Posted in Lessons from Our Humble Homeschool

I just cannot settle on a teaching approach. I guess I'm still in the process of figuring out our "style." I know for certain I've been very consistent with our Bible, math and phonics lessons. It's just everything else that changes often. I'm spending some time during our summer break evaluating what we've done and where we need to head in the fall. 

I've been doing some unit studies.  I intentionally created very basic units because of all the little ones (and therefore all the distractions) we have in our home; however, I still feel that we are somehow missing the mark.  I'm going to experiment with another approach this fall.  I'm leaning more toward Charlotte Mason, I guess.  I tried CM in the past....  I'm less concerned about putting a label on our lessons as I am about making sure REAL learning is taking place in our home.

I also want to focus more on the arts. My eldest son, 8, loves to draw and create sculptures. He just made an abstract object tonight, in fact, that is sitting in my garden window in the kitchen. He used an empty milk jug, an empty juice bottle, some package labels, scissors, and A LOT of staples. I didn't get a chance to ask him what it is yet (his cousins are staying over tonight -- they're all sleeping in the tent in the backyard with my hubby right now ), but I'll be sure to inquire in the morning.  Anyway, I want to include more art projects and fundamental concepts (color, line, perspective, etc.) in our lessons.

My eldest daughter, 6, loves to sing and dance and listen to music. We've had her in dance classes in the past, but I have some concerns about the program and won't be re-enrolling her this season. I'd like to get her started playing piano. Although we cannot afford formal lessons right now, I did take a piano class in college and could at least get her started on the basics for the time being .

As I pray through this "dilemma" I will make a decision and post again on our progress.  Until then......

~Layla