Charlotte Mason

I’m currently reading Charlotte Mason’s philosophy translated into modern english via this website:

http://amblesideonline.org/CM/ModernEnglish.html

I’m only at Volume 1, Chapter 2, and I have already learnt so so so much from her. 

Her writings are really not just for homeschoolers, but for every single parent who wants to enjoy their children and want to know better ways to nurturing them.

The translation to modern English has certainly make reading easier.

Highly recommended!

Great Chinese Bookshop for the Little Ones

I’m so happy! I finally found a bookshop that sells great Chinese books.

I have been searching for great Chinese Story books for a long time. What do I mean by great Chinese books? I love the books used in Five In a Row and Before Five in a Row. Those books are really nice. Stories that are nicely written with great pictures. (See my Homeschool Blog under the FIAR categories for examples of such books.)

Books from Popular are simply not up to the standard.

This bookshop has a booth during the annual Homeschool Fair, where I bought a few Chinese story books. Read to my son last night, and HE LOVES IT!!!!

So where is this shop?

Maha Yu Yi Pte Ltd

#03-11 (Chinese Children’s Book Corner) #03-07 (China Classic Books)

Blk 231 Bain Street Bras Basah Complex

Singapore 180231

How To Draw (for art idiots like me ;P)

I don’t have a natural talent for drawing, but as a homeschool teacher, even though I’m bad at it, I have to find ways to teach my children, by hook or crook!

Found this website really great for me!!!  It teaches how to draw all kinds of things!!! The best part is, IT IS FREE!!!!

How Stuff Works – Drawing (Scroll all the way to the bottom of the page, and you will see a list of “How to Draw …”

Have fun and enjoy!

My BJU Math Curriculm Arrived + something on shipping!

I finally gave up on all the research and decided to get the BJU Math 1 curriculum. 

I have been worried that it will not arrive in time for my school term to start. Phew! It arrived today!

Just happened that there was a Christmas promotion where shipping was free within USA. Thought I could give VPOST a try and save more on shipping.

This saving was quite a fair bit. Without the free shipping promo, I would have paid about US$35 = S$49.35 for it to be airmailed direct from BJU press to my home. With the free shipping and vpost, my final shipping charge with vpost was S$33.39, a saving of about S$15. Although from Vpost to Singapore is pretty fast, US-to-US was slow since it was via ground service (free mah!!!).

Actually according to my calculation for shipping 2 books via vpost, the cost is <S$30. I did email vpost about it, but I was in a hurry to get the curriculum since term is starting, so I didn’t bother and just paid the amount they quoted.

Just a note, always check out the price different between direct shipping and using Vpost, cause it is not necessarily cheaper using vpost, and sometimes, the saving is negligible, so I rather ship direct since it can be faster.

Need to know the fundamental of homeschooling?

Serene is one of those who has inspired me to homeschool.  She has a handful of children, no live in help, and is homeschooling her children.  Amazing lady.

http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/MamaLim

Its here!!!

YES… My FIAR manual (vol 3) and the books has arrived… This pile cost me $175.90… But thanks to Angie, else it could have cost me much more if I purchase from other sources… Can’t wait to start this, but will wait till we have finish our B4FIAR…

Angie is a great lady to get great classic children story books from… email her at thehomelibrary@gmail.com if you want to get some good books…

Curriculum

Burn out?!

Have received several encouragements and comments from many who view my homeschool blog for the efforts I put to school my children.  Am I tired?!! I’m kidding if I say I’m not… So many times, when I look out of my window in front of my PC table, I envy all those houses that are pitch dark, ie, the people in there are deep in their dream… I have to do something before I’m burn out!!!

Curriculum search

And this last 3 weeks of no-homeschool due to car, holiday, conferences, was a good time for me to think about how am I going to go far, go long… I finally have to say that I need curriculum… but which!? Seen Bob Jones’, good but can’t really slot it into Ethan’s age group. Fellow homeschool mums said its better for older kids.

Was thinking about ‘Five In A Row’, but having used ‘Before Five In a Row’, I’m not too impressed and found it too easy… BUT I’m wrong…

I found it!

Went to Amy’s house yesterday, and had the opportunity to browse her FIAR curriculum… I’m impress!!! and please… There are much more content within the lesson, and the activities are not that basic… Its really an answered prayer… I know I have found my answer…

So while I wait for my order to arrive, I will continue with the lessons that I have already planned, and finish up the rest of the books in B4FIAR that we have not done last year.  When my curriculum arrive, I look forward to a ‘Better Tomorrow’ with the following plan:

One more problem

Chinese… sigh… Anyone any suggestion??? Tien Hsia, Berries, etc etc??? or ???

Today was at East Coast and a Malay lady kept talking to me in Malay, I told her I’m a Chinese.

Later, while Queuing for  dinner, Ethan told me: “Mum, I’m an English not Chinese… because I speak English, I don’t speak Chinese”…

Hmmm…

Conclusion

Nevermind, let me think about Chinese for a little while more… Meanwhile here’s the plan which I hope can lengthen my homeschooling journey with my children.

Reading : Reading A to Z

Science, Maths, etc : Five In A Row

Biblical : Danielle’s Place

Slime Recipe

Here it is (from “Natural Childhood” by John Thomson):

Project “Slime”

1. Mix 2 cups of water and a little food colouring with 6 cups of cornflour/cornstarch to create a nice, thick “slime”
2. If possible, arrange this activity outdoors on a plastic-covered surface.  Dress the child in a plastic apron (or no tops), roll his sleeves up and let him plunge his arms into the slime and enjoy letting it run through his fingers and making patterns with it.

This recipe makes quite a lot, so you may want to half the recipe or even quarter it.

Have fun!

Our fire truck

Its not the end of the week yet, and I’m definitely not ready to write a summary of our homeschool session for the week.  But I’m so happy with the ‘fire truck’ that we made today that i simply has to journal down my excitement. 
Unfortunately by the time all the glue is dried, Ethan has already slept for the day. Else will be great to see him play with it.  Anyway, here’s a glimpse of it.  Will post end of the week on how Ethan will look ‘driving’ the truck.

 

Ethan finger painting the wheel (not enough black, so we use brown instead)

 

 

Our finished product!

 
Wanna make one for your child? Go to
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/box/firetruck/index.shtml
But I made some visible & not so visible amendments.  Not so visible ones are:

1. For the wheels, I find paper plates too frill, so I use the thick cardboard pieces cut out from the box’s cover.
2. Instead of painting the box, I use spray paint.
3. I added the 2 shoulder straps so that the child can straps it across their shoulder and walk around ‘driving’ the truck.
4. Some cosmetics changes.
5. If you don’t have glue gun, white craft glue is as good.

Have fun!