Life Nurturing Education

“Do you think I’m big enough to make waffles?”

I enthusiastically replied,

“Of course!”

The Heat of the Matter debut edition is on the internet now. It is full of insightful articles to encourage you in your homeschooling. Enjoy!

I finally completed my lesson plan binder yesterday. It’s the one I wrote about last week and needed this morning. I’m never one for getting things done early. This binder is quite simple, but simple usually works for me.

To remind me that my tasks are an act of worship, a quote from C.S. Lewis is on the cover. I have shared it before, but it is worth repeating.

The most basic place of our sacramental living is in our marriages and homes and families. Here we live together in well-reasoned love for everyone around us. Here we experience the sacrament of the present moment.

The little tags say, “Home” and “Family.” I chose the colors to match the tabbed dividers that separate my categories: Schedules, Lesson Plans, Notes, and Resources.

A two column 5-Day Planner separates Bug’s independent work from the subjects he needs me to teach. (Thanks for the idea, Sue!) His quiet excitement for the responsibility filled me with hope. We started school late, but he completed four assignments before lunch without much help.

The bit of effort it took me to make this notebook already paid dividends! Imagine a morning with no whining and a boy anxious to finish his assignments. Isn’t it exciting when something works?

During my Principle Approach training, a debate about math ensued. Why require students to study higher mathematics if they will never use it? We finally agreed. It is a discipline that develops the mind.

Emily replied to that part of a comment I left at Principled Discovery,

That’s so spot on! I am frustrated with the ‘I’ll never use it in the real world’ argument. It just makes no sense…Our brain is a muscle that needs to be exercised and learning is the way to do it.

I appreciate her enthusiasm. When it is time to practice math facts with my son, my excitement wanes. Cards games and manipulatives help, but I already know the multiplication tables. To combat my grumbling, I return to my educational philosophy. Knowing why arithmetic is valuable inspires me.

A stated goal for the study of arithmetic is to “train the reasoning abilities.” Benjamin Greenleaf, 1862, is quoted in A Guide to American Christian Education for the Home and School,

‘One of the principal benefits of the study of mathematics is to teach the learner how to reason with elegance and exactness.’

Reasoning from one point to another. Seeing the rational answer. Working through mistakes. These are merits my children receive through the concrete ideas of arithmetic. They learn a much needed life skill: logical thinking. That is worth the effort.

Reason 2- Dominion, Reason 3- Justice

I introduced some of my friends to blogs. This conversation is dedicated to them. I am honored that you read my words.

Some of you may never visit me in Texas, but I want to show you around my home on the internet. Please sit down, and relax the best you can between the occasional accidents and emergencies only Mommy can fix. I’ll make you some tea and ignore the chores for while. I hope you enjoy the visit.

What is a blog anyway?

Blog is short for web log. It is a kind of internet diary, but blogs are not limited to personal journals. There are blogs on all varieties of subjects; politics, photography, scrapbooking, cooking, or shopping. Life Nurturing Education focuses on homeschool and all that entails. My About page, located in the left sidebar, contains more information.

How do I leave comments?

One of my favorite parts of blogging is hearing from my readers, so please join the discussion. At the bottom of each post there is a link that says Comments. Click on the link, scroll to the bottom if other comments are there, fill in the blanks, and submit your reply.

I like to respond and usually do so in my comment box, so be sure to check back. It is easy to see if new comments have been added by looking under Recent Comments.

How will I know when you’ve posted something new?

The option to Subscribe is one of the first things listed. Choose whether you would like to receive updates by email or in a reader. Simply follow the instructions from there. (If you are new to blogs, most likely, you will not have a reader. For more information about readers, feel free to ask.)

What is all the stuff in your sidebar?

My sidebar contains lots of links. Many are to blogs, a couple are to my Affiliates, a few are to blog Networks, and one is to my sponsor, BlogHer.

There are also some links that change frequently. Underneath Recent Bookmarks, I list my latest discoveries on the internet. Most of them are homeschool related. If you would like to see what else I’ve saved, use the carrotribe link at the bottom of that section.

Would you like to spotlight anything else?

Since the template I’m using doesn’t have a home tab, just click on Life Nurturing Education at the very top to view the most recent entries. To access older posts use the Categories section of my sidebar.

Do you have other questions? Did I miss anything? 

Thank you for visiting and come back soon!