Receso del Blog / Blog Break

Solo para dejarles saber que estaré un tiempito fuera del mundo de los blogs.

Necesito enfocarme para poner en orden unas cuantas cositas tanto personales como de mis chicos, y sencillamente, necesito el tiempo y el espacio.

GRACIAS a todas las personas que entran y leen este pequeño y humilde espacio.

Los voy a extrañar y espero poder regresar pronto…

PAZ y muchas bendiciones a todos!

***

Just a quick note to let you know I'll be taking a little break from the blog world.

I need to focus on personal matters and re-organize my children's homeschooling.

I guess this is the time when you need additional time and some space.

Hope you understand...

THANK YOU for always visiting this humble little space of ours.

I'll miss you all...

PEACE and blessings to all!

What NATURE-STUDY should DO for the TEACHER

"During many years, I have been watch-
ing teachers in our public schools in their
conscientious and ceaseless work; and so
far as I can foretell, the fate that awaits
them finally is either nerve exhaustion or
nerve atrophy. The teacher must become
either a neurasthenic or a " clam."

I have had conversations with hundreds
of teachers in the public schools of New
York State concerning the introduction
of nature-study into the curriculum, and
most of them declared, " Oh, we have not
time for it. Every moment is full now! "
Their nerves were at such a tension that
with one more thing to do they must fall
apart. The question in my own mind dur-
ing these conversations was always, how
long can she stand it! I asked some of
them, " Did you ever try a vigorous walk
in the open air in the open country every
Saturday or every Sunday of your teach-
ing year? " " Oh no! " they exclaimed in
despair of making me understand. " On
Sunday we must go to church or see our
friends and on Saturday we must do our
shopping or our sewing. We must go to
the dressmaker's lest we go unclad, we
must mend, and darn stockings; we need
Saturday to catch up."

Yes, catch up with more cares, more
worries, more fatigue, but not with more
growth, more strength, more vigor, and
more courage for work. In my belief, there
are two and only two occupations for Sat-
urday afternoon or forenoon for a teacher.
One is to be out-of-doors and the other
is to lie in bed, and the first is best.
Out in this, God's beautiful world, there
is everything waiting to heal lacerated
nerves, to strengthen tired muscles, to
please and content the soul that is torn
to shreds with duty and care. To the
teacher who turns to nature's healing, na-
ture-study in the schoolroom is not a trou-
ble; it is a sweet, fresh breath of air blown
across the heat of radiators and the noi-
some odor of overcrowded small human-
ity. She who opens her eyes and her heart
nature-ward even once a week finds na-
ture-study in the schoolroom a delight and
an abiding joy. What does such a one
find in her schoolroom instead of the ter-
rors of discipline, the eternal watching and
eternal nagging to keep the pupils quiet
and at work? She finds, first of all, com-
panionship with her children; and second,
she finds that without planning or going
on a far voyage, she has found health and
strength."

Taken from Handbook of Nature Study by Anna Botsford Comstock, page 3.

I've been reading the first pages of this book HERE thanks to Barb at Handbook of Nature Study. I really thought it was nice to share it! What's amazing about this book is that it was published on 1911 and yet the author seems to be describing our school system nowadays. I whole-heartedly agree with her on finding health and strength through NATURE.

MONTESSORI Infant Bedroom

Taken from WillowTreePhoto

I'm sure many of you recognize this gorgeous Montessori bedroom from Sew Liberated.
The pictures shown in this blog are absolutely amazing! I almost feel like having another baby just to have the room. I SAID ALMOST!!!

Thank you Meg for your creativity and Mari-Ann for helping me find this link. ;)

Bola por la Canal / Ball down the Canal

No les puedo mentir. Inventar este jueguito fue más una necesidad… necesitaba cocinar y Ym quería jugar conmigo. No tengo que explicar mucho, verdad?
///I have to be honest with you. Inventing this little game was more a necessity... I needed to make dinner and Ym wanted me to be his playdate. No need to explain, right?

Improvisamos esta “canal” sobre la mesa de la sala.

///We improvised this "canal" on the living room table.











La bola rodaría por la “canal” hasta caer aquí, en esta canasta.
///The ball should go down the "canal" and drop inside the basket.
















Ym no tardó en intentarlo.
///Ym didn't think it twice.














Quién puede adivinar si le gustó o no?
///Could anybody guess if he liked it or not?

Y aquí es donde incorporamos algo de Matemática. Cada vez que la bola caía en la canasta sin rebotar fuera Ym ponía una piedrita en la taza plástica. Al final tenía que contra todas las piedras.
///Now, this is where we incorporated Math a little. Everytime the ball fell inside the basket Ym would put a little stone inside the plastic cup. He had to count all these little stones at the very end.







Ym haciendo trampa para agarrar la bola.
///This is Ym cheating.



















Y actuando como si nadie se hubiese dado cuenta!
///And acting as if no one saw him!

















Se acuerdan de la delicada canasta que usamos al principio?
Pues la tuvimos que cambiar por este canasto de ropa gigantezco y de plástico para asegurarme de que no fallara agarrando la bola. {Ya saben, vi señales de frustración.}
///Remember the fine basket we were using at the beginning? Well, THAT basket had to be replaced with this HUGE and not-so-cute plastic laundry basket. I had to make sure he didn't fail at catching the ball to often. {You know, signs of frustration were showing.}










GrAcIaS por ViSiTaRnOs!
ThAnKs for StOpPiNg By!
♥2PT