Homeschool

We’re a homeschooling family with an eight-year old daughter who is doing mostly third grade work. I love the idea of a Classical Christian Education, but I haven’t been good at adhering to that philosophy. I am a product of public education and that method of teaching is the only method I know. So going against that grain and realizing we’re going to be ok is sometimes tough.

The best thing to do, no matter what style or method of homeschooling you choose is to teach the way your child learns (a good book for this is In Their Own Way by Thomas Armstrong, Ph.D.). I work well getting things done quickly and moving on. My thought is that if I get it done I can move on to things I’d rather be doing. That’s not the philosophy nor the attitude I should be bringing to the table everyday. Is it a wonder why Reagan isn’t enjoying school as much as she could?

Reagan likes to play and experience things. She’s a visual learner as well. I’m realizing that the worksheet and “get it done” method just isn’t giving her the love of learning that I should be fostering in her right now. I’ve also been reading more of Teaching The Trivium by the Bluedorns. I’m being reminded that education for someone as young as Reagan (and I have to keep reminding myself that she is only eight) should be fun while still meaningful. Is it necessary for her to do twelve addition problems, twelve subtraction problems and other sundry math problems each day? Is it necessary for her to be learning what the difference is between igneous and sedimentary rocks when she’s just going to forget that and have to relearn it in a couple of years?

NO! I’ve come to the conclusion that our homeschooling needs to be more about experiencing while learning. For this year we’re going to focus on memorizing facts (consistent with the Grammar Stage of the trivium) but doing it while experiencing the subject she’s memorizing. So, for math, I’m having Reagan “play” with dice. These are math dice with numbers and math signs. She loves rolling the dice and then solving the problems that are rolled. I’m realizing that whatever she doesn’t learn in textbook form right now she’ll just pick up quickly when she’s older because her brain will be ready for it in textbook form then (this is a Bluedorn belief and I think they’re right).

Reagan loved science the first year we incorporated it into schooling, and that is because the very first day we did an experiment with water and food coloring to learn about primary and secondary colors. This has been replaced by computer work and relegating experiments to Fridays when I feel like doing them. This year we are using Apologia Science, the Botany book. It does have reading but it’s more than that. It’s a notebooking series so she gets to draw, caption, do crossword puzzles, make mini books, etc. She also gets to do experiments related to plants. So far she is loving it.

Last year we introduced Latin. I’ve found a curriculum that gently introduces Latin while teaching the basics of English grammar, the seven parts of speech. Does she need to learn about more in depth grammar at 8-9 years old? I doubt it. She’ll get practice in it while writing in different subjects and she won’t even know she’s actually learning.

Writing these things is helping me to actually believe more firmly what I’ve been trying to tell myself. It’s ok to break away from the public school way of doing things! If you’re a homeschooler did you have trouble convincing yourself of that? It’s taken me four years…I pray I’ve learned.
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CURRICULUM and EXTRAS!!

If you have a question about any of the curriculum we’ve used just ask!

Curricula I’ve used:
I’m a curriculum junkie and it’s hard for me to stick with one thing…because the next best thing could be one mouse click away. Cost holds me back somewhat. I do experiment from year to year. We have used

• Abeka,
• Saxon Math,
• Letter of the Week,
• Little Hands to Heaven,
• Alpha Omega (AOP) LifePacs,
• AOP Horizons,
• Singapore Math,
• Explode the Code,
• Tapestry of Grace,
• Power-Glide,
• Le Français Facile
• All About Spelling
• Memoria Press (for Latin, Bible and French)
• Apologia
• …I’m sure I’m missing something…

Here’s what we’re using for the 2010-2011 school year:

• Bible: Memoria Press and AWANA
• History/Literature/Writing/Art: Tapestry of Grace Year 4
• Math: Abeka
• Science: Botany from Apologia Science
• French: Memoria Press (we are working very slowly through this book)
• Latin: Memoria Press’ Latina Christiana
• Art: Art for Kids: Drawing
• Guitar: She is practicing with her daddy
• Spelling/Reading Comprehension: All About Spelling and Spectrum Reading (Grade 4)

Here’s what we used the 2009-2010 school year:

• Bible: Memoria Press and AWANA
• Math: Abeka
• Spelling: All About Spelling
• French: Memoria Press (we worked very slowly through this book and didn’t finish)
• P.E.: Dance class, PE class, playing
• History/Writing/Grammar: Tapestry of Grace Year 3
• Latin: Memoria Press’ Prima Latina

Here’s what we used the 2008-2009 school year:

• Bible: AOP Switched on Schoolhouse (SOS), TOGand AWANA
• Science: AOP SOS
• Math: AOP Horizons
• Spelling/Phonics: All About Spelling (I’m very excited to try this program as it combines spelling and phonics, when they really should never be separated in the first place).
• French: We basically worked through flashcards of nouns and verbs. I used the flashcards from Power-Glide.
• Logic: Critical Thinking‘s Mind Bendersand Building Thinking Skills
• P.E.: Dance class, gymnastics class and playing
• History/Writing/Grammar: Tapestry of Grace Year 2.
• I was going to start Reagan on Latin, but this year is going to be pretty chaotic with our moving situation. Latin can wait. There are still many things to research, like which pronunciation to use!

Here’s what we used the 2007-2008 school year:

• Bible: A mix of AWANA verses, a book from our church to learn about baptism and Tapestry of Grace
• Science: AOP LifePacs (link goes directly to Science section)
• Penmanship: AOP Horizons
• Phonics: AOP Horizons
• Math: AOP Horizons
• Spelling: AOP Horizons
• French: We began with Power-Glide and transitioned to Le Français Facile. I do lots of flash card work with Reagan.
• P.E.: Dance classes and whatever playing she does each day.
• Tapestry of Grace (TOG) Year 1: Very comprehensive! It covers Bible, history, literature, art history, writing, pretty much anything you can think of. In the older levels (dialectic and rhetoric) it will cover government, philosophy, etc. I can’t recommend this program highly enough. If I could only teach from one thing it would be TOG and we’d wing the rest.

SOME OF THE EXTRAS WE USE/HAVE USED

• Donna Young‘s organizational tools. It’s FREE!
• Homeschool Tracker (to replace my Microsoft Office One Note addiction). I use the FREE version!
• HSLDA (Home School Legal Defense Association)
• Trivium Pursuit: A great site to understand and learn about Christian classical education.
• Teaching The Trivium: Christian Homeschooling in a Classical Styleby Harvey & Laurie Bluedorn. This is the book that can be found at the site above.
• Cathy Duffy Reviews: A wonderful resource for comparing 100s of various curricula.
• Homeschool Buyers Co-op: An awesome way to save big bucks on curriculum. And it’s FREE to join! If you want to join let me know. I’ll send you a referral email where I’ll get 20 “SmartPoints” for you joining. SmartPoints help you buy curriculum. For more info on the Co-op read below.

 

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The Homeschool Buyer Co-op is a free homeschooling organization for both new and veteran homeschoolers. Co-op membership is free and confidential, and entitles homeschooling families to discounts from over a hundred educational suppliers. They also sponsor “Group Buys” for curriculum packages that save homerschooling families lots of money. On the site you’ll find lots of free information, such as databases of free curriculum, field trips, and educational contests and scholarships.