A Day At HAVEN ACADEMY Christian Homeschool

~Our Homeschool Journal~ I remember when we were new to Homeschooling... I was "gleaning" information from every source I could find. There are alot of great resources out there! Lots of curriculum catalogs, Support Groups, and Seminars. But what I REALLY needed the most... was for a "veteran" of homeschooling to sit down with me and describe in detail a "typical day" in their homeschool. I had so many questions.... * How many hours per day should I teach? * Should I "schedule" each subject every day? * HOW do I teach Science!!!.. Algebra!!! I have decided to create this page for other's that have these same questions. I will periodically make "journal" entries on this page of a typical day in our homeschool. I know that for me,  it is interesting and helpful to get idea's from other homeschoolers September - March 1997~98 This has been an eventful school year. It has been a lesson in "Flexibility". We started out as usual... with a few new Abeka text books , a stack of library books and several "hand-me-downs". We worked together on United States Geography and daily "character" studies (I will be adding a page on this subject eventually ) . The girls each had a long list of subjects that they wanted to "delve" into... AND THEN.... My health problems returned in October. I have liver\pancreatic problems as a result of all the previous problems and so this all began to flare up. I was having severe abdominal pain due to a pancreatic blockage, and  I was hospitalized several times from October thru November. The girls worked on independent studies during the day and then when their Dad got off work in the evenings they would come to my hospital room with their bookbags. We took turns reading  aloud from"The Trumpet of the Swan" by E.B. White and their Dad and I would tutor them in Math or Grammar or any subject they were having trouble with. After I came home I needed a lot of bed-rest, so this was the perfect opportunity to do a lot of "together time" studies. We did  needle-work samplers together, we read lots and lots of great classic literature together, and we spent extra time on MATH. *    

Our days are rarely neatly, laid-out and uninterrupted. We get up by 7:00am. and have breakfast We have a "Chore Chart" and everyone does their "Fair Share" By 9:00am. everyone is busy either at their desks in their rooms or at the dining room table... in nice weather we also move our "classroom" to the backyard picnic table. I allow the girls to plan their daily "schedules" which I have to approve. They work independently in the mornings on things like Spelling, Grammar, Health and  Math. I am always available to help or answer questions while I am planning meals, making shopping lists or doing housework during this time. After Lunch we have what we refer to as our "TOGETHER TIME". This is when we do Bible Studies, Character Studies, History and Science. It's much easier teahing these subjects with all three girls  at the same time. Even though they are of varied grade-levels, we easily adapt the activities to meet their needs. April is a big help in teaching things she has already learned. By 1:30 pm. the girls are free to read a book,  do an art project, "play" with the computer or practice their music. Everyday  atleast one of the girls will ask to bake something. And before bed every night they spend 30-45 minutes reading.

    APRIL 1998 The girls have been using our NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Field Guides to learn about all the various BIRDS that are living in our back yard. We borrowed an audio-tape from the Library of BIRD CALLS and we're learning to identify them by their sound as well as by their physical characteristics. We have been doing a lot of baking this month. The girls have baked cookies, muffins and breads. This is great for "Home Economic" but it's also good practice for MEASUREMENTS May 25, 1998 I just had a wonderful realization today! My prayers have been answered! When we first began the seemingly daunting task of homeschooling, I prayed that the Lord would give my girls a love for knowledge and that homeschooling would become a part of our lives. My prayers have been answered!! Gradually, throughout this past school year, the girls have become more and more independent and responsible with their studies. I have often found them working on a book report at 8 o'clock in the evening, or reading through a text book WITHOUT BEING TOLD! Our homeschool has become woven into the tapestry of our everyday lives!! Someone once said, "Our children learn best when we STOP trying to be a teacher" We will not stop school for the summer. We are living our lives, learning and growing together everyday. Why should we limit that to September through May? There is no "first" or "last" day of school in our home. A few of our "plans" for the summer are: a Nature Journal, Studying Journalism with a possible tour of a Newspaper's Facility, Math Games, Lot's of reading on the front porch swing, and lot's and lot's of "Fun in the Sun'!! June '98 ~ I have been teaching the girls to build their own webpages. We have had so much fun with this!! I have them do their own typing and then together we edit for spelling and grammar. April is working on hers about horses http://www.oocities.org/Heartland/Pointe/2966/horsetribute.htm Erins is all about BABYSITTING with lots of tips and first aid http://www.oocities.org/Heartland/Pointe/2966/erin.htm and Emma's is called "Emma's Favorites" and it is all about the things she loves most: The Titanic and Baseball! http://www.oocities.org/Heartland/Pointe/2966/emma.htm I am really proud of the job they have done with them. July 1998 we have enjoyed reading through some of the great "Independence Day" webpages on the Net. Many of them are "Unit Studies" within themselves. We found a site on the Net where we could print out our own copies of The Declaration of Independence" so each of the girls have one to add to their folders. We are reading through it and looking up "unknown" words in the dictionary. We have spent some time outside laying on a blanket and drawing and writing in our Nature Journals.  We have began a Unit Study on Butterfly's and we are really enjoying it. Occasionally we are fortunate enough to see one in our yard. We have been reading in various fiction books from our many trips to the library, enjoying the many BBQ's and of course the wonderful fireworks! August 1998 ^ ^ ^ ^ This month has found us sitting in the Doctor's offices again. But the girls are "pro's" at this and they follow me, bookbags in-tow. I think that this teaches them a lot about life...some good and some bad....just as "real" life really is. My children are meeting people with devestating illnesses and I watch proudly as they open a door for a man in a wheelchair or they sit beside an elderly woman and make conversation. * We have been browsing through catalogs to plan our curriculum for the coming school year. I think it is important for the girls to be involved in this whole process. We have been blessed to "counsel" some NEW homeschoolers and help them with planning for their first year. * As always we have made a 1000 trips to the library. We spend hours in their browsing the shelves of books and looking through the micro-films and files. * We are still working on our Butterfly Unit study. We took the Nature Journals and the colored pencils to my Grandmothers. She has zillions of flowers and plants that attract butterfly's and hummingbirds. So we were able to add some great drawings and information to our Journals. * We have been concentrating a lot on VOCABULARY. Just using NEW words and looking up their meanings. We are encouraging the girls to ADD to their own vocabulary's. * We are all looking forward to having more of a "routine" in our lives and getting back to a "full schedule" of learning. We are considering Monday, August 17th as our "First Day of School" for this year. August 26, 1998 * We have officially began another school year. Although we never actually "stop schooling" it IS good to have more of a  "routine" again :) The Lord is so good....as I look back on my old journal from our first year of homeschooling I can see the growth that we as a HS family have had. It is so nice to be able to "relax" and enjoy my children and the process of learning WITH them. LEARNING has become our LIFESTYLE... or a part of DAILY LIVING for us, rather than a "scheduled", forced process that we hurry through to get on to the "funner" things. I am enjoying teaching the girls "Life Skills"...things like cooking, cleaning, sewing, How to be Hospitable to Guests, and to make a home a "HAVEN" for our families and friends. And what greater joy is there than to teach our children in the Lord's ways and to know that we are equipping them (and many future generations) for a lifetime of walking with the Lord. *We spent the day today at a local Art Exhibit entitled, "Mountain Mist" that featured beautiful quilts and other art by Appalachian Artists. Very beautiful and inspiring. It was a History/Geography Lesson as well as ART! :) ~Go to the 2nd page of our Journal~ * If you ever have a specific concern or question regarding HOMESCHOOLING send me an E-Mail and if I  don't know the answer myself I will do my best to help you find it! Homeschooling through Adversity Living Beyond Adversity Homeschool On-Line Support Group  Copyrighted, Denice Whitaker, 1998