I should be cleaning the house in preparation for whoever may decide to come and look this weekend, but...I am struggling to be in the mood and find the energy! My man took the kids out for donuts and then they came by to get the Gator and ride to the park. It is so quiet and peaceful and I just want to lounge. So here I am...
More details on the beach trip...I enjoyed so much the fellowship we had with each other and with the Lord. We have decided to take #1 out of the Christian school where he is enrolled for the fall, take #2 out of the preschool where he is enrolled for the fall and homeschool. I really must admit that I do it wondering how it will out work out, but I can honestly say that I am confident that the Lord wants me to set my fears aside and trust Him. He would not let me release my desire to homeschool! No matter how many obvious advantages there are to putting them in school (i.e. having a new baby, moving to a new house, husband starting new company at home). I know my family and some friends may think I am crazy, but being in His will really is the best place in the world to be, isn't it?
So for you all who homeschool or are thinking of doing so, here is the curriculum I am using for #1. For phonics, writing and literature we will use Veritas Press. (It's a classical curriculum that is rich in literature and humanities.) For math I am deciding between Horizons and Math-U-See. For music we will use Classical Kids once a week and maybe start piano. For art I am using Drawing With Children and a series of books from Veritas Press on various artists. I am going to follow the read-aloud program mapped out by Sonlight. For Science and History I am creating my own units. I got on such a kick at the beach that I have August through November planned already! We are studying animals in August, including birds, farm animals and zoo animals. We will take field trips to the farmer's market, a farm and the zoo. In September we study the ocean and apples. We will go to the aquarium and an apple orchard. In October we study fall things, leaves, harvest, pumpkins, scarecrows, etc. We will have a fall party and take our annual trip to North Carolina to see the fall folliage and go to the pumpkin patch, etc. In November we will study nursery rhymes and Thanksgiving. We will have a Thanksgiving party. I am excited about all of the curriculum, but I am most excited about the unit studies. As a former teacher, it is exciting to plan my own units. Each day mainly consists of reading a book on the topic and then doing a project. Sometimes the project involves building or artwork or a game. For example, we will make a barn out of a refrigerator box and write a play when we study farms. When we study apples we will go apple bobbing. When we study birds the kids will make bird houses with their Daddy. I hope we can do all of the fun things that I have imagined in my head!
So here is our schedule. **If I am boring you to death I am so sorry! I just know that I love to see other homeschooler's ideas and I am on a kick, so I am sharing it all!
8:00 Breakfast and Bible time with the kids(We should all be showered, dressed and have beds made by now!)
8:30 Morning chores (Laundry, bills, email, dishes)
9:00 School
-pray
-fine motor activity (lacing, beading, legos, etc.)
9:15 Math lesson
-#2 will listen to lesson, do his own workbook
9:45 Snack/Mom read-aloud
10:00 Phonics/Writing lesson
-#2 will do his own workbook and practice beginning writing
10:30 Literature
-#1 will read-aloud to #2 and then answer comprehension quesitons
11:00 Go outside and play or ride bikes
11:30 Unit study and project
12:00 Lunch
12:30 Free play/Mom folds laundry
1:00 Rest
2:00 M-Drawing lesson
T-Errands
W-Field trip or playdate
H-Music lesson
F-Mercy ministry or library
The rest of the day is for play, play, play!!! I am looking into a support group and classes at this church. These classes offer fun ways to get together with friends who are homeschooled. They have p.e., music, art, etc. We will probably not play a sport until the spring. Both the boys want to baseball. Any way, there you have it...our fall in a nutshell. We will be starting school on August 7th so that we can take a 2 week break to welcome our sweet #3 into the mix. We'll see how that transition goes and if 2 weeks is enough! If you homeschool, share your thoughts and ideas with me!!
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6 comments:
I just came across your blog while blog-surfing. I just turned 40, a homeschool mom of seven, married 18 years. My oldest is starting 10th grade and my youngest kindergarten! My third child has Down Syndrome and goes to special ed. through public school.
I've done just about every homeschool curriculum there is! I didn't recognize some of the material you're using, but I did recognize most! Your plan sounds really wonderful. I LOVE to plan school for the kids, but when the rubber meets the road, and you're actually teaching, don't be surprised by the various tweeks you'll have to make in the schedule, particularly when the sweet baby comes. And DON'T let it get you down if you don't get certain goals accomplished for the year. You're with your kids and your teaching them with obvious love -- what a wonderful gift to your children.
I also want to encourage you to get involved in the homeschool group. That is where my kids have gotten their best friends and where I've been able to make valuable friendships. They relate to each other because their parents have similar values and they are going through similar life experiences. Homeschool kids don't need a lot of time with friends, but they do need good friends, "iron sharpening iron."
For our school day, we begin at about 9:00 AM with Bible time. We're reading through the Bible, currently memorizing Colossians 3, and praying. Then we have flashcard time with the older kids -- math, states and capitals, presidents -- that sort of thing. I read a little history (I use a lot of Beautiful Feet lit.) And then we read some more. We're reading through Chronicles of Narnia for the third time since I started homeschool 11 years ago. Then, I read a couple of picture books to the little kids while the bigger kids get ready for their formal school day at about 10:30.
Last year, the kids started the A Beka DVD program. I signed us up for Program 2, in which I do the grading. I'm using it because I found it impossible to accomplish what I wanted to do by myself for (last year) five age levels. So with the DVD program, there are no lessons to prepare, but I do spend a lot of time helping them with homework, listening to reading work, drilling, preparing for quizzes and tests, grading. It works for us, but it wouldn't work for everyone.
The younger kids are done by about 2:00 or 3:00, depending on how long it takes us to eat and clean up after lunch. And the big kids (ages 15, 13 and 10) are done by 4:00.
I make sure they all get a chance to play after school. I think it's a shame that kids going to school have so much homework to do after school when they've been cooped up for so long.
Anyway, thanks for letting me share. I'm very excited for you in this new venture of homeschool. I think you'll do really well and I think that you'll be very glad you took this route. It is an amazing blessing!
Jackie
WOW! You made me tired! I used to think I was organized and scheduled; however, I've known that I've been slacking for a while, but you just confirmed my fears that maybe I am officially a slacker! You definitely convinced me of one thing though, and that is the fact that I have to get more organized if I have any hopes of homeschooling my oldest in the fall. Hats off to you for being so prepared! Do remember to put some sweet time in there for little Lydia. :) I know all of you are going to be enthralled by her!
This plan sounds great! I have been working on our fall plan too, so I will post that soon. I think it is great to have a plan, yet remain flexible for things that God sends our way (needs of others or whatever it may be). The good news is babies sleep a lot in the beginning, so I am sure your fall will be much easier than mine w/a fast little one year old on the go! Yikes! It sounds like you are doing a great job! I love that you and your husband have prayed and taken time to make sure this is the right decision for your family right now.
Wow! If Jackie still reads your blog - let me know your blog or email because I'd love to ask you some things. I too use the A Beka DVD program since my kids are now on three different grade levels and the control freak I can be, would be looking for the highest cliff!!! It works for us and I just love it. I have heard of all of what you plan to use and have heard many postivie things about Veritas Press. I have their catalog and we get a lot of the readers for supplements. I do know it requires a lot of planning and work (especially as the grades go up) but it sounds like you are the perfect candidate for that especially being a former teacher and w/ your love for unit planning. :)
No doubt once sweet Lydia is here, there will be days where you are saying to yourself - "What was I thinking?!" So, when those days come, make sure to just take the day off and give yourself a break. That's the beauty of homeschooling - the flexibility! I'm excited for you!
I know it's a little late to be chirping in on this one, but I just wanted to let you know I am halfway finished with Veritas Press' kindergarten curriculum with Amabel. I started her ast year, just after she turned four, along with Saxon 1 for math just to get her busy, but I have not been real structured (several weeks on and then several weeks off for the most part). I have no teaching training, background, etc. as you do so I have nothing to compare it with. I like a lot of things about it, but I also think it still needs to be adapted for home a little more (it's supposed to be for school or home, but I think there are still a few too many worksheets etc. for the one on one environmnet). It is certainly thorough, and beautiful, I just find myself skipping a lot. This sounds negative, but I really mean to say I like it. I also REALLY appreciate your putting a daily schedule on here as I am the worst for schedules and have decided school is probably not affordable for Amabel this year. I hope I can just finish the second half of Kindergarten this year and have her ready for first grade next fall when she is six. I will be facing the same new baby situation a month after you so I am aiming small :) I will be intersted to hear reviews on all your curriculum, and will probably use your blog as a "cheat sheet" so make sure you keep us updated on how it's all going!
Kate -- you can get me at an old blog site -- familydaze.blogspot.com I started it LAST YEAR and then found that it was just easier to send a group email to everyone since most of the people I know don't get the whole blog thing yet. : )
Jackie
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