WFMW- The first day of homeschool

If you read this blog on a regular basis you know we home school. We love home schooling! This year we got a late start, we started yesterday. I think that things run more smoothly with a schedule. I wanted to share how we are doing things this year with 2 children doing structured schooling and a preschooler. Our day goes like this- 6:00 Wake up get dressed
6:15 Bible study
6:30 wake up the boys
7:00 eat breakfast
7:30 do short Bible story with all 3 kids
7:40 say Pledge of Allegiance
7:45- 8:30 Luke Bible and SS
8:30-9:00 Bo Phonics
9:00 snack time I also read a story during snack time
9:15-9:30 Daisy Preschool work
9:30-10:15 Luke Phonics
10:15-10:45 Bo Math
10:45-11:30 Luke Math


During school time the tv does not come on. I set up learning stations around the house so the children not working can still be learning. At one station we have pattern blocks and pictures laid out. Puzzles at another station. And construction paper with scissors and glue at another station. I will be switching up the items at the stations, some days we will paint while other days we will do play dough.
On Wednesdays we are going to a homeschooling group. We do a 4 day school week with Fridays open for tests.
What works for me is scheduling each minute of our school time, it gives us a guide line and helps me keep organized. What works for you? This week is backwards week for WFMW, so what can I do to improve our school week? I love ideas about school. For more WFMW go to Rocks in my Dryer.

Bo not ready to get up yet

Luke ready for a new year of school

My school boys

Me, the teacher

Bo and I doing his first phonics lesson the letter "L"

How was your weekend

I have been on a bloggy break not due to a fun vacation or a getaway but rather the fact that we took my mom to have her cataract surgery, while we were there Daisy had a major allergic reaction to the antibiotic the Doctor put her on because of her massive tonsillitis and ear infecting.  We had to give her a large dose of benadryl and she is still 3 days later fighting a horrible rash, she itches all over.

We did make it to the boys game yesterday while Daisy was doped up on benadryl.  Luke's team won 4 out of 5 of the scrimmages they played and Bo's team won one lost one and tied one.  

Yesterday was filled with itching and video games, the boys played video games all day while HD and I spent the next EIGHT yes 8 hours clean our children's playroom.  I could not start school with the playroom in mass chaos!  I need order for our school day to run smoothly.

I have neglected the playroom all summer and let the kids have a free for all.  Now in less than 2 weeks we will start our school, Luke in the second grade and Bo will start Kindergarten.

I know some of you home school and have shared with me the curriculum you will be using and I keep forgetting to share ours.

We are using Saxon Phonics for both boys, Saxon Math and manipulative's for both boys, Luke will be doing Bible and Social Studies by Alpha and Omega publications and I will do a Creationist Science curriculum by Apologia for both boys.

I am thinking about doing a Geography curriculum by Kreative Simplicity.  While we do school Daisy will be doing learning games.  I have found the most wonderful puzzles by Melissa and David that she loves as well as some wonderful games with pattern blocks for her and for Bo.

So that's what our school curriculum looks like this year.  And we will be joining a home school group that meets on Wednesday's.

Oh and as we woke up this morning Bo called to us crying, he said his throat hurt...  He has a 101.7 degree fever.  His tonsils are huge!  His head hurts. Are you all aware that it's only August, I can't believe this is happening already!

So today we lay around drinking orange juice and watching movies, while Daisy is itching and Bo is burning up.  I hope I really do that you all are having a better weekend than us!

Tomorrows another day!

WFMW- Keeping the kids learning

For this weeks addition of WFMW I wanted to share what we are doing to encourage the kids to keep learning over the summer.  We home school which most of you already know if you read me on a regular basis that is, and we have a pretty hard curriculum but Luke is learning by leaps and bounds and will be entering 2nd grade in the fall.  Bo will start Kindergarten.  We purchased a program called Click N Read, its a really fun phonic program and encourages reading, we have a chore chart and we have the boys do computer time as part of their daily routine.  We have also placed a chart on the refrigerator that is a summer reading goal.  Luke is to read 100 books and when he reaches his goal we will have a pizza party with the friend of his choice.  This has really helped with continuing to read and learn even though we are on summer break.

For other great WFMW ideas head over to Rocks In My Dryer.

No Snow Days for the Homeschooler?

Although it was very icy and snowy today we did school....  Luke has no idea what a snow day is and I have no mind to tell him anytime soon.  I did how ever use the beautiful snow as a pawn to get the best school day in a long time out of him.   I simple let him know that I really wanted to go sledding and that as soon as we were done with all our lessons we could go, let me tell you what that boy can fly through some math when he wants to.

We played outside for about an hour and a half and had a great time!  Daddy had to work...  We always have a good time in the snow with Daddy!

We now rest while the kids are watching old reruns of Scooby Doo.  The dishes are done, we are all full and I plan on sitting right here and surfing the web awhile or at least until Scooby Doo is over.

Homeschool 2008

Did I mention that I resolved not to yell????  So today is day 1 back to school after oh a 3 week Christmas crafting, new toy playing, video gaming, way to much TV watching, brake.

We really did have a wonderful time over the holidays!  

Anyway Luke was all but thrilled about our big back to school bash...  He lost computer time by 10 and then lost TV by 11 it took 45 minutes to read a 5 page book and he cried no less that 5 times.  I on the other hand did not yell not even 1 time I did not threaten or lose my temper (I did grit my teeth twice)!  I prayed alot...  I prayed before we even sat down and I prayed with Luke that he would understand and be blessed with wisdom.

Some days I wonder if it would serve him any good to see what a whole day of school is like?I am no doubt sure if he spent one day in public school it would be a day with a sub and he would get to have recess all day and that would back fire on me big time!  He would lose his mind in a 9 hour day of schooling, he wants to be done with the 3 hour day we have, only after about 45 minutes.  I have decided boys need to play and play some more.  Luke would be happy to play all day.  

He is just such a perfectionist that he hates to read, in some crazy fear of mispronouncing or mistaking a word.  We are nothing but encouraging and supportive, so other than the fact that Daddy is also a perfectionist, I don't know why he worry's so much about reading to me his mama. He is a strong sounder outer (is that a word) he can read any word that follows the rules and he even knows many sight word but for just reading off the cuff he won't even try.   I truly want him to love to read as much as I do.

Homeschooling

Daddy and I after much prayer have decided to file a religious exemption for homeschooling our children...
I have read over several peoples letters and have found some very interesting biblical references as to training(teaching) your children, Deut. 6:5-7 , I know we are to be in constant training of our children. I knew right away that we were able to use many different everyday tasks as a chance for learning. We have so enjoyed homeschooling I realized after only a few short weeks of teaching Luke that I had always thought I was called by God to be a wife and mother but God also called me to teach my children, I guess I have always been their teacher but now I teach school...
I almost felt guilty at first for wanting to file religious exemption, as if I was trying to get out of sending in test, and curriculum approval letters. Daddy and I are very competitive people we love to challenge ourselves and our children so test taking is a big thing here, we take 2 spelling sound tests a week and a review of all material at the end of each week, so no problem I can send in test results. I love our curriculum (saxon math and language) which is also no problem with our school board. So we could easily get approval this way. I after much prayer realize this is not myself trying to get out of anything! This is my reason for homeschooling and it always has been. I do not need and never will need approval for teaching my children about the ONE AND ONLY TRUE LIVING GOD JESUS CHRIST! Public school will not allow any talk of this but they will teach about Darwin and evolution. I have been reading Ann Coulters book -Godless The Church of liberalism- She talks about a school in Mass where children are taught about anal sex, oral sex and asked to practice making orgasm faces - yes you read that right- in public school, oh and this presentation was an aids awareness rally that parents were not made aware of or asked permission for their children for, and this was for 6th-12th graders, schools are also no longer allowed to teach that abstinence is the only way to remain disease free that would discriminate against sexually active teenagers, I was appalled, where do they come up with this stuff? No my children will not be attending public school not now not ever! I have complete confidence in homeschooling and where I fall short as a teacher Daddy fills in the gaps... We are blessed to be in a state that does not have a whole lot of problem with homeschooling now, but I feel confident if we get a democratic president that might change so I will be submitting the letter by the end of the month.