Thomas Jefferson Education

Well, I have officially found something else I am in love with! TJ Ed! I kind of heard about it as I was researching homeschooling last summer, but didn't really understand it so I didn't delve into it much. Then a few months ago I caught wind of it again and felt like I should find out more. So I did some research online, then checked the book out of the library. And now I am in love with it! It is not a homeschool program as much as it is a philosophy. The wonderful thing about it is that it is pretty much MY philosophy that I came up with at the beginning of our homeschool experience. It is so inline with it, that I was truly amazed. I knew what I was TRYING to do, and yet just couldn't figure out how exactly to accomplish it. Then, when I read this book it was like a light came on and I knew that I could do it by following this kind of program!
One of the best parts about it is that it strongly emphises "You, not them", meaning that I get to educate myself and be an example to them and teach them through the things that I am learning and interested in. I have a fabulous reason and excuse to read and educate myself now, as well as my children.
Anyway, I will be starting to post on here some more of the philosophies of TJ Ed. Some of the things I am learning, and that the kids are doing. It is still going to be a growing process for us all, and I hope to see the growth through this blog.

Handwriting without tears

I have really been struggling trying to get Jonah interested in writing. He hates sitting still for to long and therefor hates when I ask him to sit and work on writing. Even last year in kindergarten he hated to write and couldn't do the work that was asked of him very well. We had his fine motor skills tested to see why he was having such a hard time and (just like with everything else) they said that he had problems, but not bad enough to really do anything about. We have been doing hand strengthening activities to help, and he colors alot, which is good.
I haven't pushed it to much, but have been really concerned about the fact that he is almost 7 and cannot (will not) even write his own name. When I can get him to write I have always had to write it first and then have him trace over it. Anyway, I stumbled upon Handwriting without Tears and I think I am in love! I finally feel like I have something that will help Jonah that will not be the death of both of us! Yesterday we worked on some of the things that it tells you to do to help kids get ready and we all had so much fun! Here are some pictures that I took.

Here are some other fun things that they made!

Simon's feet


Self portrait of Simon.

Jonah's face with teeth and everything!

Valentines Day

Jonah was very concerned that since he doesn't go to "real" school anymore that we would not have a fun valentines day. So I decided to invite some other homeschooling friends over for a party at our house. It was so much fun! The day before the boys make their bags for their valentines. They had a lot of fun doing this and did a great job!

At the party we read books played some games and decorated sugar cookies and of course exchanged valentines. The boys had a lot of fun. To bad mom forgot to take pictures!

Bird Show

Last week we went to a bird show at the Hutchings Museum in Lehi. It was a lot of fun! Jonah really liked the bird and especially liked the "venomous duck". He talks about it almost everyday. It was actually this cute little bird.

After the bird show we walked around the museum for a while. It was actually a very cool museum. Who knew? Here are a few pictures of Jonah. Simon wasn't really in the mood for pictures.

Aquarium

A few weeks ago we went with our new homeschooling group to the Aquairum in Sandy. It was so much fun! The boys learned lots and they were so well behaved so it was fun for me also! Here are a few pictures of our adventure! You can click on the collage to make it bigger.

Sick and reading

So, this week we haven't done much with school. Jonah has been running a fever of 103 and throwing up. It is kind of ironic because the morning that he got sick, before he was sick, I was telling my visiting teachers that my kids don't really get sick that much. Anyway, Travis and I have been sick as well, but not as bad as Jonah. I mainly just wanted to let everyone know that Jonah is officially reading now. He is doing so well and he is very interested in what words say. It is so fun to see him excited and wanting to learn. He still cannot read to many books at once. He gets fidgety and anxious, but he is doing well! We are very proud of him!

Halloween

So, here are some of the fun things that we have done for Halloween this week. The boys made pumpkins out of paper plates. We traced their hands and they cut them out for the leaves. The boys had a lot of fun!

Today we made foot print ghosts. They turned out cute and I will always remember their feet at this age!

YEA!!!

So, Jonah sat down and sounded out some words yesterday! I am so proud of him. He really just needs some confidence I think. When he realized that he could read the words in his "I can read it box" I think that he realized that he could read other words also. He sounded out about five words and then he was done, but he did great! Now I just need to keep reminding him that he can read.

Jonah's words story

So, Jonah has an "I can read it box". Every day he reads the words in this box, and then we add one or two more. He has been doing so well! Well, I decided that it would be fun for him to have his own book of words that he can read, so I wrote a story for him. He is going to illustrate it himself. I just thought I would post the story. It is not fabulous by any means, but it includes all the words that he can read. I have bolded all of the words that he can read.

Once upon a time, there were some Super Hero’s. They were Spiderman, Superman, Underdog, Batman, Optomis Prime and the Ottobots, and the Ninja Turtles. They all were preparing to work together because a great war was coming.

The evil Thomas, Doctor Octopus a mummy and one hundred bears were starting an army and were going to take over the worlds population of chipmunks and Doggies.

One day, the chipmunks and Doggies were playing at the park. They were having so much fun on the playground when suddenly a cloud of dust overtook them.

Back at the Super Hero headquarters the Super Hero’s were all eating pizza and pop when the Transformers got a warning. Optomis Prime told the other Super Hero’s “I feel there is trouble at the park” All the Super Hero’s jumped into their Hot wheels and fire trucks and flew to the park.

They arrived just in the neck of time. They saw the cloud of dust overcoming the chipmunks and Doggies. The war had begun.

But the evil army was no match for the Super Hero’s. The Super Hero’s quickly overtook the evil army and saved the chipmunks and Doggies from the cloud.

The End

New curriculum

So a few weeks ago I ordered some books that I read about that are called "Games for Learning" and "Games for Writing" by Peggy Kay. I have been using them for the last couple of weeks and we are having so much fun. All we do is play games all day and the boys are learning a ton!




One of the games is called I can Read it Box. You take a index card box and put cards into it. Then you ask the child what word they want to read. I asked Jonah and his first was was Superman. Shocking Huh? So, I wrote Superman down. Then I asked him what it said and he said Superman. I then praised him profusely because he read the word. You are supposed to add a word a day and have them read every word each day. It has worked SO good. He now has 24 words in his box and can read them all. I started adding two words a day, because he was doing so well. Now I add a word a day that he chooses and a word that I choose. I want him to start learning sight words like "the" and "and" and "I" but of course he will not choose those words so I decided that I needed to add them myself. Anyway, they are fabulous books!