Studying Dead Insects

We found a dead dragon fly which gave us the chance to look close up at its beautiful body.

Balloon Powered Cars

Can Freedom Can Cure?

At A S Neill’s Summerhill School there were always students who came from public schools that would not tolerate their behaviour anymore. The experience that Neill gained from living with these students led him to believe that when a child is cruel it is because of the lack of love. Here he was highly influenced by the remarkable work of Homer Lane at the Commonwealth School (1913) for delinquent youth (I recently acquired a copy of his work through Abe Books). This school was self-governed and abolished all fear, punishment, and external discipline. The ethos was to trust children to grow in their own way without any pressure from outside. As a boy who did not do well in school, Neill was often punished by his own father by being whipped with a strap for not being a good enough student: “often he was cruel to me and I acquired a definite fear of him” .

Homer Lane showed A S Neill that freedom can cure a problem child. He always looked for the hidden motive in any delinquent act, convinced that behind every crime was a wish that originally had been a good one. He found that talking to children was useless and that only action counted. He held that in order to rid a child of a bad social trait one should let the child live out his desires.

Alice Miller looks at how we rationalise conventional child rearing as being for the child’s own good.  Miller explores the sources of violence within us and how these are created by strict child rearing practises.  The cost of this punishment and coercion is the compassion and humanity in later life both in private and public.  Her message is “people whose integrity has not been damaged in childhood... will feel no need to harm another person or themselves”.

Raising A Mensch - A Human Being

"I’m not opposed to a child being polite or neat or learned. The crucial question for me is: What methods have been used to accomplish these ends? If the methods used are insults, attacks, and threats, then we can be very sure that we have also taught this child to insult, to attack, to threaten, and to comply when threatened.

“If, on the other hand, we use methods that are humane, then we’ve taught something much more important than series of isolated virtues. We’ve shown the child how to be a person – a mensch, a human being who can conduct his life with strength and dignity.”…

“Liberated Parents, Liberated Children – Your Guide to a Happier Family” by Adele Faber & Elaine Mazlish

Anya's Weekly Recording Session

Rocket Propelled by Cola and Mentos

An Example of Autonomous Self Directed Learning

So you might be reading our blog and thinking that a child wouldn’t learn anything unless they are made to in lesson? I thought like that too until we started to home educate and my children demonstrated to me that if I allow them to follow their interest (and facilitate their learning), then they can and will learn with a passion.

Here is one example of self directed autonomous learning.

Owen asked me “do animals have feelings?”. We looked up this topic on the internet and read about research into primate feelings, elephants who recognize the bones of their relatives and appear to grieve over the bones. We discussed the emotions of our pets. This led to a discussion on animal rights and conservation of animals. After this discussion Owen decided to adopt a Snow Leopard with £1 from his pocket money each week. After receiving this pack he went on to research endangered birds in the UK, red pandas, animals bought back from the brink of extinction and the categorization of endangered species. The discussion on red pandas also sparked a conversation about Fire Fox, internet browsers and internet politics including censorship of the internet in China.  All from one question!
 

How To Make a Water Rocket

Mallorca & Menorca 2012

Borox Crystal Snowflakes

You will need:
 

• string
• large jar
• pipe cleaners
• food coloring (optional)
• boiling water 
• borax (available from Ebay)
• pencil

Directions:
Cut a white pipe cleaner into 3 equal sections. Twist the sections together in the center so that you have a "six-sided" star shape. If your points are not even, trim the pipe-cleaner sections to the same length. Now attach string to one of the star 'arms' and tie the other end to a pencil (this is to hang it from). Fill a  jar with boiling water. Mix borax into the water one tablespoon at a time. Use 3 tablespoons of borax per cup of water. Stir until the Boroax is  dissolved but don't worry if there is powder settling on the bottom of the jar. If you want you can add a little blue food coloring now to give the snowflake a bluish hue. Insert your pipe cleaner snowflake into the jar so that the pencil is resting on the lip of the jar and the snowflake is freely suspended in the borax solution. Wait overnight and by morning the snowflake will be covered with shiny crystals. 

Our took much longer than a day to form and were not perfect crystals!

 

Liberating Language

The way we use language can liberate parenting. The right kind of language can build self esteem, inspire confidence and encourage responsibility. I discovered that by modifying my language to deal with mishaps, 'misbehaviour' (a word I despise) and feelings resulted in dramatic changes in the reactions from my children. Here are some examples from Liberated Parents, Liberated Children:

 "the milk spilled, we need a sponge" instead of "now look what you did"

 "walls are not for writing on. Paper is for writing on" instead of "bad boy! No more crayons for you"

 "a scratch can hurt" instead of "stop crying. It's only a scratch"

 " I see a purple house, a red sun and a stripy sky" instead of "that painting is beautiful, you're a great artist". Praise is wonderful but where can a child go from 'beautiful' and 'great'. Words that evaluate hinder a child.

Self Esteem - Who Are You?

A poem is a good way to discover who you are.  We used the following resource from Kid's Health to write a poem:

Just fill in the blanks on the one below, and you will have done it. Poetry does not have to rhyme you know, but see if you can make a pattern with the beats.

1	(Name) [Beats ]	Sa - rah 1 1 [2]
2	(adjectives - describing words) [Beats]	brown haired, friend-ly, chee-ky, small 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 [7]
3	(Brother/sister of) [Beats]	no-one 1 1 [2]
4	[Beats]	[7]

Line 4 will have 7 beats - and so you go on.
You can have a pattern of three lines or four, or however many you like, so long as there is a pattern.

<><><><><><> </> <><><><><><> </> <><><><><><> </><><><><><><> </> <><><><><><> </> <><><><><><> </><><><><><><> </> <><><><><><> </> <><><><><><> </><><><><><><> </> <><><><><><> </> <><><><><><> </><><><><><><> </> <><><><><><> </> <><><><><><> </><><><><><><> </> <><><><><><> </> <><><><><><> </><><><><><><> </> <><><><><><> </> <><><><><><> </><><><><><><> </> <><><><><><> </> <><><><><><> </><><><><><><> </> <><><><><><> </> <><><><><><> </><><><><><><> </> <><><><><><> </> <><><><><><> </><><><><><><> </> <><><><><><> </> <><><><><><> </><><><><><><> </> <><><><><><> </> <><><><><><> </><><><><><><> </> <><><><><><> </> <><><><><><> </><><><><><><> </>

Name	......................
4 adjectives (describing words)	......................
Brother/sister of	......................
Who loves	......................
Who feels	......................
Who finds happiness in	......................
Who needs	......................
Who gives	......................
Who fears	......................
Who would like to see	......................
Who enjoys	......................
Who likes to	......................
Who lives	......................
Who would like to be	......................

Here's Owen's poem:

Saxons Workshop - Orpington Museum

Building Self Esteem - Things To Look Forward To

Recently, we have been engaging in a number of activities focusing on building self esteem.   Today, we have compiled a list of things to look forward to.  We plan to update the lists each week.

Japanese Anime - Reading From Sub Titles

Owen is not keen on reading books.  However, he watches a great deal of Japanese Manga with English subtitles.  As a result he is becoming a competent and fast reader.

Easter Egg Hunt 2012

Mud Bath Fun

The Naked Egg

• a few eggs
• white vinegar
•a container big enough to hold all your eggs and a cover for the container
• a big spoon Here’s how you dissolve the shell from your eggs: 1. Place your eggs in the container so that they are not touching. 2. Add enough vinegar to cover the eggs. Notice that bubbles form on the eggs. Cover the container, put it in the refrigerator, and let the eggs sit in the vinegar for 48 hours. 3. Use your big spoon to scoop the eggs out of the vinegar. Be careful—since the eggshell has been dissolving, the egg membrane may be the only thing holding the egg together. The membrane is not as durable as the shell. 4. Carefully dump out the vinegar. Put the eggs back in the container and cover them with fresh vinegar. Leave the eggs in the refrigerator for another 24 hours. 5. Scoop the eggs out again and rinse them carefully. If any of the membranes have broken, letting the egg ooze out, throw those eggs away. 6. When you’re done, you’ll have an egg without a shell. It looks like an egg, but it’s translucent—and the membrane flexes when you squeeze it. Very cool! When you submerge an egg in vinegar, the shell dissolves. Vinegar contains acetic acid, which breaks apart the solid calcium carbonate crystals that make up the eggshell into their calcium and carbonate parts. The calcium ions float free (calcium ions are atoms that are missing electrons), while the carbonate goes to make carbon dioxide—the bubbles that you see.

How To Make a Trebuchet Catapult

Self Portraits

Owen's Self Portrait

Anya's Self Portrait

Owen's Chocolate Easter Nests

Ingredients

• 1 normal-size box of Shredded Wheat (16 large biscuits or 500g bitesize biscuits)
• 400g milk chocolate, supermarket own-brand is fine
• 2 100g bags of Mini Eggs
• Bun cases

Method

Crush the Shredded Wheat biscuits into a bowl using your hands or a food mixer

1. Break the chocolate into pieces and melt in a microwave on a low heat, stirring every 30 seconds
2. Pour the melted chocolate into the bowl and mix with the crushed Shredded Wheat
3. When mixed and all the Shredded Wheat is covered with chocolate, spoon the mixture into bun cases and press down in the middle of each to create a place for the eggs
4. Press two or three Mini Eggs into each nest
5. Leave to set for at least 2 hours (or less if refrigerated)

Trampoline Fun - March 2012

Building Self Esteem Using Photography

Photographs have the ability to capture an emotion in just a moment. A photograph also has the ability to capture a moment that someone might not be aware of, showing his or her true personality. Owen and I have created a display of a selection of photos taken in environments that best express Owen’s personality including favorite places, favorite activities, his friends and his pets.

Take Your Chances by Anya

Pond Investigation

Fish

Frogs

Pond Skaters

Anya's Self Portrait - Feb 2012

Spaghetti Challenge

Human Body Resources

Human Body Resource

Snow Fun in Crystal Palace Park - Feb 2012

Identifying Low Self Esteem

Owen has been having some problems getting on with one of the girls at one of our home education groups.  He tends to tease her and calls her names and swears at her.  It’s not one side as this child is aggressive too and has hurt Anya with no provocation.  However, I am concerned that Owen’s behaviour is verging on bullying.  Owen was bullied a great deal at school and he is starting to recognise that calling people names often gets him attention from the other kids.  I have identified that Owen has quite low self esteem.   I found the following very useful from The Womens & Childrens Health Centre in indentifying Owen’s low self esteem.

How To Identify Low Self Esteem

·        Feeling unhappy

·        Feeling that you are not as good as others

·        Having no confidence in yourself

·        Feeling hopeless about the future

·        Seeing bad things in the world around you

·        Feeling like a victim

·        Feeling miserable

·        Feeling tired most of the time

·        Lounging around and not doing anything

·        Putting yourself down even when you are given a compliment

·        Seeing the worst side of everything

·        Having no respect for yourself.

The site also looks at how peoples self confidence can get so low and suggest the following possible reasons:

·        Telling yourself how bad, stupid ugly you are

·        Disliking yourself

·        Hanging around by yourself or with people that tease you

·        Not keeping clean and tidy

·        Taking the blame for everything and not standing up for yourself

·        Thinking of a mistake as something that only happens to you

·        Believing that you can’t change anything

·        Thinking that no one likes you

·        Brooding about all the bad things that have happened in your life.

·        Not doing anything good or that you may enjoy

·        Listening to and believing people that say bad things about you.

I was horrified when I read this as it also accurately describes Owen.  The same article looks at what High Self Esteem looks like too.  Hardly any of the description of high self esteem matched Owen.

Time - Reggae song by Anya B

Video Games - Original by Lana Del Rey Sung by and Remixed by Anya B

Leave Me Alone - Anya Bedford

Leave Me Alone - Anya First Track!

Holiday in Lewes - December 2011

First Christmas in our New Home - Christmas 2011

T-Shirt Painting

Christmas Lanterns

We made some Christmas lanterns today. You can download the template from here .

Junk Modelling

Owen made a Roblox character from some of the junk we keep aside for Art and Craft.

Introducing Reading Eggspress!

Reading Eggs is an online reading programme aimed at 3 - 7 year olds. We found it unsuitable for Owen and Anya and the environment is too young for our kids. However, they have recently launched Reading Eggspress, which is a new website for 7 – 12 year olds! This brand new world, designed for older students, is full of motivating learning activities, rewards, great games and real time contests. With 650 e-books in the library and 200 comprehension lessons, Reading Eggspress is a complete English Skills program for middle and upper primary students. Anya has really enjoyed the new environment and found many books she has read on the site. She said she preferred reading on the screen as she didn't like the feel of paper. I wasn't even aware of this problem until now.

A Sandcastle Kingdom

Chess - The Right Brain Game

Chess is a great right brain game.  The right brain is linked to the "inner" senses of perfect memory, computer-like math calculation, rapid language acquisition, perfect pitch (music abilities), and intuitive thought.

Torquay October 2011

Owen and Anya Electronics Lessons

Boiling Water Experiment

Taking Things Apart

Anya and Owen love to learn how things work by taking them apart.  Anya and Owen have recently been consumed by taking apart a very old and broken laptop.  It is such a great way of discovering how things work.  It ticks all the boxes for Kinaesthetic learning. It's so fun and simple and most broken appliances serve as great learning tools.  The kids loveto guess what each park is and we talk about the function of each part.

Number Lines & Weighing

Last year, I posted about Anya’s Numerical SequencingProblems.  She learnt to count to 21 by labelling the stairs.  We also used number lines which I think fantastic method of teaching Maths.  We look at the number line and count forward and back using it.  Anya finds it really hard to remember which set of numbers follow which eg once she gets to 59 she can’t remember 60 comes next.  Counting in Tens has helped but she hasn’t quite made the connection between the Units that come in  between the Tens.

Scales are a little like a number line too and by weighing ingredients, Anya can see the value of the scales gradually increasing.  She then has to understand that if she goes over the required amount some of the ingredients need to be removed.

Chicken Feed Receipe to Produce Omega-3 Fatty Acids

I have been researching a diet that will help my chicken produce Columbus Eggs which are high in Omega 3 fatty Acids.

You can increase the level of omega-3 fatty acids in the eggs that your hens lay by including flaxseed in their feed. The flaxseed contains a type of omega-3 fatty acid called a -linolenic acid and the hen will deposit a significant amount of this dietary fatty acid into the egg yolk. The hen will also convert some of the a -linolenic acid into smaller amounts of other forms of omega-3 fatty acids and deposit them into the egg yolk.

Here is my current mix:

Wheat                                             4 Parts
Oats/Barley                                     2 Parts
Lentils/Split Peas/Quinoa                  2 Parts
Flaxseed/Sunflower/Sesame Seeds   2 parts

Free choice of Oyster Shells/Grit      

More information on Omega chicken diets can be found at http://www.gov.mb.ca/agriculture/livestock/poultry/bba01s04.html         

BrainPOP - Our Favourite Educational Site

Last year we subscribed to Brain Pop Jnr. This year I have decided to invest another $99 into Brain Pop which is aimed at older kids. The science provided by Brain Pop Jnr is a little basic for Owen but the science videos aimed at secondary student on Brain Pop will suit him better.

Naruto, Bleach and Manga Subtitles

This time last year, I could never have imagined my son would be able to watch Manga subtitled films. Many of the Bleach and Naruto episode are only available as subtitles. Owen's passion for Naruto and Bleach has encouraged him to watch the new subtitled episodes. My job is simply to provide him with the time to watch them! New Manga can be loaded from AnimePrivate.com