Actually, I lied. No one has been asking about homeschooling. I just thought I'd write about it in case you are interested, which I'm sure you are.
Our adventure with homeschooling almost 3 years ago. Our decision to homeschool came through unique circumstances, a major part being we live in a place with very poor educational systems, by US standards. The best schooling available to our kids was in our home! This decision shouldn't be taken lightly. The best advice I can give to parents is to take it one year at a time. It is hard and certainly not easy, but not impossible.
I use a very detailed curriculum and follow a fairly predictable schedule and routine. Schedule and routine are crucial for my sanity. We use Sonlight Curriculum, and have really enjoyed it. We are in school 36 weeks a year and have school four days a week, Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday. On Saturdays and Tuesdays we have language learning. I heart straightforward.
We are incredibly blessed to have a dedicated school room; a room that the kids cannot get into at other times of the day. When they are in there, they are at school. I have my desk, Eden and Isaaq share a large table and Atira has her own little table to work at. Our day starts with a review of our Bible memory verse and sometimes a short devotion. Then its on to history and georgraphy, which includes both Eden and Isaaq. Then science. Following science is 'specials,' which rotate weekly between PE, art, and music. Right around this time our tummies are starting to get a little grumbly and we go get our snacks, sit outside under the shade of our passionfruit vine and I read the kids their read-alouds for the day which they munch on their snacks. Afterwards we head back to the schoolroom for language arts. This is one of two subjects (the other being math) that they do separately. Every day I write one their seatwork assignments on their whiteboards. One works on their seatwork while I work with the other individually, and then they switch. Math is taught in the afternoons by their papa.
And what does Miss Atira and Avram do the whole time? Good question, thanks for asking. Atira joins into whatever Eden and Isaaq are doing whenever it interests her. Or she will work on her daily 'project.' Every month I sit down and plan a daily project for her to work on, based on whatever areas I see she needs a little extra help in. For example, one day her assignment was to cut playdough with scissors. Another day, she got to pick out three pictures and tell me a story using those three pictures. She loves her 'projects'. In the times that she's not working on a project or doing whatever Eden and Isaaq are doing she's working with the various manipulables we have that are geared for preschoolers. Since she doesn't get to play with these items at any other time, these things are special to her, and keep her more than entertained. I am so incredibly grateful for all these things we have that make our school room a really special place.
And oh, Mr. Avram. He is one year old right now and oh so busy. Thankfully about 45 minutes into our school time he is ready for his nap (cue angelic voices rejoicing overhead). When he's not napping he is blissfully removing every single object from our homeschool cupboards or chasing our inflatable globe around the room. One day he got into our sensory box and dumped beans all over the floor. It was thoroughly impressive.
Well, that's it. Our homeschooling adventure in a nutshell. I feel that I should add that I don't feel homeschooling is the best decision for everyone. It's not. People shouldn't decide to homeschool because they think it will be easy. It's been one of the hardest things I've ever done but one that has colored our lives with bright blessings. I'm grateful for our time in our school room.
And... this way whenever you see me talking to myself... I can just say that I'm having a parent/teacher conference.
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