Paper Bridges » Home schooling

Isabel in Chains: learning with YA historical fiction

Monica Brand — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 14:12:44 +0000

Madam looked down without seeing me; she looked at my face, my kerchief, my shift neatly tucked into my skirt, looked at my shoes pinching my feet, looked at my hands that were stronger than hers. She did not look into my eyes, did not see the lion inside. She did not see the me of me, the Isabel.

O, joy! A new literary heroine to love.

I’ve fallen for the spunky slave girl in Laurie Halse Anderson’s YA historical fiction book, Chains. Isabel is a fighter, despite that fact that she is a slave in 1776 America. She has nothing, yet she fights with a fierce determination within her. Like the patriots fighting around her to be free from a British king, Isabel is waging her own private war. Her goal: freedom from slavery.

I was never much for history as a subject in public school – I hated the memorization of dates and dull text books – but now as a homeschooling mom, I’m filling in the gaps of my own learning. I have much to learn about slavery and Revolutionary America. I’m happy to have Isabel teach me.

I picked up Chains for my 12-year-old, my girl who gobbles up books with an eager hunger for more. Susan has yet to let the Story in history capture her imagination. I’m hoping Isabel, a true-to-life, spunky girl will help my daughter discover there is more to history than just past truth that happened to now dead people.

I’m hoping historical fiction, like Chains, will be the gateway for my daughter to love learning history.

In the meantime, I wait for the sequel, due in October. And I’ll be looking for more books by Laurie Halse Anderson.

Let’s go to the Carnival of Homeschooling

Monica Brand — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 12:52:25 +0000

The Carnival of Homeschooling: Independence Day edition as hosted by Dana at Roscommon Aces this week. Lots of good links for the homeschooling parent. Enjoy!

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Bling for the Unschooling Christian blogger

Monica Brand — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 12:34:36 +0000

Lauren made us a pretty button for those of us into declaring our homeschooling allegiance on our blog’s sidebar. Click on it to get the code and to leave your blog address in her link-up.

As I have only had one cup of coffee so far, and stayed up too late shopping for groceries online, I have nothing else to add that sounds remotely intelligent. I’m going to be needing a nap today, yet in true unschoolish style, our day is busy, going tither and yon with dentist, picking up said groceries, library and 4H meeting. Perhaps I can sleep at the red traffic lights.

~ Monica

PS RSS readers, come see what’s new in my sidebars. I’ve added other bling, working on adding more!

PSS Can’t get button to stay centered. Makes me crazy.

A B See Photo Meme with the Homeschool Post

Monica Brand — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 18:06:23 +0000

A is for AWANA

This is my last Cubbie to graduate from the AWANA program. When I look at this picture, I’m reminded of the blessing of having a godly young lady in my little girl’s life. This young lady is Leah, one of the loveliest teens I’ve witnessed working with little ones. Leah, you meant the world to my girl. You did an awesome job as an AWANA leader. Every Cubbie should have a Leah serving, teaching, loving such as this young lady did. I know my girl loved AWANA because of the games, crafts, Bible stories and snacks, but she made it beautiful. Thank you, Leah.

Shutting up now, because I’m starting to cry.

Play along with the A B See Photo Meme. All the information can be found at the Homeschool Post. See you next Saturday with a B picture. B is for. . . boys. . . books. . . hmmmm, how to decide between the two?

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Large rock climbing and a memory

Monica Brand — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 13:41:33 +0000

Yesterday we met up with other homeschoolers to tramp about at Ringing Rocks. We climbed on rocks, hiked to a waterfall, admired beauty. The peanut butter granola bars back at the car were a big hit. None of my kids got outrageously wet. Proof all are growing up, or maybe just really good at not slipping on mossy rocks? I’m going with a bit of both.

Ringing Rocks is one of those places I have tucked away in my heart as extra special. Doc popped the question there 13 Junes ago as I sat on one of the large rocks near the waterfall. He was nervous. Silly man, I thought at the time. Why is he nervous? Doesn’t he know how crazy in love with him I am?

All these years of living later and I’m having a hard time remembering exactly which rock I rested upon. The romantic in me wants to remember the spot. Why didn’t I mark it somehow? Because it never occurred to me the memories would fade over time.

Here are a few pictures:

Climbing on the rocks in the wrong type of shoe:

The waterfall:

I’m not 100% sure, but I think this is The Rock of Romance (aka Where I sat to say “Yes, of course.” ) :

I don’t have much else to add other than it was a pleasant, cool-ish day. A good day for a day hike and to revisit a memory with my kids. My friend Jill has more pictures and video of why it’s called ringing rocks and screaming girls catching a frog. Very fun.

Friday night square dance

Question: What’s your favorite book about homeschooling?

Monica Brand — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 13:18:24 +0000

The answer has changed over the years. In my early years of homeschooling, I liked books that gave me a formula to follow in teaching and books that recommended curriculum to buy. I don’t read or buy those types of homeschooling books anymore. Now just give me the books that encourage me to follow my heart to watch the learning that will take place.

Homeschooling: A Family’s Journey by Gregory and Martine Millman is such a book. In the beginning, the authors describe how they left behind Catholic education to homeschool in New Jersey (yes, another plus for me: this is another New Jersey homeschooling family), how homeschooling works as a better way to educate our children and the failure of public education today. The book ends with a advice on college. Everything in between those chapters – how the Millmans taught at home, the heart of their journey as a homeschooling family.

I didn’t need any convincing to leave public education, yet I enjoyed reading these chapters. If you have a skeptical family member or spouse that has yet to get homeschooling, these chapters are recommended reading.

Then we have the testimony of how the Millman children learned, grew and thrived at home. The Millmans do various activities and call it school. Life (moving to a new house, tragedy, and the unpredictable nature of daily living) trumps what the outside world would call schoolish learning. I love it, love it. These chapters made my homeschooling mother’s heart sing.

They take on the label “unschoolers” and we all know how the media has been presenting these people in the news lately. I would love to see a follow up book by the authors touting the benefits of unschooling.

Two of the children go to the public high school but quickly return home. I love that story. Read it for yourself to find out why. This family loves to read, they have a party as each child joins that club of Reader. The authors discuss the benefits of traveling to foreign countries as learning.

The chapter about choosing a college is excellent. Another recommended reading.

What else? What else to gush about?

I wish I had the book here right now so I could pull quotes, but, alas, a homeschooling friend has it on loan. I’m sure you’re not surprised. This is the homeschooling book you want all of your friends and family to read. Here is my Amazon affiliate link if you are so inclined: Homeschooling: A Family’s Journey

Gotta run. Meeting up with friends. Maybe pictures later,

~ Monica

Edited to trackback to The Homeschool Village’s Mr. Linky. Homeschoolers, add your link regarding your favorite book about homeschooling or read what other homeschoolers recommend.

You had me at imagination

Monica Brand — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 19:44:41 +0000

From Books that Build Character (A Guide to Teaching Your Child Moral Values Through Stories) by William Kilpatrick and Gregory and Suzanne M. Wolfe:

If you’re a parent, you’ve got a battle on your hands — a battle with popular culture over your child’s imagination. And like every battle this one has moments when it seems impossible to carry on. But it’s not all grim, because one of the best ways of empowering your child’s imagination is also one of the most enjoyable. The books we’ve listed are stories of virtue and character, but they are many other things as well. Some of them are hilarious, some mysterious, some adventurous, some heart-breakingly poignant, some a combination of all of these.

As a mother and homeschooler, I’m loving this book. From page 60 to 313, it’s lists of picture books, juvenile fiction, YA, fantasy and science fiction, biographies, fairy tales, historical and contemporary fiction, folktales, myths and legends – all with the indent to build into the moral lives of young readers. There is even a small list of sacred texts.

This is the kind of book you want to bring with you when it’s time to go book shopping.

The author’s summarize each book so you can do a quick preview. Good if you are unsure a book is a good match for your reader.

For more about teaching good values using great literature, especially to boys, visit the MOB society blog today.

Disclaimer: Yup, affiliate links. Yet this is a book I purchased, learned to love, and now want to spread the word, just one book-loving, homeschooling parent to another. Hope it helps your homeschooling adventure.

Adding to my homeschool library

Monica Brand — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 02:26:33 +0000

When I attended our state’s homeschooling convention last month, I knew I wanted to spend my cash on books, not packaged curriculum. Books for reference. Books for history and science. Books for fun. Give me books and more books. I made my selections carefully – we are all homeschooling with a budget, aren’t we? – and took home catalogs that I will poor over for months, making online purchases as the year goes on. And next May I will walk among the books again, eager to add to our shelves.

My children are 11, 10, 7 and 5 so we’re starting to move into the meatier subjects like Creation vs. Evolution, economics, theology and what makes good writing. I expect to get good mileage with this list, lasting us into the teenage years.

These are the books I purchased:

Capitalism for Kids (Growing Up to be Your Own Boss) by Karl Hess

Creation or Evolution (A Home-Study Curriculum) by Mike Snavely

Writers Inc (A student Handbook for Writing and Learning) written and compiled by Patrick Sebranek, Verne Meyer, and Dave Kemper

I found Writers Inc in the used book sale for $1.00. A great buy and it was on my to-buy list.

Making Jesus Lord (The Dynamic Power of Laying Down Your Rights) by Loren Cunningham

Torches of Joy (A Stone Age Tribe’s Encounter with the Gospel) by John Dekker

. . . and this last one caught my eye because I did grow up in a Christian home. I need to read it for myself.

Growing Up Christian by Karl Graustein

The longer I homeschool, the more I see the importance of having good books at home that the kids can grab off the shelf as the inspiration strikes. I’ve seen this happen time and time again with a science book left out on the coffee table or history book nestled on the shelf. I don’t need to assign the reading, it just happens. It can’t happen if you don’t have the books.

What books did you find at your homeschool convention this year?

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links that financially benefit the blogger. By making a purchase via an affiliate link, the blogger may receive monetary compensation.

Learning with picture books

Monica Brand — Mon, 31 May 2010 13:04:54 +0000

At Simple Homeschool: Around the world one picture book at a time

Just so you know

Monica Brand — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 03:36:41 +0000

I did it again. Started another blog.

Educating Magpies: Life Without School is my new blog home for all things home schooling related. It’s still bare bones, but I have a few posts up – my most recent about bad attitudes and perfection – I hope you check it out if you are interested in following our home school journey.

Paper Bridges will continue to be my book blog for reviews, giveaways and commentary from a Christian reader’s perspective.

Thanks! See you here or over at Educating Magpies.