CrumbBums – Page 112

Reading…

Books, by lauren, November 11, 2014, 9 Replies

Have you read this book? I’m only halfway through, but it’s really gotten to me. Maybe it is because my children are just now entering official school, but I have become quite preoccupied with the institutionalization of education. This book, by developmental psychologist Peter Gray, uncovers the complex problems of “imprisonment schooling,” where we expect children to forgo play in exchange for indoctrination. He takes the standpoint that children are naturally curious, playful, and social, and that they come into the world “burning to learn,” with energy and passion for mastering skills they will need as adults.

I know this sounds extreme, and it is. But our schools are failing all over the country, and instead of taking a close look at the entire institution and the way it is set up, we are going in the wrong direction: opting for more testing, longer school hours, longer school years, when in fact what our children may need more than anything is just time to be… children.

If you have 15 minutes and are interested, watch his TED talk below. It left me shouting “YES! YES! I agree! I see this!” and feeling an aching in my chest because, “yes, yes, I agree to this and it is so wrong that this is happening to our children…”

Let me know what you think. It’s common sense in so many ways, but where do we go from here? Such thought-provoking stuff.

Weekend Shenanigans

Family, by lauren, November 10, 2014, 6 Replies

It was a beautiful fall weekend — half of it spent without Andrew, who has been traveling a lot lately but is luckily staying put for a while. Friday morning my friend Elisha and I messed around with staging food and photographing it for a class she is taking. It was so much fun and felt like playing with a friend while our kids were in school. I think the pictures turned out really well, though there was so much I found myself wanting to do and not knowing how to do it. It may be time soon for me to take a photography class… but I keep putting it off as my writing has taken over my creative side lately and I honestly just don’t have the time. I do love having a creative outlet, through this blog mainly, and am so grateful for what doors it has opened up for me.

Friday night and Saturday were a struggle. The kids and I just couldn’t seem to find our rhythm and I lost count of how many physical fights I had to break up between them, separating them to different rooms and taking frequent breaks outside for fresh air and a hopeful reset. The fresh air helped, but as soon as we were back inside again, all hell broke loose. I was at my wit’s end and in tears, especially with Oliver, who was all button-pusher and no reasoning with. It is just like that sometimes.

When Andrew returned I was sure the kids would snap out of it, but alas, Sunday was a bit rough too. I guess I was just the slightest bit relieved that it wasn’t all me, ha!

We picked the last of the November strawberries, which were surely the sweetest of the whole season with the knowledge that they are gone, gone until next spring and summer. We are expecting freezing temperatures this week for several days in a row and there is no chance for them!

Emil picked up the camera and after I helped him turn it on, he took the above photo! Not bad, right?

Sunday afternoon was a relief. We met up with our neighbors and friends for a big last pick-up soccer game before the weather turns frigid. The sunset was beautiful (at 5:30) and it all ended up okay in the end. Sigh. We’ll find our groove eventually!

Music Monday

Music, by andrew, November 10, 2014, 1 Reply

Black Mare Trot (Lightnin’ Hopkins)

Make Me a Pallet on Your Floor (Mississippi John Hurt)

The Soul of a Man (Blind Willie Johnson)

Happy Friday and Some Extra Reading

Family, by lauren, November 7, 2014, 1 Reply

We have had a pretty busy week — a lot of school functions and house repairs, a lot of running around and just generally trying to stay on top of it all. Hoping for a nice relaxing weekend full of reading and lying around!

And speaking of reading (and running around too much), if you’re up for it, head over to the Washington Post to read an article I recently wrote about extra-curricular activities and our choice not to engage the kids in them (just yet). Have a wonderful weekend!

Reading, Experimenting

Books, by lauren, November 6, 2014, 6 Replies

The Elements: A Visual Exploration of Every Known Atom in the Universe, by Theodore Gray, photography by Theodore Gray and Nick Mann

I have to share one of the best books we’ve ever purchased for our kids. It is, in Milo’s words, “Amazing because it has a fold-out periodic table of elements. It’s awesome!” (he is helping me with this post). What we love about it is the colorful photography and great descriptions of each element, including volatility and common uses and forms. It is the best introduction to chemistry for kids his age and has already inspired quite a few experiments.

Last weekend, when I took Milo on a special coffee (and hot chocolate) date, I marveled at his interest and understanding of several elements, including sodium. He talked about the “building block” structure of salt. We talked about what different forms of salt might look like, and when we got home, decided to take a closer look at three different forms: sea salt, kosher salt, and iodized table salt.

From left to right: sea salt, kosher salt, and table salt

Looking at each form under the microscope was really cool! The shapes were really different, leading to discussion about processed versus natural versions of things (which lead us to a discussion about hot dogs and chicken nuggets — Milo’s connection, not mine! Yuck!). I love where these experiments take us.

Seriously, check out this book, which is half off on Amazon right now – and try the comparison if you have a microscope! I got the book for Milo’s birthday in September along with a geode, amethyst, and a few other different stones and minerals, which has turned to be such a great thing to have in our house… plus, I’ve learned plenty just by browsing this book. Happy reading!