Some 'Advanced Strewing'

(Notice I placed this strategicly near his beloved LOTR book...)


I have what I call 'Advanced Strewing'... that works pretty well around here now and then!

What that means, is that sometimes instead of just 'strewing' (leaving things around for the boys to find), I will subtly or not so subtly encourage them to try them.

Of course sometimes I will flat out say:

"You need to read this.. you will love it!"
or
"This will be great for you to understand that part of history- give it a try."
or
"Oh, this book is great, I think you will like it."

In the case of the last one, it is completely up to them if they try it, but they usually do.
But, then also Mom gets a few other hints out without talking at all. :)




(Quasimoto recommending Mark Hart... lol)

First Grade

My (just today) 17yos got his very first grade yesterday.

He is taking a Bravewriter course that assigns grades to the essay assignments. (He did OK, of course or Mom would not be posting..)

But I sat back and realized it is rather amazing we have gone 17 years in his life with no grades, save some standardized tests we do ever so often. But he is still learning all that stuff that grades are put in place to make kids learn. Amazing. :)

OTOH, I could tell he was happy with it, so there is something about the tangible sign of an accomplishment.

Update on Neighborhood Newsletter Editor Postion

We got the job!!

More later..... as the stories come into the newsroom!

Help Wanted: Editor for neighborhood newsletter

Our neighborhood has a newsletter and is now looking for a new editor. It is a paid position! Not much, but that is luring in my sons. And, this might be a small stepping stone of experience to doing more writing one day. It is limited in scope, mostly ensuring the submissions follow an existing policy, interface with residents and the publisher and some editing.

Last night I had an 'interview' with the board. Wow--took me back to my working days as I stood up and listed my 'qualifications', why I wanted the job and expalined my sons' role in helping me. I don't know if we will get the job, but here is my followup thank you email.

One should *always* write a thank you note after an interview! That I learned in my years of interviewing others and being interveiwed myself. This is good chance for my boys to learn about job interviewing ettiqute as well. Lots of opportunity for learning everywhere in life.... planting seeds for the future...

Dear K---,

Thank you for inviting me to the board meeting last night, as I enjoyed meeting everyone. Please let me know if you or any others have further questions for me. I truly look forward to working with all of you on the newsletter if you determine I am the best candidate.

My sons and I would really appreciate this opportunity and to reiterate, they will be helping in many capacities, but I will oversee and ensure seamless service to our residents as well as a professional interface with the publisher.

Do you know when you all will be making your decision? I look forward to hearing from you.

Thanks again,

Cindy Kelly

Wish us luck!

How We Homeschool **ATM**

This topic is one that I think will always be on the front burner to most of us, and I know it is for me. It ebbs and flows. Sometimes I feel very comfortable with what we are doing, then at times I will step back and re-evaluate. What are we doing? Does it fit us? Does it fit us *now*?

Maria has a lovely post on how her family came to unschool. She also talks about the definition of unschooling. She also references one of my favorite blog posts by Melissa Wiley about Tidal Homeschooling.

Well worth the read and I enjoy reading it again now and then.

My boys, being 13 and 16 and very practical and a bit cynical don't even really care for the label of 'homeschooler', much less 'unschooler'. This kind of surprised me when it first popped up a couple of years ago, especially since they LOVE being home and are eternally grateful our family discovered homeschooling. (Yes, I remind them of this constantly and the selfless sacrifice Mom is making for them..lol)

But seriously, I can see it what they are getting at, even if they could not articulate it. They were in a way the canary in the coal mine for me, detecting the artificiality of labels.

I know I have been on a mini-quest in search of a label for a few years. When I was immersed in Charlotte Mason it was a very nice fit and I found like-minded people very easily. Something that is very, very helpful, especially for a newer homeschooling mom.

But, I think the boys have seen various stereotypes develop with homeschooling. And, as we know, most stereotypes spring from a seed of truth. They saw some overly rigid (to their tastes) families doing things that were not 'them'. So they began to reject the homeschool label. Yes we homeschool, but it is really a negative definition. We learn, we just don't learn in school. I think maybe what we do, is how John Holt tried to define unschooling when he first coined the phrase years ago.

In an article in Life Learning magazine, Pat Feranga talked about John Holt and his life and vision. He said that Mr. Holt coined the phrase 'unschooling' to give a name to what families were doing at home with their children while all the other kids were in school from 9am to 3pm. They were NOT schooling in the sense the government schools were.

I think my boys may have seen that were were not only NOT schooling like gov't schools, but we were also NOT homeschooling like a lot of other homeschool families. And that is ok. Because other homeschool families also have their style. But as much as I was drawn *to* a label, my boys seem to have been repelled from one.

So, we have developed our own style. No, not really a style, I think it is a life. I am actually glad to try and drop the labels, though they are handy. I like Melissa's coinage of the term Tidal Homeschooling. I like it because I think that is where I am most comfortable, too.

She does a wonderful job digging into the role of parents. That we can set the stage, strew the treasure, provide guidance. She talks about 'leaving our children to their own devices' and how that plays into it, positively and negatively.

I see that though my boys don't want formal study, they do want direction, though they won't come out and ask. I think they like to know that even though this education is *theirs*, which we have often talked about, that someone older and with more experience has a hand on the rudder.

That plays very well into my personality, too, as I love to learn. And research. And explore new ideas and share.

This was much easier when they were little. I look at Melissa and Maria's blogs, as well as others, and remember the days where the boys were little and loved most everything I suggested! A trip to the museum.. yes! A science project.. fun! A new read-aloud... terrific! Now that they are older they are less willing to jump on mom's bandwagon, and of course I am dealing with almost-adults here, so have adjusted.

I know their interests, which do get narrowed as one gets older. So I try to pick and choose and bring them things that will help broaden them, but also fit their styles. It is harder, but also more rewarding in some ways, in that I am learning higher level material, often adult level and that, I enjoy.

We have been in a season where I have primarily encouraged them in their own interests, but I think (like Melissa's tide) we are coming back to me introducing more. Much of it is me- where I am, what I am doing, what mode I am in.

I wonder, how much of our children's learning and experience is really based on the whim or personality of the mom. I think a lot. But I also think that there are many ways for a child to learn and succeed in life and each mom is a gift. And a mom in research mode is a gift... but then so is the mom who lets the tide ebb and we all just live for a while. Maybe that is why God made women so emotional, so the children could see it, and buoy up and down with the tides... (as long as we don't let them PMS moon terrorize the house! I have learned on those days, just to be very, very quiet... lol)

I used to think that it was ALL up to me. If I didn't get all my school ducks in a row, I failed. Then as we relaxed more, I saw the real learning going on in low tides of introduction of material, but that were often very high tides of learning. I would not give that part up for anything, that is the REAL learning that we all can experience.

But, now I am realizing even more that we are complex creatures (especially women) and our changes and ups and downs are a gift. We are not machines, life is not perfect and what better lesson for our kids. Consistency is not the high prize. That is biggest asset of schools. Love is the prize. Connections. Real parenting. And that is why unschooling is NOT unparenting.

Well, to conclude this ramble, I wanted to put in a quote from the Life Learning Magazine. This is Pat Faranga talking about John Holt and how he changed his ideas and philosophies as he experienced more and learned more. It told me that it is ok to learn and grow and change how we do things. Because we learn a better way does not mean we blew it doing it the old way. And we can change again. It is OK. :)

The revisions to his earlier books reflect this growth in thinking. As his ideas developed he didn't excise his previous thoughts, he built on them....for instance, he drew a line down the side and said," He's the other John Holt: I thought that was a good idea at the time but now the older John Holt knows this to be the case." He didn't need to protect his position by erasing his former thoughts and writings like so many writers do. And the subtext of that is that he was proving by example that people can continue to learn.

Learning As I Go... Home Decor, Dahling

Hey, I think I really like my new blog title! We'll see how long it lasts..

Today I started learning something brand new.

My house needs help. I know, I know, as a homeschooler we have carte blanche not to decorate our homes because
a) we are SO busy
b) the kids will mess it up, and
c) the kids will mess it up.

Well, now that my boys are older I am running out of excuses. It is OK... Ok.. but there are some rooms I would really like to pull together. Nothing grand. I don't like homes that look like model homes.. but just pulled together.

My problem is I see a show on HGTV where they re-do a whole room on a shoe string. But... of course they don't count the cost of the designer or the 2 carpenters, or the shopper that finds the 'steals' at the rummage shops.

It is just little ol' me, and my shoestring. I don't have an HGTV army but would love one... especially that carpenter named Ty..... lol

So, today I called a designer I know that helped us some when we first moved in here and did a major redo on our kitchen and living room. I mean we had some equity and needed help. I remember her being a bit high priced, but it was kinda rolled in our home purchase.

Anyway I called her. She said her help was free if I bought $3000 of stuff from her store. Her store prices are HIGH. Nothing like you see on HGTV or over at Tuesday Morning.

So, I asked, what if you just help me pick color and come up with ideas.

"$100.00 an hour." she said.

"Gasp." I said.

"Ahem," she said as her cell phone crackled in the Houston heat.

She proceeded to tell me that some people have a gift for this, but most don't and I can save enough to pay her by avoiding just one mistake.

Now I'm no expert, but I'm pretty sure my mistakes are not THAT big!

So, I thought to my little self, in the past 10 years, I have learned about history, programming, literature, politics, child development, philosophy, and the Great Catholic Faith... and much, much more from SCRATCH.... heavens, I can learn about decorating! Especially at that rate.

So, off to Half Price books with a sackful of old books to trade in. While the talleyed up my credit, I found a couple of great books on decorating.
One is a workbook. I mean this is step by step. You start off measuring the room and drawing out the floorplan and putting little cut-outs of your little paper furniture in place. The boys helped me measure today and we did that.

I also liked both books because they were encouraging. One said that decorating panache *is* a gift, but it can also be learned. And they said that if you get overwhelmed, just take baby steps. Start with one room. Or one corner.

Kind of like Martha Stewart meets Flylady.

I am starting with just one room, the family room Now this room is already 'ok'. The furniture is a nice color and only 8 years old. The carpet looks good (but smells a bit thanks to you know who...) but will do. The walls are fine. So I have a nice canvas on which to start.

One book said to really think about what you want in the space. Not just how it will look but how it will live.

I know what I want. I want this to be a happy space. To read. I want it to be accessable. This is little, but where I sit, the arm of the couch is high and I can't reach the too short side table when I sit there and try to reach over and pick up my glass of wine (or tea).

I want to have the stereo hooked up so we can listen to music, but in a nice space, not with cords everywhere. I want to have the room more pulled together, maybe some color.

If I get this going I will post before and after pictures. My camera is on the fritz so may be a while.

But, I like this. Once I began thinking in terms of a challenge to learn something new, it became less intimidating. Wish me luck! And I hope I enjoy this and don't get stressed out. That is also my goal.

Certain Things

I was recently reading a snippet online about a 'Rule of Six' a homeschooling mom came up with- the things she would like her dc to have in their life every day.

This got me to thinking. I really liked that idea as it kind of gathered up things for me. Scooped up the gems that often fall out of our day naturally. Those things, that when they happen, make it a good day. The kind of things, that when they happen more often than not, begin to build on each other and create the flow of happiness and family life that makes up this tapestry we have been living for years.

I started this thinking- "Ok, what things do I need to MAKE happen!?"

Hummm.... That is my old homeschooling-think. Let me re-set.

As I removed myself to my thinking spot, I tried to gain some perspective. Instead I began to think, what are those things that bring joy when they happen naturally, not as a list for me to check off. And they sometimes bring not immediate joy, but sometimes the joy that comes from living a certain way over time.

These are things I would like 'scooped up' and maybe even listed for me to remind me... so I can notice when they happen, and live life so they happen more often. Encourage it.

Let's see if it will be six things...

1) Grounded days with margin that allows connection and discussion. Boys having time to pursue and also me slowing down to connect with them.

2) Something new to think about- either the boys find or I suggest. Just to ponder, quietly perhaps, another new snippet of God's world not yet discovered.

3) Faith- either through a sacrament, prayer time, scripture reading, discussion together--- and/or private reading and prayer.

4) Laughter

5)Intellect- stretching ourselves, usually through discussion often brought about by a new idea (book/DVD/current event. This could be an offshoot of #2, or it could be discussing something we have known/followed for years.

6) Creativity- their projects and mine, sometimes shared and sometimes individually.

7) Friendships and the chance to give to others (physically, emotionally)

8) Connecting with God's creation- either nature or even as we understand how people behave, interact or create.


Oops, I am up to 8. :)

If a combination of these elements happen in a day, it is a good day. If they don't happen, then usually something is out of whack... but that is ok. Things ebb and flow. I find that these kind of days layered over the years are providing a rich life and learning lifestyle.

Re-reading the list, it reminds me a lot of what Charlotte Mason says.. to give children something to do, something to love and something to think about. I always liked that. ;)

What are the 'Certain Things' that make it a joyful day/month/year in your home?

Our Days...

Well, I wrote a response to a post Leonie made at UC about the Latin Centered Curriculum book she is reading, and decided it could be a blog post. So here it is! It is nice to have in my scrapbook/blog here. As I find I will go back and read this blog and rarely read UC archives. It gives a nice flavor of where we are now... and will be nice to read when things start changing, or to look back and see where we have been.

This got me thinking about my homeschool journey over the years and how I would read things early on and want to jump from one method to another thinking I might be missing something, or that one was best and I was on the wrong ship. (Leonie is not doing this... but I did) Then after dabbling all these years, it does start to come full circle, that I guess I gravitate toward a certain atmosphere or principles... and it ebbs and flows.

I think for us, interest led has become fairly dominate, but I still love the great ideas that are out there. They 'whys' of learning.... bringing in new ideas, but always encouraging the boys in what they find interesting.

It is funny, the boys are in the midst of learning how to do modifications to software code to create their own levels in a video game. B was showing me how and I saw all this geometry, cad cam work, logic, creativity... in fact I could not keep up, and I have always prized my ability for logic, etc. It is funny when your kids begin to pass you. While B was doing that, S was working on a novel he is writing in LOTR style.

The funny part (to me) was as I was checking in with them (as i have been busy with some projects of my own the past few days), I asked S what he was doing and he said, "Oh, I am being productive, I am doing ...... "

I liked that as they see they are being productive and stretching. But then I asked what they are reading, listening to, etc- as I had not seen much on that front...... so now B is starting Lillies of the Field, S listening to Peter Kreeft. So I find gentle reminders work pretty well here to nudge them in new areas. It is like I can sort of sense when they need that nudge? And boy can I sense when they don't.

I once heard Chris Davis from Elijah Co do a talk and they lived in the country. It was time for math. He called his son. No answer. He called again. Still no response.
He went outside and looked and far off in a pasture, his son was laying face up on the back of his horse, dreamily watching the sky.

Chris decided math could wait a bit. :)

Just some rambling. But your LCC sounds like something I would like in that I do love higher ideas. I like the Plato quote I read recently, that the goal of education is to bring us to higher things. St. Augustine took that as his motto. And he knew 'higher things' was God. But St. Terese also told us there is a "little way' to God. I think all of these things (video games and Latin) can bring us to God if we are involved with the dc and talking about it all and the context of how it fits in the world and in our love as a family.

Teaching Company- Hinduism

I am finishing up a by the Teaching Company CD lecture series on Hinduism.

The professor is facinating, and I am learning a tremendous about about something I knew very little of. It is doubly interesting my family and I because our parish priest is Indian. He is from the southern part, were most of the Indian Christians live.

But, as this CD lecture bears out, Hinduism really IS India. The two cannot be seperated. 99% of all Hindus live in India. The whole country is sacred to them. The iver 330 MILLION gods they have (yes, that many) are depicted all over the country, in roadside temples, in cities, everywhere.

What must it be like to be a Catholic in that country?

The professor said that in his lecture he had to organize the religion enough to present it coherently. But in practice and life it is not that coherent. It is enormous and though there are rules (caste, etc) it is very hard to pin down. But he did an excellent job in bringing India and Hinduism to life.

We have had some nice discussions in our house about it. Comparative Relgion... we have a lot of faith discussion and I had been looking for some resources to fill out a credit for ds, and this is a wonderful resource. It is helping us see other people in the world, how they live, how their religions developed. It also is making us see the beauty, logic, mystery and God's own hand in our Catholicism, cementing it even more in our lives.

Here is an excerpt from the Teaching Company website:

Terms we associate with Hinduism—"Hinduism," "religion," and "India"—are all Western creations, notions that for most of history did not accurately reflect the thinking of those who practice this most ancient of the great faiths.

In fact, one of the primary themes of Professor Mark W. Muesse's lectures is the difficulty of studying Hinduism without imposing Western perceptions on it.

In Hinduism you will find a religion that is perhaps the most diverse of all, that worships more gods and goddesses than any other, and which rejects the notion that there is one path to the divine.

A Window into All Religions
These lectures provide a window into the roots of not only this religion, but perhaps all religions. You will explore over the course of Hinduism's 5,000-year journey:

The Indus Valley civilization
The huge variety of Hindu gods and goddess
The sacred writings in the Vedas, the Bhagavad-gita and the Upanishads
Ritual purity rites
The Aryan language of Sanskrit, whose roots can be seen in English words such as "divine," "video," and "ignite."

The story of Hinduism is the story of very un-Western traditions—arranged marriages and the caste system—that have survived and thrived for thousands of years; and of a wealth of gods, terms, and practices—karma, Krishna, yoga, guru—that have found a home in Western lives and language.

The course also explains that Hinduism rejects the notion that there is only one path to the divine, and at its best, it honors all seekers of truth.

Interesting Quote

This from The Teaching Company catalog:

Most of the important things that a human being ought to know cannot be comprehended in youth.

- Robert Hutchings
Professor- The University of Chicago.

Don't know if that is totally true as children learn about love, family, faith, God... and lots of other connections. But I have found that a lot of things I am learning are things that my more mature mind can get around now, which it probably would have been able to do before I reached 30 or so...:)

Our Trip to Brazil

Jack and Anne (our neighbors) had us over to see all their wonderful pictures of their trip to Brazil.

They are a retired couple who live across the street and know how much we enjoy nature, so they often share their experiences with us. Jack is an avid bird watcher and writes articles for the local birding group. Anne travels with him all over the world to find birds and enjoy nature and travel.

The boys, dh and I went over last week and we all crowded upstairs in the spare bedroom turned den. Also present were J and A's dd and sil. Up there was the TV with the DVD that worked... so we all watched as Jack narrated us through a half hour of wonderful pictures, complete with a pointer and a map of Brazil.

The pictures on here are not his, but two of the animals I remember him showing us. The monkey is a Tamerin Lion Monkey. The cutest things, Anne said. They are also threatened. The bird is a Channel Billed Toucan. The reptile is a caiman (which I had never heard of before). He said they are very slow and very dumb... but I think they look very fierce!

They told us that in the rainforest when the birds and monkeys get going the sound can be deafening! After hearing of their adventures, walking up to 5 miles a day in the hot, humid weather, youngest ds asked why anyone would want to do that for a vacation! Spoken like a true A/C loving suburbanite.

He also told us about the Pantanel, the world's largest wetlands. Every year for 6 months it is flooded by waters draining off the platueau south of the Amazon River, then for 6 months it is totally dry. Because of this, it is largely unpopluated and full of wildlife.

He recorded over 200 birds identifies on this trip, 73 of which he had never seen before. It was funny, though, because when a picture of a flower came up, he wouldn't have a clue of the name. But boys he knows his birds!

Well, we go to live vicariously through our neighbor's trip. Below is a diary Jack generously shared with us. It was interesting looking up the places and treks they made. He kindly allowed me to share it here.




ON SAFARI IN THE PANTANAL AND OTHER PARTS OF BRAZIL
By Jack Gorman

In the last half of November Anne and I were fortunate to spend 12 days of jam packed activities in Brazil on an International Exposition tour of the Pantanal, Iguazu Falls and parts of Rio de Janeiro. It was quite an adventure. Here are my impressions of our travels through these very unique parts of Brazil.

Brazil is a huge country with a land area similar to that of the United States. Since the equator slices through its middle, Brazil encompasses a variety of vastly different ecological areas. Most famous is the mighty Amazon River with its vast tropical jungles. It has fascinated the world for years. On the other hand, little has been written about the Pantanal, Brazil’s other huge but much different eco-system. Sitting in the middle of the South American Continent, the Pantanal is a geological depression that holds in its sink the largest wetlands in the world. Stretching over an area somewhat larger than the state of Wisconsin, 90% of the Pantanal is in Brazil. It has two seasons, the dry season where it gets very little rain from May to November (winter time in Brazil) and the wet season from December to April (Summer in Brazil). Throughout the dry season the Pantanal is blanketed with a lowland savanna interspersed with patches of forestlands, numerous rivers, and shallow lakes.. As the wet season arrives the high plateaus south of the Amazon River receive vast amounts of rainfall. Water flushes down into the Pantanal and overflows its rivers and floods huge sections of its lowlands. Because of its flat topography, drainage is very slow which renders much of the land useless for general habitation or farming. Eventually the floodplain dries out and reverts back into dry savanna. Because of this unique flood cycle the Pantanal is sparsely settled and has been converted into large cattle ranches over the last 400 years. We spent four days roaming these ranchlands, learning about and marveling at its natural fauna and flora. We stayed at the Refugio Ecologico Caiman, a 250,000 acre cattle ranch that caters to eco-tourists. Getting there was no easy jaunt. After landing in Sao Paulo we flew to Campo Grande, a small city in the pampas ca 600 miles to the northwest. Then, riding in a mini-bus we bounced along for 4 ½ hours until we reached the ranch which sits just inside the edge of the Pantanal.




On safari in the Pantanal in November when the weather is topping the 90 degree mark went something like this. Our group of 10 visitors was led by a naturalist working for International Expositions and two local guides. Our primary objective was bird watching. However, we also eagerly enjoyed the sightings of indigenous animals, butterflies, exotic trees, plants and flowers. We woke up around 6;00 AM to the screams and screeches of parrots, parakeets, and Chachalacas. Following a hearty breakfast we began our morning discoveries out in the savanna. For the first two days we were on foot, scouring the fields, forests, ponds, and shallow lakes that surround the ranch. The ponds and lakes were loaded with caiman languishing half submerged in the water and on shore. They seemed exceedingly lazy and thankfully never bothered us. Birding around the ranch was easy and exciting. The lawns were dotted with Rufous-bellied and Pale-breasted Thrushes along with a Red-creasted Cardinal or two.. Large Poinciana trees were bursting with beautiful red blooms, hummingbirds and Parakeets. A giant Cecropia tree loomed over the compound and attracted birds like a magnet. Many different bird species frolicked in its canopy, including; Toco Toucans, Black-headed parrots, Monk Parakeets, a variety of tanagers and a territorial Kiskadee. The marshland held a smattering of ibises, herons and Muscovy Ducks while swallows wove their graceful flights over the fields and lakes. By 10;30 AM we and the birds were hot and tired, so we went back to the ranch house and the birds stopped calling. A swim in the pool and a buffet lunch followed. Temperatures sizzled as we took a siesta to avoid the mid-day heat. Late Afternoons found us off again. This time we went on safari in a high-riding open-air truck that bounced us along for hours to new locations. It was easy spotting birds and animals in the shallow mud holes along the elevated roads At selected locations we hopped down and struck out into the woods to tramp through the tangles of a twisting trail. I estimated that we walked at least 5-6 miles a day and spent many hours standing with binoculars peeled. Sitting high in the truck, the flat rangeland seemed to roll out in all directions. Carunda Palms dominated the open savanna standing strait and tall with tasseled heads while herds of white cattle lounged and grazed beneath them in small groups. Greater Rheas (birds similar to Ostriches) wandered about in the open and once we spotted a covey of 14 immature rheas being shepherded by two male chaperons.



Each small mud hole had a bird or two feeding at its leisure and close to the road. Wattled Jacanas, Plumbeous, Buff-necked, Green, and Bare-faced Ibis along with Rufescent Tiger-herons, and Whistling, Cocoi, Striated and Capped Herons predominated. A few lonely Jabaru Storks, with their 4 ½ foot height and huge black beaks were not as common and a Greater Black Hawk seemed out of place feeding on the ground. Large patches of dense forest produced species such as the White Woodpecker, Savanna Hawk, Golden-collared Macaw, Spectacled Owl and Red-billed Scythebill. Parakeets were very common. We observed three pairs of Hyacinth Macaws (an endangered species) feeding and nesting in the Acuri and Bocaiuva Palm trees. Nesting boxes had also been provided for the macaws by conservationists because of the lack of tree holes.
Our safaris also produced sightings of resident animals, including; Giant Anteaters, Capibaras, Coatis, Yellow Armadillos, Black Howler Monkeys, Red-backed and Marsh Deer, Peccaries, Feral Pigs, Agoutis, and lizards of many sizes Jaguar foot prints were spotted but no jaguars. Colorful foliage and butterflies were common.

Upon leaving Refugio Caiman we bused back to Campo Grande and flew on to Iguazu Falls via a stop in Sao Paulo, arriving late in the night. Our go-go schedule didn’t change but the locale was starkly different. Staying at the magnificent old Hotel Tropical das Cataracas overlooking the falls we felt as if we were in imperial Europe where the elite dress for meals (many did but we stuck to our hiking dudes). Located on the Parana River the falls stretch across 2 ½ miles of tropical landscape between Brazil and Argentina. The early morning weather was uncomfortably hot and humid as we had breakfast on the patio. Dozens of Red-rumped Caciques entertained us with their constant squabbling and jiving amidst their myriad clumps of nests in the nearby trees. A Toco Toucan aroused a screaming angry mob of Caciques when it appeared on the scene looking for eggs to eat. Then a coati drew our attention as it fearlessly climbed on to a breakfast table to sample leftovers. Then, we were out early to amble down the hiking trails on the Brazilian side of the falls. Cutting across the lawn we scared up a flock of tiny Blue-winged Parrotlets. As we started down the winding cliffside trail a Red-breasted Toucan flushed from her nesting cavity and Plumbeous Kites constantly circled overhead.. The twisting, paved trail offered us many multi-faceted views of the spectacular falls at every twist and turn. For me it was like walking through a kaleidoscope of Church’s tropical paintings. As we reached the bottom a cold mist blew over us as we ambled out on the walkway leading to the bottom edge of the falls. Great Dusky Swifts twittered in joy as they flew in and out through the spray while visiting their nests that were safely tucked behind the waterfalls. Wet with pleasure we took the elevator up and then lunched at a restaurant on the edge of the cataracts. The following day we did the Argentinean side of the falls, hiking for many hours throughout the parkland. The highlight of the day’s hike was walking out on a long narrow causeway that brought us directly over the mouth of the falls as they plunged down over the cliffs. Their mists chilled us and their thunderous roar was deafening. Our afternoon adventures found us in a helicopter, riding over the falls where Anne took some spectacular photos We ended our stay at Iguazu with a tour of an outside, walkthrough, aviary where we literally could walk and talk with dozens of tropical parrots, macaws, toucans, rheas, curassows, and ibises in a rainforest setting. Then, it was on to Rio De Janeiro.

A light rain greeted us as we pulled into our hotel on Ipanema Beach at 1:00 AM in the morning. Up early again we left for a excursion to Tijuca national Park where we would ride the tramway to the top of Corcovado Mountain. Up the steep cogway we silently glided through a tropical rainforest. We smiled at its whimsical statuary and oohed at the, tropical gardens, and large yellow blobs of wild Jackfruit hanging from its tall trees. Reaching the top we marveled at the spectacular views of Rio while the huge statue of Christ looked down on us with arms extended. It was a photographers delight. After lunch we explored the Rio Botanical Gardens for three hours. It seemed we covered all 150 acres of it. Initially begun at the turn of the 19th century, the gardens were planted with both endemic and imported foliage. Its huge trees dwarfed over us as we searched for birdlife that was plentiful. Tanagers here, a Kiskadee there, a Rufous-capped Antshrike in the hedges, Violet-capped and Swallow-Tailed Hummingbirds near the orchid garden, a Channel-billed Toucan on nest, and a Slaty-breasted Woodrail sulking near the lily pond were great finds for our bird list. I could have easily enjoyed another two days there. But we had to get back for a late afternoon stroll on Impanema Beach.

Our last days were spent it two different parts of the Brazilian Atlantic rainforest. In the morning we visited Poco das Antas where we hiked through the wet into the rainforest Our guides located a band of six Golden Lion Tamarins, an indigenous specie on the world’s endangered animal list.. Watching and photographing these squirrel-size monkeys, with their human-like faces as they jumped from branch to branch was utterly delightful. Moving on to Serra Dos Orgaos National Park we spent the night high in the mountains above Teresopolis. One last morning was ours to explore the tree-top walkways of this sanctuary set in the rugged hillside a few miles from burgeoning Rio. It offered us another 23 species for our bird list that then topped the 200 mark. But alas, our power-packed journey had to end too soon and it was back to Houston, a three-flight 20 hour trip.

Unfolding In Their Own Time

I remember 3 years or so ago wondering if my introspective son would ever be comfortable talking in groups. This extrapolated to how he would do in the inevitable classroom. Like many I believed for years that for a child to be able to handle a college classroom, he needed 12 years of progressive practice in elementary and secondary classrooms.

I had been completely indoctrinated by public school and, honestly, by some homeschool camps that had you believe you had to teach your kids everything - knowledge and skills.

Slowly... I have learned that children grow in their own time and learn all sorts of skills with natural exposure to life... and a little steering-- with a light touch-- from mom.

These boys have taught me so much. And I am learning to really trust them-- watch them, learn about how they learn and operate, give them fuel/encouragement.. and TRUST them to grow and learn.

As my loyal blog-readers know, (all 6 of you... lol) --- we have been involved with a LOTR discussion group this fall. This was the idea of my boys. I just invited people and arranged it.

As you also may know, I can't seem to finish the books. My younger son especially is aghast that I would risk a spoiler- ruin any of this Book of Books! I have managed to attend the meetings and not hear a major one---- yet.

The meetings are going well-- and both my sons are participating and discussing wonderfully. Gosh, all those worries I had... Oh us moms.

Well, today, I saw this unfold another step. Over on my dear friend Maria's blog I read a LOTR spoiler. (BTW Maria- the boys told me it wasn't THAT big of a deal...)---
but I was a teeny bit upset. I realized I better get serious. Did I really want to read this book and enjoy all the plot twists, or did I not?

OK, I knew. Not for the kids, but for ME.. I had better read that book. And I am going to. But what about attending the meetings? How could I attend and manage the meetings and not hear spoilers?

Well, the boys assured me (again) they didn't need me there.

Who would run it? I asked.

They would.

What about Mrs. Y and Mrs. J? One or both will think she has to run it if I am not there.

Then tell them, they said.

I did. And they did. They ran it. When things got off topic, they got it back on. when conversation lagged, they read another question.

This may not seem like a big deal, but you know, this is one of the things I worried about a few years ago. I know we moms can't quit worrying, but sometimes it seems it is so easy to worry, but then when things unfold, we just accept them as a given, a blip on the screen , what should just be anyway and don't take time to appreciate it. We forget this is something that kept us up nights in the past.. and now it is just here- no big deal.

Well, all I can say is this:

It IS a big deal!!!

My boys are not special and I know your kids do things like this, too.. unfold.. and hopefully you are seeing and appreciating it. You know, I am going to really try and notice these things. And note the things I worried about.. and see when they unfold. Don't worry- I won't blog them all. Please don't even think I'm bragging. I'm not- there is nothing to brag about. These are just people growing up... in their time. As God intended. But it is so cool!

I know this did not just *happen* either.. that we moms do guide, make opportunities... organize things... bring in ideas/people/concept/conversations. This is not a NON-job..no way... on the contrary it is one of the most real jobs out there. I guess I am seeing that it is a gentle, maybe the word is 'subtle' job.

Learning does not boil down to a series of lessons, such as:
This is 10th grade so now we are going to study- "How to Lead Meetings."

No, this is more of life.. steps, most natural, some prescribed that lead these people in our charges to unfold. In their time.

Well, a cold is coming on, so maybe that is making me more philosophical. But I am going to savor these years and look at what is right. And a lot is right and I love my job.

And a question I asked myself tonight.. could I at age 13/16 have lead a discussion group of teens and adults? Humm....

Confession Time Article

Wow, what an article!

Read here.

This is the first time I have seen such honesty and poignacy expressed in really understanding how a child learns and letting go of self-expectations and world expectations. Gosh, I could relate to so much.

God Bless,
Cindy

Some Real Learning- Gone With the Wind

There has been discussion here and there lately about real-ness. Real learning.
How much do we guide, when do we step back. How do we separate our needs (to plan, see, do) with our dc?

It has caused me to be more attentive. To see where I am leading and where I am standing back. How to make the decision. In that moment.

It reminds me of a topic in my faith group about connecting with the Holy Spirit in the midst of our day. How do we keep from shutting down and going on automatic? In my interior life it would mean going by my will and not opening myself up to prompting by the Holy Spirit. With my homeschooling my dc it means to stop listening and perceiving and letting my preconceptions and insecurities take over. Not well-said. I will have to think about how to articulate this more.

But, as usual, I find the best way to get my arms around this is to observe. So, I am trying to do that more.

Ok... here is an example from last night.

My 13yos got totally hooked on the Ken Burns DVD documentary The Civil War last month. Did he seek it out? Get online at the library and check it out? lol Like no way! I did my research and my strewing and after it sat for a couple of weeks, I watched it and loved it. Then I told him how awesome it was for a few days. Then I suggested (strongly) he take a look at just one DVD. He did and soon after he was taking the laptop to bed with him to get to the other 10 disks. :)

Guess that is what you call heavy-duty strewing. :)

So, I know I want my boys to be literate in history. I want them to make connections. So, when I see a REALLY good resource, I am going to push it. I know also from experience, that if they pick it up, on their accord and it is their idea, they will connect more readily. This is human nature. I am the same way! Of course they are, too.

I also have found from experience that when it does not work I best let it go. My older son and I just wrote up his credit for English Lit. I had him rank the items by those he liked best. The ones at the bottom he said he barely remembered. They were 100% the assigned reading I gave him. And not only as singed but things I didn't tailor to him or even think were particularly good myself. But things I "thought he should read". And he made such little connection, he could not even remember the plot. Hum. Still learning here.

Ok, back to my son and the Civil War. My hand guided him gently to the DVDs. He trusts me now. For the past couple of years I have been careful to give him strongly suggest the really good stuff. A few errors along the way -when I read book lists and start trying to implement someone else's plan.. (see above paragraph).. but for the most part he knows when Mom suggests something, it will be good. Living. Quality. The cream. Why go for anything else?

So, now that he is primed on the Civil War, I have all these thought of things we can add. Wow, what a study this could be. I have ordered up a bunch. I will read it myself. Listen to the CDs. Watch the DVDs. I previewed a Biography show on Lincoln and it was mediocre. I will tell B about it, but not put in on the 'gotta try it' list. I will review the other items the same way and see which make the cut.

Across Five Aprils made the cut last spring and both the boys loved it.

Last night was a good example of the guiding hand, and the real learning I saw.
I got Gone With The Wind from the library. What a great follow up to the Ken Burns DVD! Now, my son does not watch a lot of movies. He does not care for the old ones, which I love. He LOVES Star Wars and LOTR. He is into movie making, studies techniques employed by Peter Jackson and George Lucas and probably would say a movie is just not a movie without special effects.

So, do I push GWTW, made in 1939 with hokey music and lots of pretty dresses? The only special effect I know was how Mammy got Scarlett into that corset with her 21 inch waist. lol


I 'strongly' suggested he try it. I bribed him with popcorn. Just watch it for one bowl's worth. (it was a big bowl) I also realized that family dynamics play a great part here. My 16yo does not like to try new movies. He will often try to pull his younger brother away to go to things with him. But my 16yos is out of town... so I have the young one all to myself. One must be aware of these things!

We had a great time. We only stopped watching because the durn library CD was scratched and quit shortly after Atlanta burned.

So, that was a time when the art of guiding and suggesting worked well. Now, about the learning.

As we watched some text scroll we learned that Gettysburg was a disaster for the south. Ashly came home on leave and talked about his barefoot soldiers and how the south was ended as we know it. Rhett was running blockade. We saw the THOUSANDS of rebel solders laid out in the train yard of Atlanta wriggling in pain as Scarlett searched for the doctor to deliver Melanie's baby.

B said to me- "Gosh this movie would not be nearly so good if we had not seen the documentary first."

I was thinking the same thing. Every scene, bit of new from the front, mention of a city or general took me back to the documentary. I told him when I watched this movie years ago, I just kind of let the history part wash over me because I had no clue about the war. Now, dear reader, understand that I got an A in American History in High School! How can this be? I learned more about the Civil War in the Ken Burns' DVD than I ever knew before.

The movie brought images to what we had learned about the war. We talked about if it was realistic. B asked me if the union had a right to try and keep the south as part of the nation, assuming slavery had not been an issue.

I would not have known to even ask that question at age 13. I remember memorizing the 'reasons for the war' for a test. Yes, slavery was a big one... right?

So, I cannot capture all the learning that happened last night on paper. But I will put some down in my journal. This is real learning, and I have to enjoy these moments when they come. It is not linear, but organic. This is like a major history learning concentration and I can see that. But I think that is how all of learning works.

Well, that confounded disc is still not working. So today I ordered us our own copy. I splurged and got the one that has all the production notes, how the colorized it,interviews with the cast and director, shooting locations, movie studio history, special effects and director's notes.. etc for my movie-making boys. How interesting to compare and contrast movie making from almost 60 years ago.

More learning... :)

C.S. Lewis, Dr. Markos, Me, My Kids, Unschooling, The Knowledge Party... etc.

Stream of consciousness post ahead.. no conclusions.. just thinking out loud...


I have spent the last 4-5 days listening to Dr. Markos' lectures on C.S. Lewis. I am also reading his book straight through for the first time.

My mind is filled with CSL's life. Right now I am at that place in both the lectures and the books, where Markos is describing CSL's early influences, his relationships, his learning.

Unschooling. The thread it keeps bringing to the surface is that we can trust our children to seek knowledge. To learn by living, exploring, finding their unique path. I won't to into the skeptisms. I'm sure most readers know them.

I have seen all that learning happen in my home. That is why I have hung in there with the whole premise. My manta over the years has been 'What about content ? How do I bring it in?" Or at least my main mantra. I have others, but that has been the one I have spent the most time on and bothered my friends about the most. You know who you are.

I have seen the learning. I see the subtlley of it. I see organization, logical thinking, skills (you name 'em' they picked them up). I salute John Holt. The man was RIGHT.

Now to CSL. I am watching his journey. It was not a picture perfect childhood. God had his hand in it. So, that lets us perfectionist parents off the hook. Our mistakes can be God's openings.

How did CSL learn? I don't hear a lot about his lessons or classes. I hear about the relationships in his childhood. (good and bad). One of his primary good ones was with his brother, Warnie. During WWII, the family moved out to a rambling country house, Little Lea, which was like a Narnia to the Lewis boys. They spent hours in imagination games. This lay the groundwork for much of CSL's later work, including the Chronicles of Narnia. This history has a special place in my heart because I see a lot of strong parelells between the Lewis brothers and my boys.

Then boarding school. He detested it. He focused on his books. To escape. But again, the influces I hear about in his life are not the subjects he studied, but his passions. Norse mythology. Not to say the lessons were not beneifcial, but the strong influences that formed CSL into the man he became were through his passions, his life experiences (good and bad) and his relationships.

There is a list of books he savored as a child. As I read through them I realized the boys and I had done a lot of them as read alouds. Yes. My influence is important. I spent a lot of time with Charlotte Mason groups/reading and found these great books. But we loved them. It was not an assignment but a time of fun and adventure. But I did choose the books. This, to me is the unschooling I accept. Me as researcher, mom, nuturer, influencer... but allowing the children to make the connections. If we didn't like a book, we put it aside.
But how cool that we read most of the same books as little Jack Lewis? :)

What about when his father finally let him leave boarding school and have a private tutor, Kirkpatrick. The man was very influencial in his life. He was a atheiset, but taught Lewis to think, reason, analyize, lay out an arguement, which made him into the great apologist he was.

What if he had never had a great influencer. Where would he have gone?

Now- as parents can we give our children that kind of influence. If we are not relying on lessons/curriculum/scope and sequence, or even mandantory reads, then where will our children go?

I am finding my role is that of student. The more I investigate and learn the more it is at my fingertips to share.

What do I share? How do I share?

What do they do when I'm busy learning, researching, blogging... and they are on their own?

They are constantly in motion---- mentally. They alwayss have projects going. We are always intersecting. They will come up and have learned something and I had no idea where it came from.

Perhaps I can scatter seeds to them as they continue on their learning/living wheel.

I like learning about our roots. All the stuff I have been putting in my Knowledge Party posts. I can give them that gift. I can read passages aloud, things that strike me. Thing I know they would like (for eg when Markos talks about how much Lewis was influenced by Tolkein). There is an essay of Tolkein Markos recommends called On Fairie Stories. I ordered it up for my 15yos as he is writing a LOTR type story now.

Those are things I can do.

To me these sort of things always sounded small. When I would compare them to the GREAT things I see others doing, or read about.... the classical works, the long book lists, etc. Having the kids do written narrations, critical analysis, etc.

I am just spreading seeds.

Just?

No, I am doing more. I think a key compoent here is the element of conversation. And relationship of course, which is implied in a good conversation. Some conversations are short, some long. Some are natural- I read something, get excited and share. Just a moment ago in the kitchen B was picking up a tuna sandwich and heading upstairs I shared a bit of my CD. He will remember, too. His memory is awesome.. sometimes he remembers too much. (mom laughing here)

Some conversations are deeper. The car is a great place for those. The conversations on the move have been long and engaging. Sometimes it is me just saying: "Hey, get over here, I want you to see this. Why, because I'm your mom and I said so."

Are they missing the boat by not being assigned projects, books, narrations and reports. I just can't see it. They are doing projects, books, narration and reports in one way or another on their own. They are just of their own choosing.

And, if I plant seeds now of other greater things (greater in my estimation) they can pick up and run with them now, in 5 years or in 25 years.

Again, no matter how Lewis' life was managed for him, he always took his own path eventaully. His boarding school was heavey on hazing, athletics, jocks and rugby. He hated it all. It did influence him into spending a lot of time thinking and later writing about the ugliness of the 'inner circle' which contributed greatly to his Christian insights. But no one could force him to absorb it and make it his own.

Can we then really force our children to absorb and make any 'knowledge' we choose their own?

And isn't there more chance of that happening if we offer it palatabily? The the most appealing way to explore something is to see someone else enjoying it. Think Tom Sawyer.

Maybe my time IS better spent researching, learning, sharing, strewing, planting seeds and knowing my kids. Sharing me. Me is different than any other mom. So my gifts will be different than my friends. God has taken that into account.

Sometimes I thinkI am planning this education and am in charge. But what they take away from it, I will really have little control over. Their minds belong to them. They hopefully will see that Mom had interests, shared them, respected theirs own interests and loved and supported them. Ditto for Dad.

What if I was a mom who had no interests? I don't know, I never have been. What about when I had little ones? Humm. I had less time, but thinking back, I made time to read. I had to. I was beginning homeschooling and lost. That was my study then. Time not wasted.

No time is wasted. Focusing on virtues. If they can see those in dh and me, then they are learning more than most of the human race. And learn about our humaness, too.

all for now...

God Bless,
Cindy