Posted in Our Home Schooling Journey
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NP K Lessons = Noah Plan Kindergarten Lessons PA = Principle Approach FACE = Foundation for American Christian Education 1828 = Noah Webster's 1828 Dictionary (with biblical references) SWR = Spell to Write and Read by Wanda Sanseri WRR = Writing Road to Reading Yes, we've started our 2007-08 year on the 20th. It's been two weeks and it's going okay. I've had to modify a few things, but we're basically following the Noah Plan K Lessons. Usually change makes me uncomfortable and it seems my daughter is feeling the same way. She told me she wants to go back to our old schedule. I've had to change our schedule so we can incorporate the NP K Lessons. I've talked it over with her and hopefully she understands a bit more. I think she'll be okay with things after a little while. So, we're up and running and I'm pretty happy with the way things are going. I'm excited about the things we're learning and I hope that transfers over to the children. I'm just wondering why, if I'm so excited, do I keep having dreams about a school setting. The first one I had was about a school (I think it was a PA school which is why I was so excited) where my mother, children and I could all be at the same time. My Mom was working as a music instructor, my children were enrolled in the school and I was able to teach and see them every day! When I went outside (it must have been lunchtime or something) I saw my husband coming down the block to where we were and I realized that he worked nearby and we could have lunch together everyday. He also could come and pick us up after school! I was so happy I ran to him and dnaced through the streets! The children in the school were having a celebration of some kind so everyone from the school was out in the street partying! It was such a wonderful experience....then I woke up and realized I am the teacher in our home school and I kinda felt down. I don't know why that is.... The next dream I had just last night/this morning. I had found a place where there was a little storefront school. I sat in with the children for their studies and then the leader of the school had a session with the parents. It seemed like it was a PA school this time too. I remember thinking how I would get the children there everyday. Then I woke up. Each time I dreamed about a PA school I felt so happy that my children would be getting a good education. I've heard about PA schools and I even heard some children give speeches about their education at Stonebridge. I was so impressed! I could tell they had a command of their education. They were ready to go out in the world and change it for Jesus. My friend goes to a church in Illinois that started a PA school. It's even on the list at principleapproach.org. It's not a demonstration school, but at least they're recognized by FACE. We've been to her church to visit a few times and I nearly fell over when I saw a table set up to show people what the school is about. They had the 1828 out and everything! I remember thinking, "So close and yet do far." So I guess my heart is really set on their being educated in a PA school, but I'm not sure I would send them since God put it on my heart to home school them. Maybe when the time came to make that decision He would lead me in that direction. Anyway, for now, I'm just praying for His guidance and pressence. So, how does our "school" look? Since my children can already write and read it doesn't look like your typical K class. We do a notebook page or two most everyday to capture what we're learning in the different subjects. We have eleven subjects that we're supposed to learn about everyday, but we don't always get every subject in. One day my children got stuck on music so we spent the rest of the afternoon learning about that. Even though we have a schedule, I'm still trying to be sensitive to my children's interests and let their delight lead their learning. We tried to make up for the missing subjects the next day. Sometimes we spend 20 minutes or even 5 minutes on a subject. We start around 9 and end about 3. We take snack and lunch breaks in between. Here's a rundown for all their subjects. Bible: It has taken me a while to figure out exactly how this is different from Reading. We use the same book (Bible) for both classes, but they emphasize different things. History: This has been new for me and interesting. The children are able to understand the concepts so far. I still d on't have the Geography/History Guide so I'm kinda going blind in this subject, but I just pray and try to focus on what He tells me. Math: We use Right Start and the children love it! Right now it's going by very fast and sometimes we can even do two lessons in a day since we've already done the first 20 lessons. It's just review for them which takes the pressure off me a bit so I can focus more on other subjects I'm not too familiar with teaching. Geography: My children have just fallen in love with this subject! My son especially is taken by space. So these lessons were supposed to focus on the earth and its place in the galaxy, but his interest took us to explore other planets and happenings in space (asteroids, meteors, etc.). I'm loving using all the resources the library has to help out in this subject. Literature: I always talk about this class to my children in a different tone of voice. English: We use SWR instead of WRRThey're learning cursive (for the second time for my oldest) and they practice on dry erase boards. They like erasing what they wrote so it's still fun. Reading: I had to get my oldest the Bible the NP says to use for a first grader since she already read the Early Reader's Bible. My youngest is reading the Early Reader's Bible. We just follow the lessons here. I'm excited to use the forms for reading comprehension in the Reading Guide. Science: This class is okay. We need a few resources for this as well. Library, here I come! French: I LOVE this class!!! I don't know why most people don't like Mes Premiere Pas de Francais put out by FACE, but I LOVE it! I just happen (thank You Jesus for Your providence) to have an Usbourne French word book that comes in handy as well. We study the word and phrase for the week and then look up other words that relate to it. We practice French by saying easy words like Bonne nuit (Good night) and Merci (Thank you) to each other during the day. Music: This subject is fun too. I come from a musical background so it's kinda easy for me to just jump right in. In the NP lesson overview for music they suggest studying sign language. What sign language has to do with music I have no idea. Instead we're actually studying music. This past week we studied Tchaikovsky (since my son LOVES to listen to the short musical snippets at starfall.com) and got all into his ballets. My oldest wanted to wtach the whole thing (Swan Lake)! She put her tutu on and we started dancing with them, but after about ten seconds I told her my legs were tired. Art: This is a new subject for me and so far the children are doing well in it. My oldest is enjoying coloring in the lines and using appropriate colors for everything. My son is learning how to copy paintings and drawings well. Art is not my strong subject, but it's doing good so far. We're using Barry Stebbing's Joseph the Canada Goose. P.E.: I'm thinking of hijacking this subject and just doing whatever I want here. I'm thinking of teaching them fire drill skills, games, what to do when they're lost, hygiene, healthy eating, etc. For now they've just been acting out the scripture, in Him we live and move and have our being. We have been having wonderful weather! So that's about it for our home school! Since I'm still researching and library hunting, I probably won't be back till the end of our first quarter. Home school teacher and keeper of my home...yeah I'm just a tad bit busy!! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Blessings, Violet Blogging here, there and everywhere (incuding here). You've been reading a Schooldaze post. |
It just sounds so classy! Anyway, we've been doing good here as well. I'm excited to study classical literature like Little House in the Big Woods. I LOVED that story! The celebration days seem challenging, but I'll try my best. This is another library intensive subject. By that I mean I have to really dig in my library shelves to get all the resources I need for this class. I don't even think my library has Issac Watts poetry so Imma have to find that somewhere else. I was also wondering if I could add some other poetry, but I have to find it first!
She just kept going and said she wasn't tired. My son liked listening to the music while eatching the dance. I use library resources a lot here too.
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Posted by Anonymous
