Wow, we do a lot. How could I ever really show it in this blog? We are in a good rhythm here as of late. Fall seems to be saying good-bye and Winter is knocking at the door. We covered the vegetable garden today in anticipation of snow.
Our weeks these days:
Monday: Classical Conversations 9-12. Then HOME. The boys have taken a break from gymnastics class. They wanted to quit, and it was an opportunity to lighten our schedule. I am all for that. They seem to not miss it one bit. There is plenty of tumbling around here to not miss it anyway.
Tuesday: HOME all day.
Wednesday: Will has Lake Farm School. I take him every other week.
Thursday: HOME. Grandma usually comes to visit.
Friday: HOME. In winter we will probably start going to an indoor homeschool recess after lessons.
Lessons these days are moving along. My goal: continue to keep consistent on math, spelling, reading, grammar. Continue CC memorization work. All else is bonus. Bonus includes - reading library books (science and history related based on CC), seasonal crafts (working on leaf spirals and sewing gnomes for the next couple weeks). For Jack - we will soon start his letters a la Waldorf.
My big goal that I need to make a priority: Afternoon "alone" reading time for the boys. Will needs to practice more reading, and I could use a break period.
Will has fitted knitting his scarf from Lake Farm. Its rainbow beautiful! Last week was Martinmas and we had a joyful evening with friends, walking our lanterns in the dark and singing of St. Martin's good deeds. We enjoyed a bon fire at the end of the festivities.
Tomorrow is Tuesdays. I like Tuesdays. Catch up on house cleaning, and hit hard on the lessons. : ) I also vow to be go thru week 9 CC work daily. It would take 20 minutes a day for me to do. Done.
Tomorrow:
Wake up.
Breakfast - First Language Lessons during breakfast. 10 min.
Math 20 min.
Spelling 20 min. (new concept so longer today)
Handwriting (a sentence from FLL) (10 minutes)
Break
CC memory work (25 minutes)
Break
Reading (15 minutes)
Lunch
Alone time reading. (30 minutes and you'd think this was torture)
Work on leaf spirals
This is me becoming all structured and everything. I like it.
Monday, November 16, 2009
Friday, October 9, 2009
Our days fly by. Last week we enjoyed a beautiful Wednesday afternoon celebrating Michelmas at Lake Farm School. The children listened to a story about St. Michael and the kite, made their own bread and butter, made a scarecrow and flew kites. We enjoyed a nice meal with the other LFS families.
I told Will today we are going to start doing lessons in the morning and not drag it out all day. He was agreeable to that. This morning we've already covered Spelling (starting a new program), Handwriting, Grammar, and a bit of Math. They are playing hockey in the garage now and then we are going to introduce the next Math lesson.
CC is going well - very easy to incorporate into our weeks and the kids just love the memorization work. Funny - so opposite of my prior beliefs but its working.
Will is also enjoying writing on his own. He has been writing his own books and its fun to see him try to sound and spell his words.
Jack is working the alphabet. And driving me kind of crazy. Five year olds.
Since the boys made butter last week, we decided to go to Shatto Milk Company in a couple weeks so they can see where their milk comes from... or at least when I am in the mood for buying cows milk. We go back and forth between that and rice milk. lol.
I told Will today we are going to start doing lessons in the morning and not drag it out all day. He was agreeable to that. This morning we've already covered Spelling (starting a new program), Handwriting, Grammar, and a bit of Math. They are playing hockey in the garage now and then we are going to introduce the next Math lesson.
CC is going well - very easy to incorporate into our weeks and the kids just love the memorization work. Funny - so opposite of my prior beliefs but its working.
Will is also enjoying writing on his own. He has been writing his own books and its fun to see him try to sound and spell his words.
Jack is working the alphabet. And driving me kind of crazy. Five year olds.
Since the boys made butter last week, we decided to go to Shatto Milk Company in a couple weeks so they can see where their milk comes from... or at least when I am in the mood for buying cows milk. We go back and forth between that and rice milk. lol.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
A New Routine
We're adjusting to the addition of new commitments to our routine. I pout a little about this but am trying to be gentle with myself and know that now is not the time to judge and analyze if this routine is right, but to just accept it and go with it for awhile. I can re-evaluate at Christmas break.
Our days:
Monday: Classical Conversations from 9-12, then break for lunch and play. 3 PM: Gymnastics
Tuesday: Home ALL day. RCIA for Mom and Dad at night. This is rough - boys don't get to bed until late. Last night it was 10 pm. Way to late for my kids.
Will will do Math, Reading, and Writing. consistently on Tuesdays. There will be review and discussion of CC material. Lots of map and globe perusing. Jack is learning his letters, and practicing writing them. He counts beans or plays in his room while Will does Math. He also is very loud. : ) I ask for patience during Math lessons. I also need to work on firming up more of a routine for this day. I revolt a bit on this. Part of me says just as long as we get it done, the other part stresses about "when" that will be.... if I just could have a set time we would all expect it and get it done.
Wednesday. Lake Farm School for Will. In the morning, before he leaves, I am making sure he finishes up any math that didn't get done on Tuesday so that a new concept can be introduced on Thursday, or more Review pages can be started. This will probably require no more than 10 minutes of his time. I should work to make Tuesday, ,Thurday and Friday mornings feel the same for the boys. Strength in rhythm. Lessons and chores in morning, play after.
Thursday. Math, Reading, Writing. This day will be at home in the morning, with occasional field trips after our lessons are done. This week we are going to the zoo. Evening is Boy Scouts (except no Scouts this week as we have a camping night this weekend).
Friday: Math, Reading, Writing. I have a homeschool calendar off line where I am more specific about our Language Arts focus. I am also looking into a Spelling program. There is a home school recess day that we can go to on Fridays if we want.
My goals for this first quarter:
Continue with Math-U-See program consistently.
Improve Will's reading.
Start a Spelling program.
Stay on track with CC memory work.
I have found that this memory works gives us a jumping off point into all kinds of wonderful subjects. Last week we learned the 5 Kingdoms of Living Things: Animalia, Plantae, Fungi, Protista, and Monera. We talked about each of these, and checked out books at the library. We will have many more discoveries like this thru the quarter because of CC so I feel confident with our Science scope. We are learning the time line of history (at least one version of it). History covered.
We also will be studying the Saints this year. Right now we are reading books about St. Francis. We celebrate Michelmas, and Martinmas with Lake Farm School. We'll be making a Saints book that will include pictures, and narration from the books we read.
And above all of this - is the pure play of two brothers all day long as they journey this age of childhood TOGETHER. Its my greatest joy to watch them play.
Our days:
Monday: Classical Conversations from 9-12, then break for lunch and play. 3 PM: Gymnastics
Tuesday: Home ALL day. RCIA for Mom and Dad at night. This is rough - boys don't get to bed until late. Last night it was 10 pm. Way to late for my kids.
Will will do Math, Reading, and Writing. consistently on Tuesdays. There will be review and discussion of CC material. Lots of map and globe perusing. Jack is learning his letters, and practicing writing them. He counts beans or plays in his room while Will does Math. He also is very loud. : ) I ask for patience during Math lessons. I also need to work on firming up more of a routine for this day. I revolt a bit on this. Part of me says just as long as we get it done, the other part stresses about "when" that will be.... if I just could have a set time we would all expect it and get it done.
Wednesday. Lake Farm School for Will. In the morning, before he leaves, I am making sure he finishes up any math that didn't get done on Tuesday so that a new concept can be introduced on Thursday, or more Review pages can be started. This will probably require no more than 10 minutes of his time. I should work to make Tuesday, ,Thurday and Friday mornings feel the same for the boys. Strength in rhythm. Lessons and chores in morning, play after.
Thursday. Math, Reading, Writing. This day will be at home in the morning, with occasional field trips after our lessons are done. This week we are going to the zoo. Evening is Boy Scouts (except no Scouts this week as we have a camping night this weekend).
Friday: Math, Reading, Writing. I have a homeschool calendar off line where I am more specific about our Language Arts focus. I am also looking into a Spelling program. There is a home school recess day that we can go to on Fridays if we want.
My goals for this first quarter:
Continue with Math-U-See program consistently.
Improve Will's reading.
Start a Spelling program.
Stay on track with CC memory work.
I have found that this memory works gives us a jumping off point into all kinds of wonderful subjects. Last week we learned the 5 Kingdoms of Living Things: Animalia, Plantae, Fungi, Protista, and Monera. We talked about each of these, and checked out books at the library. We will have many more discoveries like this thru the quarter because of CC so I feel confident with our Science scope. We are learning the time line of history (at least one version of it). History covered.
We also will be studying the Saints this year. Right now we are reading books about St. Francis. We celebrate Michelmas, and Martinmas with Lake Farm School. We'll be making a Saints book that will include pictures, and narration from the books we read.
And above all of this - is the pure play of two brothers all day long as they journey this age of childhood TOGETHER. Its my greatest joy to watch them play.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Our Year Begins.
Today is the first day of Lake Farm School. Will attends each Wednesday from 10:30 to 3 pm. They will enjoy a day of music, singing, painting, drama, yoga, games, knitting, and friendship. I pray that Will is nurtured and strengthened this year at school.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Pleasure versus Entertainment
We are enjoying the beauty of the quiet neighborhood. The boys have been soooo adorable my heart aches (in a good way!).
Pleasure is so much more fulfilling than Entertainment - it leads to more noble character traits too. With pleasure, you can take the time to seek the beauty in all you do. You see it, feel it, want it, and desire to give it.
Now off this box and on to more pleasurable explorations.
Monday, August 24, 2009
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Our curriculum this year includes:
Classical Conversations classes each Monday.
Gymnastics classes on Monday.
Lake Farm School Enrichment program on Wednesdays.
Math-U-See Alpha
The Ordinary Parent's Guide to Teaching Reading
First Language Lessons
Handwriting Without Tears
Notevbooks for Language Arts, Science and History.
Cub Scouts
Classical Conversations classes each Monday.
Gymnastics classes on Monday.
Lake Farm School Enrichment program on Wednesdays.
Math-U-See Alpha
The Ordinary Parent's Guide to Teaching Reading
First Language Lessons
Handwriting Without Tears
Notevbooks for Language Arts, Science and History.
Cub Scouts
Organization of A Mind.
Mine.
Will is seven years old and this year I will be following the Missouri State Law requirements for logging and documenting our homeschool journey. http://www.hslda.org/laws/analysis/Missouri.pdf
But this blog is mostly for me. A reminder of all the incredible opportunities we have as homeschoolers; and a picture log of our growth. This is about our family growing and learning together.
Will is seven years old and this year I will be following the Missouri State Law requirements for logging and documenting our homeschool journey. http://www.hslda.org/laws/analysis/Missouri.pdf
But this blog is mostly for me. A reminder of all the incredible opportunities we have as homeschoolers; and a picture log of our growth. This is about our family growing and learning together.
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