A New Year - well a new school year

 

Ok, let me be clear - I do not believe in a zombie apocalypse, this is called humor.  ;)

I can't believe I am about to start my 15th year of homeschooling.  I could write paragraphs upon paragraphs about my "calling" into my homeschool ministry, the good/bad/ugly of my experiences and defend the choice our family has made...but seriously that is so yesterday.  However feel free to e-mail or comment - if you are nice I might respond and if you aren't....

So this year I have 2 students:  Jorie who will be a freshman and Tabitha who is starting kindergarten.  It is an extreme but I think it will be fun and exciting!  I figure just when I am exhausted from discussing ancient times, literature and algebra, I can paste and paint with Tabitha!

So here are the logistics:

Jorie's Curriculum (Freshman)

1.  Tapestry of Grace, Year 1, a study of ancient times from Creation to the Fall of Rome.  This curriculum covers history/geography, english (literature & writing), philosophy, fine arts and government.

2.  Teaching Text Books, Pre-Algebra - it is like have a algebra teacher in the computer. I *heart* Teaching Text Books.

3.  Apologia General Science - a fantastic, Christian/Creation based science curriculum that is written to the students.  We are pretty free-form with science until high school.

4.  Visual Latin - This is new to us.  I actually found them on Facebook.  I will let you know how it works for us after a couple of weeks.

5.  Drama (Elective) - *draws in deep breath*  Yes my children are not always in the house as some would like to believe.  Jorie has been part of a homeschool theater company for years and will continue this year.  Sorry no link for safety issues.

6.  Photography/Yearbook (elective) - for the first time one of my kids will be taking a photography class from me and documenting their year.  Then we will put this together in a hard back book and have it printed.  I haven't decided if this will be an actual credit course or not - we'll have to see how much work and study goes into it.

Freshman Year - 7.75 credits

Tabitha's Curriculum (Kindergarten)

1.  Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons - So easy it is scary. 

2.  Abeka Kindergarten Math

3.  Tapestry of Grace, Year 1 - Tabitha will only participate in the lower grammar read-alouds and art projects.

4.  Usborne Science Activies V.2 - plants & air experiments that are fun for the 5-6 year old

5.  I am also putting together a Calendar Board like this one I found on Mama Jenn's blog.

6.  Lots of pasting, painting, coloring, clay, etc.

7.  Time4Learning - an online teaching tool that will supplement when I am working with Jorie and Tabitha needs "busy work".

We start August 1st - can't wait for the new year!



1 Month of Time4Learning

Well I posted a month ago that we had signed up for a trial with Time4Learning.com.  I am happy to report that this has been a positive experience all the way around.

Not only did Tabitha like it so much that she completed much more than expected, it was so easy to use as the parent/educator.  I simply helped her sign on in the morning and she completed lessons with very little assistance.  She was always excited to show me what she completed and usually requested to do more (not something you hear a lot with school work).

As the parent/teacher, I love that this can be the base of our curriculum or a supplement.  There is so much information on the site for the adults, to help us help the kids.  It is extremely user friendly.

All in all Time4Learning gets 2 thumbs up from us - that is why we are signing on as a regular user today!

Time 4 Learning

I've been invited to try Time4Learning for one month in exchange for a candid review. Time4Learning can be used for homeschool, afterschool and summer skill sharpening. Be sure to come back and read about my experience.

New Curriculum in the House!

We just signed on with Time4Learning today.  As a mom, who has been homeschooling for 16 years, I am not easily impressed.  But after doing several demos with Tabitha today on the website we were ready to sign on.

I love the ease of use, the fun/interactive learning; but most of all I love watching Tabitha work on the lessons!  She had fun in every section and then as a reward she was able to access the "playground" for some fun time too.

I know we'll be using this as a summer bridge program but I see us using it all year long.  It takes a little off my shoulders, she is continuing to learn and the whole time she thinks she is playing a video game. ;) 

TWO THUMBS UP!  Go check them out for yourself - www.Time4Learning.com

It's Fess-Up Friday!!!!

Fess-Up: To recognize, often reluctantly, the reality or truth of: acknowledge, admit, avow, concede, confess, grant, own (up).

Today is sort of a confessional of a Homeschool Mother...10 truths I don't always reveal. :P

10.  My kids have never participated in a spelling bee, geography bee, science fair or the like. 

9.  I do not raise goats, chickens or any other farm animals.  I'm not always sure about the house pets staying. :P

8.  I have done school days in my pajamas (sans a shower) more often than I care to think about.

7.  We school year-round so we can take longer breaks when I'm burnt out.

6.  I do not stand up and teach anything.  It's a HOMEschool so teaching lectures don't really happen.  We tend to gather around the dining room table or scatter to a quiet corner of the house.

5.  I HATE teaching handwriting...there I said it.  If my kids can sign their name in cursive I feel I've done my job.

4.  If you come over to my house without calling first I probably won't let you in...because my house looks like a tornado with a 'tude went through it (twice).

3.  I don't keep a record of grades until high school.  My kids have to do the work over and over and over until they get it right so it would look like they had straight A's.  I have also never taken attendence. :P

2.  I avoid talking about socialization because it makes me want to strangle people.  I know it isn't very Christian or "pc" to say, but that's the truth.  I can't believe people still ask me about that.

1.  I AM NOT PATIENT, OR A SAINT...ASK MY KIDS.  Some days I think I'm 1/2 way to a padded room...somedays I want to be there. :P

A true likeness of me...well it should have red hair.



So there you have it.  I feel purged.  So what are you ready to confess today????