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Hope Chest Home School News #48 part 4: "What Do You Think?"

#1 · March 20, 2002, 12:12 pm

Quote from Forum Archives on March 20, 2002, 12:12 pm
Posted by: homenews <homenews@...>

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

THE HOPE CHEST

Issue #48 part 4: "What Do You Think?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Part 4: The Stuff at the End

• What's New at the Knowles House?

• What's Up in the Next Issue?

• Resource Ordering Information

• Reprint Permission

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

WHAT'S NEW AT THE KNOWLES HOUSE?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There is so much I could write about in this section!

I think I told you that my eleven year old daughter, Rachel, flew to Maryland with my mother a week after I had hernia surgery. She wanted to see snow so badly, so we let her take her Big Birthday Trip a year early! Grandma and Aunt Barb planned a whirlwind slate of activities for Rachel's Hot Chocolate Tour of 2002. Let's see if I can remember all of it: snow tubing in Pennsylvania and western Maryland, the Hershey Chocolate factory tour, Luray Caverns in Virginia, the Smithsonian American History Museum and the National Zoo (twice) in Washington D.C., ice skating... Am I forgetting anything? Ah, yes, she went to a classical ed classes for two days with her home schooled cousins. And it all counted for school! Yippee!

I've been looking into options for group classes this fall. Mary will still go to Monday classes at Smith Prep for 10th grade. We thought of sending Julia there for 8th, but then we found out that our support group is starting Friday afternoon classes for 2nd-9th grades. They are hiring teachers for the middle school classes, so it will cost us a reasonable amount of tuition for Julia and Rachel. The subjects will be Science and an integrated project-based American History & Communications course. Joanna and Lydia will be in the the lower level for Spanish, Science/History, Art, and Music and P.E. Most of these classes be taught by parents, except that the middle schoolers will lead P.E. time. All the details still need to be worked out. It hasn't been "our time" for this sort of thing until now, but I am excited about it because I sense God's leading. He knows our needs!

Many of you have asked about Commonsense Excellence, my current new book project. It is "A Parent's Guide to Christ-Centered Home Education for PreK-3rd Grade." I am truly excited about it! I'm all but finished with the main subjects -- Bible, Literature, Language Arts Skills, Math, Social Studies and Science -- and will soon set to work on Health & Safety, Life Skills, Physical Education, and the Arts. I'll finish out the book with a few appendices on school room organization and other minor topics.

People ask how I've been able to write so fast when I have so many other responsibilities. Since this has much to do with this issue's theme about Thinking Skills, here are my answers:

• I love to write! That's what motivates me to get up at 6 in the morning or stay up until 11 at night. Writing is my only hobby, and at least it's a tidy one. I gave up oil painting, quilting and pop-up cards a long time ago! I can sit down and write for a few minutes, and then when someone needs me, I can hit the save button and put it away.

• I think in my head all day long, and then when I sit down at the computer, I let it flow through my fingers. If I have an idea, I jot it down or tuck it away in my head with some sort of memory gimmick. (I have a mental picture of history author Jean Fritz standing in front Mt. Rushmore while reading the Declaration of Independence.)

• My children are indispensible! I've had lots of help from my older girls, who have fixed meals, watched the little guys, and done a goodly share of the housework. Also, all of my school age children are fluent readers, and do most of their school work independently. This is a blessing, and the payoff of my investement in their early years.

• I have been LIVING early elementary education for the past 15 years! It's easiest to write about the things that you know.

• I am an information junkie. My collection of various handouts, teaching aids and notes from the past several years is a tremendous treasury of ideas. I've also checked out a bazillion library books for reference and research.

• I have been WRITING about these topics for over 10 years, and it's all on my computer. So, I already have LOTS of material to work with! (Granted, I've had to organize it, update it, polish it, and pour on the fresh passion.)

• I have a self-imposed deadline of getting it done by mid-April. Pray for Thad and I as we make decisions about whether I should exhibit at any curriculum fairs this spring! I have the packet for the C.H.E.F. convention in Clearwater, Florida the first weekend in May, and have to send in my application in the next couple of days if I am going to do it. We need wisdom!

• MOST OF ALL, most of all.... I am thankful that God has answered my prayer, and made my time productive. He supernaturally enables us to do what we think we cannot do. To him be the glory and praise!

One last word here for those who are about to gag in disbelief over that list. I know that many of you are experiencing times of frustration and fatigue due to challenging circumstances in your lives. Sometimes it seems like you can't think straight or that when you do think, it's all negative. You are not alone! Even though to most people it seems like I have it "all together" that's not at all true. I've gone through my own tough and confusing times lately, mostly of my own making. By the grace of God and the understanding counsel of dear friends, I've come through even stronger. When my children fuss loudly about a sticky math problem or a conflict with a brother or sister, I tell them: "You can't think clearly until you are calm. If you settle down and listen to me, you'll be able to figure it out." I think that's what God is saying to all of us. We need to calm down and listen to him, to ask him for wisdom and peace.

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Matthew 11:28-30

Thanks for reading this issue of the Hope Chest! Let me know what you think! What has been helpful or not? I'd love to hear from you.

Blessings,

Virginia Knowles

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

WHAT'S UP IN THE NEXT ISSUE?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Despite my plans to do the Hope Chest bi-monthly, I'm going to do an extra issue called "Resources for You" in April! I've got several great new books and other resources to tell you about. (And only one of them is by me!) If you would like to review a favorite resource, please do! We'd all like to hear what works for you!

The May/June issue will be about mothers and birds. I would love to hear your thoughts these topics or any other thing of interest to home educating families!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

RESOURCE ORDERING INFORMATION

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I don't have the space here to describe all of these resources, so if you want to know more about any of them, e-mail me and I'll send you descriptions! Right here I am just going to list titles, authors, prices and order information. Shipping (all orders) and tax (Florida residents) must be added to the prices listed. I have limited quantities in stock so please e-mail me before you send payment.

BOOKS BY VIRGINIA KNOWLES

The Real Life Home School Mom -- $14

The Best of the Hope Chest Vol. 1(Issues 1-10) -- $10

The Best of the Hope Chest Vol. 2 (Issues 11-20) -- $10

The Best of the Hope Chest Vol. 3 (Issues 21-30) -- $10

The Learner's Journal Lesson Planner & Resource Log -- $10

Nurturing Naomi: How to Help Yourself or Someone Else

Overcome Discouragement (audio tape) --

$3 or free with other order

BOOKS AND TAPES BY CINDY RUSHTON

Inspiring Our Children to Greatness Using Great Literature -$12

Homeschooling... Digging in to ALL of the Options -- $10

A Charlotte Mason Primer -- $12

Ministering to the Heart of Your Child -- $12

Language Arts... The Easy Way -- $20

Nature Study... The Easy Way -- $25

The 3R'S for Moms...Well, Maybe Four! (tape set) -- $16

QUANTITY DISCOUNTS!

If you order any three items or more, take $1 off the price of each item.

HOW TO ORDER ANY OF THE RESOURCES

First, check with me by e-mail to see if I have the resource currently in stock! If by chance I don't, this will give me a couple of extra days to get it. Send me a list of which books you want and how many, and compute the subtotal. Shipping to USA addresses is $2.50 minimum and 10% after that. Florida residents pay 7% sales tax AFTER computing shipping. (Contact me for foreign shipping rates, rush shipping rates, or quantity pricing.) Mail your check, order and e-mail address to:

Virginia Knowles

1925 Blossom Lane

Maitland, FL 32751

If you prefer to order with a credit or debit card on the web, go to the PayPal web site at www.paypal.com and send the payment to [email protected]. Be sure to get the e-mail address correct! Also be sure to include your name, address and other order information. This is the ONLY way I can accept credit/debit card payment.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

REPRINT PERMISSION

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You may freely copy material from this newsletter in other non-profit publications (unless otherwise marked in the article), but you MUST include the author's name (not necessarily mine) and this entire notice:

Reprinted with permission of Virginia Knowles from the Hope Chest Home School News. For a free subscription, send an e-mail message to [email protected] or visit www.hopechest.homestead.com/welcome.html

Please send me a copy of the publication which includes the material.

Virginia Knowles / 1925 Blossom Lane / Maitland, FL 32751

Posted by: homenews <homenews@...>

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

THE HOPE CHEST

Issue #48 part 4: "What Do You Think?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Part 4: The Stuff at the End

• What's New at the Knowles House?

• What's Up in the Next Issue?

• Resource Ordering Information

• Reprint Permission

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

WHAT'S NEW AT THE KNOWLES HOUSE?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There is so much I could write about in this section!

I think I told you that my eleven year old daughter, Rachel, flew to Maryland with my mother a week after I had hernia surgery. She wanted to see snow so badly, so we let her take her Big Birthday Trip a year early! Grandma and Aunt Barb planned a whirlwind slate of activities for Rachel's Hot Chocolate Tour of 2002. Let's see if I can remember all of it: snow tubing in Pennsylvania and western Maryland, the Hershey Chocolate factory tour, Luray Caverns in Virginia, the Smithsonian American History Museum and the National Zoo (twice) in Washington D.C., ice skating... Am I forgetting anything? Ah, yes, she went to a classical ed classes for two days with her home schooled cousins. And it all counted for school! Yippee!

I've been looking into options for group classes this fall. Mary will still go to Monday classes at Smith Prep for 10th grade. We thought of sending Julia there for 8th, but then we found out that our support group is starting Friday afternoon classes for 2nd-9th grades. They are hiring teachers for the middle school classes, so it will cost us a reasonable amount of tuition for Julia and Rachel. The subjects will be Science and an integrated project-based American History & Communications course. Joanna and Lydia will be in the the lower level for Spanish, Science/History, Art, and Music and P.E. Most of these classes be taught by parents, except that the middle schoolers will lead P.E. time. All the details still need to be worked out. It hasn't been "our time" for this sort of thing until now, but I am excited about it because I sense God's leading. He knows our needs!

Many of you have asked about Commonsense Excellence, my current new book project. It is "A Parent's Guide to Christ-Centered Home Education for PreK-3rd Grade." I am truly excited about it! I'm all but finished with the main subjects -- Bible, Literature, Language Arts Skills, Math, Social Studies and Science -- and will soon set to work on Health & Safety, Life Skills, Physical Education, and the Arts. I'll finish out the book with a few appendices on school room organization and other minor topics.

People ask how I've been able to write so fast when I have so many other responsibilities. Since this has much to do with this issue's theme about Thinking Skills, here are my answers:

• I love to write! That's what motivates me to get up at 6 in the morning or stay up until 11 at night. Writing is my only hobby, and at least it's a tidy one. I gave up oil painting, quilting and pop-up cards a long time ago! I can sit down and write for a few minutes, and then when someone needs me, I can hit the save button and put it away.

• I think in my head all day long, and then when I sit down at the computer, I let it flow through my fingers. If I have an idea, I jot it down or tuck it away in my head with some sort of memory gimmick. (I have a mental picture of history author Jean Fritz standing in front Mt. Rushmore while reading the Declaration of Independence.)

• My children are indispensible! I've had lots of help from my older girls, who have fixed meals, watched the little guys, and done a goodly share of the housework. Also, all of my school age children are fluent readers, and do most of their school work independently. This is a blessing, and the payoff of my investement in their early years.

• I have been LIVING early elementary education for the past 15 years! It's easiest to write about the things that you know.

• I am an information junkie. My collection of various handouts, teaching aids and notes from the past several years is a tremendous treasury of ideas. I've also checked out a bazillion library books for reference and research.

• I have been WRITING about these topics for over 10 years, and it's all on my computer. So, I already have LOTS of material to work with! (Granted, I've had to organize it, update it, polish it, and pour on the fresh passion.)

• I have a self-imposed deadline of getting it done by mid-April. Pray for Thad and I as we make decisions about whether I should exhibit at any curriculum fairs this spring! I have the packet for the C.H.E.F. convention in Clearwater, Florida the first weekend in May, and have to send in my application in the next couple of days if I am going to do it. We need wisdom!

• MOST OF ALL, most of all.... I am thankful that God has answered my prayer, and made my time productive. He supernaturally enables us to do what we think we cannot do. To him be the glory and praise!

One last word here for those who are about to gag in disbelief over that list. I know that many of you are experiencing times of frustration and fatigue due to challenging circumstances in your lives. Sometimes it seems like you can't think straight or that when you do think, it's all negative. You are not alone! Even though to most people it seems like I have it "all together" that's not at all true. I've gone through my own tough and confusing times lately, mostly of my own making. By the grace of God and the understanding counsel of dear friends, I've come through even stronger. When my children fuss loudly about a sticky math problem or a conflict with a brother or sister, I tell them: "You can't think clearly until you are calm. If you settle down and listen to me, you'll be able to figure it out." I think that's what God is saying to all of us. We need to calm down and listen to him, to ask him for wisdom and peace.

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Matthew 11:28-30

Thanks for reading this issue of the Hope Chest! Let me know what you think! What has been helpful or not? I'd love to hear from you.

Blessings,

Virginia Knowles

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

WHAT'S UP IN THE NEXT ISSUE?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Despite my plans to do the Hope Chest bi-monthly, I'm going to do an extra issue called "Resources for You" in April! I've got several great new books and other resources to tell you about. (And only one of them is by me!) If you would like to review a favorite resource, please do! We'd all like to hear what works for you!

The May/June issue will be about mothers and birds. I would love to hear your thoughts these topics or any other thing of interest to home educating families!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

RESOURCE ORDERING INFORMATION

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I don't have the space here to describe all of these resources, so if you want to know more about any of them, e-mail me and I'll send you descriptions! Right here I am just going to list titles, authors, prices and order information. Shipping (all orders) and tax (Florida residents) must be added to the prices listed. I have limited quantities in stock so please e-mail me before you send payment.

BOOKS BY VIRGINIA KNOWLES

The Real Life Home School Mom -- $14

The Best of the Hope Chest Vol. 1(Issues 1-10) -- $10

The Best of the Hope Chest Vol. 2 (Issues 11-20) -- $10

The Best of the Hope Chest Vol. 3 (Issues 21-30) -- $10

The Learner's Journal Lesson Planner & Resource Log -- $10

Nurturing Naomi: How to Help Yourself or Someone Else

Overcome Discouragement (audio tape) --

$3 or free with other order

BOOKS AND TAPES BY CINDY RUSHTON

Inspiring Our Children to Greatness Using Great Literature -$12

Homeschooling... Digging in to ALL of the Options -- $10

A Charlotte Mason Primer -- $12

Ministering to the Heart of Your Child -- $12

Language Arts... The Easy Way -- $20

Nature Study... The Easy Way -- $25

The 3R'S for Moms...Well, Maybe Four! (tape set) -- $16

QUANTITY DISCOUNTS!

If you order any three items or more, take $1 off the price of each item.

HOW TO ORDER ANY OF THE RESOURCES

First, check with me by e-mail to see if I have the resource currently in stock! If by chance I don't, this will give me a couple of extra days to get it. Send me a list of which books you want and how many, and compute the subtotal. Shipping to USA addresses is $2.50 minimum and 10% after that. Florida residents pay 7% sales tax AFTER computing shipping. (Contact me for foreign shipping rates, rush shipping rates, or quantity pricing.) Mail your check, order and e-mail address to:

Virginia Knowles

1925 Blossom Lane

Maitland, FL 32751

If you prefer to order with a credit or debit card on the web, go to the PayPal web site at http://www.paypal.com and send the payment to [email protected]. Be sure to get the e-mail address correct! Also be sure to include your name, address and other order information. This is the ONLY way I can accept credit/debit card payment.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

REPRINT PERMISSION

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You may freely copy material from this newsletter in other non-profit publications (unless otherwise marked in the article), but you MUST include the author's name (not necessarily mine) and this entire notice:

Reprinted with permission of Virginia Knowles from the Hope Chest Home School News. For a free subscription, send an e-mail message to [email protected] or visit http://www.hopechest.homestead.com/welcome.html

Please send me a copy of the publication which includes the material.

Virginia Knowles / 1925 Blossom Lane / Maitland, FL 32751