Homeschooling with Tapestry of Grace

There is one question that I am asked more frequently than any other by my homeschooling friends and acquaintances:
How do you make Tapestry of Grace work for you?
It seems that TOG is one curriculum where many people who have contemplated its use decide they will forever have a love/hate relationship with it. They love the depth, quality of literature, unit study, “living books” blended with classical approach, etc. that TOG offers, but hate the fact that they just can’t seem to find their rhythm with a curriculum that at first glance (and 2nd, and 3rd!) appears daunting.

I am so incredibly thankful for, and enamored with, TOG. It has transformed our homeschool. It has been the tool that allows me to achieve my goal of providing a meaningful, Christ-centered, academically rigorous, “real books” as opposed to “text books”education for my children. I am always excited by the opportunity to share my TOG experiences with others.

My goal for this post is to offer a glimpse into a typical TOG week in our homeschool, explaining how we continue to learn and grow, one day at a time, with God’s blessing and Tapestry of Grace. My hope is this will lend encouragement to new TOG users, provide a “jumping-off point” to help get your feet wet, and perhaps minimize the legendary “TOG fog.”

Our week “begins” on Friday…
On Friday, I give students a very brief (like 5 minutes) overview of what they will be studying in the week ahead. Together, we break up any lengthy reading assignments (e.g. history, literature, church history) into daily chunks. The children begin reading these assignments that very same day. This provides 3 extra reading days (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday) so that the kiddos are not overwhelmed trying to read a 200 page book in 3 or 4 days the following week. (Ask me how I learned this tip the hard way!)

Over the weekend, the kids continue to read from the week’s selections (according to the chunks we determined on Friday). They usually read before bed or when they wake up in the morning, leaving our days free for sports, church, friends, and general fun!
As their teacher, I also have a few “assignments” to complete over the weekend. I read through the Teacher Notes (and usually listen to PopQuiz) in preparation for Tuesday’s lecture. I make sure all photocopies for the week are prepared (if they haven’t been previously) so I’m not scrambling for necessary materials during the week. Also, since I am using the library for approximately half of the TOG resources (I purchased the other half), the weekend is the time I order books for 3 weeks ahead (using the library’s online request system). Each weekend, I order books for that third week in the future. This way, I always have the books I need in plenty of time. I have yet to have to wait longer than 2 weeks for a resource to arrive at my local branch.
Monday is our co-op day. The children continue independent TOG reading in the evening.

Tuesday is “History/Geography Lecture Day.” On Tuesday morning, all kiddos gather together with me to begin our in depth discussion of the week’s topic. I “lecture” using the teacher’s notes and the “General Information for All Grades” sheet from the TOG week plan. I highlight the most important concepts with the goal of helping the children gain a general understanding of the “flow” of main events during this particular period they are studying. I don’t go too in depth here, but rather give them a basis for further understanding everything they have been reading and will continue to read this week.
Also, we do our group mapping at this time. I lead the children in mapping any important places, or changes in geographic or political boundaries, in order to give them a clearer picture of what they will be studying in history throughout the week.

Individually, the kiddos will continue their weekly reading assignments later in the day.

Wednesday is “Timeline & Church History Day.” Together, I lead the kiddos in discussing the “people” we’ve encountered this week, as they glue timeline figures into their timelines and list important dates. This is the day we “make connections” to events we’ve studied previously. For example, during our study of the Byzantine Empire, the kiddos were timelining the beginning of the controversy in the Eastern Church and the rise of the Iconoclastic movement, which eventually led to the Great Schism (split into Roman Catholic Church and Eastern Orthodox Church). Through timelining, the kiddos made the connection that at this very same time the Anasazi tribes were building pueblos and settling throughout the “Colorado” plateau. Also, this time period was the very height of the Mayan civilization on the Yucatan Peninsula. Timelining helps us to view “His-story” as a whole, rather than segmenting it into nice, neat, independent, random events.

Since timelining only takes 10 minutes or so, we also talk about the “character” and “characteristics” of the historical figures we’ve encountered in our reading. How do they measure up to God’s standards? What were their motivations? Etc.
Also, we review the discussion questions for our “church history” readings on Wednesday. I usually have the kids complete the church history reading by Wednesday morning so we can answer the questions together and discuss.
Keep in mind that by Wednesday, the children have been reading from their selections for 5 days already (F-Tues) so they have a general understanding of the people and events by this time. They can actively participate…and I expect them to!

On Thursday, we use the TOG “Dialectic” or “Rhetoric” discussion outline (this will only apply to older students) to wrap up all the history we’ve been studying throughout the week. We complete all History Thinking Questions and Accountability Questions. We also watch a video (if applicable) on Discovery Streaming to support the topics we’ve studied this week, provide a fun visual resource, and enhance understanding of the topic. Lastly, if there is any additional mapwork (transparency overlays to show changing boundaries, etc.) we will take care of that as well.
For younger students, this can be “Fine Arts Thursday”. Review any information from “Fine Arts” reading and select one or two crafts to complete. Also videos that reinforce topics studied are great for this age.

On Friday, older students participate in our literary analysis lesson, using the “Literature Discussion Outline” in the Teacher Guide. We also complete the literature worksheets, and learn any new literary elements that can be effectively applied to the week’s literature selection. All of this information is provided in the Teacher notes (discussion outline) so it takes no effort on my part…I just need to ask the questions! Since TOG’s Literature program is so rich and in-depth, we devote at least an hour to discussion/analysis of the week’s selection and completion of the student activity page(s).
Younger students can complete the worksheets and perhaps make a “narration page” about the literature selection.

We end our Friday “TOG-time” by introducing the next week’s topic and breaking down the reading selections so kiddos can get started over the weekend (bringing me right back to the beginning of this blog post!)

Several notes:

1) TOG includes history, geography, writing, literature, fine arts, government (for older students), and philosophy (for older students). I have opted to use a different writing program this year, so I omit the TOG writing assignments. If I were to use TOG writing (as I did in the past), I would introduce the week’s writing assignment on Tuesday morning (after the students have had some exposure to the material), and require that the assignment be turned in on Friday, adding the assignment review onto the end of our Literature discussion. Our Math, Latin and/or Spanish, Science, Spelling, and Grammar studies are completely independent of TOG.

2) We do all of our TOG “group” discussions/activities in the morning, along with our other mom-intensive subjects, leaving independent TOG reading and other independent subjects for the afternoon.

3) We complete all the Primary Resource readings each week, but we rarely use the Alternate Resources. Only my Lower Grammar student uses the Alternate Resources because she is a voracious reader and she tends to read all the LG selections on the first day! Since the TOG primary resource reading selections for older students are quite lengthy, I can’t imagine ever having additional time to dig into the alternate resources. It is not uncommon for older students to have upwards of 200-300 pages to be read each week (total reading in all TOG subjects). Adding any more would be overkill, imo.

4) I try to make each activity fun. For example, my kiddos LOVE mapping because they LOVE using transparency overlays (don’t ask me why, because I have NO idea!). If I provide paper maps, they are only mildly enthused. But when we add “overlays” to our paper maps, it’s as if they’ve won the lottery! Also, I’ve found that the more excited I am about the material, the more responsive my kiddos are.

5) I always try to complete crafts with my youngest dd (LG level). I require my older students to complete the Fine Arts readings, but not the hands-on projects.

6) The only thing required of me, as a teacher, is my weekend work (see info. above), and finding a video on Discovery Streaming to enhance our studies (my kids like videos!). The teacher notes provide EVERYTHING I need!

I hope you’ve found this post to be helpful if you’re considering adding TOG to your homeschool journey. Be encouraged…you can do it! And TOG makes it easy. Just find your rhythm and continue marching to the beat.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask in the “comments” and I’ll be sure to answer.

Wordless Wednesday!

Soap Operas and Poodle Skirts?

As a mom, one of the many hats I wear is that of a chauffeur. All four of our children are extremely active. As such, I spend an extraordinarily large amount of time in my car. Between sports and church activities, we are ALWAYS on the go. To make this particular vocation more enjoyable, I have allowed myself to splurge and maintain an XM Radio subscription in my mom-mobile.

Although I usually yield to the listening preferences of the kids, lately I've been exercising my parental right to total domination over all things XM. And, in doing so, I've discovered XM 156, aka Oprah Radio!

Yesterday, on the way home from Tink's & Seashell's volleyball games, the Gayle King radio show was on. The discussion centered upon this:
The nation's poverty rate jumped to 14.3% in 2009, its highest level since 1994, and the 43.6 million Americans in need is the highest number in 51 years of record-keeping, the government said Thursday. --CNNmoney.com

As I listened to various callers phoning in to share their thoughts, one caller in particular had a rather interesting take on the whole unemployment/underemployment/poverty level situation in our country. An elderly gentlemen (no, I'm not guessing this; he stated his age to be 78), weighed in on the issue, expressing his opinion that the reason there is such a high unemployment rate in our country, and the reason there are more and more Americans living below the poverty level, is that "women have entered the workforce."

Now, as a woman, my first instinct was to become deeply offended. Though I am currently a homeschooling mom, I worked full time for many years and was pleased with the career God led me to after my teaching years (writing and editing Sunday School and Bible study curriculum). I only made the decision to stay home after it became clear to me that my primary ministry was my children, and I felt called to give them my all, rather than what was left of me after a full day at the office. Even then, I continued to freelance for several years.

I tell you this in order to help you understand my frame of reference, and to soften the blow for what I am about to say, because it's a doozie!
After listening to this man's comments, and subsequently picking my jaw up off the floor, I had to admit one thing to myself...there is a tiny bit of truth to what this man said.

Now, before I continue, let it be known that I have already donned my flame-retardant suit for this discussion, so if you see fit to flame me, have at it.

Listen, I'm not going to debate the morality/legality/personal choice aspects of women in the workforce. Let me be clear: I'm ALL FOR IT, and I think EVERY woman has the right to make her own choices. I certainly do not begrudge any woman the opportunity to do what makes her completely and fully happy. But there is one fact that stands that in some small way lends merit to what this gentleman believed. That fact is called The Law of Supply and Demand.

Prior to the 1950s the majority of the workforce was comprised of men. As more and more women, over the past 50 years, have entered the workforce, the labor supply has increased drastically. Unfortunately, the demand for labor has decreased as we have become a more technologically advanced society. Anyone who has studied supply curves and demand curves in Economics 101 understands that if supply is increased while demand is decreased, the price of any given product goes DOWN. In this case, that "price" is called salary.

So, lets put two and two together. We have an economy that basically tanked over the past few years. Many people lost their jobs (increasing that supply and decreasing that demand). We have technology advancing at such a rapid pace that many jobs are just no longer necessary, as they are all automated (again, increasing that supply and decreasing that demand). Add the fact that the workplace is no longer composed of primarily men, as it had been in the early 1900s through the late 1950s (increasing supply), and what does this all add up to? LOW WAGES for those who can even find employment. More and more people are working for less and less money. More Americans are living below the poverty level, and it seems there ain't nuthin we can do about it.

I'm forced to recognize the fact that there may NEVER again be that "American Dream" that so many have sought throughout the years. We cannot turn back time and return to that place of soap operas and poodle skirts. Technology will continue to make jobs "easier" (code word for automated). The gulf that separates the haves from the have-nots will only be getting wider and deeper.
What is the solution? Is there one? What say you?

Wordless Wednesday: Our Week in Review

For the love of the game...

Here's something you need to know about our family: we are SOCCER PEOPLE!!! Our son, BJ, made his soccer debut at the ripe old age of 2. He was barely out of pull-ups (come to think of it, he wasn't out of pull-ups at all), but he could sure dribble a soccer ball! It was as if he was meant to play soccer.

Thankfully, his love of the sport has sustained him through endless cold, rainy practices (thanks to a 7-year stint at Fort Lewis, WA), sporadic injuries, sore muscles, and general fatigue. And now, 11 years later, on any given Saturday afternoon you will find our family seated on the sidelines, cheering our soccer-loving son on.

Since BJ's soccer skills have grown throughout the years, he now plays Premier travel soccer year round. He was even fortunate enough to make the cut for our state's Olympic Development Program team, and was selected to travel to Alabama this past summer to compete against other elite soccer players in the Southern region.

Though soccer has continued to play a huge role in our lives, I must admit there is a certain toll that the increased competitiveness of elite soccer takes on my love of the sport. Have you ever heard of "The Law of Diminishing Returns"? You know, the more chocolate you eat, the lower the satisfaction from each additoinal piece? Yeah, that. For every level BJ rises within the sport of soccer, there is less "pure joy" to be had. Soccer is now "serious business." You snooze you loose. Poop or get off the pot. Put up or ...well, you get the picture.

This weekend, however, I had a rather nostalgic experience. My baby, BLillie, had her VERY first soccer game ever! And talk about bringing back the pure joy!

I'd forgotten how fun it is to watch a slew of 7-year-olds run hither and thither around the field, chasing the ball, bunched together like a pack of wild dogs tracking a scent. It was awesome to see smiling visages and hear the players laughing as if there was not a care in the world but a rolling ball across a wide green field on a beautiful sunny day.

There is nothing as sweet as listening to the age old adage, "It doesn't matter if you win or lose, it's how you play the game," from the mouth of a tired little girl whose team just lost in a VERY big way. But do you know what? Those were not just words. To BLillie, it really *didn't* matter whether she won or lost, because she had the time of her life!

I feel so blessed to be reminded of how wonderful the recreational side of the sport of soccer can be. Somehow, in the midst of yearly try-outs, tournaments, and travel, I'd forgotten that. In elite soccer, pleasure has been replaced by performance. Wonder had taken a back seat to winning. Gladness only comes by way of goals.

For the next eight weeks (the length of the recreational soccer season), I am going to relish the fact that I can once again experience the "pure joy" that can be found by simply kicking a ball, without strategy or direction, just for the fun of it. I'm going to fall back in love with the sport of soccer. I'm going to sit back, smile, and take it all in.

But only for eight weeks. And then...it's back to business!

And so it begins...

Testing season has begun...
Tink had to be at a local high school by 7:45 AM on Saturday morning in order to take an ACT test. Since she is a junior, throughout the course of this school year she will be taking the ACT; PSAT; SAT; SAT subject tests in Biology, Math II, US History; an AP Statistics test; an AP Government test; and an AP Economics test. She has already taken the SAT, ACT, SAT Subject test in Literature, and an AP Biology test. No...she is not "test happy." She does not derive pleasure from the mental torment one must put oneself through in order to prepare for standardized tests. The truth is Tink just needs these tests in order to be competitive. It's sad, but true, that homeschoolers have to "prove themselves" with testing moreso than public school students. Colleges are thrilled with the diverse experiences homeschoolers bring to the table, but they still wanna "see the numbers," and "the numbers" better reflect the GPA if the homeschool transcript is to carry any weight.

Since she had already taken the ACT and scored well last year, there was less pressure this year. Even though there was less pressure to score well, testing in and of itself is stressful. As soon as we walked in the door after driving home from the test, Tink took two pain relievers (her "brain hurt"!), crashed on the couch with a blanket and a book, and pretty much stayed there until bedtime!
Take it easy, Tink...relax... after all, Monday begins the countdown to the PSAT. Thirty-one days and counting...better get studying!

Missing Leavenworth, Kansas... well, sort of!

Lately, there has been something missing in my life. It's not Jesus...got Him! Happy and healthy family members? Check! Warm home...comfortable bed...check, check!

After much soul searching, I realized just exactly what has been lacking in my quest for "total happiness." And, unfortunately, I had to acknowledge that it can only be found in one place in this world...Leavenworth, Kansas.

Now before you think I've completely lost my mind (after all...the VERY last place I would want to be stationed again is Fort Leavenworth, KS, for reasons which would most likely be obvious to anyone who has actually BEEN there), let me explain further.

You see, there is this tiny, little hole in the wall on a tiny, little street in the tiny, little town of Leavenworth, KS. And this tiny, little hole in the wall has a name: "Baan Thai." And let me assure you, Baan Thai offers the most AMAZINGLY delicious Thai curry in the United States. And I was fortunate enough to experience this amazingly delicious Thai curry approximately once per week, thanks to a very understanding husband!

I've had a hankering for Thai curry every since we moved to our current duty station (approx 1 1/2 years ago). I've tried various tiny, little holes in the wall around here, but to no avail. There is *not* anything that compares to Baan Thai. So, I was forced to do what any sensible Thai curry loving human being would do...I went on a culinary journey to learn how to make the best possible Thai curry I can make in hopes that it would somehow fill the small hole which Baan Thai has left in my life.
And, while it could never completely measure up (and I'm sure it is as far from "authentic" as it could be!), it tastes pretty good, if I do say so myself. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do. Note: This is *not* inexpensive to make...but it sure is delicious!

Monk's Thai Curry
sesame oil
2 - 3 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
2 Red Bell Peppers, 1 sliced, 1 diced
1 Orange Bell Pepper, 1/2 sliced, 1/2 diced
1 Yellow Bell Pepper, 1/2 sliced, 1/2 diced
2 zucchini, sliced
2 yellow squash, sliced
fresh bean sprouts (2-3 handfuls)
small can bamboo shoots
2 Carrots
2 Medium Onions, diced
Garlic (4-5 cloves), diced
Ginger (2" piece), diced
3 - 4 tbsp. Thai "Red Curry" paste
2 cans Coconut Milk
3-4 Tbsp. creamy Peanut Butter
1 lemon
salt
fresh cilantro
rice (I prefer Jasmine rice, but white rice is fine)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large frying pan, saute chicken strips for a few minutes in Sesame Oil to brown the chicken. Transfer chicken into a VERY large baking dish (perhaps even two, depending on amount of vegetables you use). Now, on top of the chicken, slice 1 red bell pepper, 1/2 orange pepper, and 1/2 yellow pepper into small strips. Then sprinkle bean sprouts over top of peppers. Add a sprinkling of fresh cilantro and the zest of 1 lemon.

Next, slice or shave carrots, and drain bamboo shoots and add them to the baking baking dish.

Slice zucchini and squash over the bamboo shoots. You now have a "layered" baking dish with chicken on bottom and veggies on top.

Now, in the large frying pan, add a bit more sesame oil. Add diced onions, remaining peppers (diced), garlic cloves, and ginger. Saute until onions are nearly translucent.

You can also add mushrooms or celery at this point (which I did), but it is not necessary and in the future I will not be using them.
Now, at this point your kitchen will smell so good (like mine did) due to the garlic and ginger, that you might actually forget about taking any further pictures (like I did) because you will be salivating and anticipating the feast that is to come! Nevertheless, you must NOT lose track of the fact that the cooking process MUST continue.

Next, using either a hand blender or a food processor, puree the contents of the frying pan. Put the contents back into the frying pan, over medium heat, and bring to a simmer.

Stir in 2 cans coconut milk and continue heating. Add 3-4 Tbsp Thai red curry paste. Incorporate 3-4 Tbsp creamy peanut butter (to taste), and salt (you definitely NEED salt) to taste. Finally add a small handful of fresh cilantro and the juice of one lemon.

Now, your curry sauce is finished. Pour the sauce over the chicken and vegetables. You can give a little stir to make sure all the vegetables are coated with sauce. Cover with foil or baking lid, and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.
Serve over rice.

Ladies and Gentlemen...

Yesterday, I had one of those "homeschooling moments".
Let me preface this by saying that we've been homeschooling for almost 7 years now...some years more successfully than others. Throughout those 7 years, I've experienced times of joy and times of sadness; times of optimism and times of skepticism; periods of enthusiasm and those of despair. I've had moments where I've vowed to run, not walk, to the local public school and instantly enroll one or more of my dc because I "just can't do this anymore" or "nothing is sinking in...they will NEVER learn ANYTHING from me".

Of course, I know in those moments I've been overly dramatic. I know this because each of my dc is tested yearly (state requirement), so I know they are at or above grade level in every area. But still, I have very high hopes and expectations for each of them, so I find myself sinking in the sea of doubt and plunging into a pit of pity every now and again.

But yesterday...ah, if every moment of every day could be just like yesterday, I would evermore soar in satiety and glow with gratification! Since I'm sure by now you are sitting on the edge of your seat, dying to know exactly what transpired, it is only fitting that I reveal it to you in the grandest of fashions.

Ladies and Gentlemen, boys and girls, without further ado, may I present to you...
the most perfectly worded sentence EVER written by a 13-year-old boy (imho, of course!)...


It states:
Exhausted and drenched with sweat, he threw his clothes in the washer, limping and stumbling on the way.
And it is a thing of beauty!
(OK, little things *really* make me happy!)

Wordless Wednesday

OK...in the future it will be "Wordless Wednesday". For those who don't know, Wordless Wednesday is a miriad of pictures that gives a glimpse into our past week. (Caveat... a subtitle or two allowed from time to time!)

Yes, she had been using toilet paper to blow her nose...so sue me, OK?!!!

Back-To-Homeschooling Bliss!

2010-2011 marks our 7th year as a homeschooling family. I can hardly believe it! I have now officially taught EACH and EVERY grade, from Kindergarten through 10th, in our wonderful homeschool (dubbed Cross Country Academy to honor our transient lifestyle). You'd think that by now I would have this homeschooling thing down.

Though I wouldn't go so far as to say that all the kinks have forever been worked out of the woven cloth that is "Cross Country Academy," I will say that for the first time ever we had an AMAZING first week of school! We actually accomplished every last item on our respective agendas, remained organized, and maintained positive attitudes...for the most part;-)

I tried to think of the main differences between this year's kick-off and those of years past. I realized that there were several factors that enabled our days to proceed rather smoothly. I've decided to list these changes in hopes that, in August of 2011, I will think back to the joy I felt this week learning alongside my 4 wonderful kiddos and return to this post for continued inspiration. And so, for your viewing pleasure, here is the list of changes that has allowed me to achieve back-to-homeschooling bliss:

1) I incorporated a "file box system" (post on this to follow!).


2) I began teaching the middlers their mom-intensive subjects FIRST, leaving them to work completely independently for the remainder of the day. This frees me up to work without interruptions with my dd7 who needs the most one on one time.

3) I read aloud and recorded on CDs any difficult literary and/or history works (e.g.: The Wind in the Willows for dd7 and The Story of Europe for dd11), so that the kids can just put the CD in the player and read along in their books with "me".

4) I planned the entire year on paper, by the week...NOT by the day. I realized there is too much shuffling around with daily planning. I've divided every single subject into 36 weeks of material and wrote weekly plans for each student.

5) I've moved to a "notebook" system for the kids' daily work.

6) I've created a Daily Checklist "Schedule Board" with a chart made out of white board material. Each subject is listed for each child. At the end of each day, all of the required subjects for the day MUST be checked off. It's our accountability!


7) I've reinstated bedtimes for *all* kids, and everyone must be out of bed NLT 7:00am. This would not be necessary if our kids weren't so busy. However, with great reward (sports, dance, cheer, etc.) comes great sacrifice (sleep!!!!). This ensures us plenty of hours in the day to accomplish all of our required schoolwork...and then some!

8) I started getting out of bed at 5:30AM each weekday morning. This one was a TOUGH pill to swallow. However, I *know* me! I need a lot of "me time" in the morning for Bible study, lounging on the couch, and sipping my cups of coffee in peace! My tendency was to push back the time I woke up the kids each day in order to have a few more minutes of solitude. Now, if I want my "me time", I just have to rise with the roosters!

9) I've made crafts a priority. This is strictly to be fair to my younger dd, as my older dc were able to enjoy plentiful crafts when they were younger. Unfortunately, as they got older, crafts went out the window, taking much of the joy and "hands on learning" out of homeschooling for my youngest dd.

10) Mom is always prepared and ready to go, sitting at the school table, plan book in hand, by 8AM...PERIOD.

11) I've made email my friend in our homeschool setting. I communicate important reminders and study information to my 3 oldest dc via email. This keeps us all on the same page. I also send links, via email, to each child for things like latin vocabulary flashcards online, Bible study online, etc.

12) I've chosen very rigorous, yet flexible, curriculum for each child. The curriculum is serving ME this year...rather than me being a slave to my curriculum.

13) Last, but definitely not least, I absolutely DO NOT answer the phone during school hours unless it is my husband. I will check messages periodically (just to make sure there are no emergencies!), but I must make sure my MOST important job, my childrens' education, remains my #1 priority.

If you've made it through this lengthy first post...congratulations! And welcome to my blog.