On the count down. . .

It is almost ready!

I am working like a wild woman getting some special details ready for you.

A brand new, sparkling website (designed by the Blog Maven - can I say amazing).


Hold tight . . . . lots of celebration is planned that includes giveaways, freebies, and more!


Let the good times roll. . . . .

Homeschooling in France: French Fibre Festival

For the last 3 weeks, I have invited you into our homeschool & daily life in rural France. You can see those posts here & here & here. I've been posting the "extra" photos that go along with those posts on my own blog - you can see those here.

This is the final guest post of this mini-series with Sally. 

I would like to send her a great big thank you for sharing her bit of the blogosphere with me. She was the one who made me realize that I am a real teacher even though I don't do it in a classroom. Her e-courses created a foundation upon which I was able to build a successful (& happy) homeschool life. Her deep knowledge, vast experience & sharp wit never cease to amaze & delight me !

If you ever wondered who to turn to for answers about early childhood education - just look for the fairy dust....

******

Today, come along to a French fibre festival which my family & I recently attended.

La Tonte des Moutons 

 (The Sheep Shearing)

We set out on a beautiful Sunday afternoon & arrived at a marvelous historic outdoor museum/living history site, the Ecomusée du Pays de Rennes. Our first stop was a sheep herding exhibition which included a flock of tiny Ouessant sheep & a very eager border collie.

Originally from the island of Ouessant just off the coast of Bretagne, these rare sheep are one of the smallest breeds in the world (the males are only 19" high at the shoulder). I have a friend who has a flock & she says that she just "pops" them into the car if she has to take them the vet !

Next, we watched a professional shear a sheep in a couple of minutes (flashbacks to The Thorn Birds for me...). The sheep looked like she was in a trance & afterwards was thrilled to be free of her heavy & dirty fleece.



Even though I know that the fleece is supposed to come off in one-piece, I still find it fascinating that they actually manage to do it!

One thing the French do quite well at their fairs & historical events is actually engage the entire family. There was something for everyone - even little girls who'd rather colour the sheep pink than glue the fleece on it !

She comes by her love of colour honestly - I'm absolutely addicted to colour & people make fun of me because my whole family ends up going out in matching outfits (really it's not on purpose - it's just that I have such specific colour tastes & I buy everyone's clothes!).

 I found the dyeing demonstration fascinating. The fact that a French dyer would have an English book in her library made me think that this one must be pretty good (& it's now on my Amazon wish list).

Imagine being able to see & touch so many natural dye plants all in one place ! It was so inspiring to see that one can achieve such vivid colours without synthetic dyes.

Look at those vibrant shades ! These skeins were spun by the lady who dyed them with plants that she had grown & harvested. They included wool, mohair, silk & samoyed (yes, dog fur).

 

Gaude is french for "weld" & garance is "madder" - I think you can probably guess what the other colours are. 

This whole experience made me want to run out & buy these plants & substances (cochinelle/cochineal is extracted from an insect) & start dyeing up a storm. 

But then... we went into a huge tent filled with even more delights ....

Arabella was captivated by the Angora rabbit & talked to it for quite some time until she noticed the lady who had a drum carder on her table.

 Although she was drawn to it, she was quite apprehensive at first.

 
When she found out that she could have a try AND use pink fibre - she jumped right in !  

The tent was filled with fibre exhibits & experts & enthusiasts. My mother & I were in a fibre paradise... This display featured many types of spindles & other spinning tools. The book is "Respect the Spindle" - in case you're wondering.

Other fibres were represented as well - here are flax & nettle. I asked the lady at this table if that was the same nettle that covers large sections of my yard & she said YES. Who knew I had a fibre crop growing down in the orchard !?
 

Her display included a replica of an ancient vertical loom with terracotta weights - she said that it was a type of loom that was used 1000's of years ago (or at least that's what I THINK she said - when these ladies got going talking about their passions - they forgot that some of us are still learning their language !)

It reminded me of looms which I read about in Elizabeth Barber's amazing book - Women's Work: The First 20,000 Years: Women, Cloth, and Society in Early Times. If you are interested in anything to do with fibre - this is a must read.

Eventually, my husband dragged us out of the knitting, spinning, weaving, crocheting heavenly tent & we continued on into a typical mid-19th century kitchen/living room in the main house. Those are beds beside the huge fireplace.

Both of my kids now want a bed with doors.

Everything here is real, no replicas or reproductions. It is all available for touching & looking - I suppose there is no shortage of these items & so no one worries about them being handled. According to a sign on the wall , the people who lived here had 10 children & 2 servants -they all lived in just this room & one above... talk about family ties.

Andrew & my husband, Will, enjoyed the eco-museum too - although they were more drawn to the machines & displays about historic building techniques. What an entertaining & enlightening day !

******

France is such an inspiring place to live, learn & play. When we moved here, I decided that it was finally time to gather up the best of my 30+ years of handwork ideas & resources into a neat package & share them with others who want to add creative elements to their lessons & daily lives.

On June 16th, I will be opening the doors to my new online course, The Making Lessons. I have had a terrific response & am looking forward to creating some wonderful things with my eager students.

Many of my students have been sending me their children's ages & names. I'm already adding to the course with their little ones in mind.

This 4-week self-paced course is taught via easy-to-follow lessons; each brimming with inspiring ideas & supported by up-to-date research about the fabulous effects handwork has on our children’s brains & bodies.

Find out how you can skype with me one-on-one to design your own handwork project & see a detailed outline of each lesson, HERE.

******

Enroll now for only $57 USD.

 Hurry ! There are only 11 spots left at this special price !

The full market price of The Making Lessons is $97 USD.

If you're thinking about coming along for some fun, a lot of learning & plenty of unique ideas

 - now's the time !

See you soon !

Elizabeth

DIY Color Matching Game

I saw this in my colleague's classroom.  I love how simple it is!   Easy peasy.  This is a great activity to have in a basket like the photo below or you could set it up like a Montessori tray.

 What you will need:

• paint samples (2 of each color you use)
• clothespins
• tacky glue

 One paint sample strip will be the base that the children clip on the matching color.

With the second strip of the color sample - cut a square and glue it to the clothespin.  Let dry.

 The children then clip the clothespin to the color square it matches.

So easy.  Such goodness.  

Thank-you Lauren for sharing this with Fairy Dust!!

Dynamic Family Involvement Workshop Starts Soon!

When:  June 23-29 Where:  Online Classroom Cost:  Only $37 (deal ends June 14 at midnight) I must confess.  I absolutely love this workshop - Dynamic Family Involvement.   Hands down - it is one of my most treasured workshops.  Why?  Because I know the impact it has on each child's learning.  Family support is key. This workshop will teach you: Module 1:  How to EXPLODE Family Involvement! The Three Crucial Needs of Every Family My method of dealing with difficult and challenging parents My Secret Weapon for dealing with families you don’t want to miss! How to avoid the worst mistake you could ever make with families!  This is worth the course price! Module 2:  How to POWER START Your Year My Proven Step by Step System for working with Families How I create a climate of trust and safety with families My two most important documents I give parents  (a real game changer!) BONUS:  My Personal Blueprint to Meet the Teacher & Back to School Night Module 3:  The Secret to ROCKING Your Communication with Families My 5-point Communication System for keeping Parents in the loop How to set up a year-long communication system that creates consistency and trust BONUS:  I am going to share my personal communication documents! Module 4:  The Gentle ART of Family Partnerships My top seven strategies to creating family partnerships The 2 things you never want to do - my mistakes can save you years and tears! BIG BONUS:  You will receive my newest offering (not yet released!) Hands-On Homework!  In this program you will receive training and my packet of homework assignments that have been designed to engage families in the learning process.  This program launches the week of August 11, 2013!  (This is a $65 value!) Module 5:  The MAGIC of Family Volunteers The 3 things you never want a family member to volunteer to do in your class My system for preparing my volunteers The most powerful and least invasive way to use volunteers How to involve working parents BONUS:  My Volunteer packets! Module 6:  Completing Your Year on a HIGH NOTE My top four strategies for ending the year on a powerful note with parents. How to wrap up a year of learning with inspiration and love. My top activities and events that are a home run year after year! BONUS:  Critical last documents I share with parents. Finally!   There is a proven system of creating family involvement! If you are like me, you know the importance of family involvement.  Yet, with the new pressures and accountability in academic performance - who has the time?   I can give you a specific, concrete method of involving families.  Just imagine!  What if you had a go-to guide to strategically involve parents and families? This workshop is a  step-by-step guide to family involvement! I have spent years refining and adjusting how I include families in the educational process.  I have had pitfalls and made mistakes.   In this workshop - I am going to save you years of work.   These are strategies and tips from the trenches. My approach takes the jewels from my Waldorf training, my Head Start experience and work with families from both poverty and wealth.   I have worked with families that were homeless, had felonies and drug addictions ---  and with families that were CIA special agents, doctors and university professors. Dynamic Family Involvement will save you time and give you deep, rewarding relationships with families. This workshop is for you if: You are ready to get the tools to implement a powerful family involvement structure! You want to experience the support and inspiration of families standing behind your work. You want to raise your confidence with dealing with parents and families. What others are saying: “Sally, I am so sorry you cannot hear me, because I am clapping, clapping, clapping!  This has been a great workshop!  I think getting families involved is a teacher’s first priority and you have given me so many ideas on how to it in a fun way.  Even after 31 years in education - I learned new things and ways to implement.  Thank you thank you!”  Carmen S. Enrollment is limited! Sign up now with this early bird registration! $37   How it works: Beginning Sunday,  June 23 --  six modules will be released daily into a private membership site. Each session will consist of video presentations, handouts, how-to's, and more - - jammed packed with goodness! The workshop modules will stay online and available until July 31, 2013..  Take your time to watch these modules. BONUS: I am so excited to tell you!  I have a super-power-packed bonus for this workshop -  another workshop!  Oh yeah!  My new hands-on homework program.   This program is designed to bring families powerfully into the learning process.   When you sign up for Family Dynamic Involvement - you are automatically registered into Hands-On Homework. This program will address literacy, math, science and character development for early childhood (grades PreK, K, and 1st).  This is a $65 value!! Two Workshops - One Price:

Dynamic Family Involvement Workshop will open June 23 and be online and available until August 15 Bonus Workshop, Hands-On Homework Program, will open August 11 and be available until the end of September.

Homeschooling in France: Our Village & Countryside

For the last two weeks, here at Fairy Dust Teaching, I have been giving you a peek into our homeschool & daily life in rural France.

You can see those posts here & here and even more photos on my blog, Handwork Homeschool.

Today, we're going to take a little tour around our village & surrounding countryside - so settle in & indulge in a little armchair tourism.

Our Village & Countryside

 

One of our goals when we moved here from Toronto was to have more time to be together & to spend lots of time in nature. 

If you've seen our yard, you'll know that we've got many places to work & play there. But, it's always nice to get "out & about" (as we Canadians like to say), to look off in to the distance & see one beautiful sight after another.

The origin of our town is linked to a castle, built around 1034, which used to stand on a high hill (to the right of us in the top pic). Not long afterwards, a gift of lands was made to a group of Benedictine monks who founded an abbey nearby & the town sprang up between the two. 

The castle was placed between two rivers (one runs right through our yard) which were intended to protect it during feudal wars.

In the 13th century, two dams were built & a large area was flooded to create the lake. Unfortunately, the castle was destroyed during political upheavel in 1616. There are a few remains of it sprinkled throughout the town & our dear friend is convinced that she a secret tunnel from the castle still sits below her home !

Our town, like many French towns, features buildings from many centuries. Our house was built in the late 19th century & it's one of the youngest ! One of the most photographed houses, the Hotel Sevoy, built in 1634 is listed as a National Monument.

We have two very unusual buildings in town, I had to ask the locals what they were because I had never seen one. They are called "lavoirs" or communal washing stations. Women would boil water in large cauldrons & wash their laundry in the rivers.

I've been told that they were still in use in the '50s !! These ladies are re-enacting a wash-day - they sang as they worked (I'm not sure I would have...)

It is fabulous being surrounded by so much history every day - even a walk to the boulangerie is like a mini field trip. Living in the country has other benefits too - like horseback lessons !

Where else would you see a 14th century manor across the street ? And who owns it ? Well, the same man who owns the riding school, of course !  

Note the arrow slits & door big enough for a man to ride right into the hall on his horse. This was a feudal land-owner's fortified home.

Animals play a big part in our days - aside from our two fuzzy black kittens - 

we visit pigs-

.... storks & even...

Other days,

we go to the ocean, it's only 20 minutes from our house

or to one of the local castles (this one is 5 minutes from our house)

this one is a little farther away... on the coast. It is privately owned (as are many castles around here) & was completely restored by the owner's parents in the early 20th century.

The kids loved climbing the tower in the wind. ( I spent the whole time trying to hold onto them!)

France is such an inspiring place to live, learn & play. When we moved here, I decided that it was finally time to gather up all of my handwork ideas & resources into one neat package & share them with others who want to add creative elements to their lessons.

Sally has been very supportive of my work & has really encouraged me to share my approach with others. My new course, The Making Lessons is listed on her summer schedule. I hope you'll join me.
It'll be so much fun !

See you soon !

Elizabeth

P.S. When I collected photos for this post, I came up with so many... come over to my blog, Handwork Homeschool to see more.

DIY Sand Blocks

It is super simple to make your own sand blocks - and on the cheap!  These are wonderful for a Music center.   You can do group music as you can make a class set for under $25.  Woo hoo!

What you will need:

• 60 coarse grit sand paper
• wood blocks (wood craft section of Hobby Lobby or Michaels - I watch for sales)
• wood glue
• wood ball knobs 1 1/2"
• wax paper

I prefer the wood blocks with the beveled edges for a more professional look.

These cost 79 cents each.  (Watch for your favorite craft store to put the wood crafts on sale!) For super cheap - buy the wood slats (6 per bag).

 1.  I cut the sand paper to fit just inside the wood area.  

I like to use my paper cutter for a clean cut.

 2.  Spread a thin layer wood glue on the face of the wood block. 

Smooth the sand paper into place.

3.   Place a layer of wax paper on top of the wood block.

Put a heavy book on top.  Let dry.

(Tip - be careful to place book carefully as not to move the sand paper out of position)

4.  Add a wood ball knob to the back of each block with wood glue.  Let dry.

These knobs make it easier for small hands to hold the blocks during playing.

Ta Da!!  A Pair of Sand Blocks - cost $2.00  (less if wood is purchased on sale!)

(This set costs under a dollar if done with plain wood blocks!)

Buy a set like this in a store and you will pay  $4.00 to $5.95.

I love DIY!!!

5.  Play play play!  

Here is a fun song to sing and play with your sand blocks:

The Blocks On The Bus

  (tune: Wheels on the Bus) 

The blocks on the bus go scrape, scrape, scrape, 

Scrape, scrape, scrape, scrape, scrape, scrape, 

The blocks on the bus go scrape, scrape, scrape, 

All through the town. 

Elizabeth's "The Making Lessons" Details

Buried under a huge pile of multi-coloured wool on the couch one evening, I planned it.

My first, real, handwork project which I hoped to use to teach my young son at home. It was such a simple idea & yet I hadn’t the slightest idea of how important it was at the time.

I made a play-farm.

Just 12 squares of basic knitting - all held together by a knit stream & a few paths. Embellished with some veggies, a little bridge & a few different stitches, it became my key lesson tool for years.

While attending a parent & tot program at a nearby Waldorf school, I realized how the things the children played with weren’t just toys. I hadn’t really thought about it before. Good quality toys had always been a priority for me while raising my 3 bigger kids (they’re all adults now).   I chose them mainly so they would last & because, as a life-long creative, I appreciated the effort that had gone into making them.

It wasn't long before I discovered that children can make great things with fibre from a very early age. Watching my little son making wet-felted balls, pompoms & little felt figures, I was inspired to do it at home with him. He loved it & was good at it. And then? Being an unusual hybrid creative-researcher type, I started delving deeper into the Waldorf curriculum.

Why did handwork play such an important role in Steiner’s method?

Well, I found out & so much more! Since those days, a lot has changed. My son is 9 now & I have a lovely daughter who is 5. My husband & I decided 3 years ago, to pack everything, sell up & leave Toronto.  We moved to a small village in the French countryside, where I homeschool the kids using an eclectic blend of Waldorf, Reggio & things that feel right.

And the play-farm ?

Yesterday, my daughter, had it laid out on the floor (5 years later !) floating her fairies on the pond while she told herself the most elaborate story....

What are The Making Lessons ?

 

 

This 4-week self-paced course is taught via easy-to-follow lessons; each brimming with inspiring ideas & supported by up-to-date research about the fabulous effects handwork has on our children’s brains & bodies. 

This course is live. It will grow & change as we move through it. I will be planning projects for my own children along with you (I'll show you how & what I’m doing).

And ...

if you want to tell me more about you & your kids (where you live, ages, curriculum), I’ll tweak the course here & there to make it even more relevant for you. 

I have been a professional designer & maker for 30 years. Handwork has been my passion since I can remember & now for the first time, I am sharing my flexible approach to designing handwork projects online. 

You'll discover how these techniques will simplify your planning & help you feel more confident & relaxed about including handwork in your everyday lessons.

 

You’ll enjoy coming along for this beta-version of the course if you:

• like to think for yourself, draw from many sources & then translate your ideas into a rich & exciting curriculum for your children
• have so many ideas you don’t know where to start when it comes to handwork projects
• teach children aged 4 - 9 (approximately kindergarten to grade 3)
• want a little bit of support & guidance when planning your projects

 

How are The Making Lessons taught?

Creating anything is always a multi-faceted endeavour which rarely starts at just one point. It’s so easy to get caught up in the planning & dreaming. Often, we miss getting to the making stage!

As a homeschooling/work-at-home/designing mother, I know how challenging it can be to find a long stretch of time to myself (pretty much impossible), so The Making Lessons are clear, short & filled with solid content.  

Mix + Match + Create = Enjoy 

Once you have completed the course, you will be able to mold this approach, adapt it, make it yours - so that you can quickly & easily write lesson plans & design projects for any age child(ren) using any curriculum - for years to come.

Listen, watch & do at your own pace.

You can spend as long as you want browsing, choosing & sampling
anything that takes your fancy.

 

Everything will be presented in 7 multi-media lessons -

Lesson 1 - Why Handwork Matters

• how it affects children's heads, hearts & hands
• how handwork is brain smart
• how the course works 
• how to get the most out of this opportunity

Lesson 2 - Collecting Ideas & Content  

• deciding where you want to tie handwork into your curriculum
• the powerful places in curriculum to integrate handwork  (handwork integration 101)
• how to annotate books & sites - easily remember where you found topics & ideas

Lesson 3 - Inspiration 

• where to find it & what to do with it once you’ve got some
• build your own personalized sourcebook 
• how to create a "look board" with your kids

Lesson 4 - Skills & Projects 

• general overview of age appropriate handwork skills
• observing & assessing your child's skills
• assessing your own skill levels
• define YOUR unique making talents
• learning new skills
• how, when & where - types of projects - gifts, toys, dolls, teaching tools, décor, contemplative 
• explore tools, materials, vocabulary & basic skills for major fibre arts

Lesson 5 - Creating your own "Handwork Studio" 

• collecting materials & tools
• building your own library
• when & what to buy
• what NOT to buy
• how to work on a budget

Lesson 6 - Teaching Handwork

• tips for designing engaging lessons
• create your own individualized craft guide & lesson planner 
• how to create an environment that enhances the handwork experience
• easy to follow techniques with examples of simple lesson plans
• tips for building confidence, maintaining motivation & making it fun
• how to vary lessons—make them easier, extend them
•  enjoy the lesson you’re teaching it without worrying how you’re going to present it
• working with multi-age groups

Lesson 7 - Making Handwork Memories

• Record - making sample books, storing finished work
• Report - how to tie new handwork skills into academic topics
• Share your children's work with school inspectors, friends & family

Each lesson will feature :

• Videos & podcasts
• Lots of inspiring images (many from my own projects & archives - 25+ years worth !!)
• Q&A posts (I’ll gather all of your questions & answer them after each lesson)  

PLUS. . .  

A variety of PDFs -- created specifically for this course :

• Guided exercises & short readings for you to reflect on
•  Handy worksheets, tables & forms to print & use immediately
•  Shopping Lists for materials, tools, resources ( including FREEBIES)
•  Checklists for preparing lessons (have everything ready BEFORE you teach)
•  Charts & Calendars (festivals, handwork skills lists for kindergarten to grade 3)
•  Basic starter patterns & templates to get you started
•  Annotated book lists (my core resources & I’ll tell you why)

Bonuses :

• I’ll share lists of my favourite inspirational blogs & websites. 
• I’ll give you access to my private pinterest board which I will build during the course. 
• You can share & explore the course with the other participants by leaving comments on the private course blog.  

Now,

you may have some questions about your situation & how The Making Lessons can work for you. You can indulge in this short, practical course - even if :

• you don’t know a lot about handwork yet (everybody has to start somewhere !)
• you use a mix of curriculums & packages (customization is the name of the game)
• you don’t have a whack o’ cash lying around for mounds of supplies (who does?) 
• you teach a mixed age group of children (projects can be even more fun)
• your kids go to school but you’d like to enrich their lives with making beautiful things
• you keep trying to add handwork into your days but can’t seem to find the time
• you teach in a professional setting (this approach will simplify your planning)
• your kids really little (it’s never too early to start learning & gathering inspiration) 

It’s possible for anyone to benefit from this course if they are willing to read a bit, think a little & try some new things along the way.

*** This is the course I wish had existed when I started homeschooling 9 years ago. ***

I live ( & love) this stuff - I read/design/teach/make constantly —it’s my thing!

If you'd like to enjoy the satisfaction & freedom
of easily designing your own handwork lessons for next year along with me,
simply click below to enroll.

This is a beta course—it will never be run again at such a low price.

BUY NOW for $57! 

Hurry! There are a limited number of slots open at this price!

The full market price of The Making Lessons is $97 USD.

P.S. The GREAT BIG BONUS !!

Those who complete & submit the core course exercises (details in Lesson One) will receive a complimentary 20-minute Skype one-on-one session with me. We can plan a project, brainstorm for a festival or just chat about handwork. Whatever you want to talk about!

A NOTE FROM SALLY:  I am hosting this course (and not making a penny) on my blog because of the incredible talent and inspiration of my friend Elizabeth.  This course is a must do!  Don't miss this goodness for such a bargain price.  Handwork is a powerhouse in the classroom!  Elizabeth is going to walk you through the process of bringing handwork to your academic settings.  I am so excited for us all!