Teaching or Learning?

And here we come to one of the really damaging myths of education, namely, that learning is the result of teaching; that the progress of the child bears a direct relation to methods of instruction and internal relationships of curriculum. Nothing could be farther from the truth.

From "THE LIVES OF CHILDREN
The Story of the First Street School
By George Dennison"

This quote is so true. As I "teach" my children and really begin to understand how they learn I have found that most of their learning is not due to my teaching but despite it. As a mother and a home school teacher my ego would like me to think that I am Very Important in the process of my children learning but I have learned that I am here to facilitate, encourage, guide and love only, not to teach. What teaches my children is not inside me but is innately within them. Their strengths, their interests, their view of the world!! All this is a much bigger part of what they learn and how, than what I am as a teacher or the curriculum I use.

Best wishes
Jen

Cloth nappy adventures

NAPPIES SINCE SOLD ON EBAY.

My cloth nappy days are over.  While I will be keeping hold of my traditional squares I am advertising all my other bits for sale here.

Below are all the images I have taken for those who are interested.

Best wishes
Jen

Upper right stained, lower right as new Eenee microfibre inserts

Eenee Baby Pouch Pants, older style on left

Note elastic added to red and black pants

Green pants are attached to extended strap

Nature's Child cover and Baby Beehind hemp inserts

Nature's Child cover showing insert

Menu planning for Winter 2011

I have just spent about 5 hours working on a new monthly menu rotation.  Each week is not absolutely set in stone but if my brain is on holiday I at least have a plan and soon a shopping list.

Click on image to see it full screen.  Much easier to read. :)

 

As previously posted I have 4 binders, one for each week.  It may take some time but I will be creating a standard shopping list for each week.  When it comes time to shop I will check my pantry for supplies already on hand and cross them off the list while adding to my list any supplies of my core items that are running low.

If you are wondering why some recipes are original, they are my own boring way of doing them.  Meals referencing Lorrie are from here.  I have this bundle and it is very inspiring for an overloaded mum who hates cold cereal and toast for breakfast.  After a 2 week trial of cold cereal and toast I have had kids who are more tired and who have shadows under their eyes and more meltdowns.  Back to cooked breakfasts here but changed so the cooking happens the night or even week before!

Best wishes
Jen

Food buying this week

My foraging today

Chicken was my main aim today.

I bought:

6kg chicken thigh fillets  $46.80

4kg chicken thighs $8

I divided that out as follows:

5 packs of 750g approx of thigh fillets for main meals  ($5.85 each)

5 packs of 400g approx of thigh fillets for dh’s lunches for 2 weeks ($3.12 per pack)

3 packs of 4 rather large thighs each for main meals ($2.67 each)

I used to eat whole thighs a lot when I first moved out of home.  I am rather sensitive to undercooked meat though and didn’t find that the suggested cooking times for meals cooked the thighs enough for me.  It put me off buying them for over 20 years (wow, has it been that long?) but due to changes in our personal finances (feeling the pinch like I am guessing a lot of people are) I have resolved to try them again for a meal or two each week to help reduce costs.  Thankfully I now have a meat thermometer so I will be using it to be sure that each piece is fully cooked.

Good foraging today to all those responsible for feeding your family.

Off to price bulk fish and bulk beef.

Best wishes

Jen

Menu planning made easy!

Well, easier for me anyway!

I use binders, one for each of 4 weeks. In the front of each I put the weekly menu plan, hopefully including baking and snacks, and in behind it I put the shopping list for that week's plan. In the subsequent sleeves I place a copy of all the recipes I will be using.

I take the whole binder with me to the shop as it is only a very slender one and if I see a bargain I can quickly check which recipe I will skip that week and not get the ingredients for it. It has also helped when an ingredient has not been available and I have been able to ask the butcher or deli assistant for a substitute.

It is suggested here that you both keep your old plans and post the current one in a public spot. I agree with these ideas, especially if you have remembered to date the menu plan so you can remember the time of year that plan was for and the types of meals suitable for the season.

In the last few weeks I have started to get a regular set up for breakfasts and lunches. They don't vary much, but just enough to keep things interesting but memorable. For instance every Monday morning I know I need to cook Apple Muffins and Fridays are Banana or Date muffins depending on how many bananas are left in the fruit bowl and their condition.

Lunches are wraps with meat, sliced or cold chicken, with salad bits. I use tortilla wraps as they last in my bread box much longer than bread and I am trying to keep our simple carbs to a minimum.

Dinners are all over the place although over the 4 weeks I do repeat some family favourites such as spaghetti, beef and pumpkin risotto and creamy chicken.

Best wishes
Jen
(originally published elsewhere 26/10/10)

Japan is ok post

I thought that this was a very important perspective on the events in Japan, written by an American living in Japan.

http://woodblock.com/roundtable/archives/2011/03/japan_is_ok.html

Best wishes
Jen

How's life going?

Well, I keep drifting in and out of forgetting and remembering and mourning for my Bandit.  Bobby was always more my dh's dog but I am trying to give him more attention anyway.  We have even taken him out with us when it is possible.

I think that life is getting back to a more even keel now that my dental work is over for 6 months and now that the heat is gone that exasperates my sinuses with grass allergies.  Now to just get back into the swing of buying my chicken in bulk again and also filling the freezer with some fish and other meats.  The poor food budget has dipped seriously into the red over the last 2 months.  A friend has had hers do the same so it may not be just my bad management but due to prices going up in little bits all over the place.

I am going to get out my old plans and get back to menu planning and bulk buying.  This year I am also adding chickens to our backyard and a good few vegetable patches.  I need to work on keeping the vegetable patches pretty though as they will be out in the front yard where it is best for full sun as long as possible.  I also have serious plans for a pumpkin vine or two and maybe even watermelon too.


Now to save up some money for garden edging and a chook pen.

Best wishes
Jen