Thursday, October 22, 2009

Cade's Binder

Some days - some days I get really pumped up and motivated and think, hey, I should start something really awesome today or organize that closet or make a great craft with Cade today! It's wonderful when I have those days, rare though they are. And they are usually proceeded by large amounts of chocolate or sleep..hence why they have been pretty rare lately. (I am not eating dairy for Ava's sake and most of my favorite milk chocolate contains, well, milk!) However, yesterday, BEFORE I made the most delicious brownies (dairy free!) I had lots of motivation to get started on 'Cade's Binder'. The name for it will likely change, but that's the most obvious name for it at this point! It is in preparation for keeping records once we 'officially' start homeschooling him. The time is fast approaching when some fancy important person may want me to prove that I actually help my child learn. I've been reading a great homeschooling book with so many ideas and solutions for beginning to homeschool that my head starts to spin! She's really gotten me focused on starting to learn how to keep records now so I can use this as a trial and error period, since no one 'important' really cares if a 3 year old is being taught anything.

Another important reason that I wanted to start a folder, binder, book, whatever I decide to call it, is because I feel like I've forgotten so much that he has done! I had a calendar for him for about the first year and a half that I would record special events and milestones, what words he was saying that month, when he learned to count or say the alphabet. I was really good at printing out a calendar each month and even having a picture of him from that month on it. I also recorded things like when he would have a cold or how much he weighed. It is so nice now to be able to look back and see what he was doing and when. For some strange reason, I just stopped doing his calendar! I'm so upset that I didn't keep track of his developments. It was such a simple method to just jot things down on each month's page. I could probably blame my second pregnancy for my lack of brain, but I've always been rather forgetful. So, rather than going back to my calendar method, I've decided to utilize some of the ideas in Terri Lynn Bittner's book as well as some of my own ideas to keep track of what my little guy is learning and doing! I'm hoping that this will make for an easier transition into record keeping in a couple of years. Boy am I terrified of that part of homeschooling. (And figuring out a curriculum. And knowing what to teach. And knowing how to teach. And planning ahead. And... Whatever, it will be great!)

So, here is how it will work. As with the 'no rules journal' that I personally keep, there really aren't any strict rules, just guidelines and suggestions as to what to include! I started out by writing down examples of what he is doing at this point. How far he can count, what he has memorized, where he is at with reading and writing, physically what sorts of skills he can do. So even though I missed out on recording exactly when he started doing those things, I can at least look back and know he was doing them when he was 3. I plan to keep a loose journal of things going on. Every once in a while I will just jot down our normal routine or if we had any major events or big learning moments. I'm also going to include in his binder, book, whatever, Cade's own journal pages. We started yesterday and it was tough for him to get the concept of journaling, but hopefully he will get it and be able to tell me his thoughts or what he did during the day. For now I will be writing down what he tells me to write and he can include his own pictures or words. Eventually, once he learns to write, he will be able to continue the journal himself. I also plan to keep things that he makes in the binder. I'm going to punch holes in papers that he's practicing writing letters or coloring on and then put them in the book. Art projects that are smaller or odd shapes will go into a large ziplock bag or pouch that will hopefully fit into the binder as well (I'm going to get one of those huge ones!! They had a bunch at the co-op last time I was there.). If it's not something that is flat enough or small enough to keep in the book, I want to take pictures of it and even of the creating process so I can include that in his binder. I've just been kicking myself for the past year and a half that I haven't been protecting his drawings and creations! They usually get mixed in with his toys and torn or lost in the shuffle.

So, it's just a start, but at least I will have a landing place for papers, updates, pictures, and other things that I've never quite known where to put. I know it sounds pretty simple, but the simple ideas are usually the ones I can actually stick with!

Here are some pictures of the other project we did on my super motivated day. The laundry did not get done, the house was not cleaned, but we sure had fun!



Working on a fun leaf craft!




Cade was very particular about the colors for each body. He made one for each member of our family and one for each of his grandparents according to their favorite color.



The happy couple - Nick and I :)


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