Posts Tagged homeschooling
A Last Home School Hurrah
Posted by Diane in Various Essays for Homeschool Parents on May 25th, 2010
For all of you wonderful moms who are so busy with the daily rigors of homeschooling, here’s a little peek at the future that is sure to encourage you. Written by my good friend, Pennie Gelwicks, who just graduated from The King’s College in Manhattan…(you might want to go get the kleenex now)…enjoy!
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A bright, hot New York City summer is commencing without me, and it’s okay. I’ll be there soon enough. I graduated from college in New York a little over two weeks ago. Right now, I’m in the Midwest for a few weeks, jumping in on a myriad of family events and celebrations, and enjoying the AC while I can (we have none in my apartment). Last week, it was a wedding in Cleveland with my boyfriend, this week, my brother graduated from high school, and next week is the Indy 500. The next week, my sister returns from doing medical work in Togo, then we’re going to Virginia Beach for my brother to compete in nationals for speech and debate. I’ll take a bus up the coast back to NYC in time for my internship to start.
Yesterday was my brother Roger’s open house graduation party. The most conservative estimate is that there were about 150 people there. We still have fruit, corn chips, and three Cost-co size bags of pita chips left over. Celebrating milestones and witnessing ceremony are two of my favorite pastimes, also, pita chips and hummus are generally what I live on. It’s been a good three weekends.
It was a bittersweet time for my family because Roger is our youngest, so we all feel like we’re graduating from the world of homeschooling- and believe me, it is a whole world. As much as I like to poke fun sometimes at the quirks and hang-ups of the homeschooling subculture, I willingly affirm that after this week, I’m so proud to have been homeschooled.
Roger’s open house wasn’t just the typical collection of relatives in the house and cluster of peers in attendance, though both were there. It was a parade of entire families who are friends with my entire family, adults who have invested enormously in Roger either through our homeschooling cooperative, church, AWANA, or 4-H. Most of them also invested in me in the same ways- several commented that they’d been to all three open houses for us kids. One family we are close to volunteered to do set-up and keep abreast of all the food through the whole party so we could focus on mingling with everyone.
Earlier this week, I went to a homeschool production of “Fiddler on the Roof,” which, I must say, was just as high-quality as any high school play I’ve ever seen. I caught up with three old friends there watching the play- one has started her own photography business, another is doing ministry in Colorado, one is in pre-med at Vanderbilt. The audience was teeming with small children, and every last one was quiet and attentive through the entire performance.
Also this week, I went to a homeschool graduation ceremony for a homeschool co-op with 5 graduates. I made it for the tail end, just in time to hear one of the dads talk about his twin sons from the stage as he handed them their diplomas. He spoke of how both boys were interested first and foremost in being servants of Christ, in being men who love the Bible and live a life of faith. He spoke about his sons’ strong character and maturity. I remembered these twins from when Roger played in a basketball league with them years ago. Another graduate was from our 4-H club. Another had been a friend from AWANA.
The cooperative was called Iron Sharpens Iron, drawing from Proverbs 27:17, “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” An appropriate name, for in my homeschooling experience, such sharpening is allowed to happen over the long haul and through many different avenues. I don’t agree with everyone about everything, to be sure, and some think I’m a little crazy for living in New York City. We all agree that being countercultural is hard, and I can only pray that one day my children could have a community this vibrant and enriching as they pursue an uncommon life of faith no matter where we live.
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So don’t give up, Mom! Look what awaits you at the end of the homeschooling journey. If you are interested in The King’s College, Pennie highly recommends it, and I understand that about 1/3 of the student population is former homeschool students.
Unschooling Without Books, Tests, or Classes
Posted by Diane in Various Essays for Homeschool Parents on May 17th, 2010
Alas! I just watched an ABC News segment presented on Good Morning America about unschooling as a homeschooling philosophy without books, tests, or classes. Needless to say, it caused me to cringe. Although the reporter, Mrs. Chang, does not appear militantly opposed to homeschooling in general, she does selectively emphasize the lack of discipline in two unschooling families which she then uses to logically seque to the questions on everyone’s minds begging to be asked: Is unschooling a good idea? Is unschooling as a homeschooling option legal? Mrs. Chang then displays a map of the United States coded by degrees of state regulation and leaves the audience wondering if it isn’t in the best interests of the child and the nation to standardize homeschooling regulations in general.
Unfortunately, the two teens that she interviewed projected an awkward and insecure demeanor which naturally made you wonder how they could possibly set their own course for enlightened self-education. I know some Christian unschooling families who would have presented a much better picture of unschooling. Sigh! I just wish ABC News would interview some of the Christian homeschooling teens in my Indy REJO!CE speech and debate club. The American public would see a completely different side of homeschooling which would knock their socks off and give them hope about what we are doing in the Christian homeschooling movement!
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Have you seen the ABC News video yet? If not, you can watch it now. What is your reaction? I didn’t see any indication that the two families were Christian, so if you are pursuing a Christian unschooling philosophy, please give us your perspective. Leave a comment below so that we can process this report on unschooling without books, tests, or classes.
TOS Homeschool Book Review | Trivium Mastery
Posted by Diane in Recommended Homeschool Books on April 4th, 2010
The following homeschool book review of Trivium Mastery: The Intersection of Three Roads was published in The Old Schoolhouse magazine in August 2009 and has been reprinted with express permission of the editor.
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Trivium Mastery is a revolutionary look at the classical education model. Author, former CPA, and homeschool mom Diane B. Lockman researched the classical method and found some wrong assumptions regarding the trivium which have led to discrepancies in the original intent and current practice of classical education in the homeschooling community. The book begins with a brief overview of the history of classical education and contrasts this with the current classical movement.
According to the author’s research, during ages 11-14, classically educated children began and quickly mastered all three stages, and then in high school, “they were able to study discrete ideas in depth.” In other words, “concurrent does not equal consecutive.” Diane Lockman says [M]y objections relate to the current classical renewal movement’s uncritical affirmation of [Dorothy L.] Sayer’s personal opinion on child development as gospel truth and unquestioning application of Sayer’s hypothesis to a 12 year public school schedule. And she further states, “The urban legend of the twelve-year, three-stage trivium” is a commonly held story used to legitimize the imposition of a public school schedule on a classical education.”
After this thesis, the author explores the three “roads” of the trivium: language, thought, and speech which are her terms for the grammar, logic, and rhetoric stages. She clearly states how to use this book and thereby revamp your classical homeschool. First of all, ensure personal mastery of the trivium and implement self-education as needed. Second, review the interview questions in the appendix and use the three “road maps” (described below) to evaluate each child’s progress. Third, make a plan based on the results of the evaluation process.
Several chapters are devoted to each of the three road maps (language, thought, and speech), including a list of specific skills for each and strategies for achieving the skills listed. Diane Lockman has some excellent ideas here, many of which can be implemented without spending a cent: reading and discussing newspaper editorials with children, keeping a learning journal of your own and sharing it with your children, training your children to give concise and direct answers when dialoguing to name a few.
Homeschool “makeovers” make up the second half of Trivium Mastery. Diane Lockman interviews and examines five homeschool families with a total of 12 children, ages 5-13. (Her upcoming sequel, Socratic Paideia: Dialogue Drives Instruction, covers the high school years.) Here you see the author’s evaluation process at work as she analyzes the education within real homeschooling situations and provides specific game plans for each child. By the way, the author believes in leaving Latin and science to the high school years.
In this section of makeovers, the reader will find brilliant ideas to use in one’s classical homeschool: have an older child who has trouble emoting when he reads orally pick some easy picture books from the library to practice reading out loud to you; spend a week at a time learning individual literary elements using a book the child is currently reading; choose a topic of interest from the encyclopedia to practice outlining skills. This is just a mere sampling of the myriad suggestions. The author does an exceptional job of tailoring assignments to the individual child, capitalizing on his or her interests and gifts; playing mystery board games to improve thinking skills, including words from recipes on spelling lists, and memorizing a speech from a book on knights. Diane Lockman’s worldview is apparent in her references to the Bible as both an example of classical education and a tool for classical education.
In the appendices, you will find interview questions for evaluating your own homeschool and a long set of assessment tools. I wish there were specific instructions accompanying these. Some of them are clearly meant for testing skills; some are more like reference keys. For example, what is the recommended use for the five reading excerpts? Oral reading check? Reading comprehension? Dictation exercises? Perhaps I missed something.
An index would be a helpful addition to this book. And although many useful titles are mentioned throughout, I wish the author had included an annotated list of recommended curriculum resources. Also, it would be interesting to know the ages of her children, but I could not find that in any of the author bio info in the book.
I believe Trivium Mastery has the potential to attract a dedicated following similar to that of other classical homeschool manuals, and I eagerly await the publication of the sequel. I would encourage all homeschoolers to take a good look at this book, especially those who have discarded the classical paradigm because they thought it was too difficult to attain.
–Homeschool book review by Kathy Gelzer, The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, LLC, August 2009.
Trivium Mastery: The Intersection of Three Roads
How to Give Your Child an Authentic Classical Home Education
by Diane B. Lockman
Outskirts Press, paperback, 312 pp., retail $21.95, ISBN 1432733281
Punctuate Your Reading with Meaning
Posted by Diane in How to Teach Homeschool Skill 1: READING on July 16th, 2009
The other day I was in the children’s section of the local library pulling example books for a homeschooling workshop that I was giving at our state convention on the benefits of reading aloud. As I advanced further and further into the shelving, I began to hear a sweet little voice confidantly reading aloud. Every now and then she heroically pushed her way through an unfamiliar word, but by and large, she successfully managed the written word. I peeked around the corner and discovered not one little child reading to her mom, but several little kids gathered on the floor with picture books carelessly scattered. The simultaneous voices of children (one reading to her mom, another reading to a friend, and a mom reading to her son) cheered my heart and brought a knowing smile to my face. My spirit swelled, “ah, thank you, Lord, for books and the simple pleasures of reading aloud!”
Where did this precious little girl learn to read with such feeling and emotion? Surely her parents or siblings have consistently demonstrated the skill of inflection because she couldn’t have been more than six or seven years old, yet she tackled that picture book with as much sensitivity as a little child can muster. To inflect an object is to bend or curve it. Words can be inflected as well. All you have to do is change the pitch or tone of your voice. But this is not as simple as it sounds.
In fact, reading with feeling is a difficult task that takes lots of practice. At first, all a beginning reader can do is decode the pronunciation. Next comes comprehension. Eventually the child learns how to glance ahead so that he can decide what kind of emotion to put into his voice. Here are three ideas for teaching your homeschool kids how to express themselves when reading aloud.
What Does the Punctuation Mark Mean?
Don’t wait until your homeschooler is officially studying English grammar to teach the meaning of punctuation marks. As you read aloud with your child, use your finger to show them that each sentence ends with a special mark that is not a letter like the ABCs, and sometimes these funny marks show up at the beginning or middle of sentences when someone talks or when a series of things are being listed. Tell him that each punctuation mark has a special purpose that requires a certain vocal response. Demonstrate these common punctuation marks when you are reading aloud to your homeschool children:
Period – come to a complete stop (take a breath after the period to force yourself to stop)
The puppy played with the sock. [stop and breathe]
Comma – pause when reading
Noel, [1 second pause] please put your dirty clothes in the laundry room.
Question Mark – bring your voice pitch up at the end
Can I please have a chocolate chip cookie? [cookie should be higher than can]
Exclamation Point – verbally punch the thought with excitement or alarm
Tommy left his bicycle in the street! [add some tension to your voice]
Quotation Mark – talk as if you were the character
Granny said, “my old feet are aching after all that walking at the garage sale.” [trembling voice]
Parenthesis – lower your volume like you’re telling a secret or go back to your own voice as narrator
The crowd cheered with excitement (Dad wouldn’t mind if I took a quick peek). [whisper]
Practice punctuation responses every time you read aloud. In fact, this is a great exercise to do every time you ask your child to read until he gets the hang of it.
How Does the Punctuation Mark Sound?
Now that your homeschooler knows what the most common punctuation marks mean, practice making these sounds out loud without words! Yes, you read that correctly…without words! Substitute your favorite sounds for the words, and read the “sentence” out loud using the proper inflection for the mark like this:
Da da da da da. [stop and take a breath] Da da da da da? [bring your voice up at the end of the sentence] Da da daddaa. [stop and take a breath]. Da da dadada! [increase your volume and act surprised] Da da da, [pause for 1 second] da da da da da. [stop and take a breath] Da da da, “da da dadaaada.” [talk with the character's voice then stop and take a breath] Da da da da (da da da). [lower your voice like you're telling a secret then stop and take a breath]
You can type out a conversation with your favorite nonsense sounds to practice this skill, and eventually, your reading child will be able to look at a written text and substitute “blah blah blah” for the words and see only the punctuation marks.
How Would Your Emotion Change the Meaning?
Even little kids understand the idea of emotion. Children experience feelings just like grown-ups, so give them a list of emotions and have them read simple sentences as if they were feeling a certain emotion. For example, take the following sentence and read it five times using a different emotion each time:
The dog ate my last brownie.
Read it as if you are: shocked, distressed, amused, afraid, and outraged. Now choose a basic sentence and give your child some options as to what feelings she wants to express, then have her read the sentence out loud. You can do this with singular words, too, like “hey, well, and no.”
Learning how to read with appropriate expression can really add depth and meaning to the written text. Start teaching punctuation and inflection today, and your young reader will eventually delight and entertain his or her audience by creating lasting images and bringing home school books to life.
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Have you signed up for my free homeschooling parent workshop called “Classical Home Education 101” yet? Several home school moms have been working their way through the tutorial, and the feedback that I am receiving is very good. Many of them have completed the questionnaire, the roadmaps to mastery, and some are already working on their customized strategic semester plan for this fall! All you have to do is subscribe to in the right sidebar, or send me an email if you are already a subscriber, and I’ll send you the password.
Homeschool Parents Need Education, Too!
Posted by Diane in Various Essays for Homeschool Parents on February 6th, 2009
Even if you don’t embrace the 12 year homeschooling philosophy of The Well-Trained Mind, you’ll enjoy hearing Susan Wise Bauer, the keynote speaker at this year’s Midwest Homeschool Convention in Cincinnati, Ohio. Dr. Bauer will be speaking all three days of the convention (April 16-18, 2009) on a variety of topics. My favorite workshop is the one entitled “Educating Our Own Minds: How to Teach Ourselves as We Teach Our Kids.” Here is the teaser from the website blog:
Educating our children involves educating ourselves. And that means gaining confidence in our own intellectual abilities—rather than relying solely on “experts.” Come discover a plan for self-education in the classical tradition, including scheduling for busy adults; setting up a reading plan that involves understanding, analyzing, and discussing literature; and mastering the skills needed for reading classic fiction and nonfiction.
I couldn’t agree more with the idea of parent education! In fact, I’m in the process of producing short videos just for parents to show them how to teach the three skills of the authentic classical trivium (reading , thinking, and speaking) . I think of these upcoming video homeschool courses as “continuing education for parents.” I’ve got a little studio set up in the basement with real box lighting and a backdrop. David even built me a teleprompter for my Christmas present. I’m going to publish little FAQ short videos on my Facebook page and the longer videos here on the website. Vincent Franco, a fabulous Christian graphic designer, is redesigning my website to feature my new book, Trivium Mastery: The Intersection of Three Roads,” as well as these upcoming videos. Look for the new website and first homeschool course for parents later this spring.
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Speaking of Facebook, add me as a friend and become a fan of my new Facebook page, Homeschool Online FAQ with Diane Lockman, so that you can watch the homeschool video shorts where I answer your questions about authentic classical homeschooling. In your friend request, please tell me that you are a reader of my blog posts so that I will know you’re not a stranger. Looking forward to connecting “face to face” as we continue our own home education!
