art/history/craft projects

[Alison in KY]

If you have a child/children who do not like doing art or crafty projects do you make them do it because it's school? Or, do you skip it because it isn't a necessary life skill, well, IMHO .

I have one child who really enjoys these things, and the other two...well, it just leads to frustration and bad attitudes when I ask them to do anything like this. It not only isn't their talent, they don't even have fun with it at all.

Thank you,

Alison

[crlacey]

I think it might depend on the project. Some projects would be easy to drop without losing practice in certain skills or losing content. I would probably try to cut down on the number of projects they did. But even in public school they would be required to participate in art class even if it wasn't their thing. The great thing about homeschooling is that you can try to tailor art class to their interests.

[LynnH]

I think I would still make them do it. Here is why. I think if you don't, you set the precedent that school things are negotiable and that if they don't like something then they don't have to do it. There are things my ds likes more than others, but what I tell him is that there will always be some things you have to do that you don't like. When I was working I loved my job, but there were aspects of my job(like paperwork) that I didn't like, but I still had to do them. So it really is a life skill. I know adults who were taught that things were negotiable and that if they didn't like something they didn't necessarily have to do it. Those adults have a tough time keeping a job, because they just procrastinate or don't do the parts they don't like. I also go with the "do all things as if working for the Lord". My ds has mild cerebral palsy which makes some of the craft things extremely difficult. I may adapt things a little bit for him, but he still always has to do them and do them to the best of his ability.

I think it also is important to think about the obedience part of it. I was wishy washy on some things with my dd. She learned that if she griped enough about it then I might give in. I am paying for it now that she is a teen. She will argue about everything and always thinks she can get out of doing things she doesn't want to do.

[MomtoJGJE]

If I've told them about it, they have to do it Sometimes, if I can tell it's going to be something they hate, or something I hate then I just skip right over that part.... especially if they have been having a hard time with school that day anyway... but all that is very very rare with HOD. And ESPECIALLY now that it's summer for all the other kids because we do school and chores before we go out to play.

The bigger part of what I do is modify the crafty type stuff to match what we have and what all of us have patience for... like one art thing for Beyond was draw something and then color part of it and then paint over it..... we've done several things where they see how paint washes over crayon... and I was already losing it that day with the complaints about the drawing and coloring... so I just didn't read the part about painting, but I marked it for us to go back and do later at some point, because she really does like to paint.

[jenntracy]

I usually make them do it. But sometimes we will alter the art or do something different than the art in the book but still related to the history. There are just some things we enjoy doing more than others and sometimes we have stumbled upon an idea and wanted to try it and it fit well with the topic.

Jenn D.

Have to add that i don't usually ask them ahead of time. i will usually do the adapting ahead of time.

[Alison in KY]

Thank you ladies.

This all stemmed by my reading through the CTC manual and feeling like I really needed to simplify some things to make them work in our home. I've gotten some re-assurances from a couple women who are doing just that, and they have reminded me that this is my school and it's okay to tailor it according to the needs of my family (as opposed to feeling pressured to do every single thing in the TM).

I'm thinking Friday's would be a great day to do a few of these painting and craft projects, and that I will not stress over it Monday through Thursday .

Alison

[my3sons]

We finished CTC at the end of April, and I wrote a summation of our year with it on the weekly check-in. You may not want to read it all, but if you page down to the paragraph that starts with "Finally...", you'll see what I learned about doing watercolor painting with my not-so-artsy ds.
viewtopic.php?f=14&t=6100&p=44667

I have come to look at the areas that are not exactly my dc's favorite ones to be some of the most important ones to do. It teaches a lot of excellent character traits, such as diligence, obedience, and perseverance. It also improves them in an area that was not an area of strength to begin with, and while it may still not be an area of strength at the end of the year, they definitely improved. A side benefit is my dc don't complain about school in the hopes to get out of work, as they know if it's in the guide, it gets done and is part of their learning for that year. I find that very freeing, as first-time obedience is naturally learned, and there is no "bargaining" going on with what they do or don't do for the day. Each box does have an academic purpose, and we have found the "project boxes" to be especially beneficial for teaching step-by-step directions. My dc put together 3 shoe shelves the other day, and the directions were pretty intense. They also put together a 200 piece kitchen for my little guy (yes, I know, a KITCHEN for a boy - he loves it though!) . I asked how they knew how, and my oldest said, "It's just like doing my history project box, mom. I just follow the steps, and I can do it!" You should do what you want to do here, but those are some of the reasons this "not-so-project-loving-mom" does all of the projects.

In Christ,
Julie

[Alison in KY]

Thank you Julie, I appreciate your thoughts. And yet it raises my guilty conscience again . I'm one of those types who will follow the rules...even if I'm miserable doing so. I will go take a look at what you've done and I appreciate that your coming at this with the same type of child as mine (non-artsy and all boy). I do have peace though about simplifying things. He really (REALLY) struggles with focusing so much so that I'm not so sure there aren't some learning/behavior issues going on. I just cannot have our house be the perfectly quiet place he needs to get his school work done. I've figured out if I do it all with him, then I can't get done with my girls, one of which is similiar to him...but not so easily distracted thank goodness. Today was our first day back at school and although we did everything lightly, it was still a really difficult day for him.

Thanks again, I do appreciate your suggestions.

Alison

[Alison in KY]

I did think of one question. If I have Friday's be the more artistic day, will we be able to finish the painting on that day? I assumed we could start off with painting, then let it dry and finish it up after lunch.

Also, is this all watercolor? I became confused on this when I was reading the TM. I know it said watercolor early on, but then when it told you what colors to order, it said paints...so I wanted to make sure I didn't need both.

Alison

[my3sons]

I did think of one question. If I have Friday's be the more artistic day, will we be able to finish the painting on that day? I assumed we could start off with painting, then let it dry and finish it up after lunch.

Also, is this all watercolor? I became confused on this when I was reading the TM. I know it said watercolor early on, but then when it told you what colors to order, it said paints...so I wanted to make sure I didn't need both.

Alison

There are usually 2 days of painting each week. The first day focuses on painting the background and is rather short. The second day focuses on adding the details to the painting on top of the dried background. Watercolor paints are used, and they dry rather quickly. But I will say it was easier for my not so artsy ds to have short segments of it spread out over several days rather than a big day of it all at once. The short lessons helped him follow directions better and pay a little more attention to detail, which is not a strongpoint of his when it comes to art. The other day they write a stanza of the poem on an index card, cut it out cropping it around the words, and outline the edge with a color. They glue this on their painting then. This was an easy day for my ds. Here's an example of one:


On a side note, even though art isn't my ds's thing, I cannot tell you how relieved I was to feel like he had "art class". I've been feeling like I need to do that somehow as he gets older. Before CTC, I felt like doing the "Art Exploration" boxes in each of the guides were enough, but I felt like he needed more of an art class type focus by the time he was starting CTC. The year of watercolor painting filled that need for me. Anyway, I ordered my things from Miller Pads and Paper, and I linked them for Marsha in a pp. Here's the link for that in case you are interested:
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=5608&p=41163#p41163

In Christ,
Julie

[Alison in KY]

Thanks Julie. I think he did a good job on his picture

I've occasionally did an art lesson here and there with mine over the past few years. That might be why I feel a bit better about skipping this part if it's too much for us. I was actually discussing this with dh last night...and he's even more okay with skipping the art than I am...so at least if I don't do it all he'll be okay with it .

Thanks again, I did send you a PM with a couple other questions.

Alison