by Mary Ann on May 13, 2010
“I had to send off a quick thank you for your help. The Spark Station is transforming our learning experience! It was better after your class, and even better after your phone call. I think I’m getting it. One of the most helpful things for me was your comment at the forum that we decided to homeschool, we need to budget for it, even if it is a small amount. I thought I was off the conveyor belt, but your feedback helped me see where my thinking was stuck.
Last Saturday I found $1 insect items at Target. We are having a blast—and it hasn’t all showed up in the closet yet. I almost passed up the big plastic insects as “toys” but realized, no, they are inspiration (for my little boys) and models for insect body parts. What was I thinking?
Thank you for all you’ve done.”
Isn’t that just the BEST letter? [click to continue…]
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by Mary Ann on May 13, 2010
After a class that she attended one mom went home and created a “Spark Station box.” Her daughters who are ten and three love it! They started their structured family learning time with one hour. They are now up to one and a half hours. They really love it.
Not having any other closet or cupboard cleaned out and ready to go, this wise mom grabbed two printer paper boxes and went to work. She bought a few small things but for the most part, she gleaned from what she already had in her home: books they haven’t looked at in a while, craft stuff they didn’t know she had, gardening things because it is spring, some science toys she had, etc. She made a trip to the library to pick up a few books on topics of interest to her children.
While she contemplates where her “Spark Station” is going to be and in what room they are going to have family structured learning time, she is inspiring her children and engaging with them. She didn’t wait to get it all figured out. She didn’t wait to clean or organize or plan. She just took the bull by the horns and created something magical for her children and they love the opportunity to learn.
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by Mary Ann on May 12, 2010
I just received an email from a mom who took my class, had a coaching call and is getting started. Right after she decided to get her Spark Station in order and have a structured family learning time everyone came down with colds. So it was shelved for a week hoping all would soon be well and they could start again.
Now I have raised seven children and I know how it can be when everyone is feeling poorly. However, I want to remind you that the top keys in creating a truly magical and amazing family culture of learning is structured time and consistency. That is rule number one in the Five Rules of Engagement. So how can we keep to that structure when things aren’t going well, as in the case of a family with a cold? [click to continue…]
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by Mary Ann on May 11, 2010
I want to talk a bit more about “familiar conversation” and both parent and child self-education.
When parents are engaged in their own education familiar conversations are enhanced even more. I am not currently taking any formal classes. I do, however, read a lot and discuss what I read with other people. That is why I was able to engage my ten year old granddaughter in a conversation about our political process. [click to continue…]
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