Quite often I am asked about how I deal with teaching religion in our homeschool. My thoughts on this have evolved over our 15+ years of homeschooling, mainly because I have evolved over that same time. When we first began homeschooling I was still in the learning phase of my faith; although I guess a more accurate term would be the “re-learning” phase because supposedly I had learned about my faith during my 10 years in CCD. What a joy it was to go through religion books with my oldest children when they were first starting out and learn right along with them. I think back in those early days we used almost every religion program out there: Seton, Faith and Life, Image of God, The Baltimore Catechism.
As our knowledge and our children grew, we began to venture out into the world of activities more often. We happen to belong to a homeschool group that is very focused on activities that revolve around the faith. It was after a few years of being involved in processions, Masses, field trips to religious places, talks given by priests and lay faithful, religious ceremonies, reading saint stories etc. that I realized that this was our religion class. Yes we still needed to read about the specifics and learn the ins and outs of our faith, but living it is what made it all come to life.
The following blog post was written in the Summer:
We spent this past Saturday at a baseball tournament. Both boys were involved, so it meant some running around and coordinating schedules so both boys could get to the correct field at the correct time. Bob helps with both teams so it usually leaves me (and often my parents!) with the four younger kids.
As I was getting their lunch ready and they were sitting on the blanket waiting, a mom of one of Jacob’s teammates asked how old they all were. I went through their ages and she said “that’s crazy!”. She then confirmed that I was indeed Jacob’s mom and I mentioned we had another son playing on the 8U team, her reply “that’s crazy, you guys are crazy!”. Then some more of the usual questions followed… “Are they siblings?” etc, etc. Again the reply was “you guys are crazy!”. I walked away from the blanket for a moment and came back with something else and she said to me “I was just curious, I didn’t mean anything by the questions” and I said in return “It’s no problem, we get those questions all the time”. And we do. Our family looks visibly different than other families so we do open ourselves up to more stares and more questions. I am not really sure what causes more attention, the fact that we have six children who are fairly close in age, or the fact that we are an “international” family.
While we do often get many nice comments about our family, we also get the “that’s crazy” response too. Obviously this mom realized that her comments were a bit awkward. I don’t think my response or lack of response to “that’s crazy!” was anything impolite, I am just not sure what kind of response she was expecting from me. She certainly wasn’t paying me a compliment. She could have chosen to ask her questions and then made no comment at all.
We have made these choices for our family simply because they have been our choices, not because we want or need validation from others. I often wonder why people feel they have to comment at all? We do feel blessed at how God has chosen to form and grow our family and we love to talk about adoption. We also hope in some very small way that we can encourage others to consider adoption. It really was the whole point of making our blog public so that people can see, even though we are not biologically related, we still are a real family in every sense of the word.
~ Mama Jen
ABOUT MAMA JEN Jen is a wife to one amazing husband and mom to six energetic kids. Visit Forever, For Always, No Matter What where she blogs about their Catholic faith, homeschooling and adoption.
I had a conversation recently with a friend who is homeschooling her 6 year-old son. We were talking about different curriculum options and she was looking for my opinion – which I am always happy to give, sometimes even if I’m not asked! My oldest is only 9 years-old so I am certainly no expert, but these are a few things that have worked for us. My 9-year-old and 7-year-old are as different as night and day, yet these suggestions have worked for both of them.
1. Have him answer questions orally instead of requiring writing.
2. Use oral narration to check for comprehension. When you read something interesting isn’t it fun to share the information with someone? I don’t think I have ever said “wow, this is fascinating. I can’t wait to answer the questions at the end of the section!” At dinner Dad is usually the recipient of the fun facts from the day.
3. Don’t be a slave to the curriculum – use what works. You really don’t have to finish a workbook or do every single page. It’s okay to drop something for a few weeks and come back to it at a later date.
4. Let them keep their hands busy with legos or blocks while you read.
5. Play games. I need to do more of this, but playing games teach a whole host of things, such as counting, taking turns, and good sportsmanship. Plus it’s fun!
6. Ask your son what he is interested in learning about. Of course in life there are many things that we do simply because they must be done, whether we like them or not. Laundry, cleaning toilets, changing sheets on a bunk bed are a few that I can think of, but we still have plenty of time to learn about things we are truly interested in. Boys they are usually interested in things like snakes, frogs, trucks, trains, or sports. A whole lot of learning can occur while delving into these interesting topics.
7. Whatever you do keep it short and sweet. Short lessons with lots of in between time for moving around, chores, outside time, or whatever is necessary. Boys need to move and it makes learning time much more productive.
All of these suggestions can be used with girls too! None of these are anything new or earth-shattering, but they really can make learning more enjoyable for the whole family.
~ Mama Jen
ABOUT MAMA JEN Jen is a wife to one amazing husband and mom to six energetic kids. Visit Forever, For Always, No Matter What where she blogs about their Catholic faith, homeschooling and adoption.
When you think back to what you learned in history class, what comes to mind?
Are strings of people, places and dates running through your brain?
Or, do you recall particular figures who’s story was so interesting that it captivated you?
I know that for me and many others, it is far more interesting to read about people who walked before us. Even historical fiction, which takes historical events and people and embellishes to bring intriguing stories presents a more palatable way to expand our knowledge and appreciation of history. Call Me Kate by Molly Roe meets the criteria of bringing historical events to life beyond a dry retelling in the history books. I would even wager that many of us have little background or knowledge of the unrest among mining communities of Pennsylvania during the Civil War.
Call Me Kate illustrates the harsh living conditions many immigrant workers faced as well as the unsafe working environment for the boys and men who worked in the coal mines. Kate is a young girl who finds her dreams of completing school thwarted after her father is in a mine accident. While he does not meet the same fatal end as others, he is no longer able to work. So, Kate begins her life as a servant to help the family survive. At first, she works for a local man while he awaits the arrival of a female relative to tend to his needs around the house. She misses the simplicity of life before employment, yet finds a balance between work and play as she becomes friends with sisters that live near her employers house. And, she begins to transition into adulthood with feelings towards one neighborhood boy moving from friend to something else.
When that short term job ends, she is then faced with moving away from her family and all she knows. Seeing anger in her one friend after his brother is seriously injured in the mine, she also brings her worries about what he might do and how he might be involved with the Molly Maguires. Under the employment of a rich and powerful businessman’s vacation home, she makes the decision to take action to protect those she loves back home. There’s plenty of action and tension as Ms. Roe weaves her tail of Kate infiltrating the Molly Maguires in an attempt to save her friend and ultimately save lives.
Throughout the story are references to faith, specifically Catholicism. You can get a sense of the prejudices faced by the Irish Catholic immigrants in that area, especially when Kate is informed that ALL servants of her new employer must attend services with the employing family. To her relief, the local priest provides counsel that she follow her employers wishes and come to Mass as frequently as she can attend. Call Me Kate is inspired by the stories Ms. Roe’s aunt shared of the family members who came before them, yet pulls in facts from a variety of references to ensure authenticity with regard to events mentioned in the story. Published by Tribute Books, Call Me Kate is available in hardback, paperback, or electronic format through the publisher or on Amazon.
Molly Roe is the pen name of Mary Garrity Slaby, a veteran language arts & reading teacher at Lake-Lehman Junior Senior High School. Mary holds a Ph.D. in education from Temple University, and Pennsylvania teaching certification in six areas. She has pursued the hobby of genealogy for the past decade. Mary was born in Philadelphia, raised in Schuylkill County, and currently lives in Dallas, Pennsylvania with her husband, John. They are parents of two grown children, Melissa and John Garrett, cover illustrator of Call Me Kate. Digging into the past has given Mary newfound respect for her ancestors and a better understanding of history. Call Me Kate is the first in the author’s trilogy of historical novels loosely based on the lives of the strong women who preceded her. You can find Molly Roe on Facebook or the Molly Roe blog.
Disclaimer ~ I was provided with a pdf copy of Call Me Kate for the purpose of completing this review. No other compensation was provided and the opinions expressed are my own.
Guest Blogger, Laura O’Neill , is a Catholic Homeschooling mom that blogs at Day by Day in Our World. “A Catholic homeschool family with four boys sharing from their lives in Alaska as well as product reviews and giveaways.”
While some of us are still planning, organizing, and ordering books, some Catholic Homeschoolers have started school for the 2009-2010 school year! (Yes, yes, a bit early, but she’s got a GREAT reason: a baby due any time now! So she wanted to get started before the wonderful arrival). Here, again, is one of our fabulous Guest Writers on CBHM, Liz. Guest Blogging Mama: Liz is a wife to a wonderful husband and mom to 4 (soon to be 5) beautiful children: Marco (6), Isabella (5), Anthony (3), and baby Christian. They find daily inspiration in the Holy Family and look to Jesus, Mary and Joseph for guidance.
First Post on the First Day of School (a week today):
Our school room is done. My plans for the first two weeks of school are neatly written in my planner. Copies of necessary paperwork for the kids has been made and filed away. Our schedule has been posted on our bulletin board. School books are lined up ready to be used.
It seems like everything is in place for a new school year! The kids are excited and counting down on our calendar. For now, my job lies in preparing a special little something for the kids. As I posted earlier, I will be making a schultute for each of the kids.
I printed out and laminated a wonderful student prayer from The Teacher’s Helper cd’s I have. Each child will get one in their school cone. Other treats will include:
School supplies. A pencil case filled with simple supplies.
Stickers.
Klutz craft book.
Treats (candy and snacks).
New sketch books.
New crayons.
A t-shirt with our school logo on it.
A new rosary.
A small toy.
A handmade prayer book.
I’ll be working on the actual cones starting tonight and through the weekend. It was hard coming up with a “theme” for each schultute. But I finally came up with a shark theme for Marco (who is insanely into sharks right now), flowers and tiaras for Isabella, and an outer space theme for Anthony. I’m excited about getting them done!
I’m taking pictures as things get done, so get ready for a picture filled post on Sunday night!!
Second Post on the First Day of School (Tuesday of this past week):
We had our official first day of school on Monday! It was a complete success and the kids had a blast getting to “meet” their new books, open their Schultute’s, take pictures, and yes…even get started on work! All around, I saw God’s blessings and it turned out to be a perfect day!
I was hoping to capture the first lesson for each child, but only had the camera on hand for one shot. I did capture so many other shots, however, and I hope you like them!!
The kids’ Schultute’s the night before our first day.
I can’t say how excited I was to have the kids see them, but what surprised me was how excited my dearest husband was at the thought of starting this new tradition. He LOVED them!
After having a special pancake breakfast the kids were allowed to go into the school room. There they found crowns with their names on them and their new grade levels on the back. The giddiness they exhibited was adorable!
On the side of their names was a little picture clue as to what the theme for their Schultute was going to be. It was fun to hear them brainstorm all about their big surprise!
Even Christian got in on the excitement with his own crown.
On the count of 3, everyone say “First Day of School Rocks!!!”
Showing off their new grade levels on their crowns.
I made the kids stand in line while I placed their Schultutes on the school table. We then made a march to the school room once more.
It was pure excitement when they saw their cones on the table!! They immediately wanted to open them to see what was inside, but they knew they had to wait. And although Christian might look a little bummed that he doesn’t have his own cone, he quickly felt better after he got a little bag full of treats just for him.
My boys! That cone is almost as big as Anthony!!
Getting to open the cones was the best part of the day for the kids. I love the expression on Marco’s face when he sees what’s inside the Schultute! I’m glad I caught it on camera!! Surprises are the best!!
The kids finished opening their Schultutes and I let them spent part of the morning enjoying their treats. After all was put away, we hung them up on the wall where they nicely form part of the decor now.
We found a nice place on the wall to decorate with the school cones.
After all the excitement, it was time to hit the books and start a new year! It was a great day!!!
For more information on Schultuete, visit this site. Also, if you want to see what Liz did to prepare for this wonderful first day, please visit her home school’s blog at Holy Family Classical Academy. She’s got some fantastic ideas and suggestions on how to start the school year organized! I hope you’ve enjoyed the Ruiz family’s first day of school as much as I have!
God Bless you Liz and thank you for sharing this exciting day with us! Know that our family and the Mama readers of this blog will place your beautiful family in prayer. Also, for the safe the arrival of your new addition!
Thank you for following Raising (& Teaching) Little Saints! Visit us again soon!
Liz is a homeschooling mommy to four lovely children ages one to eight and a happily married wife. She and her husband have a little baby boy expected to arrive in August of this year. Liz and her family “find daily inspiration in the Holy Family and look to Jesus, Mary and Joseph for guidance.”
One thing I never have done, is organize all the wonderful things you can do throughout the liturgical year. The main problem is that by the time I realize a feast day is coming up, I don’t have enough time to look for celebratory ideas, gather craft supplies, and have everything ready for the kids to do. After realizing that celebrating the liturgical year is very important to me and my family, I’ve decided to do something that will hopefully simplify my life in this aspect as well as make it easy for me to do activities.
My first step in creating a system was to GOOGLE!! If you look up “organizing the liturgical year,” I guarantee that you won’t get a lot of good sites. But I did stumble upon some excellent ideas from other Catholic bloggers, like myself!
My first visit was to By Sun and Candlelight. She has a great file folder system set up for all her homeschool, household, and liturgical needs. I like that she uses a crate because of the openness of it…easy to put stuff in and take stuff out. I tend to ignore our filing cabinet and only keep things in there that I don’t really use frequently (think copies of birth certificates and old tax returns).
Another great post to check out for organizational ideas is Catholic Mom’s Journey. She was also inspired by the file folder system (above) and tweaked it so that it worked for her. I like that she divides her system into 12 folders, one for each month of the year. She further divides each monthly folder into 5 separate folders, one for each week of the month.
Finally I visited Wildflowers and Marbleswhere Jen not only has FABULOUS pictures of her school room, but she also briefly mentions her liturgical organization. She divides each month into two. Each monthly folder holds two separate folders: one for liturgical plans and the other for seasonal plans.
After trying to decide what was going to work for me, I decided that Jen has the most simple and user friendly system. So in order to get my own act together, I went out and got supplies to start organizing my own liturgical year. Here is what I did.
1. Purchase a file box for the files (I need something with a lid in order to keep little hands out!). 2. Label 12 hanging files, one for each month. 3. Label 2 folders for each month. One for seasonal plans and the other for liturgical plans. 4. Label 3 additional hanging files for the liturgical seasons of Advent/Christmas, Lent, and Easter.
To clarify what I would put in the folders:
The seasonal folders would include things not associated with the liturgical calendar. Holidays such as 4th of July, MLK Day, Father’s Day, etc.
The folder holding liturgical plans might include holy cards for that month’s feast days, instructions to crafts, prayers, coloring pages, book lists, etc.
Liturgical season folders would also hold things that just mesh from one month to another, like Advent activities.
I hope this sheds some light on organizing your own faith filled year!! It took me about 20 minutes to put this simple system together once I had all my supplies ready. It was mostly using my label machine that took me longest.
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