Learning Cursive & Loving Copywork

  My son started learning cursive just a couple of months ago.  I used a $.99 ebook from Scholastic (Cursive Success) to teach him... my daughter learned with Handwriting Without Tears, but she had learned to write quite poorly in public school, so there was some remediation to do.

Cursive is a skill I feel is important for my children to know, and to know WELL.   It is an ART that is being lost.   

GMan picked up on cursive so well - and to my delight and surprise he wanted to write everything in cursive and he wanted to write all of the time!   He's also a lefty, and I had heard these children have a more difficult time.   Not this guy.... 

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A "Delightful Double Existence"

Here we go down the Interest-Led/Delight Directed Learning path again!  It seems that this path is usually the happiest one in our homeschool.   

After reading about Robin Hood in history my children kept talking about him and expressed an interest to learn more.   

Since I'm not a huge lesson planner (I think too much detail and schedule can kill our creativity), I am able to pause our reading in The Story of The World for a couple of weeks to work on a thorough study of The Adventures of Robin Hood. 

*This post contains affiliate links

   The edition we are reading aloud (recommended in The Story of the World) goes along perfectly with a free lapbook/notebook at Homeschool Share.  

This study includes Bible, history, geography, math, vocabulary, writing, science, and SO MUCH MORE!   

 I'm reading aloud a chapter each day and then Miss B and I sit together to delve further into each chapter.  (I must admit I've having fun trying to muster up my best British accent and lots of different voices!)


 The Homeschool Share plans are SO THOROUGH; the only planning I do is printing our lapbooking and notebooking components.  My daughter is enjoying the mix of lapbooking and notebooking.   She has  been using  my old scrapbooking supplies to make it interesting.   

All of this would be a lot of work for GMan, so he's listening and coloring a different Robin Hood scene each chapter. I also LOVE the character cards (with awesome printable stands, too!) that come in the unit.   GMan has also been coloring these while I read.   

My daughter (10) and I are enjoying learning more about The Crusades, The Holy Lands, and the many different occupations during the Middle Ages.   I'm amazed at how much learning can be packed into one living book.   


We've talked of character sketches and conflict in a story.  I'm pleased with the level at which she's working through this unit study.  


My son (7)  is the one who will regurgitate words like "smote" and "bludgeon" in his daily play with his swords and light sabers. Outside my backyard has turned into Sherwood Forest.   The LEGO scenes indoors have been of Sherwood Forest.




I am reminded of the words of Charlotte Mason: 

Image courtesy Jimmie of Jimmie's Collage


  

Now I'm thinking of archery lessons!!

    Don't you just love homeschooling?   

      

Am I Inspiring My Children?

 

I had a painful wake up call during one of my son's assignments last week.  In his spelling book he was to write two sentences about what he liked the most about school.   My glorious child wrote:

"I like lunch.  I like piano lessons."


Ouch.  

Now, I am glad he enjoys lunch.  What he means when he says "piano lessons" is that he enjoys being able to play the Wii while I teach piano lessons.

My heart sank.  Is this really how inspiring school has been for him lately?   Is this the fruit of my labor?  


I know a certain amount of his answer is typical, right?  I guess, however, I was hoping for him to tell me how much he enjoys learning about birds this year, or how he really loves learning about place value to the nearest ten thousand. Maybe I wanted him to say he just loved those spelling lists or copywork?  


Just typing that makes it sound crazy, doesn't it?

This teacher evaluation was a WAKE UP CALL.  I need to step it up a notch.  Yes, he does very well with math, writing, spelling, history, science, etc..., but clearly nothing is inspiring him.

Well, I can think of one thing that has been inspiring him, but I have effectively squelched it at every opportunity.

Yes, Legos are my son's passion (and baseball, but that season hasn't started yet!).   I  let him build while we read aloud and do try to incorporate some Lego time into each day, but I cannot tell you how much I fuss at him about bringing Legos to the table during math, or playing Legos while he should be reading or getting dressed.    

I had a heart-to-heart with myself (am I the only one that does this?)  and reminded myself that I homeschool to FAN A FLAME OF CURIOSITY, not just to fill my children with "required" knowledge.  Sometimes I forget this important fact! 

My children are both growing and changing, and it's time I adjust the way I teach, too.   I really had it down when they were little, but now it's time to let THEM DICTATE MORE OF THEIR EDUCATION. They are growing into children that have their own interests and opinions.  They are growing into the people God created them to be.


It is time to let their interests lead their learning.  

After this little evaluation, I decided  I should investigate Lego education opportunities in our area.   

Lo and behold, just a few days earlier I had received an email about new Lego programming classes for home schoolers at the Museum of Design Atlanta.

We went to an open house for the program and it seems PERFECT!    This is something that will combine my son's love of Legos, computers, math, creativity and design.   

It is a QUALITY science and engineering program he will attend for three hours each session(right now we just signed up for two times to see how it goes).  He will be learning to build a model and then make that model move and make sounds.  

Watching some of the little ones today who were demonstrating what they had learned was fascinating.  I was so excited, and GMan was just dumbfounded with all of the Legos in one room!

   

My husband snapped the above shot of GMan... he was content, busy, and so so happy.  Why in the world would I  not incorporate this love  into our homeschool?  


Now.... dare I ask my daughter what her favorite thing is about school?  I think I had better - before it's too late!

Do I live by Einstein's words or just think they're just a cool little quote to have around?

I'm curious...

Do you let your children's interest drive their education, or are you sometimes like me and "stick to the curriculum plan"? 

Are you a Lego mom, too?  Do you have any resources or advice for me?  I'm on the hunt!