So far, so good

Well, we are three weeks into the new year and so far it's going well.

M seems to like Connections Academy although it took some getting used to after last year when we pieced his work load together choosing different curriculum's for all subjects. He thinks that he has more work this year which is probably true as we are doing all the every day school work load along with any homework he would bring home *and preparing him for the tests he will be taking this year.

C is still doing some of the same curriculum's that we used last year including; Singapore math, Spelling Workout, Story of the World for history, and I am using the book Creepy Crawlies and the Scientific Method. I also supplement with a math text book and other books. Of course, we read...and read. There is one book that has become my new favorite, 1,000 Questions and Answers. C will read his assigned reading and then I ask him the "quick fire quiz" and I have very pleased that he is showing that he is definitely comprehending what he is reading. Love it!

Another change this year is that we have added a couple classes outside home. M is taking a Logic class and C is taking a Math is Fun! class at a local coop. M chose to take acting class again this year but C wanted to skip it this year, which was fine by me. They are both continuing their karate & guitar classes at a local coop. We love being out and about and so far we have managed to get their work done even with traveling around to these other activities.

Of course, I have noticed that getting back into the "groove" of things is a bit challenging even though we have had a light work load all summer long. C now does about 3-4 hours of work and M is doing 4-6 hours. I have over heard M telling people that ask if he likes this new program and his response has been "It's alot of work, but I do love the sense of accomplishment when it's done." I love that he is becoming self motivated!

Change of plans

Well, I have changed our plans for this year. M will be enrolled in Connections Academy at Houston which is a virtual public school option. I was hesitant to sign him up and approach homeschooling this way but after reading more about it and going to an informational meeting I decided that it would be the best route for us this year. I love the idea of inventing my own lessons, coming up with creative things on my own, and being on a flexible schedule but I think that knowing that he is where he should be and having the support of a teacher is going to make this adventure a little less stressful for me-for now. So, here is to being flexible and not feeling guilty for changing my mind :)

Summertime Schedule

Despite it being Summertime, I am having the boys work a little. I know, I feel evil. Not really. They are both continuing on with Math, we are working about 4 days a week. I also have started them out with Latin. We found this program that is a really fun way to introduce it, it's called Minimus and so far we all love it! Well, I love it, the boys like it. We are doing Latin 2-3 times a week. We are also reading, the libraries' summer reading program is a super motivator especially with Texas Ranger tickets for a prize!

Summer is here, in fact it's just a day old but it has certainly felt like summer for some time here in Texas! I have not been updated this blog for awhile-mostly because we were busy with outside activities, finishing up the 2010-2011 school year, and taking a short family trip. For the past couple weeks I have been feeling the angst rise about 2011-2012 school year. I suppose that I will have to deal with this every summer-trying to reconcile what my goals are, what I did not get to the previous year, and what changes will have to be made for the next one.

I was considering going down the virtual public school option because I felt like maybe it would help me be more accountable, cover more subject, and well...it's free. Here are the reasons I am not going to go that path next year: I feel like it is too much screen time for the boys, I do not want them focused on standardized testing, I pulled them out of ps because I wanted a different educational experience for them, not just different surroundings.

So, I went ahead and purchased and am re-reading The Well Trained Mind by Susan Wise Bauer and Jessie Wise. I love it! I have high hopes about implementing the classical style into our education adventure, although we will probably be making modifications as we go. I am hopeful that this will lead the kids down a path of being confident, effective learners.

Earth Day!

For Earth Day this year we made these cute birdhouses-they were super easy and I think they turned out really cute.  The first thing we did was tie twine around the neck of the bottles (I tied around and knotted then made a big loop and tied around on the opposite side) and then we (I) cut a 1/2 inch hole (a very jagged hole because the plastic was thick on two of the bottles) on one side of the bottle and then on exactly the opposite side (about 1 inch.)  Then, we decorated the bottles, found some sticks to stick through them and filled them with seeds.  We are hoping we will have some visitors soon!

 

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Kimbell Art Museum Family Educator Day

We had a great time at the Kimbell Art Museum, they held their Family Educator Day last month. It was organized, informative and fun for the kiddos. We met in the auditorium and got an overview of the three time periods we would be introduced to: The Renaissance, The Enlightenment, and Modernism. The boys got to make their own time-line with pictures and information on each time period. We then got a tour which highlighted some of the art that represented each of the three time periods. The museum staff & docents were helpful and the program was a good introduction to the time-line of art.

Critter Fest!

Our backyard is full of opportunities for exploring in our natural environment. The good thing about learning at home is that they ample time to explore and learn. They have caught and released many, many little critters including lizards, toads and frogs.