(on) The Road (to becoming a) Scholar: September 2008

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Great Big List of Book Clubs for this year!

Book clubs are the a big part of our TJEd model. Following the model the Demilles and Diann Jepson use in their Home Companion Book, I have fashioned 4 book clubs this year!

First off, a group of us is trying to replicate a Face to Face with Greatness/5 Pillars model for adults in their scholar phase. We're covering the topics included in the first set of each of those:
Reading - Jane Eyre, The Chosen, Laddie, Little Britches, Walking Drum, and Taming of the Shrew
Discussion - How to Read a Book; 3 Types of Education and 7 Keys of Great Teaching; The Phases of Learning; How to Inspire Math, Art and Science through the Classics

Next, I have my Liberty Girls group. Sadly, this may be my last Liberty Girls group for awhile. My daughter is still Love of Learning phase, but she is quickly moving into much more interesting and difficult classics. This semester they are doing the Felicity Series. Here's their club:

Felicity Program Outline

Month 1 Book: Meet Felicity & Felicity Learns a Lesson

Program overview for the girls
Narration sign up
Historical introduction and manners game
Craft – Commonplace book, Quill, Ink and Signet
Snack – Apple cider and apple crisp
Play and Talent DESIGNATIONS (Play parts will be assigned by picking names out of a hat)

Month 2 Book: Felicity’s Surprise & Happy Birthday, Felicity

3 Narrations
History and virtue discussion
Craft – Fan & embroidered handkerchief
Snack – Tea and Shrewsbury cakes
Play practice & Dance practice

Month 3 Book: Felicity Saves the Day & Changes for Felicity

3 Narrations

History and virtue discussion
Craft – Fancy Flower Straw Bonnets & Tussie Mussies
Snack – Hot Chocolate and shortbread
Play practice

Final Meeting - Play and Tea

3 Narrations
Snack – Tea and croquembouche
Play Tea for Felicity

The other girls program I run is intended for older girls as it looks at moving into scholar phase and taking on more responsibility within the household. In this case, we're talking about helping with developing Catholic Traditions in our homes. Here's the outline:

Anne Pellowski (Catholic Traditions Girl's Club) Program Outline

Reading: We’ll use the “Polish American Girls” series, by Anne Pellowski. Published by St. Mary’s Press, all in paperback. Titles in this series are:

First Farm in the Valley: Anna’s Story, 1997, ISBN 0884895378

Winding Valley Farm: Annie’s Story, 1997, ISBN 0884895386

Stairstep Farm: Anna Rose’s Story, 1998, ISBN 088489536X

Willow Wind Farm: Betsy’s Story, 1998, ISBN 0884895254

Betsy’s Up-and-Down Year, 1998, ISBN 08848953

Each meeting has been designed to correspond to the books for that month and a virtue or Catholic holy day, celebration or tradition. All members are required to read the book before the meeting. This is a LESS crafty, more virtue based program than the Liberty Girls. There will be no production. They will receive a packet of information and activities they will have completed at each meeting. They will take home a butter lamb after the last meeting to be used for Easter.

Meeting 1 – Book: First Farm in the Valley: Anna’s Story

· Program overview for the girls

· Casebook sign up

· Michaelmas and Feast of the Guardian Angels

· Snack: Dragon cake & Heavenly punch

· Planning Nameday Celebrations

Meeting 2 – Book: Winding Valley Farm: Annie’s Story

· 2 Apologetics Casebooks

· All Saints and All Souls

· Advent

· Celebrating Martinmas

· Snack: Soul Cakes and hot apple cider

Meeting 3– Book: Stairstep Farm: Anna Rose’s Story

· 2 Apologetics Casebooks

· Feast days of our Lady

· Catholic Baptism

· Ordinary Time

· Snack: Hot Cross Buns and juice

Meeting 4 – Book: Willow Wind Farm: Betsy’s Story

· 2 Apologetics Casebooks

· Feast days of St. Joseph

· Catholic Marriage Ceremony

· Lenten Traditions

· Snack: Bread pretzels and water

Meeting 5 – Book: Betsy’s Up-and-Down Year

· 2 Apologetics Casebooks

· Easter Traditions

· Catholic Funeral Mass

· Making Butter Lambs for Easter (A Polish Catholic Tradition)

· Snack: Bread pretzels and water

Lastly, for the Knights of Freedom, we are doing Lapbooks on the Chronicals of Narnia. We're focusing on the moral and biblical components as well as the story and characters. There will be eight meetings - seven to do each book and one to watch a movie for fun!

Boy's Narnia Lapbook Club

Lapbooks are fun, graphical, multisensory projects based on the books. The boys read the book. We work through study guides and make mini-books, and other little projects to go inside a specially folded file folder. See In the Hands of a Child for more information on their products. They only have the three projects done. I have created a curriculum for the remaining books.

I have created lapbooks for:

A Horse and His Boy

Voyages of the Dawn Treader

Silver Chair

The Last Battle

The Road Scholar

Cathie and her husband are blessed with six children and have home educated them since 2003. Before children, Cathie developed curricula and taught classes for adults around the world on a variety of topics in the computer industry at the corporate and technical school level. She loves to develop curricula, teach homeschool co-op classes and organize book clubs. For five years, she held board positions on a large homeschool support group such as general coordinator, membership coordinator and advisory member.

Workshops, Presentations and Seminars

To arrange a presentation for your homeschool group or convention contact me here.

Topics:

Beginning Homeschooling - Beyond the Basics

Are you new to homeschooling? Where do you start? How do you ensure a very good (not just adequate) homeschooling experience, especially in that important first year? This practical how-to session will help you determine the appropriate first steps on your homeschooling adventure. We'll talk about picking a curriculum, scheduling and strategies for developing an independent child as well as strengthening your family and social relationships.

Get Your Game On!
Using EASY, Almost No-Fuss Games to Help Keep Learning Fun

Kids love games and so much is gained by playing games: learning to taking turns, good sportsmanship, patience and development of relationships. By using games, we can tailor to the needs of the child - not just academically, but socially, too. Come join in the fun yourself and learn how easy it is to put together games for your children—and you don't have to be creative to do it, either! Besides learning how, you will walk away with instructions, tips and resources to make your own games at home.

How to Get Your Kids to See the Light (or Feel it or Hear it)!

Teaching different learning modalities requires different tactics. Learn how to determine which modality your child uses and find ways to present material so that it sticks the first time, especially if it is different than your own learning modality.

This Old Schoolhouse

The school marms and school masters of yesteryear taught several children at different levels and formed many of our favorite American heroes. We will look back at how those school marms ran their one room schools and take some tips on making our school days more successful. We’ll talk about schedules, curriculum, discipline, independence, character development and motivation for the one room school in your home.

Socrates Meets Homeschool Mom

If Socrates could teach you one thing, it would be to use his method (the Socratic Method) for literary analysis. This presentation addresses the fundamentals of literary interpretation from within the accessible world of children’s literature, so even young students can easily identify the language of literary analysis. As they mature they will readily spot these fundamentals in more difficult works, enriching both their understanding of the literature and their appreciation for the author’s handiwork. Learn the aspects of literary analysis and how to help kids appreciate and find the meaning in all the great books they read.

The Motivation Myth

What do sticker charts, time-outs and spelling bees have in common? They are examples of “Carrots and Sticks.” Over the last 40 years, study after study has shown that "Carrots and Sticks" don't work for long term motivation, especially when thought is required in the process. How are you motivating and inspiring your kids to study, do chores and reach goals? Learn about what truly motivates kids, how to mentor them and help them become successful in their endeavors. I will dispel the myths and reveal truths about human motivation and mindset. And here’s a hint. It’s you, not them. I hope you will join me to find out what that means.