My Experience with Milestones Academy (www.milestonesacademy.blogspot.com)

I was introduced to Milestones Academy (M.A.) at the end of 2008 which was mid-year for our home school. For some reason, I felt so prompted to implement Charlotte Mason into my home and M.A. was the way I could do it! I was so excited! I started with poetry, reading a little every day during our devotional. Then I vamped up the morning devotional and included the Primary scripture of the month and song of the month. I also added some foreign language study (singing some songs in French or Spanish or reading a Spanish picture book). All of these little changes were accepted immediately by my children. By the way, I have a 7 year old son and then daughters: ages 4, 3 and 1. They loved to sing and learn new words. My 4 year old daughter especially loved the poetry. We began memorizing poetry and she enjoyed it immensely! To hear her recite a poem is true beauty. It melts my heart to hear her darling voice speak the words so clearly.

We also included in our morning devotional an article from the Friend each day and a story from the New Testament using Penny Gardner's scripture story list. We spent a couple of months reading a page on manners every day, then shifted to reading a couple of Just So Stories each week. All of these activities the children enjoyed. And I have enjoyed them too!

We have kept our history and science study on the same path that we started with this year (not M.A.) but have complemented history with some interesting living books that the kids just love to hear, including "Fifty Famous Stories Retold". Then the kids narrate them and I write them down. Implementing narration has been the most difficult thing for me so far but persistence is the key with this one, I think. My 4 year old can do it easily but my 7 year old resists (I think because it is unnatural for him). With consistency, there will be improvement. Their narrations are going to be real treasures, especially to see their progress.

The books that are included in the curriculum for Milestones Academy are all WONDERFUL! We've read "Peter Cottontail" for nature study, "A Bear Called Paddington" just for fun, a beautifully illustrated book of fairy tales, a children's book of stories by James Herriot, "The Boxcar Children" and "Pinocchio." The children LOVE these books. They pique their imagination, they are funny, and they are wholesome.

I've tried to get myself and the kids outside a lot, but with the winter weather that just doesn't seem to happen. Thankfully, my older kids will play outdoors on their own and with friends. Now that spring is coming, we've already spent many hours outside tending to the yard and flowers and gardens. Playing outside for a few hours every day will be no problem in spring, summer and fall. In fact, it will be hard for us to stay inside and attend to academics!

We also study a composer each month and listen to his music. My 3 year old recently commented when she heard classical music on the radio, "I love Bach!" We study an artist each month and study his art. My son has also had the chance to begin violin with a Suzuki instructor. This fine arts education is what public education is really lacking. My kids just soak it up!

I have also begun introducing daily lessons for reading, writing and math whereas before M.A. we did it when we got around to it. This requirement has been good for my 7 year old who has really blossomed in reading. He reads everything he can now that he feels confident in it. And my 4 year old is begging me for reading lessons too and sounding out small words and writing letters constantly.

Overall, my experience with Milestones Academy has been enriching and joyful! I have even increased my personal study time tremendously, including starting a book group to study Charlotte Mason's original words. Our home school has been full of wholesome and beautiful things to study and I no longer feel confused as to what to do today because there are so many things to choose from and I've spent time planning it out already. Thanks, Kate, for your encouragement and support and your time devoted to developing this wonderful curriculum! Next year we plan to jump into Year 2 and do it all!

February Update

February 24, 2009

I just wanted to give an update on my reading for LDS Mommy University. I am so blessed that my library actually purchased many of the books that I requested through Interlibrary Loan. So I have better access to them! I'm so happy about that.

I've been studying Spanish and will be on schedule soon. I've enjoyed it a lot. A lot of what I had learned as a young adult is coming back to me, even pronunciation. I can hear myself trilling my R's which is a surprise to me. It's fun and I'm sure I'll be speaking in Spanish to my kids and my family a lot now that it's on my mind.

Reading the spiritual books has been great. Even just reading the Ensign cover to cover has been a lot of fun. I like always having a book to read when I have a moment to relax. I can just look at my list and pick something. My Sundays are more devoted to worship as well. I focus more on spiritually-minded literature than I did before. I have specifically enjoyed reading the R.S. manual with lessons from Joseph Smith.

I've got the two math texts and they're great. They're at my level which I appreciate. They're both interesting and not too complex (so far!). I love that I'm studying math. I think it is so inspiring to my children.

The parenting and education books have been very interesting too. I love learning about these subjects and being inspired to be a better mom and homeschooler.

I've been learning a hymn each month which the kids have picked up on. I can hear my 4 year old and 2 year old daughters singing "How Firm a Foundation" and "The Spirit of God" around the house and yard a lot!

More Math and a Note on The Keeper of the Bees

I read another chapter of Understanding Math today; this time, directly in front of my older children (only 7 and 4) while they were playing quietly and the babies had naps. My 4 year old is very interested in doing math all of a sudden (hmmm, I wonder why?!) and has done several pages in a kindergarten workbook we have around. My 7 year old doesn't enjoy his daily required math lessons yet...I'm hoping my example will inspire him. I keep them short but he still grumbles. I'm having the classic inspire vs. require debate in my head regarding math. But I know it's right to study it myself.

I spent some time practicing subtraction. Seems pretty basic but there is something about borrowing on large numbers that is hard for me! I've had a hard time with it since elementary school. In fact, I remember my friends in junior high laughing at me that I had a hard time with subtraction. I'll get it, I know I will!

And can I just say that I LOVE The Keeper of the Bees again. I had to read two more chapters. I had a bad morning and needed a delightful repose. I got to the part where the Storm Woman is closer, actually came into his house. I know they'll meet soon; I'm so excited. I hope I haven't ruined it for you. This book is just so peaceful to me.

I exercised! And studied math!

I'm supposed to report on my progress in math. I got the "Understanding Math" book and am actually excited to study it! I read chapters 1 and 2, no problem. And I'm glad my son could see it and ask if it was his and I replied, "No, it's for me to study math." I like studying academic subjects for myself; what a great example we are for our children. It feels right to do this. I think it will be inspiring for my kids to see me studying.

And I love having lots to read on Sundays. I don't think I ever read the whole Ensign before but it's quite enjoyable. Today while reading I had perhaps a forewarning of something to come. We'll see if it was a revelation or not.

I'm excited for more of my books to come in soon.

OH! And the best thing about this week was that I actually exercised! Winter has been such an excuse for me here in Utah and I don't like the cold so I don't go out much. How could I exercise? I don't have a tv to do an exercise video even! But every afternoon this past week I just turned on an exciting music CD, put on my tennis shoes and danced! I mixed in some strengthening exercises and some yoga and it was so fun and it felt so good to go to bed knowing I exercised my muscles. I didn't have restless leg syndrome either. YEAH!

The Keeper of the Children

I'm in love with the book, The Keeper of the Bees. It's so sweet and wholesome and beautiful and lovely. I wish I could live where Jamie lives and be Jamie for a time. I want to see the ocean, smell the beach, lie in the sunshine, take care of the bees, smell the flowers, rest, learn and have peace.

 

Yesterday in the middle of the day I found myself folding laundry and it was actually quiet. The baby was asleep and the older three were actually outside playing. It felt warm: it was 45 degrees! I recognized the peace of the moment and reveled in it. And then I realized my life is as ideal as Jamie's. I am able to be at home with my beautiful children, raise them, feed them, teach them, nurture them. They play well together—most of the time—and they were all outside playing at that moment! It was glorious! I had an unexpected moment of quiet which I love! I was folding laundry without interruption, smelling the faint bleach smell of my whites which I love so much. I realized I have my own paradise here: my home is my winter garden, my laundry is my flowers, my children are my bees. I thanked God for the sweet blessings.

 

Just call me, The Keeper of the Children!

Education for Eternal Life

The quote that Kate included on her blog a few days ago amazes and inspires me. It is by Elder Eyring, "…Remember, you are interested in education not for life, but for eternal life. When you see that reality clearly with spiritual sight, you will put spiritual learning first and yet not slight the secular learning. In fact, you will work harder at your secular learning than you would without that spiritual vision" (Education for Real Life, 3). With so much more secular learning (and spiritual learning as a matter of fact) on my list of things to do, I like Elder Eyring's perspective. I like how he puts it in this order: study the spiritual first which will inspire you to study the secular even more.

I always have a love of learning in my heart. I always want to be learning something and studying something and reading something. I wish I could go to college again. When I see movies that have a university like Harvard as the setting, I yearn to go there myself. I yearn to be in college again. Sometimes I wish I didn't have to be responsible for so many other needy people but I could just have all my time to myself again. I know that won't happen and it's no use to wish for it. But I can still study and I can still learn and read.

I love Kate's plan for personal study. It is just so orderly and simplified and doable. It's not overwhelming for me. In fact, it is freeing. It allows me to study and "fill my bucket" with worthy things. I rise early to read the scriptures, eat breakfast with my husband, read needful and inspiring parenting books, have time to journal and catch up on personal e-mail before my children wake up. Then in the afternoon during quiet/nap time, I have another hour to read my current novel. It is just lovely. I cherish the time I have to myself. I don't neglect the kids during school time or chore time or meal time or play time because I know I have this other time dedicated for my own study that fills me up. Then in the evening after the kids go to bed I have more time to read whatever else is on my list. And the amount of spiritual that Kate has included in her personal study goals keeps the proper perspective that Elder Eyring mentioned. Spiritual first, then secular, then even more dedicated secular. I am learning not just for now but for eternity. I LOVE IT!