Voices from the Past

Oh my word!!! I'm so excited about this new audio book series by Victoria Botkin!

This year as I've been reading historical fiction to the kids, I've also been researching the facts.  And I've been very disappointed with the conflicting information that is available.  I've also been disappointed with my recollection of History.

For instance, I thought we celebrated Columbus Day because Columbus was the first explorer to discover America - North America, that is.

Ohhh, noooo!  He never stepped foot on North American soil.  He landed on the islands south of Florida.  A guy named Leif Ericson actually landed in North America (Newfoundland) about 500 years before Columbus!

And then we discoverd that Columbus and his men captured some of the natives from the islands and took them back to Spain to sell as slaves.

Why in the world are we celebrating this guy?

I also thought the Pilgrims were all Puritans seeking religious freedom and were the first people to colonize in America.  Ohhh, nooooo!  The Pilgrims were made up of Puritans and Strangers or Adventurers.  The Adventurers were in it for the adventure and possible fortune they may gain.  And King James, eager to be rich like Spain and France, sent a group over about 14 years before the Pilgrims.  By the time the Pilgrims got here Jamestown was an established colony going strong.

Anyway...I started thinking, I just want to read actual letters and memoirs of people who were alive during these times. I want actual accounts.

The Botkin Family has compiled letters and eye-witness accounts of people in History and are offering this information in the form of audio books read by Mrs. Botkin titled:

Abigail Adams: Her Letters

The Letterbook of Eliza Lucas Pinckney

An English Family in the American Wilderness

A Bride Goes West

They are offering them in a bundle at an introductory price that is 30% off or individually at 20% off.  You can go here to find out more or here to order.

Schedule

I was talking with a friend about the schedule I posted not too long ago. She said she couldn't figure out how I made it work.  Then she came over and saw this up on the wall in our office/school room:

It' is only for the school hours but it helped her visualize what I was trying to type up.

First Day of School and A New Schedule

Today was our first day of school which means a new daily schedule has begun.  Here is what it looks like:

MWF 5:15 am - I get up to get ready for the gym, includes make-up for the day because I don't need to wash my hair and face when I get home.
6:00 - Arrive at gym
7:00 - Arrive home, shower if necessary, morning chores for kids and me (read Bibles, make beds, clean rooms, get dressed, eat breakfast, me-sort and put in a load of laundry, brush teeth)

T, TH 6:30am - Read Bible
7:00 - Morning chores for the kids and me

Everyday 8:00 - Bible time with the kids (review memory verses, books of the Bible, teach about character qualities)
8:30 - Emma, Gray and Jackson start Math while I work with Charlie and Iris on Phonics and Handwriting
9:00 - I work with E, G, and J on their Math while C and I have free time
9:30 - Emma works on Science, Gray and Jackson do English, I work with Charlie and Iris on Math
10:00 - Smoothie time while I read Biography, Autobiography or Historical Fiction (currently it's The Story of Harriet Tubman - Freedom Train)
10:30 - Emma works on English, Gray does Science, Jackson does his Handwriting/Spelling & Vocabulary/Latin (*see below), Charlie and Iris are free to play while I assist the older three in any area they need help with)
11:00 - Emma and Gray do Handwriting*, Jackson does Science while Charlie and Iris have Quiet Play (picked out by me and easy to clean up)
11:30 - Lunch, Put in another load of laundry, I read Oral Exercises by Abeka and if time more of history or go over memory verses
12:00 - I read our literature book (currently it's Great Illustrated Classics' Around the World in 80 Days)
12:30 - Iris and I nap while the other kids read quietly in school room
1:00 - TV/Snack time, My computer/snack time
2:00 - Afternoon chores; depending on the day it consists of cleaning the house, putting away laundry, or going to the grocery store(Friday)
2:30 - One-on-one time with Mommy; each child is assigned a day of the week and on that day they get to pick whatever they want to play with me while the others have free time
3:00 - Computer time for child whose day of the week it is while rest are free
3:30 - Free time
4:00 - I start to get dinner ready, Put in another load of laundry
5:00 - Dinner, Roddy reads the Bible (currently in 2 Samuel) to us or from the book Radical
6:00 - Clean up dinner - everyone helps/Free/Family time
7:30 - Clean up rooms, Get ready for bed
8:00 - Iris' bed time, Other kids quiet play, Mommy and Daddy time
8:30 - Older kids go to bed
9:30/10:00 Our bed time

*Depending on the day Handwriting can be combined with the kids' Spelling/Vocabulary words or Latin.  Spelling and Vocabulary words are taken from the books we are reading.  We usually have 10-11 and take 2 weeks to learn them well.

Will I Ruin Them For Life?

I'm finally finishing up my series of posts on Homeschooling with this question:

Will I mess them up for life?

What if I don't pick the right math curriculum and they don't learn it the right way?  What if I teach history in the wrong order?  What's the best program to teach them handwriting?  What if they don't write their lowercase "d" correctly?

I actually used to wonder if they would be tested one day on how they wrote their letters.  I thought if they didn't start in the correct spot, even though it ended up looking just like a the letter should that I'd be in trouble.  Yeah, no one's testing them on how they hold their pencil or whether the "d" starts at the top to form the line first or at the middle to start the circle first.

What about writing essays, stories, etc?  And will they really be ready for college?  There are many things to teach and many more questions about this or that curriculum or method.

What I've deduced is that in subjects like history and science their is no right or wrong order.  Up to the ninth grade (when transcripts are required) you can teach those subjects in whatever order you'd like.  How do I know this?  We have a humongous homeschool convention in town every year.  I don't know exactly how many science and history vendors there are, but there are a bunch.  And not one of them teaches their curriculum is in the same order.  Some teach American History then World History.  Others start with Ancient History.  There's no best way because unlike math and reading which build on each other year after year, history and science really can be less of a check off list (and I say this as a mom who loves to check off lists in order!)

Now if you want to feel more secure with what your state guidelines are, you can always go to your county's website and find out the public school standards and teach by those.

As far as stressing out over the best math, after you've consulted several friends and actually looked at what they use, pick one.  If you don't like it at the end of the year, try something else. I had a friend once who spent a whole bunch of money on a math program.  She hated it and ended up feeling like her year was a complete failure because she actually ended up avoiding math.  If you get to that point and it's only halfway through the year, who cares how much it cost change it then.

I will say, however, be careful not to make math that big of a deal. It's just math.  Whatever program you pick will probably be fine if you just stick it out.  Flip-flopping too often can be more of a problem than the actual math curriculum itself.

What it all boils down to is this...education is important but it's not the end of all things.  Love for God and others is.  Character, work ethic, wisdom versus book knowledge, self-control, responsibility, these are important.  Jesus doesn't mention education or wealth as something to strive for.

The problem is trying to keep up with this family or that family.  I recommended these before but want to recommend them again :

They're on sale right now 30% off!

The key to education is not the books or curriculum. It's encouraging a love for learning and consistently working through the subjects day after day.

YOU CAN DO IT!

Am I Qualified?

A few weeks ago, I started a series on homeschooling in hopes that I could answer questions and encourage those who may be thinking about homeschooling.

If you missed it, here are the first three posts:

Homeschooling

The Two Esses

Homeschool Curriculum ~ Where to Begin

Now I want to discuss one of the two most common questions I think new (and maybe even not so new) homeschool moms have:

Am I qualified to teach them?

RC Sproul, Jr. has a great little quiz to answer this first question.  It's the easiest test you'll ever take.  This is a quote from his book, When You Rise Up, which I highly recommend:

"...wait until it is late at night. Then, very quietly, go from room to room in your house. Peek in carefully, and see if you find any sleeping children. Then be sure that these are your own children. If there are wee ones in your home during the wee hours, and if they belong to you, you are competent to homeschool. The true Expert on education is the very One who gave you these children."

Isn't that great!?

Now if that isn't enough and you still wonder how in the world you can teach them all they need to know, let me assuage your fears...YOU CAN'T.  And neither can I.  Victoria Botkin says,

"This is what it means to be an educated person:

Being able to teach yourself whatever you need to know."

So really if you can give your kids a love for learning about God and His world and show them how to learn things on their own, you've done your job.

Okay but you just want to teach them to read and how to add and multiply but don't even know if you can do that.  Well you can.  Here's the deal with the majority of curriculum...it tells you exactly what to say.  People who have been teaching for years, decades, have put together curriculum that tells you just what they would say to their students.

Do you have to have a college degree to homeschool?  Must you know how to do calculus or diagram a sentence?  Nope!  You don't even have to have a GED.  Lots of people have already done the work and know how to teach all that fun stuff.  You just use their wisdom and God's help and you'll all be just fine.

Monday I will answer a question that sounds a lot like the first:

Am I going to completely mess them up for life?

Used Curriculum Sale ~ Like Heaven on Earth

Every year a local homeschool school (I know that doesn't sound right but anyway) puts on a used curriculum sale.  I believe it's got to be the biggest in the state.  They require 125 workers to sign up before they will commit to having it.

The last two years, I was able to work it which means I got to shop Friday afternoon before the mad crowd on Saturday morning.  Then when sellers don't come back for their items Saturday afternoon, we get to go through all of that and take what we want for FREE!

This is what I brought home this year...

These piles...FREEEEEEE!!!

These I paid $68 dollars for. 

That's 78 items including two books that were $5 each.  Most of the rest were $.50 or $1.  Crazy, I know!  Now I just need to figure out where I'm going to put it all.  I'm running out of places for shelves!

All Together!

I had such a great time last weekend at the convention getting to talk to moms and dads in all stages and phases of life.

One mom was telling me how she was going back to homeschooling. I don't remember why but her kids were in school this past year and now she's bringing them back home.

One thing that she was surprised about was how the kids used to get along pretty well before going away to school, but now, they bicker all the time...almost as soon as they get in the car together. She said she thought the time apart would actually encourage them to get along better not the opposite.

I've heard this story before ~ how siblings who were homeschooled then put in school with time apart from each other, segregated by age, actually ended up fighting and being more selfish than when they spent 24 hours a day together!

Last night Roddy and I were putting clothes away in our room while kids had free time before bed. This is where I found them...

All in the boys' room playing something, not necessarily together but together.

They did the same thing this afternoon. I was typing up my inventory of reading books when Gray came in a picked up a book to read, Iris and Charlie started playing a board game and Emma and Jackson started playing chess.

I'm not saying all homeschooled kids always get along and enjoy each other, or that all away-from-home schooled kids don't get along, but I think when you've got more time to practice something, it makes sense that they get better and better at it.

Reb Bradley

This past weekend I was at our state's homeschool convention.  But instead of going to lectures or looking for curriculum, I had the privilege of helping Reb Bradley in his booth!

I get so excited sharing with other parents what this man's ministry has done for our family.  I get even more excited when I think of them getting the information in their homes or churches and knowing it can change their lives as well.

Saturday night after the convention Mr. Bradley stayed the night in our home and Roddy drove him to the airport early the next morning.

Mr. Bradley with the kids...

They were so excited to meet him for the first time and to have him stay with us!  We had a great time.  I loved getting to know him better.  He's quite a hoot!

Wednesday nights, this fall, we'll be faciliting his video series Biblical Insights into Child Training at our church. Any locals interested in coming, let me know.

Homeschool Curriculum - Where to Begin

I love curriculum! During our summer break, I try to get things reorganized that during the school year get out of order.

One of my top priorities so far this summer has been to take the old curriculum off the school shelf and replace it with what I already have for next year whily reorganizing all the curriculum I store for future use. As I was doing this, I decided I needed to type up an inventory sheet of everything I have.  That way when I go to the next used curriculum sale, I won't get duplicates of things.

Well before typing it, I recorded it on notebook paper and kept it in a yellow folder. Every time I passed that folder I got excited. I think partly because I love organizing but also because I really love curriculum! I think it's an extension of my love of books.

Anyway. There is curriculum to fit every style, every family, every child. Some people find the options exciting and some find it overwhelming. I'm probably a little of both. I'm going to link you to a post I wrote at the beginning of our school year detailing what curriculum I have used in the past and what I was planning to use this past year.

I really like what we did this year. Probably my favorite year yet. But I don't think that what I did is the only way to go. This is just the experience that I have to offer.

I suggest finding someone or 2-3 someones who have homeschooled for a while and asking them if you can come over and pick their brains. Look at what they've used and find out what they liked or didn't like about it all. Then pray about it and ask God for wisdom. Ask for your husband's input, too. He is the Principal after all.

Also, I love these cds by Victoria Botkin.

And here is the link to my previous post on curriculum. I hope this is helping someone. If you have more specific questions, please let me know.

Next week, I hope to answer a couple of questions which I believe to be common to all mom's considering homeschooling or in their first year or so of homeschooling. So check back in.

The Two Esses

Pop quiz!  Can you name the #1 question received by homeschool families or those thinking of homeschooling?

If you've homeschooled for even 6 months, you've heard it.  "What about Socialization?"  I have to say that even typing it gets me a little riled up.

The next time someone asks you that, will you ask them exactly what they mean?  Then write it down and send it to me, please.

Because I don't really think they know.  I don't think they've thought about what they are asking. 

Do they think because we stay home for school that we stay home for everything, secluded from everyone? They wouldn't be talking to you if you were.

The reality is there is a stigma, which is hopefully falling by the wayside, of what homeschoolers are like. I'm not even sure what that is, but apparently it has something to do with being socially awkard.  Have you ever met a public or Christian schooled kid who was socially awkard?  Of course, you have.  'Nuff said.

There are so many people making the move to homeschooling that there can be a never-ending list of social activities.  You actually have to be careful to keep yourself at home.  There are co-ops and fieldtrips and one-day-a-week homeschooler schools! 

Here we are on a field trip to a worm farm.  This is maybe a third of the homeschooling families we get to do things like this with.

According to Wikipedia, socialization is this:

...the process of inheriting norms, customs and ideologies.  It may provide the individual with the skills and habits necessary for participating within their own society.

Who do you want teaching your kids what normal should be? Who do you want teaching your kids their ideologies 35 hours a week?

When you keep them home, YOU get to teach them this.  When you send them to school for hours on end, their peers teach them.  Their teachers, who don't love them nearly as much as you do (I don't care how sweet they are), teach them this.  I don't want my kids acting like their peers.  Or probably like their teachers either.

A wise, seasoned homeschooling mama told me that the character issues you want to work on in your children can be addressed quicker and more often when you have them home with you.  You are able to see growth in those areas much sooner than when they are away from you.  When you send them to school, you're constantly retraining what gets undone while they're gone all day.

Just something to think about.

The second "S" question on a lot of people's tongues is, "What about Sports?" 

Really?  I've made it almost 36 years without playing a sport.  I went to public school and wanted to cheer.  But my parents didn't want to spend the money on the uniforms.  I'm pretty sure I'm not scarred for life!  Although I bet there are a bunch of psychologists who'd love to try to prove otherwise.  Worldly wisdom, people! Worldly wisdom.

What is the big push about getting kids into sports these days anyways?  I'm not saying there's anything wrong with sports, but what does it have to do with life?

I had a dad tell me he wanted his sons to play sports because he learned so much from playing when he was a teen.  His coach really taught him a lot.  That's great but that wasn't the coach's job.  It was his parents' job!  And it's not that other adults can never teach our children anything, but we shouldn't relegate the responsibility of teaching sportsmanship, team work, or anything else to anyone else.

God has called us to train up our children. To teach them to love God and love others.  To teach them about God and all that He created.  He created language, math, science, geography.  Who better to relate all of that back to this awesome God than us?

We had a hallelujah service in math class one day!  It was awesome.

But again, there are so many opportunities if you want your kids to play sports.  That question is not even practical any more.  By the way, Upward Sports is a great program if you are interested.

I've got a busy week but hope to get at least one more post in about homeschooling.  I have plenty rolling around in my head.  If you have questions or are just curious about homeschooling, leave me a comment.  I'll be glad to answer them.

Homeschooling

Have you ever considered homeschooling but have a million questions about it?  I hope in the next couple of weeks to tackle some common questions about homeschooling to help you in this monumental decision.

Let me tell you how it started for me.  The area we live in is zoned for a school that we would not send our children to.  So I had always said that if we couldn't get into one of the charter schools near us, I would homeschool. It was a last resort, to be sure.

When Emma was four years old we took a parenting course at church.  At the final class, the teacher brought in her four children for a question and answer time.  We could ask anything we wanted about how they felt about how they were parented.

Up to this point in the course, not a word had been said about homeschooling.  But during the question/answer time, the son made a comment about being homeschooled.  Well that just opened a large can of worms.  The remaining time was filled with mostly questions about that.

I listened.  I also observed.

These were great kids.  They ranged in age from 9 to 21 years.  They were fun, kind, respectful. Modest without being frumpy. And they got it!  They got what the Christian life is about. They got what it means to love God and honor their parents. They also said they loved being homeschooled and would do the same for their kids.

After class I said to Roddy, "Maybe we should homeschool."  My easy-going husband said, "Okay."

So we did.  We just finished our 6th year.

~~~~~
I have often heard people talk about being "called" to homeschool. I'll be honest, I don't think you have to have some Divine calling to homeschool your kids.  I think homeschooling is the right thing to do.  That's why I do it.

My friend asked me just yesterday if I ever think I shouldn't be homeschooling.  No.  There is no doubt for me.

I always see myself homeschooling.  However, I also have learned enough in my short life to know that God can lead us anywhere and to do anything.  So ultimately, I will do what He wants us to do.  But my belief is that if you can, you should.

As for parents who say, "Oh, I could never homeschool my kids," this is what they are really saying...

"I'm too selfish to give up my time and energy when it's much easier to send them off to someone else."

or

"I don't have enough self-discipline, patience, etc. to homeschool."

or

"I haven't trained my children to respect and honor and obey my authority, so they won't listen to me."

Those are not legitimate reasons.  To me, those should be wake-up calls for a mother to get herself on a path of self-discipline, self-sacrifice and to figure out what needs to change in her home and then get serious about making those changes.

Sorry if that sounds a little like a soap box.  You'd be hard pressed to convince me that those beliefs are wrong.

My whole point is this, if you are a mom, you are called to homeschool.  There doesn't need to be some supernatural revelation. 

Do I understand that it is extremely daunting and overwhelming to even consider taking it on?  YES.  I've been there and done that.  That's why I'm going to devote the next couple weeks to answering questions that I hope will help calm some of those fears and relax even the most uptight of mothers ~because I used to be one (okay, sometimes I still am, but I'm getting better!)

So please come back and read more...

And, just so you know...the four kids that we interviewed at the end of the parenting class 6 years ago are still great kids/adults.  Two have graduated from college - The oldest, a girl, is an emergency room nurse, dating a great guy.  The son graduated from the Citidel and is now recently married working at his dad's company. The third, a girl, is in college taking stands all over the place for Jesus.  And the fourth just turned 15 and is still homeschooling. 

Their mom recently shared with me that she wrote each of them letters regarding their God-honoring lives.

And they rise up and call her blessed as well! In fact, so do I and many others as well!

Book It Program

Pizza Hut has this cool little program we've taken advantage of for a couple years now.  It's for kids in kindergarten through sixth grade.  They send you 6 free personal pan pizza tickets per child enrolled.

You and/or your child set reading goals and at the end of each month, they are rewarded for reaching those goals with a free one-topping personal pan pizza.

Go here to enroll.

Hallelujah Service

We had a hallelujah service in school today. It was actually during our math lesson.

You know how each math procedure (+, -, x and division) has a method to check if your answer is right? Like in division you take the quotient and multiply it by the divisor then add any remainders. If the answer to that matches the dividend you did the problem correctly.

Well today in Emma's math lesson she learned how to check addition, multiplication and division problems by casting out nines (9s). When I first read over this back in July I thought, "What in the world!!??" But as I was actually working through it today, I got so excited. I think I need to explain so you'll understand. I'll give you the run down.

Take this simple problem for example:

239 (addend)
+195 (addend)
434 (sum)

1. cross through the nines in each addend.
2. cross out any digits within an addend that add up to 9 (in this case there aren't any but if one of the addends was 635, you'd cross out the 6 and 3).
3. add the numbers left in the addends (in this problem they are 2+3=5, and in the second addend are 1+5=6).
4. add those numbers (5+6=11).
5. add the digits of your answer in line 4. until you have a single digit (1+1=2).
6. now cross out any 9s or digits that add up to 9 in your original sum (434 has no digits that are to be crossed out).
7. add the digits remaining (4+3+4=11).
8. add the digits of your answer in line 7. until you get one digit (1+1=2)

If the answer in line 5. matches your answer in line 8. you did the problem correctly!

This works EVERY SINGLE TIME no matter the problem! Division and Multiplication have one slight change in the procedure and if you really want to know let me know. But isn't that amazing!!!???

Emma was checking problems like:
75,264
87,915
60,352
95,715
+83,972 and 90,673 divided by 83!

The God of this universe is so amazing!! He created math. And only He could have the mind to set so many things in perfect order that you could eliminate nines and check answers!!!

So as I'm bubbling over with enthusiam about this simple but amazing revelation, I had to share with the kids what Roddy read to me last night. It's from the book by Dinesh D'Souza called "What's So Great About Christianity."

"...Kepler's third law (scientific laws are called laws because they can be proven to occur over and over - so this is not a theory or guess here) states that the square of the time of a planet's revolution is proportional to the cube of its mean distance from the sun."

Did you get that? Every planet's cubed mean distance from the sun is proportional to it's revolution time squared!

God did this!! Not chance! Not evolution! Not cosmic chaos! This is perfect order created by a perfect God! Oh my word, I get excited just thinking about it again!

Yea, God!!!!!!!!

Curriculum

I promised to give you a rundown of the curriculum we've used during the last 5 years homeschooling.

Reading/Language/Grammar:

Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons - I'm now using it for the fourth time with Charlie and Iris. Love this book! Requires no prep time. Takes 15-20 minutes max per day. Here's an example of what they are reading by Christmas of their kindergarten year:

"A mouse had a house that shined. Every day, that mouse got a rag and went from room to room. The mouse picked up every bit of dust. The mouse was very proud. 'This is how I like my house.'"

Abeka's Special Sounds
After they learn to read, we use these flashcards to emphasize phonics rules. Also helps with spelling.

Abeka Language
I used their workbooks up until this year. I like them and have nothing bad to say about the curriculum but just wanted to try something new. So this year we're using...

Rod and Staff English
So far the kids and I like this curriculum. It's simple but thorough. Also inexpensive.

Math
Abeka Math
I love Abeka math. I've used it every year except last year (review to follow) and am using it again this year.

Saxon Math
I used this last year because I had heard in later elementary grades to switch from Abeka to Saxon. I liked the setup. I think it was thorough. And I may switch back and forth between Abeka and Saxon.

One thing to note: Saxon is a grade level behind Abeka. Last year Emma used Saxon 65 which is Saxon's 5th grade math. That was equivalent to Abeka's 4th grade math.

Science (Emma, Gray and Jackson together)
I haven't pushed Science that much because I think I don't remember anything I learned in elementary school in those subjects, why stress myself with it too early? So we've just lived science with snakes, frogs, caterpillars ,butterflies, squirrels, chickens, gardening, etc.

As far as books go, this year (and last year) we're using:
Rod and Staff's Patterns of Nature
Abeka's Understanding God's World

History (Emma, Gray and Jackson together)
Last year we used Abeka's Our American Heritage
and read:
"By the Shores of Silver Lake" by Laura Ingalls Wilder
"Stories of the Pilgrims" by Margaret B. Pumphrey,
"Ten Boy Who..." by Irene Howat
Missionary Stories with the Millers
and picked up books at the library on a couple of the Presidents

This year we're reading through biographies and autobiographies on people such as: Anne Frank, Clara Barton, Benjamin Franklin, Martha Washington, George Washington, Daniel Boone, Amelia Earhart, Helen Keller.

Also we'll be reading historical books like Sarah Whitcher's Story, Red Cap, Dear Levi, Lilly's Crossing, The Sign of the Beaver.

Geography is done when we read something and I show them where it is on the map then relate it to something like "That's right next to Uncle Larry and Aunt Kara" or "That's where Meme and Papa are right now."

Literature
That's the fancy word I'm using for the time I spend reading chapter books to the kids. My spelling/vocabulary words are coming from these stories.

Latin
Prima Latina
I scoffed last year when my friend suggested that our kids need to learn Latin. But the curriculum she used is so simple that I'm using it this year. It is supposed to be great for spelling, grammar and vocabulary. We do one lesson twice a week.

Handwriting
I buy pads of paper from Rod and Staff.
For cursive, I use Abeka's writing pads.

First Day and Our Schedule

Well our first day of school went really well! The kids were so excited they started before I even made it in the school room.Of course, my first thought is, "This is not going to work with my new schedule." But I went with it and it turned out fine. We actually finished early even though Bible time went long.

The reason the schedule is important is because of adding Charlie and Iris. I have to work it so the older kids are doing their independent work while I'm working one-on-one with the younger two.

Since Mrs. Jackson had asked about my curriculum and school schedule after this post, I'll go ahead and answer the schedule question now. Curriculum will be another day.

This schedule is new (changes every year) so I haven't work out the kinks yet (changes throughout the year). Here goes anyway...

5:00 - me up and dressed for the gym while listening to sermon on podcast - usually Mark Driscoll
5:30 - quiet time
6:00 - Roddy gets home from gym, I leave for gym; Roddy gets ready for the day and has quiet time
7:00 - *leave gym for home; kids up and start morning chores (by the way, the chore badges were the best idea I've had!)
7:30 - my breakfast & laundry; kids finish morning chores; Roddy leaves for work
8:00 - Bible time (today we set spiritual goals for ourselves, very cool time)
8:30 - Emma's math lesson while Gray and Jay work on math worksheet; then teach the boy's math lesson; Iris and Charlie have free time
9:00 - older kids continue working on math while I teach Charlie and Iris to read and write
9:30 - older kids handwriting; Charlie and Iris math
10:00 - older kids English lesson; younger two free time
10:30 - MWF - Literature (reading classics, asking comprehension questions), Tues - History, Thur - Science; younger two have quiet time in the room with us
11:00 - MWF - Vocab/Spelling, Tues & Thurs - Latin; youngers free then clean up time
11:30 - lunch & laundry
12:00 - read to kids
12:30 - my nap, Iris' nap, MWF - Charlie's nap; older kids read quietly or finish school work
1:00 - snack and tv time; my snack and quiet time
1:30 - my computer time
2:00 - afternoon chores for all
2:30 - one-on-one time with one of the kids; the rest free time
3:00 - computer time for one of the kids; rest free; my project/to-do list time
4:00 - dinner prep & laundry
5:00 - Roddy home, dinner
6:00 - clean up dinner watch Little House as family
7:00 - free, more family time
8:00 - Iris bed, Mommy and Daddy time
8:30 - the rest of the kids in bed
9:00 - my reading/quiet time
9:30 - our bedtime

*I don't go to the gym every day so on those days (like today) I get up at 5:30, get ready, do some exercises, etc.

Well, gotta run! It's 2 o'clock...afternoon chores are waiting :)... But first some pics of our morning:

My ambidextrous daughter coloring with both hands at the same time.

School Starts Soon

We're gearing up for school to start in a little over a week. I like to start early because I like to finish early (first week of May). I've thoroughly enjoyed the summer because I've been able to get a lot of projects done that I am just not motivated to do after schooling in the mornings during the school year. I'm a morning person, so most of my energy and ambition start early and wane as the day goes on.

As much as I've loved the ease of the summer break, I am also really looking forward to school again. I love the routine. I love teaching them (most of the time). I love that, Lord willing, Charlie will learn to read this year. And maybe Iris. I'm going to have her sit with us during his lessons.

I love that I have the freedom to have them home with me. That I don't have to send them off for someone else - who can't possibly love them as much as I do - influence them 8 hours a day.

I love that I don't have to be away from them all day and when they do come home have to fight the battle of untraining all the junk they pick up when they're around other kids hour after hour, day after day.

I love that because I get to spend so much time with them, I get to know them better than anyone else. I don't need someone else to tell me what they're good at or what they are struggling with in school. When they excel, I get to let them soar rather than holding them back with a room full of other kids. And when they struggle, I get to give them the one-on-one attention they need. They don't have to get by because the rest of the class needs to move on.

I love that I get to talk about God all day. That I get to tell them how He is in everything they learn. That He created everything they learn.

I love that I get to socialize them. I think it's funny that the number one question/argument against homeschooling is socialization but in school kids are segregated by age and subjected to bullying and teasing and peer pressure. I'll take teaching my kids how to love God and love others at home with siblings and friends and cousins and grandparents and nursing home residents of all ages over that any day!

Is homeschooling always easy? Absolutely NOT!

Is it worth the sacrifice of "me-time" and projects done to invest my life in theirs? ABSOLUTELY YES!

First Snake of the Season

During lunch the other day I looked out the window and noticed this guy climbing up the ligustrum tree just outside the kitchen window. While he rested across the top of it, Emma distracted him on one side and I grabbed him from the other. He actually tagged my right arm but didn't hold on.

Striking the side of the aquarium that we kept him in for a couple of days... Black racers aren't the most friendly snakes.

Birding Field Trip

A few weeks ago Karen set up a fun field trip/science class for us at Langford Park. We had a lesson on birds and birding before taking a nature walk.










After lunch Karen pulled out some homemade play-doh and the kids got to construct nests.
















Here is Jackson's precise nest...










On the way home I heard a loud noise. I thought it might be one of the tires but when I rolled down the windows to listen, I didn't hear it flopping and the car wasn't riding rough. I pulled off the toll road to look for a gas station (running on empty) and while sitting at the light the tire must have lost all it's air because when the light turned green it felt like the power steering was out. Roddy, my parents and his parents were all out of town. All my friend's hubby's were working so I was stuck. Finally a nice man came to our rescue and put the spare on for me.

Teach Them to Love Reading

When I started homeschooling I had all the same fears as other homeschooling moms...

Am I going to ruin them for life?
Am I doing enough?
What if this isn't the right curriculum?
What if I'm missing something?
Will they do okay in life?
Will they be smart enough?

God has assuaged my fears.

This is my fourth year homeschooling unless you count the year I did soft-school with Emma (3 days a week, simple).

I am not a fluffy homeschool mom. I actually enjoy the basics (unlike some of my friends, whom I won't name...Tiff ;)). So for a time, I struggled with not being the "fun" mom. I'm okay with it now, because I know God made me this way. And I love my friends that are creative and "fun" without jealousy or guilt.

In kindergarten, I teach reading, writing and math. I spend about 45 minutes a day. My philosophy has been, if I can't remember history, science, social studies, or geography from my first couple years of school (or more), then my kids will be okay if I put it off a few years and save myself the stress of adding more to my day. (Disclaimer - This is not a post about not doing the other stuff and I'm not saying you shouldn't do the other stuff. I just chose not to that early.)

By Christmas of their kindergarten year, all three of my school-aged children have been able to read. Because they learn to read so fast, it has fueled their excitement for reading.

Each of them in their first grade year read The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe and Prince Caspian. Emma has actually read through all of the Chronicle books at least twice.Every afternoon, they are required to read for an hour - whatever they pick to read. Emma reads the most because it's just what she loves to do with her spare time. But they all love the fact that they can pick up the Zoobooks magazine and learn about the animals.

What is my point? And get to it, right?!I've been reading Island of the Blue Dolphins to them. In it they talk about pelts. I had no idea what it the world a pelt was. Emma told me it was the otter's skin. I mostly believed her. As I read chapter 10 today, it confirmed it. I said, "Emma, how did you know that?" She said, "Just from reading."

They learn so much just from reading. They know and use words I haven't taught them. They know science facts I haven't taught them.

My point - give your kids a love for reading!

Competency Exam

For those of you who homeschool, have you ever wondered if or worried about being competent for this job? Or if you don't homeschool, have you thought about it but worried that you wouldn't be competent for the job?

RC Sproul Jr. has a quick and easy test for you. It goes like this:

"...wait until it is late at night. Then, very quietly, go from room to room in your house. Peek in carefully, and see if you find any sleeping children. Then be sure that these are your own children. If there are wee ones in your home during the wee hours, and if they belong to you, you are competent to homeschool. The true Expert on education is the very One who gave you these children."