Category Archives: practical life

What we do…. and then some

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In the wee small hours…before crashing into bed (probably literally at this stage) I’m reminded that I need to share more of what we actually do with home education if this blog and my website link are to be in anyway useful.

Well their dad was a blacksmith when she was born!
 
Oh wow… that foil covered shield looks shiney!
Battle time… the only time they fight!

 

  • Monday Morning Meetings… we gather and go over what each of my munchkins want to do with their week academically, socially, inside, outside… what ever really. Then I raise the topics of what I feel would be good to cover and we discuss all of what we’ve raised. From this we write up a plan of things I need to do, they need to do, places we need to go, things we need to buy etc. Usually we come up with other things during the week but I have a written record of the conversation so I can monitor what is going on during the week, make comments, suggestions, give reminders etc. This process works best for us and stops us falling into the common unschooling trap of everyone going off to do their own thing, nothing gets done, gaps in sequential learning develop and well… we genuinely miss each other! It may seem strange, but when we’re off doing our own thing we may not see each other all day! Now that both of my children are capable of independent research they get heavily invested into what they are doing. Another aspect is Continue reading →

systematically stepping on my head!

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Today was all about systems. We discussed organisations and the systems that they use. Families and systems. Individuals and how they can live systematic lives. What systems do we live with? Do we have a system? Should we have a system? If so for what? What’s the purpose of having a system? How many times can we say the word ‘system’? Can we work that into our…. System? …..What is the system they use to deliver post? (I’ll be investigating an excursion to a postal sorting place asap!)
I’ve studied a lot of systems.

·         
·         Public/private/ Steiner/ Montessori etc schools and Tutoring business
·         Families
·         Shops, stores and the secretarial madness necessary to get carpets onto floors!

The system I eventually want to ‘teach’ my children… I can’t believe I’m putting it like that!… is the GTD system, or David Allen’s getting things done systematic approach to…. Well, getting things done!  That is because it relates to any part of life and will provide them with the tools they need to be organised and not have stress, missed opportunities, failure, disappointment and accidents caused by disorganisation. In short,  using GTD as a ‘systematic’ approach to life will help them to help themselves. It’s VERY Montessori ‘friendly’ and doesn’t require any special gizmos or gadgets. They won’t need a trademarked diary/PDA/flipbookthingy/iPressbuttonhere.
But how to make it into a self teaching, autodidactic format?

There are never guarantees when I put things on shelves lately!
  Ah I think it’s time to review my WHOLE ‘home educating system’!
I know where to start! Montessori IS a method of education; it IS a system! The first step is to prepare the environment! The next is to pull back on the curriculum and to redefine our Practical Life lessons.
1)      Used GTD to  
  • a)      Collect
  • b)      Process
  • c)       Organise
  • d)      Do
  • e)      Review
2)      Re-focus on
  • a)      Care of the Environment
  • b)      Care of Self
  • c)       Grace and courtesy (including moving more smoothly around the house and having beautiful things in our environment)
After this week we will be able to reintroduce auto correcting learning materials back onto the shelves that actually interest the children and I can then make observational notes for their 3rd term assessment.
Ahhh just needed to get… systematic in my thinking!