Homeschooling Questions

Posted by Cindy on September 30, 2011

I’ve seen this meme on several blogs and thought it might be fun to participate.

Homeschooling Questions

1.  One homeschooling book you have enjoyed.

For the Children’s Sake by Susan Schaeffer Macauley

This is truly the main book that shaped my homeschooling style in the very beginning.  I recommend it all the time for those who are interested in a gentle, Charlotte Mason or relaxed style of homeschooling, and those who are frustrated with the “traditional” method.

2.  One resource you wouldn’t be without.

The Internet!

3.  One resource you wish you had never bought.

I don’t like to negatively mention any product.  What doesn’t work for me, will certainly work perfectly for someone else and I wouldn’t want to be a stumbling block by saying the product isn’t worthwhile.  There are several products that haven’t worked in our homeschool, but as I get more experienced with choosing things to meet our needs, I find I make fewer and fewer mistakes.

4.  One resource you enjoyed last year.

Just one???  If I have to narrow it down to just one, I’ll say my county’s extension office and the classes they offered.

5.  One resource you are using this year.

All of the curriculum resources I’m using are listed here.  Two others that are important resources this year = co-op (especially the biology lab) and field trips.

6.  One resource you would like to buy.

I really wish I would’ve purchased Diana Waring’s 2nd set in her History Revealed series: Romans, Reformers and Revolutionaries.  The price scared me off, but now I realize the price is well worth it because the curriculum works perfectly with our style.

Update – A wonderful cyber friend, Melissa, saw this post and sold me the curriculum for a great price.  Joy filled my heart when it arrived in the mail!

7.  One resource you wish existed.

I find myself patching together this and that for character training because I haven’t found anything that works just like I want it to.  Hmmm…Maybe that’s an idea for my next writing project???

8.  One homeschool catalog you enjoy reading.

I love CBD’s homeschooling catalog.

9. Which homeschool subject gives you the most frustration or anxiety?

Writing!  Strange for someone who writes herself, huh?

10. What is your greatest challenge in homeschooling right now?

My greatest challenge is balancing high school, middle school and preschool at the same time.

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I’d love to know if you complete the meme on your blog, too!

2011-12 Curriculum and Schedule

Posted by Cindy on July 29, 2011

High School, Middle School and K4.  Wow.  This year will surely test my homeschooling grit!  (Like the others haven’t, right?)  I’ve finally pinned down curriculum for the year ahead.  We’re all really looking forward to diving into some new materials, as well as some of our comfortable oldies-but goodies.

I’ll get right down to business sharing the main curriculum for each kiddo.  Remember, we NEVER do everything every day!

Mahayla – 9th Grade

Caleb – 6th Grade

Together

Eli – PK/K4

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We’re also jumping back into co-op this year where the kids will enjoy some fantastic classes once a week.  (I’m teaching the logic/critical thinking class and have shared those resources here.)

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Our daily schedule is always subject to change depending on projects, field trips, appointments, etc. – but here’s the tentative weekly schedule.

Schedule – Mahayla

Schedule – Caleb

Schedule – Eli Daily

AM

Primary Arts of Language Games/Worksheets

My Father’s World Science Activities

PM

Math and/or Art Activities

Bible Story and Literature Books

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 Happy 2011-2012!

Favorite Games

Posted by Cindy on November 22, 2010

During my workshops about creative homeschooling and living math, I often talk about incorporating games into the school schedule.  The question that always follows is, “Which games are your top picks for each subject?” So, for the record, I’m posting some of my favorites for various subjects.  Since this is the Christmas gift season, some of these games might be good choices for secretly educational gifts!

You’re gonna think I’ve gone widget crazy!!!! However, this was the simplest and easiest way to put together a post with photos rather than just writing a long and boring list.

I would love to hear about some of your favorite games!  We’re always up for something new!

2010/11 Schedule

Posted by Cindy on November 4, 2010

I promised this ages ago and it took a kick in the tail from Sprittibee to get me moving.  Here’s our general weekly schedule.  It’s just a sketch of what we try to do daily and weekly, but so many other things come up (like field trips, 4-H or orthodontist appts) that the schedule is very loose.  Very loose.

We do most of our Bible, science and history studies together.  You’ll notice I don’t have particular things like writing, art and music in the schedule this year.  That’s because I’m using science and especially history lessons to cover those subjects this year.  For example, at least once a week there is a writing assignment that goes along with the history learning – maybe a research report or historical fiction piece or project.

So, in short, just because it looks like each day’s lessons are rather light, there’s a lot more involved in the history and science subjects than meets the eye.

Since almost everyone asks…We’re TYPICALLY finished with school around lunchtime.  That doesn’t include read-alouds, music lesson practice, nature walks, horse training and the like.  Those are our more casual afternoon activities and aren’t usually “scheduled”.  Not every afternoon is spent doing academic style things either.  We plan most of our appointments and errands during the afternoon, so at least one afternoon a week is eaten up with these things.

When you live and school with the Charlotte Mason/Unit Study styles, a lot can be accomplished in a reasonable amount of time.  My kids are by no means geniuses, but they are very academically capable without having to pour over schoolwork for hours and hours a day.

You can see what curriculum we’re using this year here.

**Editing to add:  My children usually read before they go to bed at night, so reading is not typically part of the “school day”, even thought it’s part of our daily curriculum.

2010/11 Curriculum

Posted by Cindy on July 12, 2010

I love planning and preparing for a new year!  And that’s one of the things I’ve been doing on our lazy (yeah, right!) days of summer break.  After much consideration, here’s the plan – but it comes with pinkies crossed.

Mahayla – 8th Grade

We’re jumping to Algebra 1 a little early.  I have Algebra 1/2 we can fall back on if this gets too tough.

Logic is a very important subject to me!  We’ll get an introduction to formal logic along with continuing logic puzzlers this year.

Our history program below will cover plenty of research & factual types of writing – this will fill in the creative writing gap.

I know the language arts section looks pretty slim.  We’re taking a break from grammar this year, while our history program will include tons of reading, writing and drama.

Other:

• NimbleFingers.com for typing
• Living math lessons
• Classics reading

Caleb – 5th Grade

Saxon – not much more to say!

Both of these are logic puzzlers – and fun!

This is a new-to-me curriculum this year and I’m in love!

I’m beginning with All About Spelling to reinforce some basic phonics rules, then we’ll jump into Spelling Workout.

Caleb worked through much of this last year.  We have about 1/3 of the book to go, then we’ll just use Spelling Workout as handwriting practice.

Other:

• High-interest, often history-related books for reading
• Living math lessons
• NimbleFingers.com for typing

Together

This is an amazing curriculum!!!  It will cover Bible, history, language arts, science, art, music, drama, and so much more!  I *think* most of our art and music studies this year will come only from this study.  (Gasp!)  If I feel like we aren’t diving into art and music enough, I’ll supplement.

Another gasp!  I’m using a full-blown traditional textbook for science this year!  What??  Let’s just say I’m giving this type of learning a shot this year.  If it works, awesome – I won’t have to keep planning my own lessons!  If it doesn’t work, no biggie – we’ll keep on keepin’ on the way we always have.  Caleb will be following along with us on many of these lessons, but I have separate reading and activity plans (following the same subject) on the days when this is information overload.

Well, of course!  A nature study author can’t leave out nature study!

I’m trying a new, informal approach to foreign language this year.  We’re using this program for 5-10 minutes a couple times a week as a fun game/flashcard drill time.

Other:

• Occasional Bible & devotional studies to accompany our Old Testament history program
• Games – board, card & online – for many subjects

Eli – Early PK

We’re going to have a fun time learning the alphabet this year with one letter per week as a theme.  I have each letter planned with fun crafts, activities, experiments and such that will make Eli beg for “school”.

It’s a do-it-yourself curriculum with hodgepodge ideas from every corner of the internet and my brain, so I can’t give you a specific link.  You can check out my preschool links, though, to find many of the sites I visited when planning.  A few of the major items I’ll be pulling from include:

I’ll post a tentative weekly schedule before long.