This was a long day. The Language Arts book finally came today. To this point we've been reading good literature and having great discussions but hadn't incorporated vocabulary or grammar. Lesson One begins tomorrow in this book.
Love Saxon Math . . easy breezy. History is still a struggle because I'm piecing it together - homemade timeline, DVDs, Internet sites, and biographies of key people. It takes so much time to assemble what I'm going to do that by the time I do it I'm exhausted. I probably need to invest in a turnkey solution. I was thinking about Switched On Schoolhouse for History.
I went to an informational session for Classical Conversations curriculum this evening. It's an interested concept rooted in the Classical Education philosophy.
It's somewhat expensive but it would be a consistent 30 week program that meets several objectives to include positive socialization. The more I look into options and resources the more expensive things seem to get. I'm trying to keep it simple but there is so much to cover.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Week 2, Day 3
Today was a half-day for the younger kids so JW and I worked quickly through Math, discussed our latest literature read Shiloh and watched DVD 1 on the American Revolution. Because history is rather boring for Jasmine the DVDs will be used often to reinforce the lessons. After picking up the girls we had lunch and stayed at the library for the afternoon. JW had research to do for a Science paper and the younger girls took part in a library sponsored craft class.
We've been primarily reading fiction for Language Arts and I have a few nonfiction books lined up for History. The county curriculum suggests various works of literature to be covered in 7th grade to include poetry, short stories, etc. Since we are getting close to black history month I wanted to include works from black writers - Langston Hughes, W.E.B. Dubois, Jean Toomer. I found a lot of their work in one book on the Harlem Renaissance to include their most famous writings. I hope I'm not getting carried away. In planning for lessons I feel like I'm being re-educated. I want to know more about everything I read. I know JW may not share the same excitement and appreciation I have for these "historical" writings but maybe just maybe I'm planting a seed for future interest. Some things just come with time and maturity.
Off to Missionettes . . .
We've been primarily reading fiction for Language Arts and I have a few nonfiction books lined up for History. The county curriculum suggests various works of literature to be covered in 7th grade to include poetry, short stories, etc. Since we are getting close to black history month I wanted to include works from black writers - Langston Hughes, W.E.B. Dubois, Jean Toomer. I found a lot of their work in one book on the Harlem Renaissance to include their most famous writings. I hope I'm not getting carried away. In planning for lessons I feel like I'm being re-educated. I want to know more about everything I read. I know JW may not share the same excitement and appreciation I have for these "historical" writings but maybe just maybe I'm planting a seed for future interest. Some things just come with time and maturity.
Off to Missionettes . . .
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Week 2, Day 2
2nd daughter stayed home today with a stomach ache. She was real curious about how homeschool works and hung in the background to observe (as if she had to see if I really knew what I was doing. But today started a little differently than most . . .
Because the kids attend Sunday School and Wednesday night missionettes I don't include a bible curriculum in our studies. However, as a part of a "Read Through the Bible in a Year" sunday school class hubby & I are apart of, we've been doing our daily reading together as a family. This morning started with an impromptu character lesson which I was able to draw upon our daily readings for support. This was totally unplanned as I was helping JW navigate an issue she was having that was causing her a lot of emotional distress. I was holding back my impatience with how much time this talk was taking as I had a lot of academic work to cover. However, I started to realize there was another purpose at work. So many start homeschooling because they want to instill Christian principles and character within their children. This was not the overall reason for my decision to homeschool as I felt these lessons were already being taught even though my children were in traditional schools. However, the 30 minute character lesson was just a teachable moment that made me grateful that I have this opportunity to homeschool. You know there is a place for tradition and doing things the way we've always done it but I am coming to realize that it's so much more important to be doing the will of God for your life.
Why is my youngest at this very moment complaining she doesn't like her school, asking me to homeschool her? She says it's the same routine everyday and the teacher (a temporary sub, as her regular teacher is on maternity leave) teaches the same thing for a long time. She says "I got it already, can we move on."
OMG . . what is going on here?
Because the kids attend Sunday School and Wednesday night missionettes I don't include a bible curriculum in our studies. However, as a part of a "Read Through the Bible in a Year" sunday school class hubby & I are apart of, we've been doing our daily reading together as a family. This morning started with an impromptu character lesson which I was able to draw upon our daily readings for support. This was totally unplanned as I was helping JW navigate an issue she was having that was causing her a lot of emotional distress. I was holding back my impatience with how much time this talk was taking as I had a lot of academic work to cover. However, I started to realize there was another purpose at work. So many start homeschooling because they want to instill Christian principles and character within their children. This was not the overall reason for my decision to homeschool as I felt these lessons were already being taught even though my children were in traditional schools. However, the 30 minute character lesson was just a teachable moment that made me grateful that I have this opportunity to homeschool. You know there is a place for tradition and doing things the way we've always done it but I am coming to realize that it's so much more important to be doing the will of God for your life.
Why is my youngest at this very moment complaining she doesn't like her school, asking me to homeschool her? She says it's the same routine everyday and the teacher (a temporary sub, as her regular teacher is on maternity leave) teaches the same thing for a long time. She says "I got it already, can we move on."
OMG . . what is going on here?
Monday, January 18, 2010
Week 2, Day 1
MLK Day!
To my surprise my kids didn't know much about MLK. My 5th grader didn't even have a discussion about it in school. Are you serious?? The only thing my 3rd grader could remember about her class discussion was Ebenezer Baptist Church.
So the History Channel aired a documentary that we all looked at for an hour. Afterward, I had them write a few sentences about what they learned. Jordan (3rd grader) took it a step further and did a worksheet I provided on describing her personal dreams and the steps she can take toward reaching those dreams.
This exercise really made me realize how much I've taken for granted as a free African-American living in America. So many others paved the way for me to live the life I live. They died and suffered so many injustices so that African-Americans and other racial groups can enjoy the freedoms we now enjoy. I've often wondered if its really beneficial to teach the next generation of the painful American History we all share but the exercise of this morning shed some light on the significance of remembering. Often it's painful and can stir up a lot of emotion but it causes you to remain humble, grateful, and self-aware. I think it also helps to bring more reconciliation and peace between the races when you observe how far we've truly come as a nation.
What an awesome man Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was. He sacrifaced so much personally for the cause. I believe he was doing God's will - a Moses for his people. Today started like any other day. I'm sad to say I had no plans for the observance of the day but I'm so glad we took advantage of the opportunity to teach the children about the significance of Dr. King's life and his ministry to the world.
To my surprise my kids didn't know much about MLK. My 5th grader didn't even have a discussion about it in school. Are you serious?? The only thing my 3rd grader could remember about her class discussion was Ebenezer Baptist Church.
So the History Channel aired a documentary that we all looked at for an hour. Afterward, I had them write a few sentences about what they learned. Jordan (3rd grader) took it a step further and did a worksheet I provided on describing her personal dreams and the steps she can take toward reaching those dreams.
This exercise really made me realize how much I've taken for granted as a free African-American living in America. So many others paved the way for me to live the life I live. They died and suffered so many injustices so that African-Americans and other racial groups can enjoy the freedoms we now enjoy. I've often wondered if its really beneficial to teach the next generation of the painful American History we all share but the exercise of this morning shed some light on the significance of remembering. Often it's painful and can stir up a lot of emotion but it causes you to remain humble, grateful, and self-aware. I think it also helps to bring more reconciliation and peace between the races when you observe how far we've truly come as a nation.
What an awesome man Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was. He sacrifaced so much personally for the cause. I believe he was doing God's will - a Moses for his people. Today started like any other day. I'm sad to say I had no plans for the observance of the day but I'm so glad we took advantage of the opportunity to teach the children about the significance of Dr. King's life and his ministry to the world.
Friday, January 15, 2010
Day 5
The day started with mall walking for about 30 minutes this morning. Then we did 30 minutes of Saxon math. I really like this curriculum - daily math drills, practice tests. I have one more curriculum to buy to guide the language arts lessons. I've decided on Languare Arts through Literature as I like using real books to guide our lessons. I got lesson plans done at the library this afternoon so I feel a little more organized for next week's lessons.
The whole family joined in for some scrapbooking fun during the evening (Art class). Well everybody except hubby. However, I must give him credit for cutting pictures for us.
I think I'm enjoying this.
The whole family joined in for some scrapbooking fun during the evening (Art class). Well everybody except hubby. However, I must give him credit for cutting pictures for us.
I think I'm enjoying this.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Day 4
JW says I'm a good teacher with all my worksheets and stuff. I think its more that I'm an overachiever and want to make sure she gets better than what she's been getting. It feels like a 9-5 job because I'm constantly researching, planning, reading, preparing. I'm sure it won't be as intense when I get my flow going. I didn't have a lot of time to prepare for this either. It just kind of snuck up on me. Is snuck a word?? But there is something to be said about jumping in the deep end of the pool and going for it. I'm putting in the long hours now. By the time I'm ready to start 8th grade (did I really just "say" 8th grade)? I will probably have the first 6 months all planned out.
I took an afternoon sub position today so I have a lot of independent work lined up for JW for the afternoon. This will give me a chance to see if she can stay on track and how she retains information she has to do on her own. To this point we've been reading lessons together and discussing. This approach will be a little different. She has a story map to do on "Second Cousins;" a science lesson to begin in LifePac 3 of Alpha Omega; notes to write from the Animal Classification lesson from yesterday; a computer assignment; and a worksheet on the 13 colonies.
I took an afternoon sub position today so I have a lot of independent work lined up for JW for the afternoon. This will give me a chance to see if she can stay on track and how she retains information she has to do on her own. To this point we've been reading lessons together and discussing. This approach will be a little different. She has a story map to do on "Second Cousins;" a science lesson to begin in LifePac 3 of Alpha Omega; notes to write from the Animal Classification lesson from yesterday; a computer assignment; and a worksheet on the 13 colonies.
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