Today’s homeschool post is from my friend Anna-Marie at the PrincipledMom and The Homeschool Nurse. I hope she encourages your homeschool the way she does mine.
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Notebooks are not a new idea. Many of the founding fathers kept notebooks of their lessons and discoveries. What is so special about notebooks, as opposed to, say, workbooks? I say a lot.
Production. A notebook is not simply a container of a child’s work. It is a tool for learning and self-government. It requires the child to be a producer of education and not a consumer of information. The child is an active part of the entire learning process.
{photo credit Lady Jess at Pix-O-Sphere}
Developing character. Notebooks are also a tool for character development and an excellent education. These traits include stewardship, diligence, patience, perseverance, faithfulness and satisfaction. It also fosters a desire for excellence in their own work.
Self-education. The child must learn how to learn, and a notebook will do that. These notebooks are filled with their own thoughts and reasoning. I encourage my children to take ownership of their ideas. When they are comfortable with that concept it will be easy for them to take on more of their own education. And as a teacher I keep my own notebooks as well. I am always educating myself so I can educate them.
Scholarship. The child must write and produce their own work, as opposed to consuming a workbook. They are required to write down their own thoughts and ideas and to do it well. Neatness counts! Standards are a good thing. Children like to know what is expected of them, and notebook standards give them a goal and parameters, which also foster scholarship.
Reasoning. It requires thinking, and sometimes a lot of it, to produce and to learn. I know my kids sometimes act like their brain froze up when they are required to use their “reasoning muscles.” But I also have noticed that my 4th grader has come a long way and doesn’t shut down like she used to. She wrestles hard sometimes to reason out an answer. That is encouraging and I don’t think that wouldn’t happen if I were not using a notebook.
Reference. Hopefully your notebook will be filled with things, especially as they get into the upper grades, that will help them in other subjects and other areas of interest even after they leave for university. I know one young lady who came home for a break from college and went to find her French notebook. She said it was to help her in her college class because some of the material was already there, giving her an edge. Another young lady I know has made notebooking such a lifestyle that even though she is out of high school she still makes notebooks for her interests. When she went on a missions trip she created a notebook her whole team could use as a reference, with maps, history and more on the country they were visiting.
Mastery. We are not slaves to the notebook, but masters. It is our tool to use as best fits us. It will help strengthen our weaknesses and highlight our strengths. And also a notebook helps us to master a particular subject.
Individuality. Of course notebooks are an expression of our unique thoughts and are our own intellectual property. My children love to peruse their notebooks from time to time and appreciate all the hard work they have done. They enjoy reflecting on projects and lessons they enjoyed, and also to remind me of things they weren’t crazy about. Some families keep electronic notebooks, some keep more like a scrapbook. There are lots of ways to express your individuality and education. Notebooks don’t simply have to be filled with written papers.
You can include
Anna-Marie is an RN and a home educator who is passionate about education. If this article has been a blessing to you, these other articles may also be a blessing:
Making the first day of the homeschool year special
Portable Teacher’s desk
Make your own math manipulatives
Man, I wish notebooks would foster a desire for excellence in my children. My oldest just doesn’t seem to care – as long as the work is done.
I’m sure it all depends on the kids. If we can create it into a craft they might find a lot of pleasure in it.
I have always loved the IDEA of notebooking. It makes so much sense! What I hadn’t counted on, however, was that my two sons’ (ages 11 & 9) special needs severely limit the amount of writing they can produce. (As in, almost none.) I’ve got one who writes brilliantly (narrating to me- this is the 11yr old) but can’t copy two sentences in under an hour; and one who is a “man of few words” and his handwriting is still nearly illegible because of his fine motor problems. We compile maps, experiment sheets and other things, but when it comes to written narrations ala’ notebooking, it just can’t happen. But we try. I’m always so impressed with others’ notebooks! We just have to do things differently here.