Friday, August 26, 2011

Videos and Games for homeschool

I personally do not like my son spending so much time using the internet or even just watching videos or TV. Here are things I go by so I'm assured he's not too media soaked:




1) He only should use 20% of his waking hours on media during weekdays. And only a maximum of 30% on weekends.


2) Media goes after more important things like lessons and special classes.


3) I choose the sites he goes to and he can never use the computer without any qualified adult. In our case, his dad and me. Yaya is not very much knowledgeable in the internet but is getting there.


4) If my son is not behaving well, we make sure we don't use the computer as a tool to make him follow requests. I believe this will only encourage more unfavorable behavior in the future.


5) I make sure that media plays an important role in his cognitive development by making sure I select the videos well and make sure they are all educational. As for movies, I try to research if not watch them ahead.


6) Mental games that he play should particularly target on one or more cognitive skills and should not just be plain fun. Otherwise, he should just go and play other things physically.


Media is a great instrument in my homeschooling with Mikel and it is my desire that he too will be as equipped in IT as we are or even better. I try my best to pick what is good and age appropriate at all times.


Here are some sites for games and some fruitful content:


http://www.coolmath-games.com/


http://www.primarygames.com/math.htm


http://kids.discovery.com/


Here are some videos he likes to watch:


Little Einstein



Backyardigans


Flying House


Super Book


Mickey Mouse Clubhouse


My Friends Tigger & Pooh


Dora


Barney
the-backyardigans.jpg30424.jpg flying_house.jpg

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Little Seed

It's so nice to just know that I can do so much to minister to my son. As early as now, I can make him see the goodness of the Lord and how great it is to have a relationship with God. As part of his homeschooling, we read a book entitled The Big Book of Questions and Answers About Jesus by Sinclair Ferguson. I got this book through OMF online. Yes, a few months ago, I bought books online when other people just go straight to OMF bookstore which is actually just 20 mins away from my place. I just did not have the time then. 


When I got a hold of the book, I realized that the content was for kids in higher primary. It was definitely not for preschoolers. But then I thought, I could work it out. I am a teacher after all. I assured myself that I could actually make it simpler for Mikel. The book had so many great teachings that I didn't want Mikel to miss out on. So there goes our journey...

Day 1 : Mikel was wondering why we were reading this book. He asked me what it was about and why it had so many words in it. He had the bored look on his face as we were going through the first paragraphs. He just could not focus. We were both crawling through the passage (question 1). Answering the questions was out of the question. I thought, we could just try again tomorrow. 

I prayed for patience and wisdom for both of us. I prayed that Mikel will have an open mind and he will start to want to get to know Jesus.

Day 2: We read Question 1 of Chapter 1 again.  What does the name Jesus mean? By God's grace, Mikel was more attentive this time. We were successful at answering the questions together. But most of the responses were initiated by me. Mikel still had the puzzled look on his face. He seem to have no clue of why how to answer the questions. He made the drawing that was an activity in the chapter.

Day 3: Mikel asked me about the book. I praised the Lord. We started Chapter 2 and he started reading the questions aloud. I didn't even have to ask him to help me read them like I would when I wanted some participation from him. 

Day 4: Mikel did not want to read. He complained about how long it was going to take. I tried to explain that this was something I would like to share with him because I want him to be happy. Of course, it took a lot of talking. He said he wanted to do something else that day and asked if we could do it another time. 

I prayed for him. I prayed that he would have the desire to read the book again and find the value. I really hoped it would be soon.


Day 5: A few days after Day 4, I showed Mikel the book and he agreed to read it. I thanked God for that. Mikel and I alternately read the paragraphs. And when there was a dialogue, we would act it out. That was really amazing! We started reading the book as if it was another one of his favorite line of storybooks. He loves books by Mo Willems and he adores Piggy and Gerald. 


Day 6: We started reading the passage from the bible that were suggested in the book. It was quite long and I had to summarize afterwards. He started to pray the prayer at the end, all on his own. I felt so glad. I praised the Lord.

Day 7, 8, 9: Mikel has grown to love the book and considers it part of our everyday schedule. He likes to read it at night before he sleeps. He loves doing the activities prescribed in the book. Sometimes he would ask to read it in the mornings too.

Day 10, 11: He has started to read the bible passages with me. We actually referred to a bible. We took turns as they were usually long. He said the prayer at the end of the chapter and we would both add to it.


Day 12: I'm just amazed at how he answered the questions and that he would also ask me what my answer was. What a leap for him!  He of course owned the book now.


Mikel and I still have a long way to go in reading this book. And he has an even longer way to go reading the word through the bible. But I am one happy mommy that he has started doing so. Just the other day, he asked me what book I was reading in the bible. I said it was Isaiah. Then he replied, "I like Isaiah". I know he just knows the name of the books now and not really what's written. It is my hope that one day, on his own, he would actually read and understand the bible. My prayer is that he would take the word as food that he needs everyday. I trust that God would just continue to pursue Him the way he pursued me. I thank Him for that blessing.

1 Peter 2-3 
  Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you   
may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord 
is good.







Saturday, July 30, 2011

Heart Talk

If you think people can change overnight, think again. It's just as hard for them as it is hard for you and me.   It honestly took me 23 years to accept Christ as my Lord and another 3 to really start obeying. Don't get me wrong, I have been praying since I was in kindergarten. I became a Marian devotee at the age of 12, praying the rosary every night and doing all sorts of Novenas. After all, we share the same birthday. At least according to the Roman Catholic calendar. Was the relationship with the Lord Jesus present at that time? I am not so sure about that. I just knew he was there for me. Was I there for Him? Sometimes. More often, I was disconnected. Honestly, I was a lost child.


But the length of time doesn't really matter to our God. He understands the difficulty. He waits for us and constantly calls us to receive him in our lives. He is after all an Eternal God, so time is not a thing for him but more for us. It is said that he will come again in Matthew 24:30-31. We can start simply by opening our hearts to Him, through His word and through His church. It's that getting to know stage that's fun and believe it or not,  exciting. You eventually realize that your God is pursuing you more than you are pursuing him. He invites you everyday though you come to Him only when you need help. You then, wonder why and ask...why me? --- Why not you? You, who are the best of all his creation. Did He not choose you to be steward of everything else as in Genesis 1:28? He loves you and you are the most important thing to Him. That is the answer...LOVE.


And yes, we are all sinners in this world. We all have our own struggles. Nobody is really perfect. We are all capable of sinning. In fact we are born to sin, and temptation is everywhere.  That, which we call sin is what keeps us from being closer to our Lord. Think of blurred vision. It's not seeing Him clearly because of perhaps a spec on your eye or worse, conjunctivitis. Whatever it is that keeps us from having that relationship with God will be obvious once you start seeking him and you find it a bit of a task. Thus, the challenge is to eliminate what blocks our perspective.  Its' never easy though, because most of the time those things are what we love most. Do I even have to enumerate? Is it worth it, to give up all those things to be with God? Without a doubt. His promise compares to nothing spectacular enough in this world, an everlasting life in His presence.  How awesome is that!


So if you can't see or feel God, does that mean he's not there? Absolutely not! He is there. In fact, God loves you so much that He sent his only son to suffer for your sins. He wants you to be with Him and He wants to save you from the pain that sin can cause. He wants you in Heaven after this lifetime. He has forgiven you even before you asked for forgiveness. Along with His resurrection, you are a new person in Christ, 2 Corinthian 5:17. He in fact has empowered you by grace, through the holy spirit to overcome all temptations in this world. If you accept Jesus as your Lord, he will live in your heart  through the holy spirit and everything you can do, by faith...John 17.


I believe the response to love is also love. Your creator loves you, He wants to prosper you and make you happy and free, Jeremiah 29:11. The call is to honor Him and glorify His name and presence in your life. In doing so, you show your love. Not for his approval, for nothing we can do can save us. Not by good works are we saved but by Jesus and what he did on the cross some 2000 years ago, Ephesians 2:9


A guide to LOVE: 


1 Corinthians 13:3-8


      3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast,[b] but do not have love, I gain nothing.
 4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
 8 Love never fails...




Let us not make Him wait any longer. Come to Jesus and be free! Trust him with all things. Love and be truly happy.  












Monday, July 18, 2011

Is Your Child Gifted?

So you really think your child is gifted? He just knows too much or does things so well. It's just not usual for kids his age. You often wonder if you should have him assessed or you should at least be doing something about it. In fact, there are times when you're a bit scared. You want to make sure you're doing the right thing and not breaking that giftedness. You want to make sure you satisfy his curiosity well enough, as you have read from articles about giftedness. Here are some characteristics of a gifted child according to Parenting Gifted Kids by J. Delisle Ph.D. Check if you can relate:

  • Gifted children often prefer the company of adults or older children. The reason is obvious: They don't need to explain who they are and how they know what they know.
  • Your son's teacher sends you a note that reads, "Although I love Joey's enthusiasm, he must stop shouting out his answers in class. Also, please talk to him about the incessant tapping of his pencil, and his need to sit down when he is doing his worksheets. "
  • Your kid does not always get high grades in regular school. Although he is extremely good in specific subjects like art, math or music.
  • A gifted child has the sense of humor of an adult. 


Here are some good reads if you suspect your child is gifted:

http://www.austega.com/gifted/preschoolers.htm

http://giftedhomeschoolers.org/articles/IsYourYoungChildGifted.html

Homeschool Ideas

So, you've finally decided to homeschool your kid. It's normal to feel a bit clueless on how to start. How about trying to make a weekly schedule. You don't necessarily have to follow it strictly especially if something unexpected comes up. It will just serve as a guide for you as you are only learning to organize your homeschooling routine. Here is a sample schedule that you can use as a guide. Of course it's best to add the things you and your kid like doing together. You are free to change your schedule when you feel the need. Have fun!

Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday


8:00-9:00
Morning Prayer
BREAKFAST
Morning Prayer
BREAKFAST
Morning Prayer
BREAKFAST
Morning Prayer
BREAKFAST
Morning Prayer
BREAKFAST
Morning Prayer
BREAKFAST
Morning Prayer
BREAKFAST
9:00-10:00
Questions About Jesus (Book)
Bible Story
Questions About Jesus
Bible Story
Questions About Jesus
Swimming Class
Piano Class
10:00-11:00
Math & English
Filipino & Civics
Science
Filipino & Civics
Math & English
Watch a Movie on DVD
Play Games on Galaxy Tab
11:00-12:00
Play
Music Video
Science Experiment
Bible Video
Math Games/Play
Bonding with Daddy
Bonding with Daddy
12:00
LUNCH
LUNCH
LUNCH
LUNCH
LUNCH
LUNCH
LUNCH
1:00-2:00
Nap/Rest
Quiet Activity
VCIS for Special Class in Art
Nap/Rest
Quiet Activity
Nap/Rest
Quiet Activity
Nap/Rest
Quiet Activity
Nap/Rest
(if at home)
Nap/Rest
(if at home)
2:00-3:00
Learning Grammar
Play
Reading
Learning Grammar
Reading
Play group
Play Area
2:00-6:00
Trip to the Mall or Grocery
Soccer Training
Play
Trip to the bookstore or library
Play Wii or Magic Sing
Timezone!
Trip to Museum or Any Activity Center/Mall
Church
7:00-8:00
Dinner
Dinner
Dinner
Dinner
Dinner
Dinner
Dinner
8:00-9:00
Bonding with Dad
Bonding with Dad
Bonding with Dad
Bonding with Dad
Bonding with Dad
Family Activity
Family Activity



Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Daily Vitamins

I slept late last night, reading a book. I woke up this morning and found Mikel on the couch, writing. He said good morning in an excited tone. His first question to me,  "twenty-four minus twenty-eight is?".  I asked if he meant, twenty-eight minus twenty-four. He said yes and told me how it was the same equation. He went on to show me how he would come up with the answer. He stamped 28 pieces of triangles and crossed out 24 pieces. He therefore got 4 as the answer to his query.  Nobody really told him to do equations in the morning. It just seemed like he had a question in his mind and knew he could do something to answer it. I'm just glad his own curiosity prompted him to practice the things he learned days ago.  For the next 30 minutes he was doing math equations on his sand board, all on his own. He would come up to me for checking every time but he really owned this activity, and I feel so proud of him. 


I thank the Lord for the blessing of curiosity and inquisitiveness.  I believe this is what drives us to learn more and to find answers to questions. It is in that keeping abreast that we learn to speak words of wisdom to people who need to hear some. And it is through reading about God that we learn more about Him and His heart. Curiosity becomes desire when you know how good the God you're serving is. And what better and easier way to know about Jesus than through the bible. 


Today, a friend sought advice about a relationship. I had told her my thoughts about her situation. She then asked me if I still read the bible. Of course I do. "The bible is called the bible because it has everything." My friend replied by saying that she wants to start reading again in the morning, just like drinking her daily vitamins. I'm glad she said that and I actually liked her analogy. The bible is indeed very much like a good supplement, complete from A-Z. It keeps you up when you feel under the weather in this life. If you need to hear what God has to say, His will for you, the bible is such a great medium. Yes, there's no need for that Facebook application to tell you what God wants you to know. You don't need the internet to get a hold of God's message to you. It's all there in the wonderful, colorful book, the Holy Bible. So grab a copy now, read and converse with the Lord. Experience how it can bring your health back like no other vitamins can. 

Saturday, July 9, 2011

The Bee is not so Buzzy for Homechoolers

I homeschool at an average of 2 hours a day. If you count in those teachable moments which can happen as often as we're together, then it's so much more than that. What I love about homeschooling is that it's so flexible and it really targets Mikel's specific needs. They say you are your child's best teacher. And of course you know and love your child more than anybody does.

We can be at a mall and be learning about grocery prices and money. There's also always a chance for him to interact with different people not necessarily kids his age but vendors, waiters, baggers, cashiers, etc. I just love that I don't have to bring him so far to get that experience. But it won't hurt if we did go far, with all the savings we made from not putting him in regular school. Say, Beijing or Bangkok for some cultural exploration. 

Honestly speaking, I've thought about enrolling him in regular school. And though God has blessed us with the finances, I felt He was really calling me to do this for my son. We went to two schools and they both said he is quite advanced for his age. You see, he started reading at 3 years old. Now he can read texts that are meant for kids in grade one. And he spells like a 7 year old as well. This is according to one of the teachers.

Although academically bright, I know Mikel needs so much support, emotionally. He still is quite the preschooler that he is: moody, active, loud, adventurous and utterly persistent (or in tagalog, "makulit"). That is not to say that those aren't good traits. They in fact can be beneficial. His mood swings and loudness warn me that I may not be engaging him well enough or he is not getting enough rest and sleep. If it gets too much then it tells me he needs a PEP talk. I'm just glad to be involved in disciplining my own child. 

Mikel is so active and adventurous, he can run around like a monkey. It's totally alright until I become the tree and my arms and legs are the branches. Again, this is a reminder that I need to get him into something physical like sports or exercise which again could involve some money, but remember we saved so much by homeschooling. Thus, we are free to choose. So we chose soccer for him. I just pray he likes it. 




He is also enrolled into two other special classes right now which we can afford to do with all the savings we made. He in fact will be socializing more than he would be in a regular school with all the hours spent in those classes. Mikel is utterly persistent about things he want to do but I know how to handle that now. He reasons out like a teenager to get his point across. I actually find it funny most of the time but I try my best not to show it. He usually gives in to what I tell him to do after much discussion. It doesn't mean that he won't try to ask me again next time. Like asking that we include Timezone in his weekly schedule and add more hours to playing Angry Birds, every chance he gets. This quality just tells me he won't be easily bullied in the future and he exactly knows what he wants from life. He seem to never give up. 

On top of all this I get to share my faith with my son and hopefully impart the joy in having Jesus in my life. Once we were at Bonifacio high street and it rained so badly that we couldn't get to the open parking lot, as we didn't bring an umbrella. He was shouting and telling the rain to stop. I told him to try to pray to Jesus instead. I told him about the passage when Jesus stopped the storm in front of his disciples. In my mind I was praying to God to just give me a window of no rain so I could go to the car and pick them up after. It was probably the first time Mikel had prayed for something as big as that and it would certainly build his faith. In less than ten minutes the rain stopped. I got the car and picked up Mikel and my sister from the covered area. Then, it started raining again. There was a typhoon that night. Mikel told me,  "Mommy, Jesus stopped the rain so we could go in the car". I almost cried, tears of joy. 

I may be so biased in saying all this. I love homeschooling but there are certainly struggles too, like anything new.  And really homeschooling is not for everyone. But if you feel that you are called to do this, don't be afraid. God is with you in all this. After all, you can never do it alone. There are so many homeschoolers and they can help you too. Get connected and seek advice. Have fun and cherish every moment.  =)

Happy Homeschooling Folks!


Aiyi


P.S. 
Special classes are free at VCIS Homeschool. If you want to know more please call Victory at 8171212.