• Sep. 9, 2008 - The Post in Which I Actually Talk About Homeschooling
 Joe (16), Jake (12), and Jon (7)
After delaying our planned start for a week because I was feeling cruddy and we were still juggling some outside commitments, we finally launched the Carter Family Homeschool 08-09 year. I didn't have all of the materials on hand. In fact, I hadn't ordered one single item - zip, nada, zilch.
But the time was right and with God's guidance we just dove in. I tend to battle with perfectionism at times, but it finally felt like it was time to just jump in there and see what God was up to.
I had tossed around a few ideas for our Bible time: having the boys do devotions separately and discussing them with them or doing our family bible study that we usually do on Sundays. But ultimately I found an old Alpha Omega Bible lifepac that wasn't quuuuuuite finished and decided that it would be a good fit for the boys and I to start with. It's always interesting to see what the boys remember about various Bible stories.
After that, (much to my own surprise) I found The Animal Kingdom from Answers in Genesis' God's Design for Life series ( I think I bought it two years ago and never used it!) and we began that science study all together. Jon loves animals so it's a great study for him, plus I'm using it to work on the older boys' note taking and handwriting skills. I think it will be interesting for all of them, and will give the older boys another opportunity to learn the difference between creation and evolutionary science and develop their ability to back up why they believe what they believe.
Then they all do math separately. Right now Jake & Jon are both finishing their math books from last year while I wait for new ones to come in, but I've got Joe working through a practice SAT test just so he sees what that is all about. I think I'm going to use Bob Jones again for math for all of them and have Joe do Consumer Math this go around.
I'm also planning to use Learning Language Arts through Literature for sure with the two older boys. Joe is going to do American Literature while Jake will do the Tan book. I'm STILL undecided on what to do with Jon. The LLATL looks good for his age too, but I wonder if it might be overkill for both of us. I've got some items left over from the older boys that I could do with him including First Language Lessons (which I really liked with Jake). He just started reading at the end of last year though so I want whatever we do to be fun for him. Any suggestions?
Plus he's doing Handwriting without Tears and I still have plenty of the Winterpromise Animals and Their Worlds that he could do.
Other than that, I've picked books for each of them to read and once we get through The Animal Kingdom, we're going to switch gears and do my friend Joel King's Star Spangled State Workbook together. I'm *hoping* hint-hint that he will also have his workbook for younger kids ready by then too so Jon can have fun right along with us! Plus I'm going to be incorporating the American History unit studies along the way that I received as one of the Schoolhouse Store's Deal of the Day.
So, I still don't have everything worked out perfectly, but I'm pleased with the progress we're making. We're off to a good start. Both the boys and I are having a good time and most of all, I feel the blessing from waiting on God's timing and guidance rather than just rushing in to get started simply because others did.
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• Sep. 10, 2008 - Untitled Comment
http://apeekinsideourworld.blogspot.com/