My final has been graded and: I got an A! in Art History through the Fifteenth Century! I hope, one day, to teach children's art classes. I've been researching and saving my ideas, including unit study arts. For example, say fourth graders are studying the solar system. After an art lesson on composition, they are introduced to pastels and sketch their own planet, while listening to The Planets.
I registered for two classes for fall: Figure Drawing (stop laughing, Mom) and Art History, Renaissance through the Nineteenth Century.
And, yes, Kaith is still registered with Washington Virtual Academies (where are the supplies?). For Kindergarten, that will be ten hours a week. Let's see if Trevor and Miriam hate me for it.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Nurturing Music in Our Family
I've had music on the mind this week. Having gotten a child all the way to the mature age of five, I have plenty of experiments to look back on, and a better idea of what a good children's curriculum is. It's funny how my views have changed and matured so much over the past few years. I have to plan when I'm out of class, because once I'm back in I don't have much time to reassess life, just to move on with the plans I've laid out. I haven't yet used all the books I've listed. Hopefully they live up to my hopes. And I still want to find a good Nursery/Folk song book, and game instructions.
Babies
*They are absorbing the sounds of voices, the rhythm of life, and the family culture.
Toddlers/Preschoolers
*Play Nursery/Folk Song Games regularly (including "Ring Around the Rosie" and "London Bridge")
*At the piano (get it in tune, they're developing an ear for pitch): Children's Folk Songs and Children's Songbook; they can hear the melodies, learn the words, and "play" the piano, but more important, they learn that music comes from people, not electronics, and develop a habit of expressing themselves while making it.
*Talk about the feeling of the sounds. "I think these slow low notes sound spooky. Is this your monster song?" or "The music is so fast. It makes me feel excited."
*Musical Scriptures: whatever pictures you use to represent scripture stories, there is always an appropriate song to go with it. Balance letting your children have their favorites, and introducing new stories. Songs may come from the Children's Songbook again, or Hymns or Folk Songs (like "Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho")
*Read Meet the Orchestra or Zin! Zin! Zin! A Violin, to introduce instruments and their names.
*Have some toy instruments. Encourage marching bands and orchestras.
*Have informal family dances.
*Occasionally attend local Concerts in the Park.
*Use themed Music Playlists in daily routines to expose children to a variety of delightful music (more on these Playlists in a separate blog).
Around Kindergarten, give or take a year
*Use Music for Little Mozarts and listen to related ear-training CDs (If beginning piano lessons now, the series also has kindergarten-age-appropriate piano books).
Read and listen to Carnival of the Animals (it may be best to start with no more than one track per sitting)
*Begin learning sol-fa hand signs, and music vocabulary
Elementary (this outline is more skeletal, as I do not yet have an elementary age child)
*Listen to Classic Kids CDs, like Vivaldi's Ring of Mystery
*Begin piano lessons (or another instrument or choir) and instill the habit of regular practice, about 10-15 minutes a day, depending on the developmental age of the child.
*Go to an instrument petting zoo (I think the Everett Symphony has one)
*Read stories about operas and ballets
*As a special treat go to a children's concert, the Nutcracker Ballet, or more Concerts in the Park.
*Keep using music in everyday life, and stretch their familiarity repertoire by introducing new music.
*As long as it isn't violent, profane, etc., let them choose their favorite style of music. Their own CD player or MP3 player could be a special treat.
Babies
*They are absorbing the sounds of voices, the rhythm of life, and the family culture.
Toddlers/Preschoolers
*Play Nursery/Folk Song Games regularly (including "Ring Around the Rosie" and "London Bridge")
*At the piano (get it in tune, they're developing an ear for pitch): Children's Folk Songs and Children's Songbook; they can hear the melodies, learn the words, and "play" the piano, but more important, they learn that music comes from people, not electronics, and develop a habit of expressing themselves while making it.
*Talk about the feeling of the sounds. "I think these slow low notes sound spooky. Is this your monster song?" or "The music is so fast. It makes me feel excited."
*Musical Scriptures: whatever pictures you use to represent scripture stories, there is always an appropriate song to go with it. Balance letting your children have their favorites, and introducing new stories. Songs may come from the Children's Songbook again, or Hymns or Folk Songs (like "Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho")
*Read Meet the Orchestra or Zin! Zin! Zin! A Violin, to introduce instruments and their names.
*Have some toy instruments. Encourage marching bands and orchestras.
*Have informal family dances.
*Occasionally attend local Concerts in the Park.
*Use themed Music Playlists in daily routines to expose children to a variety of delightful music (more on these Playlists in a separate blog).
Around Kindergarten, give or take a year
*Use Music for Little Mozarts and listen to related ear-training CDs (If beginning piano lessons now, the series also has kindergarten-age-appropriate piano books).
Read and listen to Carnival of the Animals (it may be best to start with no more than one track per sitting)
*Begin learning sol-fa hand signs, and music vocabulary
Elementary (this outline is more skeletal, as I do not yet have an elementary age child)
*Listen to Classic Kids CDs, like Vivaldi's Ring of Mystery
*Begin piano lessons (or another instrument or choir) and instill the habit of regular practice, about 10-15 minutes a day, depending on the developmental age of the child.
*Go to an instrument petting zoo (I think the Everett Symphony has one)
*Read stories about operas and ballets
*As a special treat go to a children's concert, the Nutcracker Ballet, or more Concerts in the Park.
*Keep using music in everyday life, and stretch their familiarity repertoire by introducing new music.
*As long as it isn't violent, profane, etc., let them choose their favorite style of music. Their own CD player or MP3 player could be a special treat.
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Public Riches
You may have riches and wealth untold,
Caskets of jewels and baskets of gold,
But richer than I you will never be,
For I had a mother who read to me.
Thomas Carlyle
as quoted in The Art of Teaching Children by Daryl V. Hoole/Donette V. Ockey, c. 1964 Deseret Book
I felt quite clever. A few days ago I used that delightful multi-tab internet function: one open to easy browsing at Amazon.com, the other had the search engine for our local library. Through Amazon, I found a plethera of books our family can't live without; with our public library I reserved most of them for free. Right now we're enjoying:
Fancy Nancy: Bonjour Butterfly
Zin! Zin! Zin! A Violin
My Daddy Is a Pretzel (This is yoga for kids. It's geared for elementry school coordination, but I'm encouraging it persistently, anyway.)
The Philharmonic Gets Dressed (I was embarassed to find that the title accurately portrays the activities of the picture book)
. . . with more holds waiting to be filled! I hope Fantasia 2000 is available for this week's movie night. I really didn't prepare for last week, and felt the lack.
Superintendent of Public Instruction, Part 2
Remember David Blomstrom? One of the candidates invited to this forum, but who neither replied to the invitation, nor was present? Well, I accidentally came across him responding repeatedly and heatedly to a blog that supported Randy Dorn, former chair of the K-12 house education committee (the one in the Legislature). Trying to be thorough and objective in my notes, I've added included the link to that candidate's views.
What strategies would you promote to encourage and support minorities and students who are different?
Randy: recognize differences. Have their parents involved in all the grades. Eliminate roadblocks. In the Math section of the WASL we need to eliminate the essays. We need to follow the guidelines of the National Math Advisory Panel. We’re way off!
Donald Hansler: I am opposed to any discrimination. We need to improve the ESL program. The high drop-out rate is because of the WASL program (kids with test anxiety). We need two levels of HS diplomas: one for those who can pass the WASL, and one for those who can’t.
Dr. Terry B.: (Referenced House Bill 1209). We need high standards in all skills. We have statewide core standards. The achievement gap is because of racism in society. We need respect between communities and school. We need to have resources to support. Native Americans: we recorded Tulalip stories from tribal members to incorporate into the children’s reading curriculum.
Enid Duncan: we all function differently in different parts of the brain. Look at new developments in science.
What is your vision for education for the next 20 years?
Donald Hansler: I’d make a lot of changes. E-mail me for details. We can develop a fair, efficient education system in this state, then the country, then the world.
Dr. Terry B.: All kids in our state will meet state standards. We need to fully fund education for all kids in the state. We need a connection between K12 and higher education.
Enid Duncan: We need to do something now. Don’t wait 20 years! I took my struggling child, labeled “IQ of 59” across the country to Harvard. The man did not use papers, but used his body to learn he is very dyslexic. I didn’t sit idle.
Randy Dorn: Beyond tenth grade, kids choose interests so they can choose a career, not a job. We need more resources. It may take 1-on-1 or 2 or 3 to get struggling kids up. We want education everywhere. Have quality and skilled teachers in every classroom; that will take more resources.
Randy: recognize differences. Have their parents involved in all the grades. Eliminate roadblocks. In the Math section of the WASL we need to eliminate the essays. We need to follow the guidelines of the National Math Advisory Panel. We’re way off!
Donald Hansler: I am opposed to any discrimination. We need to improve the ESL program. The high drop-out rate is because of the WASL program (kids with test anxiety). We need two levels of HS diplomas: one for those who can pass the WASL, and one for those who can’t.
Dr. Terry B.: (Referenced House Bill 1209). We need high standards in all skills. We have statewide core standards. The achievement gap is because of racism in society. We need respect between communities and school. We need to have resources to support. Native Americans: we recorded Tulalip stories from tribal members to incorporate into the children’s reading curriculum.
Enid Duncan: we all function differently in different parts of the brain. Look at new developments in science.
What is your vision for education for the next 20 years?
Donald Hansler: I’d make a lot of changes. E-mail me for details. We can develop a fair, efficient education system in this state, then the country, then the world.
Dr. Terry B.: All kids in our state will meet state standards. We need to fully fund education for all kids in the state. We need a connection between K12 and higher education.
Enid Duncan: We need to do something now. Don’t wait 20 years! I took my struggling child, labeled “IQ of 59” across the country to Harvard. The man did not use papers, but used his body to learn he is very dyslexic. I didn’t sit idle.
Randy Dorn: Beyond tenth grade, kids choose interests so they can choose a career, not a job. We need more resources. It may take 1-on-1 or 2 or 3 to get struggling kids up. We want education everywhere. Have quality and skilled teachers in every classroom; that will take more resources.
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Momma Called the Doctor . . .
They have a disease around here called elephantitis.
Would you still love me if I came home looking like an elephant?
The Other Side of Heaven
So, Momma called the On-Call Nurse late Saturday evening. That morning, Kaith had a small red mark on his cheek, perhaps a mosquito bite. As the day progressed, the redness increased, and his cheek began to swell. At bedtime, he could no longer open his right eye all the way. After he fell asleep, the swelling around his eye covered his eyelids, and his eyelashes jutted, not down but stark forward. The nurse said that, since he could breathe and didn't have a fever, we could wait until the Walk-In Clinics opened in the morning to get medical attention.
The doctor was 95% sure that Kaith was just reacting to some kind of bug bite. He prescribed steroids to bring the swelling down. The 5% uncertainty was that it could be a bacterial skin infection. Until he lab results tell us otherwise, we have to keep him away from the public and give him two kinds of antibiotics. Kaith was in tears about missing Church, and I'm in awe at the complexity of the dosage schedules. Plus I'm not sure how to get to our follow-up appointment while hauling all the children.
Incidentally, our camera has face-recognition software and red-eye correction. A couple posts ago, the camera recognized the book picture of Molly as a face, but today, we could not use the red-eye correction because the camera could not acknowledge Kaith's face!
Later, the tree which was a Woozle gave me imaginary medicine that he told me to take three hundred times a day. Yes, that was Kaith.
Ward Campout
What do you do for fun on Saturday nights? Go and throw rocks in the lake?
The Parent Trap (1961)
Our Ward Campout was Friday evening. Unwilling to sleep on rocks, we showed up for the evening only. Our children:
Threw rocks in the river.
Explored the Farstead’s camper
(Miriam) Played run-away from Mom and ran into deep puddles
Threw more rocks in the river
(Kaith and Trevor) Found friends to play with
Watched the Homemade Boats' Race (we came in third)
"Played" softball
Swung on the exciting bucket swings
Used flashlights
Made (with help) and consumed s'mores
Japanese Girl, American Girl
Last week, for Mom’s Movie Night, we watched the Japanese-animated film Whisper of the Heart. It’s great for the subtle exposure to everyday life for youth in Japan: drying laumdry on the balcony, biking or taking the bus everywhere, popularity of the American "Country Roads," school uniforms, and studying to get into a good high school. If I’d known how much name-calling there was during part of the movie, I might not have shown it to my impressionable preschoolers. It took several days to mostly weed out their new vocabulary. Cory, on the other hand, has been singing “Country Roads” all week.
This week we watched Molly: An American Girl on the Home Front. I got out my precious The American Girls Club & Historical Society Handbook (a disbanded organization) and found the recipe for Victory Popcorn. When Cory walked in, Kaith informed him “Sweets were rationed because of the War.” I think something sank in.
This week we watched Molly: An American Girl on the Home Front. I got out my precious The American Girls Club & Historical Society Handbook (a disbanded organization) and found the recipe for Victory Popcorn. When Cory walked in, Kaith informed him “Sweets were rationed because of the War.” I think something sank in.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)