Tuesday, September 29, 2015

Trivium Tuesdays - Classical Link-Up #178

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Welcome to another week of Trivium Tuesdays!  For those of you who are new here today, this link-up is hosted by Living and Learning at Home (that's me!) and Classically Homeschooling and is aimed at encouraging and informing other homeschoolers who use the Classical model of teaching.  Here we can share with each other and learn from one another.


Don't forget to follow my Pinterest boards that are a part of the All Things Classical List!

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Also, please remember to only link up posts that have to do with homeschooling using the classical model of education.  Thank you for understanding this link-up's theme.


Featured Post from Last Week



It looks like another great week at the Sola Gratia Classical Academy!  Are you a part of a co-op or homeschool group of some sort, or do you do all of your homeschooling with just your family?  I'm curious =)


This Week's Link-Up


Here are the rules:
  • Your post must have to do (in some way) with classical homeschooling (any age children).
  • Your post may be from your archives as long as you only post it one time on this link-up.
  • Please link to your direct post, not your blog in general.
  • Please link back to this post in some way. You can use my Trivium Tuesdays button (found on my right sidebar) if you'd like so others can learn about this link-up! Button code: <ahref="http://www.livingandlearningathome.com/" target="_blank" title="Trivium Tuesdays"><img alt="Living and Learning at Home" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8bYsfMVF9tdI6haQLUiZ1rvZIf1kDaqnjHIOJA46X62tWXnlPDkU-5OqujsZyjoDp39J7dbhUx9CRFPyV991_BapG9dHciT8osyXwMtDtG6mV_TDyoECv_e5-oKFc2ZavhE4Ds9rj_8Kn/s1600/Trivium+Tuesdays+-+button.png"/></a>
  • It may be helpful to state in your link description what stage of the trivium or what subject your post is about, if applicable, so others can easily find posts they are interested in looking at.
  • Remember, everyone loves comments =) So don't be shy, and tell someone if you liked their post!


I reserve the right to remove any link-up that does not have to do with classical homeschooling.         

If you are a regular here at Trivium Tuesdays and have something to share that is a little off topic, but still would be an encouragement to the readers here, please still share it =)  I'm referring to people who are just trying to get their blog more exposure without following the rules above.

If you want to be reminded of this link-up each week, make sure to sign up below!
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Tuesday, September 22, 2015

Trivium Tuesdays - Classical Link-Up #177

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Welcome to another week of Trivium Tuesdays!  For those of you who are new here today, this link-up is hosted by Living and Learning at Home (that's me!) and Classically Homeschooling and is aimed at encouraging and informing other homeschoolers who use the Classical model of teaching.  Here we can share with each other and learn from one another.


Don't forget to follow my Pinterest boards that are a part of the All Things Classical List!

 photo AllThingsClassical-titlepic_zps4a3485e7.png

Also, please remember to only link up posts that have to do with homeschooling using the classical model of education.  Thank you for understanding this link-up's theme.


Featured Post from Last Week



Do you have toddlers underfoot this year? Classically Homeschooling shares a whole post filled with ideas to help you thrive!


This Week's Link-Up


Here are the rules:
  • Your post must have to do (in some way) with classical homeschooling (any age children).
  • Your post may be from your archives as long as you only post it one time on this link-up.
  • Please link to your direct post, not your blog in general.
  • Please link back to this post in some way. You can use my Trivium Tuesdays button (found on my right sidebar) if you'd like so others can learn about this link-up! Button code: <ahref="http://www.livingandlearningathome.com/" target="_blank" title="Trivium Tuesdays"><img alt="Living and Learning at Home" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8bYsfMVF9tdI6haQLUiZ1rvZIf1kDaqnjHIOJA46X62tWXnlPDkU-5OqujsZyjoDp39J7dbhUx9CRFPyV991_BapG9dHciT8osyXwMtDtG6mV_TDyoECv_e5-oKFc2ZavhE4Ds9rj_8Kn/s1600/Trivium+Tuesdays+-+button.png"/></a>
  • It may be helpful to state in your link description what stage of the trivium or what subject your post is about, if applicable, so others can easily find posts they are interested in looking at.
  • Remember, everyone loves comments =) So don't be shy, and tell someone if you liked their post!


I reserve the right to remove any link-up that does not have to do with classical homeschooling.         

If you are a regular here at Trivium Tuesdays and have something to share that is a little off topic, but still would be an encouragement to the readers here, please still share it =)  I'm referring to people who are just trying to get their blog more exposure without following the rules above.

If you want to be reminded of this link-up each week, make sure to sign up below!
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Tuesday, September 15, 2015

Trivium Tuesdays - Classical Link-Up #176

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Welcome to another week of Trivium Tuesdays!  For those of you who are new here today, this link-up is hosted by Living and Learning at Home (that's me!) and Classically Homeschooling and is aimed at encouraging and informing other homeschoolers who use the Classical model of teaching.  Here we can share with each other and learn from one another.


Don't forget to follow my Pinterest boards that are a part of the All Things Classical List!

 photo AllThingsClassical-titlepic_zps4a3485e7.png

Also, please remember to only link up posts that have to do with homeschooling using the classical model of education.  Thank you for understanding this link-up's theme.


Featured Post from Last Week



Family Style Schooling knocked it out of the park last week with a post on taking any circumstance (she was at a Conservatory) to spark Curiosity and Wonder in your children.


This Week's Link-Up


Here are the rules:
  • Your post must have to do (in some way) with classical homeschooling (any age children).
  • Your post may be from your archives as long as you only post it one time on this link-up.
  • Please link to your direct post, not your blog in general.
  • Please link back to this post in some way. You can use my Trivium Tuesdays button (found on my right sidebar) if you'd like so others can learn about this link-up! Button code: <ahref="http://www.livingandlearningathome.com/" target="_blank" title="Trivium Tuesdays"><img alt="Living and Learning at Home" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8bYsfMVF9tdI6haQLUiZ1rvZIf1kDaqnjHIOJA46X62tWXnlPDkU-5OqujsZyjoDp39J7dbhUx9CRFPyV991_BapG9dHciT8osyXwMtDtG6mV_TDyoECv_e5-oKFc2ZavhE4Ds9rj_8Kn/s1600/Trivium+Tuesdays+-+button.png"/></a>
  • It may be helpful to state in your link description what stage of the trivium or what subject your post is about, if applicable, so others can easily find posts they are interested in looking at.
  • Remember, everyone loves comments =) So don't be shy, and tell someone if you liked their post!


I reserve the right to remove any link-up that does not have to do with classical homeschooling.         

If you are a regular here at Trivium Tuesdays and have something to share that is a little off topic, but still would be an encouragement to the readers here, please still share it =)  I'm referring to people who are just trying to get their blog more exposure without following the rules above.

If you want to be reminded of this link-up each week, make sure to sign up below!
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Monday, September 14, 2015

Starting a Scholé Group - My Plan for the Year

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A new school year is here!  I love planning and preparing, so summer was really fun for me.  This year will be different for us than any of our previous years, so I had lots to plan!  I am excited for the changes!

One change from last year is that we will not be a part of a Classical Conversations group this year.  (If you are interested in why, read my post Why I Am Not Returning To Classical Conversations.)  Last year was a good learning year for me as far as figuring out what I want my homeschool to look like and what I think education in general should look like.

One thing that I am learning is that I think there is real benefit to doing some parts of education together, and benefit to doing some parts alone.  By together, I mean with other children/families, and by alone, I mean at home as a family.  Ideally I think I would really like a half-day cottage school type program (that is located 5 minutes from my home, that teaches using the classical model, and filled with wonderful students and amazing teachers....hey a girl can dream, right?) but that is not available to me at the moment, so I've come up with something as close to that as I can get for now.

At the end of my Why I Am Not Returning To Classical Conversations post, I listed somethings that I desired for my homeschool this year.  Here is what I wrote:

I want a truly classical group.


I want a group of like-minded people to dive into the full richness of classical education with.  I want to dive deep together, cultivating virtue, enhancing wonder, and pointing our children toward truth, goodness, and beauty.

I want freedom.


I want the freedom to change things that need to be changed.  I want the ability to stay on one subject for 2 hours if the children are engaged in the wonder of God's creation and there is no pressing reason to stop!  

I want to work together with other moms.


The Body of Christ is so diverse in our gifts and talents.  CC literally left me in a state of exhaustion each week because their model has the tutor doing everything (to show that "You can do it too, mom!")  I appreciate their desire there, but it has made me understand more fully how every person is uniquely gifted and that it is beautiful when we come together and share our strengths!  

I think that meeting days could be a time of joy (instead of stress), with each mom doing what she loves to do, blessing the entire group by doing it.


Enter Scholé Groups from Classical Academic Press


A few friends and I had already been talking about getting together once a week this year for a co-op type group.  We had the same desires as far as working together to create a day of joyful, restful, beautiful learning for our children, but didn't have all of our ideas together yet.  Then I heard about a new program that was being launched by Classical Academic Press, called ScholĂ© Groups.


I have been greatly influenced by Dr. Perrin and many Classical Academic Press resources, so I knew right away that I wanted to check this out!  It turns out that it is a perfect fit for what my friends and I had already started formulating.

A ScholĂ© Group is unlike other homeschool groups in that it does not tell you the specific course of action that you need to follow (no specific classes or curriculum is outlined).  The folks at Classical Academic Press simply want to lead us in our understanding of classical education principles and help us to employ them as we learn together.  From their website:

"A ScholĂ© Group is a homeschooling community of at least two families employing the content of a classical curriculum and the pedagogy of restful learning embodied by the word scholĂ©."

So, that is what I am doing this year!  I spent the summer planning, hit a few bumps along the way, planned some more, and now will be starting my ScholĂ© Group this week on Tuesday!  My group is pretty small (3 families) and quite young (ages 4-7), so it is going to look different than other ScholĂ© Groups, but I think it is going to be wonderful!


Scholé Group Curriculum


Here is what a day in my group will look like:

Morning Meeting


Recitation - One student each week will share something with the group.

Bible/Virtue Lesson - We will start our days pointing the children (and ourselves!) to Christ.

Memorization - Each week we will learn a Bible verse and a hymn together.


History & Geography


This year we will be learning about ancient civilizations.  We will memorize a timeline and create one of our own.  We will learn about the people, places, and events of history through story, song, and hands-on activities.

We will use Story of the World as a jumping off point, but will add or take away as we see fit.  I am really enjoying the corresponding activity book which provides map work, reading suggestions, and lots of great activity ideas.


Nature Exploration & Recess


When the weather is reasonable, we will take the children outside to explore God's creation.  Some days we will have specific activities for the children, and other days they will explore freely.


Lunch


I have typically thought of lunch as a break from the day.  When I was reading the ScholĂ© Group handbook I was intrigued to read their thoughts about lunch.  They talk about lunch being a time for great conversation, beholding that which is beautiful, and restful enjoyment of food.  I'm sure I still don't exactly understand it all, but that sure got me thinking!

We are planning on opening our lunch time by singing the Doxology and then praying.  The children will all have a part in setting and clearing the table and will work on learning certain manners each week.  Remember that my group is very young, so we have to start with the very basics!  Hopefully as we grow we will be able to engage in great conversations, but for now we will focus on keeping the kids in their seats for the duration of lunch and saying please and thank you =)

I plan on having something nice to set on the table each week (flowers, candles, etc.) and playing nice music in the background.  If anyone has any other ideas for making lunch a venue for contemplating truth, goodness, and beauty, please share!


Literature


I really want to title this section The Great Books, but in reality it is going to be the Kindergarten version of great books.  I am really excited for this time as we strive to help the children love books and begin to learn how to discuss what they have read or heard.  This time will change throughout the year.  We will read pictures books, chapter books, poetry, etc., discussing and doing activities where appropriate.


Music


We will end our day by attending a local homeschool music class together.  Hopefully the kids won't be too tired out after our day of scholĂ©!  I think it will be really fun and a great experience for the kids.



So, there you have it.  This is my plan for next year!  I am very hopeful that it will be a wonderful time of learning and exploration.  I will share more with you as we get going.  If you want to see some other ScholĂ© Groups in action, check out Sola Gratia Mom and Expanding Wisdom's Paideia Fellowship. 




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Tuesday, September 8, 2015

Trivium Tuesdays - Classical Link-Up #175

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Welcome to another week of Trivium Tuesdays!  For those of you who are new here today, this link-up is hosted by Living and Learning at Home (that's me!) and Classically Homeschooling and is aimed at encouraging and informing other homeschoolers who use the Classical model of teaching.  Here we can share with each other and learn from one another.


Don't forget to follow my Pinterest boards that are a part of the All Things Classical List!

 photo AllThingsClassical-titlepic_zps4a3485e7.png

Also, please remember to only link up posts that have to do with homeschooling using the classical model of education.  Thank you for understanding this link-up's theme.


Featured Post from Last Week



I love the word 'intentional.'  Last week Sara shared about how she is intentional in planning her homeschool days.  ScholĂ© does not literally mean intentional, but Sara talks about how being intentional is a big part of being able to engage in restful learning.


This Week's Link-Up


Here are the rules:
  • Your post must have to do (in some way) with classical homeschooling (any age children).
  • Your post may be from your archives as long as you only post it one time on this link-up.
  • Please link to your direct post, not your blog in general.
  • Please link back to this post in some way. You can use my Trivium Tuesdays button (found on my right sidebar) if you'd like so others can learn about this link-up! Button code: <ahref="http://www.livingandlearningathome.com/" target="_blank" title="Trivium Tuesdays"><img alt="Living and Learning at Home" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8bYsfMVF9tdI6haQLUiZ1rvZIf1kDaqnjHIOJA46X62tWXnlPDkU-5OqujsZyjoDp39J7dbhUx9CRFPyV991_BapG9dHciT8osyXwMtDtG6mV_TDyoECv_e5-oKFc2ZavhE4Ds9rj_8Kn/s1600/Trivium+Tuesdays+-+button.png"/></a>
  • It may be helpful to state in your link description what stage of the trivium or what subject your post is about, if applicable, so others can easily find posts they are interested in looking at.
  • Remember, everyone loves comments =) So don't be shy, and tell someone if you liked their post!


I reserve the right to remove any link-up that does not have to do with classical homeschooling.         

If you are a regular here at Trivium Tuesdays and have something to share that is a little off topic, but still would be an encouragement to the readers here, please still share it =)  I'm referring to people who are just trying to get their blog more exposure without following the rules above.

If you want to be reminded of this link-up each week, make sure to sign up below!
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Monday, September 7, 2015

Expandable Book of Centuries - A FREE Timeline for You!

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I am so excited to be sharing this with you today!

Do you use a timeline in your homeschool?  I have seen so many different kinds of timelines offered through curriculum companies, on Pinterest, and on other blogs.  You've got wall charts, timeline cards, notebooks, and so much more!  My problem is that I can never find exactly what I'm looking for.  Since my kids and I are starting back at the beginning of time this year, I thought it would be a good time to get serious about a timeline =)

We have done a timeline before, but even my oldest was too young to really benefit from it and definitely too young to take care in adding events to it.  I am glad we started one before though, because it showed me what I wanted in a timeline.

  • I want a L-O-N-G timeline - I love to see the vastness of history.  I love to see proportionally how much time passes between events.  I love a beautiful, long timeline displayed on a wall.

  • I don't want to have to put my timeline on a wall - Yes, I love displaying a timeline, but realistically I don't have a wall that is long enough to do this.  Maybe in the basement, but that isn't very handy.

  • I want to be able to easily see things from different topics that are happening at the same time - That wasn't a very clear heading =)  What I mean is, I want a timeline that is orderly and easy to read.  I want to be able to see what developments in math are happening during different times in history.  I want a record of what time period fiction books are set in.  I want it all in one place...neatly.

I'll tell ya, I almost found want I wanted.  Have you heard of Add a Century?  They have a really neat system over there, and I almost just went with it, but I decided to customize my own thing instead.  If you want the ease of buying a physical product (instead of downloading, printing, taping, etc.) definitely head over there to see if you like their timeline!

So here is what I created for me...and you!



It is a 65 page download (62 of which are the actual timeline).  Print out the whole thing, or just enough to cover the time period you are currently studying.

I printed mine on card stock for durability.

Tape the pages together (on the back) with a strong tape (I used packing tape).  This allows the pages to fold together like an accordion and be stored in a binder.

Insert the cover page into a plastic sleeve (hole punch the sleeve if it doesn't already have holes) and fold the rest of the pages behind it accordion style.  This allows you to be able to flip through your timeline like a book, or S-T-R-E-T-C-H it out across your table/floor/wall.



Now look closely at the pages.  Across the top you will find dates.  They start at 4000 BC and have 100 years of time on each page.  Down the sides you will find labels.  These are so that you can keep an orderly account of what was happening in different segments of history.  The labels are:

  • People - record the life spans of specific individuals
  • People Groups - record the rise and fall of empires
  • Historical Events - record important events in history
  • Science/Math - record advancements in these categories
  • Arts - record the creation of famous paintings, the writing of beautiful music, or just the types of art that were prevalent in different time periods 
  • Literature - record when books were written
  • Fiction - record when your favorite fictional stories took place

Seeing all of these types of categories together helps your student have a holistic view of the world and it's history.   Of course if you want to change any of these categories to suit your needs, feel free.

There is a little space at the bottom of each page for you to write anything you might want to add.  I am thinking of color coding the different people groups, so I might use that space as a legend (anything having to do with the Egyptians - orange, anything from the Bible - blue, etc.)

You can have your child write information on this timeline, draw pictures, paste pictures that you have printed out, or a mix of all those things!  My kids are pretty young, so I am sure that there will be many pictures in their books!

Would you like to download this Book of Centuries for FREE?


I am thrilled to be able to offer this 65 page timeline to my email subscribers for free!  If you are already a subscriber, it will be coming to you in an email later today.  If you are not yet a subscriber, you can sign up now and receive this timeline and other freebies as soon as you confirm your subscription!




Add-A-Century Timelines ~ Homeschool History Teaching Tools

Don't want to print your own?  Check out the ready made Add-A-Century Timeline!







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Don't miss out on lots of other printables today from some of the bloggers at the iHomeschool Network!


Tuesday, September 1, 2015

Trivium Tuesdays - Classical Link-Up #174

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Welcome to another week of Trivium Tuesdays!  For those of you who are new here today, this link-up is hosted by Living and Learning at Home (that's me!) and Classically Homeschooling and is aimed at encouraging and informing other homeschoolers who use the Classical model of teaching.  Here we can share with each other and learn from one another.


Don't forget to follow my Pinterest boards that are a part of the All Things Classical List!

 photo AllThingsClassical-titlepic_zps4a3485e7.png

Also, please remember to only link up posts that have to do with homeschooling using the classical model of education.  Thank you for understanding this link-up's theme.


Featured Post from Last Week



Last week, Hungry Schooler shared some great tips about being a better homeschool teacher. This is something that I always have room to improve on! What are your best tips for teaching well?


This Week's Link-Up


Here are the rules:
  • Your post must have to do (in some way) with classical homeschooling (any age children).
  • Your post may be from your archives as long as you only post it one time on this link-up.
  • Please link to your direct post, not your blog in general.
  • Please link back to this post in some way. You can use my Trivium Tuesdays button (found on my right sidebar) if you'd like so others can learn about this link-up! Button code: <ahref="http://www.livingandlearningathome.com/" target="_blank" title="Trivium Tuesdays"><img alt="Living and Learning at Home" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8bYsfMVF9tdI6haQLUiZ1rvZIf1kDaqnjHIOJA46X62tWXnlPDkU-5OqujsZyjoDp39J7dbhUx9CRFPyV991_BapG9dHciT8osyXwMtDtG6mV_TDyoECv_e5-oKFc2ZavhE4Ds9rj_8Kn/s1600/Trivium+Tuesdays+-+button.png"/></a>
  • It may be helpful to state in your link description what stage of the trivium or what subject your post is about, if applicable, so others can easily find posts they are interested in looking at.
  • Remember, everyone loves comments =) So don't be shy, and tell someone if you liked their post!


I reserve the right to remove any link-up that does not have to do with classical homeschooling.         

If you are a regular here at Trivium Tuesdays and have something to share that is a little off topic, but still would be an encouragement to the readers here, please still share it =)  I'm referring to people who are just trying to get their blog more exposure without following the rules above.

If you want to be reminded of this link-up each week, make sure to sign up below!
 photo SubscribeButton_zpsdc17ac56.png


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