Elementary Grades | 2017-2018 School Year
And the cycle rolls ever on. My middle children are smack in the middle of their elementary years while my older two have moved beyond. The students are the main difference, not the material – they will be doing pretty much what their older brothers did, except more consistently. Years of experience (i.e. practice) and adding more children increases consistency. We’re continuing our three-year history cycle, continuing Math-U-See, starting Latin for Children with this second round, and counting Morning Time … Read More
Pre-K Homeschool Plans & Priorities | 2017-2018 School Year
This year with my youngest is kind of a kindergarten year, but next year probably will be, too. So I guess that makes it Pre-K. She’ll be 5 in November, and she wants to learn how to read and do “real math.” So, dragging my feet a little, I’ll be incorporating the fifth child into our homeschool routines with her own little 15-20 minute lesson time 3 days a week. Pre-K Homeschool Priorities My rule of thumb for starting young … Read More
Morning Time As Happy Time | 2017-2018 School Year Plans
What is happiness, really? That’s actually a deep philosophical question expounded upon by great minds for millennia. Too often, we think happiness is doing what we want, having no laundry to fold, or eating chocolate. And our kids think happiness is sleeping in, playing computer games, and having no chores. Guess what? We’re both wrong. If that’s your idea of happiness, make sure your goal is not to keep your kids happy. Then again, we can’t say happiness doesn’t matter. … Read More
2017-2018 School Year: Overview
It’s the most wonderful time of the year: Time for school planning! We’ve been off school a month now, and I know what we’ll be doing next year. The books have all arrived, the pieces fit together, and now it’s time to work out the details. What’s New My youngest will be 5 in November, and so she’ll start easing into some school routines besides Morning Time with the family. PreK is pretty casual around here – even when I’ve … Read More
What Worked & What Didn’t for Our Elementary Kids
So in my last post I shared what did and didn’t work for my middle school boys, and today it’s all about my elementary middle kids. This last year I had a precocious (in all but handwriting) first grader and a third grader. Next year will mostly be a continuation, because now on my third and fourth time teaching this age, I have pared down to what matters, figured out what works, and become more consistent. Even so, it’s helpful … Read More
Homeschooling Middle School Boys: What Worked & What Didn’t This Year
When you hop in the driver’s seat, it’s always a good idea to first glance up at the rearview mirror and adjust it. It needs to be at just the right angle so you can see what’s coming up. Yes, you look behind you to see what’s coming. It’s easy to get fixated on the view through the windshield – what’s ahead?! Where should I go? What turn should I take? Is that a red light or a green light? … Read More