Welcome To Our Busy Little World - Homeschool Open House 2007

Our Busy Little World

Aug. 4, 2007 - Homeschool Open House 2007

Tiany is hosting a homeschool open house for all of us to get to know one another better in the schooling realm. I thought it was such a great idea that I wanted to join in. Here's my contribution:

A short intro about you, how many blessings? How long have you been Homeschooling etc.. Just incase this is someone’s first visit to your blog.

In a few days (or possibly weeks, depending on the little bun in the oven) we will have five little girls under the age of five (4, 3, 2, 1 & coming soon). We love having all these little ladies about, busy though it certainly makes us! Since all of life is full of learning, I suppose we've been homeschooling since Isabelle was born, almost five years ago. But this past year was the first in which I found us doing more "schoolish" things, such as phonics, learning to write, etc. This fall will be Isabelle's "kindergarten" year, with her little sisters joining in for fun during a good portion of our school time.

Your Homeschool Day, what does it look like? Well, the "schooling" portion of our day usually looks somewhat like this: It consists of LOTS of reading and little more at this point. I lay out the two school blankets. I choose two preschool games (like Melissa & Doug toys, Laurie puzzles, dominoes, little counting bears, etc) from the credenza for each blanket, and one for the child with me on the couch. The girls may put one book and doll on each blanket if they'd like. I choose our books– Bible, children’s bible story book, and the read aloud books for the day. I start with Juliette (baby) on the couch on one side of me, and an older girl on the other side of me to snuggle and read. The other two girls are each on a blanket and must play quietly, raising their hand for any questions. I pray, read the Bible and talk about the passage, read the Bible story for the day (here I usually let the girls all come look at the pix if they want to and they ask nicely), and read one school story. Then we switch and the girl on the couch goes to a blanket; that blanket girl goes to the next blanket; and the third girl comes to the couch. I read two more of the school stories or so (depending on their length), the particular favorites of the girl I'm snuggling - ie. Hannah always loves the "bad wolf" story or a Milly-Molly-Mandy story which involves cookies! When it’s Isabelle’s (my oldest's) turn, I do have her practice letter sounds and read some words from a Bob Book or penny primer in addition to her stories. We take a little break to tuck baby in when she's ready for nap, then we finish up our reading. We tidy up the blankets and toys, then all snuggle together for some extra "fun" books if we have time. Later, while I make lunch the girls get to choose a color page (Isabelle's has tracing letters on it, too) and practice drawing and/or writing. When all the younger girls are asleep, Isabelle and I may have more school time, or if I need to rest, she picks some stationary, a Draw Write Now page, and a color page with copywork. I never tell her she has to do these, but the girl loves to draw and write and they're almost always done beautifully when I wake up! That was a long answer, but really the rest of the day is still "school" for the girls, as they're always learning - playing with dolls, taking walks, doing ballet together, stacking blocks, tidying up and doing their chores, making tea parties, helping mommy, learning from discipline, etc, etc, etc.

What curriculum will you be using? Do you not use a curriculum? Do you homeschool for FREE? Tell us about it! We have lots of favorite guide books and catalogs, like Teaching The Trivium by the Bluedorns and Veritas Press , but for at least the next few years we'll be sticking with a package of some sort (like Sonlight) to help me get into a schooling rhythm. For this year we have Winter Promise's Animals And Their Worlds, which we're excited to start next month. Plus we have TATRAS for phonics, and a few other odds and ends for "if we have time and would like to". While I'm very interested in both Sonlight and Veritas, I think for next year I'd really like to look into Winter Promise's new program Children Around The World (if we end up loving their format this year).

Do you schedule your day to the minute or go with the flow with no real structure? Both and neither, I suppose. I do have a schedule (this is just a sample of what it used to look like when Matt was on swing shift; it's a bit different and simpler at the moment as I'm very pregnant and the girls are getting older). However, we use it more as a guide to think of how our day flows. I'd say we end up in the middle - following the same routine each day, but allowing for differences as God brings situations up. I am a very routine oriented person, though, and I think little ones thrive on routine!

Do you homeschool in a homeschool room, at the kitchen table, at a desk, in the park on the grass? Most of our school time is done in the living room on the couch and blankets on the floor for little ones. We do have a "school room", but we rarely school in there

Do you have any “must share” tips? Always remember and rejoice in the fact that your family culture is unique, and be happy to trust your husband's guidance! I used to struggle when our family's decisions (in schooling and other areas) looked different than other families I admire. Now I realize we are all seeking to train up our children as God would have us to, but the methods look different in different families.

Do you have a question or concern? Throw that in there too! I suppose concerns would just be my own sinful nature: seeking not to be easily irritated and to follow through with things. And there are PLENTY of things I just don't know and won't until I deal with them. I suppose I will just be learning as I go ... by God's grace of course!

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Aug. 4, 2007 - Untitled Comment

Posted by 4sweetums

I am so glad you decided to share your homeschool day. I have started a little bit of blanket time in the morning for the little ones and it has helped.
Blessings,
4sweetums

Our Busy Little World

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