Our Homeschool 2012-2013

I'm not gonna lie. I'm not feeling ready for another year.  Can I be perfectly honest and say that we had a bad year last year?  Gracia was just to the age where she was eating cheerios (and other nasties) off the floor, crawling...and then toddling all around.  (She started walking at 8 months, so I was BUSY chasing her while doing school)  Jeremy was at the age where he wasn't really *doing* school, although he wanted to because he saw Isaac and Chloe with their school.  So, he enjoyed learning how to trace, learning shapes and colors, and he can identify several letters and numbers.

Isaac and Chloe both hated their school last year.  Mostly Isaac had the negative attitude and a lot of that rubbed off on Chloe. I'm sure she would have loved to sit for hours and do her school papers as long as I allowed her to draw her artwork all over the page when she was finished. Sometimes we have time for that, sometimes we didn't.

It wasn't a terrible year, but it wasn't good either.  I felt like I was pulling teeth every time I told the kids it was time to do school.  We all grew frustrated and dreaded doing school.  And I know some of this is normal, but I want my kiddos to be excited about school. I want them to wake up each morning and say, "What are we going to learn about today?!"  Is that too much to ask? Probably.  But I'm trying!

When you have a year like last year, you start to evaluate your curriculum choice, your child's learning style, gender, etc.  Isaac is all boy and hates school. I don't know any boys....I take that back...I know ONE boy who enjoys school....but MOST boys hate school and Isaac fits into that category.  He's brilliant though, I know if he applied himself he would really go places!  I just need to give him something he is interested in.

And so, I bravely stepped out of my "All ABeka" world and started mixing it up.  I found a really great unit study author, Amanda Bennett, you can check her out on facebook if you would like.  She offers TONS of studies either for 1 or 4 weeks.  The kids are going to dive into studies such as Davy Crockett, twisting tornadoes, Astonishing Animals, etc.  And with each study is a lap book.  (Have you heard of those yet?  Wonderful idea using manilla folders)  I'm printing their first weeks lap book stuff right now.  :)  We are starting with Hoppin Popcorn and Creation Camouflage. (A great study about animals that blend in with their surroundings, I can't wait to start!)  I'm hoping by next year I will be writing my own unit studies.

So, we are using her unit studies to learn about science and history as well as holidays.  Amanda Bennett has wonderful studies about the patriotic holidays as well as Valentine's Day, Mother's and Father's  Day, etc.

I am planning to do 2 unit studies at the same time, I don't know if that is too much or not, but I'm gonna find out! With each study comes a trip to the library to gather as many books about the subject as we can.  I'm hoping I don't rack up the late fees!  I barely made it through the summer book reading program with money left over!  I guess I am just helping out with their building fund.  LOL

I am sticking with ABeka for:

Language, includes phonics, reading, spelling, poetry, cursive, etc.
Math
Bible memorization
Am I missing something?  Hmmm....

Anyway, that is how I mixed it up.  I am totally stealing a few ideas from a facebook friend this year.  :)  She has come up with the idea of having an "I wonder" board.  Every time one of us says, "I wonder how..." or "I wonder why..."  etc, we write that question and post it on the "I wonder" board and every time we get a few extra moments, we will look up those answers.  We already have one question:  "I wonder why we celebrate Labor Day."  Good question!

Another idea I am stealing from this friend is for our book reading.  Every time one of us, including Greg!, reads an entire book, we get to pick out a square piece of paper and post it on the wall.  (end to end) Once we make it across the entire wall (it's a long wall and I'm using 6 inch squares) we get a fun family prize.  I don't know what the prize is yet. Perhaps a new wii game, or a fun place to go, etc. The kids are super excited about this!  I think we will all find that Mommy never reads anything.  haha!  I am allowing books of the Bible to count as books read because it's the most important Book of all!  I might get to add some squares afterall!

What about our schedule?  We will plan to start school at 8, take a break at 10, work until lunch.  We'll get going right after lunch again and be done by 3.  I'm allowing all sorts of time for the unit studies because I don't want the kids to feel like I am rushing them through them.  There are tons of websites to play on, tons of books to read.  Lots of lapbooking. I want the kids to really delve into this stuff and spend time exploring.  I want it to be fun, and if they have additional questions, etc. I want them to feel like they have time to search them out.  So more than likely, we will be done sooner than 3pm, but they will know they have all the time in the world if they need it.  :)

I'm also using another friend's idea:  I will *try* to grab a sandwich or something for lunch before the kids eat.  In doing that, I will be able to read to them while they eat their lunch.  I will try to keep these books fun, perhaps a novel that is related to one of our unit studies.

Now, as I mentioned earlier, I am not thrilled about starting school this year.  I am hoping God surprises me and allows us to have our best year yet!  I really feel that Greg and I are called to teach our kids at home and I know my hard work pleases Him.  I'm reminded of the verse, "Whatever your hand finds to to, do it with all your heart."  (Cheri's paraphrase)  And so tomorrow morning at 8, we will begin our school year with the Pledge of Allegiance.  I would appreciate your prayers and encouraging words if you have the time.  :)  And if you are a homeschooling mommy, know that you are in my prayers as well. 

FYI, in case you're wondering:

Isaac is in 4th, Chloe is in 2nd, and Jeremy is doing kindergarten for 4 year olds.  Gracia is going to study how best to distract Mommy and kids from their work.  LOL