Back to School In Three Parts

We started school on Labor Day.  Jamey was scheduled to work, so it didn't seem like much of a holiday for the rest of us, so we said a prayer (with me on my knees- that was one important prayer) and we jumped right in.  We're almost finished our second week and so far it's going well.  There have been a few tears, but I've also heard, "I love school this year" so it all evens out (thus far).

I want to clear the air a bit before I go on.  I believe that there are pros and cons to both homeschooling and "big school" (as we call it).  Each family has to decide which of the two has the most pros and if that choice suits their situation and inclinations. We all have doubts and second guess some of the choices we make for our kids.  It's all part of being a good parent.  Questions cause us to sit back and review the reasons we've made the decision we went with.  They can remind us of why we've chosen to be where we are and they can affirm our choices.  If we didn't care, we wouldn't question, but that doesn't mean that if we question we've made a mistake.  

Is anyone still reading this?  Am I making a semblance of sense?  I just want you to know that I really do care about you and don't want anyone to come here and interpret my sharing as anything but that.  I'm just sharing our life.  Your family and life and experiences and choices are just as important.

Now that I've conveyed my deepest thoughts and feelings, I want to do a couple things in this post.  I'm feeling organized at the moment, so we're going to use headings today.

Encouragement

For those of you with younger children who are considering homeschooling, but aren't sure how it works with more than one little children, I want to tell you a couple of things.  Homeschooling starts out slowly.  Around here, public kindergarten is all day, Monday through Friday.  In our experience, homeschooling kindergarten takes one to one and a half hours.  Really, it does.  It took that long when I did it with Sam and it's taking that long this year with Sadie.  First grade takes a little longer and so forth.  I want to tell you this so you don't think starting out is an all day affair.  It begins gradually.

Secondly, there is room for a lot of flexibility.  This year I have a 4th grader, a kindergartener, and a two-year-old.  So who does the school schedule revolve around?  The two year old, of course!  Our morning session coincides with Sesame Street and Sid the Science Kid and our afternoon session with Miriam's nap.  I've found that each year, our days look differently (sometimes they even change mid-year) and that's all right.

What We're Studying

This year, Sam is doing Sonlight Core D + E (Intro to American History) which also includes Bible, reading, geography, art, and language arts.  He's using Sequential Spelling 1, First Language Lessons for the Well-Trained Mind (level 3), Homeschool Saxon Math 5/4, Exploring Creation Zoology III (Land Animals), A Reason for Handwriting D (Cursive) and mandolin lessons with Jamey.

Sadie is doing Sonlight Core A (Intro to the World: Cultures) which also includes Bible, reading, geography, art, and language arts.  She is also using Zaner-Blosser Handwriting K and Horizons Math Kindergarten.

Sam and Sadie do art and science together and they both listen in on each others read alouds.

The Room

It's one of the things I loved most about our house.  Even when Sam was two years old (the year we moved in), I was pretty sure we would decide to homeschool.  A separate room is certainly not necessary to home school, but if you have one, it sure is convenient.

During the summer, it's the "play room" and the school table is folded up and the Foosball table is uncovered and brought in from the shed.

Yes, the lamp is bent (it still works, so it stays) and one of the cabinet doors is broken (and on Jamey's honey-do list). Pin It