Essay Writing and Memory Tools

Today, I sat around the dining room table with the older two kids, and we went over the basics involved in writing an essay. I had them do some copywork at the same time, dictating a few notes to them. The notes were supposed to look like this:

Topic: what to write about

WHY?
-to share facts
-not opinions
-not copying

TOOLS
-books, internet, people
-Fact Sheet

Here, however, is Spazzerific's version. I accepted this because I used to use the same technique of amusing myself (mainly with Tenille) to help me stay focussed during boring subjects.

Tipoc
what to write abuot [deliberately misspelled]

WHO&
gnat apinions
gnat copeein

COALS
pepoel, intergnat, boooooookssss, Fat Sheep

I typed out the original, along with a "how-to" list of steps to follow, so he has a set of notes he can actually read. ;~) Plus, that way, when he destroys or loses the notes he has, I can just print off another one.

Our Other School

The kids helped to plant some more of the garden today. With 7 CSA customers this year, we've had to change our gardening style a bit. We're taking a more intensive approach, planting more of everything - and closer together.

Onion-planting has become a family tradition for us. The kids love how easy it is - onions are so tough and forgiving. They like the little bulbs we buy, and they like poking them in the ground. It's a job where even the 5-year-old can give significant help.

The other relatively new tradition we have (as of last year, when we began using a raised-bed planting style) is the creation of garden paths. The kids love this part. As we plant each bed, they get to walk or hop around it, creating a narrow packed trail that's fairly resistant to weeds because of its hardness.

Though we lay aside any books for a few weeks at this time of year, we'll pick them up again in mid-July when the afternoons become unbearably hot. Then, we're back to hands-on as the harvest and canning get into full swing in the last half of August.

Sunday Concert

We went up to the local Arts Centre this afternoon to catch a jazz concert put on by the local university's jazz ensemble. The kids sat through all two hours of it - beautiful music, but a long silence for elementary-aged children. My 5-year-old spent a full 5 minutes standing on his head towards the end of the concert, much to the amusement of the trumpet player who spotted him at the back of the room.

The good thing about these kinds of local events is that the kids were able to talk to the musicians afterward. Since Dave and I both attended the university briefly about a decade ago, we're familiar with some of the profs and with the School of Music. Since I was comfortable talking to the group, the kids were as well.

Because the concert was in a small setting, with a small audience, it was more informal. It felt very interactive and personal, and we could see the musicians interacting with each other as they improv'd. It was like getting to sit in on a jam session, but one without interruptions to argue technical points or redo sections of the songs. :~)

The New Room

Spazzerific has spent the day furnishing and organizing his new room. The walls I so carefully painted have been plastered with posters (sigh). His dresser, desk and a set of shelves have been installed.

I haven't seen him all day.

He spent a good part of the afternoon scouring every book nook in the house, collecting all the books that were his, and arranging them carefully. He has his school books and his birdwatching accessories stashed in the desk. On top is his Bible and his Field Guide to the Birds. He informed me he thought it best to keep both of those close at hand.

If it weren't for his 5-year-old brother, the Spazz would be a tidy creature, for the most part. He's basking in his newfound sense of order, privacy and quiet. Being 11, he has become territorial, wanting a space he can define as his own.

We talked about the responsibilities involved in having the newest, nicest room in the house (of which everyone is a little jealous). He's not to scratch or otherwise deface the paint job. He's not to dig holes in the walls (guilty in both his last two bedrooms). He's not to move his posters around constantly, because we don't need a bunch of holes poked in the wall either. He must take care of the room, or lose the privilege of sole occupancy. He must not smash the laundry basket we're giving him for his dirty laundry (also guilty in the past).

Because he's always, always shared a room with a sibling, it's been hard for him to feel motivated about taking care of things - his own get broken, and it's not his job to clean up after the other kid. It's been hard to keep his things tidy and out of reach. Now, he can admire his 3-D ship puzzle and his models, have all his books at hand, and study without interruption and distraction. I would not be surprised to find him vacuuming his carpet without prompting - at least at first.

We'll see how long it takes for the novelty to wear off....

Click here to see photos at our HSB blog.

Employability

I haven't told the kids yet, but they're getting a raise.

As my back spasmed its way through yesterday's garden cleanup and planting, my oldest became the keystone of the day's work. He removed last year's cornstalks and sunflowers, helped to plant strawberries, and hauled mulch. Some of the work was done with no supervision - he took the initiative, already knowing what tools he was expected to use and what he was expected to accomplish. He's 11 years old.

Our market garden is our family business. It's a training ground for the kids, more than anything. At this stage, it's too small to support us. But they're learning valuable lessons, and so am I.

In order to get it all done myself, even in this small format, I would have to hire a local teenager. The teenager would only be available after school and on weekends, assuming other commitments didn't exist. The teenager would have to be trained, and wouldn't have any sense of ownership in the business. Even a farm kid would have to be retrained, because we're small-scale, intensive, organic, and we're growing vegetables, not grains.

My kids already understand the nature of the business. They know what's important to its success, and they know how to meet the necessary goals. My son took the extra time yesterday to ensure he wasn't disposing of earthworms along with the root balls he dug out.

The kids are familiar with what we plant, and they're constantly learning more about how to grow it successfully. They ask questions and are engaged in the agricultural processes. They're motivated.

Their value to the business already meets or exceeds what I could expect of any other local kid. They may be a bit slower, because they're still small. But they have enough other qualities that make up for it.

Someday, when they're ready to step out on their own, I wonder if I'll end up handing over the community-supported agriculture project to one or several of them. That assumes we'd still be living here, doing the things we do now. However, I'm sure they'd be capable of taking it over seamlessly by then.

And if not, they're already building skills and attitudes that will make them more employable wherever they do go.