Sunday, October 01, 2006

Noticeboard

I loved the idea of the fridgeschooling that has been taken up by various homeschoolers whose blogs I frequent, but our English-style fridge just isn't big enough - particularly given that it already displays our calendar, menu plan for the week, shopping list and assorted photos - and isn't located conveniently for family viewing. Never one to be daunted by practicalities in the face of a great plan (how I love plans!) I made a noticeboard instead. I used thick artist's mounting board in a dark blue, and added card "frames" in lighter colours. Each week I am changing the contents of the frames by sticking new printouts on with bluetack. I am using the board to display:

  • the main feast days for the week
  • a quotation
  • a Bible verse
  • catechism questions and answers or other items for our Fruits of the Spirit study (often but not always the Bible verse and quotation will tie in with this.)
  • a work of art
  • a multiplication table
  • a prayer
  • two British Sign Language signs
  • anything else that takes my fancy
This is how our noticeboard looked last week.

Next week it will be displaying:
  • Feast Days - Guardian Angels, St.Francis, Our Lady of the Rosary
  • A quote by St Josemaria Escriva on guardian angels
  • Matthew 18 v.10 ("See that you never despise any of these little ones, for I tell you that their angels in heaven are continually in the presence of my father in heaven.")
  • The Ten Commandments (we are focusing on love for God, so will use the first four commandments for copywork)
  • List of the nine choirs of angels
  • Guardian Angel prayer
  • Five times table
  • St.Francis and the Birds by Sir Stanley Spencer (painting)
  • Signs for "bath" and "sleep"
I haven't yet found a permanent home for the noticeboard. So far it is being propped up against a table or the sofa and put away under a shelf in the evening. Not ideal ... and not practical once Little Cherub gets mobile!

4 comments:

Mary G said...

Kathryn,

I love this idea -- mind if I "borrow" the idea. A twist could be to use liturgical colors to help the kids remember....

hmmmm, off to buy some boardfor this one!

THANKS!

Anonymous said...

This is lovely! Thanks for sharing. I've been using my fridge for a couple of "fridge school" things but they have been totally lost in the clutter. This is a wonderful idea.

KS

Anonymous said...

Our 'fridge'schooling is actually on the door to Dd's room. No room on our tiny boater's fridge. I do like Mary G's idea of liturgical colors for background borders, maybe I'll see if I can get organized enough for that...

Jan said...

What a great idea. Our fridge is in the wrong place too, but a noticeboard would work well here, I'm sure. One friend has wipe-clean boards on the kitchen door, one for Bible verse, one for French word of the week, etc