On Home Schooling

Swimming fun!

I love how, in this picture, you can see their different eye colors :o)



We are a home schooling family. There is something so very satisfying about leading and guiding my children's minds in good wholesome learning experiences. Up until this year, we have used the Abeka curriculum almost solely. But, part of me has longed to embrace more of the beauty of home schooling through utilizing a variety of curriculums. I have been aided and encouraged in this endeavor through reading the book, The Well-Trained Mind, A Guide to Classical Education at Home, by Susan Wise Bauer and Jessie Wise. Good, good reading.

This year I will be formally teaching the three older ones. I will be incorporating Miss Butterbean informally.

Among the third-grade-specific curriculums we will be using - Rod & Staff (Grammar) and Abeka & Calculadder (Math). Also, Tiger Lilly will read through many, many books, chosen from a classical learning site that gives direction concerning grade level book choices. Once, during each nine weeks, she will do a book report on a specified book. She will also be memorizing one poem per each nine weeks. During the last nine weeks, she will be exposed to a brief history of the famous Greek philosophers and poets, Socrates, Plato, Cicero, Homer, and Virgil. She will also read through children's versions of The Illiad and the Odyessy and the Aenied. The motivation for the exposure to the aforesaid readings cooresponds and reinforces what we will be studying in history this year.

Kindergarten-specific curriculums that we are using - Phonics Pathways, Abeka & Explode the Code (Phonics), Abeka (Math) and Abeka (Handwriting). The curriculums I am using for history and science are both classically and creation based. They are also taught in cycles, five years and four years respectively. The company that produces the history program is Veritas Press. We are beginning at the beginning of the cycles, studying The Ancients (Old Testament, Greece and Rome). We will study 32 events from this period. The kids will learn a song that will help cement the events in their minds. We will have readings for each event, along with crafts, mapping activities and a timeline. For science, the program we are using is Apologia Astronomy. Throughout the year we will read about all aspects of astronomy and do a science experiment each week. Wow. I hope I haven't given you a headache reading this, but I am so excited. I have been delving into familiarizing myself with new curriculums and lesson planning.



I hope you and your dear families are doing well. Take care!