Changes for the New Year

After not really blogging for what seems like a LONG time, I feel as if I should come up with something profound.  But when it comes down to it, when I read homeschooling blogs, I don't necessarily look for profound.  I simply enjoy hearing what everyone is doing.  So, if you are looking for words of wit and wisdom read no further.  For the rest of you...


The new year brought some changes to our homeschool.  I LOVE the clean-slate feeling of a new year, and the two weeks we took off for the holidays gave me a chance to re-evaluate the year so far.  Here are a few of the new things we have added to our days:

Draw Write Now Book 1 - This is a BIG hit so far.  Logan was finding handwriting tedious and I was finding that my "homemade" handwriting course was not creating any sort of love for writing in my little boy.  Draw Write Now has changed his outlook.  I only let him work on his creations for 10 minutes a day, three days a week and it always leaves him begging for more time.  The drawing improves his small motor skills and hand-eye coordination.  Logan is also a collector of information and will spend hours tediously copying interesting facts from eyewitness books, etc., so the bits of factual writing in the Draw Write Now book are right down his alley as well.  Big, big hit at our house!

A Reason for Handwriting Book K  - This for my four-year-old who asked me to get her a handwriting book because she wanted to learn how to write her letters.  When I said, no, she was too young for a handwriting curriculum, she said, "Fine! I'll teach myself."  She drummed up a copy of the alphabet, grabbed a dry erase marker, and started copying oddly formed letters onto the kitchen counter.  I gave in.  I like this book for its simple repition and the fact that every other page is a picture to color.  She is happy to do her page a day and has given up on her self-made alphabet lessons.

The Verbal Math Lesson by Michael Levin and Charan Langton - Nancy Bjorkman of a twin-cities area homeschool store suggested this book to me when I decribed Logan's learning style.  I borrowed the book from the library, but will be looking for my own copy soon.  It is perfect for adding to our current math studies and doesn't involve rows of addition and subtraction problems, a sure way to send my worksheet phobic son into the depths of despair.  I like the mental math component of doing things orally and my son loves the snuggle-on-the-couch time.  Again we use the timer.  Ten minutes and then we move on to some paper and pencil math or a math story, game, or activity for another 15 minutes or so.
 
Earlybird Math (Book A) - This for my four-year-old who has insisted that she is old enough to "do school".  I certainly wasn't planning on a math curriculum for her either, but when she started ripping pages out of her brothers The Complete Book of Math for grades 1 and 2, I gave in.

Explode the Code (Book 1) - See a pattern here?  Yep, wasn't going to start it 'til the fall....  We're adding in some BOB books and easy readers because she already knows how to read (how, I have NO idea), so it seems pointless not too.  "I love reading!"  she says almost daily, jumping up and down on the couch with her readers.  Our reading curriculum for her during the first half of the year was an alphabet notebook (homeschoolshare.com) and a book called Wow!  I'm Reading.  Very relaxed and lots of hands-on fun.  I guess it worked.

Human Body Unit - This I am very excited about.  We are using lots of hands-on activities, online and library movies, books, books, books, and a couple of really colorful encyclopedias.  I'll write a seperate post once we get a little further into it.

Under the Tagalong Tree by Gilbert Beers - our newest devotional book.  It is a favorite from my childhood and I love that my kids are enjoying it just as much as I did.  Bible stories and true-to-life adventures of Mini and Maxi Muffins are alternated throughout the book and a few thought-provocing questions at the end of each story give the kids - and me - something to think about and work on throughout the day.

Things we have dropped:  a lot of our extensive, creative, crafty kind of stuff.  I just can't pull off as much with a crawling, climbing baby in the house.  The kids miss it, but I've promised we'll do more in the future.  We've also dumped our "music class", which was a lot of fun, but made Mondays seem a little long.  I just try to keep a variety of music in the CD player and we listen to the Classical Kids CDs which are a music curriculum in and of themselves. 

I've also tried to be intentional about not allowing the school day to go more than two hours, at the most.  And that includes baby interuptions.  My main goals this year are exposure to a variety of ideas and concepts and cultivating a love of learning.  I have found that much more than two hours lends itself to fatigue and dissinterest. 

Writing this bog has made me realize once again what a blessing it is to be able to change things up based on your child's interests and abilities.

Oh, how I love homeschooling!