homeschooling

School (at home) starts on Monday, so we went……

August 8, 2008 by Edie Wadsworth 7 Comments

…to the antique store to search for the perfect milk glass candy dish for my desk. Isn’t she lovely?
…to Walmart to buy composition notebooks where I promptly had my arm twisted into getting this guy. Every homeschool needs a class pet, right? He’ll make a perfect little chore on the chore list, won’t he?……feeding the fish? And fish travel in schools? Okay, I’m a pushover but he is cute and we named him ‘Logos’ which in Latin means word or think or learn. He goes perfect with our classical model which focuses much more on words than on images.
…..again to Walmart to buy SCHOOL SUPPLIES and instead got this pretty little classroom plant….called lipstick; never heard of it or seen it before, but every school needs a class flower….to water…..and watch grow. Do I have ADD or what? Where are all those school supplies?
…..then back home to sweet talk this guy (more on him shortly) into moving
this beastly mammoth down into the school room. The girls and I had a ‘giant spotlight’ moment and decided that this ‘ol used up computer desk would make the best little American Girl playhouse you’ve ever seen. So, we’re gonna paint, bedazzle, and decorate ourselves into a frenzy…..ya know in a schooly sort of artsandcrafts kind of a way.

As promised, more on above mentioned young man: Meet Marcus. Steve’s bright, funny, and friendly 21 year old. He just moved in with us last night to go to UT and we couldn’t be happier. He’s a fanatic Cubs fan and will in general increase the amount of man-TV that gets watched at our house.

To summarize, I have a darling milk glass bowl, a new goldfish, a “lipstick” plant, and a bright and funny 21 year old…..oh, and some highlighters. School supplies are overrated.

Three Things….

August 7, 2008 by Edie Wadsworth 7 Comments

Number 1 is……that previous plate wall picture does not do this pretty little wall justice. So, there is pretty plate wall…..in all her glory. Thanks to the “Nester” for plate wall inspiration.
Number 2 is…..I love this grouping. This is my foyer and unlike most spaces in my house, this one has been the same for I’m thinking 2 years……unbelievable. I think it’s the frog playing the banjo that I love so much or maybe it’s the sketchy little “tapestry” that I conjured up from a $5 piece of fabric from the antique store downtown and hot glued and pinned til’ my heart was content(or till the thing stayed up). I don’t know…..I just like it. Still.
Number 3 is…. this is a fantabulous work of redecorranging if I do say so myself. Any self-respecting blogger would have taken a before picture…..but I’m a loser. So just imagine the ugliest little duckling chair you’ve ever seen at a yard sale followed by some black paint , vintage fabric and a little fairy dust later and voila! I adore it. It is going to be my desk chair in our homeschool. The desk is another redecorranging project that will follow shortly. Leigh Anne is gonna be mad she sold me that desk for $5.

On Homeschooling…..

June 26, 2008 by Edie Wadsworth 1 Comment

Some of you have heard my vicious rumor so let me put enquiring minds to rest. Yes, I am planning to homeschool Emme and Elea next year. There, I said it. I feel empowered to make it public now that I’ve gotten overwhelming support from my husband and my mother. I’ve secretly always wanted to do this and with my daily phone call from school about Emme’s “tummy ache” along with her absolute lying on the ground and begging me to do it…..I have to say that I am convinced that this is one of those must-do’s in my life. You know those lists of 100 hundred things you must do before you die? Yeah, well for some reason homeschooling is on my list. Here’s what I know so far….

I will use a classical model-a blend of Charlotte Mason and Susan Wise Bauer. Their books are must reads for all moms interested in education. They both emphasize using great classical books as the basis of education and history as the central theme for organizing learning.
We will follow a four day curriculum and use Fridays to do art, music, science, library visits, etc. Oh, and yoga–at least for me.
Books, which had already sort of overtaken our living room, are now everywhere. Trip to Ikea is planned next week to purchase book shelves.
Our year will be centered on ancient times through the fall of Rome. The history lessons, literature choices, art projects etc will all be from that era. Steve kinda wants to stay for history class!
I get these looks from Emme randomly and I feel confident that what she is thinking is “Are you suuure you can do this?”
I think I’ve read 20 books this week— I had no idea how much preparation was involved.
If I’m a total flop or completely lose my sanity, are any of you available to tutor my children or drive me to the nearest mental hospital?
My playroom is slowly but surely being morphed into a school room. I don’t think the neighborhood kids like this idea very much. Pictures of this transformation will be forthcoming.