Islamic Homeschool Diary

Friday

2010-11-12T11:41:00.000Z

Two posts in one month - how's that for commitment?!

Well on Jumah we don't 'do' anything formal, so right now the kids are downstairs playing computer games. I know I know. But once a week treat... and it's just monster trucks getting to the end of the race. Nothing violent.

Midget still ill and worried about his ickle chest. Please make du'a he doesn't become asthmatic -

And in the evening they have football training insha'allah. Which, between all the other classes the boys go to, means I no longer have a life. Not that I had one anyway, but we did like to pretend.

And I'm tired because the Midget commandeered the bed space last night so he could whimper loudly and give me a blow-by-blow account of how ill he was. It was a detailed monolgue.

Caffeine.

OK so I Finally Upgraded the Template

2010-11-11T13:36:00.000Z

... that I've had since 2003 or something like that. Back in the day when Blogger wasn't owned by google and you had to write your own template if you wanted it all fancy.

I caved in and upgraded and spent the best part of half an hour salvaging the links. I hope you all appreciate that - I did it for YOU people *waves arms in a semi-circle*.

ANYWAY where were we.

Heducation, yes.

Well today Boss has taught the midget all about Egyptan gods and who is related to whom, who has killed who, and what each god is in charge of. All this without us 'learning' about it - this is his own research and learning. And I patted him on the head and said 'well done, clever clogs'.

Put decorations up for Eid ul Adha.

Midget has a snuffle but I have no sympathy with him - he puts absolutely everything in his mouth so he deserves it. He even wiped his toothbrush on the floor in front of the TOILET the other day *dry heaves* I just don't know what to DO about this weird 'shove everything made of sh*t in my mouth but gag at Mama's cooking' phase.

This too will pass this too will pass this too will pass...

ANYWAY. Heducation. Yeah

Lil annoucement

2010-10-31T21:59:00.002Z

Erm, I blog over here now - I dont know if I will ever use this space again.

My So Called Life.

Genius

2010-10-21T10:09:00.006+01:00

Did you know

2010-08-01T09:52:00.001+01:00

that carrots in medieval times were white or purple?

No?

Carry on.

Quote of the Day

2010-07-28T12:34:00.001+01:00

Midget :: MUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUM BRUDDER JUST HIT ME IN DER STOMACHE!!!!

Me:: Is the phone there??

Midget :: YESH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Me :: then go call someone who cares

Time Flies, and all that jazz

2010-07-28T12:28:00.001+01:00

Can't really get my head around the fact that it was February last time I wrote here, but given that I don't really know what month we're in, I don't know why it's so shocking.

I'm currently hiding upstairs with the laptop whilst the children destroy my house. It is One of Those Days. Just a bad idea from beginning to end. Oh and now they are screaming. And swearing. Life just gets better and better.

So what have we done since February. Stuff. You know. Stuff. Maths, literacy, sports, days out, road trips.

Oh God they're getting louder. And they're coming up the stairs to lodge complaints.GET HELP.

EDITED TO ADD :: hurrah; a nose has been smashed and there is blood everywhere. Bedsheets have to be washed and the carpet needs scrubbing. It is noon, people. I am afraid to think what else can happen today...

Duxford :: Pictures

2010-02-03T21:03:00.001Z

Bugger off and let me read this book about child-centred learning

2010-02-03T19:45:00.003Z

Some questions I ask myself:

1. Do I homeschool because I can't be arsed getting out of bed in the morning, every morning to do a school run?

Quite possibly.

2. Do we unschool because I can't be arsed getting organised?

Quite possibly

3. Do I read lots of books to avoid the inevitable of actually implementing anything?

Quite possibly.

ANYWAY, enough inner angst. We bombed down to Duxford Air Museum today. Kids are loopy about planes at the moment and so this was a surprise day out. I think they liked it. I think they liked it a lot. I'm knackered but the boys want to go back. And live there. They are even talking about which plane they want to camp out in. (Concorde and Eurofighter, if you're interested).

Pictures to follow, but totally recommend this place if you have lads into anything aeronautical.

The Final Frontier :: or :: I Have no Idea What Day It Is

2010-01-23T19:00:00.002Z

I knew it was only a matter of time before Space with all those facts and figures and sizes and dimensions and distances got to Boss. He had only shown mild interest in space and universe stuff before, and given that it wasn't a dinosaur or a monster truck it wasn't long before the interest waned.

Yesterday I snuck on a planet dvd by the History Chanel because a) I was fed up with them trashing my house, b) we had watched The Incredibles for the zillioneth time and were now quoting it in lip sync, c) David Attenborough stuff bores the Midget who just nuts the table and makes 'help me' wimpers, d) I wanted a cup of joe without being talked to death. So imagine my delight when genuine interest, wow and awe kicked in. I just love space stuff. It's a real mind bender.

So we looked at Mercury and Venus and Boss is now armed with a plethora of trivial facts and figures that would put a NASA astronaut to shame. We read the various books on the Universe that we have, which included contemplating distance and size, the speed of light, what a light year was (that was preceded by comparing it to driving to my Mother's house, and once he got around how fast light was he was kind of awe struck) and various chemical compounds. Sulphur dioxide can mix with water in your lungs to form Sulphuric Acid and what is that. And why can't we hear anything on Mercury. And what is gravitational pull (compared it a big trampoline), and why and how Neptune was discovered by Maths alone.

THEN Midget copied loads of words even though he's never formed a letter in his life. Go figure. And Boss wanted to know the names of numbers with various zeros. So we googled it and read the names of very big numbers on Wikipedia. He liked that.

Tentatively introducing him to times tables by getting him to make 6 lots of 2 or 3 lots of 5 etc and he's making the connections himself. The obvious tables of ten is pimpsy and counting in 11s he likes and 2s is pimps, but next step will be memorisation I think insha'allah.

So. Who thinks we should introduce him to Star Trek TNG???!

Crap, I'm cold

2010-01-05T14:26:00.001Z

I know Poland has entire RIVERS frozen and is experiencing -25*C, but I'd say -5*C is healthy enough thankyouverymuch and I'm done with snow. I'm sitting wrapped up with wool from head to toe and my toes are still cold.

Kids are playing online games with DH. It's OK - it's snooker so I'm sure geometry is involved somehow. Next step I'd say would be a field trip to a local pool parlour to get them some real pool going on ... Hmmm...

Reading Montessori things and stuff like that.

Now if you'll excuse me I have some excellent Brazilian coffee brewing and some feet to warm. ...

Homeschooling Q&A

2009-12-29T12:53:00.008Z

People regularly email me asking questions about homeschooling; there was a question a while back and I forgot to answer it (and forgot what the question was, sorry) so if you are out there please remind me what it is! I think I will try to get all the Q&A on this one page and have a FAQ thing going on to see if it helps new homeschoolers.

So recent questions:

1. How do you decide what you are going to teach the children?

I follow their interests and try to get the curriculum going on around that. My boys are currently seven and four years old. There isn't really a lot for them to get their head around at this age, but reading and writing and basic math is something we have started with the eldest since he turned seven.

We have done a few projects based on their interests (whales, sharks, animal classification) and I try to keep seasonal rhythm in our learning and education based on reading lots of books together (both fact and fiction, but fiction is so so important so don't overlook that), lots of nature walks, days out and just being out in the world. I see myself not as an educator (even though I am a fully qualified secondary school teacher), but as a facilitator to their natural learning - I do not instruct I provide learning opportunities. I think it is SO important to keep it real - base it all on here and now, provide rhythm in their days and months and year. We have Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter activities and we have also rented some land to farm (1/2 plot) so they can be in touch with the land and what it measn to be human at a very real level. Books are used as a supplement to life, not a replacement. They are also our major form of entertainment since we have no TV.

2. How do you decide where to get resources from?

I ask around - networking with other homeschoolers is good for this. There are many Yahoo groups with homeschooling interests - Education Otherwise have one for UK homeschoolers and can provide links to local homeschooling networks. This is probably the same for other countries too. And the blogosphere! I regularly do reccies on other homeschool blogs for links and recommendations. I try to list all the resources I find to help others, which is why the link section is soooooo long!

3. Do you have structured aims and targets? (for example annually)

No. And really before the age of 7 why should there be targets. Did you set targets for your children to crawl, walk and talk? They just DO it. Provide the opportunities to learn and then sit back and watch the show. I've forgotten who said 'education is not the filling of a bucket, but the lighting of a fire', and if you do your job as facilitator correctly then it is really like you have lit the blue touch-paper and the fireworks take off when they are ready.

4. How much of your time does it take up?

I don't do 'school at home', so this is difficult to answer. Our whole day is spent learning, but not the way schools have brainwashed us into thinking what learning is. We are so so docile to authority figures that most of us never question the way our lives have been slowly industrialised and automated and lost to the tyranny of the clock. So we actually learn all the time - iin everything we do! And mostly that's not special set-aside sit at a desk type things, but real life!

5. How much does your hubby help?

He teaches them arabic and Qur'an and all that jazz, and if I need back up he stands there and looks mean.

6. InshaAllah am expecting our third child, i have specific concerns on time management and taking on too much...how do you manage it?any tips/hints?

Your kids are so very young. IMO they shouldn't be doing anything structured. Play is their work. Lots of arts and crafts and paint and baking and playing, seriously this is the most essential work for them right now.

Tips - deep breathing lol.

I am sending my child to a Steiner school, do you think this is a good idea?

For the love of all that is holy take them OUT of there. Steiner schooling has its agenda which is not privy to the likes of mere parents. I have a friend who worked in a Steiner School, and make no mistake about it they are involved with jinn. They have an agenda, they are not neutral, they have dark undertones. Waldorf ideas implemented and selectively doctored by parents at home is one thing but under NO circumstance do I approve of Steiner philosophy NOR Steiner Schools. Period. Get them out.

Can you recommend any books?

Yes! You will find all my book recommendations over here at my amazon bookstore - if you buy from this site you will also help me earn a little extra money to aid in *our* homeschool journey... there you will find links to many methodologies - waldorf, montessori, unschooling etc.

Can you tell me about the different methodologies of homeschooling/education?

If you goto to Wikipedia you can research various models there. Searches could include:

John Holt (educator)
John Taylor Gatto
Classical education movement
Trivium (education)
Quadrivium
Homeschooling
Unschooling
Montessori Method
Montessori Sensorial Materials
Waldorf education
School-at-home (educational philosophy)
Charlotte Mason

I am sorry but I cannot do your reading for you. You will have to trawl through the literature just like we all did to understand the different takes on it.

Can you recommend one method of teaching please?

No. And for various reasons. Firstly there is not one overall 'right' way of doing anything, let alone absorbing knowledge. What works best for one family and one child will be wildly different to another, even within the same family! People are different, and this is why schooling systemically fails - it tries to put the square peg into the round hole, tries to systemise something constantly in flux, to standardise the unique and as such makes education devoid of meaning.

Each person on the planet is unique and has their own special way of gaining knowledge - base education on your child and let them show you which way will work best.

Secondly, I don't know a single family who have stuck rigidly to one and only one method. Some try one way and move onto another method depending on the growing needs of their young ones; some pick and mix the best from all; some have one way of doing things with one child and another way for yet another child - because they absorb information differently. It all comes down to knowing your child and tailoring or facilitating their learning.

Some past posts on homeschooling ::

Right. Having a major U-Turn here. I don't know if it's my hormones or what but I have decided to halt all "learning". I don't want to teach him to read yet. I don't think I'm going to start any maths yet. I am not going to get any workbooks. I couldn't care less if he finishes off the alphabet. WHAT WAS I ON?

In my (subconscious) quest to "prove" to people (and myself) that I *can* teach my son, and that he *can* learn, and that I am *not* useless (... still working on that ... hm... what exactly does one have to do qualify to be placed in the "useful" bracket given that I don't cook, my house is a mess and I scream at my kids all day??!) and life *has* a purpose I have been intent on getting him reading (WTM) and counting with a maths-readiness push-cum-shove type approach. As a result he knows the sounds of most letters nad is eagerly trying to blend words; he can count up to twenty - OK some times when he is tired we get "onety-one" or "five-teen" but he can count. He can count in Arabic and knows some Arabic letters too. We do rod work. Tangrams are impsy. But so what. What exactly is the point to all this? Has our life improved because of these great accomplishments? Is he happier?

It hit me after I read this article (thanks Khadijah):

In the Waldorf approach, reading and writing are introduced in first
grade, starting with the letters; then children learn to read at the
end of first grade, from what they have written. The letters are
introduced imaginatively, through a story and a drawing in which the
letter can be found in one of the figures that starts with that sound
(for example, the letter "k" might be illustrated by a King who is
standing sideways, with scepter raised, blessing his subjects.).

Sitting children down and teaching them to write the letters and to
read when they are four or five uses a kind of intellectual energy
that Steiner indicates is still needed in early childhood for the
healthy formation of the internal organs. The baby teeth are the last
to be "re-formed," and when they are pushed out by the adult teeth, it
is a sign that this process has reached a point where the energy is
now free for learning—although still imaginatively, not in a dull,
rote fashion. Neuropsychologists also recognize this same rapid
proliferation of brain cells around age 6-7 (as reported by Jane
Healy, Ph.D. in Your Child's Growing Mind).

In addition to potentially weakening a child's later health, early
academics also wake the him or her up prematurely. This awakening
comes naturally around age 7, but when it is rushed—as it can be with
bright children—they lose a couple of years of the imaginative,
creative realm of early childhood without gaining anything in terms of
being better readers at grade 5. And many children simply lack the
eye-hand coordination and the ability to sit still for lessons, so
they are labeled as having learning problems that wouldn't exist if
teachers waited until the children were developmentally ready for
reading and writing.

What about the bright child, who is eager to learn? My suggestion is
always to relate with enthusiasm and anticipation ("When you go to the
big school, you'll learn that," or "Next year we'll be studying all
the letters and their stories at home."). But I wouldn't sit down with
a five-year-old and start lessons just because she wanted to learn to
write. Many times teaching a child to write his or her name is enough
to satisfy their desire, before they are on to other interests. And
the really smart ones will learn to read from the STOP signs while
driving or through osmosis from being around an older sibling.

The guiding principle according to Steiner is not to address the
intellect directly in early childhood. Children up until the age of
six or seven need to be in movement, learning through movement games
and through play and expressing themselves through the arts, not
sitting at desks tracing letters and numbers, memorizing math sums, or
learning to read. This makes Waldorf out of step with the mainstream
push to teach reading and writing at ever younger ages, but the
results are fewer reading problems and children who love reading real
books, rather than becoming burnt out on years of simple readers.

that I'm getting it all wrong. He doesn't play with imagination and I don't encourage him to because I've been so programmed into thinking that something worthwhile is quantifiable, verifiable, solid and progressive that I've gone down the road I swore I'd protect him from - I've subconsciously inculcated school-at-home. Argh! It's consumerism at the learning level. Bits of plastic and paper to "learn" everything from. Why don't I just buy him a uniform and make him wear it everyday?

So we've done an abrupt stop. The plastic is going OUT. No more closed-ended toys which dictates the play. Going for natural products, obviously wood, and things which involve the imagination as the vital ingredient to bring it to life - replacing the battery. We have leaves and twigs, and stones and scarves. Yes it sounds poncey doesn't it. Well guess what. It doesn't matter. Yellow hexagons are bananas - and you don't need to buy him bananas to make the point. A twig can be a sail or a barrier or a gate or anything. A car can only ever be a car. He's using his imagination.

We are not bothering to "learn" anything. So what. He has his entire life to read but only a few years to enjoy being a child. I do not want to have a forty year old midget for a son - I want a four year old boy who does all the things four year olds are supposed to do, and up yours if you don't like it. One more dirty look from a Next-clad lip-glossed uberbabe in a John Lewis lift because Boss had the audacity to jump, make a noise or try to tickle your child with result in me speaking my mind. I am fed up of having to say "sorry" that my son isn't a middle-aged man; "sorry" he is four; "sorry" he thinks pulling hair is funny. Get over it. He is four - let him enjoy it.

*************

Why School is Good for You

Found on the Bradford Muslim Blog:

The following has been submitted by Abrar al Haq, a young Bradfordian. It is the first in a series of posts that will focus on educational standards in Bradford.

Ten reasons in favour of public schooling

1. Children who receive a one-on-one home education will learn more than others, giving them an unfair advantage in the marketplace—this is undemocratic.

2. Most parents were educated in the under-funded public school system, and so are not smart enough to home educate their own children.

3. How can children learn to defend themselves unless they have to fight off bullies on a daily basis?

4. Ridicule from other children is important to the socialization process.

5. Children in public schools can get more practice “Saying No” to drugs, cigarettes and alcohol.

6. Fluorescent lighting may have significant health benefits.

7. Publicly asking permission to go to the bathroom teaches young people their place in society.

8. The fashion industry depends upon the peer pressure that only public schools can generate.

9. Public schools foster cultural literacy, passing on important traditions like the singing of “Jingle Bells, Batman smells, Robin laid an egg...”

10. Home educated children may not learn important office career skills, like how to sit still for six hours continuously.

*********************

Homeschool type rant

OK so like I was saying, my friend disapproves of me homeschooling Boss.

She will argue no end that state education is a good thing yet undo her own arguments in the next sentence if/when, for example, I have to spell something over the phone to her so that Boss won't twig, and I have to wait five minutes while she blends the consonants and vowels (audibly I may add) into a word. The last two notable examples being, "T-R-A-I-N" and "C-H-I-P-S". Which no joke, took so long I had to just tell her what it was. So.

Then on top of that, we have an altogether different understanding of what education really is. For her it is simply the acquisition of facts in case you are ever called upon to be a contestant on "Who Wants to be a Millionaire" thus, like the over-grown lab. rat you really are, allowing yourself to cleverly press the lever which sends more food into your in-tray. For her "education" is simply the filling of a bucket. Now, for me education is a stepping stone for self-actualisation and human dignity whereby one can find communion with Allah, living a truly dignified life fulfilling their destiny and what they were created for. Education is not information. Education is more than carrying facts around like a donkey carries books. In Islam knowledge that doesn't change you isn't knowledge. True knowledge affects your inner state.

So. Then we have moved on to how deprived homeschooled children are, how they miss out socially etc. we are in a head-lock and I'm trying to convince her that state education is actually double-speak and what it isn't about is "education", but "control" and "normalisation" and "herd mentality". Which she gets uppity about like I am undermining everything she is.

Just to convince her that homeschooled people are actually better educated, smarter, socially more well-adjusted and can think outside the box more than the herded masses I gave her a few examples of people who have been HE-ed. Here, below is the list:

Authors:
William Blake,
Charles Dickens,
Pearl Buck,
Agatha Christie
Margaret Atwood;

social and political figures:
Benjamin Franklin,
Winston Churchill,
Samuel Gompers,
Charles Lindberg,
Florence Nightingale;

artists:
Andrew Wyeth,
Yehudi Menuhin,
Sean O'Casey,
Charlie Chaplin,
Claude Monet
Noel Coward;

Inventors:
Alexander Graham Bell
Thomas Edison
Alec Issigonis
Cyrus McCormick
The Wright Brothers
One of the world's richest men, Andrew Carnegie, was homeschooled until he was nine. He was coaxed into attending school after that, but by the age of thirteen Carnegie left school and never went back. School attendance is not the only way to become a successful, sociable adult.

Scientists:
Blaise Pascal
Pierre Curie
Albert Einstein
Booker T. Washington
George Washington Carver

American Presidents:
George Washington
Thomas Jefferson
John Quincy Adams
James Madison
William Henry Harrison
John Tyler
Abraham Lincoln
Theordore Roosevelt
Woodrow Wilson
Franklin Delano Roosevelt
Senator William Johnson George Wythe

And do you know what she said when I'd finished? Huh? She said...

.... "Well, who wants to be like them anyway".

***********************

Why home-schooling?

I'm sure both Boss and you benefit from what's essentially a one-to-one relationship but d'you think the benefits are significant enough to outweigh the losses? When I was at school, it was as much an exercise in social interaction than an education- do home schooled kids have the same opportunities? I was intrigued that Boss didn't recognise non-arabic names- is that symptomatic of his non-standard schooling? How long d'you plan to home-school him?

I've never really written down WHY I homeschool so this might be a bit piecemeal.

Firstly, there is an assumption that homeschooling is an exceptional thing, but bear in mind that state education (especially as compulsory) is really a phenomenon of the post-modern era. Before that anyone with an education was most likely to be homeschooled and that's how families for millenia have lived - children and parents and extended family all co-exist together. Children learning how to be adults by watching adults in the real world.

Secondly, I consider schooling to be inferior to home education. It breeds mediocrity and herd mentality. People who fall out of the centre ground at either end of the scale are marginalised and often traumatised by being "different". Those who do not "keep up" with the grazing masses are deemed "slow" and if this "slowness" is not dealt with effectively this transforms itself into "behavioural" problems such as aggression, inattention, disruption etc. In fact, very few people can NOT learn; we all learn at our own pace and have our own ways of absorbing knowledge which works for us. We all have areas we love and excel at and other subjects which we need greater guidance.

The system however cannot tolerate or adequately manage those whose learning rate differs from the centre-ground. And this is equally so for those deemed "gifted" - they get bored, stifled, labeled as "boffin" and made to feel that intellectual prowess is something to be embarrassed by. Boredom also has a negative effect on behaviour and labels are quick to follow by hassled teachers who are no more than state babysitters who have to do the impossible and teach thirty (or more) children to jump through the right hoops if they are to get a piece of paper at the end of it - just like lab rats pressing the right levers to get their food.

But more than that, the System itself is not designed to produce thinkers. It is not designed to produce people who are able to critique the ruling class ideology. It is not designed to produce or encourage people who are able to think outside the box. The System is purely designed for one purpose: and that is, to produce compliant fodder for the capitalist machine - the perfect citizen (not too political so as not to rock the boat), the perfect consumer, happy with hedonism, content with EastEnders, someone who is able to sit still at a desk for eight hours a day doing tasks which would make a monkey's brain bleed.

The System knocks all love of learning out of the human soul and does so with breathtaking skill by the age of seven. By this age most children will hate school, refuse to read a book out of choice, and think the education is something you do because you HAVE to. As a result you have a nation of literate baffoons who can tick the right boxes but have no common sense. You have a nation the size of the USA who has one of the highest literacy rates in the world, yet only 40% of the population read. That is, the majority of the population prefer to make themselves wilfully illiterate by refusing to utilise their brain.

As regards to State Education this would be Mission Accomplished. The majority of the nation is compliant.

Regarding the socialization point - every homeschool parent gets asked this, and I have come to answer this one with some weary sarcasm - I let him out of his cage at least once a day to see the sky and go to the toilet...

You know, when I was at school whenever we talked in class we would get told YOU DON'T COME HERE TO SOCIALISE! And mostly that's true. We went to get herded and suffer peer pressure, to learn how to do drugs properly behind the toilet block and how to vandalise property whilst our parents got a break from us for a few hours. Then when we went home we stayed in our rooms listening to music and watching TV because there were no social clubs for us to goto and the streets were too dangerous to play on. Then when we got older and allowed to go on the streets there was nothing to do but smoke fags and get drunk.

When I was at school it wasn't so much a lesson in social interaction, but more a lesson in survival. And I went to a relatively good school. The friends I have now are people I met after the education system did its dastardly work with me. For my sister her friends are people she knew on our estate and for my mum and dad it's the same - people their Mum and Dads knew were their real friends - not the people they were forced to sit with in school.

I realised I wasn't alone in thinking that there is something very wrong with modern education - an education system that can give you facts for twelves straight years running but leave you with nothing but unanswered questions and feelings of fragmentation and confusion about the greatest questions the soul yearns to ask: why are we here, what is this all for, for reason am I on earth. Education, as the quotation goes, is not the filling of a bucket, but the lighting of a fire. If the metaphor continues one would say that modern education is not only the filling of the bucket, but actually fills the bucket then uses it to douse any flames.

Then there is the idea of whose values are we promoting by accepting the state education system? The basis of state education is purely secular. You cannot partake of a meal without imbibing whatever nutrients are present. Or lack thereof. When we send our children to secular schools they will imbibe secularism. They will be taught and accept the basis of humanist mind set because the domain of discourse will be secular. They will imbibe what the secularists believe about humans and our place in this universe, and for the most part the logical conclusion of this secularism is pure nihilism and for those who have not taken that to its extreme the tennets of nihilism are still deep rooted.

And you could say "well YOU went through the state system and YOU'RE ok" and I would just say before that statement is uttered that I am what I am *despite* the "education" I received - not because of it. I consider myself, through the grace of Allah, a survivor. And true, if I wanted my children to do as many drugs as I have, to be as depressed as I used to feel, to party as much as I did and to drink until their liver was in danger of collapsing then I'd say "yeah - go ahead - knock yourself out - go through the system and see how you end up - take that chance". But I want better for my children. I want them to get an excellent education with the only people on this planet who they know care whether they live or die and who don't get paid by the hour whether they do well or not. I would take a bullet for my kids and like Gatto says, only a desperado would entrust their most prized possession to a group of completely untested group of strangers and hope for the best. I care that they do well. I care that they get an excellent, tailor made education that makes them well-rounded, decent human beings fulfilling their potential and serving their fellow humans and their Lord. I want to light that fire.

Yeah Boss has some problems with non-Arabic names that he hasn't heard before. He knows my family's names of course. I am sure there are loads of non-Muslim kids who haven't a clue about Arabic names too, so that makes us even ;-)

I intend to homeschool him for as long as my sanity and health allows. Please make du'a this happens.

subhanallah... it's taken me the last couple of hours to understand this... I definitely understand your point about education being taken to be equivalent to the accumulation of facts, but by the same token i dont think it's possible to teach someone to 'think'- it's something that's cultivated, primarily in the home, for all children, whether they're schooled at home or elsewhere. Many of the problems you cite, such as the literate illiterates et al, is a result of parents packing their child off to school in the morning and picking him up in the afternoon and thinking that their duty's done, and their beloved child is receiving an education. The role of the home is more than somewhere to eat and sleep, and that 'extra' has to come from parents. The problems become compounded when both parents work and the contact time becomes much less... I think the assumption that you make is that 'state-schooling' (for want of a better phrase) is a discrete package and there's no 'after-care'. I would suggest, w'allahu alim, that the vast majority of the ills you mention are grounded in that assumption. A big problem I have is that the curriculum in this country is too narrow- I understand why it's so narrow, but I think home schooling opens up many more possibilities and provides real value from that perspective. The other issue is in the way the arts and sciences are kept so far apart- scientists have little appreciation of the arts and vice-versa. I noticed during my time in the US that the lines are not so bold in their system, and is something we should maybe take up here.

I disagree that '... the system is designed for one purpose;... to produce compliant fodder...'. That the system produces fodder, and does it so well, doesn't mean the system was so designed. It's going to start to sound boring, but I have to come back to teh same point- schooling/ education has to be a *partnership* between mom, dad and teacher.

The point about values is very interesting- I have thought about this before. Again- you're basic assumption is the same- that children go to school learn, come home, and then nothing 'til they go to school again the following day. We're bringing our children up (or rather you're bringing up and I'm somewhat arrogantly trying to tell you how to do it...) in this society where secularism and nihilism etc are the norm- when will you expose them to that? I'm sure we both agree that they have to be exposed to it, and they have to understand our standpoint on so many of these issues as muslims that differ with the dominant culture. When they're old enough to understand? Through my limited exposure to young children (my nieces and nephews) I have been blown away by the incisiveness, relevance and depth of their questions- WAY before I ever thought they'd want to ask me about any of these things. Perhaps with your training in education, and the legendary 'mother's intuition' you will be much closer to the mark- but perhaps this is one of those cases where being with the herd will hasten the process? Perhaps.

Regarding being able to teach children to think - you can't - and you don't have to - children are like sponges they literally soak whatever they are presented with. Thinking is something no under the influence of any mortal, it is an emergent property of education and nurturing which can be stunted or encouraged. The amazing thing of schooling is that it manages to turn so many intelligent, natural thinkers into non-thinkers by the end of compulsory schooling! That is an amazing achievement given that the goals they supposedly set are diamtrically opposed to this!

You mention the home environment, I am sorry but anybody who farms their kids out of the house at 8am in the morning for eight hours a day then sees them when they are dog tired and not fit for anything except sleep - what is the home environment to these children excpet glorified hotels? It is not a co-incidence that in traditional societies where children spend their time with their family their primary focus of identity *is* the family, and in our society we have children whose primary focus of identification is the peer group. Not family. This is not only true for those children who make "gangs" their "family" but for even 'nice' middle class children who place more importance of friendships than they do filial obligations. There is a hadith that states that at the end of times a man will disown his father and keep his friends close (nearest meaning), and that's happening. How can anyone see so little of their children and even think in their wildest moments that they have any influence over them? Where is the influence? How? I mean, how is it even physically possible? OK maybe weekends and holidays but who doesn't have parents who work at least one day in the weekend and are too knackered to interact with their kids any other time?

And it has nothing to do with curricla. You can have the best curriculum in the world and these problems would still arise because these diseases are endemic to the schooling system (not just state system), schooling itself is the cause of the problem and part of the problem is that it goes against our fitra. We are not farm animals. We were not designed to be socialised in herds by robots. Our place is with our family, mimicking them, emulating them, learning how to be whole and human from them, mirroring how to be an adult, learning life from the ones who gave us it.

Regarding the US, the last time I looked for literacy and numeracy they were almost bottom of the world league tables and we were just one place ahead of them. The top of the world league tables was Sweden and they don't educate their children until they turn seven. Something which a lot of countries in Europe do - Switzerland, Germany, Hungary etc. - to send children to school before seven is seen as a madness. In fact this is also part of our religion - there is ahadith which states that you play with a child until seven, educate him after that until fourteen, thereafter becoming their friend (rather than someone who instructs and orders). In the UK we are greedy for material success and it is this which sees our babies farmed out from 2 onwards to nurseries and pre-schools and creches which aims at getting our children reading and doing maths earlier and earlier with the mistaken assumption that if a little bit of education makes us rich then a LOT of education will make us richer. The effect that early learning has on the biorhythms of the child cannot be disputed - one of the reasons why girls are reaching puberty at ever younger ages is directly because formal education has started earlier. It has a knock on effect in the brain with our chemistry and once the horse has bolted you can never get it back. Children are not designed for school, they are meant to learn through play. The idea that UK has some how enhanced its future workforce by this madness will show in due course. Unfortunately it is individuals who will suffer in this race for supremecy in the information-rich age.

To correct you, the compulsory schooling system is a *direct* result of big business forcing the government to produce better workers for their businesses and had big business no need for literate workers then you can rest assured we would not have compulsory education in this nation. It is not a coincidence that compulsory education coincided with industrialisation and urbanisation. It is not a coincidence that coporate and boardroom leaders have the governments ear when it comes to planning the education of the next ten years. We are running out of plumbers - and hey ho - all of a suddent the government is drafting plans for more vocational examinations; we don't have enough french speakers - all of a sudden the government is drafting plans to increase modern languages in schools; our kids get to university without maths skills and the government are pushing for increased maths. This is not rocket science. Business and education go hand in hand. Compulsory schooling *was* designed to meet the needs of business make no mistake about it.

And why should there be any partnership at all between the parents and a group of strangers who really don't care whether your child lives or dies?? What really has it got to do with anyone else how I raise and educate my child?

Unless of course you are proposing that teachers are some how better at educating children than we are of teaching our own - again on every test homeschooled children achieve higher than schooled children and as an ex-teacher I can honestly say that the people I met in the staff room are there simply because they are too stupid to do anything else. There are some brilliant teachers of course, who are teaching out of vocation but they quickly fill school management posts and leave teaching to others.

And yes secularism is the dominant culture. But that is not what Allah demands of us. Alcohol is also quite rampant here too and I won't be encouraging my children to drink any time soon either.

I have found through my studies in sociology that children fair a lot better with solid parenting and protection from influences too early on than children who are thrust out onto the world unsuspecting that anything can harm them. Children just do not have the capacity to discern good from bad. They just soak everything up. Until the teenage years children have no capacity for evaluation; the imbibe whatever they grow up in, and just as you would protect a seedling from the elements if you were an expert gardener wishing to produce a strong and healthy bloom so too you should protect children from harsh realities. They are precious gifts who know no badness and they will blot everything up. I dislike many aspects of secularism and have no intention of subjecting my children to that any more than I would subject them to dirty food, poor hygiene and lack of shelter. When they are old enough to discern and critique then they are free to be planted in the world.

Yes children have questions - NONE STOP - it is really hard to stop children learning, but there is a difference of the questions at different ages - firstly the questions revolve around "what" - ie. what is that - they want to learn names. Then "how" - how do things work, what happened next etc. Then "why" - oh yes they never stop asking that. But it isn't until much much later that they can evaluate all this stock of information, and it is almost like they have spent fourteen years planting seeds and gathering crops, finding out all they can about the world around them in every possible way, then they set about making sense of it all - critiquing it and probing, abstract thinking and spouting ideology.

In the formative years it is up to the parent to provide good nourishment - both inner and outer, and there really is no value or benefit at all in showing children ugliness, evil and harshness. They need nurturing.

Wow - it sound like I know what I'm talking about!!

I don't.

Hamza Yusuf interview

How do I know if I have what it takes?

You love your kids - that's ALL it takes. Anybody can learn to read. Anybody can teach. Let me let you in on a little secret from insider knowledge: teachers are really dumb and if they can do it ANYONE can.

I still value the 2 days I get off when son and daughter go to daycare. If I homeschool, will I never get some sanity-preserving time alone??? How do you deal with that? How do you motivate them when they drive you nuts? Do you really convince them every time that they need to learn? Or do they sometimes have to be forced or bribed to?

You're eldest is four. You really should not be teaching him yet anyway - let him play - that's his job. It serves its purpose and you should not underestimate the invaluable nature of play. Teaching too early has detrimental effects on the child's brain. In every society which excels in all speheres of numeracy and literacy they do not begin teaching until the age of seven.

Regarding learning - it is really hard to STOP them - they are natural knowledge seekers and soak anything and everything up with breath-taking ease. You will really have to trust that when it comes to teaching. I used to fret over this endlessly but they really do come into their own at the time they are meant to. They blossom at the time they are meant to. With my son I see that all I have to do for him to learn anything is simply provide creative outlets, books, reading time, stories etc. As he gets older insha'allah there are more structured things to follow, and if you have internet access then you have all the resources you need.

Having access to other homeschoolers for advice is good, and there are plenty of Yahoo groups etc to keep you in touch with the best resources. I like MuddlePuddle it is an excellent resource.

Regarding the intensity of it all - yes it is intense - and sometimes stressful. I yell. We fall out. I have little time to myself. But you know, these precious years don't last forever. Soon this intensity will end and they'll fly the nest and we'll be all alone wondering how we can stand living in a house so quiet. I try to appreciate this madness by remembering that - they are little for such a short time and are such gifts - everything worth working for is hard work sometimes.
And as they get older they will play more with each other and get into their own projects and want to do their own thing too.

How do I motivate them? Hm - I just figure out what it is they need and try and give them room to do it. Right now Boss is pretty into physical activity so I try to give him as much run around time as his body (obviously) needs. Then when I can see its veering off into inane activity we do something creative. The idea is that children aren't MADE to do anything - they imitate us - and the idea is that you get them involved in the rhythm of the day. When you cook they help, when you wash they help, when you put clothes in the machine they help. You go for walks and see nature. You knit and draw and they'll want to too - they want to imitate us - include them in your everyday life and that IS education.

I do not "convince" Boss he has to learn. I have never asked him to learn anything any more than I have begged him to learn to walk and talk. Everything he is he soaked up and did it anyway - he can talk the hind legs off a donkey with his knowledge of vehicles and dinosaurs - I never taught him that. He just asked questions and I answered. He knows all his letters - again through asking. He can count until you make him stop. Again, just imitation and nursery rhymes etc.

If they have to be forced or bribed then you are definitely on the wrong track. Children love to learn - it is as natural as breathing to them. Once they start to resist you have ask yourself why - it won't be their fault - but the way you are teaching that is at fault. Bribery is a bad thing to start - they should be learning out of the inherent love of aquiring knowledge, not through the school system manner of dangling a carrot over the heads. All that teaches them is that once they have what they want they don't have to read anymore. Bad.

Another thing we have to consider is the subconscioue message we are telling our children when we are putting them in childcare - why doesn't mum want them around all day and how does that make them feel? I remember being put in nursery and hating it - just waiting til my Mum picked me up again and wondering why she had pushed me away. She of course thought I loved it and it was doing me good. It didn't. It made me chronically shy and desperate at the thought of leaving her. It made me wonder why she never wanted me around.

PLus, I don't know about your madhab but in mine it clearly states that you cannot let a non-Muslim raise your children and that's what is happening when you leave them under the care of the State.

*****************************

Learning is not the product of teaching. Learning is the product of the activity of learners.

"Education... now seems to me perhaps the most authoritarian and dangerous of all the social inventions of mankind. It is the deepest foundation of the modern slave state, in which most people feel themselves to be nothing but producers, consumers, spectators, and 'fans,' driven more and more, in all parts of their lives, by greed, envy, and fear. My concern is not to improve 'education' but to do away with it, to end the ugly and antihuman business of people-shaping and to allow and help people to shape themselves."

John Holt

*******************************

Please Read All Non Homeschoolers

*1 - Please stop asking us if it’s legal. If it is - and it is - it’s
insulting to imply that we’re criminals. And if we were criminals, would we
admit it?

*2 - Learn what the words “socialize” and “socialization” mean, and use the
one you really mean instead of mixing them up the way you do now.
Socializing means hanging out with other people for fun. Socialization means
having acquired the skills necessary to do so successfully and pleasantly.
If you’re talking to me and my kids, that means that we do in fact go
outside now and then to visit the other human beings on the planet, and you
can safely assume that we’ve got a decent grasp of both concepts.

*3 - Quit interrupting my kid at her dance lesson, scout meeting, choir
practice, baseball game, art class, field trip, park day, music class, 4H
club, or soccer lesson to ask her if as a homeschooler she ever gets to
socialize.

*4 - Don’t assume that every homeschooler you meet is homeschooling for the
same reasons and in the same way as that one homeschooler you know.

*5 - If that homeschooler you know is actually someone you saw on TV, either
on the news or on a “reality” show, the above goes double.

*6 - Please stop telling us horror stories about the homeschoolers you know,
know of, or think you might know who ruined their lives by homeschooling.
You’re probably the same little bluebird of happiness whose hobby is running
up to pregnant women and inducing premature labour by telling them every
ghastly birth story you’ve ever heard. We all hate you, so please go away.

*7 - We don’t look horrified and start quizzing your kids when we hear
they’re in public school. Please stop drilling our children like potential
oil fields to see if we’re doing what you consider an adequate job of
homeschooling.

*8 - Stop assuming all homeschoolers are religious.

*9 - Stop assuming that if we’re religious, we must be homeschooling for
religious reasons.

*10 - We didn’t go through all the reading, learning, thinking, weighing of
options, experimenting, and worrying that goes into homeschooling just to
annoy you. Really. This was a deeply personal decision, tailored to the
specifics of our family. Stop taking the bare fact of our being
homeschoolers as either an affront or a judgment about your own educational
decisions.

*11 - Please stop questioning my competency and demanding to see my
credentials. I didn’t have to complete a course in catering to successfully
cook dinner for my family; I don’t need a degree in teaching to educate my
children. If spending at least twelve years in the kind of
chew-it-up-and-spit-it-out educational facility we call public school left
me with so little information in my memory banks that I can’t teach the
basics of an elementary education to my nearest and dearest, maybe there’s a
reason I’m so reluctant to send my child to school.

*12 - If my kid’s only six and you ask me with a straight face how I can
possibly teach him what he’d learn in school, please understand that you’re
calling me an idiot. Don’t act shocked if I decide to respond in kind.

*13 - Stop assuming that because the word “home” is right there in
“homeschool,” we never leave the house. We’re the ones who go to the
amusement parks, museums, and zoos in the middle of the week and in the
off-season and laugh at you because you have to go on weekends and holidays
when it’s crowded and icky.

*14 - Stop assuming that because the word “school” is right there in
homeschool, we must sit around at a desk for six or eight hours every day,
just like your kid does. Even if we’re into the “school” side of education -
and many of us prefer a more organic approach - we can burn through a lot of
material a lot more efficiently, because we don’t have to gear our lessons
to the lowest common denominator.

*15 - Stop asking, “But what about the Prom?” Even if the idea that my kid
might not be able to indulge in a night of over-hyped, over-priced revelry
was enough to break my heart, plenty of kids who do go to school don’t get
to go to the Prom. For all you know, I’m one of them. I might still be
bitter about it. So go be shallow somewhere else.

*16 - Don’t ask my kid if she wouldn’t rather go to school unless you don’t
mind if I ask your kid if he wouldn’t rather stay home and get some sleep
now and then.

*17 - Stop saying, “Oh, I could never homeschool!” Even if you think it’s
some kind of compliment, it sounds more like you’re horrified. One of these
days, I won’t bother disagreeing with you any more.

*18 - If you can remember anything from chemistry or calculus class, you’re
allowed to ask how we’ll teach these subjects to our kids. If you can’t,
thank you for the reassurance that we couldn’t possibly do a worse job than
your teachers did, and might even do a better one.

*19 - Stop asking about how hard it must be to be my child’s teacher as well
as her parent. I don’t see much difference between bossing my kid around
academically and bossing him around the way I do about everything else.

*20 - Stop saying that my kid is shy, outgoing, aggressive, anxious, quiet,
boisterous, argumentative, pouty, fidgety, chatty, whiny, or loud because
he’s home schooled. It’s not fair that all the kids who go to school can be
as annoying as they want to without being branded as representative of
anything but childhood.

*21 - Quit assuming that my kid must be some kind of prodigy because she’s
homeschooled.

*22 - Quit assuming that I must be some kind of prodigy because I homeschool
my kids.

*23 - Quit assuming that I must be some kind of saint because I homeschool
my kids.

*24 - Stop talking about all the great childhood memories my kids won’t get
because they don’t go to school, unless you want me to start asking about
all the not-so-great childhood memories you have because you went to school.

*25 - Here’s a thought: If you can’t say something nice about homeschooling,
shut up!

*************************

Old Habits Die Hard

2009-12-20T11:54:00.003Z

Which was nearly ols kanots spw kard, such is my touchtyping these days.

Yeah, old habits die hard. Blog neglection is a vicious cycle to break.

It snowed. Yeah. We played in snow. Well, I say 'we', I didn't go anywhere the hell near it. But the boys had a ball. A snow ball. Boom boom.

Im almost organised regarding work for the boys but in reality cannot be arsed doing anything. Hopefully when this building work is finished we will have more room for the resources and room to spread out.

the end

Bugger All

2009-12-09T18:48:00.002Z

Yeah, that about sums it up. I am really battling the Winter Blues this year. It's all I can do to stay awake and not kill people.

We swapped our seasonal books over to Winter (which is what I call organised or what!) and spent a long time reading and re-reading those. Jazzed the nature nature table up to wintery colours and that's IT.

Good blog of a Montessori teacher : The Learning Ark in which she shares her knowledge and insight and resources too. Bargain.

Meh.

2009-12-04T19:18:00.002Z

You know one of those days when...

2009-12-03T18:48:00.002Z

... you never want it to end? Well, I had a similar experience today when I experienced the day I never wanted to start.

Before even opening my eyes I was sensing grey, wet, bleurgh weather and immediately went into a waking-state coma.

I stalled as long as I could, but the inevitable had to be met head-on. So Midget and I snuggled under a quilt on the chair and pretended we were outside in a blowing gale and snuggled up keeping warm together, hiding behind a cushion. Whispering secrets. Giggling. Eldest told us all about erm.... oh it turns out I wasn't listening... HOVERCRAFTS ... I *was* listening. Hovercrafts. Then we monged, and I had caffeine, then they played Lego online games (my bad), then real lego and then post people started arriving left, right and centre and some Gears arrived.

They played gears, honest, and I have photos to prove it but I just cannot be arsed uploading them from my camera (beside me), by putting the plug in (beside me) into the USB port (in front of me). It's THAT kind of day.

Then I gave in and we watched Walking With Beasts and Postman Pat.

A white flag kind of day...

Show & Tell

2009-12-02T19:21:00.003Z

Just like old times this, eh?

OK, so a little round up of what went on today.

Started the midget off with sorting - gave him two colours of buttons to sort and when he had done that we wanted to count them, so he did.

After he had counted them I gave him a sheet with numbers on and he had to put the right number of buttons under each number. He liked doing this (notice the grin)

Eldest had already begun with tangrams this morning, so he continued with that til his brain oozed out of his earholes.

Midget made a teddy out of plasticine

Then I introduced them to a new puzzle - a board of Europe and we discussed various things, blah blah blah. It is self correcting so they pootled along with that without any help from me for a while. Came to put the puzzle away and a piece was missing and resulted in me screaming WHERE'S GERMANY?? WHERE IS IT?? WHERE?? to which DH found it terribly helpful to announce from the kitchen that it is still neighbouring France where it has always been. Hmm he think he's funny, y'see.

Did I tell you (no I didn't because I haven't been here) that Eldest is now trying to read anything in his path. He's had the tools to do it for a while, we've covered all phonics, but he hasn't really felt the need to read before now without prompting. Well, now he IS and just be careful what you write down because he will read it ALOUD. He read almost all the European Nation names (grinning from ear to ear) masha'allah and then grabbed books off the shelf to read anything that took his fancy.

They helped with food prep and played while I cooked.

Read some more masha'allah then played a Ladybug game til one of them threw the dice so irratically that it has now vanished into another dimension. Lesson here : arsing about stops gaming.

Growing Food Link

2009-12-02T16:26:00.002Z

A project that helps teach primary aged children about potatoes. Linked to the national curriculum children will learn how potatoes grow and how they fit in to a healthy balanced diet. All you have to do is register your school to receive a FREE potato growing kit, use the supporting lesson plans and worksheets and for a chance to win fabulous prizes for your school, enter the competition once you have harvested your crops. 12,500 schools already benefit from this classroom experience so don't miss out - register today.

Potato Council

Did you even know we HAD a Potato Council??

Me either. The jokes are endless...

The LINKS page has some good links too.

Allotment Gardening Land Self Sufficiency Link Thing

2009-12-01T22:20:00.002Z

Landshare

Montessori Links

2009-12-01T20:16:00.002Z

Montessori Materials

MontHome

Jenny Yen's Materials

Montessori Teacher's Collective

Montessori World

Montessori Mom

Montessori nation

Posts from my other blog...

2009-12-01T17:44:00.002Z

I thought as a gentle ease into this new home-unschool blog incarnation I'd start with something *out there* which I'd like to share: AquaFlo Pens. Or some such name; they come under different brand names.

But long story short: They are simply water fillable brushes which are convenient enough to take on nature hikes/ outside adventures to allow you to paint and nature journal on the go! Without the need of bottled water (which gets spilled anyway) these ingenious pen-brushes are such an amazing little tool that once you use it you'll wonder why you never thought of it before.

I encourage the children to draw the detail of their piece in permanent pen and use water colours to add the tints, rather than try to paint the whole picture in paints.

So far they have been big hits. We sourced ours on eBay but they should be sold in any decent art and craft store.

AquaFlo pens - remember the name!

For hatching chambers and bugs and even eggs! you can buy online Insectlore UK

Bug hotel has re-opened for one week only to set up the ant farm - we're watching tunnel building, team work, division of labour and intelligence. I'm hoping it might rub off...but not the tunnel-building thing, obviously...

New link:

Islamic Children's Study

Enjoy!

Starting Again

2009-12-01T17:39:00.001Z

OK. There's been a long gap in this blog. I haven't really commited to it - I don't know whether I even want to blog about educational things, but in the past it has helped focus me. I also didn't know whether I should move blogs to Islamic Unschool. Sometimes a fresh start can be so invigorating, but it feels a little disjointed to have our stuff broken into various blogs.

I have also realised that the youngest needs a totally different way to learning than his brother.

Eldest always responded well to Waldorf methods at the age of 4. He wouldn't draw though; he wasn't at the stage where he could hold a pen, and getting him to do anything structured was torture for him.

I continued this way of doing things with youngest, and have noticed his way is different, but it wasn't til he turned 4 that I realised a different way of learning was called for. He is very much hands on - loves organising, counting, re-arranging, making lines of different length and comparing them etc. Very much going for a Montessori way with him insha'allah.

Getting these two peoples' needs met is tough, like being pulled in opposite directions by wild mustangs.

I hope writing this down will make me realise how much we DO and not how much we DON'T.

A summary of today:

Eldest did tangrams til his head hurt and the midget was given magnetix (whatever they're called) and asked to make a square, a triangle and a pentagon. This he did with glee.

After brains were sufficiently tied in knots, they legoed and drew and watched Attenborough's Life on iPlayer. They did something else, but I've forgotten. Can't have been very educational.

ANYWAY, they are now holding a 'who can hold their breath the longest' competition in the sitting room and it's the quietest I've ever known it. I like this game. Maybe we could extend it into a Grand Prix competition? That would be interesting (and quiet)...

2009-09-26T19:16:00.002+01:00

Moctezuma: Aztec Ruler @ the British Museum

Bigbrainz.com - timestable help/game

Free video lectures

Literacy sites - links

2009-08-28T16:04:00.001+01:00

Charlotte Mason
CM Organiser
Saxon Maths
Apologia

New Post :: Last Post

2009-07-27T20:22:00.002+01:00

Well it was obviously going to happen at some point. This blog death has been dragging unnaturally on for a while.

I have another blog which is where I share my crafty side, and I thought it would be nice to have a new blog for our journey together as a family. I intend to keep this blog up for links, and I'll add to the links from time to time; I will inform you of this by also posting the new links as a New Post as well as adding them to the template, like I usually do. But for now why don't you wander on over to my new rambles; I really don't know how this will all work out, but let's see shall we? Yes? OK

Islamic Unschool

xx

Bugs Life

2009-07-11T11:09:00.002+01:00

The caterpillars groweth. Lo! They eateth us out of house and home!

Arachnids. Harvestman.

Dead worms and measurement. I would like you to know the worm was already dead befor the commencement of the ~~torture~~ experiments.

Bugs. Created by God for our amusement. Apparently.

Caterpillars, ants and larvae oh my!

2009-07-09T20:22:00.002+01:00

I'm babysitting a lot of bugs. Thankfully they don't dirty nappies nor require feeding and I cannot hear any *bitching* from them. They are, in many ways, perfect offspring.

InsectLore for butterfly houses and stuff like that.

Quote of the Day

2009-07-05T17:38:00.002+01:00

DH :: Honey, I have some good news and some bads news.

Me :: Good grief, why don't you people just leave me alone?

DH :: The GOOD NEWS is that Jaws cleaned your windows

Me :: Oh for the love of God, I already *know* the bad news....

DH :: Yeah. The bad news is he used a muddy sponge....

Reduce Reuse Recycle

2009-07-05T13:46:00.003+01:00

Think Cans Think Recycling

The Green Team

The Planet - goto 'overview' for videos

Where Does Rubbish Go?

Dinosaurs and all that Rubbish

Why Should I Recycle?

Look After Your Planet (Charlie and Lola)

Paper Making Kit

New Link

2009-04-20T19:55:00.001+01:00

The Emporer Has No Clothes Newsflash ::

2009-04-20T16:59:00.002+01:00

Shock! Horror! Israel has been labelled racist by certain people and other people walk out of room with fingers in their ears going LA LA LA CAN'T HEAR YOU - YOU SMELT IT YOU DEALT IT NA NA NA NA NA
*rolls eyes*

First rule of 'democracy' - don't rock the boat, don't speak truth to the current Firaun, and don't tell teh Emporer he has no clothes. It makes everyone else look bad, OK?

He continued, through an interpreter: "And in fact, in compensation for the dire consequences of racism in Europe, they helped bring to power the most cruel and repressive racist regime in Palestine."

No. Israel is not racist. Repeat: Israel is NOT racist.

LA LA LA CAN'T HEAR YOU...

BBC Article

BRB

2009-04-12T23:25:00.002+01:00

This blog is really crap isn't it.

OK. Still using Jolly Phonics and bought the DVD which the midget :LOVES: and so does Boss, and well, it's learning innit and I can have a cup of tea while they 'learn'.

Maths. Hmmmm....

Then there's FOOTBALL ohmygod there's FOOTBALL and my DH is calling my boys over to the dark side of frigging FOOTBALL. Um, Boss is kinda possessed and wants to be a Brazilian football hero *rolls eyes* just mind my windows please.

We're back onto Dinosaurs.

Jaws likes drawing and writing and saying "I can do ANYTHING" which is nice to think that at least one of my children have escaped my wrath.

I mentioned football? It is rather a large point right now.

Oh and Egypt thingy majiggy. Listening to the audio book by Roger Lancelyn Green 'Tales of Ancient Egypt' and been flicking through Usborne history books and Egypt books etc etc.

And............ that's it.

I'm sure I could have padded it out a bit but there you have the bare bone basics.
Just so you know.

Quote of the Day :: The Midget rocks

2009-03-23T23:46:00.003Z

Boss :: Bubba, don't do that, because if you do that it will BREAK and then we'll need to fix it with superglue

Jaws :: It break??

Boss :: Yes, and then we'd have to glue it

Jaws :: Glue it?

Boss :: Yes - with SUPER glue.

Jaws :: My like stupid glue.

Boss *pissing his pants* ahhhhh you like stupid glue??

Jaws :: Yesh. My like stupid glue. I see the stupid glue peas brudder??

King. Arthur. The. End.

2009-03-12T19:32:00.002Z

Just leave it. If it isn't in Camelot we don't want to know. We play the audio book over and over and over again until Jaws goes bonkers and screams for it to be turned off. We are dressed like a King - even in public *find my happy place find my happy place* We have a tent court which no one else is allowed to enter... or breathe on.

It's just all about Arthur.

Carry on.

2009-03-06T19:23:00.002Z

Once in a while, as a result of creating mostly a mess, the kids come up with a gem which you just know is going to be carried on for a while.

This time? Masks.

Eldest son:

A skull. Of a hominid. It's a mask of a hominid's skull. Note the sloping forehead, ridge above the eyes and no chin....

... .... What?

This is the midget:

Also a mask of a hominid's skull, because evidently hominid skulls is what all the cool kids are doing. And big bro is the man, and they have to have one each of ever-y-damn-thing.

Me?

The hominid skulls freaked me out - can you tell?

And I think we are moving into the realm of papier-mâché.... ... help

Then Boss read this page:

With the phonic blends he had to hand, along with a good dose of guesswork and grinned like a Cheshire Cat when he finished masha'allah. I think I might have been talking in a language that only dogs could hear by that point because I was so proud - squeaky voice and all. Unschooling coupled with sit down lessons? Score. Masha'allah.

And days have been filled with garden play, bug catching, crafting and art. And large doses of in-house bitching. Saves going out looking for it.

Quote of the Day

2009-02-26T14:24:00.002Z

Some none-descript bitching was going on between the two of them; each one a master in the masculine art of wind-up. Boss started moaning and whining and almost on the verge of frustrated tears exclaimed:

"Muuuuum *whiny voice* Muuuuuuuuum. Jaws has RUINED my thing, he RUINED it. MUuuuuuuuuuuuuuum Jaws .... LOOK AT HIM... LOOK ... he's TOUCHING my LEGO!!"

Jaws: *With a look of one who has just stepped in dog poo* Brudder - get a gwip.

Classic! I haven't stopped laughing for ages!!

Act now {which was nearly 'aby npw' but corrected my typo JUST IN TIME}

2009-02-14T16:31:00.003Z

OK so after reading about the fascist regime over on Grit's blog, I remembered I hadn't posted this.

The 'Independent review of home education' AKA the steamrollering over individual rights, the encroachment of democracy by insinuation by the Thought Police and waste of public money with questionnaire. Deadline is 20th February 2009 - please DO respond.

And this petition to remind the government that they are over stepping the mark.

Again please sign.

Unless you want a police state, in which case, do nothing.

But don't say I didn't warn you.

And anyone who has read Nineteen Eighty-Four has a moral responsibility to respond.

But no pressure.

Shaken, not stirred OR 'The good news is - nobody DIED'

2009-02-13T18:24:00.002Z

Any conversation that starts off like that you know is going to be serious. Yeah, so the good news is nobody died or lost their legs. The bad news is the car is a write off.

ANYWAY. Moving swiftly on. Rounding stuff up...

OK, brass monkeys, snow, ice, temperature investigation

Snowflake investigation, paper snowflakes and borax snowflakes.

Borax.I know. When I first heard of the borax snowflakes thing for kids I palpitated - I mean borax??! BORAX??! Isn't that, like, deadly or something??! OK so borax and anthrax are actually completely different things. Who knew.

Boss working his way through Singapore Maths and some sticker books. The midget gets to ass about with Cuisenaire Rods.

Boss trying his hand at writing things unprompted. Usually Monster Truck related.

Fuzzy felt has raised it's fuzzy head again. Big hit with the midget, as is Tap-a-Shape which is known as Hammer-the-Hell-out-of-a-Shape in this house...

The boys have been making books and creating masterpieces masha'allah and today they cut, stuck and partied with my scraps of fabric bag. They love this activity.

Then we watched a Jeff Corwin dvd about crocodiles. He's nice an'all but it ain't David Attenborough....

Then the kids started bitching at each other (loudly) and I threatened school at least 57 times and when that excuse ran dry I ran in waving a ruler like Genghis Khan avalanching towards his enemy, screaming obscenities. That worked. I have a throbbing headache and am trying to come to terms with the fact that my husband was an angel's width away from death or loss of legs today.

I'm out of chocolate. Damn.

Well

2009-02-06T18:44:00.001Z

I had this idea of tarting my blog up and having a grand re-opening.

But I couldn't be assed.

What I will teach my children

2009-01-24T08:50:00.004Z

I will teach them that war is bad. I will teach them aggression is forbidden. I will teach them to respect the innocent and to have mercy towards the weak. I will teach them that the Ends never ever justify the Means. I will teach them that for every action there is a reaction which is equal and opposite. I will teach them about karma and The Scales of Justice which are gently balanced, ready to swing to regain composure if they are unevened in anyway, even if it is by the weight of a mustard seed. I will teach them about Judgement and what goes around comes around. I will teach them about Right and Wrong, about Oppressors and the Oppressed, Evil and Goodness, Life and Death and what comes after.

I will teach them to love, when there are so many things to hate. I will teach them to speak the Truth even against all the odds, even if it against their own selves. I will teach them to hold onto what is Right even if the world has gone mad. I will teach them to aid the weak, the oppressed, the needy; to spend every ounce of their being rushing their help and assistance to those who have no one. I will teach them tenderness and kindness. I will teach them how to love and to shower love; to know when to act and how to act; to know what is needed and what is to be done. I will teach them how to be Men - standing upright and noble, using the gift of strength for the common good instead of for satisfying selfish lusts or committing acts for base tribalism.

I will teach them Islam.

I will show them injustice so that they may avoid it. I will show them evil so they know its face and won't be fooled. And I will show what hearts without mercy and goodness achieve so they will never be tempted to take the road to hell.

I will teach them this.

Obama ... alright!

2009-01-22T17:06:00.002Z

For the first time in a long time I have some respect for a politician. Respect for due process, fair trials and adherence to Law is what makes our countries the best in the world; not perfect, by any stretch of the imagination, but certainly the best of what's so far on offer. Under Bush and Blair we saw a slide into Police States which frightened the crap out of me, and no one seemed to be able or willing to stop the ride.

Not even two days in office and already Obama has done more good for his country than Bush ever managed in how many years??

Go Obama! You know. So far...

Monster Trucks - the obsession continues...

2009-01-22T11:04:00.003Z

Boss *begged* me to take pictures of every conceivable angle of his trucks. I think we are gearing up for some YouTube entries with speed.com type commentary...

Now turn your volume OFF

Help. Me.

Dear Sad, Neglected Blog

2009-01-18T18:19:00.004Z

How are you? I know, it's been a while. I have no excuses other than I found homeschooling blogging hard - how do you blog little moments in life that mean nothing on paper but untold riches in memories?

Oh sure I could have made more effort, but you see, I have another and I guess I just spend too much time with her, because I know that you'll always be there for me when I come home... I blog about the kids there you too, you know. And I suppose I didn't really know where you fit in. I'm sorry, blog. It's not you, it's me; I have issues with blog commitment; I am a terrible person and you are too good for me; You'd be better off without me; er...(Tries to remember all the blow out lines I've ever heard...)... me no speak Engrish; I'm already involved with a blog; ~~I don't want to kill you but I will~~; I will give it another go, but I don't promise anything; Let's just be friends.

Well let's see now... it's been so long. OK Boss turned seven this month. I thought maybe you'd like to know that. He's still nuts, but at least he doesn't bite peoples' butts anymore. Lately.

Both little guys have various interests. Boss is just into Monster Trucks and stupid insane stuff like that. Jaws is getting a testosterone rush and major boy bonding is going on. We have had split noses; it goes with the territory somewhat.

I am seeing things in Jaws which are confirming hunches I had with Boss. Jaws is drawing lots and lots and loves it. He makes intricate drawings and can sit for an age with a pen. Boss still will not draw without being asked, although his handwriting is neat masha'allah.

This is Jaws - notice if you will the ketchup around his gob. I neglect him badly.

This is a maze.

And this is an articulated road train with lots and lots and LOTS of wheels. We like wheels. We like them a LOT.

A lot of work is based loosely on interests - sit down work in the morning for phonic work, reading, sounding out words, spelling and comprehension, and currently assing about with orange Miquon workbook. Boss likes Maths.

Jaws likes me filling the sink with water and investigating floating and sinking,and keeps asking "but why??"

Boss had a resurgent interest with dinosaurs and how BIG they were, so I introduced bar graphs to him. He likes bar graphs - they allow you to compare sizes easily.He takes this paper everywhere with him.

This is a John Deere tractor with snow plough gritting the roads at night. The sub zero temperatures instigated an interest in temperature, gauging temperature, thermometers, which lead onto the different states of matter: gas, liquid and solid. All good. But of course gritter lorries and snow ploughs are the most important thing about temperature. Of course.

This isn't his usual neat work...

And the shark project is done. Need to tart it up and send it off to printers.

Jaws is also displaying a soft centre. Have to be *really* careful about the concept of dying and bereftness - he was found crying to himself at the end scene of The Snowman and wanted to know where the snowman went and when he thought the boy was sad and lonely because his friend had melted he couldn't speak he was so choked. I remember being this way as a child - so very, very sensitive towards suffering...

But he redeems himself by singing at the top of his voice songs with words like: "I LOVE MUMMY! I LOVE DADDY! I LOVE EVERY-ONE - BUT NOT MY BRUDDER!!!"

Charming. Evidently the male wind-up gene is alive and kicking in him.

So, Blog. I'll leave it there for now. Think that rounds things up nicely, don't you?

I'd prefer it if we didn't get too clingy - give me some space; I'll ring YOU. Let's take this one step at a time...

Later.

Get ready for BirdWatch

2009-01-16T12:07:00.001Z

That time of year again peeps.

Be THERE or be square.

MP says dyslexia bogus

2009-01-14T12:22:00.001Z

MP brands dyslexia as a 'fiction'

The article

Any takers??

Can anybody explain to me

2008-12-28T13:06:00.002Z

in a coherent and convincing manner why there was absolute media outrage that President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad gave the Channel 4's Christmas message, but the killing of non combatants and children with military precision and force get no more than a few tuts of international shrugging of shoulders?????

By all means fight if that makes you happy, but how about keeping the kids out of it, eh??

To donate to help those afflicted you can donate here.

I'm bored so I thought I'd

2008-12-26T14:13:00.003Z

wander over here, to the blog equivalent of the junk room, and post something.

OK. Monster trucks are still very much the order of the day and I think we might have found Boss' calling as a sports commentator - you know, with the nonestopnonestononestop talking we might just have found the answer to Murray Walker.

In lieu of his obsession for the trucks we have adapted our learning style to accommodate this ardent lust. He has been sounding out words and writing things like... hot... wheels... monster... mutt.... big... fut.... maximum .... blue... thunder. You know, the basics. It's like pennies have dropped and the cogs have new springs in their motions - at last he sees some value to this reading and writing gig - you get to write about trucks, dude.

Hmmm... been making bird food garlands for the shortest day. To eat. Not to wear. Obviously. But then, that's their choice. If they choose to wear them who am I to disagree? Popcorn and cranberries.

We have been doing lots of sewing

We've also been doing some seasonal crafting, like making pomanders (no, not commanders, thankyouverymuch spell checker) and little spice bags to make the house smell nice.

Then with some salt doh we made some candle holders, which we painted in time for the shortest day.

Been bird watching. So far we have noticed goldfinches, blue tits, great tits, dunnocks (not the teacakes, unfortunately), robin, and boring old sparrows, blackbirds and starlings.

Oh and a kestrel, who is helping out on our rat problem by decimating the rat population, and very kindly leaving the carcasses for us to dispose once it has eaten the nice juicy innards. We learned how to tell whether you have a bird of prey or a mammalian predator, because the mammals eat everything, whilst the birds only eat the innards and leave the outer shell, feet, tails and head. So there you go. If you find a pile of feathers and no body the predator is either a cat or a fox, whilst the remains of a mutilated body means it is a raptor. Or the Yorkshire Ripper. You'll be pleased to learn I didn't take any photographs of mutilated rats. Next time, I promise.

And just some fun of the fair thrown in for good measure

Aaaaaaannnnd I'm still bored.

Magnets & Monster Trucks

2008-11-17T18:25:00.002Z

Are the latest crazes for cool kids around here. Honestly truly loopy about both.

Still on our Shark project, which has been unnaturally extended due to um, me not bothering with it even though Boss *begged* to do it. See. I traumatize my children as well as educate them. Two-in-one.

Boss made a list of sharks he wants to know about and we are making our way through that.

Doing bits of Miquon and Singapore maths, recapping Jolly Phonics sounds, blending and reading and practicing handwriting. Jaws is tracing letters and doing old worksheets off Boss. He is so different to how Boss was at his age.

I'm thinking of changing the blog around a bit. Or maybe getting a different platform altogether. Perhaps even passwording it. *shrugs*

Right I'm going to go braindump Sharks, Monster trucks, Magnets and seasonal stuff insha'allah.

Lego

2008-11-07T10:43:00.002Z

Found some unusual bits of Lego (half a bag full masha'allah) on a recent thrifting spree and there has been renewed vigour in Lego related activity.

Did some design work - looked at things at the concept level and got going:

And translated it into Lego

Looked at the Bloodhound page. Discussed the idea of modification and things like that.

Been reading about Bonfire night and Guy Fawkes etc. Lots of firework pictures and glitter everywhere

And lots of drawing, game playing, cosying and reading various books as interest takes over.

Nature Journals

2008-11-02T15:10:00.002Z

Inspired very much by this book, nature journaling has taken a hold in this little bunch of homeschoolers.

Too often when we are immersed in nature we rely on the camera to capture our memories, to capture the details. By resorting back to pen and paper not only are the boys' drawing skills being fine tuned, but more importantly than that, so too are eyes. We stop more; we notice more. We look for the details to document.

Even I have been drawn in and slowed down by the process...

The basis of any deep thinker, any scientist of note, is to able to form the right questions, and then seek relentlessly the answers.

Stopping awhile and noticing more, it would amaze you at the questions that arise, at the curiousity it generates, at the answers that are sought.

Nature journaling - a real gift.

Very fast things Links

2008-10-23T18:28:00.003+01:00

Thrust SSC land speed record video

Bloodhound SSC Site - follow the adventure

Future Fighters - Discovery Chanel video

Ultimate Strike Planes 1 F15 Eagle - Discovery

Ultimate Strike Planes 2 Harrier Jump Jet - Discovery

Ultimate Strike Planes 3 JSF-35 Joint Strike Fighter - Discovery

Ultimate Strike Planes 4 F16 Fighting Falcon - Discovery

Ultimate Strike Planes 5 F117 Night Hawk - Discovery

Ultimate Strike Planes 6 F22 Raptor - Discovery

Ultimate Strike Planes 7 Eurofighter Typhoon - Discovery

The Ultimate Fighter 1: how the jet engine evolved - Discovery

The Ultimate Fighter 2: how the jet engine evolved - Discovery

The Ultimate Fighter 3: how the jet engine evolved - Discovery

Simple Science : Sonic Booms

AH-64D Apache Helicopter Video - Discovery

Army Technology - Apache

How Stuff Works - Apache

DUXFORD aviation museum

Bloodhound Landspeed record attempt - BBC

Engineer Shows Bloodhound model - BBC

Wing Commander Andy Green talks about Bloodhound - BBC

Sorry, sorry.

2008-10-18T11:17:00.002+01:00

Yes, I know how long it's been.

Yes, I am aware of how you've all been waiting.

Yes, I am sorry I haven't posted.

What can I say? I don't feel we've been "doing" very much worth blogging. Then sometimes I worry that other people think my children are backwards for achieving things maybe later than other children. Then sometimes I even consider schooling my kids. Or selling them on eBay. Or leaving them tied up outside an orphanage with a note taped to their mouth. So blogging really isn't something that ties in well with those misgivings and doom mongering scenarios.

But I know that my children do achieve alot, even if it's not in writing. And I know that here is a good place to remember these looooong days and short years which time will rob me of if left unwritten. And so I will try to post more often.

Right then. Let's think.

Boss just ran in to tell me he's seen his first wren.

We've been on nature walks and been noting fungal growth and leaf changes. Jaws is tracing letters and is fascinated by anything with wheels. Alkena beeswax plasticine is a big hit here now. Children into screwdrivers and dismantling anything with screws. Mummy needs a valium. And just life and playing and lots of reading going on.

Yeah, it's Ramadan. ANYWAY...

2008-09-12T19:15:00.002+01:00

Did I mention Boss had a slight interest in planes and supersonic aviation? Well I was wrong. It isn't a slight interest - it's a downright compulsive obsession bordering on the need for trained medical staff. I now know almost every strike plane on the planet, the pros and cons of said planes (we're fans of the FA/22 and F35, but the Harrier Jump Jet is, for all it's drawbacks in the face of such ubermodern competition, Boss' favourite. No spellchecker it is 'favourite' with a 'u') and I think I know the physics behind the breaking of the sound barrier. None of which would have been possible without YouTube. Hurrah.

When we are not talking about strike planes, watching strikes planes, reading about strikes planes, or indeed being strike planes then we are drawing strike planes. And aircraft carriers.

We are also BIG fans of Thrust.

And I am wondering if they could invent silent strike planes who break the sound barrier ever so quietly because my ears are bleeding.

The end.

A list of links to follow insha'allah.

STOP PRESS: expert says "Let em read what they find interesting" shocker

2008-08-19T21:09:00.002+01:00

Mr Brown also urges parents and teachers to allow children to follow their own interests.

"If interest gets really hooked by something they will read any and everything that is relevant: so skateboarding, BMX, wildlife, dinosaurs and football come up as choices."

Frigging inspired innit. You can see how these educational "experts" really earn their salary. *rolls eyes*

Link to article

Form Drawing

2008-08-19T18:21:00.002+01:00

Jaws' offerings:

Form drawing. Harder than it looks! Boss was pooped ;-)

Form Drawing Links

Raphael House School
MillenialChild

Two consecutive posts??

2008-08-18T18:26:00.003+01:00

Wonders never cease.

ANYWAY.

Today was just a sit around the table with craft day. Messy paints and some beeswax modelling clay stuff. Discussions on driving licenses, fighter planes and various other stuff. Boss LOVES this video and has it bookmarked.

Been playing fighter planes all day.

Started a new Secret Seven book and I'm pooped. Night kids.

snapping turtle

Crocodile

So. Where were we?

2008-08-17T18:19:00.003+01:00

Back from another adventure up North. Lots of beach play and socialisation with the schooled hoards.

Made it back to our favourite forest walk and were lucky enough to witness these amazing birds right beside the bridle way in the conifer trees

"Ooh LOOK" I enthuse. "Look, Boss. I've NEVER seen these birds. Ever. Look"

Boss: Yes. I've seen them.

Me: No. LOOK. Stop a minute and witness nature first hand. Take a note and try to find it in your book when you get home...

Boss: Yes *annoyed* I've SEEN them.

Me: *Annoyed* Look, just STOP and look at them. They're unusual!

Boss: *Sharply* MUM. They're FIRECRESTS. The UK's smallest bird. You FIND them in conifer trees *walks off, uninterested*

I close my dropped jaw, humbled at the innate wisdom of unschooling, my faith restored and just a little in awe of my eldest midget. He was almost right as well. Firecrests are very very similar to Goldcrests, which I think they were. But I could be wrong cos the little buggers didn't sit still long enough to get a good look. But still - two birds which I didn't know existed and the midget did. Score.

Firecrest

Goldcrest

Boss into Spot the Difference books now, and mazes, and has been working on his own mazes too:

Jaws is doing everything Boss is doing because Boss is his hero and love of his life:

And that's your lot.

Please read

2008-07-11T10:27:00.003+01:00

A sister sent me this information. Please disseminate it too if you have a blog

The new AMERICAN Quran: a dangerous trick a new Quran is being distributed in Kuwait titled 'The True Furqan'. It is being described as the Ayats of the Shaytan and Al-Furqan weekly magazine has found out that the two American printing companies;' Omega 2001' and 'Wine Press' are involved in the publishing of 'The True Furqan', a book which has also been titled 'The 21st Century Quran'! It is over 366 pages and is in both the Arabic and English languages...it is being distributed to our children in Kuwait in the private English schools! The book contains 77 Surats, which include Al-Fatiha, Al-Jana and Al-Injil. Instead of Bismillah, each Surat begins with a longer vision of this incorporating the Christian belief of the three spirits.

And this so-called Quran opposes many Islamic beliefs.
This book even goes as far as attacking Allah, Subhanahu wa Tahala! All this is poisoning our children at approx. $3.

Brothers and Sisters please make sure you forward this email to as many people as possible so that we can stop this dangerous trick.

Please tell everyone you know and may Allah reward you.

Amazon Link

The Quiltmaker

2008-07-07T19:24:00.003+01:00

Jaws wants to use my sewing machine. I said no. Why? Because your feet won't reach the pedal...

"OK. When I a big boy. I AM A BIG BOY but when my legs big boy DEN my have sew sheen??"

OK so when his feet can touch the floor he may use the sewing machine and he is very happy to know this.

Today some cutting and sticking was in order - zones my midgets out like no one's business. All that potential lethal weaponry - and glue! oh the glue.

Boss and I snuggle up often with our new fave book The Quiltmaker's Journey so today I have him a chance to make his own none-sew quilt.

Using a pile of interesting scraps from my scrap bin we sheared manageable sizes of clothe and set to work. Boss enjoyed the composition and Jaws enjoyed playing with the glue stick. Some finished quilts ...

Jaws':

Boss':

If you haven't already found it, here is an excellent craft ideas blog - ideas collated from all over the blogosphere about kids crafts: The Craft Crow.

And finally, totally bummed out to find the David Attenborough evening lecture has already sold out, but enjoyed this site and ooh competition and a couple of Dave clips.

Butterfly restaurants

2008-07-06T21:38:00.002+01:00

We made a butterfly restaurant with ripe fruit and sugar.

Then enjoyed and picnicked in the garden.

Then the monsoon set in. And I'm tearing my hair out.

Altogether now!

2008-06-25T14:13:00.001+01:00

We've been jigging to this ALOT today. I defy you not to tap your foot.

Sums the difference between my two sons up

2008-06-23T14:54:00.001+01:00

Jaws:

Boss:

Jaws-isms

2008-06-17T11:28:00.002+01:00

1. Swawblelly - strawberry

2. Notty not! (no it's not)

3. My love you a bits. My love you morer (back to saying "my" instead of "I")

4. Wellow (yellow)

5. Brudder!! (Brother)

6. But Mummy (innocent face) I not talking to YOU I talking to brudder (the cheek has started)

7. Dats it I pack my bags and I GOING (I have taken him from the beloved garden for food)

8. My live wiv NANA (threats of packing bags not enough) I get in HONDA and I DRIVE a NANAs!! (accompanied by red face, swollen vein-throbbing temples and stamping feet)

9. My want Ambly peas (Allonby, please - a seasise hangout of ours up North)

10. Me a-well! Me a-well! (anything he hears other people getting)

Life on a PYO farm

2008-06-11T13:16:00.002+01:00

A bit early in the season but needed to walk in fresh air and be connected to the earth, since allotment idea won't take off til next year at least.

Fortunate enough to see Red Kites! I know, how's that - we go looking for them in the forest and never see one, and now we don't look they are virtually landing on our shoulders! Allah gives.

Amused to see the crows fighting them mid-air.

Picked strawberries, ate strawberries, children played in playground, I imbibed caffeine and bought home made jam, marmalade and local honey. Local honey is always best, especially for hayfever.

It's as close to homegrown as the kids are going to get this year...

Big boy now

2008-06-03T12:06:00.001+01:00

Started a Shark project at Boss' insistence. Links to follow insha'allah.

Garden, mostly

2008-05-29T14:02:00.004+01:00

Goldfinches are nesting in our garden, and after days of rain we are making the most of good weather by a bit of hit-n-run gardening. I dream of bigger things as I plant some herbs in planters. Everything is so expensive *sigh*

A good site for urban self-sufficiency-wannabes: Self Sufficient-ish

Boss into sharks and most things animal, Jaws into destroying and hammering and most things destructable. Life goes on.

So we saw the ospreys

2008-05-22T20:15:00.002+01:00

Yes. We actually saw them. Well, we saw the female and Boss declared he was bored and both my mother and I almost drop-kicked him over Bassenthwaite, but still. I was pleased that we were there tally-hoo for them.

Next.

Educationally, we just lived our life and it seems to be a big hit. In no particular order, evidence:

Off to find the ospreys

Um.... an osprey.... yeah OK I told you I needed a new camera...

The dark tree in the middle is where the nest is...

kinetic energy investigations

Construction

The movement of the planet in relation to larger spherical interplanetary bodies

I just kinda kill you with images don't I?

WAIT! This has been sitting to be edited for an age!!

2008-04-26T15:06:00.001+01:00

**SORRY to whoever asked the question initially - I totally had intended to respond, I made a start and it sat in my draft section totally forgotten about (I don't usually save posts to draft so never remembered about it). And now I'm out of the door and, well, I'm sorry - just a list of links. Gah**

Could you give me some advise as to HOW to start homeschooling??? I have NO CLUE where to begin...

Learning is not the product of teaching. Learning is the product of the activity of learners.

"Education... now seems to me perhaps the most authoritarian and dangerous of all the social inventions of mankind. It is the deepest foundation of the modern slave state, in which most people feel themselves to be nothing but producers, consumers, spectators, and 'fans,' driven more and more, in all parts of their lives, by greed, envy, and fear. My concern is not to improve 'education' but to do away with it, to end the ugly and antihuman business of people-shaping and to allow and help people to shape themselves."

John Holt

I don't actually school my children. They are both under 7 and Islamically we don't teach them until after that. This ties in with a lot of educational philosophy that has observed seven to be the age when mental faculties become ready for formal learning.

My own thoughts
And here

And here

Unschooling
Unschooling Wiki
John Holt
Gatto Wiki
Gatto's Official Site
Homeschooling Wiki
Waldorf Wiki
Montessori Wiki
Classical Education Wiki

Kinza Academy

Ospreys and lake play and woodland, oh my

2008-04-26T11:35:00.002+01:00

We are heading out for adventures further afield. If there is internet connection up there in thar tham hills maybe I'll post, but if electricity has not yet reached up yonder then I'll see you if we get back in one piece.

Hopefully be able to part of THIS up close.

Leave you with some piccies.

Praying for beach and lakeside play!

Lulu

2008-04-25T14:29:00.004+01:00

A while ago, it seems like forever, I ordered a surprise for my little Professor.

Remember the Animal Classification Project we did last year (ye gads how could you forget)? Well it was loved so much it kept falling apart. And falling apart. And falling apart. To say Boss was disappointed would be an understatement.

Then I discovered Lulu. I have to say the waiting and the cost annoyed me no end. Until today when we received our own copy of the Animal Classification Project in hard copy, professionally printed. And I am impressed. Very impressed. The quality is good.

And Boss is like a Cambridge don carrying his thesis around and re-reading his work like he's never seen it before.

On another note, Jaws has reached a milestone today. Yesterday it was all "my like it" and "my done a poo poo" and "my love you" and today, suddenly it is "I". And somehow he seems less baby now. And I miss the cuteness... would it be wrong to teach him to say "my like it"??

Bikbik anyone?? My like it...

Elaine made me do it...

2008-04-19T23:31:00.002+01:00

Thank you Elaine for the tag, here goes:

The rules are as follows:
1) Link to the person who tagged you.
2) Post the rules.
3) Share six non-important things / habits / quirks about yourself.
4) Tag at least three people.
5) Be sure the people you tagged KNOW you tagged them by commenting what you did.Six non-important things/habits/quirks about me:

1) I can't think of six things about me. This means I'm either shallow or brain dead. Maybe even both. Personally I'm going for the brain dead option.

2) Is being a bitch a quirk? OK my quirk is I'm a bitch. Nearly wrote 'batch' and you would have all said, 'a batch of *WHAT*??', and I would have said, 'WHAT??! Why are you TALKING to me??! Get LOST'. Cos I'm a bitch.

3) I once worked in America for a political lobby to ensure Oliver North didn't make Senate. We won. Ha ha.

4) I love hummus and brown sauce sandwiches.

5) I used to be vegan for four years then jacked it in for a chicken curry.

6) I passed my German GCSE with learning one standard phrase: ich weis es nicht. It's a very useful, catch-all phrase. A bit like oui oui mon cheri but without the prospect of being stalked by perverts.

Thank God it's over.

Tagging...
oh anyone who wants a go. Can't be assed letting three people know.

"LOOK, Mummy! A SNOW tree!"

2008-04-17T17:54:00.003+01:00

Is what Jaws calls blossom trees. Ahhhh.

Handed our library books in and faced a £21 fine. *faints* I know. These things are worse than credit cards; I've cut them up already. You can look but you can't touch. The kids went to the junior section and got hounded out by a squeaky-voiced, none-stop talking 3 or 4 four year old who was more annoying than a hornet who had peed his pants and sat on EVERY goddamn seat leaving stains, before I dry hurled and flounced out vowing never to return.

Public libraries? Pah.

P.S. A good site for your budding inventors

Crash and burn - you'd think I'd learn...

2008-04-16T16:38:00.004+01:00

Boss dug this book out of the bookshelves today for some reason

Found on a recent thrift recon mission...

Ended up reading it and then an impromptu static leccy experiment with a plastic handle and tissue paper. Very good. Then scratting about in the drawer found some old wire (I hope), a battery and bulb.

NOT shaking nits out of her comb...

I made the mistake of trying to by-pass conventional experimental techniques and held all bits together with my fingers. Yes it burned. Much to the amusement of Boss. You'd think I'd learn - but managed to burn myself a further three times before declaring the point of the experiment a success: never play with electrics and always get a grown up to kill themselves on your behalf.

Lesson learned. Fingers burned.

Shout out

2008-04-16T10:39:00.000+01:00

I've updated the shop early. Yes, I know. Planning - not 'me'.

Anyway, I have some plans in the pipeline insha'allah so this update is only open for a week then I take it offline. Boys secretly wishing for it not to sell because they want these

I suppose that's a compliment?

Gone Fishing...

2008-04-15T14:41:00.002+01:00

Note to self: clean the damn oven. It oozes.

2008-04-12T14:22:00.002+01:00

Answer to self: Since when did *you* start caring??

Spent yesterday cooking and having a nervous breakdown, 'tea' with my babes and snuggly muffin and tea "picnics" in the living room.

Today a walk and bracing run around, back home for garden play, hissy fitting and mother killing through insanity inducing measures. Lovely. Don't you just *love* toddlers? Really? Want mine? Kidding kidding ... *narrows eyes*...

I found this tucked away near the gates of the great house. Oh how I had to FIGHT that urge to ring it and run away... I think next time I'll get the boys to press it *wicked grin*

Sentry Duty...

Boss wants to start a shark and deep sea life project so insha'allah we will try and plan that out this p.m. - he has already sorted through all his books with information he wants to use.

Jaws is coercing me into a game of cars, "peas". And I think they both want to Shanghai me for a game of snakes & ladders...

Me? I think tonight I need to do some crafting and maybe a shop update next week sometime insha'allah.

Spring, just like the good old days

2008-04-10T19:46:00.000+01:00

It was such a warm and lovely day here today. Spring-like you might say. Which is a novel thing these days. The last two years Spring seems to have consisted of three months of solid rain, followed by a summer of solid rain followed by two weeks of hit-the-ground-running-end-of-summer nice weather followed by winter. So to have a spring-like spring day is a novelty. And appreciated very very much.

Had a good run around and investigations. Fed ducks. Bounced on floating bridge. Played in water. Played in playground. Had a cup of tea in cafe and a little train ride then back home for garden play.

Just LOVE days of memory-making masha'allah. Lots of sunshine and silliness and animal/bird spotting and good old fashioned oxygen. Enjoyed spotting so many different birds. All going TWEET TWEET at the top of their little gobs. And nest spotting. Very nice.

Flickr does Video now.

There you are. I'm not lying.

And a load of photos. Tonnes - a day I want to remember - a day of sun and fun.

Hope you all had a good day too!

xx

Family Art Time

2008-04-09T19:36:00.001+01:00

Inspired today by sharks

Embroidery

2008-04-08T16:47:00.001+01:00

Started the boys off on their own embroidery adventures.

They LOVED it and the only problem I had was convincing them to stop. I didn't really have to show them what to do - they've been watching for me for so long they just knew what to do. Jaws was particularly good at it masha'allah.

And then it snowed

2008-04-05T18:52:00.002+01:00

And the absolute best bit of the day

followed by finding some lovely fabric FQs for 50p in THIS shop. If you are ever in the area then I highly recommend stopping by this shop; it's lovely. Not child friendly but full of crafty things, handmade things, lovely lovely bits and bobs and unique gift ideas. Love it.

Window Stars

2008-04-02T13:58:00.001+01:00

Window star pattern

Jazakillah to Sabera for the link

Those boots were made for walking

2008-04-02T10:43:00.003+01:00

And smashing and splashing, apparently...

Catching the sun

2008-03-31T18:41:00.003+01:00

People are going MAD over on Waldorf Inspired Homeschoolers Flickr with kite paper window stars this year. So here are ours, very easy and very beautiful masha'allah

Why not give them a go?

Books :: Islam

2008-03-27T13:46:00.002Z

OK a list of Islamic books, for those who are intersested. This is for children, obviously; there are other books I'd recommend for adults and those interested in Islam from a personal search perspective>

Islam for Dummies, for a basic understanding.

The Lives of the Prophets

Ramadan
Beautifully illustrated storybook.

Hajj Stories

Fasting and Dates

My first Ramadan

Islamic Stories

The Great Night Journey and Other Stories

If anyone has anymore please add them in the comments box.
Thanks!

xx

Books :: Some Spring Books

2008-03-21T14:20:00.001Z

Currently enjoying this:

The Story of the Root Children
All through the winter the Root Children are asleep underground, but when spring comes Mother Nature wakes them up. Then the Root Children are busy cleaning and painting the beetles and bugs.

The Spring Equinox: The Greening of the Earth
A look at springtime equinox and the rituals of rebirth that are common to lots of cultures in the world and throughout history

Pelle's New Suit
Pelle has a lamb whose coat grows longer and longer, while Pelle's Sunday suit grows shorter! Pelle shears the lamb, and the wool is carded, spun, dyed and woven. Finally, the tailor makes a new suit for Pelle.

Anyone got any others to share??

2008-03-20T19:16:00.003Z

So it's the vernal equinox and it's precipitating down. Hardly the start of spring one wants but hardly the start of spring unexpected by one. If one knows what one means.

Flowers on the table, a new spring-like tablecloth too to boot and the children and I made bird's nests from paper plates. As you do. And then we made jolly flowers out of crepe paper and pipe cleaners and decorated some eggs with crayons (as I was by this point too weary of a possible clearing up session from Crayola paint. Which lets face it, has the half life of uranium. Still clearing up from the LAST paint ~~fight~~ session). Jaws kindly made some pipe cleaner caterpillars too.

Jaws also made this... for the 'birds'... ah

So. There you have it. Here we are and there we are. And there we are and here we are. Jollity and gaiety and what have you. You're welcome. Just don't hurt yourself.

Next!

The one where all the women out there say: "Ain't that the truth"

2008-03-19T17:01:00.001Z

A man came home from work and found his children outside, still in their pajamas, playing in the mud, with empty food boxes and wrappers strewn all around the front yard.

The door of his wife's car was open, as was the front door to the house and there was no sign of the dog. Proceeding into the entry, he found an even bigger mess. A lamp had been knocked over, and the throw rug was wadded against one wall.

In the front room the TV was loudly blaring a cartoon channel, and the family room was strewn with toys and various items of clothing.

In the kitchen, dishes filled the sink, breakfast food was spilled on the counter, the fridge door was open wide, dog food was spilled on the floor, a broken glass lay under the table, and a small pile of sand was spread by the back door.

He quickly headed up the stairs, stepping over toys and more piles of clothes,looking for his wife. He was worried she might be ill, or that something serious had happened.

He was met with a small trickle of water as it made its way out the bathroom door.

As he peered inside he found wet towels, scummy soap and more toys strewn over the floor. Miles of toilet paper lay in a heap and toothpaste had been smeared over the mirror and walls.

As he rushed to the bedroom, he found his wife still curled up in the bed in her pajamas, reading a novel. She looked up at him, smiled, and asked how his day went.

He looked at her bewildered and asked, "What happened here today?"

She again smiled and answered, "You know every day when you come home from work and you ask me what in the world I do all day?"

"Yes," was his incredulous reply.

She answered, "Well, today I didn't."

Thankyou Farzana for that ;-)

Homeschooling: storage solutions

2008-03-18T17:04:00.004Z

~~The Destroyers~~ The children are happily engaged in a non-destructive activity so time for a quick blog update? I think so.

How are you, anyway? Yes the pills are working fine thankyouverymuch. Not much. Can't complain. The tyre fell off. Orange. I have no idea what I'm talking about. I hope that answers all your questions.

Not "done much". Had a lovely family springtime garden clear up on Friday; dug over hard soil; planted grass seed *rolls eyes* long story; cleared the leaves; scrubbed the garden furniture of various bird snot and mold; put the trampoline together; dug the bikes out of hibernation at the bottom of the shed, swept the concrete and paths and sang tra-la-la spring has sprung and all that. Fresh air for a whole day. I love having the biggest room in the house open for business again.

Boss has currently found an interest in floor jigsaw puzzles and Jaws loves "helping"; also liking those wooden jigsaw things I bought an age ago where you put the alphabet in order etc.

Thrifted some more books masha'allah - some German-English books, which let's face it is pimps. Much easier than French innit. Same language, except with no X. Found some Readers Digest books and a lovely hardback book by David Attenborough "The Trials of Life" which is currently glued to Boss' side and carried with the reverence of Sacred Scripture. Cool pictures and very interesting to read. Of course. The whole point of a book, I believe?

ANYWAY. Storage. Thought I'd babble about storage. Not only for The Books but The Things you need for homeschooling.

I live in a small house; I'm not fishing for pity or donations (although both are quite welcome), but every square inch of this house has to be "working" at full capacity since very often it is shared space and fulfills various functional needs. The kitchen is also our dining room and our study and my craft room and the computer room and and and, for example.

So how do we fit The Books and The Things in? Here's how we do it: Bookcases crammed into every available slot in various available sizes and (cheap) baskets in which to ~~cram~~ place things.

Obviously we have shelves for books masha'allah

And we have some easily accessible books that are read everyday.

The bookshelves are obviously taking up more room as we grow. Regarding toys I prefer baskets to one large toybox simply because ~~I am anally retentive~~ I like having a place for everything and everything having a place.

Why? Well for one thing it makes tidying up easier - even a toddler can put things in a basket; and secondly I have noticed that my boys are more like to play better when they know where things are. Looking into a big box of crap is stressful; mess is stressful. And by having separate baskets for different items the children can get to what the need quickly.

It also teaches them respect of possessions since nothing is chucked in on top of one another in a disrespectful manner. Much.

And since we are currently Jigsaw City here's how I store them:

Ziploc bags so as not to lose any pieces and then stacked like books in a ... basket! If the jigsaws come with a "completed" front picture to work from on a box front I simply cut that out and stick it in the ziploc bag. I have no space for unnecessary boxes, so ziploc bags really are a workable solution.

Art supplies. Kept at midget height on my craft shelves.

I have some baskets full of "adult supervision required" things - you know, like glitter which would be in every corner of the house looking like a Hindu Mandir if I didn't control the usage thereof. Then above those baskets is one general basket they are free to take out anytime full of felts, crayons, pastels, modelling wax etc. And for bulky material, like craft felt and fabric etc I simply use a tote bag on a coat hook crammed with ~~junk~~ supplies. Glamorous, no?

I'm currently in the process of planning another storage device like a door tidier full of card and tube rolls and scissors and tape and the like for more crafting storage at midget height at midget convenience.

So that's how it gets done at our house. Anyone out there who has any tips to share to make our lives a bit simpler?? Shout outs in the comments please.

xx

Books, on a homeschool budget

2008-03-12T18:51:00.004Z

I was talking to someone last week, before my latest mental breakdown, and it transpired that I was homeschooling. And I flinched and waited for the list of questions which seems to be standard interrogation technique. I won't bore you with the list, because if you homeschool you have heard them, and you don't then you have asked them, but one question made me smile when she asked: "Oh so do you have all The Books??". And I did not know what to say. So I asked her: "WHAT 'books'?". And she said: "THE Books - The Books you need to teach them with". And I bit my lip which wanted to flap: "Oh The Books that have All The Answers to Life the Universe and Everything?", but instead I sighed and said: "We have books."

We have books masha'allah. I do have schemes and work books and things like that, but nothing that we do in a regimented way. The thing with using Books and having A Routine is that I never can live up to that insistence on regimented living. If I wanted to think inside the box I would be schooling my children. If I was a type of person who could live happily with routines I might even be able to hold down a full time job. But I can't. My brain melts and depressions starts because once you have set yourself a goal to be unable to reach it is failure.

Books. Very necessary IMO and I don't know how it started masha'allah but we do have a lot of books; it isn't something that bothers me like having a load of ~~junk~~ toys around. I don't mind a pile of books. My only quibble is having them stood or kneeled on or in anyway dissed.

We started off with board books and story books and somewhere along the line, to cope with Boss' insatiable animal and plant interest we have developed a large non-fictional range too masha'allah. We try to segregate the books into story and non-story books, but I think the day is not far off when further classification is needed - into geography, history, dinosaurs, animals, plant, science, transport/DT, and geology. And still the pile grows masha'allah.

And here's how:

We thrift. Ta da. Rocket science, no? I think if you have ever gone fishing about in charity shops you will find there is a line of specialty in each shop - some shops specialise in clothes; some in trinkets; some in old and rare books; well we have one that has an excellent children's book section, masha'allah, and rarely a week goes by without some serious purchasing going on. Here are just a few latest finds from the last couple weeks masha'allah:

Found the day after our nightly earthquake, quite conveniently

Always a nose in a book masha'allah

And don't limit yourself to children's books. A growing number of our books are actually designed for adults - National Geographic and Reader's Digest being exceptionally good, but also keep your eyes out for Nature Guides, Field Guides, Nature Journals, Bird watcher Books etc etc.

I remember being in one thrift shop and made a casual remark: "Oh I'll just get these for Boss, he'll be chuffed to bits with them", and they happened to be a book on Beginners Gardening and another on Deep Sea Diving and Aquatic Life. She started and said "Oh these are not for children!", to which the woman in charge guffawed and said "Oh Ho - you don't know our Boss!", for she has been at the receiving ends of many lectures on all sorts of topics from Volcanoes and the Weather to deep sea fish and bird migration. A book beyond their age stretches them and gives them more to think about. It stretches them, and if coupled with age appropriate work/books can be very enriching.

So. I think we have The Books.

Books don't have to be expensive to be useful; they don't have to carry a label or be brand new - anything with information deserves a place in your child's library and you might surprised in what directions new interests take.

Right.

Currently reading this (from Amazon btw):

And it's charming masha'allah. Would like to do a post about Spring reading, so if anyone has any recommendations about books that celebrate or include spring then please leave an email or comment eh?

xx

So anyway

2008-03-11T23:27:00.002Z

I sat on my hands til the urge to either ring boarding school or social services had passed. Have lost sensation in fingers due to the length in time this took. Getting over some serious feelings of failing absolutely everybody who comes into contact with me (this is an ongoing mental defect, so don't pay much attention), and found tonnes of lost digital photos I had 'lost' from a couple years back. So in lieu of a real post or anything worthy telling you, here instead are a few piccies eh? Why not.

And now that I have caused death to Dial-Up, my work here is done. You're welcome.

Another one with no photos... and perhaps a bit of negativity thrown in for good measure

2008-03-07T11:28:00.002Z

I am tired. Very very tired. We walked a lot (not a LOT but a lot for us) yesterday and I am fat and unfit and I was a zombie at the end of the day; odd then that I didn't drop off til 2am; odder then that I got up 8am without having to be crowbarred out of bed. But now I am TIRED because I don't function on 6 hours sleep. So bearing in mind that I am tired.

The Maths books haven't been found. My house is a mess. I have no car. I have no money. I am tired. My house smells of shut in cattle and my children are monging around the sitting room like teenagers outside a chippy. They are "bored". This irritates me. When I am bored I *do* something; I don't wait for someone to come and entertain me, do my thinking for me, scratch my arse and draw pictures for me. But my children are male so some allowances have to be made. I am irritated that they have no reason to be bored yet they still are. I am irritated that any attempt to de-boredom them results in whining. This is not how homeschool should be. I wanted one of those children who do experiments with kitchen appliances and under-the-sink chemicals; I wanted children who would created architectural masterpieces with matchsticks and dried saliva; I wanted children who would teach themselves Japanese by reading the labels off my fabric stash. THIS IS NOT WHAT I HAD IN MIND PEOPLE:

Me: Come on boys; time for some work.

*WHINING NOISES*

Me: Come on! Let's exercise our brains shall we?

*Boss comes in and gives me a gobfull of cheek and smart arse comeback. I tell him when he can read he can act clever, but right now he is a shitehawk so sit at the table. He says he wants a holiday because it is Friday. I tell him OK but bring the phone so I can ring the school up. He sits at the table and begins some work. As per usual he asks me to do it for him. Then acts pained when I tell him the stuff between his ears is not loft insulation and he must do his own thinking. This pains him even more. I shout. He whines. I shove them in the garden. They whine. I eat chocolate and caffeine*

I think I'll just wave the white flag and admit defeat.

No Photos

2008-03-05T19:38:00.002Z

Sorry. No photos for this one.

Right where am I.... um OK Boss reading masha'allah. Need to cover the various alternative spellings for ai and oi and something else which I can't remember. Handwriting is masha'allah very nice; I am most impressed and I love him to bits. Spelling - we are sounding out words and he has to write them - started simple three letter words like pig (comes in so useful when you are a muslim dont you find *rolls eyes*) and cup etc and now using sound blends for him to write, like boat and rain etc etc.

Reading through some Jolly Phonic Readers. Very. Slow. Ly.

Completely LOST a whole Singapore maths book AND the photocopied sheets which is mind boggling. I must have chucked it by accident. Bizarre. And annoying. Still doing rod work with Miquon.

Drawing - lots. Walking round in circles - lots. Fighting brother and pushing mum to the edge of shoving him in boarding school - LOTS.

Changed the nature table to a tentative spring and promptly snow fell for two days in a row in the morning and now my blackberry bush is cold. I LISTENED TO YOU. Never again.

Jaws likes drawing and playdoh and annoying everyone and spitting and putting water in his mouth and squirting it in every corner of the house and under cushions.

I am painting. There is no chocolate in the house. I have bills to pay and debts to clear and I feel like I am wading in treacle. Except it doesn't taste as good as treacle. Treacle wading would be an improvement. AND I'm done.

xx

Earthquake continued...

2008-02-28T10:09:00.002Z

Found this as to why Britain, far away from plate margins, experienced an earthquake:

The UK lies well away from the world's tectonic hotspots but these processes still play a role in the country's relatively small tremors.

Many of the quakes in the UK are clustered around an enormous block of rock known as the Midlands Microcraton. This is an ancient, Precambrian (older than 590 million years) feature that runs up through Birmingham towards the Potteries.

It is composed of harder rocks than those either side of it. Although the details are not well understood, it seems likely that, in response to tectonic pressures originating in the Atlantic (where the surface of the Earth is being pulled apart), those softer rocks on either side are disturbed.

There are a number of active faults that line the Midlands Microcraton and many of the tremors experienced on the western side of the English Midlands, up to the Pennines, are a result of rocks jostling in this area.

Britain also feels the effects of earthquakes in the North Sea. Here, the crust is much thinner and it is also marked by large numbers of faults.

Conversely the BGS are keen to have feedback on the earthquake from all and sundry:

The British Geological Survey will be keen to hear from anyone who experienced the quake. It will be useful to know how strong the shaking was at different distances, measured in terms of the effects that people noticed - rattling windows, falling ornaments and so on.

Knowing the distance at which strong effects might occur in an earthquake is important for safety planning. Engineers at nuclear power stations, for example, need to understand how their plant may be affected by tremors.

If you felt the quake, the BGS is urging you to visit its website and to fill in one of its online forms.

And you can find the short questionnaire HERE.

Do I struggle with depression?

2008-02-27T10:57:00.004Z

No, I'm actually really good at it - boom boom.

ANYWAY

Been doing a bit of this. A bit of that. Will probably have to cover earthquakes today even though they slept through it. *Rolls eyes*

So a bit of writing practice, reading practice, early readers a little sequencing work in maths. All easy peasy lemon squeasy. Or easy peachy lemon squeaky as spell checker seems to insist.

Out in the garden and I'm debating whether it is warm enough to plant this:

Leave it til the Vernal Equinox you say? Oh go on then. If you say so...

Meanwhile back at the farm...

2008-02-25T13:59:00.002Z

Been doing nothing educational, um, apart from living. Had various walks into town for paint and thrifting treasures. I like the way that everyone in these shops knows Boss' name and how he happily talks to at them telling them all about volcanos and deep sea fish and Saturn and Thomas the Tank engine and fog etc etc. I love the way they say "bye" to him and not me :D And I love the fact that I don't know any other (schooled) six year old who could have such deep and meaningful conversations with an adult (authority drummed into one at such a young age keeps one mindful of others not in same age group).

Found these on a thrifting recon mission

£1 for the lot thankyouverymuch masha'allah. Various "Horrible History & Science" on audio CD. Boss isn't very interested in this kind of thing and was bored senseless by the history ones. *Shrugs* maybe when he is older insha'allah he'll find it interesting. Just not his thing, baby.

Boss deciphering his many non-fiction books with the sound groups available to him and ""reads" to his brother the words he has deciphered, "THIS says m-o-d-er-n Modern m-a-n Man - Modern Man, Jaws, Modern Man" :D

Declares he "LOVES maths" yikes and asks questions none stop about life the universe and everything.

Not much going on.

xx

Made PlayDoh - sorry dough

2008-02-22T10:53:00.003Z

Recipe for reference as I'm fed up of having to keep looking it up after all these years

The Ingredients

* 1 cup of plain flour
* 1 cup of boiled water
* 1/2 cup of salt
* 2 tablespoons of cream of tartar
* 2 tablespoons of oil
* Food colouring

Method

* Mix together the dry ingredients
* Add the boiled water
* Mix until smooth
* Add the food colouring followed by the oil
* Allow to cool before use

Let me think...

2008-02-21T18:44:00.002Z

Well, we haven't been in the garden, because that would be suicide given the sub-zero hoar frost covered landscape. We made it into town *once* and it hurt our faces with cold, so no joy there. Our car is clinically dead so we can't get out. Oh I remember! We bounce off solid walls and whine all day.

In between we read various books and build railways of various complexity all day. In our Pajamas

Painted our clay sculptures

In our Pajamas

Then we discussed the concept of art galleries (never been to one with them *hangs head*) and by making space on a bookcase shelf we made our own gallery to show our sculpture off

They are aliens, a la Mr Maker, who both boys think is the bees knees.

Watched some Postman Pat clips, because Jaws thinks he is fanastic, although I can't help but wonder... is it a co-incidence that such a small village has so many ginger-haired children when Pat, the Postman is *also* ginger-haired?? *Narrows eyes* I have my doubts over that stop-motion animation figure....

And me? Well I have the best fun of all: I referee fights, and even start some; I wipe crap up from morning to evening; I stare at frozen fog scenes out of my window and I daydream of days when I am very rich and live in a nice big house in the Perfect Location and have everything I want. It numbs the pain a little.

Bird update

2008-02-18T14:03:00.001Z

Chaffinches! Score!

So funny - nothing to do with HE

2008-02-16T21:07:00.000Z

John Cleese’s “Letter to America”

Dear Citizens of America,

In view of your failure to elect a competent President and thus to govern yourselves, we hereby give notice of the revocation of your independence, effective immediately.

Her Sovereign Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, will resume monarchical duties over all states, commonwealths and other territories (except Kansas, which she does not fancy), as from Monday next.

Your new prime minister, Gordon Brown, will appoint a governor for America without the need for further elections. Congress and the Senate will be disbanded. A questionnaire may be circulated next year to determine whether any of you noticed.

To aid in the transition to a British Crown Dependency, the following rules are introduced with immediate effect:

1. You should look up “revocation” in the Oxford English Dictionary. Then look up “aluminium,” and check the pronunciation guide. You will be amazed at just how wrongly you have been pronouncing it.

2. The letter ‘U’ will be reinstated in words such as ‘colour’, ‘favour’ and ‘neighbour.’ Likewise, you will learn to spell ‘doughnut’ without skipping half the letters, and the suffix “ize” will be replaced by the suffix “ise.”

3. You will learn that the suffix ‘burgh’ is pronounced ‘burra’; you may elect to spell Pittsburgh as ‘Pittsberg’ if you find you simply can’t cope with correct pronunciation.

4. Generally, you will be expected to raise your vocabulary to acceptable levels (look up “vocabulary”). Using the same twenty-seven words interspersed with filler noises such as “like” and “you know” is an unacceptable and inefficient form of communication.

5. There is no such thing as “US English.” We will let Microsoft know on your behalf. The Microsoft spell-checker will be adjusted to take account of the reinstated letter ‘u’ and the elimination of “-ize.”

6. You will relearn your original national anthem, “God Save The Queen”,
but only after fully carrying out Task #1 (see above).

7. July 4th will no longer be celebrated as a holiday. November 2nd will
be a new national holiday, but to be celebrated only in England. It will be called “Come-Uppance Day.”

8. You will learn to resolve personal issues without using guns, lawyers or therapists. The fact that you need so many lawyers and therapists shows that you’re not adult enough to be independent. Guns should only be handled by adults. If you’re not adult enough to sort things out without suing someone or speaking to a therapist then you’re not grown up enough to handle a gun.

9. Therefore, you will no longer be allowed to own or carry anything more dangerous than a vegetable peeler. A permit will be required if you wish to carry a vegetable peeler in public.

10. All American cars are hereby banned. They are crap and this is for your own good. When we show you German cars, you will understand what we mean.

11. All intersections will be replaced with roundabouts, and you will start driving on the left with immediate effect. At the same time, you will go metric immediately and without the benefit of conversion tables… Both roundabouts and metrification will help you understand the British sense of humour.

12. The Former USA will adopt UK prices on petrol (which you have been calling “gasoline”) - roughly $8/US per gallon. Get used to it.

13. You will learn to make real chips. Those things you call french fries are not real chips, and those things you insist on calling potato chips are properly called “crisps.” Real chips are thick cut, fried in animal fat, and dressed not with catsup but with malt vinegar.

14. Waiters and waitresses will be trained to be more aggressive with customers.

15. The cold tasteless stuff you insist on calling beer is not actually beer at all. Henceforth, only proper British Bitter will be referred to as “beer,” and European brews of known and accepted provenance will be referred to as “Lager.” American brands will be referred to as “Near-Frozen Gnat’s Urine,” so that all can be sold without risk of further confusion.

16. Hollywood will be required occasionally to cast English actors as good guys. Hollywood will also be required to cast English actors as English characters. Watching Andie MacDowell attempt English dialogue in “Four Weddings and a Funeral” was an experience akin to having one’s ear removed with a cheese grater.

17. You will cease playing American “football.” There is only one kind of proper football; you call it “soccer”. Those of you brave enough, in time, will be allowed to play rugby (which has some similarities to American “football”, but does not involve stopping for a rest every twenty seconds or wearing full kevlar body armour like a
bunch of Jessies - English slang for “Big Girls Blouse”).

18. Further, you will stop playing baseball. It is not reasonable to host an event called the “World Series” for a game which is not played outside of America. Since only 2.1% of you are aware that there is a world beyond your borders, your error is understandable and forgiven.

19. You must tell us who killed JFK. It’s been driving us mad.

20. An internal revenue agent (i.e. tax collector) from Her Majesty’s Government will be with you shortly to ensure the acquisition of all monies due, backdated to 1776.

Thank you for your co-operation.
John Cleese

Taken from StarrGazr

2008-02-16T19:04:00.002Z

See, it is hard to teach some people sometimes when either basic knowledge is lacking and/or they are dopes.

Presenting Boss with this sheet

Covering the sounds "ee" and "or" I asked him, "now what sound does a donkey make?" - "oink". Oink. Oink. FFS Who TEACHES these people. My one saving grace was Jaws who chimed (quoting his favourite book "Cock a Moo moo") "DAT'S NOT RIGHT ONLY PIGS GO 'OINK'". Is it me? No it can't be because my toddler has a clue.

So anyway we've covered the Jolly Phonics sound sheets now. Wasn't in a particular hurry and we've been doing lots of word reading in between.

Plenty of drawing going on

Some kind of "pliosaur eating some kind of nautaloid, mummy"

Jaws'

Lots of drawing-as-gifts-to-mummy-and-attempted-word-writing going on

This is a nice one. I won't show you the one of the dinosaur urinating that he made me...

Jaws doing lots of small circles lately. Faces? Think so, sometimes

Then we've been playing with paint and blowing paint all over the place with straws. Big hit as you can imagine - a valid excuse to make a mess always a big hit here.

Tracks in the forest

Then we've been playing with air drying clay

Jaws'

Boss' alien things

I went for the girly pinch pot option

THEN I got mail and gifted from the Holy Land. Honestly, I don't know what I do to deserve these good friends.

Love those stamps :D

And we've basically been bonding over play and books and enjoying the LIGHT oh the light that has been streaming back into our lives.

"Kaba, Mummy! Kaba!"

"And DER"

Masha'allah

xx

Islamic Homeschool Diary

Friday

OK so I Finally Upgraded the Template

Lil annoucement

Genius

Did you know

Quote of the Day

Time Flies, and all that jazz

Duxford :: Pictures

Bugger off and let me read this book about child-centred learning

The Final Frontier :: or :: I Have no Idea What Day It Is

Crap, I'm cold

Homeschooling Q&A

Old Habits Die Hard

Bugger All

Meh.

You know one of those days when...

Show & Tell

Growing Food Link

Allotment Gardening Land Self Sufficiency Link Thing

Montessori Links

Posts from my other blog...

Starting Again

New Post :: Last Post

Bugs Life

Caterpillars, ants and larvae oh my!

Quote of the Day

Reduce Reuse Recycle

New Link

The Emporer Has No Clothes Newsflash ::

BRB

Quote of the Day :: The Midget rocks

King. Arthur. The. End.

Quote of the Day

Act now {which was nearly 'aby npw' but corrected my typo JUST IN TIME}

Shaken, not stirred OR 'The good news is - nobody DIED'

Well

What I will teach my children

Obama ... alright!

Monster Trucks - the obsession continues...

Dear Sad, Neglected Blog

Get ready for BirdWatch

MP says dyslexia bogus

Can anybody explain to me

I'm bored so I thought I'd

Magnets & Monster Trucks

Lego

Nature Journals

Very fast things Links

Very Fast Things

Sorry, sorry.

Yeah, it's Ramadan. ANYWAY...

STOP PRESS: expert says "Let em read what they find interesting" shocker

Form Drawing

Two consecutive posts??

So. Where were we?

Please read

The Quiltmaker

Butterfly restaurants

Altogether now!

Sums the difference between my two sons up

Jaws-isms

Life on a PYO farm

Big boy now

Garden, mostly

So we saw the ospreys

WAIT! This has been sitting to be edited for an age!!

Ospreys and lake play and woodland, oh my

Lulu

Elaine made me do it...

"LOOK, Mummy! A SNOW tree!"

Crash and burn - you'd think I'd learn...

Shout out

Gone Fishing...

Note to self: clean the damn oven. It oozes.

Spring, just like the good old days

Family Art Time

Embroidery

And then it snowed

Window Stars