I think my fixation on artic climes began when I read White Fang and the Call of the Wild.  Now, while fostering a 5 month old Husky pup, long dormant flames flicker to life.  Aside from readingthe books to the kids, I’ll be looking here for some inspiration.  Check out the official site of the Iditarod and the teacher resources!

Running!

It has been many months since I last updated this blog so I was totally surprised to see quite a few readers and comments.  Thank you very much to those who’ve dropped by.

We’ve bought and moved into a new house, sent our helper back to Indonesia (upon her request) and done a little local travel since the last post and of course a lot of learning.  None of it booked based aside from our daily story sessions.  We’ve had a great time and Bern has really changed a lot.  He also spoke to Katarina his Godma about how the last few months of school were very difficult for him and why.  I never heard the full story from and and the little heart to heart, which Katarina shared with me, only serves to reassure me that homeschool is better for Bern.

I’ll be trying to update regularly again from now onwards but we’ve yet to have WIMAX installed so I’m still working via my mum’s place.  Wish me luck

On the upside, while we were moving, Bern wanted to help.  Jon asked him to empty some kitchen drawers into reusable bags.  The sensible little fella actually thought to tie the handles to the drawer handles so he could empty to the contents of the drawers with out sacrificing a hand to holding open the bags   Not bad huh?

I’m noticing that Bern will do stuff to help while Kiki (who is still in kindie) needs a load of praise or else nada!

Every time I am tempted to go and buy phonics teaching material to teach Bern to read, I turn to Ron Davis.  Even today, I almost gave in and spent a couple of hours contemplating which programme to buy, before deciding I couldn’t abide the American accents.  Then I investigated a few British ones and saw the name Davis.  Which kicked my mind back to Ron Davis.  Anyway, below is a link to an interview with him.  It’s well worth a read and really inspiring.  I’m off to make some clay…

http://www.guidancechannel.com/default.aspx?index=1929&cat=2

Here’s the link to his site about dyslesxia.  He also works with autistic kids.

When we revisited Lake Garden, we also squeezed in a visit to the Butterfly Park.  Since the 120 species of butterflies and the rambling garden are much described, I will tell you about the less well known ‘attractions’ of the park.

It has a very large (at least by my gues-timation) collection of preserved bugs, beetles, butterflies and moths.  Bern was morbidly fascinated and kept dragging me off to look at ‘that spotted beetle’ and his ‘favourite beetle’ and the ‘coolest ever beetle’, while Katelin spent ages deliberating over which was the most beautiful butterfly.  She decided that the iridescent South American Morpho butterflies were the most attractive.  Cian was delighted to be allowed to hold his very first ‘own’ Ribena.  We figured it would be OK for him to spill the stuff, plus he was already filthy from the playground.

It is here that I admit that I passed many educational opportunities to broaden their knowledge of these fascinating creatures: but I was so creeped out by the bugs and beetles.  And they were dead!  It made me remember the time Jon took me to the Natural History Museum in London.  I almost passed out at all the displays.  I still cannot decide what confused me more, the ‘life-likeness’ of the dead animals or the ‘deadness’ the glass eyes looking back at me.

Once you find the entrance, (which is inadvertantly small and missable) the place is easy to navigate.  However, don’t bother with your pushchair as there are lots and lots of stairs.  There are toilets but I cannot comment on the quality of them as we didn’t need them (to my surprise).  We paid RM24 for two adults and two children, which is pretty fair.  There was an additional fee for the camera but I forget how much.

As many of you already know, Bern will stop going to Kindiecare in a few short weeks.  While I admit some trepidation, I know this is the right decision.  Of late, he has shown reluctance to go to school because he finds it frustrating to have to read.  While he is all for practising writing, reading is something he struggles with.  This in turn has resulted in his reluctance to look at books in his free time; something he used to spend hours doing.  While he still wants us to read to him, he doesn’t want to explore them alone.  It’s like a love story gone wrong.

When he stops school, we’ve decided he will start the Yamaha Junior Music Course and gymnastics.  My intention is to hone and develop his gross motors skills and to give him chance to build his confidence in his physical abilities.  I feel that being able to use his body will help settle his energy and hone his concentration.  When he turns six, he wants to take up fencing too.  If he s still keen, 8 months down the line, then Jon and I are all for it.

The intention is to keep him busy with lots of physical, manual and tactile activites while continuing to read stories and poetry to him.  We’re also encourging his artistic impulses.

In case you’re still guessing, we’re taking the delayed approach (created by the late Dr. Raymond and Dorothy Moore) with him.  The Moore formula states:

1. Study everyday, from a few minutes to hours.
2. Manual work, at least as much as study.
3. Home and/or community service, an hour or so per day.

They also offer the following advise, “Focus on kid’s interests and needs, be an example in consistency, curiousity and patience.  Live with them!  Worry less about tests.” 

Here are some resources that explain the rationale behind it.  Obviously we don’t intend to do this for Katelin, but this is the wonder of homeschool.  You do what is right for each child.

http://members.aol.com/usteach/styles/delayed.html 

http://www.moorefoundation.com/article.php?id=3

i think children should be encouraged to get physical and sweat.  Kids nowadays are too cosseted and mollycoddled.  They are afraid of getting dirty and sweaty.  And it’s a positive shame!

I hope that our decision to homeschool will provide the children with many opportunities to get mucky.  I hope they learn to love the feel of earth in their fingers, the sensation of walking barefoot on the grass and the indescribable satisfaction of falling asleep physically tired.

There is nothing like using your body to teach you to appreciate it and what it does for you and what it allows you to do.

Go to his website www.erichermanmusic.com and check out the music videos!  They are so fresh and original.  The kids love them.  I think the current favourite is Snow Day.  They keep asking when it’s going to snow in Malaysia, LOL.  I am desperate to buy some of his music.

Love his energy!

This tropical paradise is a wonderful place to take your kids.  There are toilets within walking distance from the main play area.  The play area itself it enormous, fairly well maintained and clean.  It can be warm, so remember the sun block.  However, we didn’t have a problem with mozzies, which I found disconcerting as there is a lake there.  Stagnant water = mozzies, or so I assumed.  Also, parking is a little odd.  We had to park some distance away at the parking areas of other attractions and take the shuttle bus over.  However, I attribute this to the fact that the LAMAN festival was taking place.  Will update you once I visit again during a non-event week.

UPDATE: Sept 2008

Jon had a few days off so we took the kids back.  It was great fun as we had our red wagon with us too.  Parking was ridicuously simple, it’s by the main entrance, not 30 feet away.  However, none of the water fountains work, nor are they are any vendors selling water (becuase it is fasting month) so we had to leave due to thirst.  Yes, I was silly not to bring any.  Weikim would’ve!