All About Spelling...

I am excited that Sonlight will be selling All About Spelling beginning April 4.  Although my children are now adults and I haven't had to teach spelling for years and years, I am really thrilled with All About Spelling.

 I purchased the Level 1 Teacher's Manual and Student Packet and the Basic Interactive Kit. You can see it in this first photo. They suggest you use a 2ft x 3ft magnetic white board to get the full interactive benefit out of the program, but for display purposes I used a smaller one I had around the house.

You get a CD that has all the phonogram sounds. Phonogram is a letter or letter combination that represents a sound. It comes from two Greek words meaning sound and written.                                                                The CD will help you know how to pronounce them correctly do you can teach your children. I liked the layout of this program. It is very easy to read the directions, cut out the spelling tiles, put on the pre-cut sticky magnets on them and separate the flash cards. The lessons are scripted so that you don't have to prepare on a daily basis.

It uses a multi-sensory approach and has activities that include visual, auditory and kinesthetic modalities. Perfect for just about any type of learner.  It is customizable and mastery oriented. Rather than working through a list a child works on learning to identify the phonograms and then works on applying this understanding to spelling. There are flash cards that they  work on and when they have mastered a card, it goes into the mastered file. This way they are moving forward at their own pace and mastering the concepts and words as they go.

Here you can see the file box with the pre-made file dividers and I have put the cards behind the tabs. I had to purchase the little 3x5 file box myself. Everything else comes with the program. [Note:Sonlight now sells a larger box that works a lot better and it has foam spacers so you can organize your flash cards easier.

I have a friend who has used AAS and Sequential Spelling. I asked her if she could compare them. This was her response:

 With Sequential Spelling you write the words on a marker board with different segments in different colors, which helps with the visual aspect of it. All About Spelling has the added manipulatives of the magnet letter tiles and the word cards. My daughter did sometimes get tired of having to put the tiles back in alphabetical order after every session, so it is definitely more "fiddly" but for some kids that's just what they need. (My daughter being one.)

All About Spelling is far more scripted than Sequential Spelling. It tells you what to say and the response to expect, and provides dictation sentences and phrases for every list. In Sequential Spelling you have to make up your own most of the time.

It is not as... well, sequential! ...as Sequential Spelling, in that you don't start with "all" on Monday and are spelling "installment" by Friday. I think that system would have worked very well for me, but it got too hard too fast for my daughter. All About Spelling does seem more grade specific to me than Sequential Spelling.

You can see her review at her blog, here: http://ramblinroadstoeverywhere.blogspot.com/2009/12/all-about-spelling-review.html   Thanks Karla for your help with this blog post.:)

I am excited about this program and think that it will work well for a variety of students. All About Spelling is built upon the extensive work of the Orton-Gillingham Program, which is a well respected method to teaching students to read. You can begin this program with students who are not yet reading and it will strengthen reading and spelling skills too. It is good for students who need remediation and for students that are good spellers. I think any student would benefit from this program.

It takes about 15-20 minutes, 5 days a week with virtually no prep time for the parent.

It is a win-win all the way around.

Take care,

Jill

Cincinnati Midwest Convention--Here I Come...

There are only 10 days till the Midwest Convention--9 days till I have to set up the booth.

Although I have already done a LOT of prep work in order to have the best booth in the hall, I still had quite a bit to do. So, today was dedicated to finishing up.

I store my books and materials in our barn out at our farm.

Gathering up my last minute books, my faithful dog Scrappy and my iPod, I headed out in the truck to spend a day at the farm. 




Scrappy found the smells surrounding the barn much more interesting than this huge stack of catalogs!

 Yes, folks, these are the catalogs that are earmarked for Cincinnati. 1500 catalogs! Each box of 50 weighs 30 pounds, so 900 pounds are coming to Cinci.

 I have tubs and tubs of books, display items, brochures, pens, extension cords and more!













Good thing we have a pick up truck! It doesn't seem like it should take so much time to get ready, but I like to get the booth set up in an hour or so, and that takes organization before the event.

I also practiced setting up some of the displays.  I have a sample of the Mathtacular Educational Kit which is really cool. I can't wait till my two granddaughters get a bit older.

I think I like it displayed this way the best. It is sitting on the box. I love all the cool hands on manipulatives that complement the DVD. Awesome!

I also purchased the new Mathtacular Word Problems set. This looks really interesting and easy to understand. I love that it has a DVD, student book and answer key.  Great for students and Mom.

 In another week, we will pack up so we can set up on Wednesday at the Duke Energy Center.

Take care, and you may want to check our my homeschool resource library. 
 

Jill

Banned Words in Lit Books, History Books and Standardized Tests--The Language Police Part 3

I finished reading "The Language Police" by Diane Ravitch yesterday and I am still reeling from what I have read in this book.  For post 1 and 2, please click on the numbers.

You would not believe that left wing and right wing pressure groups put so much pressure on the state text book people [who approve what text books to use] that text book publishers--[there are four major ones, only one a US owned company] have to be very careful they don't say anything to rile any group. Since Texas and California are HUGE textbooks suppliers and the schools can only used texts approved by the state oversight committee, they drive what is allowed in standardized tests and texts.

As I finished reading the book last night I came to Appendix 1 and was alternatively mad, shaking my head, reading parts out loud to Bob and actually laughing. So, for your enjoyment or for making you mad, here are some of the banned words, phrases and photos from actual state adoption committees. I have no idea how a contributing editor to a text book can even write anything that passes...

~Starting out with the first entry...

• Able-bodied (banned as offensive, replace with person who is non-disabled]
• Adam and Eve (replace with Eve and Adam to demonstrate that males do not take priority over females)
• Lumberjack (replace with woodcutter) [My comment: Are they the same thing? When I say woodcutter does that conjure up images of flannel, men with cross cut saws and floating logs down a river? Not even close in my opinion, and many of the banned words do the same thing. They take away images, smells and so much richness.]
• Birdman (banned as sexist, replace with ornithologist) [My comment--some guy on a roof with pigeons is not necessarily an ornithologist, is he?]
• Pop and Soda (regional term, may confuse child, say name brand); [My comment: The interesting thing is California bans name brands so I guess they say carbonated beverage? And that is less confusing than pop or soda?]
• Courageous (Banned as patronizing when referring to a person with disabilities.]
• Craftmanship (Banned as sexist, no replacement.)
• Cro-magnon man (Banned as sexist)
• Devil,/Satan 
• God
• East, Eastern (banned as Eurocentric when used to discuss world geography; refer to specific continent or region instead)
• Fairy (Banned because it suggests homosexuality, replace with elf) [My comment: Elves and Fairies are not the same things, and I think Fairies would not do well at making toys with Santa.]
• Fellowship (banned as sexist, replace as friendship. [My comment: Friendship of the Ring??? I don't think so!]
• Freshman (banned as sexist, use first-year student.)
• He/She/Him/ Her
• Jungle (banned, replace with rain forest, savannah)
• Man (banned as a sexist verb, as in man the pumps.)
• Middle East ( banned as Eurocentric, replace with South-west Asia--May be acceptable as a historical reference)
• Papoose (banned as demeaning to Native Americans-[My comment-but in a history book?]
• Mothering (banned as sexist, replace with nurturing, parenting)
• All Native American Tribes such as Navajo, use names they call them selves, such as Dine
• Old (banned as an adjective that implies helplessness, dependency, or other negative conceptions)
• Snowball (Banned for regional bias, replace with flavored ice. [My comment: did you ever throw flavored ice at someone on a cold day? Have a flavored ice fight?]
• Tomboy [sexist]
• Workmanship (banned as sexist, no replacement)
• Huts (banned as ethnocentric, replace with small houses [My comment: Really? Are those the same things?]

I could go on. "Balance names like Mary and John with Jose, Lashunda, Che and Ling. Do not compare humans with animals such as "eyes like a doe". Images to avoid: Women in jobs less powerful than men, women or men in stereotypical jobs such as women teachers and male doctors; Men and boy heavier and larger than women and girls; Mother comforting children, giving sympathy, hugs, kisses, hot milk at bedtime, girls playing in dresses,  Japanese people as law abiding {?}, older people who are cute, grumpy, meek, bitter, hard of hearing, rocking in chairs, baking, fishing, knitting whittling, etc.

I think you get the idea.

It makes me sad for all the children who have been educated over the past 25+ years with many/most of these bannings in place. In my opinion this is why it is so important that children are read and read for themselves real books, real literature.

Mario Vargas Llosa (novelist) has said literature offers a common denominator for understand human experience; it allows human beings to recognize one another across time and space...Nothing better protects a human being against the stupidity of prejudice, racism, religious or political sectarianism, and exclusivist nationalism than learning about other cultures and times through great literature.

Ravitch says, "Great literature does not comfort us; it does not make us feel better about ourselves. It is not written to enhance our self-esteem or to make us feel that we are "included" in the story. It takes us into its own world and creates its own reality. It shakes us up; it makes us think. Sometimes it makes us cry."

I will close for now, but I urge you if this sparks your interest at all, please get "The Language Police" and as always read to your kids. There is nothing better you can do than to share great literature with your children. If you don't know what to read, shoot me an email and I will be glad to help you.

Take care,
Jill

See other posts by going here:

See post 1 here
See post 2 here.  
See Post 3 here.

Tools not Toys, again...

Two years ago I posted this post about some wisdom from my dad, "Give kids tools not toys" never imagining that two years later I would have two granddaughters of my own who are now getting old enough to play. Elinor is nearly 11 months and Allison is 8 months.

They love rattles and stacking cups, but I was looking for something more. Something that could help them develop their fine motor coordination and mathematical reasoning. I am really happy with Wee WEDgits.
These things are fun for babies, chewable and interesting for adults too. I like that Wee WEDGiTS are made from non-toxic, phthalate free poly-vinyl material so I don't have to worry about the girls slobbering and chewing on them, and also that they fit with regular WEDGiTS so they can be used for a long time. 


Bob and I were amazed last week when we were stacking the WEDgits into a pyramid and Elinor put the last piece in. They are neat because they don't fall over easy and you can stack them so many ways. This is the kind of tool the helps to develop mathematical reasoning, sorting abilities, color recognition and fine motor coordination, all through play. 


This is a great tool for kids of all ages. My sister just bought some of the regular WEDgits for her 3 1/2 year old granddaughter and they have both been having a lot of fun with them. 

Another tool that I love is the Teddy Bear Mix and Match Game.  This game has the cutest heavy cardboard bears ever. There are pairs mountain climbing bears, alpine bears, ice cream cone eating bears, baby bears and more. This game can be played by non-readers and is like a concentration game. All bears are put face down and players take turn turning over two bears to try to get a match. If your bears match you take them, if not you turn them over and the next player gets a turn. I am sorry to say that when I used to play it with my nephew Issac [when he was 4 and then 5 years old] he won more games than I did. 


The bears can also be used as templates to trace around  and then the child can color them the way they want to. I always thought I would trace around to make a template to make cookie bears and maybe I will when Allison and Elinor get older. Then they can decorate them any way they want.  This is a great tool to develop memory and observation techniques--also a good way to talk about jobs people have or what different clothes mean. These bears are just so cute, you can't help but want to play with them.

Another game which is wonderful for pre-arithmetic skills, spacial reasoning and more is Mighty Mind. This is good for kids at least 3-4 and up.  


There are 32 plastic tiles and carefully sequenced cards which take children from just finding the correct tile and placing it on the card, to having a complicated outline that them must fill in with the tiles. Fun for all ages. 


Mighty Minds says it this way:

• Faster than a speeding puzzler. Able to leap into challenging puzzles in a single bound. That kid has a Mighty Mind!
• MightyMind develops creativity & helps children understand visual/spatial relationships.
• A great confidence builder in a fun, purposeful format.
• 32 colorful, easy to handle, durable plastic design tiles with 30 tangram-like design cards.
• Smarter kids. Great Fun. Mighty Minds.

This is a great tool for kids to use alone, or one that you can use together. It can encourage team work among siblings. My kids had a wooden set when they were young and it was a lot of fun, and educational too.

These are just a few of the tools that I think are awesome for preschool-elementary age children. The WEDgits are my vote for the best baby toy in a long time because they are soft, chewy, stackable, colorful and fun for kids, parents and grandparents.

Take care,
Jill

I am an embarassment to my culture--or something like that

I continue reading "The Language Police" and it makes me madder and madder.

There is a lot to make anyone mad about what textbook and standardized test makers  have to go through to sell their products. At first I was mad at them for deleting everything worthwhile out of their products, but then as I read more they do it because there are so many pressure and special interest groups that will put up such a stink if their interests are not taken into account.

 In a reading or social studies textbook, for example, there have to be the same amount of female and male characters. Same amount of men to women, same amount of boy animals to girl animals. If there is an nanny goat, there better be a male animal to balance the book out.

No African American can be shown as an athlete; no Asian person as a cook, no older person with glasses, apron, cane or anything that makes them seem old [I think gray hair is OK :)-even fishing and baking cookies is out!], no woman can wear an apron or be cooking or caring for children...and so it goes. The reason? This is stereotyping and is insulting to the group you are stereotyping.

What?  [So, this is how I am an embarrassment--and maybe you are too.]

I think it is insulting to act like I am somehow an embarrassment to society because I care for children, cook a meal or wear glasses?? I mean isn't it really wrong to NOT show people doing things they actually do? I don't think all Asians shown should be cooking, or all African Americans should be athletes--any more than I think that all women should be shown as caring for children or baking cookies.

But none! Really!

As a woman who loves being a homemaker and who is a glasses-wearing, cooking-baking grandma, I resent the idea that showing a woman in that capacity is demeaning.  In my opinion it is demeaning to me  if you leave out anyone at all that looks traditional or is doing something that many people actually do.

I am still reading this book, but it makes me glad my kids got to read and have read to them, REAL BOOKS. Books that show people how they are--in all capacities.

Oh, and I forgot to say that grade school readers and standardized tests have to have questions that are location neutral. What I mean is that something can't be happening in the desert, or near the ocean or on a mountain or somewhere where it snows. The reason? Children who don't live in those places won't understand what those places are like and will somehow feel bad that they don't live by the beach  or have snow, or whatever!!

So, we have watered down stories about a non-traditional person anywhere doing something. Wow, how educational is that? I think about The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder. We didn't have to have snow to understand how cold and depressing the Long Winter was. We didn't have to experience hunger to understand how hungry the whole town was. If you take away the location and the actual things people do [Ma cooked and took care of the girls, Pa took care of the animals and went to get fuel to burn--my how horrible for my children to see people doing these traditional chores!] what are you left with? Where is the educational value of books?

It makes me sad for students and for us as a culture.

Take care,
Jill

My Other Language Police posts:
See post 1 here
See post 2 here.  
See Post 3 here.

The Language Police...

I am just beginning to read this book by Diane Ravitch. The subtitle is "How Pressure Groups Restrict what Students Learn." So far, it is unbelievable. She is explaining how  sensitivity reviewers decide what is included in text books, standardized tests and all sorts of educational materials that are used in public schools.

Oh, my--it is shocking. For example, a passage for 4th graders to read having to do with the history and use of peanuts.

It describes peanuts as legumes, in the same family as peas and beans. It says they are nutritious, and they were first cultivated by South American Indians, especially the Incas. It explains how the Spanish Explorers conquered the Incas, and Portuguese explorers defeated many Brazilian tribes. Then the peanut was shipped to Europe for cultivation. It goes on to tell how African slaves planted and developed peanut crops and then goes on to tell about George Washington Carver and his peanut work and discoveries.

Although the passages were suitable for the age group and historically accurate, the  bias and sensitivity reviewers oppose the passage for three reasons:

• A 4th grade student who was allergic to peanuts might be distracted by the statement that peanuts are nutritional and which does not mention the danger of peanuts to those who are allergic.
• Using the term African slave --it is not considered appropriate. The term should be "enslaved African"
• The passage that says that the Spanish and Portuguese defeated Brazilian tribes. They did not question the accuracy, but thought it might hurt someone's feelings.

Can you believe it? If these types of things have to be removed to make the readings without bias against any group, what is left? How can history be learned?

As I continue to read this book I will make further postings. It is clear to me that regardless of how your children are educated they need to be exposed to many, many types of literature where they can learn history from a variety of perspectives. When I was reading this chapter I couldn't help think of Sonlight's Intro to American History 1. See information below. Most of these books I love myself.

If you want your children to think critically  then please expose them to great literature, read together as a family and talk about what you read. Who wants kids who don't value the nutrition of the peanut because some are allergic? That is just plain nuts!

More later,
Jill

See post 1 here
See post 2 here.  
See Post 3 here.
[See what is in the Sonlight Core package--incredible treasure and a way to protect your kids from the bias and sensitivity reviewers.]

Discover key elements of American history from before the Spanish conquistadors through the 1850s, with a special emphasis on U.S. social history. You may wish to use this program, with modification, as the basis for teaching more than one child in 1st* through 6th grades.

Curriculum Overview:

Sonlight^® Core 3 introduces you and your children to the diverse peoples of the United States-those who lived in the Americas before Europeans came, as well as those who came after. It covers the time period from before Christ to about 1850. You will marvel at the way in which all of these peoples shaped our nation's history, and how the land itself shaped the people.
You'll begin your expedition with archeological information coming from hundreds of years before Christ then continuing with some of the significant peoples and civilizations that flourished in the Americas while Europe was in the midst of its "Dark Ages." You'll find out about those civilizations' grisly and cruel religions, as well as their beliefs that parallel the Gospel of Christ.
Of course, you'll accompany Columbus on his famous voyage across the Atlantic. You'll be present as the Spanish conquistadors subdue and ultimately rule and oppress the peoples they find in the land. You'll also watch as English connivers twist the Spaniards' record for their (the Englishmen's) own ends.

You'll find out how and why the Atlantic Ocean served as a highway that linked the Virginia colony to England while, at the same time, it severed the New England colonies from their "mother." You'll learn about the "charity colony" (now a state) that certain wealthy men from England started in order to provide a second chance for London's poorest slum dwellers. You'll discover which state was founded on the loot of smugglers and pirates, and which state (then a colony) was founded by men who believed the Bible taught them never to offer military or police protection when their citizens were attacked.

You'll be there during the American Revolution, watch as the Constitution is written, meet George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and others. You'll accompany Adoniram Judson on his trip to Burma (Myanmar) in the early 1800s, and watch, amazed, as the incomparable Nathaniel Bowditch, a self-taught man, revolutionizes the international sea transportation industry! You'll come to know and appreciate statesmen like Ben Franklin; the explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark; inventors like Robert Fulton and Eli Whitney; plus dozens of other unforgettable characters — each one brought to life through a compelling biography or historical novel.

Truly, Sonlight^® Core 3 offers you the opportunity of a lifetime to enter into our nation's history and enjoy it "live, as it happened."

Besides the more academic and subject-oriented books like former Librarian of Congress Daniel Boorstin's Landmark History of the American People and John Holzmann's Incans, Aztecs & Mayans, you and your children will enjoy engrossing titles like Esther Forbes' Newbery Award-winning Johnny Tremain and Marguerite Henry's Newbery Honor book Justin Morgan Had a Horse.

The Top Seven Reasons to Homeschool...

Through the years I have been asked and  nearly interrogated with the question...

"Why do you homeschool?" or "Why would a person want to homeschool?"

So, this year I decided to have a shiny laminated post card made telling the top reasons to homeschool. I came up with seven great reasons, worked with a veteran graphic artist and we put together this card that you can proudly display on your fridge or carry in your purse.

 It conveys seven great reasons to homeschool and is a high quality card that is  laminated on both sides so it will stay nice for a long time.

If you would like one, just let me know. Send me your name and address and I will be glad to put one in the mail for you.

Take care,
Jill

Closets...

I am finally old enough to let you in on a secret...I have never really had my own closet--at least not for 96% of my life. And, now that I am finally getting one I know exactly what I want.

Until I was fifteen I shared a room with one or both of my sisters. Actually, until my older sister went to college  when I was 13, we  had always shared a double bed. My younger sister slept on a daybed in the same room and we all shared a rather boring closet in that small room. When my older sister went off to college, my younger sister moved into the bed with me and the day bed became a couch. We still shared the closet.

When I went off to college in 1974 there were three girls crammed in a tiny dorm room designed for two. Michigan State was overcrowded and so were we. They rebated me something like $60 for the inconvenience, and let me tell you that wasn't much even then. Three teen girls shared a closet that was about 3 feet wide and had two shelves. We had two desks, a set of bunk-beds and a tacky old couch that served as a bed for one of us. We were jammed packed but still thrilled to be on our own.

A year later Bob and I married. We moved into a 10 x 48 mobile home that was so small we had to lay on the bed to open the drawers of the built in dresser. We had a small closet that we shared. I suppose it seemed large after sharing that 3 foot one in college, but I can't remember. We didn't spend much time in that trailer because Bob drove 50 miles [each way] to his job so he could support us and put me through school, and I drove 50 miles a day in the opposite direction to to go college. He had the worst of it because the sun was in his eyes coming and going. I will always be thankful for his dedication. He never complained and he kept his promise to my dad that he would put me through the remaining three years of college.

There was a three year period when I had my own closet, when we moved to a new  house when I was in 10th grade. It was a pretty average closet--4 or 5 feet long, one shelf and bi-fold doors that came un-hooked if you looked  at them sideways. I still remember my wedding dress hanging from the top of that closet  waiting for the big day--but I digress.

Home after home led to varying closets that Bob and I shared. I have had wire racks in closets that hit me in the back every time I tried to walk by them to get to where I needed to be. I had a cedar closet once that was kind of a walk in, but it was so narrow I could never get back to the end of it and even if I did, the light didn't shine there anyway. It was this closet we hid Christmas presents in and it was in this closet that Cris and Dusty, in childhood greed, raced to find hidden presents and ruined Christmas for Chad who didn't understand why Mom and Dad would hide presents in their closet. Chad learned about Santa because of that closet. We didn't find out till about 20 years later, but it still makes me mad.

I have looked at those multi-thousand dollar closet systems at the Container Store that will make you drool, but then really, who wants to spend thousands of dollars so your shoes will have a little drawer of their own? Really kind of a space waster in so many ways and you need a big closet to start with.

But, with the building of our cottage I got my very own closet. The closet of my dreams, you might say. Simple, but practical. So, I am going to share my perfect closet with you.

First, it has NO bi-fold doors. See the two doors, they open up so that there are no dark corners in my closet and they don't come out too far into the room, which is nice.

It has no wire racks, no drawers, no ugly door knobs, and is very space saving. Notice the Polish Pottery handles on my doors. I ordered these special from an importer. I love Polish Pottery.
 

What I want a closet for is to hold my clothes, shoes and some stuff on a shelf--maybe a bin of socks, or out of season sweaters, etc. Notice the nice smooth rod, not those wire things that only allow 3 hangers in a section. They drive me crazy. Notice the nice wooden shelf that is not wire, so things will not fall through. I painted everything white so it would reflect the light and not have dark corners.  I plan to put some clear tubs up there for any out of season clothes or personal items.

I know that baskets are all the rage in closets--ones that pull out. But really, can you see what is in them? I will use clear totes so I can see exactly what is in each one-no guessing.

Notice the blue pegs on the wall. I have those on both sides. These are perfect for hanging up the clothes I have just taken off but want to wear tomorrow--like jeans, or a sweater, or my nightgown. Also great for hang up my purse so I can find it.

 Bob and I put a whole rail of pegs 12" from the floor. These are my Shaker Shoe Pegs. I can hang 8 pairs of shoes on the pegs without taking any floor space. This closet is in a cottage, after all, so it is only 4 feet long, but it is wonderful to me. My shoes are not hanging in this photo because the pegs were just put up and the glue needed to dry.

  So, there you have it. My low-tech perfect closet. No doors to derail, no wire shelves for things to fall through or to inhibit free hanger movement, great pegs for shoes, clothes and plenty of shelf space to organize whatever I want.

Yes, I am finally old enough to design and appreciate my own closet. Bob's closet is similar, but a bit smaller, no shoe pegs [he thinks I am a bit peg crazy], only one wall with wall pegs and he has a trap door in his that serves as a laundry chute to the laundry room below. Don''t tell him, but I got the better deal.

Take care,
Jill

Cincinnati Homeschool Convention--The Best Convention Around...

This convention was awesome last year and this year promises to be bigger and better. It is affordable and has top quality speakers and a truly inspirational teen program. If you are anywhere within a day's drive, you might want to try it out.







 Last year I talked to people who had come from The Philippines, Colorado, New York, Texas and more! It is truly a destination convention.

I will be in the Sonlight Booth-come by and say hi!

Jill

Caulking-a Fool Proof Method...

As you may or may not know, we have been in the process of building a get-away/retirement cottage for over a year. We had to change builders and do quite a bit of the finishing up ourselves. I am here to tell you, when building a house, a LOT of caulking needs to be done.

Now, I am not good at caulking, but when my daughter,  Kari came home at Thanksgiving on her break from her year in Americorps, she was a caulking expert. I was sure I was past help, but you are never too old to learn, right? So, the child became the teacher, and I the student.

Either Kari is an awesome teacher or I am a wonderful student, or maybe a bit of both, but I am now a most excellent caulker, just like my daughter. And, because this is a blog about learning, I am going to teach you how to caulk right now. For the record, I am a caulking maniac now and I caulked the octagon window in our cathedral ceiling, 10+ feet high, several windows, over a few doors where the drywall was short of the trim, behind sinks and Kari and I even attached a marble backsplash to the basement bath vanity with these same techniques.

So,  here goes...
The first, absolute most important step, is you have to get a caulking sponge.  Do not get any old sponge. Go to Lowes or Home Depot and go to the section that has ceramic tile and ask for a caulking sponge. They look like this:

Pretty humble, huh? But this is THE secret to caulking. It only costs about $2.00, so get yourself this sponge.

Now, get some caulk and a good gun. I never realized why the more expensive caulk gun is better than the cheapie model. Make sure it has a long poker-type thing attached and an open hole in the handle. You will need the right type of caulk. I copied the types below from the Lowes website. You may also want to ask for help from someone at the store. The caulk is usually near the paint in a big box store.

Types of Caulk

There are many types of caulks and sealers available. Each type is formulated for a particular purpose. You need to know what is best for different situations. Several different types are listed below with their purpose and typical characteristics. When shopping, always refer to the product packaging.

    * Painter's caulk: Inexpensive latex caulk is often used by painters to plug holes and cracks prior to painting. It can also be used to provide a smooth joint in a corner where textured materials meet. This allows the painter to paint a very straight line in the corner when using contrasting paint colors.

    * Acrylic latex: Paintable, acrylic fortified caulk can be used for both interior and exterior applications and it cleans up easily with water.

    * Siliconized latex: Very durable, latex caulk with silicone is available in different colors and cleans up with water.

    * 100% silicone: Silicone caulk is great for non-porous substances. It is the best choice for sealing ceramic tile, glass and metal surfaces, but is less appropriate for porous surfaces like wood and masonry. Silicone caulk remains flexible and is impervious to water. It cannot be painted and must be cleaned up with solvent. It also has a sharp odor when curing. It requires adequate ventilation and is usually available in either clear or white.

    * Tub and tile: Acrylic sealant gives a flexible, watertight seal. It is mildew resistant with water cleanup.

    * 100% silicone kitchen and bath sealant: This has the same characteristics as plain 100% silicone sealant.

    * Gutter and foundation sealant (Butyl Rubber): This can be used on metal, wood or concrete and is appropriate for use in areas that experience extreme temperature variations. It is often used on metal flashing and around skylights and requires solvent for clean-up.

    * Roof repair caulk: This is a convenient butyl rubber/asphalt formulation for sealing flashing, roofing, skylights, etc. It cleans up with mineral spirits.

    * Adhesive caulk: Used as an adhesive during the installation of sinks, countertops, etc, adhesive caulk dries harder than other caulks, but is less flexible.

    * Concrete and mortar repair: This caulk retains some elasticity to remain in cracks in mortar and concrete and cleans up with water.
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OK, now take your caulk and put the tip, just a tiny bit of it, into the hole in the handle of the gun at an angle. Pull trigger and a little blade will cut the tip off at that angle. You want a small hole, too big and you get a mess. Now, straighten that metal straight pin-like thing out and poke it through your hole to break the inner seal and let the caulk flow out. Pull back the spring-handle thing and put your caulk in the gun, tip first. Now pull  the trigger a couple of times till the caulk comes out.

If you have a small job, you can get the caulk in the tube--like toothpaste--and just cut a small bit [on an angle] off the end and you are good to go. This will kill your hand if you have to do too much so use a tube and gun if you have a lot to do.

Now, put too much caulk in a line along the edge you want to seal. It doesn't matter if you make a mess. Just put it on thick. When you get one edge done, go back and drag your finger [may need to be a bit wet] along the line of caulk, wiping the excess on your pants. Oh, wait, did I actually say that? Wipe the excess on a rag, or on some paper or just sort of fling into an old box or trash bin.

Now this is usually where the directions stop, and your caulk job looks like a 3rd grader did it. Ugh! This is where your miracle sponge comes in. Wet and ring-out the sponge. Now lay one long edge along your messy caulk and drag it slowly along the edge. You will notice the sponge is rounded so that it leaves a nice concave edge in the caulk as you drag it along. It should look awesome now, but if you need to put a bit more caulk and drag it again, do it! When you are satisfied with your edge. Rinse and ring your sponge and you are good to go for the next edge.

I totally LOVE how this works and looks. Not tricky, no big goops, no jerks where you stop and start, just a nice clean edge.

My bathroom at home has old nasty caulk and as soon as I can get some time I am going to scrape all the old caulk off and re-do it. I bet my old bathroom will look practically new.

Let me know if you try this. I have no idea why the caulking sponge is such a hidden treasure and no idea why they tuck it out of the way in the tile section and don't  have any in the caulking section,  but many thanks to Kari for introducing me to this tool that makes this amateur look professional. My assumption is, if you need to re-grout you use this same method and the same type of sponge and get great results as well.

Happy caulking,
Jill