Blog Cruise: SisterT's Talking About HS Stuff~CONTAINED OR/ Runover?

The Question:  Do you separate your school area from your home area?  How do you keep from having your school materials from spreading out all over your home?

I'm participating once again in The Old Schoolhouse Magazine Crew's Blog Crew, and I'm proud to say I've done them all but the one on babies~couldn't contribute a bit to that one~so here we go~

HSing materials over running your home or do you have them contained in your life? In ten years I've been both.  Of course in these years there's been all kinds of seasons from moves to illness, and so has the storage methods and even the styles/methods our homeschooling has taken on.  Our materials have been well organized at times and at others they've taken over our home!  But in whatever our state of living, we have persevered onward!  It has been good and bad...

But how did I reign it in~or keep it reigned in~and what were the circumstances that I had to work through to get it BACK under management?  Whenever we've moved has presented some challenges such as trying to function either packing or unpacking or setting up or organizing.  Not always fun, but it's necessitated some processes such as having huge book shelves and open storage that we've kept around the last seven years or so...First our bookcases were the press board fake wood grain type that began to sag in the middle with the weight of our materials and we progressed to a rough hewn lumber painted one to then one what my father in law built out of some scrap that looks so nice it has made it's way to stay in the family and is now in my daughter's bedroom.  Then about two years ago my hub built a fine set of bookcases which  I brag on anytime I can b/c they are unique in that they are two large single depth cases the width of the wall in which they set PLUS as tall as about 7 foot and have three narrower as tall cases that slide back and two horizontally to reveal the back cases and provide double the storage of one bookcase in the same space.  I love them!  They are massive and look huge in the room in which they live, but they hold tons of books. The shelves are adjustable too.  I hve another book case, not nearly as nice~that is single depth which has baskets on it to hold small stuff and a single set of books as well.  I like to use baskets that match to hold all the junky small stuff...I've used pencil boxes to hold crayons/markers/scissors/erasers,...that kind of stuff...even held manipulatives when my kiddos were young~no more! But you get the idea. We had no toy boxes, but shelves so stuff was seen and orderly~neatly (HOPEFULLY) placed and in view for easy access...I started out with a toy box for them when they were tiny, but soon discovered all the confusion that a toy box created along with the mess it made.  I've worked at organization since almost day ONE...and it's a continual job!

We've had hsing all over the house too.  In fact, I've loved it in our kitchen and in the early days stored their schooling materials in our pantry/laundry room and kitchen hutch~progressed to a school room which quickly was moved to our den and stayed there until this semester which is all pretty much located now between our den and a small nook type space really in a back hallway with two individual workstations designed for high schoolers who are doing internet computer based lessons each day.  They have a computer work station with shelving over my son's area and daughter has a bookcase (part of the father in law piece) behind her for their storage.  Loads of our books from YEARS of hsing and even a little bit of future planned hsing is in those big double layer book cases...BUT~

I'm gearing up for a sale to divest of all the materials of the past~we no longer need them and hope to pass them on as so many were so wonderful.  (Be on the lookout~join my site to get the announcement of my NAME YOUR OWN PRICE SALE) coming soon! I'm still digging OUT...LOL

Yes, my materials have taken over at times and at others they have been quite nicely contained.  With planning this sale, you can guess where I am right now, right?? LOL...It's EVERYWHERE~and I'm hoping to send it all out of here to your homes for your children to enjoy~;-))

But be sure to ck out the CREW to hear their ideas on this topic~and keep at it~homeschooling IMHO is a home/life event and if it mixes into the house, so be it~schooling IS LIFE! 
Thanks for stopping and please don't forget my sale~

My contest for a Ken Ham kiddo book (hardcover) ENDS tonight! HERE!
hugs
SisterT

Blog Crusie: SisterT's Talking About HOW To Instill A Moral Work Ethic in Our Children

The Question this week is:  How to instill a moral work ethic in your children, discouraging shortcuts, and or cheating?

The moral work ethic is a BIGGIE character issue in life and fully determines success or failure in our future generations.   WHAT A MOUTH FULL! But I can't overemphasize the importance of teaching a moral work ethic to our children.  Without honest hard work, where in this world would THE WORLD be and our children are the future~not just of our families, but of this world...we MUST pay extra dilligance to instill hard work, honesty, and CHARACTER in our children. It will never be good enough to accept such a lame and sorry excuse as 'whatever the meaning of IS, is...'~OH MY LORD! And a direct quotation from a former US president. What a low rate thing to have said based on low rate morals~yeah, I said it.  And furthermore, it's not just that I have had the nerve to say it, but more that GOD SAYS IT~and HE calls such shiftless dodging of truth~SIN.  SIN...yeah...big word...I know.


But if we don't instill honest, hard work~CHARACTER into our children then we might as well pack up our bags and head for the hills! There's going to be NO PLACE safe~no morals~no compass~NO ETHICS or decency~and we won't a one of us be able to COUNT ON anything or anybody...Oh, if we fail one or two of our littles, perhaps the whole world won't end, but don't you think that each time a wayward child acts out that if a mother and father at least did their best that not only they but the angels cry out in shame? The failures of our children do rest upon us~in more ways that I care to think about...and it really is a big ole LIE~the kids are gonna be kids! WHA?????? OH MAN! Do we honestly EXPECT NOTHING better from our children??? THAN TO SET THEM UP with such a LOW RATE standard?  I shudder...shudder...WHERE ARE OUR standards?


First mother and dad, it's YOU who must set the example.  AND boy oh boy, this is a tall order and oh so not fun.  I don't like thinking of others all the time or giving up my wants and needs or considering my fellow man...NO! It's NOT fun...and sometimes it plain ole hurts.  It's costly at the time and sometimes long after that time~but the consequences of denial to self can often be long over ridden by the long term betterment of a higher purpose.  HIGHER PURPOSE? WHA??? Oh yes, sometimes as adults we are asked to sacrifice in ways that bring a good to a bigger picture.  AND we need to be willing a prepared to do so.  There are all kinds of examples of this in life. First that come to mind are the patriots of our nation who were willing...wait. There are patriots today~our military who are yet willing to stand in harm's way to protect and serve.SERVE...and then, I think of mothers of young children. I don't know of too many women who enjoy all..ALL the rigors and sacrifices to raise up a helpless little human...all the stages and messes..well~it's just an example and thank God for mothers!  But also thinking of missionaries and people who have died for faith.  LOADS of people who are called outside their box to DO...The higher purpose isn't always evident either, but in looking toward a better way, often even the most unintentional act of goodness can help bring goodness to this sad sick world...and boy we need as much good as we can get!


When mothers and dads are the examples, then there is a firm foundation for the child to grow in host character and truth.  If mama's not so reputatible, what is there for a child?  I mean, what does a child learn at our knee but the most basic fundamental of WHO we are...and believe me, they see beyond any facahd we might display.  Our children KNOW who we are ..and you know that DO AS I SAY, not as I do...just is crazy...it doesn't work and most of us can't even say such with a straight face b/c we know in saying it it's just a big ole JOKE! AND jokes won't get the job done...no they won't.


When our parental foundation is solid, then we can teach our children and expose them to other forms of good solid honest work ethics.  IF dad's a cheat~guess what??? Yeah, we all know...and unfortunately most children take the parental example over the top. NOT ALL, but quite a few...too many actually in the negative sense! Too many!


So how to expose them?  Talk about honesty.  Display it in all things: cashier give you too much change~your child's watching! Somebody ask you a question you don't want to answer and you think about lying, your child is watching! There's a big job ahead and you wanna short cut it~your child is watching! Speed limit? Your child is watching...EXAMPLE speaks so much louder than words~
And believe me, I know. Mine are old enough to totally HAUNT ME with all the stuff I stuck into them when they were much younger and IF I FORGET..oh my~oh my!! LOL...


Live it, work it, teach it and even preach it! It's the only way to teach our children such an important trait!


HOW are you doing it? The crew's talking on this one~GO      ck it out!

Blog Cruise: SisterT's Talking About HSing in the SMALL Places!

THE QUESTION:

How do you or do you homeschool in a small area (small space, small house, etc.)?

While I'm not small physically, but financially I AM a small person~I don't have a HUGE grand home~I don't have...blah, blah, blah...but what I do have, has done the job~and we've been doing the job into our 10th year~We've ALMOST completed it, too~woot!!

But HSing in a small place has never been a barrier for me.  In fact, I prefer NOT to have a dedicated  or large space, because twice now, in our HSing I've had them.  I LIKE having HSing integrated into our home and lives~but...this too can have draw backs. Do you have a dedicated space, however small it might be or do you drool over the fashionably design deva coordinated school room~shelves all matching~tools all coordinated~things all orderly and BEAUTIFUL?  Well, yes.  I guess on some level we might all desire that...but I'm here to say that it might NOT be best and it's certainly NOT necessary.  All the 'put together' of the latest-greatest things in decor won't get your children NOR mine taught the 3Rs much less the 'important' things in life.  So SisterT, JUST WHAT are you saying you might be asking.

HSing imho happens BEST in the natural environment of our homes.  RADICAL~I know.  In fact, I've tried it a few times THE OTHER WAY~and while it's very necessary to have essentials like storage/places to sit and the items needed to officiate the learning, all the glitz and glam~WHILE NICE, isn't necessary...and having a small space just might be BEST!
 
Okay~here's my story.  You see, in our HSing we've done it living in...five different homes.  Each had its pluses and minues~but I do know that the BIGGEST waste of energy was early on when I set up a dedicated school room which we QUICKLY abandoned! Why? Because we were too isolated.  ENTIRELY too isolated.  My children nor myself enjoyed being shut away from the hub of the home~our family room (which is essentially a living room.)  And so it wasn't long that the little schoolroom become repurposed into a bedroom and our book shelves found their way into our living spaces.

I think working at the kitchen table gives wonderful importance to the task of doing 'school work.'  And I know that while sometimes our routines might be interrupted b/c we are doing 'school' we do have to dedicate time to it for sure~AND this will mean that when my kids are curled up on the sofa reading or in the recliner or even at the table~there were days and still are they will spread out on the floor~ANYTHING goes as far as WHERE~but the importance of being able to drop all other HOME ACTIVITIES to focus on the educational aspect means that we really value VALUE value the learning that is going on!  Hub stops! Grandma stops! I stop! And even the dogs and cats stop! Everything can be put on hold for that treasured time each day when learning takes precedence. 

It's not always convenient either. We have a tutor coming twice a week and they work at our kitchen/dining table. Our home is open concept so we all leave these rooms in order for peace to reign~I don't fix food or anything~well...I do try to be prepped so when he gets here all is set~but it takes order and organization to pull this off~and believe me, it's not always easy, but we do it b/c it's important!

Finding places and order in the everyday~When we first began and even today, I stored stuff in unusual places for HSing so that it was readily accessible and in the normal environment.  For instance, I used and still do use our buffet in our dining room to store OUT OF SIGHT schooling items.  When they were littles each child had a door and drawer~today it's a chest type and the printer paper/ink and stuff like that is there~printer is beside it~networked over 7 computers in our home! Okay, you get the idea? We put stuff where we can~and of course I have some lovely shelving that hub built just a few years ago(see that pic of the bookcase!)~oh boy! yes! AND these are in our family room which is a very very very small room crammed with three recliners~well, we school between this room and a small space we created to put two computer desk top stations(another pic here with daughter and cat!/son and desktop).  But unless it's the computer stuff they're doing~and sometimes even still b/c they both have lap tops that will access the materials~they will take it all to the dining room table  or couch or even into their rooms. It just makes sense, and my daughter says she can spread out better on the floor with her books.  My son prefers his bed or the couch to read!  I don't expect them to school sitting at those work stations all day~in fact, I hope they won't!  I've gotten padded office chairs, but overall~the kitchen/dining table does it best!

I found, too that I don't *LIKE* cleaning more rooms than are necessary!  Incorporating HSing into our lives has worked so well~that I don't ever plan to change this aspect of our lives! Learning IS a natural occurrence of our lives~WHY worry and manufacture the environment?

A few benefits of schooling in the normal environment whatever the size space is that I believe our children not only GET the importance of education, but they learn HOW to learn in the regular everyday.  Nothing hard about that...and also that they can develop a good attitude and probably won't even realize that school happens ALL the time!  Do you realize you are teaching AS YOU GO?  Deut definitely admonishes the parents in the Old Testament to teach their children the precepts of the Lord as they went about the EVERYDAY.  This is such a key to learning how to do LIFE. I'm not an advocate of a 'curriculum' for 'life skills' either. To me, they are best taught naturally!

Tips for HSing in a tight space:
1. Use the storage you have well~organize and catagorize.
2. Weed out! Boy, do I need to do this~in fact..I will be SOON! AND let me say that the public library often has what we need as does digital storage or FREE online~why accumulate and store when online works well?
3.  Use book bags for each child~I did this for years~it made our work portable and kept it all together~
4.  Bookshelves/cases~of course, this will depend upon your actual SPACE in your home, but a single book width bookcase can fit nicely behind most soft cushy chairs in the livingroom or along side kitchen walls~also I've used these in the children's room to organize toys verses the hodgepodge of a toy box making their play items much more accessible.
5. Boxes or baskets~I use these to organize on the shelves to make them seem less cluttered (Ya think? MY STUFF IS WAY TOO CLUTTERED) But in the living spaces baskets and boxes (attractive ones you can make or buy) will HIDE all that school stuff~whoot!
6.  Finding creative places to store stuff: under the couch, in buffets, on book cases, in cabinets, in book bags, baskets on the floor, behind the piano (this is where some of our BIG charts are stored!) and the like...on a door that is always opened~to the back is our daily schedule...we don't have all our school stuff hanging out for all visitors to SEE, but it's there~believe me ;-))

Okay~so that whole crew if offering up their thoughts! Head on over to ck it out            !

BELOW you can see what a 'best' teenage 'friend' LOL did to her pic...LOL! LOVE IT! LOL

Do you have a big place dedicated or do you incorporate it into the natural normal environment of your home?  Thanks so much for coming by~;-))