Self-education: Parents, what are you learning now?

[phathui5]

I went to SWB's talk at the NoVa homeschool conference about self-education and reading and why parents need to keep reading and learning. Of course, I haven't been doing much of that lately.

What are you other WTM parents learning about? What are you reading? Do you purposefully have a study time of your own?

[SusanAR]

Well, I read The Good Earth last week (really enjoyed it:001_smile:), Yesterday I read F.451 (uncanny), and today I am reading Out of the Silent Planet. I have been reviewing my very rusty chemistry skills, and I'm plugging through Economics in One Lesson:001_smile:
Just a few more weeks until school! :auto:
susan

[Denise in Florida]

I am brushing up on Art History and Cultural Anthropology because my dd15 wants to learn those next year.

"Brushing up" has turned out to be a horrible understatement. I took college courses in those topics 30 years ago and whatever teeny tiny wisps I remember have apparently gone off to hide with the TV remote and my spare set of keys. :lol:

[Karen in CO]

I just ordered a book about women Jamestown colony. I have been reading though all of our history books and refreshing my poor little head about the colonies, now I'm reading historical fiction. My previous history topic was explorers - Over the Edge of the World about Magellen's circumnavigation was good.

I'm also reading about the development of China and India - just finished In Spite of the Gods. Next is The Elephant and the Dragon.

I'm also reading a book about building your own cob house.Is it obvious that my high schooler graduated?I am used to trying to keep ahead of him.

[Janice H]

But I will finish, maybe during jury duty on Monday. I don't think dd will read this one however; high schoolers usually read Crime and Punishment. In case I only had time for one Dostoevsky I went w/what most critics call his best novel.

[Brindee]

I am not doing huge amounts of reading, but I am planning on taking Spanish with my dd when school starts. She'll be the only one left that I'll be homeschooling, so I feel like I have time to do that now! WooHoo! I hope I folow through with it. My oldest is majoring in Spanish in college this coming year, so he should be able to help me out in my simple-little-Spanish-language-world if I need it! :D

I know, not a huge goal, but I'm happy to finally get the chance to go with it!

[Dana in OR]

Just finished The Great Gatsby, and am in the midst of the early/high/late middle ages TC series by Professor Daileader. I am enjoying the middle ages quite a bit; Gatsby, not so much.

[iwka]

classical education:
Climbing Parnassus

theology:
articles by by H. U. von Baltasar and K. Rahner

relax:
Alive: The story of the Andes Survivors

[elegantlion]

I'm reading The Odyssey, one of the many books I'm working on right now. I'm also slowly going through LOF, Latin Alive, and Lingua Latina.

[Mommyfaithe]

I went to SWB's talk at the NoVa homeschool conference about self-education and reading and why parents need to keep reading and learning. Of course, I haven't been doing much of that lately.

What are you other WTM parents learning about? What are you reading? Do you purposefully have a study time of your own?

I am re-teaching myself Algebra working through Life of Fred Beginning Algebra.

I am reading "How to Read a Book" which I am surprised that I am not only enjoying, but luving, and learning so much too.

I am reading a few "just for fun and enrichment " books such as Life of Pi and The Time Travelers Wife.

I will be teaching an Introduction to Philosophy course to my ds for his history/ ss elective, so I will be pre-reading those books.

We are always learning as a family...things like artists and music..

Oh, I am also taking swimming lessons this summer....

~~Faithe

[Mommyfaithe]

I am brushing up on Art History and Cultural Anthropology because my dd15 wants to learn those next year.

"Brushing up" has turned out to be a horrible understatement. I took college courses in those topics 30 years ago and whatever teeny tiny wisps I remember have apparently gone off to hide with the TV remote and my spare set of keys. :lol:

Denise...this is a really stupid question...so I am sorry...but what is Cultural Anthropology...If it is what I think it is, what books are you using to study?? I am thinking it is the history of ancient customs and possibly religous and cultural habits of lost civilizations. Am I close?? Hmmmmm very interesting.

[Jane in NC]

Instead of messing about here, I should be finishing Moby Dick, a leviathan of a reading project, but an extremely worthwhile one. I am so glad that my son encouraged me to read this book! There are times when Melville reaches Shakespearean heights in terms of beautiful language.

It is my good fortune to cross paths with scientists in the summer, an opportunity to learn about new research and ideas. I have learned about pain receptors, ecological modeling, new geochemical hypotheses in earth science and about microbes.

Among the books that I have borrowed from the library is the five minute artisan bread book which received rave reviews here in WTM-land and elsewhere. I also have enjoyed Sew What Skirts which has information on pattern drafting, a neat idea on which I'd like to follow through.

I spend less time on the computer in the summer. Perhaps I should adapt this model to the rest of the year. It is not only that I would accomplish more, but also I would spend more time on "big ideas", less time on the petty news events (news bickering?) that seems to consume so much energy.

Thanks for this enjoyable thread.
Jane

[mo2]

Getting Started With Latin ---almost finished!
Reading Beowulf for the first time ever and truly enjoying it.

[Ester Maria]

Currently re-reading D'Annunzio's opus (right now L'Innocente), watching many film classics I missed out on (film and film history is currently in my self-education focus, right now I'm doing French cinema), and reading Rambam.

[BramFam]

Learning Greek for the first time --- quite an undertaking IMO. :)

[galtgrl]

I've been reading Captains Courageous to the kids at night, reading The Fountainhead for myself, and *playing* with RS Latin1...so much to learn...so little time...

[Denise in Florida]

Denise...this is a really stupid question...so I am sorry...but what is Cultural Anthropology...If it is what I think it is, what books are you using to study?? I am thinking it is the history of ancient customs and possibly religous and cultural habits of lost civilizations. Am I close?? Hmmmmm very interesting.

Hi, sorry it took so long to get back to you. Cultural Anthropology studies cultures as a whole (ancient and modern). The scientists might interview or observe a culture and study the rules/structure etc. Some are of the studies I read (long ago) were of aboriginal tribes in South America or Africa, one of my favorite studies was on the m-i-l/d-i-l relationships in China.

Some of the studies I have come across lately have included sub-cultures in the U.S. such as inner-city gangs, suburban 'gated-community' residents, or fan-culture (comic-cons, trekkie conventions).

I picked up a few books at my local used book store but I haven't found one overall basic book yet. I am going to go to the local community college the day they buy back books, if a book has been replaced by the next edition and the college won't buy them quite a few students throw them away. :glare: I have brought home boxloads before.

[Garga]

Does figuring out how to print pictures from the digital camera count as continuing education for adults?

Or what about researching PA state laws concerning burials so that I can start planning my non-insipid funeral now?

[TeacherZee]

I am reading How to Read a Book by Mortimer J. Adler and Charles van Doren, Bleak House by Charles Dickens. Reading through the Bible. I am also considering starting Latin on my own using Wheelocks but I am doing a full-time semester at uni in the fall and I am not sure I can do all of it. So still considering.

[Mommyfaithe]

Hi, sorry it took so long to get back to you. Cultural Anthropology studies cultures as a whole (ancient and modern). The scientists might interview or observe a culture and study the rules/structure etc. Some are of the studies I read (long ago) were of aboriginal tribes in South America or Africa, one of my favorite studies was on the m-i-l/d-i-l relationships in China.

Some of the studies I have come across lately have included sub-cultures in the U.S. such as inner-city gangs, suburban 'gated-community' residents, or fan-culture (comic-cons, trekkie conventions).

I picked up a few books at my local used book store but I haven't found one overall basic book yet. I am going to go to the local community college the day they buy back books, if a book has been replaced by the next edition and the college won't buy them quite a few students throw them away. :glare: I have brought home boxloads before.

very cool!!!!!!!!!! I may begin studying cultural anthropology. Sounds right up my alley.
Thanks!
faithe

[Alice]

I went to SWB's talk at the NoVa homeschool conference about self-education and reading and why parents need to keep reading and learning. Of course, I haven't been doing much of that lately.

What are you other WTM parents learning about? What are you reading? Do you purposefully have a study time of your own?

I went to the same lecture and thought it was great.

I've been reading through the fiction list in the WEM. I just finished Crime and Punishment which I really enjoyed. I'm planning on reading War and Peace next (she has Anna Karenina on the list but I recently read that so decided to read a different Tolstoy).

I've also been reading History of the Ancient World and really enjoying it. I'm also reading through the Bible this year using a chronological plan and it just happens that the two are overlapping a lot right now which is very cool.

[jayfromcleveland]

I'm picking my way through Paradise Lost. Wow, this is a rough plow. The word pictures are very colorful, but it's hard to keep your mind on who is speaking, since these rambles go on and on for several pages. I tried reading Milton in the early 90s and gave up, and am now picking it up again. The book is replete with classical references, and I've read so much in the classics since the early 90s that I now appreciate it all the more. I seem to be catching more references these days than are indicated in the footnotes. Don't read Milton unless you've already read a lot in the ancient classics. I think Dante is much easier since the writing is less "dense" and the chapters (cantos) are short, maybe a page or two.

[Yabusame]

I'm working my way though Plato's Republic (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Republic-Oxford-Worlds-Classics-Plato/dp/0199535760/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1248710775&sr=1-2) at the moment and enjoying it immensely (what is morality?).

I've recently read The Book Thief (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Book-Thief-Definitions-Markus-Zusak/dp/186230291X/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1248710818&sr=1-4) by Markus Zusak (I was in tears at the end, first time a book has done that to me) and Kitchener's Last Volunteer (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kitcheners-Last-Volunteer-Allingham-Surviving/dp/1845964837/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1248711607&sr=1-1) by Henry Allingham (he died recently at 113 years old).

I was reading Don Quixote (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Quixote-Penguin-Classics-Miguel-Cervantes/dp/0140449094/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1248710737&sr=1-2) by Cervantes (very enjoyable, and funny too), but when the group I was reading with stopped contributing I decided to postpone it until my Middle Ages period (I'm doing the Ancient World at the moment).

[elegantlion]

I'm picking my way through Paradise Lost. Wow, this is a rough plow. The word pictures are very colorful, but it's hard to keep your mind on who is speaking, since these rambles go on and on for several pages. I tried reading Milton in the early 90s and gave up, and am now picking it up again. The book is replete with classical references, and I've read so much in the classics since the early 90s that I now appreciate it all the more. I seem to be catching more references these days than are indicated in the footnotes. Don't read Milton unless you've already read a lot in the ancient classics. I think Dante is much easier since the writing is less "dense" and the chapters (cantos) are short, maybe a page or two.


Thanks, I almost ordered Milton the other day. I'll wait until I make through the Inferno (and all) and back before attempting. Dante is on my list after The Odyssey.

[urpedonmommy]

I just started Spenser's Faerie Queen. I have recently found myself really wanting to dive back into poetry, so I am reading the "collected works" of several poets (Wordsworth and Shelley currently, just finished Tennyson). Faerie Queen has been sitting on my shelf, sticking it's tongue out at me and double-dog-daring me to read it for nearly a year. It's do or die now. (I am really enjoying it by the way, but every time I put it down it takes a few lines to get back into the language enough to follow the story--it is definately not a "page here and there" kind of book:D)

[dhudson]

I read SWB's "Well-Educated Mind" finished "Don Quixote" and am now starting "Pilgrim's Progress". I also started watching some of Dickens' BBC dvd's. I just couldn't read more Dickens, David Copperfield almost killed me!:001_huh:

Trying to get a head start on high school reading for my now 7th grader.:001_smile:

[jayfromcleveland]

Thanks, I almost ordered Milton the other day. I'll wait until I make through the Inferno (and all) and back before attempting. Dante is on my list after The Odyssey.

Everyone's different, but I read Dante a couple years back and thoroughly enjoyed it. Though the whole Divine Comedy is very long, those short cantos work wonders on my short American attention span! Meanwhile, Paradise Lost is quite short, there are only 12 long chapters. If there's an edition of Milton with page headers to remind you of who is speaking (God, Satan, Raphael) it would sure help for following the story! My mind would wander and then lose the thread. have fun!

[FloridaLisa]

I think Dante is much easier since the writing is less "dense" and the chapters (cantos) are short, maybe a page or two.


Dante is on our reading list this year. Can you recommend a particular selection for Dante newbies?

And anyone else with a favorite can chime in!

Thanks,
Lisa

[angela in ohio]

I'm starting a WEM book club this year with a few other ladies. I haven't read as much as I'd like this summer, and I'm hoping that will keep me on track. I read Watership Down and Oliver Twist, and Anna Karenina came on vacation with me but has sat untouched so far. Another mom and I are discussing another book club on homeschooling theory books (Thomas Jefferson Education, The Trivium, etc.) It will be books I have read already, but it will be great to have someone to discuss them with.

I have chosen most of my materials for my own homeschooling for this year: Economics, Literature, Logic, and World History. I will be working through Biology and Geography with dd.

[MicheleinMN]

We picked Ciardi's translation for Dante. We all really enjoyed it. Ds even kept his copy when we were finished with it. (Usually he lets me stick the books we use in our library to use with his younger siblings...this one he wanted to keep for himself.)

HTH

[eclecticmom]

Each year I learn about a new method from a teacher who is gifted in that area. It might be by CD, conference or book, but I dive in deep and drink up the information.

This year I'm learning about various writing methods and how to integrate multiple subjects into a single lesson so that it's more natural for the child to absorb information.

[fractalgal]

I went to SWB's talk at the NoVa homeschool conference about self-education and reading and why parents need to keep reading and learning. Of course, I haven't been doing much of that lately.

What are you other WTM parents learning about? What are you reading? Do you purposefully have a study time of your own?

I am making my own solutions manual to a math logic book I want to use with my daughter.

Other than than, I am researching and coordinating history books for the fall.

[Shari]

I'm working through the Colonial / American Revolution period in preparation to teach my dc this fall. Just finished a couple of great documentaries and planning to pre-read all my dc's books before they get started. (It will be my first journey through Johnny Tremain in 20+ years!)

[danielle]

I'm supposed to be finishing the Odyssey, but what I'm actually reading (feel like I should hide the book in another book, as I did in school) is What Would Jackie Do? It's a book about Jackie Kennedy's style sense. Well, come on, it's nearly August.
Danielle

[jenadina]

Composition: Aesop and Homer in a Month starts on Monday! I'm working through the pre-class reading assignments.
Math: I'm almost finished with LOF Fractions and will be moving on to Decimals and Percents
Latin: I'm taking the Mom's Latin Class from Beth's Bookshop, which uses Wheelock's.
Piano: I'm working my way slowly through Accelerated Piano Adventures so that I can stay ahead of my son, who about 1/2 way through My First Piano Adventures. Luckily for me, I played the flute for years and only the bass clef is new to me :001_smile:
Religion: I'm reading A History of God and taking a class from the Wilmette Institute: The Baha'i Faith: A Comprehensive Introduction

I'm going to get the Well-Educated Mind as soon as I have some spare cash...I keep borrowing it from the library, so I know it's a keeper. I'd like to read Don Quixote in the original Spanish, though, so I'm also reading some easy novels in Spanish to up my comprehension level. Formal written Spanish is often much different than the slang-filled spoken Spanish I'm used to, so I need practice!

[Kristiana]

Reading: I'm finishing up the 6th grade reading list from WTM. I still have Dante to read and Henry V, which we're going to go see in 3 weeks at the Utah Shakespearean Festival (so I'd better get with it!)

History:Teaching Co. lectures on the History of England from the Tudors to the Stuarts, and I'm reading The 5000 Year Leap and plan to read much more about colonial America along with the kids' history this year. I'm also in the middle of a hist. fiction series about the Revolutionary War just for fun.

Latin: I was going to start Henle this year, but will just keep up with my son in Latina Christiana I instead.

Music: Always trying to make time to practice my cello, plus weekly symphony rehearsals. (At least until this baby comes.)

Other than daily scripture/gospel study, I'm not faithful about setting aside personal study time even though I'm always saying it's very important to me. I really need to work on this.

[Colleen in NS]

(At least until this baby comes.)

Baby?? Congratulations!!! My kids were talking about you the other day, they still remember when you and dh visited us.

[phathui5]

Bump.

[urpedonmommy]

Just wondered how everyone is plugging along?
As for me, The Faerie Queen is still in progress, but going well. I've slowed down, as school started up, but I am determined to finish. BTW, if anyone knows of a good guide to FQ, I'd really love some suggestions--I am readinng it, but not sure how much I am really understanding. Its really just a struggle to understand the basic story, let alone the symbolism etc.:blushing:

I am doing the pee-pee dance waiting for my Henle Latin 1 materials to arrive.

How about you?

[Harrison_B]

I just finished reading "Atlas Shrugged" by Ayn Rand and the events happening now you can definitely relate to. It is long, but worth the read. I also just finished reading, "Fast Food Nation" by Eric Schlosser. I don't think I will be eating out that much anymore. Everytime I look at fast food, I get an uneasy feeling about it. Terri

[Rosie_0801]

I'm reading my new book on Jewish cooking which is SO COOL! Lots of history of both Jewish communities and their food, and I think food history is the coolest thing in the whole world. For school-ish study, I'm trying to start learning grammar. My formal education in grammar was a couple of weeks in grade one and I was sad to see that 23 years later, I still don't know grade two grammar according to FLL. I tried memorising terms from a website and couldn't absorb it (a baby, a toddler and sleep deprivation aren't helping) so I bought the set of Brian P. Cleary's grammar picture books and they've just arrived :) Hopefully they'll boost me to grade 2 level at least :D There seem to be two families of verbs, concrete and abstract. I tried looking online to find out their official terms, but got confused by lists of heaps and heaps of types. Does anyone know if there is a site somewhere with the verb types arranged like a family tree or something? :confused:
Ah... I feel like a dunce.

Rosie

[elegantlion]

Just wondered how everyone is plugging along?
As for me, The Faerie Queen is still in progress, but going well. I've slowed down, as school started up, but I am determined to finish. BTW, if anyone knows of a good guide to FQ, I'd really love some suggestions--I am readinng it, but not sure how much I am really understanding. Its really just a struggle to understand the basic story, let alone the symbolism etc.:blushing:

I am doing the pee-pee dance waiting for my Henle Latin 1 materials to arrive.

How about you?

I'm still working on The Odyssey. I changed translations, so I had to wait for my Lattimore version to show. His translation of Homer makes me swoon. :lol:

I'm still plugging along at Latin Alive and was reading Lingua Latina as dh was falling asleep in front of the TV last night. Going through Latin Alive while teaching LFC B has been most helpful in my understanding of what I'm teaching.

I'm gearing up to do Nanowrimo in November so I'm frantically trying to wrap up some writing loose ends before Nov 1.

[urpedonmommy]

Can I just say how much I love being in a forum where people swoon over the Odyssey and title their posts "Latin Emergency"?? Bless you all for getting it!

[Tressa]

I am working my way through Henle Latin 1. I am also reading the Illiad which I read umpteen years ago and remember nothing. Also on the nightstand is The Spirtituality of the Cross. I am playing a little with Rosetta Stone Spanish. :001_smile:

[merylvdm]

I am learning all about internet market and SEO and keywords and HTML. And I just started reading a book called Twitter Power (or something like that - I can't see it anywhere right now).
I teach a business class at our local co-op and am about to start an internet business with dh, so I am enjoying learning this all. As part of my learning experience I started writing lenses on Squidoo. It is really fun - I am sure some of you would like it too. My latest is http://www.squidoo.com/monopolycitystreets-online-game. (http://www.squidoo.com/monopolycitystreets-online-game) My others are all homeschool-related. It has been interesting seeing which ones get hits from google, which ones google hasn't indexed, what keywords people use to reach them etc.

In between I am also studying how to reach innercity kids and impact their lives and am reading Paul Tough's Whatever it Takes on that subject.
Meryl

[2cents]

I'm learning Spanish with my girls and we're all taking cake decorating classes together (a lot of fun...and tasty too). We all learned how to crochet this summer. We're all reading Little Women and then will work through the works of Poe.

[Mrs.MacGyver]

Hmmm...right now I am procrastinating on writing my final essay exams for 2 classes (ECON 101 :ack2:, and Folklore). Then, I have 2 weeks off before "History of the English Language" and "Beowulf through the 18th Century." So, I have been trying to pre-read for those and have only gotten through Utopia and part of Beowulf so far. Better get back to those papers while the kiddos are asleep:D

[ElizabethB]

I downloaded a Greek course from iTunes U.

I'm working on Latin first, though, since I plan on teaching it soon, I'm working through my textbooks, Don Potter's links, and "The Everything Learning Latin Book."

I'm reading portions of Space between words: the origins of silent reading (http://books.google.com/books?id=w3vZaFoaa3EC&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q=&f=false), it's very interesting. It talks about how reading used to be oral and also continuous print with no separations between words.

A confession: for the Pluto question, I resorted to an elementary grade level book with a lot of pictures, I didn't want the full details, it was perfect, the little orbit pictures were great. (If you're concerned, you can check the reading grade level of Space Between Words at the link above!)

[Debi Stamey]

I am currently spreading myself a bit thin. There is just so much out there that I want to know!!! Right now I am learning Latin and Spanish. I am in the middle of Confessions by Augustine and a biography on Jonathan Edwards, as well as trying to get through Cat of the Babastes (my goal is to read all of the Henty books). I am studying James with the children and just finished a book on Stonewall Jackson, The Screwtape Letters, and Already Gone by Ken Ham.

[elegantlion]

I am currently spreading myself a bit thin. There is just so much out there that I want to know!!! Right now I am learning Latin and Spanish. I am in the middle of Confessions by Augustine and a biography on Jonathan Edwards, as well as trying to get through Cat of the Babastes (my goal is to read all of the Henty books). I am studying James with the children and just finished a book on Stonewall Jackson, The Screwtape Letters, and Already Gone by Ken Ham.

Welcome to the boards, sounds like you're in the right place. :D

[AuntieM]

I am just finishing Moby Dick. I really, truly, love this book. It has been a challenging read, but I have learned a great deal about many topics - whaling history, whaling practices, cetaceans, life at sea in the 1800's (and the provinance of a major coffee retailer;)!) - and I have discovered a kindred, sea-loving spirit in Herman Melville. My kids are so intrigued by how I keep gushing over what a good book it is, they've made me tell them the story as I go along.

So I guess that I am learning, now, in my often-multitasking-state, that I *can* still follow a complicated train of thought if I'll only set my mind to it!

[BettyL]

I want you all to know how happy I am to find other adults who read and are eager to learn! :001_smile: I was sensing the world had gotten sucked into reality TV land, never to return.........

I am reading "The Count of Monte Cristo" for the first time. I have ordered "How To Read A Book" and "Invitation To The Classics" to read next.

[Kareni]

I have ordered "How To Read A Book" and "Invitation To The Classics" to read next.

Have you read the The Well-Educated Mind: A Guide to the Classical Education You Never Had (http://www.amazon.com/Well-Educated-Mind-Guide-Classical-Education/dp/0393050947/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1254108797&sr=1-1) by Susan Wise Bauer (the host of these boards)? You'd likely find it a worthwhile read.

You might also be interested in these two books by Thomas Foster:

How to Read Literature Like a Professor: A Lively and Entertaining Guide to Reading Between the Lines (http://www.amazon.com/How-Read-Literature-Like-Professor/dp/006000942X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1254108672&sr=1-1)

and How to Read Novels Like a Professor: A Jaunty Exploration of the World's Favorite Literary Form (http://www.amazon.com/How-Read-Novels-Like-Professor/dp/0061340405/ref=pd_bxgy_b_text_b).

Regards,
Kareni

[BettyL]

Have you read the The Well-Educated Mind: A Guide to the Classical Education You Never Had (http://www.amazon.com/Well-Educated-Mind-Guide-Classical-Education/dp/0393050947/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1254108797&sr=1-1) by Susan Wise Bauer (the host of these boards)? You'd likely find it a worthwhile read.

You might also be interested in these two books by Thomas Foster:

How to Read Literature Like a Professor: A Lively and Entertaining Guide to Reading Between the Lines (http://www.amazon.com/How-Read-Literature-Like-Professor/dp/006000942X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1254108672&sr=1-1)

and How to Read Novels Like a Professor: A Jaunty Exploration of the World's Favorite Literary Form (http://www.amazon.com/How-Read-Novels-Like-Professor/dp/0061340405/ref=pd_bxgy_b_text_b).

Regards,
Kareni

Thank you so much for these suggestions. They look very intriguing. I was searching for companionship on my self-education journey and am happy to have found this forum.

I am also contemplating tackling "Traditional Logic 1" and "Writing Strands 6" over the next year. I have never studied Logic and it has been years since I have written anything but a grocery list :lol:

Thank you again for the suggestions,
Dawn

[Nan in Mass]

The usual... guitar, watercolours, Latin along with my son, whatever natural history intrigues me or lands in my lap. And I've discovered a nice way to work on my French: I download audiolivre from librivox onto my new ipod and listen to them. I read mostly for escape, but I occasionally read things that are considered literature, like The Chosen, that I'm not reading with my children. I have a feeling that when I'm not homeschooling high school any more, major amounts of brain power will return and I'll go back to reading great books on my own, and anthropology and geography, and tackle Japanese and German. Meanwhile, I am barely, barely able to find the energy to occasionally pick up the guitar or the paintbrush or read a painting book.
-Nan

[stripe]

I was reading through some of the books in Diane Rehm's readers' review (http://wamu.org/programs/dr/readers_review/) but I need to get back to that.

As an example, I bought Bronte's Villette (one of the books on her list) more than 10 years ago, and I finally read it about 6 mo ago.

I've gotten distracted by other more pressing matters, so I appreciate this thread.

[Saille]

Right now, I'm reading Plato's Republic, hoping that by the time we wend our way back around to the ancients, I'll have clear ideas about primary sources we'll use.

I'm working (very slowly) through Henle Latin I and RS Latin.

I'd like to start Elementary Greek or Mounce online, but haven't.

I read history a bit ahead of my kids. Last year I read Morris Bishop's The Middle Ages. Right now I'm working on A Voyage Long and Strange, by Tony Horwitz, and still deciding what I'll do after that.

I've got Classical Rhetoric for the Modern Student sitting by my bed, but I haven't opened it yet.

[Luanne]

The usual... guitar, watercolours, Latin along with my son, whatever natural history intrigues me or lands in my lap. And I've discovered a nice way to work on my French: I download audiolivre from librivox onto my new ipod and listen to them. I read mostly for escape, but I occasionally read things that are considered literature, like The Chosen, that I'm not reading with my children. I have a feeling that when I'm not homeschooling high school any more, major amounts of brain power will return and I'll go back to reading great books on my own, and anthropology and geography, and tackle Japanese and German. Meanwhile, I am barely, barely able to find the energy to occasionally pick up the guitar or the paintbrush or read a painting book.
-Nan


Do you mind sharing some titles of Natural History books you have particularly enjoyed?

[Jean in Wisc]

I probably have a dozen or more astronomy books around the house partly read. I've set a goal to learn how to manually locate all 110 Messier objects before the Messier Marathon in March (an all night search with our telescopes to find the 110 deep sky objects Charles Messier cataloged). I'm also running several programs, including one for 30 homeschoolers, on astronomy--how to use a planisphere, telescope, and such. This makes me have to study and get ready which helps me to learn more.

I'm going through some Spanish books and doing the 2nd year of SOS Spanish in order to brush up on my language knowledge(my undergrad major 30 years ago). I'm reading (um...translating?) the New Testament, too.

I've joined Civil Air Patrol, so now I have all of that to learn--my son's squadron needs someone to help with the paperwork and testing.

I'm learning photography.

I'm studying up on things I use to do, before I started homeschooling--learning how to make potions and lotions from herbs.

Gardening, knitting, sewing, cooking...

I don't think my brain will atrophy.

:)Jean

P.S. Literature? Reading Walden and a number of other such books. They've been put 2nd to my astronomy books lately. LOL!

[JennW in SoCal]

I'm all over the map on self education projects.

I revisit China in books and articles as I was a student of the language and history back in college in grad school. My current interest is the Silk Road and Genghis Khan and this week I was so excited to learn about the XiXia, or Western Xia empire, a short lived empire west of China and south of Mongolia, along the fertile valley that is at that end of the Silk Road near the bend of the Yellow River. There are some spectacular bee hive shaped tombs they left behind, and you can read about them here: http://www.chinatravelz.com/china/Ningxia/yinchuan/Western-Xia-Tombs/index.asp. They say history and literature is written by the winners -- this culture was obliterated by the Mongols and forgotten as the Mongols took over China for the next few hundred years, writing their own history.

I'm always working on violin. My quartet is tackling Beethoven and it is really difficult stuff! Mozart is such a joy and difficult to truly play well, but Beethoven is just plain tough. I'm learning to arrange music, learning the music theory I missed in college, and writing transcriptions of songs for performances. I'm figuring out how to teach the instrument too.

My ds and I are starting the Iliad this week. I want to read the Aeneid, too, but that may have to wait.

I'm discovering how different high school biology is than when I had it *gulp* 30 years ago!!

I'm learning that I have good management skills as people seem happy when I step in to help organize and run things like my son's robotics team and my church orchestra.

I want to take a nature photography class next month.

But I must confess I relish spending time reading pure fluff, and watching too many hours Top Gear, Doctor Who, Robin Hood, House Hunters and Mythbusters on tv. Can't wait for that last season of Lost!!

Oh! I learned how to play World of Warcraft, much to the delight of my 14yo. I don't play as much as he'd like, but it has been a hoot to play.

And I want to visit Jean and peer through a telescope where she lives, far from the city lights and smog that dim our night sky!!

[homeschoolally]

Thomas Sowell's Basic Economics and reading a bio about our president and first lady. Pretty interesting material to say the least!

[ksva]

Currently reading:

Goethe's Faust (ds also reading this)
Herodotus (another ds about to reread this)
The Jesus You Can't Ignore (MacArthur)
Mark
Titus

The Iliad (whole family is reading this and gathering to discuss at appointed times - even dh)

Introductory Logic (seemed to help dc a lot, so making a serious effort at it)


Doing the following with dc:

Frank Allen's algebra
Patrick Suppes' logic
Biblical Hermeneutics (Terry)


Occasionally getting to because dd's are reading these and I haven't read them yet:

Plato
Ptolemy


Guess we'll see if my brain explodes. ;)

Kathy

[sagira]

I recently read The Odyssey (Homers') and just requested Plato's Republic.

I'm working on Ancients just as ds is (SOTW1). I have already read Plutarch, Thucydides and Herodotus in college with dh (dh and I are history buffs). Next on the list of requests I think will be Lucretius' On The Nature of Things as I've never read such an ancient natural history text before.

I'm also enrolled in the Masters Swimming Program (currently on an injury leave) and I sing in the church choir.

I'm also on a self-improvement quest for enriching the relationships in my life, thus reading books on love, parenting and marriage. For fun, dh and I are watching Bollywood movies which the kids really enjoy too and as a result listening to Indian movies, watching a history of India documentary and reading about the Indian civilization.

[Jonibee]

I am currently reading The Vanishing Word by Arthur Hunt. A very interesting book about the written word versus imagery so prevalent in today's media.

I just ordered The Count of Monte Cristo to find out which of the movie versions is correct! I like the old version myself, where the guy does not get the girl in the end and learns that revenge is not all it's cracked up to be. All my kids like the new version better, where they live happily ever after. Can't wait to read that.

And I'm studying a lengthy review book to prepare for the Certified Medical Transcriptionist test. My company will give me a $500 bonus if I pass, so there's some incentive in that!

Joan

[Joan in Geneva]

My education seems to be revolving around the educational needs of my children.

Now I'm listening to Word Smart CD's in the car to increase my vocab. Ds3 told me that I'm not using enough more challenging words.

Then there's Algebra II and Physics so that I can answer ds's questions.

French is constantly challenged by correcting dc's work and listening to CD's of Bible studies from church, since I almost never get to go (to Bible studies). And then I'm wading through French lit analysis books to help ds with his correspondance lit course.

Lit analysis is ongoing in English, currently working through Pride and Prejudice. Just finished a poetry unit. (I don't remember doing much poetry in high school - and had done hit or miss before with dc - like I didn't remember a Villanelle).

I remember when I was just beginning the home education path, a mother of highschoolers told me how much she was learning with her children. Now I understand why!

[laughing lioness]

I am in the midst of reading Climbing Parnassus and on the 2nd ed of Latin Centered Curriculum (read the first a couple of years ago). I am still in love with Chaim Potok and have another book of his begging me to pick it up...just no time right now.
I'm reading lots of gardening stuff as we expand what we are growing and preserving, how to enrich the soil and bed down for the winter. We are constantly looking up recipes for garden stuff- brussel sprouts? Do tell what you do with them. We have a bumper crop!
I am reading and studying in depth, with the help of a Biet Midrash Bible Study, the book of Gensis. It has been amazing. I am also reading through the minor prophets and have read and re-read Daniel this fall.
My big learning curve has been to start a 3 day a week (UMS) classical school that incorporates prayer and worhsip as well as an day devoted to art. I am reading all sorts of policies and procedures, vision, mission and goal statements, meeting with parents, writing a memory work curriculum, talking with NUAMS and a host of other related things. That's been huge and very time consuming.
I'm reading The Trojan War with my 3 younger kids, doing a Hobbit and Trojan War study guide with the boys. The Odyssey and Illiad are next up so I'll be working through those again -haven't read the Odyssey for 25 years.
It's been a full couple of months!

Homeschoolally- I love T. Sowell! We used his econ book for high school econ. He rocks!

Wow. I am so impressed and inspired with what everyone is doing. Thanks for sharing!! My list of things to read and do grows as I rub elbows with ya'll.