on doing stuff

I hear, I forget. I see, I remember. I do, I understand.--Chinese proveb.

I'm feeling more positive about doing stuff with the children- it seems to be what they want and what works well with all of us and I feel that they can learn so much from doing things. I suppose a lot of it is making stuff, but it is the doing that's more mportant than the end result. The paper making has been going well, and seems to have inspired a lot of questions and other creative activity- being creative just feeds more creative energy. The tactile experience of this kind of activity is quite unique. I'm sure it promotes a deeper understanding of the world around us and to not take things for granted.

building a wall

This used to be my bedroom, but now its going to be 2 children's rooms, which are hopefully going to be 2 very different enchanted forests!

neaps

Spent much of yesterday morning pondering on the futililty of trying to run 'groups', when it seems that most people who say they are interested aren't that into it , or for whatever reason just can't make it when you organise something. I was on a bit of a downer after I put so much effort into organising our Divali session and only 3 other people turned up. I was thinking of packing it in, or else just doing once a month, but it seems that there are a few people who want it more often than that. I think now I might just give it a bit longer, and carry on regardless. Maybe it semed that I had put in a lot of work as I had also done a birthday party in the same week.I'm still struggling with the whole thing of how much I should 'do' with the kids- I mean some people think its not right to organise stuff for them to do and some times I think maybe I shouldn't impose what I think on them to that extent. But I'm not forcing them to do anything- just giving them the opportunity to try things out. I suppose I try to compromise between the Waldorf idea of givng them certain stuff to do and the more child-led approach. But I think it's possible to be both. It's just difficult to explain how Waldorf works- it is supposed to be about what the child needs at the time, but comes from a deeper understanding.Anyway, I seem to be in a bit of an agarohobic/paranoid phase at the moment, feeling very sensitive to the fact that my approach to my kids can be very different from other people's. I suppose this is bound to happen, though.In the afternoon we walked the mile or so up the track to Tom and Elliot's and Sarah picked us some lovely swedes to make lanterns with. I was really inspired up there- it's like another world. Bet it's wild tonight, though- it's really windy and rainy here.Money is looking a bit desperate at the moment. Brendan has gone to another interview in London- I keep having to lend him money to get there, so I am managing without going shopping this week. Mashed neaps for tea tomorrow, then.

Birthday girl

flower cake

what is art?

Friday, October 21, 2005

(discuss, in not less that 500 words)
Just been commenting on here, and was tempted to go on a bit so I thought I'd better do it on my own blog!Basically the question is what is the pont of doing children's sticky leaf collages? which I feel compelled to answer in the best way possible, as I am guilty of this by default as the group I have been running did this activity in my absence, but with my tacit consent ; )(by the way I'm not trying to be funny, only funny ha ha ; oD. People always seems to take me more seriously than I intended on the computer- I try to be light and fluffy, maybe I neeed a comedy font?)ok, not wanting to go on or anything ;) but I suppose you could break down 'leaf collage' into learned skills. Here are a few examples:Dexterity: mangaging glue and brush, not spilling glue, getting the right amount of glue that works (this can later be developed into collages/scrapbooks/gluing anything, mending stuff).Creative/artistic: composition-where to put leaf? how many? what does the result look like? colours, textures etc.Botany/science: recognising leaf shapes- which tree? why do they fall? what are viens for? why do they change colour? Seasons- why does it get colder? etc(I'm not suggeting that any of this is self-consciously taught or learned, only out of doing the activity itself and the questions it may trigger).I think it just helps create a focus- ie, We think about leaves a little bit more than we would have when we are picking them up, seeking them out, looking for trees with particular colours we may want. And this leads to more questions. Ok this is not completely autonomous, but I dont think anybody can operate in a vaccuum. OK we can spend our whole lives without knowing all that stuff about nature, about the world, but personally, I find it all facinating, and it's that wanting to know, curiosity that I suppose is important.Plus it's something to do when you havent got a telly!Ok. here's another way of putting it:An Ofsted inspector is witnessing a 'science experiment' in a Steiner Kindergarten where frosty leaves are gathered and placed inside, where the frost melts.Inspector: Where are the results of this experiment recorded?Teacher: In their soulsOk, I' not going to question everything else I do with the kids- why skate? why Gym? I think I just felt the need to explain something- that I don't do art with kids for the sake of evidence, which is quite a common assumption, I believe. At least I think I don't. I suppose I don't question it that much, it's just what I do, and I don't think it does any harm. I mean the question only leads to 'what is art?' and 'what is art for?' which I remember having to do an essay on when I was at Art College. I didn't know the answer then. I'm not sure if I do now. But, I just see art as a necessary part of life, however you choose to define it.

wheresme dampyjamas

Well, I didn't end up doing that much today, but I suppose that's what I needed. So after a leisurely morning (porridge at 12), while the kids mooched about in and out of the garden and I caught up on a few forums! (how many more do have have to join!) and tried to sort out the Council tax, grrrr (that's what I was doing all morning, I must have blotted it out of my mind), I finally went shopping with Jem and Maeve, who helped me with the heavy stuff. I quite enjoyed it, and was chuffed with my new pyjamas, very ample and covered in moomin-like cat drawings, plus the bargain £4.99 firework set. It was really nice to have Maeve round for tea- we had pizza and chardonnay. I walked her to the bus stop and didn't nag her once or even interrogate her about college, her flat, etc! (Well I had been round there and she was doing some college work and her flat seems quite together.)I hope I have sorted the council tax out- I sent them 4 letters, one recorded delivery, so they don't lose it this time.Fugs played on Cat in the Hat game. Jem was very helpful after the others had gone to bed. She was looking over my shoulder (on the computer) and easily sussed out how to do a couple of (forum) things that I was struggling with!
dampyjamas= Swedish for women's pyjamas

blog birthday!

I just realised I have been blogging for one year today!

exhibition

We went to see the Quentin Blake exhibition, and found out about the Sculpture Trail, which starts on the 9th in Hardcastle Craggs. We did the quiz, which made us look more closely at the illustrations, and decided to go back another day.

Ponderosa

marmoset
fishies

feeding the llamas and reas at Ponderosa

steam train trip

Trip on a steam train at Oxenhope, on KWVR

watching the steam train turning round

going for a walk

sewn purse and bag

twisting cord for handle

felted purse

sewn purse and bag

twisting cord for handle

ballet?

nice pointing

good toes, naughty toes

ballet- this is not the "naughty leg"

Music group

Music group- percussion and singing, Frere Jaques in rounds.
Scoobies
Played at E and J's and the park there.
More singing.

Scoobies- weaving, knotting.
Sewing- embroidery
Allie has 20 teeth; has only fed once in 3 days
Jem tells me she can do skipping now

summer solstice

It was a bit rainy this morning. Jem did a bit of sewing and Fugs did some scrapbook cutting out.We got into some solstice things after lunch: made these paper cut-out summer suns and hung them up. Jem put hers in her scrapbook, and then did a few more pages of it. She hadn't done any of her scrapbook since January, so it was quite nice that she got into it again.We went down to the cricket pitch to watch the end of sports day and Lily came round to play for a bit.We had a solstice feast; Jem was very helpful with the cake-making and tidying and laying the table.
After tea she did some skipping and almost got the hang of it, with rhymes from "All year round" eg, "January, February..."

solstice sun: Fugs

happy birthday sun: Jem's scrapbook

summer sun- Fugs

Home ed meeting was just de-camping to the park when we got there, as it was sunny. After much playing with friends we went to the butterfly house, which has a new time-line garden with dinasaur and exotic plants.Shopping after, then more playing at home in the garden with new bouncers.Allie said motorbike, "biderbike" when one went past when he was going to sleep. He also said his brother and sisters' names, in a little song.

bouncing

Wycoller world of wool

It was a whole weekend of rag-rugging. Jem went on Saturday after ballet, with Lily and had a picnic. I came along with Fugs in the afternoon for the rag-rugging. They spent most of the time paddling in the stream and exploring the willow sculptures and the ruins of Wycoller Hall.On Sunday it was world of wool, and there were sheep shearing demo's, spinning, felting and rag-rugging, which they joined into, especially after it started raining.
Sheep shearing
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needle felting
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the rag rug
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rag rugging workshop at Wycoller
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needle felting
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"I made this!"
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Fugs spinning
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Jem doing some spinning

Magna

Jem has gone to Magna, with the Montessori school. I would have liked to have gone, but she didn't want me to.I am taking to boys to a HE meeting in Skipton. They are currently playing with a paddling pool pump and some large cardboard boxes.

Intro

Not sure if this is going to work, but have decided to try a separate home education journal for knittingyogurt.
Currrently we have:Ali, 20 months, at home 24/7
Fugs, 4 3/4, at Montessori nursery 2 days a week, soon to be home educated full time
Jem, 7 1/2, at Montessori school 3 days a week, soon to reduce this to 2 days?
Mave, nearly 18. at college (she doesnt think she is home-educated)
Me. Rosie, principle home-educator and SAHM, or SAHHEM, 24/7.