Carol Joy Seid Seminar

Since my last post I did one more full lesson with Elizabeth and then went to a seminar by Carol Joy Seid. From that seminar my outlook changed and we have taken a break for the past 2 months from doing anything structured. The following (in no particular order) are the few valuable things I took away:

1. Late is not bad (I plan on reading a book called, "Later is better than early" by Dr. Moore)
2. They will be judged by how articulate they are ... not at what age they learned to read.
3. Train your children's palatte for quality ... read, read, read - in front of them, to them, alongside them!
4. History is the logical core of our curriculum - teach it by using Classical History, of which she gives a list of books one can read for study.

- this can be (and has been) done with a library card, the Bible and a Good Math book

There was SO much more that she spoke about . . . much more than I can effectively articulate in the short time I have in front of this computer screen. I really must get back to cleaning my kitchen and getting ready to take care of the kids again once they are finished with their quiet times/naps!

All in all I would say that because of Seid's seminar I have decided not to be so focused with structured learning ... at least for right now. Ellie is only almost 4 and she just needs to be loved, played with and read to A LOT. I plan on continuing in that and giving her more "formal" teaching when she asks for it! Which just in the last week she has - I've decided that we will do that on my days "off" from watching Jonathan - in the morning ... a field trip here and there, library visits once a week and projects pertaining to something she is interested in as it comes up!