September has been so sunny and warm, it’s delicious! Loads of flowers in the garden, new leaves on the trees and birdsong to cheer me all day long.

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I got a great library book this month. It’s and Australian gem called Affluenza: when too much is never enough, Clive Hamilton and Richard Denniss, Allen & Unwin 2005, ISBN 1-74114-671-2.

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“From the earliest times attempts have been made to classify individuals according to types, and so bring order to the chaos.” Carl Jung

Part Two – Left or Right Brained?

Continuing with my discussion on exploring labels in regard to learning, I will give a brief explanation of the left brained/right brained theory of neurological development. This concept was first popular in the 1970s when it was accepted that the left hemisphere of the brain controlled analysis and accuracy, while the right side was responsible for aesthetics and feeling. Of course, we use both hemispheres of our brains all the time. They interact with each other in complex ways and cooperate with other parts of the brain as well. The theory suggests though, that we all have a preference for one or the other hemisphere’s apparent functions.

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Tinaroo camp is on this weekend.  Details here, or email Grace.

I decided to create a blog devoted to The Farm; it’s called Home Grown. There I can show off more photos and talk about our plants and animals without feeling like I’m boring the non-gardeners amongst you.  Currently there are only two cross-posts from this blog, but in time I hope it will grow to be a record of our journey here.

A long, long time ago I used to make soap.  I remember it being fiddly and messy.  Upon reading this post at Mummabare’s Blog I was inspired to give it a go.  I saved two rice milk cartons and bought some melt and pour soap base from eBay.

The peach soap was made from opaque base, bergamont essential oil, yellow and red food dyes.  It is very calming.  The green soap was made from clear base, lemon myrtle essential oil, yellow and blue food dyes.  It is so refreshing.  I love how they have such different qualities.  Each cake is wrapped in cellophane to stop it from sweating - glycerin is a humectant.
The process of making the soap was incredibly easy, quick and not-too-messy.  I’m almost ready to move on to a more complicated method…  I have a book here somewhere…

After re-reading an article I wrote about our schedule in 2003, I was inspired to write about how we’re living and learning differently in 2007. (more…)

This was originally published in The Homeschool Sampler in 2003.

When asked about a typical week, I ponder over what to share… While our children all have a weekly routine of chores and “schoolwork”, what happens in reality often differs from what’s on paper. Sometimes we miss things, other times we exchange another activity, and occasionally we add in extra items. Simply looking at the children’s daily list of lessons doesn’t give a true example of our activities together and alone. I keep records of other learning that happens. (more…)

Most people would presume that there’s nothing simple about a family of eight. We are two adults in our 30s with six children aged 3 to 13 years. (more…)

An article orginally written for Stepping Stones Magazine several years ago.

“Children are being freed to learn as nature intended” – just one comment I love from my recent research into why Australian parents are homeschooling their children. I have asked friends and mailing list members, read comments from studies on the subject, and gathered some reasons as to why so many are taking the plunge into home based learning in Australia. (more…)

Spring is here! I tend to wish August away, looking forward to Spring, its colours and activities. After a particularly cold and wet winter, this is more true this year than any other.

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Acknowledging seasonal changes is one way for humans to experience the rhythm of life. As our children witness the unfolding of each season, they grow a little and appreciate the wonders of nature. To know each season through walks, observation, activities, and games helps our children to develop a more intense relationship with planet earth. In most of Australia, the seasons are not as marked as in other climes… There may not be snow-capped rooftops or dazzling autumn leaves, but there are many less obvious signs that we are a part of the cycle of nature known as the seasons. (more…)