Elementary Skill Building

It has been my desire to not only academically educate our children but to also educated them in life skills, relationships and creative pursuits.  Looking back over these pictures I feel that we are moving in the right direction.  When we began our family and decided to raise our children at home I had no idea how I was going to do it but figured that they would all know how to read by the time they left our nest.  I now see that yes, they will all know how to read, but I desire for them to have strong relationships with those around them marked by good character and well honed life skills.  It is my prayer that our Lord will direct our family's education every step of the way--so I make plans but pray for spiritual sensitivity and discernment each day as we seek to please him and walk as his children.


Practical Life

Peeling potatoes is easily overlooked for its simplicity but is really is relationship building time as they talk and share the experience, life skills as they learn to prep. dinner and contribute to the family and training in patience and kindness for mom.

Emry is learning to properly make a bed, hospital corners and all.  She does a great job but is not happy with her results because as she sleeps the bottom of the bed is untucking--practice my dear, practice.

Creating a chocolate raspberry cake and practicing her piping skills.  Sharing the kitchen with my children has been a test in patience and has taught me it is not about the outcome but the process of creating and learning as well as the accomplishment of "I made it myself."

Creative Pursuits

The boy is endlessly creative, here he is working on a Lego Technic Off Roading Set.  Ayden does these all on his own following the guide book and then he likes to modify them into his own unique creations.

A new love--scrapbooking.

Working in her doodle book. Part of the picture is already drawn for her and then she completes it with her own unique drawing and coloring.

This was a fun day.  Both children were in the library listening to Jonathan Park CD's and coloring these huge pages from a Costco Seek and Find Pad.

Another fun day.  I was baking in the kitchen and the 2 of them got out all the paints and started color mixing and creating pictures--so fun to watch them talk and share their ideas.

Drawing race cars from the Ed Emberly Draw a World book.

Being creative on one's own face--yes I said "don't do that again."

He drew sideburns to match.

Math

Practicing multiplication with a card game called Count Your Points.  The game is from the book Games for Learning by Peggy Kaye.

Playing the Allowance game.  The game teaches great money skills and was purchased from Lakeshore Learning, it is a little bit like Monopoly.

Language Arts

Testing out our new Spelling Blaster game.  We need to use this more.

Working on suffix cards.

Reading blue level sentence strips and marking them with the grammar symbols.  I believe our set was purchased from The Montessori Outlet.

Enjoy the day!


I'm linking up with Montessori Monday
.http://livingmontessorinow.com/