In Our Homeschool This Week
Bible - This year we're learning the names of Jesus, i.e. The Bread of Life, The Prince of Peace, The Light of the World, etc.... This week we've looked at Jesus' life, how He was as a child and how He lived, before we go into His names.
History - We've studied about the first permanent settlement in America from England - Captain John Smith and Jamestown. A read aloud to accompany that is the story of a couple of children who lived in Jamestown. Historical fiction. I love it.
Science - We've been learning about how air pushes against everything, complete with a couple of simple experiments, or living illustrations.
Language - Jonathan plucks along in the Abeka 1st grade phonics program. He has learned to read big words, I guess just from sitting in on Adelle's lessons for so long, but I'm going over all this stuff with him to be sure he knows how to sound out words he doesn't know when he gets to them. He rounds that phonics program off with handwriting practice every day.
Adelle uses Language Lessons for Today for 3rd grade, Spelling Power and Cursive Connections. My Father's World curriculum has suggested those study books for 3rd grade language arts.
All the children get plenty of read alouds and Adelle picks her own books to read to me so I can assess her reading progress. I plan to write a post about the curriculum we've chosen for this year.
Music - The children started piano lessons back up this week. They both expressed how much they've missed their piano teacher. I hope we can continue with those lessons, as both of my children have auditioned for choirs and may get to be in them this year.
Art - I am absolutely no good with art. I don't enjoy it, I don't do well planning art lessons or activities. We do frequent the library every week for Story Time and our new librarian (she's the best!) has had a simple craft to go along with the stories. I'm counting that as art for these guys. They also make crafts with Grandma in Sunday School each week. (Thanks Grandma!)
If you've been following my blog posts here, you know that I have taken on two other children to homeschool, 5 yrs old and 2 yrs old. In turn I seriously need to have some kind of plan to the day and organization. So, I've made assignment and chore charts to keep my sanity and the house picked up. Part of that plan is working. The other.... not so much. I have to tweak a bit....
What's Working/Not Working For Us
Working - The assignment chart I made is based on the task cards system over at The Unlikely Homeschool. Her system is based on Sue Patrick's workbox system that I've seen on numerous homeschool blogs. I will explain further detail about my assignment chart in another post, but let me say here that this assignment chart has done wonders for me. It helps all of us to see what to expect for the day and to keep us on task. It has helped keep my sanity trying to school 4 littles.
Not Working - I made a chore chart based on the system from Confessions of a Homeschooler. Assigning chores themselves is fantastic. The chart I made.... not fantastic. The pockets I made to hold the chore cards is too small and too tight. I assign very specific chores, not general ones. So my children can have up to 6 or 7 cards in their pocket per day. And the tickets I printed off are too small for the pockets I made, so they fall down into the pocket and since the pocket opening is too small, it's difficult to reach down and retrieve them. UGH. I don't even like talking about it! I will create a separate post about this after I get a new chart made.
My Children's Favorite Thing This Week Was
Adelle - She is really enjoying the little science experiments we've been doing.
Jonathan - It was beginning piano lessons again.
My Favorite Thing This Week Was
I went to a Homeschooling 101 meeting last night where a couple of veteran homeschool moms shared with us newbies (I'm 4 years in.... I'm still a newbie) some strategies they used in their homes and lives for homeschooling and a couple of their kids are on to college.
It is very encouraging to know that you aren't the only one dealing with situations and feeling overwhelmed and stressed out at times. So, I'm glad to say that I'm not the only one who can't get all 3 major tasks done in one day: school the children, feed them and clean the house. Two out of three isn't all that bad. :-)
In My Life This Week
Growing up in church all my life, I think sometimes the truths that seem so elementary actually go a lot deeper, especially when they apply to where we are in our walk with the Lord. It's one thing to read the Word, get a revelation and think on it for a day or two. The deeper end is applying those truths to our heart and lives and obeying the Lord's instructions and letting Him shape and mold us.
I am finding myself in this exact place as of late. I have asked God to use anything He finds necessary to conform me to the image of His Son, Jesus Christ. He begins to answer that request, and I am resistant to it.... This week has been so much of unnecessary struggle and heartache because of my resistance. Why must I have such a thick skull?
Give yourself some grace. Your planned out schedule is a goal, not a master over you. Life happens. Give yourself some grace.
Scripture For The Week
And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. 2 Corinthians 12:9
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