Khan Academy.. A FABULOUS tutorial site for education!

Have you heard of Khan Academy? 

If you have kids or just want to learn something new.. you should check it out!

And just for the record, there isn't anything for me in this post.. I just want to share a GREAT learning resource!

Here is a snapshot of what my kids are up to.  Nope, Kylie hasn't been on this week. Given that Kylie is only in Kindergarten, her access is limited to when I or her sister's can supervise!

Anyway.. 

One of the cool things about this site is that I know what my kids are working on and for the most part, they enjoy it!

So if you look at Lexi's profile you can see exactly what concepts she is currently working on and what kind of progress she has made.

You can even breakdown the summary into individualized skills.  This is great if they are struggling with something at school, or if they are interested in a certain area you can select that topic for study.



They earn badges and energy points for working.

As an adult, I can learn new things as well.

I can coach my children.

As a teacher I can create classrooms and have students work from here, but I can see what they have accomplished, what they are individually struggling with and how much time was spent on a problem.  This is a huge factor in student success because if students spend a ton of time working on something and then get it wrong, they become very frustrated! This site allows you to ask for a hint on a problem and then gives different scenarios to teach the concept in a different way.  

It is amazing.

So all that to say, I am a huge fan of Khan Academy! 

If you haven't used this site before, I challenge you to try it.  

Oh.. and the best part.. IT'S FREE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

You are welcome.

Ok, maybe not a total loss...

The results of our crafting.

I guess it wasn't a total loss, cause boy are these cute. We lost one in the final stage of cleaning when Kylie dropped it. But other than that, I think they turned out pretty cute. 

Like so many projects.. The result is nothing like I envisioned from the start, but the little girls really enjoyed making their ornaments!

Counting Their Savings, the Girls Get Ready for Disney World!

We leave for Disney World on Tuesday morning! We are so ready!

One of the biggest changes we made getting ready for this trip to Disney compared to our first family trip there was that we made the girls earn/save their own spending money!  We told them that we would get them there and feed them, but all other purchases were on them!

And they have done a fantastic job this year saving! I am so proud of them.  Maddie hasn't really worried about it much. She has a job and has money. But Lexi and Kylie are pretty much at our mercy, so they have been more diligent and intentional about their savings.  

So today, just three days out, we were ready to count our money! Doug and I have saved change all year and we plan to use that for the incidentals. It's been fun to watch our change jar grow!

Sidenote: we had all the money bagged up and Lexi and I went to the coinstar machine so that it would count it for us. Both machines in town were broken.  Besides the having to carry the truckload of change in and out of stores for no reason, I'm glad we couldn't use the machines. Counting the money was way more rewarding and tangible. It was hard work! The girls learned how to count of the coins and roll the money. We spent most of the day working on it. I think the machines would have been too much like using a credit card.. not a real transfer of money therefore not a real experience of earning and learning!

Here are the girls ready to count the change. 

The girls sorted and counted and rolled. All of them.

Doug came in and started on his MOUND of pennies!!

Can you believe the coins!

We had to stop 1/2 way through for Doug and Lexi to run to the office supply store and get more penny rolls! Here we are at break time. You can really see just how many pennies we had!

Back at it. 

Kylie couldn't help it. She had to go change into a costume. Here she is with her savings as Anna.

Maddie finished counting hers early and helped Doug and I with ours. 

And here is Doug with our loot.

Ready for the bank!

Total Disney spending money savings for the year for the girls..

Kylie: $84

Lexi: $95.50

Maddie: $78

Doug and I saved $255 in change!

Gotta say, it's pretty fun to watch the girls save for something special and really follow through with it. I love seeing their proud faces and seeing their accomplishments!

Expectations vs Allowance

With summer upon us the wants and the can we-s are already starting. I'm going to have to come up with a good allowance system. We don't do allowance in our house. Cause that would require consistency. And I haven't had any room on my plate for anything else that required time and attention and a consistent plan. But this is the year I do believe.

Why? Because you can't take away what you don't give. That's why. The girls know that unloading the dishwasher is there job, but other than getting a scowl or having to load it later in the week, there isn't a tangible punishment if they don't do their jobs. I've tried just letting the dishes sit on the counter, telling them that I can't do my job of loading because they haven't done their job... but they don't care. I care. So I'm going to have to find a way to make them care. And money is the only thing that talks in my house.

I have to say, it really bugs me to give an allowance to the girls for them helping to maintain the house. So, I'm giving myself one to! And why not? I'll clean with a better attitude if I know that I'm going to pay myself!

All that to say.. I have to figure out what I'm willing to pay for and what is just an expectation for living in the house. For example, keeping your room clean is an expectation. You don't get paid for your room, your personal hygiene or your grades. Not in my house. But, I'll give an allowance for things that help me... like dishes and laundry and things like that. Why the distinction? I don't know. It's my world and I get to make the rules.

So, the allowance thing is starting today. With all 3 girls in the hole. They wanted new swimsuits and since they had perfectly fine new swimsuits already, they are all now in the hole for $15 each. Not a bad way to start...

A rant from your child's art teacher....

Okay, so I have a little rant..  it's about kids, creativity and the parent's role in this process.

You see, I have learned over the years that I grew up in an unusual house. Actually I've ALWAYS known that, but when living IN the house you don't get all of the strangeness... (digression..)

Anyway, in our house, there was always paint around and a craft project nearby. My parents are both super creative and fostered our creativity by showing us how to do artistic things, allowed us to make messes and taught us how to use materials appropriately.  I have learned that this is NOT the case in a lot of homes. When I went to college I was absolutely amazed that people didn't know how to paint without getting it all over themselves, the floor or the brush. I thought people just knew this!

Below is a picture of me at age 5 painting our "Rainbow Clubhouse." We had a carriage house type thing in the back yard and my parents let my older sister Libby (age 6 or 7) and me paint it. I'm sure my parents helped and supervised us, but what is awesome is that I don't remember their "interference" I remember it being a project that Libby and I did!

Now, jump ahead 30 years...  to me the art teacher. I am learning that the majority of my students do not have any foundation at all in art or artistic/creative ways. Ask a kid to measure, cut and paint something and you would think I had asked a kid to do surgery on something!

Yes, I know that students get the "basics" in elementary school, but really, I truly believe that kids should be cutting and painting and LEARNING to be CREATIVE at home!!  Kylie at age 3 has scissors. I am well aware that she will cut things that should not be cut. It's a calculated risk, and one I'm willing to take. Both Maddie and Lexi had scissors at this age and yes, we had issues, and millions of teeny tiny pieces of paper all over the house. But it was worth it, and is worth it. Otherwise she  might end up like the elementary kids that I see/know that cut themselves with safety scissors every time they use them because they aren't allowed to cut things at home.

So what got me all riled up? Pinterest!! Lately I have seen all of these "kid-friendly" not real art projects with not real art supplies. Yes, at least parents are getting ideas on how to be creative. But c'mon! Don't expect your child to know how to use a paint brush and paint if you make cornstarch (or shaving cream or pudding...) "paint" and have them use a squeeze bottle to make their crafts. For one, the squeeze bottle teaches nothing about hand-eye coordination, nor about moderation, nor about how to only use a little paint or brush strokes....  Another thing, what if you child makes and awesome painting?? I hope you take a good picture, cause the "paint" is NOT paint and won't last. You have taught your child that artistry doesn't matter cause you are just going to wipe it off, wash it off and throw it away! I'm not saying you can't play and finger paint, but there is a time and place for everything.

Student grade or craft grade art supplies are not expensive. Please, purchase some basic watercolor/tempera/acrylic paints and allow your child to create with paint and a paintbrush! Teach your child to only dip the tip of the paint brush in the paint and SHOW your child how to keep the paint on the paper or the brush and then how to wash the brush! If you don't know how to do these thing, I'm sure there is a you tube video. Then, put the "painting" up to dry and then have your child sign the piece. While it may not be a "work of art" you will be thankful for the picture one day.

While there are lots of things I am really, really NOT good at as a mom. I can thankfully say that my kids get to be creative and they make art projects. Here is a nice reminder of  how quickly kids grow up!! The picture on the left looks like Kylie, but it's Lexi!! 



Lexi in 2009



Lexi in 2013

   

So, here is my challenge to you. Go paint! Create something. And virtual painting via a Wii game or computer software  DOES NOT COUNT! While computer generated art is fun and a growing field, you don't learn how to control the amount of paint on a paint brush with a virtual paintbrush. You will never learn moderation if all you have to do is hit undo. You will never experience the thrill of creating if you don't get personally invested in the creating. Please note, I did not say you have to paint something wonderful. In fact, don't try to paint something "classical" like a portrait or a still life. Just paint.

Rain, Walking and Bungee Jumping

Today was supposed to be the Kidney Walk. But it rained and poured and lightninged (is that a word?) until they had to call it off. We of course, had already made the hour plus ride in the storm, so there we were in Fort Worth with nothing to do at 8:30 in the morning. ugh.

So we went to Target.

Then we went to my niece Abby's volleyball game. The entire family, you know, cause we were all planning on attending the kidney walk.. but now the gang had time on their hands. I'm sure the rest of the families in the packed stands appreciated Abby's cheer section.

 

And that is how we do things in my family. In case you haven't picked that up yet. My mom, my sisters and I make plans and our husbands and children go along. Good thing!

 

Then we went to Chick-Fil-A. Yup, all 20 of us. We are loud I am sure. And we take up a lot of space. But I don't think we are too obnoxious..... and our children, for the most part, behave in public!

 

After lunch we went to mall and since the walk was a bust, we let the kids do the EuroBungee thing. The people working it said they would let Kylie try, but since she was little, she might not be ready. Yeah right. She was way more into it than her sisters.... and Lexi was the one who was all excited about it!

 

 

So the pictures aren't great, but maybe you can see the girls in them. And there is proof that we DID something.

In other news. I tried on swimsuits. to be continued.

A Visit to the Children’s Museum

The girls and I went to the Fort Worth Museum today with a friend of mine and her daughter.  We all had a great time.  It was a little bittersweet though as the museum has had a total renovation and doesn’t resemble the museum of my childhood at all.  So many wonderful childhood memories are tied to the old museum… but times change and life goes on and the new museum is awesome!

What was really nice is that with 4 kids aged 10, 7, 5 and 10months, all the kids had fun.  If you live in the metroplex, you should make it a priority to visit here.  One of the best things about this place, they have staff everywhere! Including the restrooms.  And they are nice and even helpful!  Amazing!

Here are some of the highlights:    

Sisters

 

I love this fun wall hanging of my girls!  It’s in Lexi and Kylie’s room and adds just a fun flair to an otherwise pretty boring brown wall.  I did have to hang it rather high as it is above Kylie’s dresser, otherwise known as her changing table.

 

Each letter is 9x9 and firmly attached to a piece of chipboard then I punched a whole in the top, attached a ring to it and slipped it onto the twine.  I like that can move the letters around so that different pictures get equal playing time. (And that’s important with 3 girls!)

  

Another thing that I took into consideration while making this was future usability.  Knowing that I wouldn’t want to keep it on the wall forever, I made it a standard size so that I could slip it into an album later.

We also bought fabric for curtains this week.  More Cowgirl stuff (oh my!).  Lexi picked it out of course and the colors match the sister banner, so what could I say but Yeehaw!  I am hoping to make curtains over Easter.  We’ll see :)