Wednesday, July 30, 2008
School Days
This is a very busy time of the year for everyone I know...It is a time of buying school supplies, shopping for school clothes, getting kids signed up for various extra curricular activities, and making sure they are all registered and enrolled in everything they need to be for another year! It is one of my favorite times of the year...not for the typical reason--because the kids are going back to school as some parents would say...but because we are getting all excited about another year of homeschooling! God has definitely given me a heart(the desire is God given-that is for sure) to homeschool my children and we are so blessed by it. Every family has to decide what is best for them...for us, it is all about growing together as a family and learning about how to love God as we work together.
It can be a challenge...and most days it is, but God is good and His grace gets me through difficult days to see the reason to praise Him for what he is doing in our family. I am very thankful for this opportunity, but I do have to pray every day that God would mold me and make me the kind of mother that would honor Him first and benefit my children.
One of the things I like the most about this time of year is buying new books and curriculum for the kids. I love weighing the pros and cons of different things and seeking out what my kids would learn the best with and what would also be fun for them.
So here are our choices for this school year:
I am so excited about the Sing, Spell, Read, and Write! I have a good friend that has used this and I was over at her house recently, so I had to take a look. I have always been interested in this one...mainly because it looks so fun. But, I am not a bells and whistles homeschool mom...I have always had the philosophy that simple is better and we incorporate lots of good literature into everything we do...but, after looking at her Sing, Spell, Read, and Write, I knew this was for Evie! I knew it would be so fun for her! She loves to sing and play games. We have done 3 days of it this week with JH doing it right along with us and WE LOVE IT! It is a perfect fit for us and I think that it will be great! Evie learned to read last year, but I think this 1st grade level will give her a great review and a solid foundation for increasing in her reading ability! JH loves it, too...and these first few weeks we are just reviewing letters, so he is getting a lot out of it.
It can be a challenge...and most days it is, but God is good and His grace gets me through difficult days to see the reason to praise Him for what he is doing in our family. I am very thankful for this opportunity, but I do have to pray every day that God would mold me and make me the kind of mother that would honor Him first and benefit my children.
One of the things I like the most about this time of year is buying new books and curriculum for the kids. I love weighing the pros and cons of different things and seeking out what my kids would learn the best with and what would also be fun for them.
So here are our choices for this school year:
Gracie
1) Saxon Advanced Math with Dive cd rom
2) Apologia Chemistry(finish up from last year, then begin Apologia Physics at semester)
3) A Beka Grammar and Composition
4) Wordly Wise Book 11--(vocabulary development)
5) Rosetta Stone Spanish 3
6) Sonlight British Literature (Core 530)
7) Sonlight History with biographies and historical fictions (Core 300)
8) Sonlight Bible Core 300
Abigail
1) Saxon Algebra 1/2 with Dive cd rom
2) Apologia General Science (finish up from last year and begin Apologia Physical Science at semester)
3) A Beka Grammar and Composition
4) Wordly Wise book 8
5) Sonlight History Core 7
6) Sonlight Readers for Literature Core 7
7) Sonlight Bible Core 7
We may begin Spanish 1 this year with Abigail...or we may wait until next year, it will depend on how hard everything is for her.
Evie
1) Sing, Spell, Read, and Write- Level One- First Grade( I am so excited about this!)
2) Saxon Math 1
3) Letters and Sounds Grade 1 (A Beka) for seat work and also A Reason For Handwriting for extra writing practice using scripture.
4) Various Sonlight books and readers from A Beka, Pathway, etc for lots of reading practice.
5) History for Little Pilgrims- Christian Liberty Press
6) Science...some topical Usborne books and maybe the A Beka 1st grade science book to read aloud...probably later in the year.
7) Bible- Children's Everyday Bible
Jack Henry
1) He will do Sing, Spell, Read, and Write with us in the beginning because we are just reviewing sounds and letters--he loves the songs and games.
2) A Beka Letters and Sounds
3) A Beka Numbers with Button Bear
4) Read lots of books out loud and lots of pasting, coloring, cutting...and PLAYING!
I am so excited about the Sing, Spell, Read, and Write! I have a good friend that has used this and I was over at her house recently, so I had to take a look. I have always been interested in this one...mainly because it looks so fun. But, I am not a bells and whistles homeschool mom...I have always had the philosophy that simple is better and we incorporate lots of good literature into everything we do...but, after looking at her Sing, Spell, Read, and Write, I knew this was for Evie! I knew it would be so fun for her! She loves to sing and play games. We have done 3 days of it this week with JH doing it right along with us and WE LOVE IT! It is a perfect fit for us and I think that it will be great! Evie learned to read last year, but I think this 1st grade level will give her a great review and a solid foundation for increasing in her reading ability! JH loves it, too...and these first few weeks we are just reviewing letters, so he is getting a lot out of it.
I am a stay at home mother to 4. I am very blessed to have a godly husband who loves the Lord and his family. I welcome the days of much needed grace,the times of sweet victories,and the tears of trials,knowing it is all for God's glory. I want my lifesong to sing to Him,the author and finisher of my faith. Soli Deo Gloria--To the Glory of God alone.
15 Comments:
Thanks for showing what you are doing this year. After seeing the Sonlight Bible we are going to try it also.
Thanks for sharing this! This is my first year to homeschool my kids, Madeline is 7 and Jakey is 4! I am excited and nervous! Seeing what you use gives me ideas, I have already bought my books, but I see some that I may use next year...or even this year if what I chose does'nt work out!
blessings!
angela
Yes, it is that time of year! We're also busy, planning our year and schedule (that last part is hard, now with a 2 year old in the mix). We used SSRW with all of our kids, and they LOVED it...you will have such fun! And, we also used History for Little Pilgrims! I really loved that. Blessings on your upcoming year!
It all looks so good. We are also gearing up and getting ready. I'm as excited as the kids are!
Hi me again I can not remember if I read this on your blog or not. Do your girls have a check list on how they dress. A modestley list if so please can I have it Char
Oh, my. I just finished a summer of school yesterday and came to your blog to get a refreshing taste of summer... and you're talking about school! lol. I guess I'll just have to go back and read your previous posts that I've missed this summer!
Char,
yes I do have that on my blog from the Girl Talk book--I'll find it for you...have you been getting my emails?
Kim
Thank you for all the great info!!
Thanks for posting this Kim. I enjoy seeing what you use with your kids each year.
I am looking for something to do with Major this year. He won't officially be in Kindergarten yet, but I just want to make sure he enters K well prepared. The Sing Spell Read and Write Sounds just like the type of thing that he might enjoy. Thanks again! This was so interesting!
I'll have to look at that SSRW, I've never even heard of it before. I already know we're doing SOnlight, with Candian history thrown in. (And French, of course.)
But I am terrified to start. Anthony has already told me I can't start in August, like I usually do, because I will be too stressed out. He's right, unfortunately. I still feel overwhelmed. I'm hoping I feel ready when Sept. hits!
Our curriculum arrived in the mail about two weeks ago and it was like Christmas at our house! We are trying Singapore Math this year and I'm kind of excited about it. We also do Sonlight in history, science and reading/LA but I am very interested in CLP History you showed for Evie. We too use a reason for handwriting. I just love it! Gearing up for a fun year of learning together as a family!
I switched to Sonlight this year, doing Core 1 w/ my 2nd grader (i know a year behind but I discovered it late).
I love seeing how you mix everything. I get to stuck on doing one curriculum and then the kids get bored, so I am mixing it up this year too.
Well, it looks like you have an exciting year ahead of you! Sonlight is great.
Patricia
WE are a homeschool family too!!! You are so right...I have many of the same feelings as you do at this time of year! We have decided upon curriculum as well....and are getting close to beginning our school year too! We usually start after Labor Day, we like to take a vacation in the fall to the beach when it is NOT crowded so we wait until returning from that trip to begin school.
Thank you for sharing your curriculum choices...I have been contemplating Wordly Wise...so now I think I will go ahead with it...Have you ever used Daily Grams...or Easy Grammar plus??
We have used Saxon Math for the past two years....but I am thinking of trying Teaching Texbooks this year. Do you have any thoughts on this curric?
I always love to glean homeschool wisdom from moms who have been homeschooling for a longer period of time than we have. Thank you in advance for any insights and advice you can share!
Have a blessed week!
Denise
Oh, my! Memories, memories...
I homeschooled 3 boys for four years, but the Lord has taken us into different waters since then.
I loved Sing Spell... for my preschooler, and so many of your other titles were ones I used, as well.
I can't remember exactly how I got here... but will be watching as you wait for your daughter.
We are just home from China with our sweet 13-month old.... Hang in there with the wait. This part of the journey is amazing...
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