Student Whisperer essay

This is my essay on the Student Whisperer. I took my notes from the book and wrote them into a story form about how I could use what I learned. When my husband was a boy his Dad used to call his future wife, 'Suzy'. In this narrative I am writing, I will refer to myself as Suzy because I am not yet the perfect wife that my Father in Law painted a picture of, and I am not yet the perfect homeschooling Mom that I am going to portray in my writing. This is to show me who I could be, and how I could be.

   It's 6 am and Suzy is alone in the quiet of her cozy front room. She has already read in her core book to get grounded for the day and now we find her deep in silent thoughtful prayer.
   Suzy has a son that she has been seeking to mentor.  She has read many books, sought the counsel of others, and has prayed many times before this on behalf of her son who is the central theme in her current prayer.  In her prayer, she is asking guidance about this one certain child.  She wants more clarity about his special mission in life. It's important that she understand her boy better so that she can help him to see his own genius and help him work hard towards the mission that will be his. 
  Suzy's prayer is interrupted by the sound of children waking, so she ends with a thankful heart and stands to begin the rest of her day.  She has learned to embrace motherhood and all of the toils and joy that go with it so it is with a smile that she stands.
  As she is preparing breakfast and cleaning up with the kids, she is pondering her morning prayer and the thoughts that have come to her since then.  She has an idea of her sons strengths and weaknesses and she can't wait to help him along.
  It is one o'clock in the afternoon a week from the day we first met Suzy. Lunch is over, the young ones are napping or reading.  Suzy goes to the room of the son she has been praying over for the last week.  She has set the stage for a transformational experience by building this meeting up over several days and making it into a special occasion.  She has been telling the children stories about important men in history who have had missions in their lives and what they did to accomplish those missions.  She's included in those stories the pain of what those people had to go through, the hard work and the sacrifices.  Suzy had also been reading classics to the children to expose them to greatness way before she made this date to talk to her son.  She wanted to plant the seed in his mind that he too had a mission and she wanted him to see that it would take hard work when he was ready for the challenge. 
  Since her oldest was small, Suzy had been planning frequent sparks of inspiration for her children.  She would find books they would love, plan field trips they would be drawn into, and she would also do the things she wanted them to do so they could have a first hand example of how it was to be done.
  Now Suzy walks into her sons room after hours and hours spent pondering, writing, and brainstorming about her sons needs.  She is ready to do the things she has come up with through the long process.  Suzy's son looks up from one of the many books he has been in love with reading lately and beckons her to come sit by him.  He is ready to move on with his education - excited about it. 
  The first thing Suzy and her son do in this meeting is to have a prayer so they will be guided by the spirit.  Then Suzy hands him a paper and has him brainstorm all of the things he can think of that he is interested in, what he wants to learn, to know, and to do this year.  He does that while they are sitting together and then they talk about how those things can lead him to his life's mission.  As they talk, more ideas come and are written down as possibilities for study in the near future. 
  Suzy's son feels that she is truly interested in him and he takes comfort in it.  His Dad holds regular monthly interviews with him too, so he feels very secure in his parents love for him and their devotion to being there helping him. 
  Next Suzy has her son circle the things on the list that are the most dear to him right now.  She only has him circle a few so that his energies can have a sure direction and so that they can make a plan that won't be too overwhelming and complex.  They make a plan together including academic, personal, and spiritual, and then talk about commitments that the son is making and that he will be held accountable for those commitments.  Suzy's son is comfortable making commitments because he has been through a comfortable love of learning phase and knows that he needs a mentor to progress.  He is ready to move forward.  Suzy has taught him the techniques he needs to be able to learn and she will teach him more.  He has learned how to learn well and will benefit now from having a mentor.
  When Suzy and her son have his plan worked out on paper and signed by them both, Suzy brings out a package that she had slyly brought in the room.  Inside is a beautiful book that she tells her son is his very own commonplace book.  He has seen her write in hers and knows that he will keep his study hours in it, and write his thoughts on what he has been learning.  Suzy has been a good example of keeping up on hers and she has been inspiring her boys with books filled with other peoples written journals.
  Suzy's son is ready to get started on his mission path.  He has been given a certain free time in the day that is his own study time and he is excited about it.  Suzy has no doubt that he will use this time well, but is also prepared for the times that her son will fail to meet his commitments.  They have talked about this and know what the consequences will be.  Suzy knows that allowing her son the freedom to fail will give him tools he would not otherwise have.
  Suzy leaves her happy son's room to go to her own where she offers a prayer of thanks for the direction and inspiration she has been given.  She's inspired now to make a bubble list of her own, and see what is most important for her to be studying right now.

   You'll remember that this 'Suzy' is not the true me and she has done this process with lots of grace and love.  Having it clearly written before me will help me to do likewise but I know that life doesn't always go so smoothly as a storyline. I'll just have to allow myself the freedom to fail like Suzy gave to her son and know that I have learned valuable lessons in the process.

Goins on Lately

We have begun a family education again separate from the public schools and we are loving it. I had seen such a positive difference in my boys the last part of the summer that I couldn't start the unrest again. The problems we were facing have melted away and there is continual learning going on. So happy.

Here I will list some of the things we are busy with so far this year.

We joined a Commonwealth School in Fort Collins where my older two boys participate in a Shakespeare class, and a writing class. The next two boys are learning about Native Americans and taking a science class, and the youngest is with kids his age doing various acitivities(this week they made salsa).

I am taking a 9 month webinar course on Mentoring the One. It is a course that I found through my search for a mentor for me to learn from in order to make our family education as rich as I can. Friday was my the first webinar, and I am enjoying the study that was assigned.

I began a book club here in Cheyenne with a group of homeschooled kids. My oldest two boys crave to be around their peers these days, and they need people with whom they can discuss what they are reading. This month I have them reading Carry on Mr. Bowdich and they are to come to the discussion with something to say about it. After they have all had a turn to talk I will open it up for discussion.

Once a month we attend a P.E. class for homeschoolers. This month we played kickball. The boys had a blast and so did I!

My oldest boy is taking piano lessons. He practices for hours and hours perfecting his lessons and making goals for himself.

The two oldest boys are involved in boy scouts, and are also den chiefs with the cub scouts. The next two boys are in cub scouts. I really like the lessons they learn there. I am a den leader for the wolves also.

We are studying Shakespeare with a family that we are friends with. We haven't gotten very far yet, but it is another thing that is adding richness into our lives.

These are some of the things that we are involved in right now. They don't mention the many books we are studying and the outings, adventures, memorization, and so forth. All in all we are loving our family education and wouldn't trade it. We are working together and bonding together. Heaven.

Life is an Education

I am seeing that life is an education. You may not receive awards for all that you learn or have initials to put after your name (M.D., P.H.D., etc.)but life is a learning experience.

This week I have been busy learning how to sew with a fantastic lady I know, building garden beds with another fantastic lady I know, and investing time into learning the ins and outs of music recording, lyric writing, and guitar playing.

I have really enjoyed learning the sewing as it is opening up doors to me. Clothes are so expensive, and it is hard to find exactly what I want. Now I can pick out the exact pattern I want, and the exact print I want and go for it! It is freeing.

The garden projects always call to me at this time of year and it is so fun to share what I know with other budding gardeners. It is also fun to do projects with people that you have things in common with. I learn more about gardening each year, and come to love it even more with each new thing I learn. Yesterday I kept exclaiming how happy I was to be out in the sunshine, smelling sage and sawdust, and working with my hands. My senses were on overload.

All of these things won't earn me a degree no matter how hard I study them. I am learning them for my own enjoyment and fulfillment, making me a more well rounded person, and to bring me joy. Life learning brings joy and an education that can't be reproduced.

Misunderstanding about my faith

I am reading a fiction book about the 1949 rush to the gold fields. I have been a little disappointed with the lack of morals as I have read and had decided it would not be a book I would want my children to read. It is a Pulitzer Prize winner but I have learned that that accomplishment doesn't have to mean anything to me.

I have found it to be quite accurate on what the people went through to get to California like hunger, indians, thirst, mechanical problems, and so forth, but I have not found it to be accurate as far as the dealings with 'the Mormons'. I was very disturbed by the views that the author had on the LDS religion. It opened my eyes to some of the untruths some people might have because of the misinformation that they might gather from uneducated individuals. You have to get it "from the horse's mouth" so to speak to gather any truth.

This past week I heard of some misunderstandings that my sister in law has about my beliefs. It is hard for me to not go and tell her what I believe. From what I have found so far, whenever I say anything about religion they clam up and don't listen with their spirits - they just get defensive. The only thing I can do is to pray for them and I know that is also the most powerful thing I can do. Praying along with shouting my testimony with the way I live and choose to conduct myself are my plans of action. That can be a daunting task to constantly be aware of how I am presenting myself. I know that people watch people of other faiths to see how their religion really affects them. I know I have been guilty of judging others because I see them professing their faith with their words but not by their actions. It would be easy for me to be judged likewise for I am not perfect, very far from it actually but striving to improve daily. I love my Savior, for he truly is just that, the one who has saved me because I could not do so on my own. I want to have a relationship with him and I know to do that I should do as he has asked me to in the scriptures. Anyway, it is hard sometimes to have a burning knowledge of something and not be able to share because of prejudices that have been formed out of naivete or lack of understanding.

Back to the book. I am almost finished with it and really should have stopped but I am not of the personality to leave something undone like that. Some things take me longer to get to but I do eventually get to them - laundry is one of them.;) I am glad I read it first before turning it over to my son. I will take this experience and learn from it and move on.

Perhaps I have rambled but it sure felt good to get that off my chest!
-Elisa

P.S. I did not put the title of the book because I don't want anyone to waste their time with it.

Home Herbalist

My newest educational path has taken me to the School Of Natural Healing. My sister Kerissa had started on the path and has influence my Mom and my sister Julia in the same direction. We have had a 'get healthy club' for 3 or 4 years where we bounce ideas, inspiration, goals, and encouragement off of each other and it has led us into this path of natural healing and living. Our diets have been refined and our outlook on health completely turned around.

This past couple of months have seen me studying books written by Dr. Christopher and his son, listening to audios, and watching videos on herbs and diet. I have learned much and am propelled even further into the study of health much to the chagrin of my husband. He is not a believer though he tries to be open. My kids on the other hand ask for their cayenne, echinacea, and garlic when they need it. They have opted to eat the Mucusless Diet and have been good examples to their friends and even to me.

Yesterday I took the final quiz to be a certified Home Herbalist and passed with flying colors. The test was so easy because I have been studying this sort of thing for several years now. The only thing that is going to keep me from continuing my education from this school right now is money. Isn't that always the case with me? So many ideas and ambitions and no money. I guess it has taught me to be resourceful.

I am glad to be where I am right now. My family has wonderful health, I am no longer wondering what the best way to feed my family is, I do not have to rely on doctors to prescribe an antibiotic when an earache comes along, and it is freeing. There are some who are sceptic about what I am doing for myself. Some say I am fanatic because I choose to eat very little meat, dairy, refined sugar and flour, and I do not buy food that is processed and packaged. I buy most of my groceries in the produce section and I love it. I have been eating this way for 8 months and have never felt better. I do not need someone else's approval to do what I think is right. Of course I have to cook the occasional roast for my husband and buy him the things he likes to eat, but I can do that for him and still continue on my path.

today's essay

My husband and I are reading the Bible beginning in Genesis to find all of the tips for good health that we can find. The Bible is a 'how-to' manual in many ways so why wouldn't it teach us how to treat our bodies that are temples? It does teach us how to take care of ourselves right from the very first chapter when God is telling Adam and Eve to eat fruit from the trees and to eat any herb that bears seeds. We are through chapter 4 now and so far we have been told several times to eat fruit from the trees, and herbs bearing seed. I understand that to mean fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, and seeds. There has been no mention so far of eating meat or dairy though God was pleased with the sacrifice of a lamb by Abel. It does not say that they ate the lamb, only that they sacrificed it to God.

I have looked forward every night to sitting down and reading aloud with Brian. We are keeping a notebook for writing down every health topic we find. I have not ever read the Bible aloud with someone so it has been fun to discuss things as they come up. I am a little bit apprehensive about some of the topics that might come up because he believes some things different but I am hoping that with the spirit there we will make it through without too much difficulty. This is the first time since he left my church 6 years ago that we have discussed scripture together. I hope it only brings good.

It's been a while

I did not realize how long it has been since I have written on here until I logged on and sa that it was last July! We have not been taking a break from learning, I just have not written.
These days are spent practicing piano, guitar, and perfecting music. I have been painting my house while listening to books on tape. The one that had me mad right now is Tess of the D'Urbervilles. I could just punch Angel Claire in the arm and tell him what I think of him. Tess needs someone to tell her of her worth and that she has the right to be happy, and that she is never alone with a Father in Heaven who is always there for her. I have been listening to that one for free on www.librivox.org. I have listened to a couple of books from the library that I had to stop and take back. They were aweful, full of things I would never want my kids to hear so I don't want to hear them either. I think I'll stick to the classics instead of some of the stuff that is being written nowadays.
I read The China Study by Dr. Colin Campbell, and Green For Life by Victoria Boutenko. These were both very good books and have influenced the way I am eating and the way I prepare the food for my family. I hope to have us healthier since reading these books.
I am reading Anna Karenina by Tolstoy. This book is another sad tale of marital distrust and heartbreak. Why am I reading so many sad things lately? This book has shown me that adultery has been around for a loooong time. Oh how aweful.
My kids begged to go to public school. We have let them try it out on the condition that if their behavior starts to change for the worse or if any problems start to show up then they can do school at home. So far it has been great, and they still love it. We have a great school here to start with so I would not recommend that everyone try public school. There are things that I still do not agree with in the public schools like wasted time taking attendance, unhealthy school lunches(to my standards), and the wrong kind of social experience, but I am willing to let my kids try it as long as things go well for them. They are all very well aware of this, and I think a couple of them will be back home for next year. We'll see.
So far this year they have done a 4 day trip to Yellowstone National Park, a trip to a dinosaur Museum, and later there is a trip to Cody for the Wild Bill Cody Museum, ski trips, and swimming lessons. They are always coming home with some awesome thing they have done, like seeing live ballet shows, and band shows, free books, and activities that I could not have come up with. I know that there is no learning environment that can beat the home, but this school does do a pretty good job. I just wish there weren't any other kids there;) or just the well adjusted nice ones.
I am giving guitar lessons again, selling Hair Bling, and just got done selling around 50 bushels of apples. It has been busy, but happy.