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Friday, September 5, 2014

First Week Back to Lessons at Home

From the first week and our first poem of the year: "Cargoes" by John Masefield, a "quinquereme." Poem taken from A Journey in Time Through Verse and Rhyme, by Heather Thomas, our Waldorf-inspired go-to poetry book for all grade levels.


This particular illustration is from my oh-so-reluctant daughter who claimed she "can't draw". I chose hers to show how even the most reticent person can find the art inside of them. I hope she remembers the lesson as an encouraging, pleasant one, proving that no one has a license to beauty and art.

Breakfast; when you are facing a full morning of work, it is good to be well-nourished. A morning favorite for Charles; hash browns, eggs and toast:


This week's focus was a math review and getting settled into our routine again. For the three youngest, this means beginning the day together with a poem and seated work; art, math, writing, interspersed with walks or trampoline time. Cate, the college-bound, is usually at the dining room table working on her online classes or ACT prep.

For math, for my 7th-grader, I use Making Math Meaningful, by Jamie York. The Bookstore at Rudolf Steiner College, the above (non-sponsored) links, is a wonderful store with excellent service, where I can find almost anything Waldorf or Steiner. They will even look on their shelves to see if there is a slightly damaged copy they can sell for a little less when you call. Valentine, 12, and I are also reading and working through Life of Fred, Geometry, by Stanley F. Schmidt, a book we borrowed from the library, but which is available through Rainbow Resource. The younger two are reviewing skills with their Miquon pages, also available at Rainbow Resource, and having fun with lessons from Dorothy Harrer's Math Lessons for Elementary Grades and Melisa Neilson's Waldorf Math Grades 1-5. None of these links are sponsored, I am just trying to make it simple to find resources.

However, before beginning again with "school", we first had a summer, whole-family get-together. It started at my parents' house under thunder storms, but ended, as planned and hoped-for, at Eagle Point Park, overlooking the Mississippi from high above on the bluffs. (The picnic might have been rained-out, and eaten at a table inside, but s'mores were obligatory once we reached the park):


                                                     
                                                          The Mighty, Muddy, Mississippi:





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