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Once when I was teaching at a local co-op, a student made a comment about not being able to read a thank-you note I had sent. He had to have his mom read it. I was astonished because I have always had beautiful handwriting in both cursive and print. Later I learned that he could not read it because it was in cursive! This article explains the cognitive connection between handwriting and the ability to think and process information. This is important for adults, too, not just children. Obviously, I type. Here I am on the keyboard typing this post, and typing is convenient. But I also do a great deal of handwriting and most of my class notes I take by hand. I have found out the truth of the claim that information is processed better when hand-written. Surely, it does take longer, but when I want to comprehend and retain information, I do not type it. Kids will often complain about handwriting in the beginning. That is because their fine-motor skills are not yet developed. Their weak muscles get tired and will cramp. Just like your stomach muscles only get stronger through exercise, it is the same with our finger muscles. Charlotte Mason advocated handwriting through copywork. (Actually, in her time, there were no computers anyway.) Copywork is one of the main features of a Charlotte Mason style education, which I embrace and advocate. Not only do students develop their muscles and handwriting ability, but they learn sentence patterns and spelling. Keep instruction short and make it fun with Cursive Writing Handbook for Kids: Jokes and Riddles for Grades 3-5. For teens, why not learn a little U.S. Government at the same time as learning cursive? Learning Cursive: Handwriting Practice Workbook for Teens: With Declaration of Independence, United States Constitution & Bill of Rights Copybook.  Do you feel that Thanksgiving is brushed aside in our hurry to get to Christmas? I do. I like Christmas as much as the next person, but my family celebrates Thanksgiving for the whole week. We decorate in fall colors and fake leaves (you have to use fake in Phoenix). We burn spiced pumpkin candles, and eagerly wear our tan and orange sweaters and scarves the moment the temperature drops below 100 degrees!
In the frenzy to watch football and eat turkey, do we remember to be truly thankful for our blessings? Every day should be filled with Thanksgiving. It’s a sure anti-depressant. The Bible commands us to be thankful. “O give thanks unto the Lord; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the people.” Psalm 105:1. Before you can thank the Lord for his blessings, you have to remember what they are and in our busy world, we can easily forget. To help you remember, I recommend making a blessing jar or bucket or some kind of container to store them in. For crafty types, this can be decorated and placed in a visible spot in your household. I would use small 3x5 index cards to write one blessing per card. A blessing could be an answered prayer as well. What size container should you use? How much do you expect the Lord to bless you? You might need a 33 gallon garbage can! Check out this cute blessing jar. Thanksgiving is a great time to take out these cards and read them aloud. On other days when you feel particularly discouraged or forgotten about (and we all have days like that), take them out and read them again. We all need reminders. While you’re at it, ask the Lord to show you more ways he has blessed you to add to your jar. “What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits towards me?” Psalm 116:12  [This post contains affiliate links for products I love. If you make a purchase through one of these links, I will earn a commission at no extra cost to you.]
We all want to get things done, but it's important to get the right things done. Nothing is more equal than time; each of us has the same amount. Sadly, there is no store where we can purchase more of it and without some forethought and planning, time has a way of vanishing. To help out the harried homeschooler, I offer some perspective on how to take hold of your time to GTI. 1. Change it Up Whatever time management strategy you use, it will change because your needs change. For example, if you are a homeschool parent who follows a traditional school schedule with summer breaks, then you know how different summer looks at your house than during the fall and spring semesters. Create two schedules per year. Also, what works this year may not work next year or in five years. 2. Know Thyself Some people like a great deal of structure; others would wither under it. Create a schedule that has the level of structure that you feel comfortable with. If you need to write out every single thing you need to do in a day, minute by minute, then do it, otherwise, see tip #5 and chunk it. 3. Eat Like Mark Twain Just like we don't eat dessert before dinner, eat your frogs first. Thank you, Mark Twain, for the origin of this saying. Our "frogs" are the tasks that we find disagreeable so we procrastinate. By doing them right away, they don't pile up, nor do they hang over our heads all day or all week, burdening us. Do it and feel immediate satisfaction or relief. It's a sure way to GTI. 4. Make Appointments Schedule certain tasks on specific days. For instance, one of the biggest time savers for me was when I decided to make two days a week my errand days. Now, I don't run out the door every time I need something. This seems like a no-brainer but the shift in my thinking came for me when I realized that one errand day would not suffice. Another day is reserved as my "paper" day for paying bills, dealing with paper piles, and writing out birthday cards or other special occasions. 5. Think in Chunks This tip is especially helpful for those who don't like a tight structure. Chunk up the day into 1 or 2 hour blocks. Include a few 15 minute and 30 minute blocks. Write down what you need to do during those time frames. With this method, you'll have some wiggle room. Here is what this might look like: ( 9:00 a.m.-10:00 a.m.) Clean a room; (10:00 a.m.-10:30) Read-aloud to children, etc... Writing it down is important because it will clearly show you the available time in a day. You won't be able to get it all done and you will be forced automatically to cull the unnecessary items. Those are a few simple tips to get you started and really, that's all you need for now. None of us can be effective trying to implement too many new things at once. There is more to time management than meets the eye. The second part of a system that helps you GTI is actually DOING it. First, comes the PLAN, then comes the ACTION. That's what motivation is all about. Coming soon in a future post! |
Renee MetcalfWhere will you find me when I am not teaching? For your reading pleasure!
August 2023
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