I don't keep a journal, but this journey needs some documentation so I can learn from my own mistakes--and hopefully also a few successes. I enjoy reading homeschooling blogs and learn so much from them. I keep thinking I need to start my own, even if I am the only one learning from it!
So, here goes.
We've been homeschooling a few months now, and I am constantly adapting and adjusting. Here's our curriculum right now.
The kids' universal favorites are history and religion. We are learning about ancient history from Story of the World in history. We've been using the Activity Guide and made a couple of lapbooks (Moses and Greek Mythology, so far). #1 has done some additional reading, worksheets and outlining from other books I have gathered. For religion, we've been studying the Old Testament (correlates quite well with our ancient history study) using Discover the Old Testament.
Science has stagnated a little. We enjoyed learning about our bodies (and supplemented with The Body Book, which was really fun!). But then we came upon the animal kingdom. I don't own a microscope and haven't had to budget to do so, so the Real Science 4 Kids is on hold. It was always intended as a supplement for #1, so I haven't been too worried about it. But then R.E.A.L. Science Odyssey wanted us to dig up worms and it was 20 degrees out. So... We've been doing extra history and I am going to pull out some experiment books so we can just play with random sciencey stuff until it warms up a bit.
We are still using Spelling Power with #1 and 2. I have started some adaptation with 3. My kids are GREAT spellers, and this has been working for us. (Though 2 hates spelling and gets really mad any time he misses words--and the point is to miss several each time or we aren't pushing hard enough. I think he's used to easier lists and is frustrated that he tested straight into a 5th-grade-equivalent level at age 8.)
#1 took some time off from Writing Strands to participate in NaNoWriMo last November. She wrote over 5,400 words, and we revised it a couple of times. I am really proud of her! It turns out she loves writing, particularly poetry. So we've added a few writing for fun kind of projects to her schooling. I am also looking at starting Wordsmith Apprentice, for something a little different. She's almost done with Writing Strands even having taken time off.
2 and 3 are still plugging their way through Writing With Ease. Mostly I am happy with it. They aren't strong writers, and this is good reinforcement and they enjoy the exposure to new stories. But, despite knowing why creative writing isn't being pushed right now, I still want to implement something that gets their creative juices flowing. When #1 was writing her novel, the boys both asked for their own notebooks and started novels of their own. Neither of them made it very far, but it was encouraging to see them interested in writing. I am mulling over some ideas for making "mini offices" and having them do a little writing on their own occasionally.
I have been inconsistently using Winston Grammar for #1 and 2. It's not very writing intensive, which is why I picked it (for 2). I just need to be more consistent and I think I will like it better. For 3 we are using First Language Lessons. It's very repetitive and I find it quite boring. He seems to like it, but we aren't very consistent with that, either. That's one of my goals for this new year...
I also have goals to work more on art, start learning about some classical music, and geography. We'll see how that goes...
The kids have really enjoyed Mindbenders puzzles and are always eager for more. My only complaint with those is that the books are so teeny and cost so much!
My real beef has been math. I was so sure about Saxon! They've been using it all along! How could I go wrong with that?
I HATE SAXON MATH! It's repetitive and boring! The DIVE CD's put us to sleep. It takes so long... (I realize repetitive is good for some people. But my kids don't need the repetition to get it, and it's just become a major down point in our days.)
I don't think any of my kids are excited about math (which isn't a deal-breaker in and of itself), but I found myself unable to completely jump ship after the investment we made... 3 and I work together, so I can adapt the lessons to work for us. #1 is sweet and complacent, so she's trying to make the best of it. But 2 and I butted heads over math EVERY SINGLE DAY. I found myself wanting to bang my head against a wall. Is this what homeschooling is all about???
So I started researching math. (I hadn't done much research to begin with, because I was going with what they knew.) And I decided on Teaching Textbooks (TT). I read a couple of reviews complaining that TT is below grade level. To me that's a concern. In part because I really don't have long term homeschooling plans and I want to leave us the option of going back to school if the need arises. 2 is in 3rd grade, using Saxon 5/4. So I tested him at Math 5 and he passed... We ordered it and he's been doing it the last week and loves it. Granted, he's starting out a new school year (review and usually not difficult), but I was thrilled when he informed me that math is now one of his favorite subjects! #1 and 3 are anxiously asking if they can switch math text books, too. I just hope we can wait it out until we're through the books they have.
(As a disclaimer. I am not a big fan of using the computer to educate my children. I really thought I should be able to do it on my own. But with 3 school age kids and 2 toddlers, I find myself pulled in so many directions all at the same time that I can't pull it off without help! TT does feel a little like a computer game. I wish it didn't. But I think that's what attracts 2 to it. And I just need him to be happy and to learn. So I had to swallow that bitter pill, and I think we are all happy that I finally did!)
We've been using an adaptation of workboxes. The kids each have a cardboard filing box and hanging file folders. It mostly works for us.
Our general schedule has been something like this:
7:30 Get the kids up, eat breakfast, do chores, get dressed.
9:00 Start of school. When the weather was nice, we started with a walk or bike ride around the block. When the weather first got cold, we had some indoor things to do to burns some steam and get us going. Now, we skip this...
9:30 Real start of school. "Workboxes" stagger the subjects so I can, hopefully, work with kids individually as they need me. We have a snack mid-morning, and lunch right after math.
12:30 After lunch, the two littler kids go down for naps, so that's "work together" time for history or science.
We're usually done by 1:30-2, depending on how distracted and hyper everyone has been. That's free play time, until Taekwondo, scouts or any other activity we may have.
Some things I have learned from this. (Well, more from my own laziness, but relating to scheduling.)
We NEED something active first thing in the morning. When I have been distractedly "working" at the computer in the morning, or the baby has slept in, I try to skip this to make up for lost time. We always regret it. And then do it again the next day. (Winter is a beast for this!)
We are all happier if I actually have their file folders filled the night before. Sometimes I think I will just wing it. I have a list of everything that needs to be done. But then a toddler grabs me and the kids get off track and don't know what's next and the whole day collapses in on itself.
I need to pay more attention to what the kids aren't enjoying and why. I like to think they are old enough to be more independent than they are. I am wrong. This is hard, because I don't feel like I have the time to walk them through everything. But sometimes it is necessary.
I need to give more choices. I had my elaborate lapbook plans, and then realized they were really geared toward #1. 2 and 3 weren't really ready for that. We improvised and everyone was happier for it. I know what they are learning. They don't need to do excessive busywork to prove it to me.
And, right now, I am relearning that I shouldn't try to get anything done with a 1-year-old in my lap because it's slow going. And I am going to end up with a whole slew of useless labels because my label-maker was within reach. It seemed like a good idea--his own keyboard! But that power button has a strong pull and he's managed to move faster than I have. Turns out it's pretty intuitive.
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