What Will He Do?

What will he do for work? engineering? exploring?

At six, it is hard to tell what he will do as an adult. We can speculate and wonder at the options for a first grader, but for our high schooler it has become a question to ponder and answer.

Not too long ago, we giggled with our oldest about this very question. We dreamed little boy dreams with him. Now, he is maturing. His voice has deepened and his shoulders have widened. He isn't a little boy anymore. It is time to start seriously considering: What will he do?

What a Homeschooling House Looks Like

What I want our house to be like....

 

ready to entertain

clean and orderly

with a bit of vintage charm

and personal homemade touches

with a sense of satisfying hard work and accomplishment


What our house usually is like....

toys in the walkways in need of being cleaned up

baskets of found 'collections'

stacks of books on tables

projects being prepared

and in progress


Though it may not always be clean and orderly...
I hope our family and friends always feel welcome
in our home which is always full of life and activity.

The First Day of First Grade

AKA The day I taught a pirate

We may have some serious studying going on in the house with our brand new high schooler, but we also have a bit of comic relief with our ever witty first grader.

One Rainy Summer Afternoon

During the early parts of summer, the northeast was drenched. If you live in these parts, you know what I mean. We had gotten rain after rain storm. Our yards were marshes. Our gardens were under water. The streets had turned to rivers.

 

What to do?

Here's what our children did one wet afternoon...

 

A Little Less or A Little More?

 

Homeschooling Just Next Door isn't ending

and we are still homeschooling,

but in this season,

I'm finding we are doing a bit more

and talking about it a little less.

I'm hoping to continue sharing on a somewhat regular basis,
but thought it was only fair to let you, my dear friends and readers, know postings may not be as often during this busy season of life and homeschooling. Thank you for understanding!

Looking Ahead to Next Year

We have about six weeks of lessons left,
31 days to be exact.
We'll finish sometime around Memorial Day.

It has been a good year. We've learned a great deal, and will finish satisfied with our progress.

But I am already looking ahead to next year.
Truth be told, I started in January, maybe before.

 

 

Next year, our oldest will start High School. We've already settled the question:
Will you homeschool through High School?
It's one of the more prevalent questions we homeschoolers get asked.
Usually the questions are earnest and full of interest. People want to know and are encouraged by other's homeschooling experiences.

However, sometimes, it almost feels like a back handed question when asked with that condescending air. Like the speaker is really thinking, "Sure I see you can homeschool up until 8th grade, but High School, that's a separate beast you are not fit to fight."

We've decided to tame the high school beast anyway.

Our younger children will continue on in our homeschool as well. Currently, I'm collecting ideas for their lessons as well. This year, we finish our four year travel through history. I'd like to start again at the beginning with Creation and Ancient History. I'm considering a different history curriculum, but haven't quite decided, yet. Another change might be in math for our oldest daughter. She will have completed all the Horizon elementary math levels. We have been greatly pleased with her progress, but are considering another curriculum for the higher levels.

We have enjoyed the long journey. We've been traveling it for almost a decade, and with a child in Kindergarten, we have over ten years to go.

This year alone has been one of our best.

Some posts about our current school year include:
What School Looks Like in Our Home
Westward Expansion, Art, and Resources...a Weekly Wrap-Up
Homeschool Days at the Aquarium
An Unplanned Day of School

I don't want to leave you with an inaccurate impression. Homeschooling hasn't always been easy, and it hasn't always felt successful.

Some posts about the challenges of Homeschooling:
Ten {Plus One} Mistakes
Wasting Time and Money on Curriculum Purchases
How I May Have Failed Teaching Preschool
How to Be the Best Homeschool Mom

Overall, homeschooling works for our family.
For that, we are grateful!


* All pictures are linked to original posts of this blog. Just click to view.


If you are visiting here today from The Ultimate Blog Party 2013, welcome! Feel free to introduce yourself. I look forward to meeting you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Why My Children Play in the Dirt

 

...and build tents out of blankets.

 

 

It isn't because we haven't the latest technology.

No, we have cable, computers, Wii, 3DS, MP3 players, etc.

They enjoy their limited screen time.

 

It isn't because we don't have the trendy toys.

No, we have Lego kits, Star Wars Angry Bird games, etc.

These they enjoy as well.

 

 

So, why with such an abundance of modern items to play, do my children choose dirt and shovels or blankets and furniture from time to time?

 

Because...

• you can only stare at a screen so long, especially when your time is limited.
• you can only manipulate or change a building set kit or game's rules so much.

 

 

But, dirt and shovels, blankets and furniture can be changed and used in many ways. Like with paint and brushes, yarn and needles, ordinary building blocks, beads and string, sticks and balls, keyboards and notes...

 

The imagination is inspired.

 

The play is creative.

 

The result is enjoyment. 

 

 

 

 

"It is happy talent to know how to play."

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What School Looks Like In Our Home

...almost one year after this post with the same title.

The following are glimpses of our homeschool...because as much as I try {and TRY} I always fall short on my goal to keep posting weekly wrap-ups.

Over the past three four weeks or so, we have...

 

gone to an art museum for a Chinese New Year celebration and time of learning

 

were inspired to try a few of the art projects we saw showcased

 

finished a unit on Asia with my Kindergartner,

and have now started learning about Africa

 

 

discovered some facts about magnets

while playing with toys and a key ring

{the younger two}

 

 

watched the youngest speak about rockets in an oral presentation during science co-op

{the rocket he made for visual aid is pictured above}

 

 

 started new seeds after my daughter's first round of seeds did not grow...

 

 

{We are happy to report the new seeds, which are pictured in the jar above,

have started to sprout!}

 

 

are still in the process of drying flowers from the Shakespearean themed party 

 

 

 and our daughters made nature inspired ATC, artist trading cards,

to trade with a club in Canada.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Marking One Hundred Days

 

Friday marked our 100th school day this year.

As we do each year, we made and ate a few special treats.

This year we opted to make these yummy treats.

{My sister had made them years ago, but I had forgotten about them

until the girls attended a friend's birthday party recently and these candies were served.}

 

 

We also made 'snowy trees' from brownies and icing with colored confetti mixed into it.

A full moon graced each wintry tree scene.

 

The day was extra-special as we spent some time rollerskating with friends.

 

 

Do you celebrate 100 days of school as well?

 

 

 

 

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meet other homeschoolers at: 

A Day in Our Homeschool

~ breakfast...chocolate muffins ~

~ gratitude journals ~

~ from Kindergarten math ~

~ to Algebra ~

~ reading ~

~ history...recording dates on their time lines ~

~ Latin ~

~ end of day, a cleaned table ~

To see what daily schedule routine works for us...click here.

Linked to the Not Back to School Blog Hop at iHomeschool Network