News on Home School

Wow! I can’t believe I am saying this, but home schooling all 4 went even better than sending two to school and home schooling the older two. M8 held me to trying it for a week. For one, having the little brothers join us for several subjects like science actually challenged the older boys. They certainly did not want little bro showing them up by remembering what angiosperm and gymnosperm were while they struggled to remember. Second, since we did school from 8:30 to 2:30 with only a 30 minute break for lunch, we were all free to do what we wanted and had time to each do a chore of the day and cook dinner. Last year, without a schedule, we would finish home schooling anywhere from 1 to 4:40, more the latter. The other boys got home from school at 4:10- 4:30 and had an hours worth of homework or more. This was also cooking time! Third, the mornings went much smoother not having to worry about finding shoes, ironing clothes, finishing homework or paperwork, or making lunches.

The schools here are further behind than where we came from. I was too busy to worry with it and let them go at the pace the school was, but I was disappointed to find that in order to buy curriculum for the boys for this year, I am having to buy all the material I bought for M8 in K when we home schooled him for A6 to do for his first grade year. In other words, A6, our 1st grader, will need to learn what M8 learned in K.

Well, I have a great perspective on the matter and am feeling overjoyed to have this opportunity to HS them. I went to school to be a teacher, because I love kids and teaching. I also wanted a career that would work well with the family. I never dreamed I would be teaching my own kids! I also am excited that I am in charge of choosing the curriculum, doing things my way, and have no deadlines as if I were teaching for someone else. I get to pick my own hours and do not have to get my kids or myself fully ready daily. I do not have the drive time, parent time, and meetings I am forced to take. Oh, and I do not have to do "impress the parent or principal projects" ;-) hee hee) Just a few weeks ago, I was with a lady who showed me the one room schoolhouse her mother taught 12 different grades in all her life, so that gave me a good perspective that 4 or 5 is not so bad! Oh, did I mention I get to decide if there is homework!! Woo Hoo!
We are doing a new co-op this year that is run like a school. One day almost every week, we will go to co-op and each of the boys will go to 4 separate classes. It sounds like it is going to be a great year! A6 will be taking Art, Character First, PE, and Karate. M8 will be doing the Tour of the World, Election Study, Character First, and Botany. D11 has a writing class, Election Study, Art and Botany. N13 has a writing class, Taking stock in “the state we are in” (they work in groups and get to do a mock run in investing money online competing with other students across the state), General Science doing the labs at co-op, and art. N3 is attempting the preschool activities.
I am looking forward to our school year this year!