My Picks for This School Year – 2011/2012
18 Aug 2011 2 Comments
in School
This year I have three school age students and two preschoolers. I approach each year anew and pray about what our priority should be for each child and what we should use to accomplish this. One year God told me to just read to the kids so that the Little Gymnast would find enjoyment in books. She was never one to sit long enough to hear one page of a book. That year we had so much fun doing Before Five in a Row mixed with Five in a Row. By the end of the year I had accomplished my goal and everyone loved to listen to books.
So what’s in store for this year… Little Gymnast by age is in fourth grade. Due to her learning struggles she is still doing some first grade and second grade work. The beauty of homeschooling is that I can work at each child’s abilities no matter their grade. We can take a day or six months to get through one lesson. And six months is not an exaggeration. The Karate Kid is going into the second grade and Little Bit is first grade. Here’s the plan:
Little Gymnast – Fourth Grade
- Phonics, Spelling and Reading – Finish All About Spelling Level 2 with Explode the Code for Reinforcement
- Grammar – Daily Grams 3 and Sonlight LA1
- Math – Keep going with RightStart B and add Math Mammoth for extra review and practice when needed
- Handwriting – Finish A Reason for Handwriting C
- Copywork – God’s Wisdom for Little Girls: Virtues and Fun from Proverbs 31
- Science – Winterpromise Animals and Their Worlds (a repeat at her request)
Karate Kid – Second Grade
- Phonics and Reading – All About Spelling, All About Reading with some Sing, Spell, Read and Write
- Grammar – Sonlight LA1
- Math – Finish Making Math Meaningful Level 2
- Handwriting – Handwriting Without Tears My Printing Book
- Copywork - God’s Wisdom for Little Boys: Character-Building Fun from Proverbs
- Science – Sonlight Science 1
Little Bit – First Grade
- Phonics and Reading – Complete Sing, Spell, Read and Write Raceway Book
- Grammar – Sonlight LA1
- Math – Math Mammoth Grade 1
- Handwriting – Handwriting Without Tears My Printing Book
- Copywork - God’s Wisdom for Little Girls: Virtues and Fun from Proverbs 31
- Science – Wants to do a little of both
- Bible/History/Geography/Literature – Sonlight Core B – Introduction to World History
Why I Homeschool
05 Aug 2011 Leave a Comment
in Aspergers, Daily Life, School
I recently had someone who was helping our family suggest that I send my son to school. She was well meaning and this year has been really hard. He has Asperger’s Syndrome with ADHD, Oppositional Defiance Disorder, Sensory Integration Disorder and Dyslexia. He had a lot of outbursts this year that included yelling, name calling, throwing things, lashing out physically and destroying everything in his path to his room. There were a lot of days when just getting him calm was the focus of a our day. I cried a lot. Felt like I was failing him and my other four kids. So I can understand why those around me suggested that I send him to school. The intent was that the structure would help him, I could use the break, and I could focus on my other kids.
I was questioning myself. Why didn’t I just send him to school? Why again do I homeschool? After weeks of praying and turmoil, God gave me wisdom. First, He reminded me that He has called me to this. Second, I am not homeschooling only for academics, it’s a lifestyle for my family. But what does that mean? I want to be the primary influence in my children’s life. I want to spend more time than any other adult in their life. I want to shape who they become. I want to choose what they learn and when they learn it. I want to revel in their accomplishments as they happen. Through homeschooling my children, they have become each other’s best friends. They spend most of their time with each other, not other children or their friends. They experience the same thing all day and can “play” what they’ve experienced. This is essential to my oldest son with Aspergers. It’s not easy for him to relate to other children. If he goes to school and has one experience and all of us have another experience how will he jump right in to the play. Right now we all read the same books and watch the same shows. He knows what the others are talking about and can easily join in. I think he would feel left out if he went to school. He’d have trouble fitting in when he got home.
There is an academic component to why I homeschool as well though. My oldest two children struggle academically. I can tailor their education to meet their needs. Going as slow as they need until they finally absorb it. We can play games, watch videos and live the lessons of life. No teacher is ever going to invest that much in getting my gymnast to read or skip count.
After wrestling with this for months I have peace that God has called me, will equip me and He has the strength for this even though I don’t.
