We started out using Five In A Row, commonly referred to as FIAR. That was the backbone of Levi's kindergarten year. We did do activities that could involve both boys. It's a great little curriculum. The idea is, you take a great piece of children's literature, read it for 5 days in a row. Each day is devoted to a different subject of study. For instance, one book we went through, The Little Red Lighthouse and The Great Gray Bridge. For day one, we did Social Studies. In which we learned a bit about New York, where the story takes place. We located the state on the map. Talked about the river flowing through it, the mountain ranges, the bordering states. We colored a picture of the state flag... Day two is dedicated to Language Arts, where they learn about personification and many other things. Get the idea? We have all learned a lot doing this. We've gotten the chance to read some WONDERFUL children's books AND learn about our world. They kids have a blast with the lessons.

Next, Levi started first grade math, using the Horizons curriculum. He did very well with that. He picked everything up very well. He worked on memorizing his addition facts as well as some subtraction. He worked with fractions, greater than and less than. This curriculum stresses the importance of memorization of those facts. It helps them immensely along their way of learning. Flash cards are your best friends :D This curriculum also has the kids doing a short 2 minute drill to further help them in that.

He also started copywork from Genesis. Each week he would start a new verse. Copying it all week and reciting it to me as soon as he could, which was generally the first day. Though, some it took him until day 2 to recite it well. So, handwriting practice and scripture memorization at once, I like that! ,p> We did First Language Lessons with him as well. That is a book put out by the folks who did The Well Trained Mind. The language lessons are so simple..I mean, simple to teach, not 'too' simple for him. It gave a good beginning foundation for language and grammar work.

For history we used another deal from The Well Trained Mind. They have a spine out called The Story of the World. They have all 4 periods now. You start in the Ancients and do a period a year then repeat. So you have this 4 year cycle going on. The first round, the grammar stage, you're simply introducing the child to these things. Not expecting them to absorb absolutely everything there is to learn, just to give them an idea, to introduce them to the process of learning. We really enjoy this program.

The next school year, Levi moved onto 2nd grade work and Joel became more involved. Levi did Horizons Math 2, again, did well. Horizons math works well for my kids. I'm glad I haven't had to change math curricula. That's like the worst subject to have to switch around in. Levi continued on in First Language Lessons. That book covers grades 1 and 2. History, we didn't get nearly as far into that as I had hoped, so we just repeated. So, Levi is 'technically behind' a year, or rather just 'off' a year in the classical cycle of study. But that's no big deal. I felt much better about repeating the ancients than I did about going on to the next era. We just didn't get a good enough feel for that whole process to continue on. So, here we are again. :)

He has continued with his Genesis copywork, well into chapter 3 now. Handwriting is very nice at this point. We have started Spelling Power as well. This program is quite neat. No workbooks, I don't get into workbooks. Instead, this one book will get you for however many kids all the way through!! Yeah, one purchase and you're done, hello? How great is that!?! And the program is good too. It works on lists of commonly misspelled words. The kid tests everyday, for just 5 minutes. That's it, 5 minutes, set the timer. If any words are missed, they do a 10 step study of them. Which includes writing the word correctly, visualizing it, noting the spelling rule, stuff like that. Then they write a sentence using the missed word(s). Oh to start off, things aren't necessarily marked by 'grade level' The child will do a placement test. In which you just go through this list of words, the kid spelling them to the best of his/her ability, once you notice he's missed X number (the book tells you how many, I just forget at the moment, thinking it's around 4 in a row ??) you stop the testing session and go over the missed words. The book further tells you how to use that score to place the child within the program. Levi tested in at level D which is about 4th grade. The child just advances at their own pace. They do not go on until they 'have' it. It's really great! I'm impressed with how well my kids spell!

Science we have followed The Well Trained Mind again, using the library as our resource. We covered animals, human body, plants. All by simply checking books out at the library. We would read some things aloud. Other things they would read on their own then write sentences telling of a few things they learned. We've done coloring pages and projects for several of the studies.

Joel I guess technically started his kindergarten year, 2004-2005. Though, he primarily does 1st grade work. He started the year doing copywork that was covering the attributes of God. He has since moved on to Genesis. He always thought that was cool that Levi was always/still in Genesis and asked to do the same. I had full intentions of him doing the same, just hadn't gotten there yet. Well, we've moved on. He's in the story of Creation now. His handwriting still needs some work. He's just not my fine motor skills kid. It's not laborious for him, he enjoys writing, doesn't seem to struggle with it at all, he's just not very good at it yet. It's legible, just not exactly 'neat'. We're working on it. I've not done any formal handwriting practice with him. I printed off sheets of D'Nealian handwriting to show as a guide, but we've not been consistent with actually using them. I'll be working more on that next year. I'm not worried about it. As I said, I know it's just not his thing. It'll come to him. As long as he sees a good model (showing him the handwriting sheets) I know he'll get there. But we'll stress more practice next year.

He started Spelling Power too, testing in a low level C (3rd grade) I went ahead and started him at B (2nd grade) he has simply excelled! He is already onto level C now.

Joel is doing Horizons 1, 1st grade math. No problems! This kid is unreal. He rarely ever asks for help. He just reads his directions and off he goes LOL Much easier in that than Levi. I have to hover over Levi to keep him on task at times. With Joel, that's a rarity. He just sits down and gets busy. He does have a different way of doing things though. I often have to remind him to show his work so I know how he came to his answers. He just does everything in his head and in a way that is different than we would do on paper. One instance stands out in my mind..he was working on number sequencing, counting by 3s. The book showed "3, 6, 9 _ _ _" he was to write the next 3 numbers. I explained and explained and explained. I helped him with several other problems before this one he was to try on his own. He just couldn't get it. Finally, I left him there to do his work on his own. Just letting him have a go at it and we'd see what came of it later. Well, I return later to see his first answer to the above as "15" It finally hit me what he was doing. He was simply adding the numbers. 3 + 6 = 9 So then add the next 2 numbers getting 6 + 9 = 15 See? But once he finally put that down I could see where his thinking was and could help him out. He does much better on the sequencing now, by the way. ;) I'm still getting used to the whole idea though. Horizons math is good math, it's certainly not 'below grade level' or anything. And here my just now almost 6 yr old is doing 1st grade.

He's done First Language Lessons this year as well, again, 1st grade work. Doing well, not a problem. He does pretty well with the memorization of the poems. Only stumbling on a couple here and there. He enjoys those quick little lessons.

History he does along with Levi. Story of the World: The Ancients. We've nearly finished the book this time and we've learned so much. It's been great fun! We've read some fabulous books, learned about other cultures, done map work...they truly enjoy it. I do believe history is their favorite subject. They love getting new books at the library for their history studies. Science too. As I mentioned above, our studies for Science. Joel does the same work as Levi. Sometimes I don't require as much writing out of him, that's about it for 'breaks'.

I think that pretty well covers all our current studies. Next year we'll be starting Grammar with Levi. I'm still up in the air about curriculum for that. I'm torn between Rod & Staff and Shurley. I see good in both. I just don't know what to do. Of course, I'll post back my decision and how it's working later. History will be covering the middle ages/early Renaissance via The Story of the World as our spine. Then science will be earth science and astronomy via a couple spines I've yet to determine. Going on recommendations from The Well Trained Mind. The boys will each move up a grade in Horizons math. Joel will continue on with 2nd grade First Language Lessons. They will both get more formal handwriting instruction. I'm planning on going with Classically Cursive for Levi. I may go ahead with Joel in that too. I'll decide for sure once I get the books. I'm going to order the 2 books for 2nd grade. We'll be starting Greek as well. I had really hoped to had done that this past year, but it just didn't happen. So, we're really putting it as a priority for starting it next year. We'll just get the start up pack of Hey Andrew! Teach me some Greek. A very simple, yet thorough curricula for the Greek language. All 3 boys will be able to participate in that study. Advancing at their own pace, doing work at their own level. They also need to be more diligent in piano study. We started that this year but we've not been consistent. Momma's fault more than anything. I just need to discipline myself in some things, then that will flow over.

Now, something else I'm sure folks may be thinking about. My initial fears: well, like probably everyone else who's ever done this, I was worried I could never teach them sufficiently. I'm one who barely graduated high school. Took me 2 full summer semesters to even give me a HOPE of graduating on time. With that, I HAD to pass all I took my senior year. I just never enjoyed school. It 'wasn't my thing'. I didn't enjoy learning. There wasn't a single subject I actually enjoyed. So, how on EARTH was I going to teach my children? And worse yet...how could I instill a LOVE of learning in them? Yikes! I so wanted my children to love to learn and for them to be smart, excel in their studies. But how could *I* help them in that? I knew I didn't want to send them away to school. I simply couldn't fathom that thought. Sending them away to be raised and taught by someone else. By someone I didn't know. Someone who likely had entirely different beliefs than me on everything. I just couldn't do that. I KNEW home was the best place for my kids to be taught. But..how could *I* do it? I just had to buck up and do it. I knew it was best. I knew that's what I wanted for them. I'd just dip my toes in the water, take it easy, one day at a time, but just continuing on. There was no "I'll give it a try and see how it goes" It was.."ok, we're doing this!" I found the key to be..not getting overwhelmed by the future. Yeah, look ahead some, you want an idea of where you're going, but, you don't have to have it all planned out from the moment your child starts learning their letters. Maybe the guys can look at it that way, but, it seems a lot of us women can't. We need to take things in smaller steps. Let the guys take the panoramic view if that works better for them. But if you need to see the smaller picture..do so, just focus on the here and now. Then, as the next time approaches, start looking into it. Things were so much better when I stopped getting overwhelmed by 'everyone else' and their ways of homeschooling. I just let us fall into a pattern/system of our own. Still listening and watching others, taking some tid bits here and there. But I didn't view their ways as THE way to homeschool. That can easily frustrate a person and make you feel inadequate. Just watch others, listen to their ideas, think about what you think will work for you then try it. If it works, keep it, if not..toss it and move it.

Homeschooling is a learning experience for both parent and child. We're all learning here, no doubt about it. They learn their studies, I learn HOW best to teach them, which can change from time to time so it keeps me on my toes. Homeschooling is also a wonderful experience. To see, experience, first hand, your child learning and grasping a new concept. It's awesome!! How could you pass up an opportunity like that? We wouldn't choose to miss their first steps or words, why choose to miss the milestones of learning?

A day in the life of a homeschool family:

Wake up!!! Kids are most often awake around 7. Rarely, they rouse about 8. If I'm 'lucky' I get to lounge in bed til 8 - 8:30 Then..

Breakfast

After breakfast, they all get some free time while I clean the kitchen, start laundry and such.

Copywork for one, spelling for the other. They alternate who starts with what each day.

After copywork/spelling..a short break. They can go to the playroom for a while. Usually about 15 minutes or so.

Then it's math time. I look over their lesson, do any initial things with them, review facts cards and number charts when called for. Then onto their lesson. Again, if there are things I need to aid them with, I'm there, otherwise, it's independent work. I'm called upon as needed. I hover as needed to keep them (primarily Levi) on task.

Sometimes we have history or science before math time. We got sit on the couch and read the lesson together, do a go along for history or whatever. Then I send them off to do their map work or coloring page for the lesson. Or whatever they might be doing for science. History and science days alternate. History is generally Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Any big projects we wanted to do, are done on Fridays. Tuesday and Thursday are science days. Doing a few readings and a project or something on each day.

After math, it's lunch time followed by some more free time. Then we get some language in there somewhere. We don't have a rigid schedule by any means. We had started with math right away in the mornings, when minds were the freshest,but we had problems. Levi would spend all day doing math and we'd never get to history. So we had to revamp our schedule. SO that if he were to waste time doing math, it cut into HIS time, not everyone elses. That REALLY worked. He has since been able to have math after spelling and copywork with no problems. It's often at his choosing. Whether to do math now or language, stuff like that. I don't care what order things get done in, just that they get done. And, obviously, some times I just have more time for something now, than I will have later.

After that, the day is free. We generally have some quiet time around 3. For at least an hour. In which the boys may get a book, go to their beds to read and rest. They also grab a book to read just whenever throughout the day. They have done some assigned reading. In which each of them were required to have read an entire book, of my choosing, by the end of 2 weeks. That's been a recent addition to our schedule. They have been reading books of the Odyssey. On good days, when we just really get with it, no hang ups, doing our work smoothly, we are completely done by 1 or 2pm. They have the entire afternoon to play, which is just great!

I'll get back later and post links to some sites. My curricula list and "where to buy" Just hang in there with me folks, I'm trying ;) If you know me, you know I'm not the most organized person around, but I'm trying.

I got my graphics at: Page last updated: May 23, 2005