Dramatic Play

Just random notes gathered together in one place:
DRESSING UP
From early on, dressing up and pretending are something children's love to do. Save whatever deity maha, jewelry, fine hand me downs or Indian clothing that come your way. Much can be altered. Collect them all into a trunk or suitable containers.

COSTUME CREATION

Post Halloween is a good time for finding sales on makeup, masks,

Games

Games can be educational in various ways such as helping children learn to think ahead and learn to persevere. Also active games are important for their physical development. As far as competition is concerned, by  teaching the children to focus on a service attitude, winning comes naturally.


 BALL GAMES

Catch or simply roll a ball back and forth with the youngest set.
Ball to the Wall- 

Learning About Music

"Chanting the holy name, dancing in ecstasy, singing, and playing musical instruments, the spiritual master is always gladdened by the sankirtana movement of Lord Caitanya Mahäprabhu. Because he is relishing the mellows of pure devotion within his mind, sometimes his hair stands on end, he feels quivering in his body, and tears flow from his eyes like waves. I offer my respectful obeisances unto

Other Celebrations

Our priority as devotees is to observe the holy days that please Lord Krishna. One may wish to Krishnaize other holidays or special times only if there is time for such. In other words, with the exceptions of a child's birthday, these depend on personal preferences. Here's some ways I've seen these things celebrated Krishna consciously:

NEW YEAR'S EVE
Make one or two good resolution for

Family Outings

 (photo source: http://www.gocampwithkids.com/default.htm)
Destination? Anywhere can become a special outing when one is aware, but when you do find that perfect park for kite flying; that sunny swimming hole, that hilly slope for sledding, that superb picnic spot or that cosy campsite for river rafting, keep it in mind to return to it as often as possible. Here are more notes on family fun via

Favorite Toys

Like games, toys can have educational value, stretch the imagination and help keep children engaged. Here's some favorites that provided a lot of mileage:

WOODEN BLOCKS
You'll soon discover an ongoing collection developing, for hours of creative play including very high block towers. Our favorite were the simple Jenga blocks (which also make an interesting game).

LEGOS AND BRIO
Two types of

Divisions of Srimad Bhagavatam

(from SB 2.10.1)The title of each canto ALONG WITH THE CORRESPONDING PART OF THE LORD'S TRANSCENDENTAL BODY:1. Creation (the creation of the universe) LOTUS FEET2. The Cosmic Manifestation (subcreation) LOTUS FEET3. The Status Quo (planetary systems) THIGH4. Creation of the Fourth Order (protection by the Lord) THIGH5. The Creative Impetus NAVEL6. Prescribed Duties for Mankind(the change of

Sample Gita Lesson

From the simplest terms in the youngest grades to more advanced levels of thinking, sastra teachings and topics may be presented repeatedly in a variety of ways as students grow in their understanding. Here, for example, are suggested topics for a preliminary Gita study. These may be presented as simply as possible before children can read the Gita themselves and then repeated more in depth as

Sastra Study Suggestions

All subjects can be easily taught from the many available texts and workbooks available in the homeschool market today, but unfortunately sastra is still an exception, especially for lower level teaching. For a busy parent, therefore, lessons may be as simple as reading just the translation in simple terms and discussion; also attendance in classes and discussion at a local temple as the child

Teaching Geography

"The Supreme King of all kings has created different planets and places of habitation where living entities are situated in terms of the modes of nature and work, and He has created their different kings and rulers." -SB 3.5.8

"Lord Krishna is the chief King of all kings, and He has created different planets for all kinds of living entities. Even on this planet there are different places for

The Elements of Writing

The following is taught in "Understanding Writing", a one volume writing course by Susan Bradrick. This list can be useful as is for the basics to teach about writing or for planning or editing a piece of writing:

I. CONTENT
A. General topic - This means choosing a topic in general. What you want to write about.
1. Limited topic - This means narrowing the topic down to something manageable. It

Childhood Lore

Stuff every child should know.

OUTDOORS
SWIMMING
Early on, pour water on child's face during baths.
Get out swimming as often as possible.
Let them play most of the time. "Helping a child relax and have fun in the water is more important than teaching strokes."
Underwater masks or goggles encourage swimming and sticking the face underwater, learning to float, and so on.
If a child takes an

Math Memory

MATH FACTS
There are a variety of ways to memorize math facts and other math skills- computation races, holey card drills, math fact song tapes, fact families...

SAXON’S DIVISION OF MATH FACTS
The Saxon Math course divides fact cards into manageable groups:
adding 0 to a number; subtracting 0 from a number; subtracting a number from itself
adding 1 to a number; subtracting 1 from a number

Teaching Math

ATTITUDE
I used to think math was my worst subject, but when you become a devotee, so many zeros suddenly have a one in front of them by adding Krishna. They become worth something. I started to see things I didn't see before. For example, the orderliness of numbers and how they can go on for infinity. In that sense they are eternal and therefore spiritual.

Our own attitude is so important when

Useful Math Tools

Whether homemade, found online, or store bought, the following are some helpful math aids and manipulatives:

A HUNDRED NUMBER CHART
is a useful tool for counting forward and backwards, skip counting, adding one to a number, subtracting one from a number, adding ten to a number, subtracting ten from a number, and so on.

MULTIPLICATION TABLE a little different than the above but just as useful.

Prabhupada's Bhaktisastri Exam

Taken from a letter in Srila Prabhupada's folio CD. Note how merciful Prabhupada is in the grading scheme below:FIRST YEAR BHAKTISASTRI EXAMINATION September 4th, 1969time: 9:00 AM to 12:00 NoonJanmastami CeremonyAnswer any ten of the following questions with reference to the context of scriptures like Bhagavad-gita As It Is, Brahma Samhita and Isopanisad. The full mark for each question is 100.1

Teaching Science

Collected notes on science teaching:

WHY TEACH SCIENCE?
Here are some reasons that make the teaching of basic science worthwhile:
FOR EXPANDING VOCABULARY

The modern world uses a lot of scientific words such as cranium, photosynthesis, chlorophyll, mutation, migration, erosion, and so on...
Srila Prabhupada also refers to the scientific process and other topics for the purpose of preaching

Science Fun

(this is still under perpetual construction as I add links and activities:)

Whether its to introduce a topic, after the fact or at any time, science demonstrations give a nice break for both teacher and students from ordinary, routine study. There are many ideas available on the Internet. Look for those that are easy to execute, requiring only simple items from around the house. Also there are

The Meaning of Religion

Suggested topics along with some notes:



GETTING IN LINE

Getting in line isn't just courtesy; it's what separates us from chaos. Following rules and regulations is a sign of human civilization
Obeying the laws of God given in scripture.
Submission leads to understanding our constitutional position of servant to the Supreme
Getting in line with the will of the Lord.

THE LAWS OF GOD

Religion

The Writing Process

Collected notes:

First and foremost, a writing teacher must write. That way we are more able understand how to help young writers.
Writing requires patience for it to come together. Sometimes it can be very puzzling, or we discover a gap in our knowledge or some uncertainty about a topic, but that is how the act of writing helps us learn.
If you lack experience, preprepared writing courses are

Biblical Vedic Parallels

Some scholars see so many similarities between the Biblical and Vaisnava traditions that they consider it to be a Biblical borrowing from the latter. Christians may try to argue it is the other way around, but not very likely since the Vedic tradition is much older, better established, and fills in the details the Biblical version lacks.  Furthermore, the strict brahmanas in Vedic culture would

Comparative Theism

more collected notes:



VAISNAVISM, THE FIRST MONOTHEISTIC TRADITION

predates all other monotheistic teachings.
covered by voidism and impersonalism for some time
now re-emerging all over the world.

FULLY AUTHORIZED AND SCIENTIFIC

gives transcendental knowledge preserved through a disciplic succession
is understood without interpretation or mental speculation
gives a scientific process for

Worship of the Supreme Deity

It is interesting to note that there is no prohibition in the Bible against worshipping the transcendental forms of the Supreme Person. Confusion on this point may arise, however, because the Vedic and Christian idea of heaven is different. According to the Vedas "heaven" is material and the demigods or angels, although they have earned fantastic lifespans and opulent living standards due to

Buddhism

Although Buddhism is also atheism, it is at the same time a special case. By giving them sub religious principles for gradual elevation, Lord Buddha is the savior of the atheistic class, provided they follow the principles He has given. He rejects the Vedic scriptures outright, but for a reason. Here's a few more notes on this topic:

 THE VAISNAVA CONCEPTION OF LORD BUDDHA AND BUDDHISM

Sahajiyaism

Some notes on this topic:



DEFINING SAHAJIYAISM
Sahajiyaism is so-called bhakti without any yoga or connection with the Lord.



SOME HISTORY
During the time of Bhaktivinoda Thakura's appearance,  the sahajiyas appeared had degraded Vaisnavism to what Vivekananda called a "sex religion".



SIGNS OF SAHAJIYAISM



Concocted devotional service instead of following the standards laid down by

The Question of Mystic Power

Sometimes the question is raised how one could possibly have a body "ten miles long" (as in the case of Putana), what to speak of the many other amazing feats presented in the Vedic scriptures that today are written off by nondevotees as "mythology". Here's some points to share with students:

THE CORRECT CONCEPT OF TIME
The Judeo-Christian theory of linear time is incorrect.
The cyclical time

Ostrich Philosophy

A few notes on existentialism.
Gita says “Those who are seers of the truth have concluded that of the nonexistent (matter) there is no endurance, and of the existent (spirit) there is no cessation. This seers have concluded by studying the nature of both.” Jean Paul Sartre had this backwards; he considered the soul non existent or “no- thing”  and described in man an innate craving for

Religious Worldviews Intro

A study of religious worldviews is automatically done if one continues to hear from Bhagavad gita and Srimad Bhagavatam, etc.

Srila Prabhupada did not recommend nor indulge in unnecessary criticism of other religions. His focus was to present Krishna consciousness for those who sincerely want something better.

Bhagavad gita is a reservoir of information about the different mentalities and

Atheism

According to Bhagavad gita, there are two main divisions of living beings- the divine and the demoniac. Atheism in its numerous forms stems from the demoniac mentality which is against God. Basically, all nondevotees are delusioned and enslaved by the lower modes of nature. Here are some points regarding the demoniac nature, many cited by their extremes. More details are found in Bhagavad gita,

The Question of Evil

Why is there evil and suffering in the world? Why does God allow it? Some notes on an important topic:



NATURE'S LAWS

There are natural laws meant to keep universal order.
Breaking these law results in suffering.
The laws are very stringent; ignorance is no excuse.

OUR CHOICE IS TO ABIDE OR NOT

We get what we deserve according to our past activities, also from past lives.
Even if we can’t

Stories From Mahabharata

This is still under construction. These are just the stories from my memory until I can get myself another copy of Mahabharata, since I'd hate to miss anything.

I really liked the edition by Kamala Subramaniam, but only because of her word choices and the way she weaves the events together.

EARLYDAYS
Santanu and Ganga, Appearance of Devavrata,
Santanu and Satyavati, Bhisma’s vow and his

The Importance of Sastra Study

“Men become strong and stout by eating sufficient grains, but the devotee who simply eats ordinary grains but does not taste the transcendental pastimes of Lord Caitanya Mahäprabhu and Krishna gradually becomes weak and falls down from the transcendental position. However, if one drinks but a drop of the nectar of Krishna’s pastimes, his body and mind begin to bloom, and he begins to laugh, sing

Mayavadism

Considered more dangerous than Buddhism which decries the Vedas outright, Mayavadism uses the Vedas to support an atheistic view. Some notes on this topic:

IMPERFECT KNOWLEDGE
A mayavadi thinks his appearance in the world is lila, but Lord is never forced to appear.
Krsna didn’t have to take lessons about His divinity
He performed super human acts even as a small baby.
If I think that I have

Outline of Gita Verses

This is taken from a pamphlet long ago, author unknown. It's a good idea to do your own outline, too. One should become thoroughly familiar with the Gita's layout.

CHAPTER 1
Observing the Armies
1-11 Comparison of the opposing armies.
12-19 Blowing of the conchshells by both armies.
20-27 Arjuna observes the opposing army.
28-46 Arjuna laments, refuses to fight, and gives his reasons.

CHAPTER 2

Divisions of the Vedas

Excerpt from BTG March/April 2000

SRUTI (revealed writings, or “that which is heard”)

I. The four Veda Samhitas: Rg, Sama, Yajur, and Atharva
II. Brahmanas
III. Aranyakas
IV. Upanisads (more than 108 books)

SMRTI (tradition, or “that which is remembered”)

I. Itihasas
Epics, such as the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, which includes the Bhagavad-gita

II. Puranas (histories)
A.Eighteen

Teaching Grammar

Grammar. You gotta love it. Grammar knowledge, along with a knowledge of literary terms, gives students the special language they need to discuss writing as well as specific ways to improve their own.

FIND A GRAMMAR TEXT
Unless you are already an ace in grammar, it's a good idea to get some kind of English grammar text to teach from, or at least have an English grammar and composition handbook

Ideas for Writing and Speaking

Encourage writing everyday, from a word to an essay. Here's some more suggestions. Many are good for speaking practice, too:


THE BASICS
Practice writing and expanding sentences and writing paragraphs:

Change a general sentence to something more specific. For example: "The
man did something nice" can be changed to: "The pujari arranged new
backdrops for the altar". or "My father ate maha 

Notes on the Natural Method

The natural method (Charlotte Mason, Beechick...) of teaching writing and language has always fascinated me, but unfortunately I was not taught grammar or much about writing or literature when I was in experimental schools in the 70's. I had to learn these things alongside my children with an English text book and a couple of teacher guides including one about literature. Nor did I know anything

Handwriting

Writing begins with handwriting. Children's beginning lessons focus on how to make their letters, then words and so on.

USING THE RIGHT HAND
Start early on handing things to the child, encouraging him to take it with his right hand and also eats with his right. This not only makes teaching handwriting later on easier, it's also a part of Vaisnava etiquette.

As soon as a child is able to pick

Homemade Booklets

ideas for student writing:RECYCLE AND REVIEWMake a booklet in relation to a topic being studied. A really easy way to do this and that makes a good review is to:1. Cut pictures out from a finished workbook that may form a topic for a booklet. 2. Glue them onto pages of construction paper that have been folded, cut and stapled together to form a booklet.3. Write a sentence(s) or a caption for each

Thinking About Thinking

To formulate good questions, its it is helpful to study the kinds of thinking involved. Here are notes gathered in this regard:

 FOUR KINDS OF THINKING QUESTIONS
Thinking may be broadly grouped as literal, inferential, critical and creative thinking. Literal thinking questions can be answered with facts and details directly stated in the text. Inferential thinking questions require the reader to

Who's Got a Question?

Various kinds of thinking can be taught in all subjects by the use of questions. Socrates had a method of always questioning his students instead of telling. Students get more involved this way. Continuous questioning teaches them to raise their own questions as well as question themselves. Balance this with teacher explanations. Questioning is to get them thinking about what they already know

Vocabulary Building

Doing stuff, going places, reading, listening and discussing, as well as dictionary skills, all help build vocabulary. Here are some notes in this regard:

 EXPERIENCES AND DISCUSSION
Much vocabulary is learned or reinforced via experiences. There are day to day experiences and also:
Field trips- Every new place you go can become one.
Multi media experiences- These are provided by books,

Spelling Matters

Spelling workbooks for children to use each year are recommended, but not totally necessary. In any case, it is good to know the following to best help your students:

 SUGGESTIONS FOR HOW TO STUDY A WORD
1. Show students how to study a spelling word by looking at the word, then covering it to see if it can be spelled without looking. Check to see if it was spelled correctly. In this way a

Research and Report

Real research is to search out the Lord. In the meantime, report writing gives important practice in many areas such as gathering information; sorting, organizing and outlining; editing; synthesizing the material into a new, original creation; and then looking back and evaluating what got done, what was learned and so on.

SUGGESTIONS FOR GOING ABOUT THIS:
START SMALL:
Take advantage of

The SQ3R Study Method

Survey, Question, Read, Recite, Review This easy to remember study method can be used by older students for studying text books as well as reading assignments.

 The steps aren't always in order. For example, questioning may begin before surveying or after reading something a first time. And not all of these are done consciously, but one who is aware of these steps benefits.

 SURVEY or prepare

Speaking Skills

Speaking well and with confidence as well as before an audience, especially for the purpose of preaching Krishna consciousness, is one of the most important things anyone can learn in life. The ability to organize thoughts and communicate them clearly is important in many ways. Some notes are posted here:

 Students (and their teacher) should practice speaking with good posture, eye contact,

More More Study Skills

more study skills and good study habits:

GETTING ORGANIZED FOR STUDY
Set goals each school year (with teacher's help or input).
Make a schedule with a fixed time for study.
Find a quiet place with no distractions.
Use an assignment book and set deadlines.
Break bigger assignments into chunks. Day 1, Day 2...
Write paper headings with your name and date on top.

LISTENING SKILLS
1. Stop what

Suggested Memory Work for All Subjects

THE GOLDEN AGE OF MEMORY IS CHILDHOOD
It's unfortunate there are some people, who call themselves "Unschoolers" and so on, who are fanatical about leaving education solely up to their children. If they actually do the things they write about on their web boards, it seems doubtful their children have the chance to do important memory work at the most crucial time of childhood. When adolescence

Reading Aloud Tips

(adapted, source unknown)
Start reading to a child early on, even while in the womb. Especially read about Krishna.
Try not to let a day go by without reading something. Even just ten minutes is better than nothing.
Establish regular read aloud times. Read aloud morning, noon, and night. Kids can take turns reading, too.

Read to them snippets of books on various subjects. This shows children

A Little History of Education

The ideas here are appealing for multi level teaching (info from the Internet, see links below):

ONE ROOM SCHOOLS: A DAY AT SCHOOL
As the children were seated the teacher took attendance and then often began the day by reading to the students. In the nineteenth century the text read was almost always of a religious character, usually from the Bible. However, over time the morning reading

Observation Skills

Reading and hearing are not the only ways we gain knowledge. One can learn a great many things by being observant. It is a valuable study skill at any age:

WAYS TO INCREASE STUDENT AWARENESS
Play “Look Again”. Look at a picture or scene. Then look again for more and more details.

Tell the story "Something Interesting". A mother and her two children waited for a bus. To pass the time, Mother

Ways to Evaluate a Lesson

Here are some of the forms that assessment and student feedback may take. The simplest method which is usually overlooked, due to time restraints in regular classrooms, is to wait for children to make comments or ask questions on their own while reading, listening, etc. Other methods to evaluate a lesson include the ability of the student or students to:

REPEAT IT
Recite memory work
Write from

Teaching Methods

SHOWSketch on the board while lecturing.Watch educational TV or videoObserve nature, people, places, things... Field trips- Turn any family outing into one. The Internet also offers a variety of "virtual field trips”. Look at pictures, photos, art work, maps, charts, diagrams, graphsFor ready made visuals: tear out from old education magazines or books any interesting or useful picture, sort

Helpful Materials

This list is still under construction, trying to recall various materials used, hopefully with more links, too.

KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS
Bhakta Handbook
Prabhupada's books online
A Vedic Encyclopedia
Hitopadesha by Sri Narayana Pandita, Translated and commented on by Satya Naryana Dasa from Jiva Institute. Email- Snd@jiva.ernet.in
 Hitopadesha weaves valuable moral instruction into fascinating

Literature Analysis

Some of the things taught in literature textbooks for analyzing basic genres of select poetry and prose, along with typical exercises:

ELEMENTS OF A SHORT STORY
CHARACTER:
Studying character may include knowledge of the following:

dynamic or static character,
flat or round character
hero, heroine or protagonist;
villain, antagonist or foil
indirect and direct characterization


EXAMINING A

Study Skills Checklist

Here's my attempt to collect together those elusive study skills our children should know about and have practiced before graduating. It helps to have a checklist for evaluating what needs working on in order to tailor lessons to fit a child. Otherwise, choose according to ages and stages to create lessons and assignments. Reading and study skills may be taught and reinforced throughout a

Homographs

Here's a printable hand out for students:HOMOGRAPHSHomographs share the same spelling but different pronunciation and meaning. Here are some examples:1) The bandage was wound around the wound.2) The farm was used to produce produce.3) The dump was so full that it had to refuse more refuse.4) We must polish the Polish furniture.5) He could lead if he would get the lead out.6) The soldier decided

More Literary Terms, Forms and Techniques

Here's a checklist of the many terms and techniques taught in textbooks for literature analysis and writing practice.

acronym
acrostic
adage
adventure
advertisement
allegory
alliteration
allusion
analogy
anecdote
annotation
antithesis
apostrophe
archaic language
assonance
autobiography and biography

ballad
blank verse
business letter

cliche
comedy
connotation and denotation
conflict
couplet

Why Teach Literary Analysis?

SEEKING THE ABSOLUTE TRUTH
We can use our knowledge gained from sastra to evaluate and uncover universal, timeless truths in the literature used for study.

Literature study puts us in various situations, settings and conflicts, and thus gives one a chance to apply Krsna consciousness teachings. It shows that Krishna consciousness is what's missing. It is what gives completeness, solutions to

Planning a Reading Lesson

These ideas were taken from Dr. Ruth Beechick's "McGuffey’s Teacher’s edition" and other sources such as "Creative Teaching Handbook" by David L. Martin. The format is similar to the SQ3R study method but used from a teaching perspective. It looks like a lot of stuff, but gets easier with practice, knowing what to use at any given time.

1.PREPARING TO READ
NEW VOCABULARY
If there is no

More on Teaching Reading

More notes about teaching reading:

STAGES OF READING:
PHONICS AND DECODING
This involves all matters of learning phonics and decoding words.
FLUENCY
The aim should be to get the child to read quickly, well and habitually.
READING FOR INFORMATION
Silent reading increases at this time, usually around the beginning of fourth grade.
HIGHER THINKING SKILLS AND LITERARY ANALYSIS
Thinking about

Oral Reading Skills

One or more of these may be focused upon during while students practice reading aloud:

1. Smoothness (fluency)- Read by phrases rather than word by word.

2. Alertness to punctuation - Tell students that punctuation is like road signs- stop at a period, pause at a comma, start again at a capital letter or new paragraph. The voice should drop at a period and rise at a question mark. Get excited

Teaching Reading

Today there is just tons of information, printables and even easy to read books on the web, so I'll just post my favorites ideas and what worked for me to teach more than a few children to read.

LEARNING THE ALPHABET
There are several ways to do this such as children's alphabet magnets, alphabet puzzles, alphabet books, flash cards, and games. Teach the child the ABC song while pointing to each

The Two Brahmacaris

TWO brahmacaris who were traveling together came to the bank of a river where a bridge had collapsed. There they found a young woman standing, unable to cross. "Please can you help me get across this river?", she pleaded. "I need to get home before the sun sets!"

Since there was no one else to help, one of the brahmacari's, sympathetic from her plight, had an idea. He assured her, "Climb up on

Goodness for Krishna's Sake

(from "Sri Panca Tattva, the Five features of God" by Satyaraja dasa)The compound of Srivasa Pandita, also called Khol Bhanga Danga, is situated about 600feet north of Mahaprabhu's birthplace. Here, in Srivasa Angan ("courtyard"), as the area came to be called, Caitanya Mahaprabhu, along with all His confidential Navadvipa associates, first inaugurated His Sankirtana movement. Srivasa and his

The Jinn and the Ladder

(by Radheshyam das, author of instructive booklet for youth entitled: "Practical Tips to Mind Control")

Once upon a time there was a man who pleased a sage. As a benediction, the sage offered him a big jinn and told him, "Take this jinn with you. He can fulfill all your desires; he can do any work you give him." But the sadhu warned him, "If you keep him unengaged, then he will devour you. So

Krishna's Test

One day Lord Krsna met with Maharaja Yudhistira, a pure devotee of the Lord. Krsna asked, "My dear Yudhistira Maharaja, please go out amongst your kingdom and find Me someone who is less qualified than your good self." Without questioning Krsna about the reason, saintly Yudhistira set out at once to complete the assigned task, but although he sincerely searched an entire day, he had to return

Who Made It?

(author unknown)Isaac Newton had a friend who, like himself, was a great scientist, but he was an infidel, while Newton was a devout believer, and they often locked horns over this question, though their mutual interest in science drew them much together. Newton had a skillful mechanic make him a replica of our solar system in miniature. In the center was a large gilded ball representing the sun,

Keeping Safe

Here are suggested topics to cover in lessons (at various ages and stages) on safety:

DANGER AT EVERY STEP
Padam padam yad vipadam: “In this material world there is danger at every step”
The greatest dangers include: birth, death, old age, disease, bad association, uncontrolled senses, accidents, poisons
MAIN FORMS OF PROTECTION
keeping good association only
cultivating self realization and

Suggestions for Health Class

Regular meetings to discuss healthcare, safety and good manners are a good idea. Some thoughts are posted here:

MAKE A LIST
First, make a list of topics you wish to cover. The suggested three main topics and their subtopics are:

I. THREE PILLARS FOR GOOD HEALTH
Simple Diet
   Why We're Vegetarian
Cleanliness
Recreation
   Keeping Fit 

II. SAFETY
Keeping Safe

III. MANNERS
Good Manners

Krsna-ized and Mode of Goodness Art Projects

In my early days of home schooling, I discovered that a prepackaged art curriculum was easier for me to use. I also found ways to enhance these, so that the students could think of Krishna or things related to devotional service while they learned various techniques. These samples below were derived from the Art pac series grades 1-3 by Share-A-Care and are sold by Rod and Staff Publishers. Their

Subject Matter

(drawing by Radhika Ramana dd)

It's art class again. How to find interesting subjects? In real life they're all around.  Robert Louis Stevenson said,  "The world is so full of a number of things, I'm sure we should all be as happy as kings." Google Image search engine was a favorite source until I found Pinterest. There are boards loaded with art ideas according to media, techniques etc. Here's

Holy Day Crafts

LORD NRSINGHADEVA’S APPEARANCE
Make Nrsinghadeva masks with paper plates. Paste on yarn for mane.
OR trace over a picture of Nrsimhadeva onto tracing paper and color and decorate.
This looks especially nice taped to a lighted window.

LORD RAMA’S APPEARANCE DAY
Print or trace a picture of Hanuman (for example: setting Lanka on fire with his tail). Cut pieces of fuzz from brown yarn. Have the

What to Do In Art Class

A list of ideas. Details for how to do stuff are easily available on the net, YouTube, library or artistic friends.

DRAWING
Drawing trains the eye to look carefully and to get a feel for the shape of various objects as well as being an extremely valuable communication skill. Ideally, it should be a daily activity. The more one draws the better.

THE NATURAL METHOD-
Draw or trace from a

Good Manners Checklist

Part of health class can include discussions on good manners. Role playing can be a lot of fun with these. Some good and bad manners that come to mind are listed here:
SPEECH
Thinking before speaking
Making eye contact
Sweet words- thankyou, please, excuse me, I'm sorry...
Making introductions (Mother, this is my friend...)
Greeting and parting
Using people's names and or proper titles
Name

Practical Helps for Raising Children

Lots of notes collected from various sources and experiences:

SPOIL 'EM 'TIL THEY'RE FIVE
"'You should give all freedom to your child for five years, and then, next ten years, you should be very strict, very strict, so that the child may be very much afraid. And as soon as he attains sixteen years of age, then you should treat him like friend, not, I mean to say, so strictly.' These are the

The Seven C's of Childcare

(These notes are based upon and adapted from an article entitled, "The Six C's...", author and publication unknown.)




Seven ways for helping children involve consciousness, caring, communication, consequences, consistency, conservatism and contribution.






I. CONSCIOUSNESS
CONSCIOUS OF KRISHNA

The best way to help one's family is to keep the association of devotees and also be a devotee

Story Telling

Before the printing press, television, public libraries and piles of books, people relied on story telling to broaden their knowledge, increase their vocabulary and deepen their comprehension via experiences gained by hearing.

A suggested time for busy householders is sometime before bedtime, provided you don't get overly sleepy (I've had the experience of dozing off in the middle of a story a

Select Poetry VII

To teach poetry you need poems. After years of searching, these were the most acceptable I could find. Of course, some may not be entirely philosophically pure according to Vaisnava standards, but that's what makes them suitable for lessons in critical analysis.

BEST OF ALL
I love the sweet wildflowers that bloom
Within the woodland way;
I love the little birds that sing,
And carol in their

Select Poetry VI

IT IS COMMON
So are the stars and the arching skies,
So are the smiles in the children’s eyes;
Common the life-giving breath of spring;
So are the songs which the wild birds sing-
Blessed be God, they are common!

Common the grass in its glowing green;
So is the water’s glistening sheen;
Common the springs of love and mirth;
So are the holiest gifts of earth.

Common the fragrance of rosy June;

Select Poetry V

Includes lessons from nature:

THE UNDYING SOUL
Yet howsoever changed or tost,
Not even a wreath of mist is lost,
No atom can itself exhaust.

So shall the soul’s superior force
Live on and run its endless course
In God’s unlimited universe.
--John Greenleaf Whittier

THE BOY AND THE BUTTERFLY.
Behold how eager this our little boy
Is for this Butterfly, as if all joy,
All profits, honours, yea,

Select Poetry IV

KIND AT HOME
I’d like for folks to say of me,
No matter where I roam,
“That child is nice and gentle - but
She’s sweeter far at home.

“Her temper never does she lose
She’s patient as can be;
She always strives to spread content,
Among the family.

“She always tidies up her room;
And like a gentle maid,
She strives in countless little ways,
To be of some real aid.

“She welcomes, with a friendly

Select Poetry III

KIND WORDS
Kind hearts are the gardens
Kind thoughts are the roots,
Kind words are the flowers,
Kind deeds are the fruits.

Take care of the gardens,
And keep them from weeds,
Fill, fill them with flowers,
Kind words and kind deeds.
--Longfellow

BUILDING CHARACTER
Oh, did you know the little thoughts
That flutter through your mind,
Are always either good and pure
Or selfish and unkind?

And did

Select Poetry II

THE RAINY DAY
The day is cold, and dark, and dreary;
It rains,and the wind is never weary;
The vine still clings to the mouldering wall,
But at every gust the dead leaves fall,
And the day is dark and dreary.

My life is cold, and dark, and dreary;
It rains,and the wind is never weary;
My thoughts still cling to the mouldering past,
But the hopes of youth fall thick in the blast,
And the days

Select Poetry I

These may be used in various ways such as lessons about poetry, thinking skills, literary analysis, literary criticism and to stretch vocabulary.

Some of the themes here include social responsibility, kindness, and relationships.

LITTLE BROTHER
A careful boy I want to be;
A little brother follows me.
I do not dare to go astray
For fear he'll go the selfsame way.

I cannot once escape his eyes;

Homemade Poetry

Below are a couple samples of poetry children can come up with, by Krishna's grace:

KRISHNA'S COLORS
Green is the color of grass in spring,
Orange, the color of butterfly wings.
Black is like a big dark hole.
Yellow is bright like our spirit soul.
Gray is for a rain cloud,
That hovers above without a sound.
Red can be a juicy fruit.
Blue is the Lord who plays a flute.
Purple, the favorite of my

List of Stories in Srimad Bhagavatam

Here's a list of the main stories given in Srimad Bhagavatam for reading aloud, telling at bedtime (or any time), creating individual assignments, and so on. Just knowing this outline gives one a better grasp on what is in the entire Srimad Bhagavatam and in what order:

LATER NOTE: All the stories for Srimad Bhagavatam are now available in a single volume!  Click here.

FIRST CANTO
Narada, the

Our Brahma Madva Disciplic Succession

Print the following and sing daily with children before Gita class. Use a simple tune and stick with it. Makes memory work a lot easier.OUR BRAHMA-MADVA DISCIPLIC SUCCESSIONEvam paramparä-präptam imam räjarsayo viduh (Bhagavad-gitä 4.2). This Bhagavad-gitä As It Is is received through this disciplic succession:1. Krishna 2. Brahmä 3. Närada 4. Vyäsa 5. Madhva 6.

26 Good Qualities of a Devotee

Health class can include discussions on spiritual health, namely the 26 good qualities awakened by devotional service. These and some notes are posted here:

"Sri Krsnadasa Kaviraja, the author of Caitanya-caritamrta, says that all good qualities become manifest in the body of a Vaisnava and that only by the presence of these good qualities can one distinguish a Vaisnava from a non-Vaisnava."

Topics for Gita Class

This is not extensive, but here are topics that may be covered during Bhagavad gita class. Also from early childhood to later years, these topics may be brought up or taught in various ways:

WHAT IS BHAGAVAD GITA?

Gitopanisad is one of the most important Upanisads in Vedic literature
Gita is the essence of Vedic knowledge.


THE SETTING AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION
(Besides students' earlier

Help for Raising Drug Free Children

Excerpt from the Internet. It doesn't include, however, what i consider the most important thing- parental example. Parents themselves must show their children practically how to take shelter of Krishna rather than drugs:
Encouraging your child to avoid drugs, alcohol and tobacco starts early on. The following general guidelines are from the U.S. Department of Education.

STEPS:
1. Start your

Teaching "ING"

Here's a favorite way to introduce to students the sound of the phoneme ing or suffix -ing, by reading the following poem:

THE Cataract of Lodore

"How does the Water
Come down at Lodore?"
My little boy ask'd me
Thus, once on a time;
And moreover he task'd me
To tell him in rhyme.
Anon at the word
There came first one daughter
And then came another,
To second and third
The request of their

Mean Mothers

(found on the Internet long ago. Author unknown)Was your mom mean? I know mine was. We had the meanest mother in the whole world!While other kids had candy for breakfast, we had to have cereal, juice and toast.When others had a Pepsi and a Twinkie for lunch, we had to eat sandwiches.And you can guess our mother fixed us a dinner that was different from what other kids had, too.Mother insisted on

Memory Work Suggestions

Most children have great memories, so it isn't as difficult as it seems with DAILY practice. Add a new verse for study each week.Chanting several times once a day. Keep chanting previous ones at least once a day until there are ten being chanted at a time, including the new verse.  Then remove from the list the verse most memorized (usually the first of the list of weekly chanted accumulated

Memorizing Help

BHAGAVAD GITA SLOKAS1. Choose key slokas for memory work2. Type and print in large print a chosen verse with its translation. Write in small letters the word-for-word translations underneath the printed Sanskrit words. 3.Post the verse on the fridge or somewhere for easy review, such as before meals. Work on one verse each week. Review all verses learned once a week.4. Punch holes in each

Sloka Suggestions

Here's 48 key Bhagavad gita slokas recommended by experienced Vaisnava teachers, plus other favorites:

CHAPTER ONE
MORE: 1.39-43

CHAPTER TWO
2.13, 2.14, 2.20
MORE: 2.12, 2.16,  2.40, 2.41, 2.59, 2.62, 2.63

CHAPTER THREE
3.9, 3.13
MORE: 3.4-8, 3.16-30, 3.31-32, 3.36-41, 3.42-43

CHAPTER FOUR
4.2, 4.7, 4.8, 4.9, 4.13, 4.34
MORE: 4.1, 4.3, 4.11, 4.15, 4.17-23, 4.36, 4.42

CHAPTER FIVE
5.18, 5.29

About This Blog

Mostly I am posting some 15 years collection of homeschooling notes. It was my original hope to gradually edit them for better readability, since they were posted quickly, but most likely that won't be happening, because currently- I'm too busy home schooling!

Yet, I'll try to continue to add new posts whenever I can, Krishna willing.

A dream of mine, and many devotees I'm sure, is to have

Bhagavad Gita Analogies

Here's a list of analogies from Prabhupada's Gita:
(this post is still under construction.)

BHAGAVAD GITA INTRODUCTION
1. physician :: directions for taking medicine; Krishna or guru :: Gita as it is
2. wife::husband; prakrti :: Lord
3. child :: automobile; ignorant person :: universe
4. gold :: goldmine; jiva :: Lord
5. drop :: ocean; jiva :: Lord
6. cloud :: rainy season or dry season;

Lessons From Nature

Srila Prabhupada said, “Simply by chanting, one can have self-realization, God realization, and when there is God realization, then nature realization is included also.“

It's recommended to pay attention to the many analogies and teachings from nature given by Srila Prabhupada and sastra. (More are appearing online since this writing: Click here) Some of these are listed below. Becoming familiar

Phonics List

After choosing a phonics course, it's a good idea to collect the most important or helpful rules and phonic spellings into a list for quick and easy reference. A sample list is given below. This may also provide an overview of what is being taught or what can be reinforced during reading practice or when correcting spelling errors. Many related printable worksheets may be found on the Internet

Devotional Service

Notes from "The Nectar of Devotion", Chapter 1 and other sources

PURE DEVOTIONAL SERVICE:
BRINGS IMMEDIATE RELIEF FROM ALL KINDS OF MATERIAL DISTRESS

Gives freedom from both good and bad karma
Repentance and atonement are not enough; Sinful desires can be removed from the root and their seeds fried, only by devotional service. Otherwise, one is forced to repeat sinful activities again and

Number Nectar

The following is good for memory work, illustrating or writing topics:

2 energies of Lord Krsna - material and spiritual
2 kinds of living entities- the divine and the demoniac
2 kinds of transcendentalists- the personalist and impersonalist
2 kinds of consciousness- conditioned and liberated
2 functions of the mind- accepting, rejecting (also hankering, lamenting)
2 powers of maya- to cover (

Loving Listening

This article applies to all loving relationships. (Taken from a page calledActive Listening)I. Why Important Listening is a vital part of effective communication and relationship. Without listening, for example, one cannot really love. Without listening, parents often find their children difficult to handle or discipline, and they feel surprised that the children turn out to be wayward. Listening

High School and Beyond

So a student has finished 8th grade, now what? That depends on the student, but until they have a clear idea what path they wish to follow, the following suggestions can give them continued structure and guidance:

SUGGESTIONS FOR A HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM adapted from the Elijah Company:
Reading (a book a week from an approved list and give an oral or written report);
Handwriting (copying from

Motivating Students

CREATE A LEARNING ENVIRONMENT
Collect books on various subjects, educational toys, art supplies, odds and ends for crafting, sewing supplies, tools, simple science equipment, etc,. Try to keep it neat and organized and accessible (except for items such as tools that need parental guidance).

INVITE PEERS
Whether they are on vacation or freetime, young visitors are great for doing art projects

Getting Ready to Teach

KNOW YOUR OBJECTIVESFirst of all, one needs to decide what their overall teaching objectives will be, as well as objectives for each subject for each school year. It helps to get out a piece of paper and list what it is you wish your children to learn. From experience, I'd say keep it simple for the younger set, listing the most essentials such as Bhagavad gita, Reading, Writing, and Math.

Beware of Educational Clutter

Notes from the homeschooling book, "Schoolproof" by Mary Pride

Two goals are presented in this book- a heart submitted to God, and a service attitude or ability.

Motivational tools are also discussed such as the atmosphere or environment for learning in, the discipline of habit, and the presentation of living ideas (the Absolute Truth). Also discipline can become a game. Ideas are given that

Learning About Learning

A good education doesn't necessarily imply going to schools or colleges. One can learn so much on their own. The best thing is to have a strong desire or need to learn and to know how to read, study and get information. Our primary job, therefore, as teachers, is to inspire children enough that will be wanting to learn all they need on their own and know how to go about it.

MAKE IF FUN
All of us

Helps for Homeschooling

GETTING ORGANIZEDHomeschool is a home with a school in it. Therefore it’s necessary to get organized to enhance learning experiences and to keep your sanity. It helps to make a place for everything, and everyone learns to put everything back in it’s place when finished with it. This saves much time and stress. For example, I kept one cabinet for art supplies, one for science experiments, and so

Positive Communication Examples

These were collected from parenting books and periodicals* for improving communication with one's children. They may be useful for learning to state corrections and requests in a positive, constructive way, and to avoid hiding them in endless verbiage.

Instead of saying, “Don’t jump on the couch.”
tell why it's important: “We take care of our couch by not jumping on it. So it will not become

When Home Works

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura wrote:
"No parent is entitled to undertake the charge of the spiritual training of his own boy. He is unfitted for the task by his mundane relationship. Once such a relationship is grasped to be an obstacle in the way of juvenile training, the necessity of sending the boy at the earliest opportunity to the proper teacher becomes self-evident. If the parent continues to

Knowledge and Education

Collected notes about knowledge and real education:

SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE
Transcendental knowledge is the most important. It is received through disciplic succession, from anyone who knows the science of Krsna, and combined with the blessings of guru and Krishna, it gives many benefits such as spiritual power, true self-esteem, greater happiness, freedom, and protection from exploitation. It

Why We Are So Interested in Varnashrama

An excerpt taken from the Iskcon Education Journal, by the late Sri Rama prabhu:

"Sometimes readers may wonder why the Iskcon Education Journal always runs an article or two on varnashrama. If one examines Srila Prabhupada's description of gurukula, it is readily apparent that graduates are meant to fit into a much different kind of society than most of us grew up in.

"Some of the problems

Happy Holy Days

The purpose of holy days is to increase our Krishna consciousness or remembrance of Krsna and to decrease nonsense and the bodily conception of life. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura called them spiritual boosters. Whether at home or one's local temple or both, here are suggestions for encouraging an increase in devotional activity and making holy days memorable:

Have no school if possible or work on

Art Lessons

Krishna is the Supreme Artist. There are examples of Krishna’s artistic sense and design everywhere- the shape of a leaf, delicate shoots of new green grasses, the full moon, handsome faces, lacey flowers, varieties of sea shells and snowflakes, colorful birds, the shapes of seeds, and patterns in nature ...
Everything man-made are examples, too, since Krsna is the source and ability in man to

Picture Study

Art class should include looking at art. Help students to notice that the more we look the more we see. Study paintings and the style of various artists, especially Krsna conscious artists and their subjects are recommended. A good source for pictures would be Prabhupada's books and krsna-art.comPICTURE STUDY (taken from a forgotten source)1) Pick one piece of artwork and study it carefully. Name

Rub Art

Older children may find crayon rubbings a worthwhile activity.First a little exploration is required to find objects that will make interesting rubbings.Take, for example, the center of this chair:A crayon rubbing from this source may be used to create the following:Younger children may be better off with an actual kit that contains ready made texture tiles for rubbing crayon colors onto a page.

Krishna Conscious Lyrics

Here are collected lyrics for songs by Yamini,  Mrgaksi, Bhavatarini and others. Click on the links for melodies. Recently someone emailed me Yamini's re-recordings now online along with many new songs.  Highly recommended for all ages. These are especially wonderful to sing to your children or grandchildren before they go to sleep. I personally memorized them all, along with the children, just

Kindergarten

For materials to use for the kindergarten level, I really like the Mennonite "ABC Preschool Series" published by Rod and Staff Publishers. Their workbooks include mode of goodness illustrations depicting farm life, happy home life with mother at home, worship of God, a service attitude, as well as showing little girls in dresses and pig tails.

And to avoid confusion, please note that the Amish

What's a Child to Read?

Reading shapes our consciousness, so naturally we want to choose good books. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta judged a piece by how many times the Lord’s name is mentioned on a page and Prabhupada's books are a very good example of being first class according to that standard. Anyone who reads is constantly chanting, thus losing their taste for anything else. Until our children's reading ability is

Why We're Vegetarian

Some (hopefully readable) notes on what may be included in health class regarding vegetarian diet:

A VEGETARIAN DIET:
PROTECTS ANIMALS
1. A vegetarian diet is kind and compassionate.
a. animals have souls
"If we find a difference in characteristics, then we can say that in the animal there is no soul. But if we see that the animal and the human being have the same characteristics, then how can

A Matter of Perspective

While teaching children the Vedic view of the universe, I found this video helpful and fun. It shows how reality can be a lot different from what our imperfect senses directly perceive.


Also checkout: "How Big?"

Another example is that the fabric on one's couch may appear smooth and flat, but when viewed from a super powered microscope one realizes how it may appear like a hilly terrain to a

The Most Important Lesson

(author unknown)
Lord, who am I to teach the way
To little children day by day,
So prone myself to go astray?

I teach them knowledge, but I know
How faintly flickering and low
The candles of my knowledge glow.

I teach them to will and to do
But only now to learn anew,
My own great weakness through and through.

I teach compassion for mankind
And all creatures of Your design,
But my own love

Durdarshan

Swami Bhakti vikasa wrote, "They (Indians) invented a word for television- doordarshan... dur means very bad darshan (bad association)” Not only that, countless dollars, manpower and materials are wasted in creating elaborate sets of illusion. Prabhupada writes that a sign of a demoniac civilization is that they are very expert at creating illusion.

But I admit, TV has been a part of our lives.

Give Children "Positive Life"

Prabhupada: Don't say "no." But give a taste for the good, then it will be automatically "no." ...If you say "no" then he'll, they will rebel. The four "no's," that is very difficult. Still they are breaking... But if they develop Krishna consciousness, this will be automatically "no." So don't bring many "no's," but give them positive life. Then it will be automatically "no."...If you say "no,"

Nourishing Faith

In the nine stages of devotion to Krsna, the beginning is sraddha or faith. How to instill faith in the children? Prabhupada gives a hint in his purport to the following Bhagavad gita verse (15.12). Lord Krishna asserts:

"The splendor of the sun, which dissipates the darkness of this whole world, comes from Me. And the splendor of the moon and the splendor of fire are also from Me."

PURPORT by