5/22/06 Daily Plan
Done so far:
I woke up before the boys and spent 20 minutes looking at daily flow and evaluating what works and what doesn't.
I got back into bed to snuggle with Boy #1. He woke up when I did, but I promised I would be back and he accepted this and was happy to get his snuggle time. Perhaps we have a compromise that will work.
I sang to/woke up Boy #2. I got his slippers on his feet before he could complain about being cold. He was grumpy because he didn't want his brother to sing, just me.
Breakfast for everyone; cornmeal mush for Boy #2, oatmeal for Boy #1, and fruit smoothies for Papa and I (although I'm still hungry, and may grab a small bowl of mush before I put it away). Papa had slept in a bit, so I did the breakfast dishes and wiped the table.
Everyone got dressed and brushed their teeth (or had help with these actvities). The beds are made. I cleaned both bathrooms. I started a load of laundry.
Right now we should be walking. It's a part of the flow that I usually like, but the boys are knee-deep in a building project and I know that if I interrupt them they will be upset and they won't want to walk. I need to figure out how to transition them from the 20-30 minutes they have free between when they are ready for the day and when I have finished my chores.
The other thing is, we've been really active at other times of the day, and sometimes I am too tired/sore for the walk. Yesterday we hiked and later biked, and I didn't really feel up to a full exercise walk. So perhaps the answer is to return to a more formal circle, once I get the music and movement materials from Enki.
I do have to remember that Beth didn't wave an Enki magic wand over me the moment I gave her my credit card number. I have been absorbing and applying the philosophy over several months, and it is not realistic to think that we are now ready to have these "perfect" Enki days from start to finish. There is no such thing as a "perfect" Enki day - there is only my family, and how we make this work for us.
I made my Town Board yesterday, although once I read the old guide instructions (I had mostly used the new guide instructions Beth emailed to me) I understood far better and now I want to change a few things. But it will do for the next couple of days. It took me many hours to do, and I was thinking of how Papa and I really are partners in this, even if it "looks" like I am the homeschooling parent. I couldn't have made the board if he hadn't kept the boys busy and out of my way.
So for the rest of today:
Snack (fruit)
Start morning lesson with a few fingerplays and movement activities
Read "eep/eap" Word Family to boys. Use town board as a prop/manipulative.
Walk simple forms.
Bake muffins
Snack (muffins)
Free play
Lunch and rest
(I will read or rest and not use the computer) (I mostly worked in the kitchen and talked to my dad on the phone.)
Put away toys in boys' bedroom
Snack
Math Practice: pattern blocks
Handwriting practice
Project: make wool boards (didn't happen - they wanted to play)
Snack
Outdoor play
Dinner preparation
Settling-in time (ukulele practice 5 mintues) (didn't happen - this is a goal but not a reality for us yet)
Dinner/Clean up
BMX (cancelled due to rain earlier in the day)
Sweep/mop floors (didn't happen because they didn't go to BMX)
Long, hot aromatherapy bath (yes!)
Bedtime routine (bath, jammies, snack, book, candle, songs, sleep)
Plan tomorrow
Read
Yoga
Sleep
I woke up before the boys and spent 20 minutes looking at daily flow and evaluating what works and what doesn't.
I got back into bed to snuggle with Boy #1. He woke up when I did, but I promised I would be back and he accepted this and was happy to get his snuggle time. Perhaps we have a compromise that will work.
I sang to/woke up Boy #2. I got his slippers on his feet before he could complain about being cold. He was grumpy because he didn't want his brother to sing, just me.
Breakfast for everyone; cornmeal mush for Boy #2, oatmeal for Boy #1, and fruit smoothies for Papa and I (although I'm still hungry, and may grab a small bowl of mush before I put it away). Papa had slept in a bit, so I did the breakfast dishes and wiped the table.
Everyone got dressed and brushed their teeth (or had help with these actvities). The beds are made. I cleaned both bathrooms. I started a load of laundry.
Right now we should be walking. It's a part of the flow that I usually like, but the boys are knee-deep in a building project and I know that if I interrupt them they will be upset and they won't want to walk. I need to figure out how to transition them from the 20-30 minutes they have free between when they are ready for the day and when I have finished my chores.
The other thing is, we've been really active at other times of the day, and sometimes I am too tired/sore for the walk. Yesterday we hiked and later biked, and I didn't really feel up to a full exercise walk. So perhaps the answer is to return to a more formal circle, once I get the music and movement materials from Enki.
I do have to remember that Beth didn't wave an Enki magic wand over me the moment I gave her my credit card number. I have been absorbing and applying the philosophy over several months, and it is not realistic to think that we are now ready to have these "perfect" Enki days from start to finish. There is no such thing as a "perfect" Enki day - there is only my family, and how we make this work for us.
I made my Town Board yesterday, although once I read the old guide instructions (I had mostly used the new guide instructions Beth emailed to me) I understood far better and now I want to change a few things. But it will do for the next couple of days. It took me many hours to do, and I was thinking of how Papa and I really are partners in this, even if it "looks" like I am the homeschooling parent. I couldn't have made the board if he hadn't kept the boys busy and out of my way.
So for the rest of today:
Snack (fruit)
Start morning lesson with a few fingerplays and movement activities
Read "eep/eap" Word Family to boys. Use town board as a prop/manipulative.
Walk simple forms.
Bake muffins
Snack (muffins)
Free play
Lunch and rest
(I will read or rest and not use the computer) (I mostly worked in the kitchen and talked to my dad on the phone.)
Put away toys in boys' bedroom
Snack
Math Practice: pattern blocks
Handwriting practice
Project: make wool boards (didn't happen - they wanted to play)
Snack
Outdoor play
Dinner preparation
Settling-in time (ukulele practice 5 mintues) (didn't happen - this is a goal but not a reality for us yet)
Dinner/Clean up
BMX (cancelled due to rain earlier in the day)
Sweep/mop floors (didn't happen because they didn't go to BMX)
Long, hot aromatherapy bath (yes!)
Bedtime routine (bath, jammies, snack, book, candle, songs, sleep)
Plan tomorrow
Read
Yoga
Sleep
Comments
I saw your blog announcement on one of the Waldorf lists. I'd love to hear how you're planning weaving Enki and Unschooling together.
Anyway, it is this big board you make to go along with the word family stories (which are probably also in the instruction manual). It depicts a village nestled in a valley of several steep mountains. In the village you have 8-12 houses, and on each roof you can attach a consonant/blend card and then the word families visit the houses and make words. So the "eep/eap" family visited and make words like "leap", "sleep", "jeep", "creep", etc.
I tried to take a picture with DH's fancy camera, but I'll need his help getting it into my blog.
Anyway, I was on the Enki list when everyone was preparing for grade 1 and they were making the town boards, so I knew about them, and when I bought my materials Beth said she wanted to email me a few things to get started while I wait, so I asked her to send me information about Word Families. She sent the instruction pages, the stories, and a picture of the Town Board.
The main process Manuals
Teaching Guides for K and 1
Movement Guides for K and 1
on order I have...
Nature stories for K and 1
Fairy Tales for K and 1
Crafts for K and 1
Maybe it is in a different one of these books? Does it say in the footer of the email she sent which books they are in. You know how on the bottom of the page it says the book and page number?
It is frustrating! This is one reason I said I wouldn't buy Enki until a full grade was complete, but in the end I decided using it in parts was better than not using it at all.
Do you have the year planned out? I used the "Sample Grade One Core Content Work" chart on page 13 of the Grade 1 Teaching Guide to plan our year, starting mid-year in May (which is February on the chart) and going through the fall equinox. So when Beth asked what I would need I told her I was starting Word Families right away, and will be teaching Fact Families beginning 5/28. That way she could email me materials.
Beth is really helpful, and very on the ball (last week she threw out her back which is why she missed our consult, but we've rescheduled for this Thursday).
I have been working on planning third grade. I thought I had it about done, but now I have some changes I want to make. I think I will likely continue to alter it until the grade two comes out (pray for this summer). I can use a lot of that for our third grade year, obviously making adjustments as needed.
I love my Enki stuff, and wouldnt ever choose another, but I am so saddened to know that this information (for third grade) exists and I cant get my hands on it. I just know we would really love it so much. I guess the planning of it is helpful to me though. I used the guidelines for the various grades as listed on the website. I like the outline, but I just know the flesh of the program will be incredible and when it finally comes out I will be so bummed I didnt have it for Greyson.
I have the old Teaching Guide, which is Early Childhood Education through Grade 6. But these aren't the instruction guides. I probably can help you figure out what skills are introduced in 3rd grade, as well as which are practiced and mastered (from earlier grades). DO you have Donna's Curriculum Overview? That would be a big help in knowing what blocks to teach in Grade 3, although it may not be the same as Enki.
I think the reality is that there may eventually be Grade 2 Enki resources, but I doubt it will progress past that. By Grade 3 we will probably all be on our own in terms of planning and finding resources. But we should be well-grounded in the philosophy by then, which will be a help to your younger son but not your oldest.
Beth said hopefully January of 2007 could bring grade three, but hey, we know how the time lines are with Enki. I wish I could help them, I just want to call and be like give it to me I will organize it for you and get it all out ASAP!!! LOL It is so funny when they have most of it written. I know it isnt like it is their choice, but boy Im jealous of people who got in before the set backs of this fall. I could kick myself for not jumping in sooner!!
Im not a big fan of classical education. I would say most people I know do that or Oak Meadow. I have read about Calssical and I get the concept and why people are drawn to it, but it just doesnt speak to me. It feels so flat and lifeless. I know its about what you put into it, but I just dont feel like it would help us to meet our goals the way Enki or a more holistic style does. Also I have more than a few issues with how history is taught in "classical" education. But Im a bit toughcy on that! LOL
I did pay more for my Grade 1 package because I have that guide, but at least I have it and had the option. I only wish I had the old Grade 1 materials, because I am much better with paper than a non-indexed CD. Of course, my biggest hope is that the new grade 1 instruction manual will be published soon.
One of the first posts on this blog is about our short foray into classical education. Talk about a mistake!
I did sell some of my Christopherus, but kept the overview, the form drawing book (which I might sell once I have the Enki form drawing instructions, because they are different), the regular drawing book, the syllabus, and the science book (which I might sell, I'll decide after I review it).
I will be planning grade 2 in October.
I'll admit that we're moving more toward gentle structure and away from unschooling, but there is still so much time for them to explore their interests and play freely. The more I do with them each week (adding to the rhythm) the more they want, so perhaps at this age they don't want to be unschoolers anyway.