What a morning!

Today was a rather stressful morning. I'm not coping well with stress at the moment due to all the financial pressures that are going on. I had a plan this morning to do some of the Letts Magical Maths and Funny Spelling books that Springy really likes. So we went out to let the hens and guineapigs out because the weather was so nice but...the combination lock on the shed wouldn't open. Aaarghhh!

The combination lock, I figured would be better than one with a key because we'd probably lose the key. However, I didn't realise last night when I was locking it that the code had been tweaked whilst it was off. I went through 000 to 999 on the combination - took several hours. None of them worked. Phoned a locksmith - "Sometimes that happens with the combination locks - if one of the barrels was slightly off the actual number then it can be really difficult to make it work. Again...aaarrrghhhh! So I can hear the chickens and guineapigs - they make buck buck and squeaky whine noises because they think they are going to be let out to have a run and/or get some interesting food. I felt so useless. I then decided to dismantle the metal parts on the shed door - screwdrivers out. That didn't work either because of the metal piece that was blocking the opening side of the door. Aarrghhh!

C had to run off to fetch his cousin from the train station. She's really nice so that was a good part of today. When he got back he managed to remove the entire metal lock piece with the combination padlock still attached to it. So now we have a shed door which we can open but we can't lock. Aaarrrhghhhh!

Anyway, the hens and piggies both had a lovely time out on the lawn. Springy and I then managed to do some of the Funny Phonics and Spelling book. I really think phonics should be used only in cases of remediation or to back up those already reading. To me reading needs to come from the child, when they are ready and not be dictated by Government. Yes, provide opportunities but reading comes out of play, eye tracking, phonemic awareness and so on and best of all the child should enjoy it.

Two birthdays and a funny egg

We've got 2 birthday parties this weekend. We made a felted playscape as one gift and for the other we have some Hama beads.

Our little bantam keeps laying strange eggs. She stopped laying eggs when we started the worming food. The "chicken expert" said it is because she is a natural bantam so she won't lay at this time of year but...she is still laying. It's just the eggs are not viable. I am wondering whether it is because the temperature is dropping a lot at night. This morning, walking into the shed felt like walking into a refrigerator room, so I think I am going to pop on the little electric radiator at a very low setting and see if that makes a difference.

This was put up on the list as a useful curriculum resource:

http://www.winterpromise.com/animals_worlds.html

I must admit I really like the sound of some of the sections.

Rise Up O flame

This was from the Enki list I'm on:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RmLKC3TH-0

It's a beautiful song.

Summary of Summer

Our learning doesn't stop during summer or any holiday for that matter. Springy had a number of playdates which has been lovely for her. She's also had music lessons and the bantams have been a valuable asset to our home. We went swimming twice (we would have gone more but I would only go to a private club pool around here as the public one makes me feel queasy). We went to visit my parents and saw my beloved Oma (sad because my Opa is no longer around). Springy got to hear quite a bit of German because of it (and she seems to take to pronouncing the sounds with ease). Springy went to the cinema for the first time ever and saw Wall E.

We've finished The Adventures of the Little Wooden Horse and started The Wise Enchanter. Springy has started her own Magic Book (sort of a main lesson type book) which relates to The Wise Enchanter. We've had lots of other stories too, both from oral and book formats including our favourites Rapunzel, Rose White and Rose Red and the Michael Hall readers (last night we read the September one).

We've played a great deal with The Noble Knights of Knowledge maths curriculum and ... yes we have even done some workbooks such as the letts Magical Maths one. Springy has a reading age of a 9-year old. Her writing and spelling require working upon but this is happening. She can write well in upper case and likes to leave notes, create cards for people and so on. She has created some lovely pictures in recent weeks and has made some pretty patterns with her Hama beads which show signs of symmetry. We're practising our music almost every day in between the weekly lessons (although sadly we have to stop next week as money is once again very tight). I'm still using the odd smattering of French and German with her and she responds in turn. Singing is something we do all the time and we're still doing fingerrhymes, beanbag stuff and so on (I just don't call it circle because we're not in that shape when we do these things).

Springy has been to craft and countryside events, watched the harvest, been to the zoo, seen performances (not many though and in fact one was so inappropriate for children I had to complain to the event hosts but that's another story! I do regret not being able to take her to the theatre this summer as there have been some really good shows on but money is tight).

We have had lots of walks, playing in the garden - running, football and Springy has swimming weekly so this covers all the physical exercise side of things. She also does lots of physical activities at Beavers. We discuss the food we eat and how to stay healthy. We go shopping with Springy and she helps choose the ingredients for our meals. We've also grown tomatoes, courgettes, red currants, blueberries and various herbs such as rosemary, oregano and mint. We go to a museum quite often that enables us to see history in action - there are demonstrations on early food, traditional crafts and so on. Springy also went on a special trip to visit the Victory in Portsmouth with her father.


Yesterday we made pastry and today we had quiche - all homemade. Next week she resumes swimming and Beavers.

We watched the Beijing Olympics opening ceremony on the 8.8.08 together. Today we watched the Paralymic Opening Ceremony which was even more moving for me because it wasn't as epic but somehow had much more of a human component to it - needless to say I bawled my eyes out.

It's very clear to me that if my LA ever asked for what we do I would have to write about past tense stuff because planning and my family doesn't work well. It's much better to write summaries of what has happened rather than to try and predict what may happen. However, they'd have a lot to read because we do so much.

Owl nursery rhymes

"A wise old owl
Lived in an oak
The more he saw
The less he spoke
The less he spoke
The more he heard
Why can't we be
Like that wise old bird."

"There's a wise old owl
with a pointed nose
Two pointed ears and
claws on his toes
He sits in his tree and he
looks at you
He flaps his wings
and he says
Twit twoo"

"My hands upon my head I place
On my shoulders, on my face
On my hips I place them so
Now I raise them up so high
Make my fingers fairly fly
Now I clap them, one, two, three,
Now I fold them silently."

Springy's own words

today i played in the garden with the chickens. and had a music lesson.

and went shopping. In the evening we went blackberry picking.

Springy's Goals for Autumn

Springy's Learning Wishes and Nice Things to Do
Autumn 2008

Learn how to knit (a toy)

Learn how to sew (pretend toy)
Maths – Times Tables (1, 3, 2, 10)
Multiply and Divide, Plus and Minus (numbers up to 20)
Learning how to do half pasts on the clock
Springy wants to visit a Butterfly Garden
Pretend the kitchen is the South Pole
Blackberry picking (more)
Make mummy play with my Beanie Babies
Play with Barbie dolls

Spelling: archaeologist, information, geologist, guineapig, learn how to knit toy lion