In response to John’s newsletter title, “Do our Children Learn Differently,” I had a couple of comments to make. 

Although I agree that the children of today learn differently than of children past, I don’t completely agree with it. I honestly believe that some children would have been much better off in the 70′s and 80′s had there been more technology.  My brother is a prime example of this and I know that he is not the only one out there.  I learn by repetition, I learn by “doing” rather than by reading how to do, I learn by someone teaching me. My brother learns in much the same way that my youngest son does and that is by simply “watching” something being done and then going off and doing it himself and “figuring it out”.  My brother would have never attended one day of public school if T4L had been around when he was young. 

I believe that with technology comes more options, I believe technology helps kids grasp things differently but the concepts are still the same only now instead of my mom saying to me and my brother “Go look it up in the encyclopedia”, I find myself saying “Go google that”….. While I believe that children do process things a bit differently, bottom line is learning styles are learning styles and just because my children have the wonderful opportunity that they have does not mean that they learn any different that we did; they just have more options.

My next point is about technology taking place of sports and outside.  I totally agree that my children do not head outside as soon as they are done with their school work the way that we did growing up.  We live on 70 acres and my kids should be outside exploring ALL the time with what they have available to them.  I do agree that on occasion I have to “force them” outside or have to join them when they do go outside so we can hike or what ever.  With that being said, my family spends very little time watching tv.  We are a computer family and we sit in the same room, each with our computers and enjoy each other’s company whether it be in an online game or doing our own thing “chatting”.  We spend the summers swimming in our pool and when company is here spend most of the time outside.  Yes, we do own (collectively in our family) every video game system available (with the exception of the ps3) but that also is (for the most part) done together.  So I guess that even though my kids don’t always “volunteer” to go outside, that is the way it is now and even though I dislike it, sometimes it is easier to accept it.  As a side note, my boys play soccer, roller blade, do karate and are cub scouts.  They are very active kids and even though I think they spend to much time on line, there are far worse things that they can be doing……  What would I change?  Probably them “wanting” to go out and play…   Is that going to happen?  We are working on it. :)

The last comment I have is about “putting the gameboys down in the car”.  Each of my boys have a game boy (you shocked?) and they will probably get a better hand held system this year for Christmas.  (shocked again?)  I don’t always agree that children should have game boys and when I see children at family functions, family activities or something like that it makes me angry.  I do think that there is nothing wrong with my kids playing their game in the car and because we are home schoolers we cram learning into every bit of their lives…..  Even in the car I am throwing something “educational” at them…  I would rather them spend a little bit of time zoning while driving down the road than sitting in their rooms playing!  Of course, my kids don’t abuse their game boys and can really “take them or leave them” so it is really not an issue for us but honestly everything we do revolves around their education and something being learned, discussed or shared so giving them some time in the car to just zone is not such a bad thing for our family……

Thanks for the newsletters John, I enjoy them!

I just had to share this story. It is TOO cute! As some of you may gather from our posts and comments, another author Tracy and myself are close friends. So are our families. Our families are very similar and her 2 boys and my 2 boys all interact well and get along famously. Her 2 boys (I will refer to them as Q and Z) are 9 (Q) and 6(Z) and my boys are 8 (Bailey) and 3 (Braeden). The three older boys are in cub scouts together.

Well this weekend we got together to let the boys work on some things that they needed to work on. We did several activities over the course of the weekend. The boys all did really well. In one particular activity, they were working with tools and building some bookends. They were very encouraging to one another. At one point, while Q was working with his bookends, Z said “Good Job.” A few moments later Z, again being very encouraging, said to Q “perfect!” Q looked at him and said “you are being time4learning.” My son Bailey laughed and I looked at the boys with what I’m sure was a goofy expression on my face. I said “Huh? He’s being time4learning? What does that mean?” Q answered back with “well, those are things that time4learning tells us. You know, when we are working. So…he’s being time4learning.” Z and Bailey both nodded and looked at me like …well, like…”DUH!” )

So Tracy and I learned something this weekend. Not only has Time4Learning changed and improved on both of our families’ homeschooling experiences, but it has also taught our kids to be encouraging and uplifting to others. Way to go T4L!!! )

Yesterday Natalie signed on and decided to start working on the Science curriculum which is really a 1st grade level. Needless to say I was a little concerned because it is a higher grade level. However, it so happens that she had reviewed this same subject in school.

The first section is called “Distinguishing Living and Non-Living Things,” lessons one and two are “What lives in the ocean” and “Ocean’s plants and animals.”

What made this particular lesson exciting is that we have been reading bed-time stories that relate to the ocean’s plants and animals and we recently visited a small aquarium with a huge tank that makes you feel like you’re underwater with all the creatures of the Chesapeake Bay. Natalie really enjoyed working on this section. She finished each lesson very quickly and came running to tell me how easy it was, then she went back to do the quiz and got a “mastered” score.

It was one of those really good days for her and for me, I just feel good to be able to help her make the connection from school to the real living things. Very exciting! It was an “Aha” moment for her and a great opportunity for hands-on experience.

I think it’s a good idea for kids to experience as much as possible of the real world so whenever possible we try visit the historic sites in our area as well as museums.

Everyone, keep up the good work.

Terie

My two boys are learning about vikings.  For a couple days now they have been rushing to get to their social studies so that they can find out more.  Vikings were warriors, traders and pirates.  Are they cool? You betcha!  Now they are cool.. Not so much back then!  For two little boys Vikings are cool to learn about.

So, it is 4pm and each boy, with a paper printed off the T4L site from today’s lesson in hand, left to go “make” something at their grandfather’s house….  I imagine that it will be some kind of weapon because that is just who my boys are.  I always enjoy the little bit of quiet time that I get when they are gone but look forward to the excited chatter of what they have “made”.

It has been brought to my attention that “chain mail” is in their future….  “Chain mail” is not something that they are unfamiliar with and have seen it for many years at the convention that we go to, however, it is now become an interest for them with the “Viking” lessons and I see myself, my boys and my husband with pliers and little pieces of chain for hours on end making something that they want.  (Little do they know that I have a small kit that we can work on when the issue really gets pushed on me… just to show them how difficult it is)

Each day that goes by is a new and learning experience.  I can’t tell you how great it is to have the boys enjoying their lessons and sharing discussions about their lessons.

On a different note….. Math today was a challenge….  With them both.  What is the deal?  Gosh they are both good in math and if I stand over them they whip right through it but once I walk away the complaining and moans start….  Oh well…   I guess they can’t be perfect….  

This morning I was in making my coffee and I heard a squeal.  Not so much a squeal from being upset, nor one of sheer delight; more like a squeal from just amazement…….  After the hour long (every few minutes) of me prodding the boys to “start” something to do with school…. (Yes, even HS’ers hate Mondays)…. They finally signed on and got to work.

We had a very long and exciting weekend.  Usually we do something “school” worthy over the weekend or at least they read every night before bed.  This weekend was one of our two fall Boy Scout camp weekends and needless to say that Monday and school came way to fast for them.  They sure did “learn” a great deal over the weekend but did not read or do any formal schoolwork like normal so it was much harder to get them started this morning.

Back to the squeal…..   Today I learned that not only could you stretch the Great Wall from the East Coast to the West Coast but that people were removing bricks to build houses……..   There is now a picture of The Great Wall pinned in our office.  My youngest found the facts surrounding the Great Wall so very exciting and the squeal came in the manner of instant “Mom!! You know what??”….  Followed by a talking a million miles an hour.

My eldest was clapping madly by the end of his work today because he had gotten 100% on some part of LA Extensions.

For all the dragging that was done at the very beginning,  schoolwork actually was okay.  I enjoy when the boys start telling me something and have a hard time speaking as quickly as the thoughts are trying to come out.