Environment #1 - Lecture

Providing the lecture environment to my kids is something I like to do creatively. I don't do any "formal" lectures in my day to day schooling. Occasionally while we're reading someone will ask a question and I'll provide the answer and it turns out to be a lecture (usually with eyes at the end a little glazed over - something I have to keep in check, lol), but that's about it.

Instead, I like to invite guests over to provide this environment. For instance, this year our theme is Timeline: A Meeting With Prophetic Minds, in which we're studying what living during the time of the LDS prophets would have been like. I've scheduled different people from around my community to come and "teach" my children about certain topics or time periods. Of course, this will be done in a lecture environment, since it is, for the most part, all they know.

Another way I like to provide my children with this environment is Mom Schools and Commonwealth. Last year I gave a poetry lecture to love of learners in our local mom school. I learned three things happened from that experience - 1) I have something to contribute to others besides my own children, 2) some of the children came away with a love and excitement of writing, and 3) the power of Mom Schools. I'm still amazed at the results of that lecture - I had been squemish lecturing about poetry, afraid that it might be boring, but the feedback from the other mom's really helped.

The LEMI Commonwealth I send my scholar phase daughter to provides all 5 of the learning environments. To supplement, I also send her around the community to different lectures she might find of interest. We've sent her to two lectures provided by the community on the constitution, a gun saftey class, and lectures on our faith to name a few. I think sometimes Moms think we have to do it all - providing the experience from other people, in my opinion, is just as effective. Sometimes, even more.

Shiloah also wants to know what we're reading in our homes this week. Sooo, here goes (deep breath):

Dad - Alice Cooper's Golf Monster (Don't laugh - Alice Cooper has proven to be an AMAZING person of faith that we have gleened lots of wonderful tidbits of wisdom from - maybe not on the classics list, but Russ always comes up with something new and interesting!)

Mom - Night Probe by Clive Cussler - Alright - not a classic in my eyes either, but I have a reason for reading this. I'm working on improving my fiction writing skills, and asked my scholar phase daughter to critique me. She said my story was great, but I needed to improve my skills in the action department. She suggested I read Clive Cussler (she and my husband are fans - this is the first book of his I've ever read). So Redbeard picked this one out for me. So far, it's definitely action packed! The side note is when my daughter came around the corner and saw me reading it she did a double take. I asked her, "What?" she answered, "You're really reading it? I can't believe it!" I told her, "I told you I wanted your honest opinion and you gave it to me - so yeah, I'm reading it because your review was very helpful." Since then, her respect of ME has been amazing. Isn't that interesting? She's 14.

Scholar Phase Daughter - I admit, I'm not sure WHAT she's reading, but it's probably by Clive Cussler. I do know she's reading - she does lots of it. I have placed all sorts of "classics" in front of her, and nothing. I take heart in the stories from other moms who have reported their children being obessed with Star Trek and figure there is something about Clive Cussler that will meet her needs later on. It DOES give her a bond with her dad, which I am VERY okay with. Commonwealth starts this week, so she'll be picking up some other things soon.

Practice Scholar - She's not much for reading. Right now she's reading Caddie Woodlawn by Carol Ryrie Brink for the mom school she's in. I don't think she's reading anything for "fun".

Love of Learner - She and I are going through a picture book of Great Expectations by Charles Dickens. It has all the original text by Charles Dickens, but seriously condensed for children. She loves them, but we only get through about 2-3 pages a night before she's tired, so it takes awhile to get through.

As a family in our homeschool - You Want Women to Vote, Lizzie Stanton? by Jean Fritz

BTW - I know it sounds a little weird that I *don't know* what my daughter is reading. I don't patrol them - I have confidence in their abilities to pick up a good book and put down a lousy one. My daughter (the 14 yr old) came to me just two weeks ago and said, "You know, I saw the Princess Diaries in the library and since the movies were cute I picked it up. Mom, the swearing was HORRIBLE and I couldn't stand it." I don't worry about anything I don't approve of coming into my home. I just don't. They've had a great CORE - so I just take mental notes when I see them curled up on a chair.

I'm looking forward to seeing what the other Moms have to say on this topic. I looked at the email this morning and thought, "What in the world am I going to say on that?" LOL - I guess alot!