Bedtime Math

Fred Gauss (it rhymes with house)

Tonight before bed my children asked to do math.  Not only did they ask to do their math, they enjoyed it so much that we did four chapters of our math. In fact, they would have done more, but I told them we had to stop because it was time for bed.  How many of you parents out there can say that has ever happened?

This is the wonder of Life of Fred, people.  Before Fred, my kids (like most normal children) ran and hid when it was time to do math.  Now, they ask for it.

I'll bet you're wondering what makes Fred so great, so I'll tell you:  Life of Fred is a collection of stories and, as I keep saying all over this blog, children learn best from stories.  Each chapter is 4-6 pages, so they're quick stories, followed by 4-7 questions that the kids have to answer in their notebooks.  It's not just math, either.  The author, Stan Schmidt, includes history, language, science and more into each of his stories.  Most importantly, though, Life of Fred is hysterical  (I mean, laugh out loud funny), which means it's fun; and as Teacher Tom says, "If it's not fun, you're not doing it right."

It's shocking how many adults fear fun, or think that if a child is having fun, they can't possibly be learning anything - or, at least, not as much as they would if they were 'working hard' (as if working hard and fun can never exist simultaneously).  Well, I happen to have proof that fun works.

Background:  This school year was my 7 year old son's second and last year in virtual school.  I'd started him in first grade last year, even though I wouldn't have if he had been in public school, because of his summer birthday - he was academically bright, but not ready for school socially.  I pulled my daughter out of virtual school for this year because we were already losing faith in the system, but I'd let my son take it very slowly and we didn't even make our way through half of the curriculum last year, so I figured we'd try to finish it up this year.  He was enrolled as a 2nd grader, even though he hadn't completed his 1st grade material.

At the beginning of the year, the virtual school gives an online, adaptive (meaning the questions keep getting more difficult until the student can no longer answer them, to see the extent of their knowledge) math test to see where they're at.  Then, they take the test again at the end of the year to measure their improvement.  Bear in mind that my son has never actually done any of the 2nd grade material, nor finished the 1st grade material, but he was tested as a 2nd grader.  You can see by the scores at the beginning of the year that he did well, but average, despite that.  We gave up on the virtual math by the holidays, still not having completed the 1st grade curriculum, and started Fred instead.  Now, look at his recent score.  Having never touched the virtual school 2nd grade curriculum, he managed to jump to a 4th grade level in most areas.

That is the power of Fred.  That is the power of fun.

Mother's Day

 On Being A Parent

by Anna Quindlen

[T]he biggest mistake I made is the one that most of us make while doing this.  I did not live in the moment enough.  This is particularly clear now that the moment is gone, captured only in photographs.  

 There is one picture of the three of them sitting in the grass on a quilt in the shadow of the swing set on a summer day, ages 6, 4 and 1.  And I wish I could remember what we ate, and what we talked about, and how they sounded, and how they looked when they slept that night. I wish I had not been in such a hurry to get on to the next thing:  dinner, bath, book, bed.  I wish I had treasured the doing a little more and the getting it done a little less.

Even today I'm not sure what worked and what didn't, what was me and what was simply life.  When they were very small, I suppose I thought someday they would become who they were because of what I'd done.  Now I suspect they simply grew into their true selves because they demanded in a thousand ways that I back off and let them be.

The books said to be relaxed and I was often tense; matter-of-fact, I was sometimes over the top.  And look how it all turned out.  I wound up with the three people I like best in the world, who have done more than anyone to excavate my essential humanity.  That's what the books never told me.

I was bound and determined to learn from the experts.

It just took me awhile to figure out who the experts were. 

 

 

 

Time Well Spent

The other day, I mentioned on facebook about a little fun my daughter's been having with me.  She came up to me - all dressed fancy in a button-down shirt, skirt and heels - and said, "Mama, I am going to be a newsletter editor and make zippo money."

Impromptu laundry line

Now, for those of you who don't know it, I am a newsletter editor, and I don't make very much money doing it.  It wasn't the first time my daughter has made the joke, either; in fact, she does it fairly frequently.  I mentioned on facebook that I found it unnerving, though that was truly in jest - I think it's really funny that she can make a mockery of my lamentations, and I know that she can do it because she knows that I don't do anything for money.  I do everything I do because I want to; because I believe it's the right thing to do.  If I get paid for it, that's just a bonus.  Besides, my good friend and fellow writer, Howard Hinterthuer, made this comment about it:

Work done in a spirit of service to others is akin to worship.  Time is the new currency.  Time is limited and precious.  Money comes and goes.  You are investing in your children, making certain they are launched to the stars.  The most precious gift you can give them is your time.  They may not know it now, but they will know it forever.  

Let me tell you, as I'm sure every mother reading this already knows, these are words every mother needs to hear, so I wanted to pass them on to you.  Take the time to do what you really want to do; what you truly believe in.  Even if it's not all time spent with your children (and it shouldn't be), you are setting the right example.  You may not find the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, but you'll be happy - and that's worth more than gold any day.

Happiness

  I've helped organize the 6th Annual Sustainability Fair on Saturday, May 18th from 10-1 at the First Congregational Church here in Port through the group I'm a part of:  Transition Ozaukee.  Our theme this year is The Economics of Happiness, which comes from the title of the documentary film we'll be screening at the event.  If you've never seen it, I hope you come out and join us - it's a life changer.

This great John Lennon quote reminded me of the film; though the film discusses the economic side of happiness (globalization vs. relocalization), what it really boils down to is that when our ultimate goal is happiness, we (generally speaking) pursue the right things, whether it is our careers or our education or, on a broader scale, our direction as a community, state, nation or world.  I can personally say that when I've made choices based on what will bring me or my family the most happiness, I always make the right choice, while when I've made choices based on what will bring me the most money, it has always led to disaster.  True story.

There are cool things for kids to do at the Fair, too, by the way.  They can make their own paper seed pots and we'll be sending them home with tree seeds to plant in them (sorry - you have to provide the dirt:).  Plus, my kids and one or two others will be performing a play of The Lorax - my very favorite story ever written by Dr. Suess.  If you can, see the film and then the play - you'll see how the story, in all its simplicity, mirrors the sentiment of the film perfectly.  That Dr. Suess was one smart cookie, people.

Local food, local businesses, locally-made products - I'm even working on some local music! - and a silent auction will round out the event nicely.  There's even a donation or two from Cedarburg Toy Co. in the auction, so look for that.  In fact, the great and wonderful Mrs. Natasha Loos of Cedarburg Toy Co. will be on hand from 10:30-11 to tell the amazing tale of how her toy store came to be - it's a great story.  Fun for the whole family.  Don't miss it!



 

"Hackschooling" - A 13 year old Schools Us

Thirteen-year-old homeschooler, Logan LaPlante, gives a convincing Ted Talk on why happiness, healthiness and creativity not only can be, but need to be the focus of a good education.  He calls his approach to learning "Hackschooling," but I recognize it as unschooling.  Still, I think I like Logan's term better - sounds edgier:)

He is an excellent example of self-led education; life and education being one and the same.

Satire on Sleep

For all of you moms out there, a diatribe on sleep by accidental blogger, Ava Neyer, which I promise you will all relate to.  Still laughing:)

Kinderconcerts with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra

 About a week and a half ago, I took the kids to see the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra's "Kinderkonzert," Lemony Snicket's The Composer is Dead.

Having never been before, I wasn't sure what to expect.  The term "Kinderkonzert" threw me off a bit - I worried that my kids would be too old, but it sounded good enough (and it was affordable enough) to give it a try.  I am so glad I did.

We arrived at the Pabst Theater an hour before the concert because the MSO plans activities for the children.  At one station, children could take colored round stickers and add them to a blank staff printed on paper.  They could then take the music they 'composed' to one of the band students on hand, who would play the notes for the children.  At another station, the children could design buttons for themselves (this didn't really relate to music at all, but my kids still loved it:).

The best station, by far, was the "Instrument Petting Zoo" provided by the White House of Music.  The children could actually try out child-sized violins and cellos; hold clarinets, flutes and piccolos and bang around on a snare drum.  Both of my kids are considering playing violin, so it was wonderful for them to have the opportunity to try it out with bunches of other kids doing the same thing.

The concert itself was truly magical.  I needn't have worried that my children were too old - in fact, I would say they were the perfect ages.  I would highly recommend that the MSO change the name of these concerts to "Family Concerts" instead - they really are for all ages.

All three of us laughed uproariously at the daft inspector who was investigating the 'murder' of the composer by questioning each section of the orchestra.  It was funny, educational and the orchestra was phenomenal - I couldn't believe that they did all the work to put the concert together only to perform it once!

If you have a chance to go, I highly recommend the MSO Kinderkonzerts!  The next one is Sunday, May 19th at 2 p.m. at the Pabst Theater and is entitled, Buttons and Buttercup, featuring the music of Mozart's famous opera, Bastien and Bastienne.  Be sure to get there an hour before to enjoy the activities!