Why we do what we do

	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
Math	Math Mammoth XtraMath	Math Mammoth XtraMath	Math Mammoth XtraMath	Math Mammoth XtraMath	Math Mammoth XtraMath	XtraMath
Latin	Copy vocabulary 2Xs	Copy vocabulary 2Xs	Copy vocabulary 2Xs	Copy vocabulary 2Xs	Copy vocabulary 2Xs
English	1 Lesson	1 Lesson		1 Lesson	1 Lesson
Spelling	Test		Section A	Section B	Section C
Myths	Make facts flash cards	Copy vocabulary 1X Review flashcards	Read chapter.   Review flashcards	Answer questions. Review flashcards	Review Flashcards
Literature	Read 30 min.	Read 30 min.	Read Myths	Read 30 min.	Read 30 min.
Book of Mormon	Read 30 min.	Read 30 min	Read 30 min	Read 30 min	Read 30 min	Read 30 min
Piano	Play 3Xs each	Lesson	Play 3Xs each	Play 3Xs each	Play 3Xs each	Play 3Xs each
Enrichments	Poetry teatime/ Composer	Exploring Creation-2-3 sent/ illustrate	Geography	Exploring Creation-2-3 sent/ illustrate	Discover the Old Testament	Real Science Odyssey-Life

This is what Savannah does everyday.  She has a copy in her notebook and checks it off when she finishes each assignment.

Our day is jammed packed.  I was just sitting here going over her list of things to do, trying to decide if I can or should drop some of it.

 A friend asked recently on her blog for us to write out why we do each subject, just so we have a defined reason for learning something rather than just doing it because someone else does it or thinks we should do it. 

Doing an exercise like this really makes me go back to the root of why I homeschool in the first place and to think about what my ultimate goal is for my children as a mother/teacher.

The spiritual is at the top of the list, of course.  I want my children to have a personal relationship with their Heavenly Father through prayer, to have their own testimonies, to know who they really are, to make the scriptures their dearest friends, to have a serving heart, etc.  I am trying to get there, not by any curriculum or checklist, but by just by reading my scriptures, saying my prayers, and by striving to be worthy of having the Spirit as my constant companion.  Then, by having consistent, daily family prayer, scripture study, and weekly Family Home Evening with the kids, I hope to accomplish this goal to my best ability.  But this has nothing to do with her checklist.

So aside from my top reasons for doing everything I do, my second reason is more academic.  I want my children to be well-educated and have a love of learning.  She works hard in math, latin, and piano (and science in high school) because I want her to know how to think, how to work, and how to problem-solve.  Love of learning, for me, happens when I put forth concentrated effort to accomplish a goal, develop a skill, understand a difficult concept, or learn a new idea.  That all takes physical and mental work.  I believe work is good for the mind and soul.

I want them to be well-read in worthy ideas and truth; there is no room in my curriculum for trivial reading.  So we study great books, like the scriptures, Greek mythology and other Classical works, history, and high-quality literature.

I want them to be able to express themselves clearly, eloquently, and persuasively, so that they can make a positive influence on those around them as adults.  So she studies grammar, writing, spelling, and handwiting.  Grammar, spelling and handwriting are grammar school skills that need mastered first before we can really focus on writing and rhetoric later.

I think everything we do has a significant purpose.  I purposely don't make histoy, science, or geography the center of our homeschool at this age.  History is a read-aloud three times a night.  Science is a fun, occasional activity on Saturday that we have yet to get around to.  Geography is a matter of learning catchy tunes and wall maps.  History and science will take a more significant role when the foundational skills are mastered.

So there you have it.