I missed out last month on 10 on 10. First I probably was barely above water and functioning due to being sick and I also didn't want to spoil why we had started school so early. Warning-All these months of not blogging, has brought out a chatty me. There is a lot of information. If you choose to just scroll through the pictures, I completely understand.
Today I took the time to document our day. It will be informational as well. Many times I hear from so many mothers that they could never home school. I completely understand. It is a daunting decision. I also know that it is SOO doable. You don't realize what you are capable of until you do it. I thought I would use today to show you what a typical day for us looks like.
Honestly, Anthony and I knew we would home school before we were married. It was just what we wanted. I did contemplate putting Eli in school. Then Common Core came through and that sealed the deal to continue homeschool. As I have seen, kids are being burned out on school or testing really. There are so many wonderful teachers and their hands are tied with government regulation and oversight. I wanted more for my kids as long as I could do it. Yes, some days are tough, and financially it is not always the easiest. Do I think poorly of anybody else that does not choose to home school. Absolutely NOT!! It is a family decision that has to be made for you. Homeschooling is becoming more mainstream and honestly most areas have WONDERFUL communities.
I have talked several times about the type of education we use. We use a Charlotte Mason approach. It is different than most "school" you would think of. Our days are not filled with worksheets. In fact now I can't dream of giving my child a worksheet. Lessons are short. So you don't finish something that day oh well, you pick up the next day. It is also gentle. Formal learning really does not begin until 6. Yes letter tracing etc. can be done earlier, but it is not like what most kids in preschool these days do. Instead they spend hours outside playing and observing nature and studying it. Our work is filled with rich literature and what are known as living books. Instead of a child doing a worksheet or answering questions they are required to narrate what they read or what I read to them. This may seem easy, but many of the books are advanced literature so it is more difficult than you might think. We also fill our days with a feast from poetry, to classical music, paintings, and artists. Habits are big. We work on habits and character. It is an atmosphere. Sometimes I struggle to describe it, because it really is so different and people look at you like you are nuts. There are several places you can find curriculum guides for CM education. We use Ambleside Online. It is wonderful. I feel like I am getting a second education and loving it myself.
Today was our normal Tuesday because of observing the holiday. Each day is a different subject and so it varies, but for the most part is the same as far as the schedule. Math, copywork, reading/ponics, morning breakfast routine, and outside time are done everyday. History, literature, geography, are given their own day. We start out sitting at breakfast together with our Bible reading, nursery rhyme, poetry by a poet for the term. This term we are reading Robert Louis Stevenson. We also do Spanish and work on memorization of a Bible Verse and Poem. Today was our composure study. For the term we have listened to Brahms. This may seem like a lot, but in all honesty we complete all of this in about 20 minutes.
This is Eli's first year of real formal learning. We did Math last year, the beginning phonics rules, and some readings. I was not really pushing much because I knew that 1st grade would be plenty for everything. I can't say we will do as much with Lilliana and Ari as we did with Eli. Truly that is because has always been advanced and needed that stimulation. They don't necessarily with their personalities.
After breakfast the kids get dressed, make beds, brush teeth, and we do a few chores. Today I had them vacuum the edge of the carpets and wash a few walls. The youngest two either color or trace letters in salt at this point. Lilliana is working on her name. Normally I would not even ask this. Penmanship should always be neat and so we don't usually start much until 6. I want quality over quantity. She has been begging so I agreed to let her do her name. She is doing well and we have several years to refine this.
Eli and I take this time to begin his work. The kids color play and trace their letters. They usually make up their own games and are happy to be left alone by Eli and I. Today is Geography day. We read a page in Paddle to the Sea. Then Eli filled in his map of what we learned and we watched a video about sawmills as Paddle landed at a sawmill today.
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After Paddle we did Math. Today was a short day for reading. We usually have two readings a day, but finished our other book so it was short. Math is both of our favorites. In school it was never mine and truly I blame that on the lack of fundamental skills that really are not taught well in elementary. A math curriculum was the hardest decision. I am thankful for the one we chose. It may be the most expensive, but wow have my skills improved greatly and Eli LOVES it just as much as I do if not more. If you are interested we use Right Start math. After math we work on Phonics and reading with a very short lesson being 15 minutes. Eli really does not enjoy reading. That is pretty normal. A child will excel at either Math or Reading not usually both from what I have learned. He is definitely a math kid. He is doing well with reading though.
Science is not a curriculum with CM in the early years. Instead at this age they spend hours outside studying and identifying plants, insects, animals etc. They also have a nature book they draw in. Nature study we have found can be everywhere. This morning in particular our science study was two moths that had found their way in our house last night through an open screen that was not supposed to be opened. Ari told me all about it. He was the most excited, but the other kids learned things too.
For formal lessons that was our day. It really took Eli and I a total of an hour and that was playing a math card game together.
At that point I sent them outside to play until lunch.
After lunch the youngest two took naps and so did I. Before that Eli had his art lesson and also daily copywork. He usually copies from a poem or story. It is amazing how in just a few short weeks his handwriting has improved. He loves to draw also.
I failed at getting pictures until after our evening walk. I woke up very sick and so it was a chore to just get dinner on the table. A nice walk helped me though.
September light is my favorite........
The best find of the night was the Monarch Caterpillar. We brought him home and learned so much more about Monarchs. They are actually dwindling in population so anytime you find one you should try to bring it and raise it in a protected area. We can't wait to draw him tomorrow and watch him the next couple of days. This is the atmosphere of education CM taught.
I hope I was able to show you how easy and doable homeschooling is. There are so many other wonderful curriculums available too. We love Charlotte Mason, but I know it is not for everybody. If you have considered it I hope I was an encouragement. I am happy to answer any questions you may have.
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