and what do children think one should talk about at tea parties? Well they are apparently quite formal and you have to offer a “spot more of tea” a lot and you discuss the weather and what you have done during the day and for the length of the afternoon tea you all remain sitting,…
Tag: real life
Report writing
It’s the end of the year….. Me “so Helena what have you learned this year?” Helena “nothing” “Oh”… so I go find evidence, our journal, our folder, things she’s written and she (with the odd prod) comes up with: Writing ★ I’ve learnt some words off by heart ★ I am thinking about blends ★…
letting go of product…
Paper making – heres how it would go in a product atmosphere. Make the pulp, showing kids how to rip the paper into small pieces, having first removed anything unsuitable – sellotape, stables etc. Use boiling water to speed up process, probably even a blender to make pieces small.. Make the paper (the real activity?)…
in the pursuit of science 2…
Equipment: Books Internet Method: We are doing the KCC challenges and one is find a new bug. So we’ve been keeping our eyes open for interesting bugs and we found this one.. Next step: what is it? We look up in Explanatorium of Nature (awesome book) which we have out of the library and identity its parts….
measurement
Why do studies on measurement? Just give them the Guinness Book of Records, which really is no more than a teaching tool … We harvested a cauliflower, that actually looked like a shop one, from the garden. Child rushes off to find the picture that she knew was there of the biggest one 27.48kgs.. weighs…
learning from one’s peers
Helena had to, and wanted to, write a birthday card for her cousin. She had plans about the layout and getting to draw hearts but her friend was here…. fortunately for everybody her enthusiasm and joy about the task was enough to entice her friend (who is not a big drawer or writer) to the…
Long term projects…
I hate them… Well not all of them, and it’s more the deciding which are the ones to follow through with. We are doing the KCC 30 challenges. KCC is the Kids Conservation Club and the challenges are due to it being the 30th anniversary of Forest and Bird. The challenge in question is the…
Noticing stuff…
Helena had an asthma episode (she has been hospitalised several times) last weekend and had to have redipred but no hospital. A few days later this…. This is written on a clipboard from her medical kit which has also been dragged out from the depths of the dress up box.. it has the patient’s name,…
secret learning to read (30.10.18)
I have done no ‘active teaching’ in Helena’s learning to read. I was trying the theory that you can learn to read yourself as I was never convinced that the rituals at school teaching kids to read were what was doing it. It’s all the child. The ingredients for reading are: a child who wants…
the holiday programme was OK, just in case you were worried…
One of the things people worry about homeschooling is whether the kids will be socialised… double whammy for me having – oh no an ONLY child. Guess what.. they worry about kids socialisation skills at school too. I remember there were a couple of kids at school (I’m talking primary school here) who other teachers…
homeschoolery 