Friday, August 22, 2014

School at Home

Hello Friends!
We have just finished our first full week of school at home,
and so we are celebrating with a Barbie Mermaid movie, 
(yup, I let them choose their movie to rent from the library today)
and I get to blog!

After many talks, going back and forth on a decision for homeschool vs. public school,
we felt that in light of the many transitions in our life right now,
(we now live in Nana's basement!)
we were going to take a shot at home education.
Little did I know, through my research and meeting other homeschooling moms,
that a passion for teaching my children would be awakened.
I have been reading many books on the matter:


Other resources I have used are www.amblesideonline.org
and simplycharlottemason.com

I was anxious to begin, and we had prepared Nora for the first day of school.
We wanted her to get some of the fun things that go along with 
attending school, so we picked up a first day of school outfit,
let her pick out her own backpack,
and celebrated with ice cream at Sweet Caroline's the night before.


She was excited, I was pumped.
We woke up early and talked through a morning routine,
and stepped outside in the shady morning and took some pictures.
And of course, Cordie needed preschool pictures and a backpack as well!





This week has gone by well,
we have established a good morning routine, 
things we do before we start our day.
We then would work on letters, reading and writing,
followed with stretching time, math and extra study.
I found though that I was saving outdoor explore time for the hottest point of the day,
and this week in Missouri was especially steamy.


So yesterday we mixed up our school day,
and spent the morning at some local waterfalls,
drawing algae and dragonflies,
climbing rocks and throwing rocks in the water.
The girls loved it, and didn't want to leave, they didn't even ask for a playground!


We then spent the afternoon doing our lessons,
and it ended up working out better for Pip too.
I was struggling with giving her attention and trying not to get too frustrated,
while teaching her sisters.
Having lesson time during her nap has been a great change in our schedule.

There are still a few things I will be tweaking as the semester goes on,
 but there having been so many high points this week.


A quick list of things I want to remember:

Nora's face as she sounded out and read the word "little"
Pip's contentment sitting in rocks by the stream
Cordie's laugh when we read fun stories.
Their steady breathing as I read chapters to them.
Nora asking to work on her "sums"
Watercolors as a family


Hope y'all have a splendid weekend!!