Start of summer approaching...

And the "official" start of our homeschool.  I have ordered some additions to our curriculum also.  This summer we will work on math and cursive.  Also, quickly do a run through of first grade phonics.  Emily has just had a HUGE reading leap and is now, at the end of Kindergarten, reading at a second grade level.  I will run through the phonics just to ensure any gaps are covered, and we will begin second grade work in the fall.  She will also continue to read with us and create journal entries.

I have our schedule sort of mapped out loosely, realizing the beauty of homeschool is flexibility.  We are nailing down extracurriculars and overall getting an idea of what life may look like come end of August/early September.  

Looking forward to summer "vacation" and having a more relaxed pace.  The end of the school year and wrapping up of activities has my head spinning!  Travel, fun in the sun, and learning are on the agenda and I can't wait!

Homeschool Unit

Here is what I have settled on.  Basically organized with our curriculum and her art stuff.  Shelving and drawers may shift around based on need, but for now this how it made sense to organize it all.  This is in our dining room, where I think we will do a lot of our work.  Plus it is where it fits :)

Philosophy of Education and Curriculum

So, after all the reading and researching and thinking and observing I have done over the last couple months, here is what I have come up with regarding my philosophy of education:

Educational Philosophy

§  Play is the work of the child

§  A child needs meaningful work to do

§  Learning is Life and occurs ALL the time – not just in a classroom

§  Learning should be joyful and fun

§  Learning requires all 5 senses and many different modalities

§  Child is not an empty vessel to be filled, but one with interests, ideas, personality, etc – and I get a front row seat!!!

§  Trust the child, yet guide when necessary

§  Read real, living, classic books

o   Journal or narrate experience back to me

§  Ungraded curriculum – learn for the sake of knowledge, not for rewards or stickers

o   To develop an internal locus of control and motivation

o   Great work or redo

§  Focused attention and concentration = learning

o   I give her the tools for her to educate herself

§  Free time outside to be in nature and PLAY

o   Foundation of learning is play!

§  Starting with a flexible rhythm and will adjust as necessary

o   Learning and breathing room is necessary for ALL of us!

§  Starting with a boxed set which is in sync with my ideals (based on MANY books read on MANY different philosophies!)

o   Using the best parts of each from all of my reading.

o   Learning year for us – will go from there.

o   My learning too!  Especially over what really delights and interests her.  I am excited to watch her grow and blossom!

§  My style?  A faith-filled Catholic, hands-on, interactive, FUN approach combination of Montessori, Waldorf, Charlotte Mason, and Unschooling. 

o   Also looking into Classical, but so far am satisfied with my research.  Time, and my child, will tell :)

The curriculum I have chosen for us next year is Moving Beyond the Page.  We will use Right Start Math, Catholic Heritage Curriculum Little Stories for Little Folks Phonics (also maybe or instead Alpha-phonics), and the Faith and Life series for our Catholic education.  I am still looking at Art, and really like Artistic Pursuits, but don't want to overwhelm myself, or her.  We also got a Catholic Music Program, Making Music, Praying Twice, to use but will be very casual at first (just listening to the CDs and learning the songs probably!).  We will see how it all works and what we like and want to change if we continue on after first grade.  I unpacked it all and got it (mostly) organized on a specific homeschool unit in our dining room.  While doing so, I felt really excited, totally overwhelmed, and scared out of my mind all at the same time!

Our summer work will include journaling and some reading everyday, and I got the New American Cursive curriculum to work on.  Maybe some phonics and math, but very very low key.  Just enough to get our feet wet and keep those brain juices flowing.  LOTS and LOTS of outside time and play, of course.  After all the research, organizing, and thinking, I am ready to relax!

Lent, Holy Week, and Easter

Remember our Lent Tree?

Here it is after it is completed!  How lovely!

During Holy Week we followed our Bringing Lent to Life book, and on Palm Sunday we lit our Holy Week candle we made.  During the Triduum, we changed our table to reflect, and set aside, each individual day.  We read from the Bible, watched the Jesus Movie (a lovely cartoon that tells of the life of Jesus), Emily went to Good Friday camp while Oliver and I did an ecumenical walk, we did Stations of the Cross at home together, said family rosaries, and read through the Passion.  Lent wasn't perfect (did stay out of the drivethru and even made it to Confession), but overall I felt it ended on a holy note.

Holy Thursday:  Our table had bread and wine, which we passed around and shared.  We read about the Last Supper and Jesus' time in the garden.  Emily wanted to represent Jesus this year, and washed all our feet.

Good Friday:  table in red, crucifix present (one she made at Good Friday Camp).  We read the Passion, and did Stations of the Cross.

Holy Saturday: We waited with joyful hope and prayed and read from the bible.

Easter!  He is Risen!  Alleluia!

The different table clothes, candles, crosses, etc, were a striking visual to bring home each day's events, to all hearts, young and a little older :)

Teacher's Prayer

Saw this on a prayer card and think it is perfect!

Teacher’s Prayer

I want to teach my students how

To live this life on Earth

To face its struggles and its strife

And improve their worth.

Not just the lesson in a book

Or how the rivers flow,

But how to choose the proper path

Wherever they may go.

To understand Eternal Truth

And know the right from wrong,

And gather all the beauty of

A flower and a song.

For if I help the world to grow

In wisdom and in grace,

Then I shall feel if I have won

And I have filled my place.

And so I ask your guidance, God,

That I may do my part

For character and confidence

And happiness of heart.

What counts as homeschooling?

What counts as homeschooling?

A great article.  My favorite line: 

"We shouldn’t be teaching to the test; we should be teaching to the mind, to the heart, and to the soul.

Because that is what truly counts."

Candle-Making

I bought a couple sets of the make your own beeswax candlestick sets for our Christmas craft this year.  We worked on them over Thanksgiving weekend, but ended up loving them so much, we found a new craft to do for our families :)  As you can see, we had a lovely time doing this together.



 

 

 

 

 

Fast forward to February, and I had pretty much forgotten about the candles.  A certain 5 yr old remembered we still had almost a whole box to make, so we thought of special things that we could do.  And then we got creative.  We first thought of making Holy Week candles and an Easter candle and Emily wanted one for St. Patrick's Day.  Then I made her a special one for her birthday.  We made daddy one, and then she made me mine as I worked on Oliver's.  Then we made birthday candles for the dogs, and she wanted candles to remember her pets who have died (froggy and Sashimi our fish).  We also made one for Vader, her Uncle's cat who passed, and Sunshine, my mom's bird who flew up to heaven.  Not to be left out, we made one for my Sister's cat, Stinkerbelle.  Here she is at the end, proudly showing off our handiwork.  And they all fit so nicely wrapped up in the drawer of my baker's rack for storage.  We had so much fun doing this, especially with celebrations and rememberances in mind.  The candles burn very nicely as well.  We will definitely do this again, and next may try our hand at making our own beeswax jar candles.  Pure beeswax with a cotton wick is the cleanest candle you can burn and smells absolutely divine!  Highly recommend.