Exploring art unlocks inspiration and the discovery of life purpose
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ISSN 2379-2841 November / December 2016
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Publisher’s Letter
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Music is a higher revelation than all wisdom and philosophy.
Brilliant Publishing LLC Post Office Box 31687, Myrtle Beach, SC 29588 Telephone: 717.571.9233
PUBLISHER / ADVERTISING
~Ludwig van Beethoven
This world is but a canvas to our imagination. ~Henry David Thoreau
Publisher
Maureen Williams maureen@thehomeschoolhandbook.com 717.608.5869
AccoUNT ExEcUTIVE Alex Chambers alex@thehomeschoolhandbook.com
EDIToRIAL
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Editor In Chief
MaryAnne Morrill maryanne@thehomeschoolhandbook.com
Senior Editor
Why Art & Music? Ask a random group of people what Picasso, Michelangelo, Leonardo Di Vinci, Bach, Beethoven or Mozart did and most, if not all will be able to answer… artist or music composer. Ask about Niels Bohr, James Clerk Maxwell, Carl F. Gauss or Leonhard Euler and those able to answer physicist or mathematician will be significantly smaller. Today we all speak of STEM and often eliminate a study of Art or Music from our curriculum because…it is less important…there is not enough time…we need to prepare our students for the world of tomorrow. But these are poor reasons to eliminate Art and Music from our study. Why? Because we do not know what the world of tomorrow will be like other than it will be much different from today if history is any guide. Tomorrow’s world will without doubt require creative solutions and Art develops the creative individual…the individual who is able to appreciate beauty in all its forms. There will be much for the student to remember to function effectively in tomorrow’s world and numerous studies have proven that Music helps memory and learning, particularly mathematical learning. For all of these reasons, this issue of The Homeschool Handbook is focused on the importance of the creative. We hope that you enjoy every page and add creativity to your daily school endeavors. As always thank you for your support… Education Matters,
Maureen Williams, Publisher maureen@thehomeschoolhandbook.com 717-608-5869
http://twitter.com/@TheHomeschool www.facebook.com/TheHomeschoolHandbook http://pinterest.com/thehomeschool/
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Michelle Donofry editor@thehomeschoolhandbook.com
Social Media/Asst. Editor
Molly Anika molly@thehomeschoolhandbook.com
Style / Asst. Editor Charity Plata
Subscription Service / Back Issues:
Circulation@thehomeschoolhandbook.com
coNTRIBUTING WRITERS Vicki Bentley, Dr. Bernard Bull, Maria Gracia, Richard Havenga, Homeschool Handbook Staff, Tanya Moat, Anne Murphy Paul, James H. Pence, Donna Vail, Megan Zechman
PRoDUcTIoN / DESIGN Art Director
Jeremy Tingle art@thehomeschoolhandbook.com The Homeschool Handbook is published bi-monthly by Brilliant Publishing LLC, Post Office Box 31687, Myrtle Beach, SC 29588 Telephone: (717) 571-9233, Fax: 843-215-7712. Postage paid at Scottsdale, AZ and additional offices. POSTMASTER please send address changes to The Homeschool Handbook, Post Office Box 31687, Myrtle Beach, SC 29588. Volume 7 Number 06. The Homeschool Handbook subscription rates: one-year $19.95 USD, Canada & Mexico $49.95 International $79.95. All subscriptions are non-refundable. Copyright© 2016 Brilliant Publishing LLC. All rights reserved. The publisher reserves the right to accept or reject any advertising or editorial material. Advertisers, and/or their agents, assume the responsibility for any claims against the publisher based on the advertisement. Editorial contributors assume responsibility for their published works and assume responsibility for any claims against the publisher based on published work. No part of this publication can be reproduced in any form or by electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the publisher. All items submitted to The Homeschool Handbook become the sole property of Brilliant Publishing LLC. Editorial content does not reflect the views of the publisher. The imprints, logos, trademarks or trade names (collectively the “Marks”) displayed on the products featured in The Homeschool Handbook are for illustrative purposes only and are not available for sale. The Marks do not represent the implied or actual endorsement by the owners of the Marks of the product on which they appear. All of the Marks are the property of the respective owners and are not the property of either the advertisers using the Marks or The Homeschool Handbook. MEDICAL DISCLAIMER No warranty whatsoever is made by the publisher and there is absolutely no assurance that any statement contained or cited in any article touching on medical matters is true, correct, precise, or up-to-date. Even if a statement made about medicine is accurate, it may not apply to you or your symptoms. The medical information provided is, at best, of a general nature and cannot substitute for the advice of a medical professional (for instance, a qualified doctor/physician, nurse, pharmacist/chemist, and so on). None of the individual contributors, LLC members, subcontractors, advertisers, or anyone else connected to Brilliant Publishing LLC and The Homeschool Handbook can take any responsibility for the results or consequences of any attempt to use or adopt any of the information presented in this magazine. Nothing included, as a part of this publication should be construed as an attempt to offer or render a medical opinion or otherwise engage in the practice of medicine.
(1) https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/topics/topic_music.html
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volu me 07
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issue 06
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2016
inside
The Homeschool
Handbook
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cover story 8
Do Something Creative Everyday
special features 3
There’s An APP For That
curriculm 10
Five Reasons Why Art Should Be A Priority In Your Homeschool Curriculum
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Music Helps Memory How Much Is Too Much? Holidays As Homeschool Curriculum
solutions
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Education As Poetry Do You Wait Until The Very Last Minute?
crafts 22
5 Homemade Christmas Ornaments Teens Will Want To Make
inspiration 24
Cloud Music
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health and hearth 25
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Deluxe Mashed Potatoes
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resources 26
Index/Resources List
Fo r b r e ak i n g n ew s & t i p s b e sur e to f o ll ow T h e H o m e s c h o o l H an db o o k o n s o c i a l m e di a: twitter.com/@TheHomeschool
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facebook.com/TheHomeschoolHandbook
pinterest.com/thehomeschool ©
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By: Donna Vail
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e are born artists; we are creative, always creating. By engaging our children in art we are taking them into the unpredictable, which develops in them a flexibility and productivity that can empower their everyday life. Exploring art unlocks inspiration and the discovery of life purpose. It’s an awakening to something inventive, new and unique. Exploring art relieves stress and anxiety. When art is done together with others it builds relationships and creates a bond. Exploring art helps us all discover ways to become better, more skillful, thoughtful, think critically, innovative, self-expressive and collaborative. The creative process gives the artist freedom of choice. There’s no right or wrong, it’s a matter of expression. Skills developed in art, music and creative practices include analysis, problem-solving, invention and reflection. These are all the same skills found in great thinkers and leaders. It’s time as a society to stop putting art at the bottom of the list of education. It belongs right there beside Math, Reading, and Writing. When we consider all the benefits of art, imagine the improvements that can be made not only with the core subjects but also as people as a whole. I urge you to contemplate on ways you can incorporate art into your life and the lives of your children. It’s not too difficult, you don’t have to be an accomplished
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artist. You can do it! Who knows, you might even discover the artist in you that’s been there all your life! Embrace your family centered learning by doing something creative every day. Don’t just put it on a list, live it. It has to be a part of your environment. Here’s a list of tips to bring art into your everyday: •• Start exploring or rekindle previous hobbies: You don’t have to be a pro to get started or try it on. What would you and your children like to start with? Painting, drawing, stitching, singing, dancing, playing harmonica, dusting off an instrument you played years ago or that’s been sitting in the closet…whatever interests you. Before getting started do the research, plan a project, collect your materials, and have fun! •• Be
okay with being “okay at it” while you’re learning: It
•• Get guidance from a book, video or class: With so much access to information DIY and how-to, it’s easier than ever before to explore creative arts. We’ve accessed artists’ online videos on how to step-by-step draw a face, how to play guitar, how to paint, how to knit… it’s really endless. Books from the library inspire us through pictures what is possible. Take a class together locally or even seek out an artist who lives nearby who is willing to generously share their craft through classes or apprenticeship. It’s good for the whole family. •• Find
arts, live music, theater, and museums locally: We are surrounded by art. Most of us live near or
within drivable distance to art. Take your time at the museum. Even pause long enough to draw what you see. Most festivals include displays of art and live music. Don’t forget, some museums include classes as well as extensive art information on their website. We’ve found the best books and kits at the museum stores. •• Fill
your environment with works of art including large art picture books: As influential
as our environment is to us, having paintings, sculptures, hand-made items, and music playing can instantly raise our inspiration levels. I’ve kept a large stack of art cards
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• • Take photos everywhere you go: Notice the details that surround you. A leaf, the blades of grass, the print and texture of a fabric, a painting or rug at a shop you frequent. Taking a close up picture reveals more of the details and helps us have a more artistic perspective. You can even use them to create digital works of art. And let’s not forget, photography is a work of art itself. Can you use your photos and make a mixed media work of art?
“Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.”
can be frustrating at first when we try something new that requires a skill. Give yourself permission to just be okay; even if it’s not great, just okay is perfectly fine. By continuing to practice something you enjoy, you can become better. It’s said that many of the works of art on canvas reveal paintings underneath that were considered by the artist not good enough, so, he painted over it. See the process as a journey rather than the measure of accuracy.
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accessible that my children shuffled through on a regular basis becoming familiar with recognizing artists and their works of art. Doing this with music genres gives them familiarity and builds appreciation not to mention all the other benefits.
•• Allow yourself time to explore
and play:
Even if you can’t commit hours every day to an art, give yourself an hour or fit it in between the demands of the day. Think of your art as an ongoing process. Somedays we declare it a day to paint and we get out the drop cloths, palettes and canvases; collaborating, offering advice and -Pablo Picasso feedback to each other. When we don’t have as much time in the day it may only be a short time sitting in the evening knitting or embroidering. If nothing else, knitting a few rows is doing something creative and pours in the benefits. •• Look to your closest friends who are artists: You don’t have to know it all. Chances are you have friends who have knowledge and skills in something you and your children can learn. Set up a weekly or bi-monthly gathering to do art together. I’ve hosted classes and gatherings to teach how to embroider, keep a nature journal, cook sourdough bread, make handmade tortillas, sew and quilt. What do you know that you can share? What do your children know? My daughter taught me to knit last year after I wished I could knit all my life. It was so much easier than I ever imagined. Give yourself permission to engage in ART. You will be amazed at how much you discover and how much more at peace you feel! Art is not just painting, making a mess or something to fulfill the academic checklist. It’s easy for parents to let this subject fall to the wayside because we easily let it go thinking it’s not necessary; now we can live without doing a painting or weaving a cloth or molding a piece of pottery but I urge you to refuse this kind of thinking. It kills creativity for today and tomorrow. Get inspired to do something creative every day. It takes time and effort but all the benefits I’ve shared are worth it and all the shared learning experiences as a family are timeless. If you start today, soon you’ll have completed creative projects and thrive!
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curriculum By: James H. Pence
Five Reasons
Why Art Should Be a Priority in Your Homeschool Curriculum “I’d like to teach art, but there are too many subjects to teach and only so much available time in our school day.” I hear that frequently from homeschooling parents. Couple that with the fact that many parents find it difficult to teach art, and it’s no wonder that art instruction is shifted to the back burner—or left out altogether—in many homeschool curriculums. This situation is not unique to homeschoolers, either. As budgets tighten in public and private schools, often the arts are the first things cut. That is unfortunate, because from both an educational and spiritual standpoint, art instruction brings many benefits to the table. I could list quite a few, but here are five key reasons why I believe art should be given a place of priority in any homeschool curriculum:
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• Art Instruction Helps Improve Observational Skills – When students begin to draw and paint, they learn how to observe. When I began painting landscapes, I didn’t realize that I was honing my observational skills. As a matter of fact, I thought I was doing it to relax. But one day I was outside and saw a distant stand of trees. For the first time I observed that the trees weren’t merely “green” but that there were several different shades of green visible in that one group of trees. It was as if a light switched on inside my head. From that point forward, I began to notice the details of the world around me.
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•• Art Instruction Develops Creative Problem-Solving Abilities – Many of our educational efforts are directed toward the logical and analytical sides of our children. We train them in mathematics, science, history, worldview, etc., because we see these as essential for their future in the world. However, art instruction cultivates creative and problem-solving abilities. As I wrestle with a composition or try to figure out how to portray a scene on canvas, I am engaging in problem solving. It’s very easy to become frustrated with a drawing or painting and want to quit, but I’ve discovered that I learn much more by finishing a project than I will by abandoning it. Teaching our children to draw encourages them to cultivate the discipline and ability to solve problems, a skill that will be useful throughout their lives. •• Appreciation of Creation – Art instruction encourages a child to explore and appreciate God’s creation. God is the supreme artist. As He observes his creation, he stands back, as it were, and says, “It is very good.” Likewise, when we teach art, we’re teaching our children to look at what God has done and say, “It is very good.” There is no better way to develop a sense of wonder in your child than to get them involved in drawing or painting the world around them. As they slow down to look at creation (a necessity if you’re going to draw it), they can’t help but be awestruck at the beauty that they see.
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•• Develops the Whole Person – God created us in His image. That image includes creativity. Instruction in the arts in general and art in particular encourages the expression of the imago dei (image of God), in our children. Whether it’s drawing, painting, sculpture, writing, or music, when we encourage our children to become involved in creative activity, we are helping them to develop into whole, well-rounded individuals. •• Connect with God – The two previous points combined produce a third. By using art to encourage your children to appreciate God’s creation and to be creative, you are giving them two powerful tools for connecting with God. We are told to worship the Lord in the “beauty of holiness”. In cultivating an appreciation of beauty and aesthetics, we are giving our children the means to cultivate hearts that worship Him. There are many other reasons why art should have a place of priority in your homeschool curriculum. These ones focus on the “big picture”. As you plan your school schedule, be sure to keep the big picture in mind and include art, even if it’s only one day a week. You’ll be glad you did.
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