Teaching Reading {part two}: Our Story... Struggle no more

In the last post I admitted that I did not fully trust Charlotte Mason's reading-lesson recommendations. I didn't know then what I know now. But I did know that my kids hated reading, and were beginning to turn sour in other areas as well. I had to do something.  Now, I'm not pro-reward systems, in fact, I remember at times feeling rather volatile toward sticker charts! So, I am not necessarily advocating the following unless you are desperate. I was.

In came a tailor-fit reading incentive program for our family. I worked out a points system based on words per book. With accumulated points they could buy stuff from the bin in the closet. Cool stuff. Big boy stuff.

Jackpot.

They left the library with a haul of books each week from then on out. Granted, a good number of those were board books for reading to their younger siblings, not worth a whole lot of points.* But, if you read enough of them, the points do have a way of accumulating. AND they were reading. AND they were motivated. Finally.

Quickly, they realized that more words = more points. More points = better prizes.

{Insert image of dreamy Dollar Store do-dads and giddy Goodwill gadgets}

As they moseyed on over to the easy reader section of the library, I simultaneously became acquainted with the fact that there are VERY few non-twaddle easy reader books. But there are some. They brought these home. We scoured the entire section for suitable books. And they read them, every single one. Three times.

This incentive program was HUGE in getting them over the hump. But it was not yet the clincher.

The point of no return came when they were introduced to Redwall. Brian Jacques IS my hero. Their first exposure was an audio book borrowed from the library. And let me just say that these books are not easy reading (certainly with the British accent they are NOT easy listening). Being a little skeptical of the series, and knowing they were not really ready for a nearly 200-page-pictureless-reading-experience quite yet, I told them they'd have to read the series in order. The library only had the print version of the next book. ;) Wasn't I clever? I dreamed of being able to dangle the Redwall carrot out to keep them motivated over the next month as they continued their slow but sure paced journey through the juvenile section of the library shelves.





This minor setback did NOT discourage them in the least, they were MORE determined than ever. They would have Redwall. They checked that next book out and suddenly they turned into little recluses and became furiously infatuated with the world of Redwall. To this day, I have no idea how much they understood of that first book. But they made it ALL the way through, tag-team style. One would read and narrate to the other. Then the other would read and then he'd narrate it back - all on their own time - over about a month. Hmmmm. Interesting, no? They were about relatively 7.5 and 8.5 at that time.

Well, from that point, it really only got better. We kept on reading aloud a little each day, they read more Redwall, but in addition they were also introduced to Roald Dahl. I wasn't sure if I should be happy or sad about this. I've never read even one of his books, and we own at least 7... all of which the boys read with gusto... in less than a month. Some of the things they've narrated, I've thought... uh, yikes? (So, though I think I feel comfortable with them, please do not interpret this paragraph as a full-blown endorsement of the Roald Dahl books.) We had finally arrived at the point that I could confidently say that these boys were on their way to discovering new worlds by way of books! And, thanks to Redwall and Roald Dahl they had begun to LOVE reading!





So while they were finally reading...
I had NO idea what I'd do with my next up and coming reader who would turn 5 within a couple of months!
In the next post, I'll tell you what we didn't do!  ;)


Posts to keep a look out for:

Our Story... I'm a failure. {part one}
Our Story... Struggle no more. {part two} << -- You are here. :)
Our Story... Just relax! {part three} Learning to Read - The Scary Myth {part four}
Playing a Foundation to Build on.
First Reading Lessons in Earnest.


 
*(please note, I do always screen the books that make their way to my house, and I have a very strong aversion to twaddle; but desperate times call for desperate measures... so don't blame me if they read a few borderline books there in the beginning. -- I'm just covering my bases here in case there are any CM police in the area... ;)

Teaching Reading {part one}: Our Story... I'm a failure.

It had long been very important to me that my boys LOVE learning.  So you might imagine my disillusionment, when at the prime age of five and a half years of age, my boys pored over picture books, and they were being read aloud to (living books!) - but they had NO interest AT ALL in actually reading to gain knowledge for themselves. Matter of fact, they were quite happy for me to read everything to them. They were completely dependent on me for knowledge!

One of the primary means of educating one's self being through reading (obviously); it was brought to my attention that most other children, my childrens' age, already knew or were at least advancing in the skill (it was not mentioned that they HATED it). If I didn't teach my children to read now, they would not be up to par with their peers.  No one cared to mention the fact that it takes no time at all to catch up, and that it can be done effortlessly in a matter of weeks if the child is excited to learn...  hmmmm.)  Well, I caved.






I had no idea what I was doing when I taught my first two children to read; two very different boys learning to read at the very same time. My youngest boy with a lightning quick memory, but with little to no interest in detail, and my eldest slower to make connections, but quite solid once having figured it out. Sure, I tried some CM style lessons even from this earliest point, as described later on, but I had no confidence and as I said before, no idea what kind of progress to expect. Because of pressure to comply with others' expectations of my children needing to read by the ripe old age 6, we started using a quick fix reading program that put a lot of pressure on memorizing an unreliable set of phonics and words by families. It flopped.

They whined. We cried. They hated reading. And I was devastated

They did eventually learn. Somewhere between 8 and 10 years of age. After 3-4 YEARS of reading instruction. Okay, not exactly true. I did some CM-styled lessons (these among those I will outline in the posts to come), I taught them phonograms, I cut and pasted poems, etc.  But I wasn't at all sure it would work.  After all, the various reading curriculum all make learning to read seem really drawn out and complicated!  Following our reading curriculum failure, I laid off for several months (except for games, hoping to regain that LOVE of learning, somewhat tainted by a forced learning to read), but my husband pushed on (it's not his fault, he never had read Charlotte Mason...:). After many trials and tears, I laid us both off again. After all, they were reading, sort of. It was halting, painstakingly brutal for all concerned. They skipped words, guessed words... um. yeah. I thought we'd pretty much ruined them for LIFE...  

(next time I'll be posting how things turned for the better... so stay tuned :)

{Thanks to some semi-sinister ways on my part, we finally did trick them into reading...  :) }

This is the first post in a series on Teaching Reading that I'll be posting over the next week or so.  I'm putting them here for my own reference and the use of anybody else out there who may find our experience helpful.  In the later posts I'll include step-by-step instructions as well as printables!  All of which, I'm really excited about because I'm just now coming to it again this time around with my littlest guy.


Posts to keep a look out for:

Our Story... I'm a failure. {part one} << -- You are here. :)
Our Story... Struggle no more. {part two}
Our Story... Just relax! {part three} Learning to Read - The Scary Myth {part four}
Playing a Foundation to Build on.
First Reading Lessons in Earnest.

guest post by Bria...

happy Birth Day Mom I Love you

{I came to the computer to get started on my post on first reading lessons (stay tuned) and that is what I found already written here... see my post over here for more of this girl's sweetness today}

 

CM Blog Carnival! Hooray!

I don't know anyone who wouldn't love a CM carnival!  Well, besides my uncle Ron, and maybe my father-in-law's friends... well okay, maybe I'd better say, I know a LOT of people who LOVE a good CM carnival, so how 'bout let's have one!!





There are SO many sights at a carnival like this one, the ferris wheel of habit training (it goes round and round...), the nature study exhibit (perhaps the most popular!), the popcorn stand (or shall we say biscuits and tea?), the artist and composer tent, karaoke hymns, the hands-on booth ... you name it!  You know what you came for!  So, I'm totally curious, what's your favorite part of the carnival?  Please leave me a comment!

Now, I figure that from the carousel we'll each be able to spy out the different sights as we go around... you gals have gone and posted SO much this time around, and I have the feeling this is going to be so FUN you're surely not gonna wanna stop!  So, seeing as the carousel is about to start, find your favorite animal, climb aboard and let's get this show on the road!  :)

Make sure that at each place you stop, if you enjoy what you've read, leave a kind note...  it's the best kind of fun to be among friends :)









*Nancy gives us a chart for looking at training the will  "...20 adults met to discuss our reading of Charlotte Mason's Towards a Philosophy of Education, Chapter 8, "The Way of the Will"... " Of course, everyone wants something practical, something to apply right away, something to use..." So head on over to her place and get the chart!  The Way of the Will Chart posted at Sage Parnassus.

*Scripture memorization in big chunks... "I'm sure we've tried memorizing things before but with this year being our first year using Charlotte Mason methods, we're memorizing scripture."  Be inspired!  Contessa presents Scripture In Pictures

*Nebby questions the good of testing...  "a kind of mental exercise, like lifting weights for the mind. The time limits imposed by a testing environment force the student to concentrate and to perhaps be more systematic and diligent in their thought processes..."  Testing in Homeschool

*Deborah Jean relishes in memories of early CM days...helping us mothers of yet young ones relax in CM methods :)..."It's no wonder I fell in love with Charlotte Mason's gentle learning approach for the elementary ages." ...  Busy Hands, BUSY WORK or both? 








*Shirley Ann talks about the beauty of Artist study as passed down from one generation to the next, and showcases some blooming beauties and how they relate to taking off in reading.  Hello Vincent. AND Spring Blooms and Late Bloomers

*Mama Squirrel presents a reflective post on Listening. You'll definitely want to head over and read this: Don't talk over the music posted at Dewey's Treehouse.

"...for of the evils of modern education few are worse than this - 

that the perpetual cackle of his elders leaves the poor child not a moment of time, 

nor an inch of space, wherein to wonder - and grow."

*Robin has found a relatively painless way to learn new birdsong!  Hilarious.  Creative Nature Study: How to Let Bird Song Wake You Up - Crack the Egg


*Pamela talks about nature study for city-dwellers... "So, one of the things I am always super grateful for when we spend any amount of time in a big city is finding the little refuges where nature has a little bit of space to do her thing, and so do we. Thank goodness people in the past had the foresight to set aside some land for parks before the sprawl of civilization took it all over."   Check out her post here: Trees in the City 

*Melissa's starting and customizing their book of centuries  "...starting at Creation and learning the truth of history from the Bible is one of the greatest gifts I can give my children. From the beginning of time, God's love for us is evident and that continues to be the common thread throughout the course of time.." Book of Centuries...givin' it a go! 







*Becky's CM basics, Living Books, Narration, Art, Composer, Poetry.
"Lots of homeschool parents look into the Charlotte Mason method and get overwhelmed.  Here are 5 easy ways to make the CM method part of your busy day..." 5 Ways to Add a Little Charlotte Mason to Your Routine

*Jeanne talks about how all of life is a classroom, a must read. "How different things are from those first heady days when I was first learning about homeschooling. The book work set me up to succeed, but it was the actual doing that made me a homeschooling mum, not the reading about it."  Learning about learning posted at A peaceful day.

*Nadene talks about motivation!  Very good tips.  All of us have some of those months days, grab some good ideas to turn things around!  Turning those frowns upside down ? Motivation! posted at Practical Pages.

*Penny makes Artist studies a matter of everyday conversation...
Excellent (and easy) idea!  Making an art placemat

*Phyllis shows First Reading Lesson in Pictures!  Nice and easy :)
All Things Beautiful: First Reading Lesson Charlotte Mason Style









*Phyllis does nature walks... just right.  She reminds us of how Charlotte advised was the best way for spending time outside. All Things Beautiful: Taking a Nature Walk

*Anna encourages us not to be afraid to offer our children wholesome foods. CM talks about the importance of balanced nutrition in Vol. one.  For Pure Pleasure: Assume the Best

*Jennifer has talked about her Book of Centuries project and it looks GREAT!  She also made some VERY nice timeline book pages/BOC for purchase. Now Complete! Jewish Book of Centuries (Charlotte Mason style) 

*Laura Grace Weldon is a writer mom pondering education at the grass roots level  :)  Asking questions: Mom Knows Nothing


*Jimmie gives us a CM summary post... perfect for those just starting out to get a handle on some of the basics: Implementing Charlotte Mason Basics posted at Jimmie's Collage.


*Tricia shows us an EXCELLENT idea incorporating, art, cooking, multi-generational learning... and pretty photos :) Pastels Tutorial: Hot Chocolate

*Rachel presents a hands-on feet-on activity for a picture book: Fun Learning Activities for Preschoolers and Kids » Blog Archive » Purple Toes: The Book & Activity


*Makita hopes to show some progress on Copywork, one of those constants... cheer her on at: Copywork Revisited!

*Lynn gives us some images of autumn in Signs of Autumn.

*Need handicraft ideas? Susan has one! Stitching Life: Maple Leaf Handicraft.







*amy in peru shows one way to teach map drills. Hey!  that's me!  You're in the right place!  ;)  Map Skills: What we do posted at Fisher Academy International ~ Teaching Home.

*amy in peru inspires us how to make Nature Study a high priority: Nature Study: One of the Constants here at Fisher Academy International ~ Teaching Home.

HAHAHAH!  It's such fun to talk about myself in the third person :)

OOh... and one last post:

*Richele shares more nature study nitty-gritty facts! More Mechanics of Nature Study!

Alright, time's up!  After the carousel has come to a complete stop, please step off and exit straight to the beach, for some good peace and quiet!  Though I love a good carnival as much as the next mom, I do enjoy the peaceful putting into practice part the best ;)  I hope you've found something you enjoyed! 

It's been so much fun, let's do this every month...

no wait, how 'bout every two weeks! ;)

See you around next time friends... 

So, what's YOUR favorite ride at the CM blog carnival?  

Is there something in particular you usually come to see?

how to go weekly...

How to make a weekly list using the Ambleside Online curriculum...

...notice I use my AO list to note groceries, and new guitar chords I'm learning too ;)

I need lists.  I need to see what needs to be done, as well as be encouraged seeing what's been finished!  Lists are wonderful!  However, if the list is too long, or too boring, or poorly organized it does me NO good.  I make lots of lists, but the one I use absolutely MOST often is my AO weekly list!  :)


Get a hold of the Term Schedules:

First of all, we are spoiled rotten because of the files AmblesidOnline is coming out with VERY SOON (*edited 4/9/2013) for EVERY AO year in both .pdf and .doc format! You will be able to find all these schedules at AmblesideOnline.org or on the forum. I print a copy of the entire year for my Homeschool Planning Day every year and use it extensively in my planning throughout the year.

The same information is available on the AO site for every year.  You'll see the pages for the booklists and the schedules for each year.  But, that long list is SO overwhelming for me... having to find my place each week, and oh me oh my...  I'm so thankful for the Term Schedules!

Here's an idea of what you'll be looking for in minuscule version :)

Term 1

Term 2

Term 3

Basically, what we have here is all the AO subjects/readings for year 2 plotted out by week (horizontally), and books/subjects (vertically).  In a lot of cases it even has the readings broken up.  Sometimes not, it depends on the book because there are different versions available, so you can easily just count the pages in your book and evenly divide it up over the term.

I used to just have a print out of this glued to my forehead handy at all times and crossed everything off as we read/narrated.  It has blank fields for you to add in assignments for math, language arts, foreign language, handiwork, etc.  This was a really easy way to go in year one and two even.  But increase the number of children = the result is more complicated...

SO.  I personally need to limit what I see.  Too much information leaves me feeling quite swamped and overwhelmed.  Which leads me in the direction (finally) this post is supposed to be going; the need for a weekly list.

Converting to a weekly list:

The idea is to basically just transfer all the information from one week at a time from the Term Schedule (or from the AO Schedules online), to fit our daily routine.  I fill out this weekly list each term so that I have 12 weeks done ahead of time.  This is my main task each Homeschool Planning Day.  Transferring the information to a weekly list, counting off pages, filling in the assignments for the other subjects, etc.

If you need help figuring out, or putting order to your daily routine, I highly recommend Managers of Their Homes (MOTH), which was vital early when I was first beginning juggling of days. :)

My weekly list incorporates time frames that normally (hah!) work for us... but we are SUPER flexible.  It's there as a guide, nothing more.  Mainly, I work from the following schedule as a list of what I have to accomplish that day.  Here's an example (sorry it's not super clear).



You'll notice the little checkboxes!  These help me keep track of what everyone's doing and done.  :) I'm such a listy girl :)  Basically, a LOT of the information on this list is just transcribed from Judy's Term Schedules pictured above. I put in every assignment and every reading, the exact page numbers so that not only they know what to read, but I know what they're reading (so that I can stay ahead in the readings, if desired, and so that I can know what they are to narrate).

Every 4 weeks I print off the two older boys and myself a booklet of 4 weeks worth (4 pages) of their weekly assignments.  I print it off using booklet format on my computer and it ends up looking something like this:

Imagine that middle gray as a fold ;)

Of course, I had to go and make a fun version for my seven year old girl to check off her assignments as well, here's a peek at hers (she doesn't have all the page numbers on her assignments because for the most part, we're still doing most of her readings together out loud... they are detailed out on the weekly list pictured above):



Now, I could go on FOREVER about my routine, schedule, weekly list... but I'll stop and see if there are any questions.  If there are, I'll be happy to elaborate  ;)  If not, I'll be satisfied knowing that this post covered everything you wanted to know about how to make a weekly list for multiple children doing Ambleside Online!!   heheh.  ;)

I did make a blank weekly list that someone may be interested in using as a guide in making your own weekly list... it's here:

(right click the image and select Save As... to save the full-size pdf file to your computer)
and here's a zip file of the pdf and doc version :)

education... a masterpiece.

a CM education is like an Impressionist painting… Up close all the living books might seem a little messy like looking at a lot of individual brush strokes… but leave it to the children and keep on painting… adding more and more strokes (books and ideas and experiences). When the painting is done, they’ll stand back having had relationship with the world around them, making connections between what they’ve read and real life experience… and from that point of view, they’ll be left gazing at a most amazing masterful education…

wide open spaces...

"...there is a great deal to be done and a great deal to be prevented during these long hours in the open air. And long hours they should be; not two, but four, five, or six hours they should have on every tolerably fine day, from April till October.


Impossible; says an overwrought mother who sees her way to no more for her children than a daily hour or so on the pavements of the neighboring London squares. Let me repeat, that I venture to suggest, not what is practicable in any household, but what seems to me absolutely best for the children; and that, in the faith that mothers work wonders once they are convinced that wonders are demanded of them. A journey of twenty minutes by rail or omnibus, and a luncheon basket, will make a day in the country possible to most town dwellers; and if one day, why not many, even every suitable day?"

CM vol.1 pg44

I might have to agree with the overwrought mother, because I think that CM would have been referring to mothers of young children who were not yet in school and so those same mothers wouldn't have had also to be concerned with the training of their older children at home as well.  However,  I've been reading Charlotte Mason's Homeschooling Series, vol. 1 again over the last weeks, especially the last couple of days, and the benefit of outdoor time cannot be overlooked.  We should be outdoors as much as is feasibly possible.  On that point, I absolutely agree.

We like to keep our house open, the doors and windows at least as much as we can bear it with the heat, we all go in and out and through the backyard many times a day.  The younger kids particularly also have obligatory times outside in the backyard every day.  But, our weekly nature walks are WONDERFUL times outside.  I'm going to try harder at making them happen more than once a week.

the family nature walk

...it does a body good.  :)

the irrigation canal is dry except for a slimy moss at the bottom

the coconuts grow attached to this part... way up in the palm tree.

every now and again there was a broken spot where water gathered,

here was a TON of little red larvae... dragonfly? 

See those coconut shells? that's what we used to carry a little fish

we found in a little puddle back home... 

we figured he'd die if we left him there, so we'd watch him for a few days 

and then take him back when there was water again.  

But he jumped out and burnt his head.

"Mama called the doctor, the doctor said, NO more fishies jumping on their heads!"

here's an up close of the larvae, worm thing...

...and the almost dead fish.  

as I was saying, he'd been showing suicidal tendencies from the start, 

as he leaped from the coconut shell I was carrying him home in.  

He seemed to survive the first attempt with little ill effect, 

it was the second attempt that proved fatal. :(

a bat we found hanging from the backdoor frame... 

kinda cute.

I think his tiny little feet are kind of endearing, don't you?

one of the nights last week, we decided to go on a frog hunt... 

actually, somebody went out 

and spotted them, and then we sat and watched them for awhile.  

They were as still as statues with the lights on.

these guys are like my best friends. they eat cockroaches...
need I say more?

sketch tuesday: R

Hurry!  If you finish up your sketches early this morning, you could still get them in for this week's sketch tuesday slideshow!  The theme is 'starting with the letter R'.
E-mail your sketches to Barb HERE.

Here are ours:





Obviously, in an ideal world, Barb prefers that we submit our sketches before Monday... but if you're like I was at first and you keep forgetting 'til the last second, well, Barb's so nice! ;)  Just get them in right now, and then next week, maybe you'll remember earlier.  The way I remember now is, I make it a Sunday afternoon {quiet time} suggestion... but today the kids beat me to it and brought it up today before I even had a chance to mention it :)

Map Skills: What we do

If you read this blog even remotely regularly, you'll catch on that I've ever-so-slightly had geography on the brain lately.  :)   See here and here if you doubt my words ;)  It's not that geography is all that we do... it's not even one of the MAIN things, so I'm not sure of the reason for all the latest craze!

But here we are.  :)

I've mentioned here that we've been using A Child's Geography: Explore The Holy Land by Ann Voskamp for the second half of AOy5 into the first half of this year.  In addition to mapping the readings for AmblesideOnline (which we have NOT been uber-faithful in doing for EVERY book over the years) we also hone our map skills using map drills ala SimplyCharlotteMason style. 




Here's what we do:

In AOy4 or AOy5, we formally begin Map Skills (depending on the child's skill level).  We use blackline maps and do the same sort of thing as we would do with picture study only with maps!  It's fun.  We pick a continent/region to concentrate on each term.  I give the boys their maps, they spend about 5 minutes looking at/memorizing what they can from the labeled map.  When they're done, or the time's up, they turn over the map and fill in everything they can remember - the country names/oceans, etc.  After a couple of weeks, once they have the general idea of the continent being studied, they usually like to spend time looking from various atlas maps as the coloring and such varies and makes it more interesting.

Now, since we do this weekly, there is no need to be sloppy.  They are to memorize one or two states or countries perfectly (spelling & capitalization) and fill them in.  Or, they are to remember as many as they possibly can and then refine the spelling later on (I prefer the former, my kids the latter ;).

They either hand this in for me to look over, or they self-correct using the labeled side of their map, or an atlas (this depends on my own assessment of how detail-oriented they are, or in need of encouragement).  They then wipe off their maps and store them away.

Also, since there are years of school ahead... I don't stress out about how much they remember (by the end of the term it is pretty amazing what all they know!).  Of course I want them to put forth their best effort, but they'll have other opportunities throughout the years to look at a map as it comes up in their readings and other studies.  What I'm aiming for is a good understanding of who is neighbors with who, which countries border the sea, which are land-bound, etc.  I also do try to choose a map that corresponds with what they'll be studying in the AO year they are in.

Materials:

Blackline map of the region desired.
Sheet protectors (with a glossy finish).
Fine tip, wet-erase pens (overhead markers).
Clear packaging tape (optional).
Sponge for wiping (optional).







How-to:

1. Print off maps (preferably find a map that has both labeled and blank versions of the same map, otherwise you'll have to fill in one neatly...)
2. Tuck into the sheet protector one labeled and one blank map back to back.
3. Tape the open edge shut (this will prevent your map from getting yucky when little people clean it off.
4. You are good to go!

Helpful Links:

THE 3 best sites online for FREE labeled and blank outline maps of the various regions -
National Geographic (print detailed, basic and even as simple continent outline, in .gif or .pdf!) &
Eduplace.com (available in .pdf only)
PrintableMaps.net

Expo Vis-A-Vis Wet Erase Markers, 8 Colored Markers - $7.50!  (pack of 4 pens is $6.50)
Avery Diamond Clear Heavyweight Sheet Protectors, Acid Free, Pack of 25 - These are the ones I use, cost a little more but are VERY good quality!  A great investment.

Nature Study: One of the Constants

"a child has natural relations with a vast number of things and thoughts: 

so we must train him upon physical exercises, nature, handicrafts, 

science and art, and upon many living books..."

Charlotte Mason, vol 1. pg7

 

I'm happy to say that nature study finally happens just about  every day around here.

I just treasure it when my littlest kids will bring me something from outside they've taken the time to acquaint themselves with. My eldest children will joyfully grab their journals and sit; observing, thinking and then sketching.  Ahhh. The JOYS of implementing study of the lovely...




It hasn't always been this way. Nature study used to be one of those things on the list that carried over from week to week rarely getting done. In years previous, nature study (or actually the time separated for, and labeled as such), used to be a hit and miss thing for us... but it has now come into full bloom over the last few years, and now is one of the things we never stop doing.  I can almost say that we are now pretty much constantly studying nature.  What happened to bring about this metamorphosis?




Things had to change.
Here's a list of our changes I've noted over the course of the last several years:


Several ways to make nature study one of the constants at your house...

1) Don't look at nature study as a school subject, but as a lifestyle.

Noticing creatures and plants and giving God glory for them is a WONDERFUL way to live. It doesn't have to fit into a time slot, or into a certain notebook. It's just a way that we can begin to think about and look at life. It is extremely refreshing!

2) Look out for living things EVERYWHERE.

Open your eyes and see what can be seen. We've seen bugs in parking lots, in the car, as well as on the trail. We can watch the landscape from car windows as well as from the ledge of a mountain hike. Pull out your camera and snap a shot if you don't have time to really look at it right at that very moment.  (You'll need to get into the habit of having a camera handy as well!)

3) Force yourself outside regularly.

Take a few moments to make yourself go outside, every day if possible. Even if it is just standing on the patio, or with your head out your open window! Schedule it if you have to. This helps especially when just beginning to make nature study a habit.  Don't even worry about whether or not this transfers to your kids or not.  Just make it your OWN habit... believe me, the excitement has a way of naturally transferring.  :)

4) Let yourself stop to wonder at the complexity and beauty of God's creation.

Sometimes, we let ourselves get SO busy that we don't even notice loveliness around us!  How sad is that?!  When we're busy we have to make a conscious effort to stop, slow down and smell the honeysuckle.  :)  When you see something, take the time to notice it and ask yourself questions about it. For example, 'WOW! Look at the eyes on that praying mantis! Ooh, I think he's watching me... I wonder if I move over here if his eyes will follow...' etc.

"So exceedingly delightful is this faculty of taking mental photographs, exact images, of the beauties of Nature we go about the world for the refreshment of seeing..."

Charlotte Mason, vol.1 pg 48

Now. For lots of years, nature study was an 'extra' around here (along with lots of other wonderful subjects)... And you know what?  It's okay... that was my yesterday... and I know it was just a stage. (Albeit a stage I hope never to regress to!)

The guilty conscience....  Probably all of us have been tempted to wish we had done things differently.  But, we don't need to beat ourselves up about what we've done or NOT done in the past.  We might be tempted to think we've wrecked our kids, and that the damage is irreversible.  Do you give yourself a hard time about stuff like that?  Would you rather not?   First, we need to accept things as they are... our reality.  We admit we're unhappy with how things have been, and let that motivate us to do things differently from this point forward.  It's never too late to start doing things better! (of course this carries over to ALL parts of life, doesn't it?)

Do you *do* nature study? 

How has it morphed in your life?

If it's your goal to begin... 

What will you do to make nature study part of the new you?

P.S.  I'm hosting the Charlotte Mason Blog carnival next Tuesday... have you submitted your post?