

Gameschooling is using games to teach subjects that may not be very exciting.  Add a game to a lesson and see how much more fun is involved, not to mention learning and retention.   

Buzz Fizz Burp

You just count, starting at 1.  When it’s your turn, say the next number in
order.  BUT - all multiples of 3 instead of saying the number you say Buzz.
Multiples of 5, say Fizz.  Multiples of 3 and 5 get a buzzfizz.  Advanced
players can add the burp on multiples of 7 - and, yes of course, you would
also get fizzburps and buzzburps -

For example, it goes like this - 1-2-buzz-4-fizz-buzz-7-8-buzz-fizz-11
you get the idea.  And that is without the burps!  I find it a challenge to
play while tackling rush hour city driving, which levels the playing field a
little.

We started out with just the buzzes, and you could do it on multiples of
whatever you are working on, though my daughter, who likes consistency, will
play it only as stated above.  You can set a goal of counting to something
for an end point - 30 is good for beginners.  For kids like mine, who need
LOTS of repetition to get this stuff down, this is a fun review.

~~~~

I don’t know if this one has a name; it’s played with a deck of cards

Ace = 1; all face cards count as their value; Jack is 11, Queen 12, can choose to use King, as 13 or wild card, or if working on a fact family, assign King as that number for extra practice.

Deal out all the cards between 2 people

flip over top card, the person with lowest card, multiplies the 2 numbers; correct answer, get the cards; if incorrect, the person with the highest card gets a chance; keep going until someone gets the right answer and wins the “hand”.

This game can be adapted to addition, subtraction, division, fractions, etc., and include any number of people.

Here are a few more ideas.

First, an adapatation of your 2nd ‘war’ type game.  Have both people play two cards and each person add or multiply their own. Highest total wins. 

Deal a pyramid of cards 1 at the top, 2 on the next level etc laying each card slightly on top of the next card.  Then playing only the fully exposed cards, work towards uncovering the whole pile.  To remove cards, use whatever function you are working on to achieve a desired number.

      3

    4 1

  2 3 5

 4 5 3 1

So for example, the first 3 rows are covered by other cards if you lay the cards out and don’t do this as a computer screen game

Say your goal is 5s.  You can add 4+1 = 5 so remove those two cards.  Take away the 5 since it equals 5.  That leaves the 3 from the bottom level and the 2 from the level above it exposed.  They equal 5 so remove the.

We play go fish all the time.  Play to a goal #.  Say, we’re playing to 10.  If I’ve got a 7, I ask for a 3 to make 10.  If kiddo has it, they give it to you. If not, go fish.

Perfect park day in Estes Park

It was fantastic! We found elk in abundance quite easily, and many of them
were hanging around and in the water of Lake Estes.

After watching them a while, we all (about 8 or 9 families) joined together
for the most fabulous park day in Estes Park, surrounded by those beautiful
mountains. It was a gorgeous day all around.

Mama L

Day of the Dead

I love going to this museum(free! !) and they have a nice little  area for younger kids(toddlers) in the downstairs area(with all the birds).  It looks like they are doing a lot for the “Day of the Dead” and even a family day!  We usually end up eating at “The Sink” afterwards, a short walk underneath Broadway……  http://cumuseum.colorado.edu/Calendar/eventsdetail.php?eventID=217

 Mama T

 Also, many Niche (not nitch) families attended the Longmont Day of the Dead festival.  This is our family tradition..

Mama A

Where do we come from? October 9, 2007

Oh, all over…Boulder, Broomfield, Erie, Fredrick, Firestone, Louisville, Lafayette, Longmont, Mead.   That’s the center of our homeschool group world but we do have members from Denver, Estes Park, Nederland, Golden and other Front Ranges and Northern Colorado communities.  We do plan most events in the Boulder County area but do travel for field trips to places like the Zoo, the Denver Museum of Nature and Science other great events.

Yep! We have Boulder Homeschoolers, Broomfield Homeschoolers, Erie Homeschoolers.  …Ignore me while I talk to Google for a while longer…   Fredrick Homeschoolers, Firestone Homeschoolers, Lousiville Homeschoolers, Lafayette Homeschoolers and Longmont Homeschoolers.  Now that you know where we come from…come see how cool we are. 

Eeek, Pirates!

A nice gaggle of Boulder county homeschooling families attended the final dress rehersal of the Colorado Ballet’s performance of Le Corsaire (The Pirate).  Ellie Caulkin’s Theater was a delight for everyone, young and old. The littlest home school kids loved the massive light fixture that ascends into the ceiling upon the start of the show.   With ooohs and ahhhs,  the children were wisked away to the Barbary coast to duel with pirates and save the girl.  Future trips to the theatre, opera and ballet are being planned.  Oh, we’re so cultured. 

Longmont Families potluck

It was a lovely fall day for the Longmont Homeschool Families potluck. The mom’s chatted while the kids played in the hammock and climbed like monkeys on the swing set.  We talked about curriculum and history, phonics and all sorts of yummy homeschool subjects.  We’ll be having more Niche (not nitch)longmont potlucks, so stay tuned for future dates.

Box building extravaganza

Little boys, cardboard and tape were a winning combination.  The little boys of Niche gathered to create and build to their hearts’ content.   Big boxes became forts and little boxes became helicopters and other interesting creations.