Random pictures from trips to the stables, clearly not recent! It’s cold here today and rather nice to think about a time when a fan blowing in your face might have been a welcome thing.
Lest you think that all we do around here is celebrate various holidays! It’s only that was the season when I started this series and easy to find pretty pictures of that sort of thing. But I get a lot of questions about “how we do school” and regular requests to share some of our work. So that is what I’m trying to do here. You will all have to bear with me though, as I am very likely to jump around, topic and time period wise, as I think of things to post about or come across old projects or pictures.
Last year Galen started first grade. I really wanted to concentrate on working with him in the first couple weeks of school. For the first time I introduced the concept of assignment books to the older boys. They were each assigned a project to work on independently, with very detailed instructions as to what was expected, when it was due, etc. Because I wanted their year to start off well also, I tried to tailor these assignments to their strengths and interests. It seemed like a really good time for Elijah to do an in-depth research report and the logical choice of topic to entice him, well horses of course! This is truly a head, heart and hands subject for him. From the physical acts of riding and caring for the horses, to his horse themed artistic work, to reading and learning all he can on the subject. Clearly there is a strong emotional component as well.
Above is just as small sampling of his finished report. I can no longer find the tutorial that he used for the book binding, but I know that it came from this site (found! Thank you Katie!). He really got into the project and would come to me asking, “do you think I should include a chart of all the breeds of the world? Because I think I should.” For resources, he highly recommends The Encyclopedia of Horses & Ponies by
I like the idea of a beautiful assignment book. We tried starting last year with little homeschool journals, but it ended up feeling foolish, forced, like I was trying to prove what we were doing. But your way is kinda opposite and I like that.
My girls are already making “every horse breed in the world” charts!
I like that you’re doing this series. I have had a “waldorf in our home” idea going on in my head for a long time now (but who knows when I will actually get around to it…)
So, I just caught up on your posts. Really, you are just an incredibly gorgeous picture taker. (I guess that means that you take beautiful photos and are also very lovely yourself…)
Love to you and family… (oh growing growing baby!)…
Renee <3
Oh, our assignment books aren’t beautiful. They are just some little yellow notebooks that I sometimes write instructions in. I certainly don’t use them all the time, but sometimes it’s just what we need. I actually think it has been a wonderful experience both for me to be able to step back a bit and have the time/space to do something else, like in this case really devote my attention to a younger child. But also for them to have to be somewhat self motivated, without my saying, “this is what we are doing now”, “today we are finishing on this”, etc and always being over their shoulder. It’s a great life skill/maturity building practice to have an end goal and have to work out how to get there yourself (with help upon request of course!).
Such a great way to measure their progress. He will enjoy looking back over these one day.
What a great journal – was the tutorial this one?
http://fiveofus.ca/waldorf-homeschooling/grade-two/making-a-homemade-reader/
Best wishes,
Katie
Yes, yes, that’s it! I’ll update the post now! Thank you!