11 on the 12th.

I was tagged yesterday by Phyllis at All Things Beautiful for some 11th of May themed fun.

The Rules:
1. Post these rules.
2. Post a photo of yourself and 11 random facts about you.
3. Answer the questions given to you in the tagger’s post.
4. Create 11 new questions and tag new people to answer them.
5. Go to their blog/twitter and let them know they have been tagged.

Eleven Random Facts About Me:

1. I am the youngest of seven living siblings.

2. Beverly Cleary is my favorite children's author.

3. I've been married longer than I was single.

4. The first concert I ever attended was Michael W. Smith's "Big Picture Tour" in Regina, SK.

5. I have never seen the Atlantic Ocean.

6. I have seen the northern lights.

7 & 8.  I prefer cats to dogs, and hymns to choruses.

9. My first car was a mustard yellow, '74, Ford Mustang.

10. I don't look good in hats.

11.  I was asked to sit out of my high school gym class during the gymnastics unit, because of my  "kamikaze style" - I really wanted to master a back flip.

Questions From Phyllis:

1. What is your favorite blog post you have made? If You Give a Homeschool Mom a Cookie, because it captured where we were at the moment, and it was fun to write.

2. Do you have a blog post that affected you, made you think, changed you in some way? Include what blog you saw it on, and a link, if you can. Things I've Learned About Blogging posted back in July of 2009 on Scribbit, Motherhood in Alaska.

3. Have you ever met in real life anyone that you knew through their blog? Not yet. Though I've been right in the neighborhood of another blogger, without time to stop :(

4. What is your favorite subject to teach? Why? Math or Science.  With math, at least at the levels my children are at, it's all cut and dry, a question and an answer.  That makes it easy.  Science is just fun, bursting out all around us, with so many mysteries to be explored.

5. What is your least favorite subject to teach? Why? Grammar.  As you may or may not have noticed from my own writing, despite years and years of grammar instruction myself, it is not a subject I feel confident in (or, should that be in which I feel confident?).

6. What type would you say your teaching style falls under? It can be more than one. I am a life long learner, and I hope that I'm a teach by example type of teacher.

7. Is there some project in your homeschool that you would like to do, but haven't been able to do it yet? Why do you want to do it and why haven't you been able?  There was a science mystery series that Phyllis posted a while back on All Things Beautiful, that I wanted to do at the time, and didn't manage to get with it enough to follow along, and keep meaning to attempt with the children now - but just haven't gotten started.  The fault is a lack of organization on my part.  All I need to do is sit down and reread through it, to get going.

8. What do you consider the most important goal for your school?  I would like to see the children leave our home, or their college dorms, strong in the faith, well educated, motivated  and employable self learners, ready and able to participate in society.

9. What is the favorite blog post (you have written) of your readers? Were you surprised?  The Man of the House's guest post tutorial on building a craft stick doll house has been the hands down winner for daily visits - sigh - with D's paper plate shark craft coming in second.  I'm thinking maybe I shouldn't be the one blogging in our family :).

10. What is something you have since learned that you wish you knew when you started homeschooling?  Your educational style does not have to be your parenting style, and vice versa.

11. Is there a blog that shows a homeschool that you are striving to be more like? What do you admire about their homeschool?  Honestly I try not to model our homeschooling experience too much on what others are doing.  My best advice in this matter is enjoy reading about all the fun and educational experiences others are having, and copy what you like, but do it in a way that makes sense within your own family.  Keep your end goal in mind, stay the course, and try not to be tossed about by every wave of homeschooling, or educational philosophy that comes your way.




Now for my questions:

1. What was your favorite subject in school, and why?
2. What sort of school did you attend for your K-12 years? Public, private, home based?
3. Do you have a college degree (maybe a masters or doctorate)?  If so, in what?
4. What do you think our educational goal as a country (or your educational goal as a country, if you're not in the US) should be?
5. What US landmark would you like to visit, that you haven't already seen.
6. What is your favorite summer family activity.
7. Read the Scribbit post about blogging, linked in the answers above.  What phase of blogging are you in currently.
8. Can you tolerate other people's children as well as your own? Don't worry, I'm not planning on dropping mine off at your door.  I'm just curious.
9. Do you set limits on "screen time" in your house? And why, or why not?
10. Do you have a family pet? If yes, what kind(s)?
11. Do you use math, beyond the basics of what you learned in grades five or six, in daily life? And if yes, in what way? (I'd really like to hear in from anyone reading this post, on this one).

I'm tagging:

An old favorite - Whimsy Love.  I don't know if she'll have time to play or not - but either way, go check out her "Hi My Name Is Herb, Favors".  What a funny idea!

A new blogger acquaintance - Brainy Daughter, a couple of father's encouraging their daughters' scientific curiosity. I'm hoping to try out one of their experiments with my children for Science Sunday, this week.

And, Raising a Happy Child and The Fantastic Five - what else are blogger buddies for?


It's great to be a homeschooler.