Morning Time plan

Everyone:


Hymn
Prayer
Scriptures
Gospel Art
Phonogram Flashcards (From Reading Lessons through Literature)


(Zach and Caroline go play)


Gospel Principles
Read-Aloud (on a rotating schedule): The Children's Bible, Our Young Folks' Plutarch , Homer (Black Ships Before Troy & The Wanderings of Odysseus), Child's History of the World, Storybook of Science (not sure how read-alouds will go with so many little kids... we'll try though)
Poetry recitation (this year they will each pick their own poems to memorize, write them on a notecard, and rotate them as they are mastered)


(Maddy goes to play)


Grammar flashcards (From English Lessons through Literature)
Latin review

More random thoughts.

I updated "Morning Time" and "English Lessons through Literature" posts.  I'm dropping R&S English (though I love it) and putting all three girls in English Lessons through Literature.  I was hesitant because I wasn't sure the grammar would be as rigorous as R&S.  I asked the author about it and she said, between the lines, that is follows R&S's scope and sequence.  So that made me feel better.  That was my only hesitation.




Edited: I was wrong about Charlotte's comprehension level.  I just had her tested in reading and math.  She will do just fine in 4th grade material. 


For testing I used the DORA (reading) and ADAM (math) tests from www.letsgolearn.com.  Very worth it.  The test is online.  It is fun for the kids to complete.  The results are very detailed with suggestions on how to remediate if needed.  Across the board, Charlotte is only a few months behind Savannah in all skills. 

Morning Time

Every time I am thinking about curriculum choices and how I want the school year to go (like now), I have this nagging feeling that I'm missing the boat.  I'm missing the joy and beauty.  Where is it?  How can I capture it?


I occasionally get a glimpse of it during poetry teatime when we are having fun and reading beautiful words.  It is found on our nature walks.  It is found when I read aloud and the kids are captivated.  It is found during one-on-one discussions of a history chapter or a oral narration.  It is found during our current morning time when we sing a hymn, say a family prayer, and read scriptures.


I want more of this and less of "school work."  I want to plan a Morning Time.


So currently our Morning Time goes like this:


*Sing a hymn (same one until all verses memorized).
*Family Prayer
*Read scriptures (the ones made "For Latter-Day Saint Families" is divided up into short sections with definitions, quotes from General Authorities, and art work.  We read a section a day, everyone taking turns reading or repeating after me.)
*Gospel Principles (I just added this in a few weeks ago and it is going great.  We take turns reading a paragraph and discuss.  For school kids only)


I want to add in a poem a day, picture study, composer study, gospel for the preschool kids like maybe a picture from the gospel art box to read and discuss (I started doing this.  Zach and Caroline like it.  They listen.  It's short, then they go play.  I've caught Caroline coming back to look at the pictures again.  I'm going to hang them on the wall), memory work, Shakespeare/Plutarch, Homer, history, and literature.  My problem is the different ages.  Maybe I should save the older stuff for an Evening Time, that hour after the Littles are in bed, and save Morning Time for things the whole family can enjoy.  Gospel Principles, Shakespeare, Homer, Plutarch, history and literature would need to be moved to Evening Time.


That would leave for Morning Time:


Hymn
Prayer
Scriptures
Gospel Art
Poem
Art Study




***going to update my thoughts on this as I have time**


I've been reading For the Children's Sake again.  Here are some of my notes:


"We are limited to three educational instruments -- the atmosphere of environment, the discipline of habit, and the presentation of living ideas."


"A child's mind is a spiritual organism, with an appetite for all knowledge." --which includes physical exercise, nature, handicrafts, science, art, many living books.'


Have a daily routine.  Make time for the most important things: scriptures, family prayer, read-alouds, game night.


work on habits of character: attention, truthfulness, self-control, unselfishness, concentration.


"Life is sustained on ideas.  Ideas are spiritual.  Ideas are a soul's food."

English Lessons through Literature - update!

I don't know why I can't leave well enough alone.  I just need to stay off the Well-Trained Mind forums.  But if I did, I would have never found this:


English Lessons through Literature, as well as her other products (I think I'm using all of it).


This is a curriculum that combines literature, grammar, composition, copywork, memory work, poetry, narration (oral and written), dictation.  It is Charlotte Mason inspired, but with Classical components that include more grammar, and in level 3 and up (she has planned through level 6 at least) it includes copia exercises that are similar to Classical Writing and other writing curricula like it.  Here is a good review of it: http://www.barefootmeandering.com/eltl.html


I have already decided to start Madelynn in ELtL level 1.  I'm going to start her in ELtL 1 next year.  This year she will only be using Reading Lessons through Literature level 1 (which I only use as a spelling program since she is halfway through Phonics Pathways) as well as Handwriting Lessons through Literature using the Elson Readers as copywork.  I like RLtL because it uses the spelling method I love, and it comes in four different handwriting fonts.  No more HWT.


I'm going to use her free Pathways read-aloud schedule with Zach and Maddy (and Caroline if she wants to listen)
****
UPDATE:  I've decided to move Savannah and Charlotte to English Lessons through Literature as well.  Their least favorite part of school is R&S English.  ELTL teaches the same grammar in R&S, only it is not drill-and-kill and it uses real sentences.  PLUS it has the poetry, short stories, copywork, dictation, picture study, and literature reading all scheduled out for me.  And it includes writing instruction, so I don't need Classical Composition or Classical Writing either.  I love it.
****


 I just really like all of her products.  Check out her Lulu page to see everything she has for sale.  She has a lot of free products too.  Print versions are also on Amazon.  She has also offered to give free e-book versions of her curriculum to those who truly can't afford language arts, which I think is pretty cool. 

Thoughts on writing curriculum

This year I tried Classical Composition-Fable and didn't like the first lesson because it didn't have enough hand-holding.  So I moved on to Classical Writing-Aesop and loved it.


I looked at Classical Writing -Homer last week.  I read it, re-read it, took extensive notes to understand it better, finally got a clear picture of the how and what, and came to the conclusion that I'm not ever going to use CW-Homer.  It could be done, but I think Classical Composition does it better.  Classical Composition cuts right to the chase.  It does everything Homer does and more, yet less painfully and in less time.  After doing CW-Aesop, Classical Composition makes so much more sense.


So Savannah is going to do Classical Composition- Fable and Narrative for 5th grade and Charlotte is going to do another year of Classical Writing - Aesop for 4th grade since she will be a very young 4th grader anyway (her age-peers are going into 3rd grade). 


Charlotte is excellent at writing, btw.  Her written narrations are absolutely beautiful.  She takes her time and puts thought into it.  Savannah is good too, but she just does it to get it over with, so I know she isn't putting forth her best effort.  I want to split them up so they aren't doing the same assignment.  And besides, there's no need to rush through writing curriculum.




BTW- an even better writing curriculum than either of these is the new Writing and Rhetoric series by Classical Academic Press.  It is getting some amazing reviews!!!  I would highly recommend looking at it.  I'm not going to use it because I am stubborn and prideful, and I don't want to spend that much money on yet another writing curriculum.  I'm going to make do with what I already own. 

The plan

Gearing up for next school year.  Here's the plan so far:
5^th grade:

Life of Fred & xtramath
R&S English 5
First Form Latin
Famous Men of the Middle Ages w/ student guide +SOTW 2+ Adam of the Road + Door in the Wall+The Once and Future King
MP's Geography II
Classical Composition Fable & Narrative (+ notebook)
Apologia's Zoology 2: Swimming Creatures w/ notebook + Tiner's History of Medicine & Exploring Planet Earth

MP's Poetry for the Grammar Stage ??
Typing
Duolingo German
Kolbe's Literature guide: The Bronze Box, The Secret of Poduck Island, Where the Red Fern Grows.

4^th grade:

Life of Fred & xtramath

R&S English 4

First Form Latin

MP’s Famous Men of Rome

MP’s Geography I

Apologia's Astronomy w/ notebook + MP Astronomy ??
MP's Poetry for the Grammar Stage ??


Typing
Duolingo German

1^st grade:

Phonics Pathways / McGuffey Readers

Reading Lessons through Literature 1 (spelling)
English Lessons through Literature 1
Pathways literature list

Life of Fred or MM

Just stuff

So I've added more subjects to our day as we try to acclimate back into a regular school day.  It feels like too much, but I think we're just used to less for so long.  I'm not willing to drop any of these right now.  They complained for a few days that it took too long and they didn't have time to play outside.  I mentioned that they had control over how much free time they get and suggested that they start their school as soon as they wake up and not wait for me to tell them to do it.  Savannah led the way and has been waking up at 6 am or earlier, with Charlotte following her lead.  Many days they have most of the independent subjects finished before I even roll out of bed!  Nice.  Hope it continues like that.


Savannah & Charlotte both do:


Math Mammoth, 1 page front and back, daily
R&S English, odds or evens only, daily
Latin lesson & worksheet on Mondays, flashcards and copywork the rest of the week
30 minutes of reading scriptures daily
30 minutes of reading classic literature of their choice daily
History spread over two days: copywork, vocabulary, reading, and comprehension questions or written narration
Geography, one day a week
Computer programs daily:
xtramath, typing instructor, and Duolingo:German
Poetry copywork/memorization, once a week


Madelynn is starting to read the scriptures with us in the morning.  She is getting more confident.  She hates Phonics Pathways and enjoys McGuffey Readers, but PP is very effective, so we trudge along.  Doing the dictation with it helps tremendously.


Thinking about next school year and the value, if any, of doing the Memoria Press workbooks with the Classical Studies.  They don't like them and it would be better if we discussed their readings or something more organic, but at the same time I am a mother of 6 kids...  Is that realistic?  I don't know.  I'll have to think more about that one.  Otherwise, I think we'll just keep doing what we're doing for next year.  It is all working out well.


Still don't know when I'll be adding in Classical Writing again...  that's the last subject that is missing.


Speaking of writing instruction, I shouldn't have skipped the writing lessons in R&S 4.  I think they are valuable and on level with my 4th grader.  I'm going back and having her do a writing lesson or two each week.


And note to self:  don't go for two weeks without checking math and English work.  Both kids are re-doing almost a week of English, and we wasted a day in math correcting missed problems. 

Homeschooling in Deutschland!!

So I survived.  I moved overseas with 6 kids, including a newborn.  We homeschooled lite, only doing math and English on good days.  We're settled in our house, finally have internet since yesterday, and have started on our third full homeschool week since being here: week 21.  Not too bad for such a crazy, interrupted year.  We'll take a few more breaks to see Europe with Dad before he deploys, then we'll finish up the year, hopefully before August.


The two Bigs are working on Math Mammoth, R&S English, MP's Classical Studies, geography, reading, and poetry copywork and memorization.  I still haven't added Latin or Classical Writing back in yet... I might do that this week.


Madelynn is zooming through her phonics and handwriting book.  We're doing our Power Reading schedule, which is reading three lessons a day: one after breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  She'll be reading fluently soon.  She was sorely neglected through this huge transition. Trying to catch her up!  Then I will start on Zachary.

Dragging...

I had some inspiration... and then I lost it.  It was something about bringing joy back into our school, letting loose on science, reading aloud more, or something..  I'm too tired to think about it.  7 months pregnant and I'm dragging now.  The belly is heavy and it hurts.  I sleep a lot.  I took a 3 hour nap today.  Maybe that's why it is 1 am and I'm still not sleepy.  I dread sleep because it hurts.  Ahh.. the joys of pregnancy.

So my awesome homeschool schedule went out the window since our school break.  Since I took that break I haven't been waking up early with the kids.  Instead, like the awesome mom that I am, I put on a movie for the Littles and work with the Bigs for an hour.  This week we didn't do Classical Writing (but we did last week and will next week and I still LOVE it).  We haven't done memory work since the break.  I should really get on the ball with that.  I haven't been reading aloud to them at night (too tired).  Maybe I shouldn't take week-long breaks.  It is too difficult to get back in the game.

I kind of like letting the kids play outside until 9 am though.  I might do away with the early morning school, not that I have much choice being so tired now, even though I got so much accomplished.  If the Littles watch an hour of Magic School Bus, it isn't THAT bad, is it? 

Desperate times call for desperate measures.  However, I need to get with it already.  Monday starts a new week.  A full week.  WEEK 9.  A week where we do everything I have scheduled and not slack off.

I can do hard things.

Today is a great day

It is one of those days that I just love homeschooling.  I enjoy my children.  I enjoy watching them learn and learning with them.  I enjoy receiving inspiration concerning their education.  I don't have everything figured out yet, but I feel like my understanding is clearer today.  I'm going to be changing a few things around in our schedule and curriculum as I ponder further on the inspiration I've received.  Not much, just a few things.

On another note, today my math-hating daughter Savannah *enjoyed* Beast Academy's 3A placement test and the free puzzles on their website.  Enjoyed.  Math.
I don't know what to think about that.

Lastly, I hate online college.  What a waste of time.  I can't wait until I am through so I can get on to some real learning.

School Break!

School break this week!  I just decided.  It was actually scheduled for next week, but I am so stressed about a final paper I have to write this week for my current college class that I don't think I will be able to handle it all.  I'm beginning to not sleep at night as well because of this pregnancy.  Booo... not fun.  I'm tired.

Week 5 Review

Second week with Classical Writing - Aesop.  Love it. 

I also love doing R&S English 4 orally with both girls.  It takes some teacher-intensive time, but no more than doing oral reviews with two separate levels individually, and then explaining things they don't understand to each kid individually.

Love the Memoria Press products: Greek Myths, Famous Men of Rome, Latina Christiana 1, and Grammar Recitations (TM only, that we use for copywork).  Geography 1 is ok; nothing special.

Love the Christian Liberty Nature Reader, book 4, for Charlotte.  Perfect amount of reading and number of questions for her to answer.  Savannah is learning tons in her Apologia Zoology 1 book that she reads and writes a written/illustrated narration about once a week.

Let's see...

Waking up early (myself at 5:00 am to work on online college work) and waking up the kids at 6 am is tough and not fun, but we get SO much accomplished while the babies are still asleep.  Most of the teacher-intensive part of our day takes place from 6-715 am.  Then the babies wake and we eat breakfast.  After breakfast the two oldest do independent work while I play with the babies and clean up after breakfast.

On the days that I fail to get them out of bed at 6am I've had to put on a movie for the babies to entertain them for a hour and a half so that I can do the teacher-intensive schooling, while I'm still being interrupted by sad babies needing me for something.  It is frustrating and takes much longer.  So as much as I dislike waking up sleeping kids at 6 am, it really is worth it.

Maddy's Kindergarten is going well.  We stopped math for a while to focus on getting through HWT-K workbook.  I want her to know how to form all of her letters asap.  She is almost finished with the book.  She is doing great.  She is also learning phonograms.  That's all we do for K right now: handwriting and phonograms.  She writes words in her handwriting book, which I have her identify the two-letter phonograms, the sound each letter makes (whether it is the 1st, 2nd, 3rd sound, etc), have her sound out the word, and then she writes it.  When she finishes her handwriting book we will do this exercise with the spelling word lists in Spell to Write and Read Wise Guide.  At that point we will also pick up math again.

Pre-school is not going as planned.  We have managed to do the letter-of-the-week project every week, and I try to read aloud to them as much as I can manage, but I haven't followed my pre-school schedule at all.  Today was the letter D, which we painted with mud for "dirty."  Dirty D.  B-we painted fingerprint bees and bugs (ladybugs) all over the B.  C stands for "colorful," so we colored the C in many different colors.  They love it.  I'll have to post a picture soon.

Anyway, that's it for Week 5!  The weeks feel like they are just flying by. 

NOT-back to school!

Love these girls!

School Week 4 - Classical Writing

We just finished up week 4 of school, but our first week with Classical Writing - Aesop, using only the core and not the workbooks.

Our first three weeks of school I was using R&S English as written for both big girls, R&S spelling for each, and Classical Composition-Fable for Savannah.  The problems ended up being that R&S English was taking a long time, especially for Charlotte.  School, in general, was taking a long time.  Our first lesson with Classical Composition - Fable was OK, but I wasn't sold on it.  There wasn't enough explanation for certain portions of it.  And Savannah mentioned that she wasn't learning anything new with the spelling.  They are both natural spellers. 

So insert Classical Writing - Aesop.  I think we have a winner! 

I am doing R&S English 4 orally with both kids at the same time, two lessons a week.  We're skipping the composition lessons.  We apply what we are learning in grammar to 3-4 sentences from the Aesop model we are studying for the week.  I like this because we get to practice on real sentences that are never as straight forward as the canned sentences from R&S.

I dropped spelling completely.  I picked ten words from the Aesop model to analyze on the whiteboard together (separate into syllables, mark the phonograms, go over the spelling rules that apply).  Then they write the list into their notebooks twice.  Next week I will test them on the list.  They also practice spelling through dictation during the week.

The previous post has the schedule that we used.

So this is how our week with Classical Writing - Aesop went:

Monday:

Introduced the model, The Hare and the Tortoise.  I read it aloud.  We defined some of the difficult words on the board together.  Each kid read it aloud to practice oral reading (pronunciation).  Then we discussed the title, the author, the main characters, the plot, the purpose of the story, the meaning of the fable, etc.

Later that day I sat with each kid individually and we made an outline for the story (there are actually directions in Aesop on how to make a simple outline, unlike Classical Composition).  Then on their own they wrote a narration using the outline.  It worked great.

Tuesday:

The kids each read aloud the story again to practice oral reading (this time with animation/feeling).  Then we went over spelling words as described above.  I marked off a portion of the story for them to copy in their best handwriting and they copied it into their notebooks.

Later that day I sat with each kid individually and we edited their first draft of their written narration, fixing punctuation, capitalization, and making the sentences make a little more sense.  This took about 5 minutes for each child.

Wednesday:

We don't do Classical Writing on Wednesday, but I do require them to do a freewrite for 10 minutes.  This is where I set a timer and we all just write whatever we want.  The rule is that you can't stop writing, it doesn't have to be in neat handwriting, and I won't read it.  If they can't figure out something to write then they can write that over and over: "I don't know what to write.  I don't know what to write."  I give them a few topics they could write on or tell them they can write one of the poems the have memorized.  They just have to WRITE.  The purpose of this exercise is to get them over the fear of writing, or only writing when they have something perfect to put on the page. 

Thursday:

Again each kid read the story aloud to practice oral reading. 
This is the day we apply our grammar to a few of the sentences from the model, as described above.
Then they dictated to each other the copywork that they did on Tuesday.  In other words, Savannah read her copywork passage aloud to Charlotte as Charlotte writes it down without looking at the model.  They wrote this dictation into their notebooks.  Then they went over each other's dictation to make sure they wrote it down correctly, and corrected each other's mistakes. 
The point of dictation is to help them remember how to spell and punctuate correctly.  It can also be a practice in keeping a sentence in your memory long enough to write it down.

Later that day I sat with each kid and we added dialogue to their written narration.  This took about 10 minutes per kid.

Friday:

They rewrite their corrected and amplified first draft into a final product.


My thoughts:

I think this is a solid and thorough writing program and an excellent supplement to our Language Arts.  I like how we are studying one model the entire week and applying what we have learned to the model.  It makes our learning RELEVANT.  I like that.  I find it easy to implement.  I'm writing a post on the details of how I plan for the week, which I will post soon. 

For my girls, I think we will continue this pace for the rest of the year and move into Homer next year.  I don't plan on using the workbooks for Homer either.  I have found a lot of reviews talking about how people give up CW because it is so confusing to use, and I think that is because they are relying on the workbooks, wanting something easy to open and go, and don't want to, or can't, understand the Homer Core book.  I think, THINK, that for this program to be successful you have to understand the Core well enough to manipulate it to your needs and the current needs of your students.  So that is my plan.  I think this is an excellent writing program and I have every intention of sticking with it.  Then again, this is week 1 of Aesop...  I am speaking out of inexperience.  Time will tell.

New schedule

Click to read



I'm really excited about next week and incorporating Classical Writing into our day.  I really like the focus of our studies. 

The "Morning with Mom" is going to be from 530 am until 7am. 

7am-8am is breakfast, dress, clean, break

8am-1200 is Latin copywork, independent CW, math, & enrichments.

1200-100 is lunch/break

100-200 is quiet time / literature reading

200-300 is CW with mom, rotating Savannah and Charlotte

Piano  and "other" is anytime before 630pm

It is basically the same thing we've been doing the last three weeks except the oral part of Language Arts will be with me in the early morning.  Composition and analysis will play a greater role in our day, I will have a more active role in teaching LA instead of using independent curriculum, LA is more streamlined and relevant, and Charlotte is folded into the learning instead of it being just for Savannah.  I think it is going to be a really good change.  I hope, I hope, I hope.  I want some consistency this year.

 

Radical

I'm thinking about doing something totally radical and see how it works out.

Next week I'm going LCC: multa non multum, all the way.

Why?  Because I feel we are not being efficient with our curriculum or time.  I'm not satisfied.  This is a flaw of mine and I may never be satisfied.  I go back and forth on curriculum constantly, trying to find the perfect fit.  At least my kids aren't behind on any subject.  Yet.

I'm dropping R&S Spelling, MP's Grammar Recitations, R&S English, and Classical Composition.  *faint*

I added Classical Writing - Aesop (it streamlines spelling, grammar, and composition, plus adds in literature analysis).  A lot of people use an additional grammar and spelling program, but I am going to try to refrain from doing so.  I think between CW and Latin, it is enough.  We will have to pick up R&S English eventually in the higher grades, or another grammar curriculum, but for now an additional grammar is not needed.  It is all in CW-Aesop.  (Well.. maybe we'll keep English.. I don't know)

So here is my plan so far (I have until Monday to change it all around a million times):

Daily:
Scripture Study
Latin
Classical Writing
Math Mammoth / xtramath.com
Geography or Science or Classical Studies
Read literature for 1 hour
Piano
Poetry Recitations
I read aloud at night, they narrate: History, Bible, Homer, and Shakespeare.


What I like about Classical Writing is that the different components of language arts are all drawn from one weekly model.  That is something that I have always wanted to have.  Their recommended literature is the small collection of great books I have been looking for.  It just seems to fit my goals and educational philosophy, and seems to be exactly what I've been looking for.  We'll see.

So what is LCC?  It is a book called The Latin-Centered Curriculum.  He talks about multa non multum, which is Latin for "much, but not many."  The three main principles of multa non multum are:
1.  "The number of subjects must be limited to the truly academic."
2. "Whenever possible, subjects are taught in relation to one another and in the context of broader intellectual concerns." And, "in all subjects, students should be led to ask big questions: What is Man? What is the Good Life?  How then should we live?"
3. "Readings in Literature and History consist of a very few representative masterpieces that the student reads slowly and studies in depth." - Andrew A. Campbell

He gives a 12-year overview of recommended subjects and curriculum, most of which I am following with this plan, substituting a few things.

Rod & Staff English, reduced. - UPDATE

I have figured out how to make our grammar, Rod & Staff English, not be so cumbersome! 

Currently, we do a lesson in R&S English 4 days a week.  They write everything out.  It really doesn't take Savannah that long.  She did it last year and she is used to it and she writes quickly.  CHARLOTTE on the other hand spent about 2 hours today completing her English lesson.  (grrrrr....)  She writes slow and beautiful and is so easily distracted. 

We just spend way too much time devoted to it.  We're studying Latin and memorizing grammar terms through Grammar Recitations.  R&S English is overkill, but I need it because it is all new for me, and I want the kids to have a solid foundation too.

Here's what I figured out:

Book 3: Cut out the first lesson on how to take care of your English book, cut out ALL reviews and extra activities, and cut out the last section on poetry.  You get 80 lessons left over.  I can do 2 lessons over 40 weeks.

Book 4: Cut out the first two lessons on how to take care of your English book, cut out all reviews, and cut out all *composition lessons.  You get 80 lessons left over.

Book 5: Same as book 4.  80 lessons.  2 lessons/week.

BIG sigh of relief.  We'll do two days of grammar and two days of Classical studies, which also contains a little writing.  I'm going to add in two days of copywork and two days of dictation.  Still a good amount of writing, but copywork and dictation shouldn't take Charlotte as long to complete.  Plus copywork and dictation serve as better models of writing than the samples in R&S English. 

I feel better.  Whew! 
-----Update----

This week I decided to do R&S completely oral and combined.  I'm starting in Book 3 since Charlotte hasn't had any grammar yet.  We will do 4 lessons a week, orally, with both Savannah and Charlotte.  They'll take turns answering questions with me.  Today it took about 10 minutes.  I figure I can probably get through Book 3 & 4 this year.

However, even though grammar went from over an hour to do, to only 10 minutes, the day was still really, really long.  I don't know what to do.  I'm frustrated.  :(

Reading Aloud

Just wanted to jot this idea down before I forgot it.  I was reading about the benefits of reading aloud, not just so the kids can hear good books, but they need to be reading aloud themselves as well.  We do oral poetry recitations from our memory work, poetry tea-time where we all take turns reading a poem aloud, and daily scripture reading out loud.  I read aloud to them at night, but for oral narrations, so I'm reading history, science, Bible, and classics: Iliad next.

My new idea: pick a literature book a little below their reading level and take turns reading a paragraph until we read a whole chapter.  We would do this at lunch time.  They get extra practice reading aloud, I get in a family literature book that I can't seem to squeeze in at night, Madelynn gets a book read to her at her comprehension level, it helps us all transition from free time to quiet time, and we can also discuss it as a family.

Hmm.. I'll have to try that and see how it goes.

Savannah's composition

This is her first composition from Classical Composition - Fable, lesson 1

Why a focus on Greece and Rome

I have chosen to focus on Greece and Rome in our homeschool.  Not because I have any real convictions about it myself yet, (I certainly remain uneducated in this area), but because I have read arguments for it and I believe that it has merit.  I believe spiritual knowledge is prime, but when it comes to secular knowledge, the civilizations of Greece and Rome take the cake and actually support our spiritual learning.  The truth from their world is timeless and foundational to all that we know today.  From the little that I have learned and read, I am finding that this is true, and that there is beauty and truth in these ancient civilizations, and valuable lessons to be learned.

Anyway, I found a great article that I wanted to post on here that really encompasses the link between the ancient and the spiritual knowledge, and the benefits of being immersed in the classics.

From Memoria Press: Why Read Homer's Iliad? written by Cheryl Lowe http://www.memoriapress.com/articles/why-read-homers-iliad   (emphasis and notes mine)

"The heart of a classical education is the cumulative study of Latin and the classical civilizations of Greece and Rome. In the Western tradition, education has always been synonymous with classical education. It began with the Greeks and Romans, was preserved and expanded by Christians during the Middle Ages and Renaissance, and continued unabated until well into the twentieth century.

"I have said many times that Latin is not dead: it is immortal. Latin is truly the most influential language in human history. It has been immortalized in modern romance languages, in modern scientific languages, and in its own great literature.

"The most difficult part of classical education for parents to understand is not Latin, but rather our classical studies curriculum. Why study the Greeks and Romans? They are all dead, their civilization is dead and gone, they were pagans, and they weren't even Christians. What do they have to say to us?

"Just as Latin is not dead, it is also true that Greece and Rome are not dead. They, too, are immortal in their architecture, art, law, government, languages, mythology, literature, and philosophy. The cultures of Greece and Rome live around and through us every day.


"Students who study Latin soon see that Latin is everywhere and that they have been speaking and reading Latin all of their lives. Likewise, students who study Greece and Rome soon see that those cultures are everywhere, and they have been living as Greeks and Romans all of their lives.

"The story of Greek and Roman literature begins with the story of Troy. Our students at Highlands Latin School read the Iliad and the Odyssey in the seventh Grade, and at first, the warrior culture of these early Greeks seems very alien. They were not sensitive and sentimental like us. They were not politically correct at all. Achilles was certainly not a nice Christian gentleman like Robert E. Lee. We don't know many real facts about the Trojan War, and all those silly gods fighting and taking sides—ridiculous! Why don't we read something useful, like a book on the Civil War?

"But the Iliad, we discover, is a book about the Civil War. It is a book about all wars, about the people and characters that you find in every war—actually, in every town!—the wise, the foolish, the clever, the noble, the base, the ambitious, the women, the old, and the young. It is about their pettiness, their heroism, their adventures, their sacrifices, and their sufferings. The Iliad is mostly about people, not war, and it gives us unforgettable and universal character types.

"There is no passage in all of literature more moving than when Priam comes to beg for the body of Hector and kisses the bloody hands of Achilles, who has slaughtered so many of his sons. The two enemies, one old and one young, sit down and weep together over what they both have lost.

"Hector is the real hero of the Iliad, and he dies at the hands of Achilles, who desecrates his body and drags it around the walls of Troy, Venus then restores his body to perfection before it is returned to Priam. And the Iliad ends, “Thus was the funeral of Hector, tamer of horses." The Iliad is a strange poem when you think about it. It is not at all what we expect from a story about a great war hero. Hector, in fact, is just the opposite of the John Wayne, Clint Eastwood, make-my-day kind of hero that we so admire. I'm sure the Greeks were just like us and would have much preferred a poem that showed that they were number one, that they were right, and deserved to win over the effeminate Trojans. But that is not what Homer gave them—or us. Hector, in some sense, prefigures Christ, for he was not at all the Greek ideal of a hero, godlike in beauty and strength. Rather, he was a hero that was defiled and humiliated.

"I don't know any substitute for Latin for training the intellect and sharpening the mind. And I don't know any substitute for the Iliad for humanizing and civilizing the young. There is no book on the Civil War—or any war—that compares with the Iliad. And your children will be a little wiser and a little more human for having read it. Each year, our students at Highlands Latin School read the Iliad, under the guidance of Mr. Wheatley, our principal, and knowing the death of Hector is imminent, they often express the fear that they are going to cry in class.

"The Iliad and Odyssey are the beginnings of Western literature. The story of that war and its aftermath continues in the Aeneid, which our students read in the eighth Grade. Written by the great Roman poet Virgil, and modeled on the Iliad and the Odyssey, the Aeneid tells the story of Aeneas, who was destined to escape from the burning city of Troy and found a new city, Rome. And the destiny of Rome, Virgil tells us, was to civilize and rule the world. Rome brought an unprecedented two hundred years of peace and prosperity to the ancient world, preparing the way for the coming of Christ and the spread of the gospel to the ends of the known world.  (And the link between Rome and America is made even clearer.  As Rome prepared the way for Christ, so has America prepared the way for the Restoration of His gospel in these last days.)

"And the story continues in the ninth Grade when students read Greek drama and follow other heroes who return home from the Trojan War. The cycle of vengeance that is the curse of the House of Atreus, the unspeakable fate of Oedipus: the Greeks were certainly not afraid to ask the dark and hard questions about such matters. But in doing so, they prepared the way for the even darker and harder answer, the Crucifixion, too dark even for the Greeks.

"And the story continues at Highlands Latin School when ninth graders read the Divine Comedy, written at the opening of the Renaissance, almost one thousand years after the fall of Rome. In this great Christian epic, Dante must travel through Hell in order to learn about the true nature of man and the reality of sin. And who is his guide in the afterlife but Virgil, Dante's symbol of human wisdom and, of course, the author of theAeneid. And who does Dante see on his journey through the afterlife but those ancient heroes of old, Achilles, Odysseus, Caesar, Brutus, and, of course, the saints and sinners of the Bible and of Dante's own age.

"I hope you can see that literature taught in this way is a continuous story. That is what literature should be but rarely is. And I hope you can see that the Greek and Roman classics first told those stories that reverberate through all of literature. The classics of Greece and Rome are not optional: if we skip them, we have no hope at all of teaching literature with any real understanding or meaning.

"The classics of Greece and Rome provide us with a set of connected stories and a cast of characters that teach us what it means to be human. They are also the basis of literature, teaching us about the natural man (man at his best and worst, but natural man). They don't give us the answers that we find in revelation, but they do give us the questions.

"Chaucer, Shakespeare, and all of our great English writers take this basic canon for granted; references to it are everywhere. We can't really read English literature with understanding and profit unless we know this classical heritage as they did.

"At the turn of the millennium, there were many lists of the greatest works of the twentieth century. At the top of every list was James Joyce's Ulysses. Ulysses, of course, is the Roman name for Odysseus. Twenty-eight hundred years after Homer wrote the Odyssey, it still echoes through the words of the poets of the twentieth century. As William Faulkner said, “The past is not dead, it's not even past."

More adjustments

The girls have been taking a long time to get their school work done and it is because they are not focusing.  My schedule has been to take a 10 min. break between each subject, but sometimes the subjects are too long.  So I've decided to try different schedules this week. 

Today I had them work for 90 minutes, then take a 20 minute break, back and forth.  It seemed to work a little better.  Savannah was done with her work before lunch time today.  I squeezed in Recitations during one of the breaks.  However, 90 minutes is still a long time to focus for these girls.  So tomorrow I'm going to try 60 min work time with 15 min. breaks.  Tomorrow will flow like this for Savannah and Charlotte:

800-900- Work

900-915 – Break

915-1015- Work

1015-1100 – Snack/Recitations

1100-1200pm- Work

1200-100- Lunch/free time

100-200- Read/sleep

200-300- work

300-315-break

315-415-work

That is 5 hours of work.  I'm hoping that they will be done in 3 to 4 hours, but we'll see.  The ultimate goal is to help them focus when it is work time and have enough breaks throughout the day to rejuvenate their minds.

UPDATE: I guess 4-5 hours of work is average for 3rd/4th graders, according to Susan Wise Bauer: http://www.welltrainedmind.com/schedules/  That makes me feel a little better.  I suppose we are entering a new phase of schooling.

More research on the writing for Savannah: at the moment I am leaning towards putting off Classical Composition and saving it for 7th or 8th grade at an accelerated pace (which is an option listed in the book).  The reason being is that I have been reading on the homeschool forums and in Susan W. Bauer's Writing With Ease: The Complete Writer,  and have found her progression of writing to make more sense.  Grades 1-4 consists of narration, dictation, and copywork.  Roughly grades 5-8 consists of sentence structure/diagramming, outlining, and writing from an outline.  Her middle school curriculum, Writing With Skill, is supposed to be really good and written to the student with lots of help for me as the teacher.  Then in high school is when students should begin the Progymnasmata, which is what Classical Composition is.  She argues that until students have the basic skills of grammar, sentence structure, and outlining, that they aren't ready to build on their writing skills with exercises contained in the Progymnasmata.  Though I don't know that I will wait until high school to teach the Progymnasmata, I do think I should delay it for a while.  An online writing class would be good for that stage as well since I feel so incapable of teaching that subject.

If I do this, I will need to add in copywork, narration, and dictation to our day.  Plus Rod & Staff English 4 has easy writing assignments that I can spread across the curriculum.  Anyway, that's where my thoughts are today on the subject.

Update: Everyday is a new day, right?  So I have been reading and thinking about SWB's writing curriculum and I think I will pass, even though it sounds really good.  After reading reviews of some people finding it to be torture, and pulling out my own copies of WWE, and remembering the feeling of torture trying to do those... I think I need to find a different path than SWB's stuff.  I don't think I will like WWS.

I think I will continue on with Classical Composition - Fable.  I do need to add in copywork and dictation though, so those will be starting next week.  I've got to think of a creative and pleasant way to do that. 

As for learning how to outline, that is what Google is for.  I'm sure I can find something.

And I'm purchasing Classical Writing cores Aesop and Homer, just for fun (used of course).  I want to look at them.  They incorporate more than just writing.  They contain grammar and analysis of some sort.  I want to see and compare.

Frustration with CC

Wow, crash and burn on Classical Composition today.  Day 6 we are supposed to invert the sequence of events of the fable that we are studying.  To practice, we are supposed to tell about the events of our day, backwards.  For example: "We are finally getting to do Classical Composition.  Before this, I was working with Madelynn on her handwriting and phonics instruction.  Before this, I was taking a nap.  Before this, we ate lunch."   .... etc.  Except that is dumb.  I don't know how to say it without saying "before this or that"  Neither did Savannah.  The text, however, gives a beautiful example of inversion of the fable without saying "before this" the whole time.  But I can't do it; how can I even begin to teach Savannah how to do it?

Another problem was the outline.  I was never taught how to do an outline in school (among many, many other things), and there isn't any help in CC about how to write an outline.  We're just supposed to do it.  We figured it out with the answers in the TM, but it would have been nice to have some actual instruction about outlines that I could at least read to Savannah.

*sigh*  I don't know what to do now.  I was thinking maybe we should put it aside and wait until 5th grade, but I'm pretty sure I won't know how to invert any better next year either.  Should I stick with it or drop it?

If I drop Classical Composition, I would do narration, copywork, and dictation like I did last year, and then move into Writing With Skill next year.  The positive side to WWS is that it is written to the student so it can be fairly independent, it has great reviews, and it contains more relevant writing instruction.

Or I can stick with CC and struggle through it.  Maybe that is the only hard exercise.  Another problem is that I'm not seeing the end from the beginning; where are we going with this?  I should probably finish out the week at least and try to find some more reviews about it.

I'm also rethinking my science assignment for Charlotte.  It is a lot of writing.  Maybe just read the chapters?  Write a summary?  Thinking...

Week 1 Report

Week 1 has been great!  A few changes in curriculum already:

From Savannah's list I'm dropping Figuratively Speaking.  It is too hard for her and she hates it.  Maybe another year.  I'm also dropping the Kolbe literature guide. We haven't tried it yet, but I think it is just pointless busywork.  I have them both reading for an hour a day.  I think that is the best thing to do to keep the love of reading alive.  I'm not incredibly impressed with Memoria Press's Geography I workbooks; I'm undecided on this one.  We'll give it another week.  We haven't tried my science plan yet; we won't do science until week 3. 
Things I LOVE:  Week 1 of Classical Composition - Fable has been a lot of fun.  Everything else Savannah is using is a continuation from last year (math, English, spelling, MP's Famous Men of Rome, Latin) and I am still very pleased with these. 

I also added grammar copywork from MP's Grammar Recitations book this year.  I find it to be very valuable for my kids to memorize the definitions of grammar terms.  We are often talking about grammar terms in Latin, and Charlotte has the hardest time keeping noun, proper noun, common noun, verb, adjective, subject, predicate, and pronoun straight.  Memorized definitions really help her, so I am pleased with our grammar copywork and flashcards.

Everything on Charlotte's curriculum list is working out just fine.  She has a lot more writing to do this year that she is not enjoying so much, but I think it is good for her.  She'll get used to it.

I decided today to drop New American Cursive for Madelynn and do the K workbook of Handwriting Without Tears.  It is so much easier!  I really want to get her writing quickly so we start on Spell to Write and Read lists.

The Gospel Principles study in the morning with Savannah and Charlotte is going really well.  I wake them up at 6 am and give them a piece of gum (they love this).  We sit at the table with the Gospel Principles book, a journal, and their new scriptures.  I taught them how to mark scriptures with their red pencil first.  Then we read one section from the Gospel Principles lesson.  Together we read and mark all of the scriptures that are referenced in that section.  There is a question or two for each section.  We discuss the questions and write the answers to one of the questions in our journals.  I've found this time to be very valuable and it is working really well.

My preschool plan has been fun.  We made A's with apple prints, colored apples, and did a cut and paste project with construction paper and apples, made jello, and introduced them to red-light, green-light and Simon-says.  They also love the read-alouds; however the Children's Bible is way over their heads.  I've actually started reading that to Savannah, Charlotte, and Madelynn at night.

Recitations, Circle-Time, and family scripture reading is going great.  Chocolate milk is the key to a successful family scripture reading time (but don't use straws; they're too loud).

Recitations: happens around 4pm, when school is over.  This is for Savannah, Charlotte, and Madelynn.  They each recite the poems we have already learned and practice the new poem we are learning.  We also are memorizing The Living Christ a few sentences at a time.  We do this 4Xs a week.

Circle-Time: is right after breakfast.  In the front of my recitations folder I have a gospel art picture and a sheet that tells us the song, scripture, and Article of Faith that we are learning this month as a family.  We sing the song, recite the scripture and AoF, and pledge allegiance to the flag.

Family scripture reading: happens right before bed, after the kids have on their pajamas and the house is clean.  We first have family prayer.  Then the kids grab their scriptures and get to the table while I make their chocolate milk.  We take turns reading a verse. Even Caroline, Madelynn, and Zachary participate; I read their scripture and they repeat after me. 

I'm liking our daily routine as well.  It is all working very nicely.  I love the hour break for breakfast and lunch, then my personal one-hour quiet time when I usually sneak some candy and take a nap in the middle of the day.  My only complaint is that our days are long right now.  I'm hoping this will ease up in the next couple of weeks as the kids get used to the new work-load.

Classical vs. Modern Education

I am majoring in Educational Studies with an online college.  I get to read over and over, in every single class I take, NOTHING about real education, but everything about progressive education, and it grates on my nerves. 

I have been struggling to pin-point the main difference between progressive education (public school education) and classical education, but haven't been able to do so successfully.  I finally ran across this article.  It hits the nail on the head.

Anyway, you can visit the link or below I have pasted the parts I found most profound from the article:

"...modern, progressive education has as a goal fulfilling the individual needs, interests and capacities of the individual students. This emphasis focuses on what is individual to each student, therefore upon the differences among the students, as if such differences were paramount in determining the means of education employed.

"If children share only similar physical characteristics, given that no two bodies (not even of “identical” twins post partum) are just exactly alike, then differences in height, genetic makeup, health, test-taking ability, IQ scores, and so on --all those things which individuate them from their fellows — are indeed of primary importance since they are different in nearly all such things that can be measured physically. In that case, no two children are truly equal (except before the law, in some countries).

"... However, if all children share something in common much more important than their similar yet differing bodies, then that shared commonality, that likeness will be of paramount importance in determining how best to educate them.

"Here we come to the crux of the matter. Different conceptions of the nature of man result in different educational goals and means. For those who think or believe that all men share a common human nature and like, immortal souls, then that reality becomes of paramount importance in determining the goals and means of education, which will certainly not be focused primarily on the less important  measurable, individual differences of their physical beings  (except perhaps in the most unusual cases of physical disability). Instead, education will be focused on the care of that shared human nature on their immortal souls."

"Since [Socrates] believed the soul was immortal and would have some eternal fate based upon its goodness or lack thereof  (as do all the major Western religions Christianity, Islam, Judaism), Socrates’ views on education reflected that belief, as did that of his ancient Greeks and the ancient Romans who followed the Greeks. Hence Socrates taught that the one thing needful for the soul was that it should strive after goodness.

"Since the fate of one’s immortal soul hinged on its goodness, then the pursuit of goodness became the principal occupation for the ancient Greeks. Goodness for them consisted of the virtues or habits of good action and thought, in proper order and harmony, leading to wisdom. So to pursue wisdom, and goodness, was to be on one and the same path. But how best to advance on this path? Socrates, beyond all of his philosophical dialogues, felt that one thing in particular was most important: “[I] thought that, because I loved him, my company could make him a better man,” [Socratic Aeschines fr. II c, p. 273 Dittmar]. This was the Socratic approach to education in its core: education through love.

 

"....Indeed, education did not mean for Socrates the cultivation of the intellect alone to the neglect of all else, but since man is attracted to the good, first by what is beautiful, education must first begin with the senses, proceed on to the memory, imagination, intuition and intellect, spurred on to all by love."

 

"Modern, progressive education, in either denying or ignoring the soul is left with nothing else but the body, the brain, to educate (with competitive sports added helter-skelter). The brain thus conceived as a sort of computer that moves about, rather than goodness or wisdom the goal of human education becomes knowledge in the sense of data storage and retrieval (in the better of the modern schools), and mere political indoctrination in most. Love is irrelevant in such an environment."

 

"Ignore the souls of children and so remove love from education and what do you get: modern, progressive “dumbing-down” education where fear and hatred stalk the halls and all too often explode into violence and despair.

Very, very few can learn well in such environments as sinking test scores and poor academic achievement (such as the growing inability of high schoolers even to read) increasingly confirm."

 

"Homeschooling is so successful relative to public and private school education, despite many obstacles and disadvantages, primarily because children have souls and thrive in every way – in the loving environment of their families."

-----------------------------end of article--------------------------------------------------

Final thoughts:

I am finding that the scriptures, particularly the Book of Mormon, are absolutely jammed packed with a clear roadmap on how to "strive after goodness" and attain virtue and wisdom: the ultimate goal of a classical education. 

This is what motivates and thrills me about homeschooling: the pursuit of how to best cultivate virtue and wisdom in my children.  Especially how to lead my children, and myself, to be more like our Savior, so that we can have a good life here and an eternal life to come; that we may have faith, hope, charity, and an eternal perspective in this dark, uncertain world.

"Wherefore, my beloved brethren, if ye have not charity, ye are nothing, for charity never faileth. Wherefore, cleave unto charity, which is the greatest of all, for all things must fail—

 But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever;" (Moroni 7: 46-47)

And finally:
 

"Wherefore, all things which are good cometh of God; and that which is evil cometh of the devil; for the devil is an enemy unto God, and fighteth against him continually, and inviteth and enticeth to sin, and to do that which is evil continually.

 "But behold, that which is of God inviteth and enticeth to do good continually; wherefore, every thing which inviteth and enticeth to do good, and to love God, and to serve him, is inspired of God."  (Moroni 7:12-13)

 

That about sums up my feelings towards progressive education vs. classical education. 

 

This is why I homeschool and why public school education will never be an option. 

Beginnings are hard!

So this is the third day of the first week and oh my goodness...

It is almost 4pm and the girls are still working on their school.  They got a two hour break for lunch and reading time and they take 10 minutes between each subject, but HOLY COW!  It is not supposed to be like this. 

I know that the days will get shorter because they always do.  The kids get used to their new work load and new curriculum and pick up the pace eventually.  But until then... we trudge along... teaching and learning new skills and such.

Speaking of skills, Charlotte and Savannah have different strengths and weaknesses, and it is becoming more obvious.  I need to work on their individual weaknesses this year.

Charlotte needs abundant practice summarizing and narrating short passages.  I think she often zones out when I read aloud or when she reads, unless it really captures her attention.  She doesn't listen carefully and/or doesn't comprehend well.  I plan on helping her by having her summarize every read aloud I read to her in the evening.  Her strengths are that she rocks at math!  And she has very beautiful handwriting.  She is careful, deliberate, and slooooooww... but it is pretty!

Savannah is careless in her work in math, handwriting and reading. This makes math time go much longer because I require her to correct every single wrong answer.  Today she had to re-do half of her math from yesterday because of careless adding, carrying, and borrowing.  Easy problems. I'm not sure how to help her other than what I'm already doing.  I make her re-do her math, re-write sloppy writing, and re-read sloppy reading.  Her strengths are that she rocks at comprehension and summarizing and anything language arts.  She is leaps beyond her grade level.

Madelynn does not put in much effort into what I ask her to do.  I probably need to make school time a little more fun for her.  She usually responds to my attitude, actually.  If I'm being impatient, she becomes reluctant.  If I'm positive and patient, she becomes more willing to try.  It has been fun getting to know her personality more.  She really enjoys her math book.
I am teaching her cursive first through New American Cursive, but it is really difficult for her and I don't really like the workbook at all.  I am thinking of switching her to Handwriting Without Tears- manuscript, like I did with Savannah and Charlotte.
I regret waiting so long to teach her how to form her letters.  This is holding us back.  In order to take off in reading she needs to know her phonograms.  In order to more easily learn her phonograms, she needs to be able to write them as she learns them.  But she can't write :(  boo.

I am starting to see the wisdom of teaching how to spell before teaching how to read.  Maddy is doing great going through the Bob Books, but it requires so much mental work and attention.  It is a physical and mental struggle, as it was for Savannah and Charlotte.  It seems that it would be better to learn how to write and spell easy words that would translate into being able to pick up a book and read it with ease eventually.  This, of course, would cause her to take longer to read than she would be capable of, but an easier path.  It also would have helped if I had started her handwriting about a year ago.  Lesson learned.  I think I'll start Zach on pre-writing exercises now.

All in all, I have enjoyed being on a rigorous daily schedule and teaching the kids this week.  I love interacting with them.  I am really pleased with our curriculum choices so far as well.  Homeschooling is hard.  I have to practice having a lot of patience and I often fail there, but it is also wonderful too.  The enjoyment far outweighs the difficult.

First Day of School!

Our first day of school went really well!  It's a lot, and I'm worried how I'm going to keep up this routine, but I can't think of how to make it shorter at the moment.

I woke up Savannah and Charlotte at 6 am.  From 6-630 we read out of Gospel Principles, wrote journal entries, and marked scriptures. 

At 630 to 700 we studied Latin.  700-800 is a break where we get dressed for the day, eat breakfast, and do our morning devotional of scripture, Article of Faith, song, and prayer.  The three little ones still weren't awake, so we ate and did devotional without them. 

800 sharp Savannah and Charlotte begin their "independent work."  I have to do oral reviews with each of them in English, which is the subject they start on, and then I'm free to leave them to their work, helping them when necessary.  On Monday Savannah had English, spelling, math, xtramath, Famous Men of Rome, and grammar copywork.  Charlotte had English, spelling, math, xtramath, and geography.  They also both had piano lessons at 1030 which made their day a little longer getting school work done, but they were pretty much finished by 1200.  We'll see how today goes.  They were both distracted and taking longer than normal.  Charlotte especially is not impressed with the amount of writing required in English.  She did a lot of daydreaming out the window instead.

The three little kids woke up about 830, so I fed them breakfast and did devotional with them.  At 900-1000 we did our preschool.  We painted A's, colored apples, and read Mother Goose.  It was wonderful.  The kids really enjoyed the activity and the attention.

Piano teacher came at 1030 to 1130, so while the girls were having their lesson, I played with the Littles and the piano teacher's baby outside.  We ate popcorn, rode bikes, got pushed on the swing, and ate unripe muscadines. 

Lunch was at 1pm.  I was a little late getting that ready.  Usually quiet time begins at 1pm, but I had made an appointment to meet a lady in town to purchase a homeschool book at 130, thinking Isaac would be home while the Littles napped, but he had to leave for work early.  So I took everyone with me.  We were home by 2pm, Zach and Caroline went to bed, Savannah and Charlotte read books on the couch, Maddy did crafts at the table, and I took a 1 hour nap.  It was lovely.

3pm I woke and did Kindergarten with Madelynn.  We went over the phonograms she knows already, we did a few pages of cursive writing in her handwriting book, she did a few pages in math, and we called it a day.  Zach woke up during this time, and after trying to entertain him to keep him from disturbing us, I finally put on a movie for him so we could work. 

330 pm I worked one-on-one with Savannah in her Classical Composition book.  I really enjoyed that time with her.  We do something different everyday for two weeks in that curriculum.  Yesterday we read a fable, underlined and defined the words she didn't know, we read the fable again, and then found the recognition, reversal, and suffering in the fable.  Then she orally narrated it and we were done.

At that point school was over.  I completely forgot to do memory work.  We cleaned and played and I sat on the computer.  Dinner was ready at 6pm.  Isaac came home from work at 7pm.  Did chores again, kids got ready for bed at 715.  Did family prayer and scriptures with chocolate milk.  I put Zach and Caroline to bed after a few books.  Then I read aloud to Savannah, Charlotte, and Madelynn from 8pm-9pm, and sent them to bed. 

Then I did my online school from 9pm-1030pm.  I hung out with Isaac until almost midnight and finally went to sleep.

Now I'm awake.  I got out of bed at 530am to type this.  It is 600 now and its time to wake the big girls and start all over again. 

*Sigh*

Pre-School at Home

I've actually never organized a formal preschool for my kids.  I've always just been available to my kids, reading to them and playing with them regularly, and I think that is enough.  However, now I am getting pretty busy and have found it necessary to specifically make time for my little ones every day and actually DO something with them; otherwise, I just won't find the time.  So this year, that is what I have done, and have dubbed it "preschool."  I'm keeping it pretty simple.  Here is our schedule:

Monday: Letter of the week craft / read from Mother Goose, poetry

Tuesday: Cooking something together / read stories from the Children's Bible

Wednesday: Go to the park

Thursday:  Do a paper or paint craft / read fairy tales

Friday:  Play physical games (duck, duck goose, ring around the rosie, simon says, etc.) / read a picture book of their choice.

Now, keep in mind, this is my first day :)  I have faith it will be successful though.  I'll update changes to my plan if it doesn't work out.

I don't coordinate books or activities to the letter of the week unless it is just super convenient.  The point is just to spend time doing something together for about an hour of my undivided attention.  I have a few activity and craft books laying around that I get my craft ideas from. There is also a ton of resources online if you just do a Google search. 

For pre-writing, pre-reading, and math skills, I don't specifically focus on those things for my 3-year old either.  I may include those things next year when he is 4.  We count things informally, I encourage him to color (which he is not interested in at all), and we are learning letter sounds.  That's it for age 3.  Caroline (age 1) just tags along and Madelynn (age 5) has her own Kindergarten curriculum at another time of the day.  So this is mainly for Zachary (3).

If you want a fancy, all-laid-out-for-you, formal preschool curriculum, there are many to choose from.  I would suggest going to the welltrainedmind.com/forum and becoming very familiar with it.  There you will find posts that list all of the preschool websites and curriculums, as well as people's reviews of them.  There is a specific page for pre-K and K at http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/forum/34-prek-and-k/  Utilize the search feature to find exactly what you want.  Good luck!

Final Line-up! School starts Monday!

*I reserve the right to change my mind*

Curriculum 2013/2014

Savannah’s 4^th grade:

Gospel Principles, Articles of Faith, Faith in God

Latina Christiana 1

Math Mammoth 4/ xtramath.com
R&S English 4
R&S Spelling 5
MP’s Famous Men of Rome study guide
Classical Composition – Fable
Apologia Zoology 1 (I will read this aloud at night instead)
MP’s Geography 1, sheppardsoftware.com
Kolbe Literature guide, Figuratively Speaking, Teaching the Classics

Charlotte’s 3^rd grade:

Gospel Principles, Articles of Faith, Faith in God

Latina Christiana 1

Math Mammoth 3 / xtramath.com
R&S English 3
R&S Spelling 4
MP’s Greek Myths study guide
Christian Liberty Nature Reader 4
US geography – states & sheppardsoftware.com

Madelynn’s Kindergarten:

Spell to Write and Read

New American Cursive 1, 2, Switched to Handwriting W/o Tears K, 1, 2, then homemade copywork
Essential Math B, then Math Mammoth 1
Bob Books, McGuffey Readers (primer, 1, & 2), then Little House in the Big Woods

Savannah, Charlotte, & Madelynn:

Memorization: IEW poetry, The Living Christ, Shakespeare
Poetry tea-time
Nature journaling
Free-writing
Read-alouds (A Child's History of the World, Children's Bible Stories, Zoology I, Iliad for Children, Odyssey for Children, Tales from Shakespeare).

Pre-school (Caroline, Zach, & Madelynn):

Letter of the Week/ABC book
Daily craft/activity and read-aloud (poetry, fairy tales, Children's Bible, & picture books)
 
Family:

Circle Time: I Know My Savior Lives (Sharing Time 2010) / memorizing Pledge of Allegiance, scriptures, AoF, primary songs, & hymns.

Arts & Crafts
Family scripture reading

Quiet Time

So this upcoming school year (which starts in one week) I will be utilizing "quiet time" with my 2 & 3 year old so I can take a break and then do some teacher-intensive school with my older kids (Latin, writing).  Caroline is growing out of her naps and won't stay in her bedroom, both in the afternoon and at night.  Here is my solution:

Joovy Room2 Ultralight.  The walls curve in slightly so she can't climb out and the bottom rests on the floor so that when Zach gets in and jumps up and down he won't completely break the mat.  We've gone through two pack n plays because of this.  Plus this is bigger than a pack n play; it is 3X3, and it has a memory foam mattress.  I couldn't be more thrilled!

Teaching the gospel of Jesus Christ to my kids!

I just made an outline of a year's worth of gospel teaching for my kids.  For example, we will be learning a song, an Article of Faith, and a scripture each month, and we'll review them every morning.  There is a theme/doctrine of the month, as well as supporting principles that I will base Family Home Evening lessons around each week.  Instead of reinventing the wheel, I got my outline from Primary's Sharing Time from 2010.  Here is the first page of the outline I made (I still have to fill in the details):

AUGUST: We Believe in God the Eternal Father and in His Son, Jesus Christ.
Article of Faith	Song		Scripture
WEEK 1: God is the Father of my spirit.		WEEK 3: Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ love me.
WEEK 2: Jesus Christ is the Son of God.		WEEK 4:

 

SEPTEMBER: Jesus Christ is My Savior and Redeemer.
Article of Faith	Song		Scripture
WEEK 1: Jesus Christ is my Savior and Redeemer.		WEEK 3: Jesus Christ was resurrected, and I will be too.
WEEK 2: Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, all mankind may be saved.		WEEK 4:

After having written all of these principles out for an entire year, I am overwhelmed by how wonderful the restored gospel of Jesus Christ is!  What profound, clear, doctrine.  How important the Restoration was in restoring these plain and precious truths that give a definite and defined path to happiness in this life and eternal life in the next.  How grateful I am that I can teach them to my children!

Here are the other principles we'll be learning this year:
Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and He is a God of Miracles
Jesus Christ can heal the sick.
Jesus Christ has power over death.
Miracles come to those who have faith.
When We Serve Others, We Serve God
Jesus Christ came to earth as promised by the prophets.
Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world
Jesus Christ will return to the earth someday.
I can live with Jesus Christ again.
Prophets are called by God
Prophets testify of Jesus Christ
There is safety in following the prophet
God speaks through prophets
Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ appeared to Joseph Smith.
Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon by the power of God.
Jesus Christ restored the gospel through Joseph Smith
Principles and Ordinances of the Gospel Lead Me to Jesus Christ
My faith in Jesus Christ is strengthened when I obey.
I can repent
When I am baptized I make a covenant with God.
When I am confirmed I receive the gift of the Holy Ghost
The Holy Ghost is the third member of the Godhead.
The Holy Ghost speaks in a still, small voice.
The Holy Ghost can guide and protect us.
By the power of the Holy Ghost, we may know the truth of all things.
Jesus Christ always obeyed Heavenly Father.
Jesus Christ went about doing good
Jesus Christ’s example teaches me how to live.
I show love for Jesus Christ when I keep the commandments
My love for Jesus Christ grows when I pray.
My love for Jesus Christ grows when I study the scriptures
Following the prophet will help us come unto Christ.
Sharing the gospel helps others come unto Christ.
We can come unto Christ by repenting when we make a mistake.
Temple work helps me and my family come unto Christ.
The Mission of the Church is to Invite All to Come unto Christ