I love how homeschool allows my daughter to be so creative. Not only does she have a say in what she learns and how, she also extends her learning in her own creative ways. A couple of weeks ago we were learning about birds. She did the work that I had planned and then decided that she wanted to make bird costumes and act out a bird dance show. She even made tickets so we could all come see her show. I was just looking and sadly I didn't get any pictures. I need to become much better at that.
I also love that she can do more or less of what we are working on. She can take the subject and run with it. I asked her last night what she wanted to work specifically on in Science next year since I am looking into curriculum. She thought about it for awhile and then told me that she wanted to dance :)
Homeschooling is about learning. It's about doing what is best for our family. At our house, for the most part it's about being creative and dancing!
Monday, February 11, 2013
Saturday, February 9, 2013
Homeschool Week in Review 2/3-2/9
Homeschool Week in Review 2/3-2/9
It's my first week of linking up to The Homeschool Mother's Journal with iHomeiHomeschool Network.
In my life this week...
I was very thankful that we avoided the stomach bug that everyone else in our extended family suffered from this week.
In our homeschool this week...
My nephew was home all week because of the aformentioned stomach bug. We did miss him, but it was nice to have some one on one time with Ella. We only "did school" Monday through Thursday this week because of the storm that we had coming in on Friday. We talked about Hawaii this week. This included using a coconut cup to enjoy her drink in.
We also talked about animals and their tracks. We did a fun activity where I hid the tracks and the animals that they belong to nearby around the room. She had fun.
My favorite thing this week was...
Having an unexpected date night with my husband.
Things I'm working on...
My blog. It's a long process because I am not tech saavy at all.
Friday, February 8, 2013
Flexibilty
Though there are days where I worry that she isn't learning enough or that she's not "on track", the only thing I am concerned with today that she is able to spend quality time with my mom as she is transitioning into a new home. The flexibility of homeschooling allows me to say, "Yes, she can go with you for two days, actually the weather is going to be bad today just take her today after she is done with her work." It's also a nice feeling to wake up on a "snow day" and not have to stress out about whether we have school or not. I set the schedule. I know what is best for my child. It is so liberating!
I would never discourage someone for sending their child to public or private school. I know that my choice for my child is not the best for everyone. I think that is why I get frustrated when others feel that they need to express their doubts and concern about me homeschooling my child. They know what's best for their family and their child and I know what's best for mine.
I also love the flexibility of being able to homeschool year by year and not have to know what is going to be best for us or our child when she is older. I do not know if we will homeschool through high school. I do not know what God and his time will bring us. I do however know that today I amenjoying the peace that comes with knowing that we are in the right place at the right time in our lives for our family.
I would never discourage someone for sending their child to public or private school. I know that my choice for my child is not the best for everyone. I think that is why I get frustrated when others feel that they need to express their doubts and concern about me homeschooling my child. They know what's best for their family and their child and I know what's best for mine.
I also love the flexibility of being able to homeschool year by year and not have to know what is going to be best for us or our child when she is older. I do not know if we will homeschool through high school. I do not know what God and his time will bring us. I do however know that today I amenjoying the peace that comes with knowing that we are in the right place at the right time in our lives for our family.
Saturday, February 2, 2013
February already?
First of all, does Groundhog Day mess anyone else up? I keep thinking it's the first of the month. So, it is indeed the February already and Ol' Phil says it's going to be an early Spring. Little One seems to think that means that Spring weather starts tomorrow...that would be nice. We got our taxes done tonight which means I need to make some serious decisions about next year because we will be able to pay for curriculum soon :) I am leaning toward My Father's World, sticking with Horizons Math, transitioning toward cursive, and still thinking about Language Arts. I am getting really excited about starting reviews with Mosaic Reviews and am working on a test one right now on a blog planner.
Little One has shown a lot of interest in early American history lately. I kept reading about The Liberty's Kids series and how much other homeschool families love them. We do too now! Little One wants to watch them all the time. It's what she's been asking to watch during her t.v. time. She is a visual learner so I think it is helping her a lot to understand what we have been reading and talking about. She has been merging the videos with what we read in the American Girl Felicity books so she talks about the characters in the show by the corresponding characters in the books' names. It makes me feel like she is really putting it together, in her way.
Little One has shown a lot of interest in early American history lately. I kept reading about The Liberty's Kids series and how much other homeschool families love them. We do too now! Little One wants to watch them all the time. It's what she's been asking to watch during her t.v. time. She is a visual learner so I think it is helping her a lot to understand what we have been reading and talking about. She has been merging the videos with what we read in the American Girl Felicity books so she talks about the characters in the show by the corresponding characters in the books' names. It makes me feel like she is really putting it together, in her way.
Thursday, January 24, 2013
Looking Ahead
I have started the task of looking into curriculum for next year. I guess it should be more of a blessing than a task because it means that we are able to homeschool another year! I am excited to be continuing on this journey, but am a little overwhelmed with the choices that I have to make for next year and the years to come. Since this year was our first year and I decided that I wanted more control over my curriculum, I pulled things together myself. For next year though, I am kisking around the idea of using an all-in-one (except math) literature based curriculum. I think I have it narrowed down to two choices at this point. I am looking at My Father's World Adventures and Trail Guide to Learning's Pathway of Exploration. They are similar in many ways. My Father's World is much more established though and I have been able to read blogs of first hand accounts of how the curriculum is being used in homeschooling families. This has swayed me slightly in that direction, though everything that I have read about Trail Guide to Learning has also been positive. I am going to continue to do research and pray. I will let you know.
Sunday, January 20, 2013
New Year...New Opportunities
I recently found out that I was chosen to be a member of my first review team! It is the Mosaics Review Team and I am honored to be a member of it. I am so excited to see what great things I will be able to review and have the opportunity to share these reviews with other since I always look at reviews that others write so closely.
I am also in the throes of planning curriculum for next year. I am looking for a more inclusive curriculum next year than I am using this year. I am starting to feel more comfortable in my role as a homeschool mom, but I also am feeling more trust in those that have come before me and what they have learned and developed with the knowledge that they have gained.
I am looking forward to being more active on this blog and establishing more readers so I can hopefully help just one person that is embarking on this journey as I did not that long ago myself.
I am also in the throes of planning curriculum for next year. I am looking for a more inclusive curriculum next year than I am using this year. I am starting to feel more comfortable in my role as a homeschool mom, but I also am feeling more trust in those that have come before me and what they have learned and developed with the knowledge that they have gained.
I am looking forward to being more active on this blog and establishing more readers so I can hopefully help just one person that is embarking on this journey as I did not that long ago myself.
Friday, November 2, 2012
Homeschool Thanks Days #1 and #2
On Facebook, I am writing my personal list of things I am thankful for. On here though I thought I would write what I am thankful for specific to homeschooling. Of course this may sometimes involve my family life because it is a big part of our family life, but there are so many things I am thankful for just in that part of my life that it's worth its own list.
Day #1
Yesterday when I was trying to think of some emotional and lofty thing that I was thankful for to dd to the obligatory post on the first day of November the first thing that popped into my head was the library. I know that sounds strange and I did end up talking about how thankful I am for my husband which of course is absolutely true, but our local library has been essential in our homeschooling journey so far. Beyond the basics of read alouds and readers for my daughter, I have also been able to access materials for almost every topic that I've covered so far this year. Our library also has a small section devoted to homeschool resources that can be taken out for as long as they are needed. Books Plus Kits have also provided hours of education and entertainment. These are essentially large upright suitcases on wheels packed full of books and hands on activities related to a certain subject or concept. So far we have used and enjoyed: Weather, Time and Measurement, Dinosaurs, Family Fun, Early Literacy,and Life Science. Each one comes with so many opportunities to learn and have fun! Our library also offers lots of different children activities. So far this year we haven't been able to participate in many because of scheduling conflicts, but we have made Happy Tales twice and it has been a great experience for our daughter. Happy Tales is an hour long activity ran once a week where trained therapy dogs come to the library and children are able to read to them. This has been of immeasurable worth to my daughter as a new reader and a child with a stutter. She has grown so much with the chance to read to a non judgemental, non correcting ear. I am so thankful for this opportunity and have sang the praises of this program to many. We go to our local library at least once a week and I can't say enough how thankful I am for it!
Day #2
So this brings me to what I am thankful for today, speciafically to do with homeschooling. I am simply thankful for the chance, opportunity, and ability to homeschool. I live in New York state and it is not considered one of the easiest states to homeschool in. I knew this going in, but after reading the requirements I knew that it was very doable and that as long as I did what was required of the state I would be fine. I was working full time when my husband and I decided to homeschool, so there was also the fact that we would be losing an income to contend with. God provides! We have had to cut things out and make some decisions, but it has all been worth it to be able to do waht we feel is best for our daughter's education and our family as a whole. I'm not going to say that I'm the best teacher or that I even feel capable some days because that simply wouldn't be true. I do, however feel blessed to be able to be responsible for what my daughter is learning and to know everything that she is being exposed to. She was in public school for two years and while I can't say that there was any single thing that made we say, "we need to get her out of there!" there were a lot of little things that bothered me along with the nagging conviction from God that my husband and I both had since before our daughter was born to homeschool that convinced us we were making the right decision. So, the fact that we have the choice to educate at home, we felt lead to make the choice, and I feel capable of following through with that choice (with God's strength and guidance) is why I am thankful today :)
Day #1
Yesterday when I was trying to think of some emotional and lofty thing that I was thankful for to dd to the obligatory post on the first day of November the first thing that popped into my head was the library. I know that sounds strange and I did end up talking about how thankful I am for my husband which of course is absolutely true, but our local library has been essential in our homeschooling journey so far. Beyond the basics of read alouds and readers for my daughter, I have also been able to access materials for almost every topic that I've covered so far this year. Our library also has a small section devoted to homeschool resources that can be taken out for as long as they are needed. Books Plus Kits have also provided hours of education and entertainment. These are essentially large upright suitcases on wheels packed full of books and hands on activities related to a certain subject or concept. So far we have used and enjoyed: Weather, Time and Measurement, Dinosaurs, Family Fun, Early Literacy,and Life Science. Each one comes with so many opportunities to learn and have fun! Our library also offers lots of different children activities. So far this year we haven't been able to participate in many because of scheduling conflicts, but we have made Happy Tales twice and it has been a great experience for our daughter. Happy Tales is an hour long activity ran once a week where trained therapy dogs come to the library and children are able to read to them. This has been of immeasurable worth to my daughter as a new reader and a child with a stutter. She has grown so much with the chance to read to a non judgemental, non correcting ear. I am so thankful for this opportunity and have sang the praises of this program to many. We go to our local library at least once a week and I can't say enough how thankful I am for it!
Day #2
So this brings me to what I am thankful for today, speciafically to do with homeschooling. I am simply thankful for the chance, opportunity, and ability to homeschool. I live in New York state and it is not considered one of the easiest states to homeschool in. I knew this going in, but after reading the requirements I knew that it was very doable and that as long as I did what was required of the state I would be fine. I was working full time when my husband and I decided to homeschool, so there was also the fact that we would be losing an income to contend with. God provides! We have had to cut things out and make some decisions, but it has all been worth it to be able to do waht we feel is best for our daughter's education and our family as a whole. I'm not going to say that I'm the best teacher or that I even feel capable some days because that simply wouldn't be true. I do, however feel blessed to be able to be responsible for what my daughter is learning and to know everything that she is being exposed to. She was in public school for two years and while I can't say that there was any single thing that made we say, "we need to get her out of there!" there were a lot of little things that bothered me along with the nagging conviction from God that my husband and I both had since before our daughter was born to homeschool that convinced us we were making the right decision. So, the fact that we have the choice to educate at home, we felt lead to make the choice, and I feel capable of following through with that choice (with God's strength and guidance) is why I am thankful today :)
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