Notes From The Schoolroom...September 2013

The first month of our cyber/homeschooling adventure was exciting, busy, fun, and exhausting! The first few days I realized how much time I am spending on my feet, as opposed to parking myself on the couch. ; ) But seriously, it has been a true blessing. I have spent so much quality time with my kids lately and am learning right along with them.


Madison is in eleventh grade this year and is working mostly independently. She has a consumer math class that I am thrilled she is taking. So many young people I know are graduating with higher level math skills (a good thing), but no ability to complete common real life tasks such as balance a checkbook or pay taxes (not a good thing). She works ahead a lot and really lends a hand with any course I have trouble helping the other kids with. And lets be honest here...I taught second grade, and max out around fifth!


Peyton is in eighth grade this year and is my most conscientious student. She is first to work and last to finish. She is also my tech wizard, and has been able to help with all computer related issues. Amen! She has been enjoying her geometry course and not really crazy about Spanish yet. Baby steps, I guess. And since I took six years of German twenty five years ago...I'm not much help.


Rhett is in sixth grade and has made me quite happy with his efforts. He works right along with the girls, and is right on track. He enjoys using his headphones to listen to lessons, or maybe to tune us all out...I'm not sure yet. In any case, he is doing well and seems to enjoy his science class the most. He is not all that crazy about Music or Spanish either. Working on that. : )


And my little Preschool student Flynn is the only one being one hundred percent homeschooled...meaning the rest of the kids are using a curriculum laid out by the cyber school. Flynn is being taught purely by yours truly. I am making lesson plans about a month in advance. I am using a simple method with a few preschool workbooks supplemented by worksheets printed off the internet and manipulatives I already have from years of littles in my home. In other words...I'm winging it! But she is doing great. We are working on letter recognition, basic math skills and small motor development. And she loves doing her work along with the big kids. I am also adding a few thematic units each month as well. In September we completed a unit called "All About Me" and also one on apples.


We have established a pretty good schedule...morning work together starting at 9:00. Then Flynn and I prepare a small mid-morning snack. After that, the kids work independently while Flynn and I play or watch TV. Lunch is at 1:00. I have Peyton make up a lunch menu one week at a time based on our dinner menu. That way we can plan to have any leftovers for lunch. After lunch, the kids all take a walk together for some exercise and fresh air and my scheduled bathroom break...kidding... almost. Then they usually return to work on a few things before calling it a day.


Things I'm loving...

1. Having my kids at home all day
2. Laughing more
3. Learning along with them
4. Less pressure from the outside
5. My kids working together and learning together

And a few not so much...

1. Realizing I'm not 21 anymore
2. Keeping Flynn busy while the kids are working when she is not and is in the mood for entertaining them : )

Here's what we have been up to this month in our classroom!

Flynn studied apples, so some apple painting was in order...

we did palm and thumb apple prints...

(which was her very first Preschool painting activity!)...

and some Johnny Appleseed painting too!

Love them all working together! : )

Our finished work is on display in the classroom.

We also worked on letter recognition...

as well as some fun coloring pages!

Our books this month continued our Back to School and fall themes. : )

Peyton's big project was to illustrate a plant cell. And true to form, she used brownies to do it! Perfect!

Hard at work. : )

We have yummy snacks every morning like this fresh fruit plate... 

some chips, salsa, and cheese...

 and this make your own S'more platter. : )

So there you have it...our first month of homeschooling all wrapped up in a few paragraphs and with a few pictures too. Thanks again for all your tips and prayers and words of encouragement. They mean so much! Keep 'em coming!