Reflections on Homeschooling So Far

So far, this week has been better. Here is what I have realized so far.

1) My kids need a good night sleep. I try to get school started at 8 a.m. If they haven't slept, well then we have yawning, bleary eyed, non focused students.

2) JM has surprised me this week. He is not a self motivated kid. He has always needed lots of prodding to do things. I have dreaded in the last day or so this huge project of writing a composition. It requires him to think up a topic, organize it, and (*gulp*) write sentences. I don't know what angel came and tapped him on the shoulder, but he is finally doing it without me being heavy handed. We did some editing on it today and will finish it tomorrow.

3) I am sure most homeschool parents would agree, you need to find your kid's "handles". Those things about them you can grab onto and use to your benefit. I found one. Several months ago, I found dry erase boards that are lap sized and have pre written lines on them to practice writing. After several days of prodding through writing, I brought the dry erase out today. I required JM to practice writing before working on his composition. He loved using the dry erase. Nice! I like not wasting so much paper. The dry erase lapboards will be used daily.

4) I have already mentioned how much craigslist has helped us so far. The picture is our latest. It's a keyboard to start piano lessons next week. I took my fingers nails and a cleaner to it today. It was dusty! It had been stored in a garage or attic because there was dust in every nook and cranny, and trust me, there are a lot of those on that thing.

I also scored a globe today. We are working on quite a bit of geography, and needing to discuss the relief features of maps, the bumps and grooves showing mountains and valleys. Well, the education store near us has them for like $50 with pimples and dimples for mountains and valleys. I found one on craigslist that has serious mountains and valleys, a special edition one made by Reader's Digest, for $20. We'll be picking that up tonight.

5) JM's math is a non issue. So much consternation about his math last year from his teacher, and his lack of being able to sit still and do it. After a week of realizing it isn't hard, this is a different curriculum, it's bite sized chunks, and mom won't move on until you have finished. We are doing fine. We get it done quickly, first thing, and he is doing well. More importantly, he is feeling confident in his math, which was not the case last year. I totally think it was the weird curriculum she was using.

6) I am saying this to a friend of mine who will probably read this. Her son, I believe is in kindergarten. She reminds me so much of me when JM was in kindergarten. I was so on the fence if this was something we could do. So far, only a few days in, we are doing fine. JM is learning, I am learning, and we are done with school by just after lunch time. His math is excelling, which it wasn't in school. His reading got rusty over the summer, and we are working on that. But so far, I am feeling pretty good about this.

7) Recess. I figured out today. We all need recess. Send them outside to play on the trampoline! That has been great. It gets the wiggles that little boys have out of their system.

8) Talking about science and geography the other day. We were talking about how God speaks mountains into existence.

JM: Really? Wow! Wait! I just thought of something God didn't create.

Me: What?

JM: No, wait, He did. But he didn't make.....no, wait He did that too. (pause) Hmmmm....God created everything huh Mom?

Me: Yup.