When School Gets Boring

One thing I've been noticing lately...workbooks can be dull. I'm trying to get the kids a good foundation early on, I don't want them to start thinking it's all play and no work. But sometimes, it's just like pulling teeth to get them to sit down and focus on school work. I think we needed a fun break. Luckily for me, there sits my brand new dishwasher box. Now, what is more fun to a kid than a ginormous box?!

So I cut a door in one side, put the bottom on the top to block out the light, grabbed some floor cushions from our reading area and Viola! I'm back to being Fun Mom and not Boring Old School Mom! We all had fun with it. Regan drew pictures inside, so we talked about the nomads and the Egyptians, and how they drew on the cave walls and that's how we know so much about that time. So see, it turned into a school lesson after all!

And even Ricky got in on the lesson!

Nomad Housing

In our history this week, we've learned about nomads and how they moved from place to place and built a home from tree branches and leaves, and that got the kids minds rolling. They wanted to build a nomad hut. Sure, sounds like fun, and since David got a tree-trimmer-on-a-stick-thingie (that's probably not it's technical definition) we've been hacking away at our overgrown trees out front, so we happened to have nomad hut supplies galore.

But, they jumped the gun, and came running inside to tell me that they built their nomad hut, in the back of our fence, which just so happens to be in our not-so-kid-friendly neighbors yard. I let them take some pictures of it, but told them just like the nomads were always on the move, it was time for them to move too, PRONTO! Preferably BEFORE the neighbors got home and found a huge stash of dead tree limbs propped up around their tree.

I hear Regan after she gets it all moved and re-set up in our front yard, "I better make an A on this project!" It was funny, and I'm glad that they enjoyed it so much and learned a lot from history this week. And yes, the hut is still up in the front yard, the neighbors have also enjoyed having a great place to play hide and seek.

Oh, and Regan only wanted her and Riley in the picture, she wasn't too happy that I said our neighbor, Little Tony could be in the picture, and she let it be known. So, we still have to work on our social skills!

Still Swinging

I should say, still trying to get into the swing of things! I originally wanted to do a 4 day work week, I hear this isn't uncommon among HSers. So it's been my goal to get our work done by Friday so we can take off for fun/educational things on Fridays. This week we had a little kink, I had to babysit my 2 nieces, which was fine, but we ended up not doing any work that day. I think the kids are tired of doing workbooks all the time too, so I need to switch some stuff up. Either do some workbooks first, then do something else and come back to it, but I see their eyes glazing over after a while of sitting at the table. The key here is flexibility, right?! But, so far no complaints really, they've been getting their work done, I just think it's going too fast. I keep feeling like I'm forgetting something important, when after 3 hours they're all done, it just seems like it's not enough! They aren't learning enough! But, I think that's also about average, so I need to readjust my thinking on that. I have the list of subjects they need to learn, we have our books, they are learning, I shouldn't worry so much about time and schedules and all that I guess.

We're doing Story of the World vol. 1 and they are really enjoying it. We're studying the Ancients, and right now it's nomads and their lifestyle, so the kids come up with some interesting questions, they want to build a nomadic type house, and eat some weird foods, and all that. I'm glad they are getting into it, and seem to enjoy history as much as I do!

Next week I will have my nephew all week so it will be another lesson in flexibility, we'll see how it goes. He might just get a week of school before school!

Official Start Day

I have been telling the kids that we would start school "officially" the Monday we get back from vacation. The kids went to church camp, David and I went to Vegas, so I felt like it was time to get back in the swing of things. Their old school started last week and they are on the year round schedule and I really want to stick close to that.

My big problem is I still don't have a math curriculum or a grammar curriculum for Riley. Oh well, time to jump in, right?! So it didn't exactly go as I had planned. My plan was somewhat ambitious I guess, I wanted to be up at 8 (which isn't likely to happen after staying up until 1) and have the kids spend a few minutes cleaning up in their room, and then eat breakfast, do our devotional and then start on school.

In actuality, we didn't start until around noon, I passed out the school supplies I bought for the kids, we went over some of the rules, which are basically the same as what they've had in school before, no name calling, no talking while I'm talking, and other than that, I'm pretty flexible. Then I went over the subjects that we'll be doing this year, and let them know if it's too easy or too hard, we can adjust, this is to see where we are. We started off with our Bible Devotional which we all really enjoyed, and they had some things to add that they had learned in church, which makes me think they DO actually listen back there!

I had them each start their Spelling Workout book, chapter one, and they both thought it was super easy, but Regan misspelled one word, and Riley misspelled two, so I think we're okay there. Then I did some grammar work with Regan while Riley worked on some spelling some more, he has twice as many words as Regan so it took him a little longer. We did two lessons in her grammar book because it's a 1st/2nd grade combined book, and I didn't want to start in the middle, so I figured we would double up as much as we can, so she can get a better foundation.

And then I had them each do a few pages in their cursive handwriting books, which they both enjoyed. I know it won't always be this short, easy, or pain free, but for today, I feel like it was a success.

Another thing I did, I got them each a cute mini-notepad, and a pack of smiley face stickers. I told them each time they impress me, either with good behavior or with getting their work done in a timely fashion, I would give them a sticker, they can earn more than one a day, and they won't ever lose any. After one page gets filled (I'm thinking it might take about 15 on Regan's, 20 on Riley's since his notebook was bigger) then they can pick a random toy out of the bag, or a special field trip or treat. I picked up some small items at Target this week too, just for this occasion, so I hope it works. They did pretty good today and they each got one sticker.

And Ricky is our new mascot kitty, he jumped up in the middle of the table and stayed right smack dab in the middle of us until we were all done.

Nerves are Kicking in!

I have decided to start home schooling the first week of August. All of a sudden, I am freaking out. Am I ready? Do I have what I need? Am I *really* going through with this? Sometimes I lay awake at night and worry if I'm making the right decision. My kids don't always get along, are they going to kill each other, or turn on me, while we are "at school"? Lots of questions, no answers until we just jump in.

I have a friend who is also on this journey with me, home schooling different age groups for the first time, and she said she will start with just a couple of basic courses, and slowly add a few in here and there. That sounds like a good plan to me, much better than my original plan, which was to do like I normally do, dive head first without looking! I was thinking we would just do it all from day one, but now I'm rethinking my strategy.

I still need a grammar course for Riley, and I haven't ordered Math yet, but at least with that one, I KNOW which one I'm getting. The grammar, I have no clue. I am thinking I need to make a trip to the bookstore with notebook in hand and find some recommendations. But, I have enough here to keep us busy for a while, if I do decide to take the baby step approach.

But still, when the kids are out playing (which let's face it, doesn't happen all that often right now since it's been hovering between 105-107 for days) but when the house is quiet, and I have time all to myself, I think, wow, I'm really gonna miss them being in school for 7+ hours a day. But then I remind myself why I'm doing this, I want to be closer to my kids, I want to have more input into their lives, I want to get to know them better, and mold them into the people that I think God wants them to be. Then, who cares about a little peace and quiet, right? I have their futures in my hand. Yikes, scary thought!!

I Just Love My Mailman!

I've been checking the mail everyday as packages are arriving now, and I love it. Sometimes I flip through a book and go, "Holy cow, what did I get myself into?" But for the most part it's so exciting. I didn't order a lot of teacher manuals and I think I'm gonna have to go back and get some, a couple of books I got I really don't know how to go about some things.

And of course, I ordered more goodies. I did get the Mona Brooke's Drawing with Children ($8.95) and the complete set of Mind Benders A1-A4 ($7.00 each book) which will be for Riley's Logic course, I got supplements for History and Science, the Kingfisher Science Encyclopedia ($19.77) and the Usborne Internet-Linked Encyclopedia of World History ($13.59). For music, A Young Person's Guide to Music, recommended by TWTM for classical music ($3.62) and for Riley, Vocabulary from the Classical Roots 5 ($9.50) and a Handwriting Without Tears Cursive for each kid ($6.95 each).

See, I've been on a roll! I can't wait to get started.

I'm kind of looking at this like I do with new recipes. I see one I like, I try it, and follow it to the 'T'. If I don't like it after that, I know if I should 86 it, or just make some changes to it. I am pretty much following what the Well Trained Mind recommends, to the letter of the law! I have never done this before, so I am just following the recipe I have. After a few weeks, we may hate some, we may love some. Then I can make some changes and try other things. But, at least I have a starting off point, and something to make me not feel so overwhelmed. Even if we just did the books I have right now for this next year, I think they will be getting a FAR superior education to what they are currently getting.

And of course, I will be updating our progress along the way!

Purchases!

I can't believe I did it. I have been SO overwhelmed and so nervous that I would buy the wrong curriculum, and for whatever reason, I feel like this will make us quit homeschooling and run back to the charter school with our tail tucked between our legs! But, I bit the bullet and bought some things. I know I want a classical education for the kids. I have the original Well Trained Mind book. I heard it was better because it recommends several different curriculum options, whereas the newer versions of WTM recommend their curriculum. So, armed with that knowledge, I hit up the Amazon marketplace and found a lot of what they recommend in the "new and used" section.

I also used a website called Rainbow Resources, they have a lot of homeschool curriculum and the best prices on new items that I've found so far, and some have pages you can look at, and reviews from other parents.

From Rainbow I purchased The Story of the World, vol. 1 to use with both kids. I got the paperback teacher edition, the activity book (which says I can make copies for other kids, I may do that or order another copy if I feel the need after looking through it more thoroughly) and a packet of tests. I also purchased English From the Roots Up, flash cards. A few of the reviews I found said that you don't really need the books to go with these, the flash card contain almost all of the information found in the book. Again, if I feel the need to get the book after looking at the flash cards, I will.

Then to the Amazon marketplace, where I went a little crazy. But I don't feel bad when I buy something for 5 or 10 bucks, if we use it, great, if not, I'm not going to feel too guilty for spending money on it.

For Riley, going into 5th grade, I got Writing Strands 4 (for $5.87), probably should have gotten 5, but I think a little back-tracking will be good for him. I don't know exactly what level he will in, since he's very advanced in some areas, and right on target in others. Some of this will be trial and error, another reason I hesitate with spending a lot of money on curriculum right now.

I also got G.U.M Level C for Grammar ($4.19 for student and teacher edition), and the Usborne Illustrated Encyclopedia for Natural Science ($7.95) for science, although the more I read the Well Trained Mind, I think that will be more for Regan, and I thought I would be combining science for both kids. Either way, one of them now has a science book.

I also got Spelling Workout B ($3.50) for Regan, and Spelling Workout E ($5.49) for Riley, no teacher manuals because A) I'm a pretty good speller, and B) a few reviews said you don't need them until the upper grades. Not sure if 5th qualifies as an upper grade, so we'll see how it is when it comes in, then I might order it.

And lastly, First Language Lessons for Regan, ($9.88). So, not bad prices, and I got a lot covered. There are still a few more I'm on the fence about. I was looking at Mona Brook's Drawing with Children, I need a cursive handwriting book for Regan, and probably some type of penmanship book for Riley. I'm also thinking about Vocabulary from the Roots Up for Riley. I also need a Logic course for him, WTM recommends Mind Benders and A Case of Red Herrings, so I'm looking into those as well.

But overall I think I'm off to a good start, and not feeling too overwhelmed anymore. I know not all of these will work for us, we might have to switch to something else, but for now, I have a game plan. Now, I need to start working on a daily schedule and see how our plans shape up, and if all I want to do with the kids can be done on a 4 day week like I originally planned. It's certainly a lot of work to get going, but I am already so excited because I really feel like they will be getting a much better education.