Monday, November 7, 2011

little things we do–morning calendar

 

 

I have a major tendency to over complicate things.

 

 

The Sanguine in me wants to do things with fireworks and flare.  The reality I live…well…doesn’t always leave time or energy for full on awesomeness.  And I’m learning to be okay with that.  I’m learning that it’s okay to just “try my best”.  Which is funny because…that’s exactly what I’m teaching them every day! 

 

 

In fact, their mini meltdowns over imperfection are pretty much a mirror of their mommy.  In love 

 

 

But enough with the Real Homeschool Mommy chatter! 

 

 

I thought I’d share with you guys how we’re doing Calendar these days.  Which…btw…is nothing like the mental image of how I want to do it.  But it’s my best…and it’s okay.  Smile

 

 

I try (operative word being try) to start each morning with Opening Exercises. 

 

 

Opening Exercises may or may not include the following:

 

pre-picked YouTube songs on the iPad

Madlibs (which I’d like to replace with Daily Grams…someday)

Memory Verse work

Prayer and Bible reading if Daddy couldn’t do devos with us before work

Short Read Aloud

Pledge

Calendar

 

 

I had all kinds of ideas for our Calendar.  And I even tried a variety of them.  But it was too much work to remember printing out charts, keeping track of little pieces, and what not.  In the end, my ol’ faithful dry erase calendar has turned out to the be the best fit (for now!).

sesame place and toby's new workbox system 001

 

I have Toby check and chart the temps in the little mini square

 

and

 

Bristel draws a picture of the weather.

 

 

It gives a great visual at the end of the week to discuss weather patterns. 

 

sesame place and toby's new workbox system 002

 

 

Easy peasy lemon squeezy.

 

 

 

Montessori Monday

Photobucket 

 

 

 

…danielle

12 comments:

  1. Easy peasy lemon squeezy is often the best way to something. I also struggle with "simplifying" my life- it can be SO HARD when you see all the fun things others are doing out there!

    We do more with our Calendar Time, but because it's more, we often only do Calendar once or twice a week! YOUR way makes it much easy to be consistent...LOVE IT!

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  2. My daughter says "easy peasy lemon squeezy" all the time! lol But seriously...I NEED to declutter. In every area...

    ...danielle

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  3. Love your calendar, that's a great idea - i think i'll try it with Hannah :-)

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  4. Calendar time or Morning Meeting lasted all of 3-4 weeks here! LOL I was doing calendar, weather, skip counting, money, and word numbers (for the date). I should probably get back to it, but my youngest can only focus on school for about 1 hour 15 minutes. Something had to go, and Reading, Phonics, Handwriting, Math, Science and/or History needed to stay.

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  5. I'm totally stealing the "morning meeting" concept. It's more big kid than calendar time. :)

    ...d

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  6. Love your calendar - love the simplicty! I would love for you to link up to my TGIF Linky Party - http://livinglifeintentionally.blogspot.com/search/label/Linkey%20Parties - I am also your newest follower! I would love for you to follow me back, if you want to =-)
    Beth

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  7. How can I resist a personal invite?! ;)

    Followin' you back.

    ...danielle

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  8. At least your doing calendar time. I bought the corkboard, the push pins, printed out all the cute stuff to use and....... well I haven't even put it together. I love your idea thought I might steal it and ditch the printouts and use the corkboard for something else!

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  9. Love the weather patterns idea! We call Calendar Time "our days". So she always says "First we have to do our days." I love that you say you "try" that's all we can do right?! :)

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  10. It's great that you found a system that works for your family! It's too easy for seemingly wonderful ideas to fall by the wayside when they're just too difficult to maintain. I featured your post at the Living Montessori Now Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/LivingMontessoriNow

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  11. Love the weather patterns - I will have to figure out a way to add that to ours. We do the daily weather on a wheel, but I bet Sammy would love seeing the patterns through the month. Great idea! Thanks for linking up to Montessori Monday. :)

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  12. I actually think that is a great way to keep the calendar going without the pain and torment of all the little pieces. I am trying to streamline and simplify and this is a great substitution.

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