Aug. 13, 2009 - The Excitement of a New School Year!

I'm a fan of fresh starts and new beginnings; they make me happy. The start of a new school year is no exception.  I remember as a child, going to our school before the year officially began. Set up in the cafeteria would be tables of brand new school books.  My mother, list in hand, would take each of us around the tables and stack our books for the year in our open arms.  Oh, the smell....mmmm.  New book smell!  A little higher on the yummy scale than new car smell and a little lower than new baby smell ~smile~

My children don't have to go to a school cafeteria and hold out their arms for a pile of new books. Theirs get delivered to the front door. How convenient is that?  And not all of them are new yet I still find myself giddy with excitement over the start of a new school year. I can't say my children feel the same way but hopefully my excitement will wear off on them eventually!

What makes me particularly eager for this school year is our choice of curriculum.  We are using My Father's World.  I was sitting down looking through the books and lesson plans and I kept thinking, "Yes! I can do this!!!"  It didn't seem overwhelming to me and best of all, it looks fun!  Please don't rain on my parade if you feel this curriculum is lacking in some way.  Let me at least bask in my lack of terror for a few months! lol  One thing that I think I may have to supplement is the Bible curriculum.  I am going to give MFW a try but I may add something from Landmark.  Aside from that, I'm ready to dig in....after a trip to Wal-Mart for a few more supplies. 

�2009 Adorning Grace

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Aug. 5, 2009 - Pass the Paper, Please!

It's that time of year again.  The time when my mind (and my desk) is cluttered with a myriad of ideas for the upcoming school year.  I always find myself filled with excitement at the start of a new school year; positive that this year is going to be the best one yet.

There is one area that I struggle with, each and every year.  This is the area of record keeping.  The practical part of my brain says that a computer based record keeping system is the best option.  In fact, I have purchased the HomeSchool Tracker system and it's a good program.  I just can't seem to wrap my mind around using it. 

After playing around with the program for several days now (and for the fourth school year in a row), I have come to the conclusion that I am a paper person.  I like paper! THERE! I said it!  I love paper....nah, nah, nah! lol  How liberating!  I'm going to embrace my paper and go on my merry way.  Now maybe I can get on with the important stuff.

School begins August 17. 

©2009 Adorning Grace

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Feb. 19, 2009 - The Process of Homeschooling

If you have homeschooled any length of time, you know that everyone has an opinion about it. Within the realm of homeschoolers, you'll find a broad spectrum of opinions on teaching and learning styles, curriculum choices and a myriad of other topics. What I have learned is that homeschooling is a process.

We started our homeschool journey when our first born was 5.  I suppose it could be argued that we homeschooled from birth but for the sake of a definition, the first books were ordered for her kindergarten year.  I have run the gamut from replicating a classroom to throwing caution to the wind and joining the ranks of the "unschoolers".   I discovered that neither one was a perfect fit.

Curriculum choices were the same. We tried the super-structured ones like A Beka and more relaxed ones like ACE. We've tried lapbooks and notebooking.  Nature studies and child led learning.  Each one had it's benefits but none met our every need.

After six years in this carnival of homeschooling, I have finally figured it out!  Homeschooling is a journey, it's a process, it is not a destination!  What might work one year, doesn't work the next.  What fits our lifestyle for a few months, suddenly changes and no longer works. It's trial and error. It's an adventure and one to be embraced with delight.  There's no room for fear in homeschooling. It only holds you hostage, paralyzing you into doing nothing and causing indecision.

For the first time since we started homeschooling, we have found a rhythm that works. Is it perfect? No.  But it leaves me with a deep feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment at the end of the day.  We're making measurable progress and learning to enjoy the process. 

Recently, I have been called "supermom" on more than one occasion. There is nothing super about me. I am just a mom that wants the absolute best for her children.  I want their hearts more than their minds.  I want their spirits to be pure and untainted from the world. I want them to learn for the simple joy of learning, not for a false sense of accomplishment. What is in a letter anyway?  I want to teach them character while building confidence in their God-given abilities.  I want this generation, the generation I'm raising to be better, more spiritual, more loving, more kind and closer to the Lord that the last. 

Homeschooling is a process. Like any process, it takes time to develop. Stop fighting it.  Take each day, one at a time and ask the Lord for wisdom. Ask him to guide you on your journey.  Let God's Word be your standard and you will not fail.

Joshua 1:8   This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

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