We’re on the home stretch of our school year!  To be honest, our homeschooling days look a lot different than when we started.  (You can find updates about the first twelve weeks here and here.)  We discovered that D had signs of dyslexia, so we trashed our curriculum and started again.  I’ve added new books and taken some away, incorporated more hands-on activities and omitted unnecessary busy work.  It could always change, but I think we’re finally hitting our stride.

It’s also important to note that during the past six weeks, I’ve found the excitement of teaching again.  Teacher burnout is real, both for homeschooling moms and public school educators.  I’m thankful to be back.    

What Books We’re Using & our Typical Weekly Schedule

M (2nd Grade)

• Math: Horizons 2
• We have used Horizons from the beginning and I like it.  The pages are colorful and the work challenging, but not impossible.  We do a math lesson every day.  We did slow down for a bit when he wasn’t grasping a concept and I supplemented with worksheets and games I found online.  Now he’s playing catch-up because he is determined not to do math during the summer!
• Reading
• I am fortunate that M loves to read and his nose is frequently in a book.  Because of this, we don’t have a specific “reading time” during school.  I do try to give him lots of options in many genres.  He loves to tell me about the latest twist or adventure he’s read, so indirectly, he does oral narration as well. 
• Writing
• This is another area where he loves to work independently.  He chose a nice journal and writes entries almost everyday.  We occasionally do formal reports and will increase that in third grade.
• History: Story of the World Volume One
• We do history on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.  This changes, but the general plan is:
•  Mondays: We read the chapter and talk about it.  I ask a few questions to test comprehension.  We fill out the chapter’s map activity.
• Wednesdays: We review what we read on Monday.  I pull out any corresponding books or videos that go along with the topic and we look at/read those.  Sometimes we do a craft or activity.
• Fridays: I try to make Fridays really fun and that is generally when we do the bigger projects or crafts.  This is usually the highlight of the week.
• Spelling: All About Spelling 2
• We started this program recently and really like it.  We usually only have lessons twice, maybe three times a week.  M really loves writing his words on the dry erase board.
• Science
• I am still following Sonlight’s recommended plan and we are ending the year learning about space.  We are using this book, along with lots of activities I’ve found online.  We do science on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

D (Kindergarten)            

• Reading: All about Reading Pre-Reading
• When we first thought D was dyslexic, I did lots of research and this program came highly recommended for dyslexic learners.  We learn a new letter every day, repeating the process three times: uppercase letters, lowercase letters and then letter sounds.  The repetition has been good for D and he’s really catching on.  We play the “games” included and I sometimes add a craft too.
• We also read lots of picture books together.  We point out letters and talk about the words and sounds.  D is not reading yet, but he’s close.
• Math: ABeka K5
• Math comes naturally to him and he looks forward to his lesson every day.  We tried a more open-ended math program at the beginning of the year, but he definitely prefers workbook style. 
• Everything Else
• He is included in M’s science and history and enjoys both.  While I don’t think it’s necessary for him to complete all of the assigments M does (he is only in Kindergarten, after all), he often asks to participate or to listen to the stories.

I’m looking forward to finishing this year out strong.  Six more weeks to go!  

We just finished up Week 12 of our homeschool year, so it’s time for another update!  (You can find the post about our first six weeks here.)  This time around, I became really brave about making the curriculum work for us.  During weeks 1-6, I stuck close to the program, letting the prepared lesson plans lead me.  I was thankful for the guidance and it definitely gave me confidence as a teacher.  But for weeks 7-12, I started to assess what was working and what was not.  We ventured away from the plan a bit and I think the boys are really enjoying the changes.

A Few of the School Subjects We Replaced

• M was unhappy with the curriculum’s writing activities, so we worked together to create a “Writing Journal”.  He uses it in a variety of ways: some days, I give him a question or list idea.  Other days, he makes up his own theme.  What matters most to me is that he is writing and using his imagination.
• M also disliked the spelling program and I felt like he wasn’t recalling anything.  We now use his weekly words in lots of fun ways.  I try to vary the games and activities every week, so he’s using the words in different ways.  He has his final spelling test on Fridays and there has been a HUGE difference in his performance.  
• The curriculum we use has provided a lot of wonderful read alouds, but we veered off the timeline a bit with a few choices of our own.  So far, we’ve added in Ginger Pye and Thomas and the Dragon Queen.  I hope to get back to a few of the “official” choices, but I like the ability to be spontaneous if we come across a good book.

Lessons Learned During Weeks 7-12
1. Pinterest is your friend!  
I get so many of our crafts, worksheets and recipes from searches on Pinterest.  I am SO thankful for the hard work and creativity of other bloggers!

2. The Need for Breaks
It is my personality to really dig in and get ‘er done.  Unfortunately, that is not the personality of my boys!  Our new routine is to finish a few subjects and then take a break. The boys take that time to play, run around and have a snack.  It’s the perfect time for them to get their wiggles out while I get a few chores accomplished.  Then we meet back up to finish out the day.


3. Be flexible.
With a new baby in the house, this has been an essential lesson to learn.  Sometimes school will start a little later in the day.  Sometimes we only complete half of our subjects before calling it quits.  It’s all okay and part of the season we are in.         

The Boys’ Homeschool Favorites from the First Third of the School Year

Favorite Subject
M: history  //  D: “my favorite book!” (translation: Developing the Early Learner: Level 2)
Favorite Project or Activity
M: mummifying the action figure and making papyrus  //  D: tiger mask
Favorite Read Aloud
M: Ginger Pye  //  D: Ginger Pye
What is one thing you’d like to do more of in the next few weeks?
M: use clay to “make wonderful creations”  //  D: more crafts!

I think I should preface this post by saying that I am still a total beginner in the world of homeschooling!  A little education recap: we did PreK and Kindergarten at home with my oldest and then he went to public school last year for 1st grade.  My #2 is a totally different learner and because of that, PreK at home last year was much less intensive.  He just wasn’t ready!  After a lot of conversation and prayer this summer, my husband and I decided that our #2 would thrive the best by doing Kindergarten at home.  We offered the option to our oldest and while we were perfectly fine with allowing him to continue in public school, he chose to come home as well.  

So here we are.  I have a Second grader, a Kindergartener, two tag-along siblings and a (soon to be) brand new baby!  (They all have birthdays in the fall, so for age reference, they will be 8, 6, 4, 2 and brand new.)  It seems a bit crazy, but I’ve used the summer to “practice” a routine and I think we’ve finally found something that works for us.  Here’s a little peek into our day, as well as a few survival tips I’ve learned so far:

Our Day-to-Day Schedule
Day-to-day life with four (and soon to be five) never looks the same, so my first mission was to set aside the notion that we always had to be perfectly scheduled.  My Type-A sometimes twitches at the thought, but really, it’s been freeing and I think has made me a better mother.  Most days, we start school around 9am.  But if the boys are playing sweetly together with Legos or they’re cuddled up with Sophie watching her morning cartoon, I let it be.  Because really, what’s the difference between 9:00 and 9:30 in the grand scheme of things?

We generally switch every other day who gets to “do school” first.  I originally tried to have them complete their work simultaneously, but the multi-tasking was stressful for me.  Now we focus one at a time, unless I read aloud or we do a family-wide craft.  The boys thrive with the undivided attention I can give them and it’s been nice to hear their little thoughts on life as we work through the day’s assignments.  (Note about the little two: J is generally content to play on his own during school time or he’ll come participate with D.  At just three years old, I’m flexible with what he wants to do each day.  Sophia typically floats between the school table and the brothers in the playroom.  She knows that as long as she colors quietly, she can stay at the table with us.)

We take a few breaks throughout the morning, but are still normally finished by lunchtime.  If we have an intensive craft or activity, I sometimes will wait until Sophie’s naptime to have one less “helper”, hah! Then the afternoons are free for fun!
    
A Few of our Sonlight Curriculum Favorites from Weeks 1-6

• For a book with very little pictures, I wasn’t sure what the little boys would think of Uncle Wiggily’s Story Book, but it is actually the one they ask for again and again.  The little stories focus on helping others and we’ve had some great conversations afterward.
• D is flying through Developing the Early Learner: Level 1 and I’m sure will be ready for the next book soon.  I’ve decided to let him go ahead of schedule if he asks, which is often the case!  I love his new excitement for learning.
• M’s first read aloud was Charlotte’s Web and boy, did he enjoy it!  We took our time reading and incorporated lots of extra crafts and activities.  We recently finished and are now on to Ginger Pye.   
• For science, M is working through the Usborne World of Animals and we’re both learning so much.  Each “lesson” is only two pages, but we still have a lot of interesting discussions.  I love when he asks his daddy at the dinner table, “Did you know…?”

Three Survival Tips from the First Six Weeks
1. Every Friday at naptime, I lay out a general plan of what I hope to accomplish in the week ahead.  (I’ve been using this free printable from Money Saving Mom.)  That way, I can put “school teacher me” away over the weekend and just be Mamma.  Sometimes I’ll research a craft on Pinterest on Saturday night, but for the most part, school is done until Monday.

2. Crafts are a BIG deal with the little kids, so I plan one or two that correspond with the Letter of the Week.  I try to do some prep work before the official “lesson” to control the crazy, but that doesn’t always happen.  In those cases, I’ve enlisted M as a teacher’s assistant (because what second grader/oldest child doesn’t love a little power? hah) and he helps me with Sophie and sometimes J.  He’s a lifesaver and the craft goes much smoother.   

3. Being in charge of my children’s education is no small feat and I know there is a level of certainty that eventually, I’ll start to feel a bit burnt out.  I’m also very aware of the impending postpartum months with the roller-coaster of hormones, “baby blues” and general exhaustion.  So to prepare for all of the above, I’ve started intentionally setting aside time everyday for me.  In reality, this really doesn’t look like much.  I read my Bible for 10-15 minutes every morning after breakfast.  I try to walk at least a mile at naptime.  I read a chapter of my book or work on a craft project while the kids are playing in the afternoons.  I work a bit on Big White Farmhouse after everyone is in bed.  It’s not much, but it does wonders for my mental health.               

Whew, what a post!  I hope to come back every six weeks with posts about what’s working/what’s not and our latest favorites.  And for the readers who stuck it out to the end, please let me know if you have any tips, recommendations or questions!