Waldorf Homeschoolers Thread - Page 7

[calynde]

Originally Posted by pampered_mom

I've actually got a few questions of my own. I just finished Donna's Kindergarten book and was trying to sit down and decide what to get materials wise. She mentions the Stockmar block crayons. We already have the stick crayons (ds much prefers them to the Crayola ones he used to have). Can we just stick with those? Why the preference for block crayons?

For wet-on-wet watercolor - I've already got watercolor paint, paint cups, brushes, and some paper on hand. I'm wondering if I can use it for this purpose?

The block crayons are really special somehow, as you can cover large areas of the paper with color without worrying about lines so much. I would actually say that they totally transformed our coloring around here...we love them very much. If cost is an issue, you could try starting out with just the 3 primary colors.

For the paints, I guess it depends on what kind of water colors you have. If it's the tube kind, I would say go for it and use those up before buying something else. If it's just those little trays of water color paints in the little circles, that would probably not work as well. We started off with 3 of the smallest Stockmar watercolors in primary colors and if you have painting day once a week for example, they nearly last a whole year! And the colors are truly amazing.

hth!

[mary3mama]

Originally Posted by annettemarie

We've been really digging multiplication circles/wheels. I'm sad I missed them my first time around!

I totally understand!

I have my 4th grader planned to review math 'the waldorf way' for grades 1-3 as his math work for Sept-December. And one of the things that we didn't do before that we will integrate in will be the times circles. They are just awesome. I wish someone had showed those to me when I was in elem school. It would have made more sense to me than a standard times table grid.

I have Melisa's (A Little Garden Flower) math book for grades 1-5 and am loving it! I also have the D. Harrer book that Melisa references often and it is full of good ideas.

Even though DS1 has these math skills already, I want him to have the stories and the magic of waldorf math before he proceeds forward. And I am thankful that the next in 'line' is only in kindergarten so that I have time to acclimate this year and be ready to start him out fully waldorf in 1st grade next year.

[annettemarie]

I really want to get both Melissa's book and the Harrer book.

[mary3mama]

I found the Harrer book on the waldorf curriculum supplies yahoo group. It's an awesome place to post what you're looking for or look to see what is for sale. It has no archive, so you have to either receive individual emails or do daily digest if you hope to catch something for sale you want.

Oh, I should post a link:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/waldor...ulum-supplies/

I got Melisa's book directly from her A Little Garden Flower site, though I have seen it at the curriculum supplies group. Oh, and Melisa sells it in ebook format too.

[annettemarie]

I posted my slightly hyperactive schedule the other week and I have to say it's worked out to be much less hectic than I anticipated. There's even been breathing room! Our first week is going pretty well. My toddler is the biggest bump in the road, so to speak. Whatever his siblings have, he wants. But I've even had time to spend one-on-one with him each morning, which has been lovely.

[mamaofthree]

what is this multiplication wheel? i am very interested!

h

[mamaofthree]

is this the wheel your talking about?

http://www.naturalmath.com/study/view-23.html

h

[mary3mama]

Originally Posted by mamaofthree

is this the wheel your talking about?

http://www.naturalmath.com/study/view-23.html

h

Yep, that is a good example of it. It's fun to make together.

You can make individual (smaller) one's for each number as you are learning the multiplication verses and you can also make the large one. We'll be doing both.

[annettemarie]

Well, that's the clock, which I think we're going to do when we're done. We've been doing these:
http://happy_as_kings.typepad.com/ha...lication_.html
http://melissacalapp.blogspot.com/20...1_archive.html
(scroll down to June 10)


You can also do it with "math boards"
http://www.flickr.com/photos/14338181@N00/2753591177/

This video explains it pretty well:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1ALx5q6jO4

[mamaofthree]

oh my, that looks really confusing. lol even after watching the video. lol

h

[mary3mama]

Yep, those two. I didn't know you were referring to those, Annette.

We'll do the circles and the 'clocks' but I don't think we'll do the nails in a board.

I got an inspiration from a board at a local children's museum, though. They have a peg board and a box of golf tees and a box of rubber bands. You just put the tees in the pegs to make your design and then stretch the rubber bands around it to finish it off. So flexible and we can use it for multiple things.

Getting the supplies for it is on my 'to do' list. Not sure where to find that kind of peg board, but I saw tees available inexpensively at Target recently...and, um, rubber bands anywhere!

[pampered_mom]

mary3mama - interesting about the painting boards. I'll have ton ponder that a bit. It would be nice to start with something like that.

Originally Posted by calynde

The block crayons are really special somehow, as you can cover large areas of the paper with color without worrying about lines so much. I would actually say that they totally transformed our coloring around here...we love them very much. If cost is an issue, you could try starting out with just the 3 primary colors.

For the paints, I guess it depends on what kind of water colors you have. If it's the tube kind, I would say go for it and use those up before buying something else. If it's just those little trays of water color paints in the little circles, that would probably not work as well. We started off with 3 of the smallest Stockmar watercolors in primary colors and if you have painting day once a week for example, they nearly last a whole year! And the colors are truly amazing.

Thanks for both suggestions. The water color paints I have come in tubes. Ds and I have used them several times before so I don't think it will be that much of a leap to explore wet-on-wet painting.

The block crayons are on sale right now at A Little Toy Garden. I'll have to consider getting some. At the very least I know they won't go unused.

[saphire]

This thread needs a

My girls are excited to start tomorrow, and I'm relieved that I'm ready too. Getting new desks for the new space and most of our books unpacked has really helped me get prepared. I've reserved more books from the library, and will go pick them up tomorrow.

Thanks for all the inspiration- keep it comin'!

[mary3mama]

::::
School starts today!

The boys were up before 7:30 this morning (usually they sleep in to 8 or 8:30) asking when we were going to start. It's adorable that they are so excited and eager. Taking the whole summer totally and completely OFF has helped them recharge and have a good attitude.

Not that we are starting this early. I still need to wake up and we need breakfast and we're not starting until their baby sister is up.

We're gonna start with a nature walk in the drizzly morning air. Clapping, counting, playing pennywhistles, stomping, singing, climbing...that should give us a good way to get out those extra wiggles and anticipatory energy before getting down to the 'work' of the day.

Once we come back we'll start with reading a book together and then (hopefully) the two younger ones will run off to build and play together while I sit with Nic and get him started on his new year.

So exciting!

[saphire]

Mary- I hope the day continues on such a good note!

It's almost 7am here. My two are still sleeping and I need to put together the school cones and set out the materials I want to use today.

Everyone is excited, it's going to be a good day.:

[mary3mama]

Our first school day was/is fantastic!!! :

Once everyone was up I made oatmeal...yum! Then we took a long walk in the cool, no longer drizzly, morning.

We live in a very hilly area, mind you, so a walk automatically becomes something of a hike, even in our own yard. But we walked all the way up to the top of the hill that is to the west of our house. Out there it's easy to imagine that you are far from civilization and in a different age. There is almost no sign anywhere that people have ever been in the forest. It's heaven.

Once we got *there* I got out the pennywhistles and the boys enjoyed making all sorts of random noise. If the local wildlife minded at all, they didn't show it. The birds just sang right along.

Once back home - we were gone for an hour and my 2yo walked the whole time. we gathered on the couch to read the day's book: Grandpa Bear's Fantastic Scarf. This gave everyone a chance to get a drink of water and sit still and rest. It's a lovely book and after lunch I'll be getting out the supplies for painting time. The theme will be the colors of our own life-scarves...though I don't expect overt existential contemplation from the wee ones.

Next the two younger ones ran off to play together while I got Nic started. We started with form drawing...which is brand new to both of us. I have it kinda mapped out to go through grades 1-3 with him over the next several months (first day of the school week only) so that by the time January comes he'll be ready for the harder forms of 4th grade.

After that we read the first part of the 'container story' that is contained within the 4th grade book from A Little Garden Flower. Nic has been eager to dig into this story since I first told him about it in June. He listened intently and asked good questions.

In conjunction with the story, his first day's tasks were to draw and accurately label 3 maps: his room, the house, the yard. The one for the yard was especially detailed as he had to include the names of the streets that touch our property as well as correctly labeling north, south, east and west.

And with the exception of the painting after lunch, everything was done and done well by 11:30.

And Nic is eager for tomorrow.

I know there will be challenging days and days where nothing seems to go right...but just for today I smile and know that this was the very best way to start out new year.

And now the boys are off making and flying paper airplanes and happy to be back together again. (Theo wanted to be with Nic so much that while Nic made his maps, Theo sat at the table and wrote in his own journal....he adores his big brother!)

I hope everyone is enjoying their paths.

I am deeply grateful that this waldorf path found its way into my awareness...our family seems very well served by it.

[calynde]

We started 1st grade a few weeks ago!

The only thing is that ds isn't crazy about drawing the letters in the shape of something. Like C is a curled up cat, or M is a mountain. It just plain bugs him, but we're trying...

Otherwise, so far so good!

[saphire]

We were done by 11:30am also. The routine I'm working into is to take a walk at 9am for about 15 minutes, ( then back home) and start right off with 15 minutes each reading and math instruction. (done by the girls individually at their level) Then a 15 min activity break. Today it included jump rope, 2-square ball, and hula-hooping. Then back in for a 45 min MLB ( animal kingdom). Followed by another 15 min activity break ( we chose more of the same from earlier) and ended up with art time. Today was their choice for art. Colored pencils, glitter, and colored paper and reptiles were the results.

The girls were surprised to find their school cones on their desks this morning. I'd included fun pencils, small construction paper, crayons, fall themed stamps and glitter glue. And a couple pieces of salt water taffy from our recent trip to the seaside.

Alternating a physical activity with lessons really helped define our routine, and keeping things brief helped them keep attention. We could easily spend 20 on the earlier subjects, and may pare down the physical activities to 10 minutes. Getting into a routine is really important to me, and while I'm flexible to changes as needed, I need that structure right now.
The only real trouble I had was my older dd making negative comments to younger dd. Really just sibling rivalry stuff, but so annoying!

I think we're all looking forward to tomorrow.

[annettemarie]

Sounds like you had a great day!

[Peacemamalove]

Sounds like everyone is having so much fun! This is our second week here DS7 is in 2nd grade and I am doing some really simple things with dd4(who will be 5 next month)

We are super excited for fall to start the kids have already been collecting leaves,acorns for the nature table. This is our favorite time of year here!