Week of September 24, 2012-A New Plan

After much fuss, I have finally accepted that the work assigned to the boys is a bit much. Not only is it overwhelming them and taking the joy out of school, it's boring! This week, we took a big step back. The boys have weaknesses that need to be addressed before they can take on the course load suggested by The Well-Trained Mind. I need to build their confidence.

So, I've reduced their day down to History, Math, Spelling (Spelling Workout gives them a chance to learn new words in the context of a short vignette at the beginning of each lesson,  see how the sounds are broken down, learn their definitions, find errors in sentences using proofreading marks, and write their own sentences after reading a prompt), Spanish, and Reading (They can read on their own, but I read to them every day).

This week they have continued learning about the ancient Egyptians (where they were in the Usborne Encyclopedia of World History). I borrowed a couple of DVDs and some books from the library.

First, they watched Mysteries of the Ancient World. This DVD is not kid friendly since the narrator speaks at an adult/academic level but, at least, the kids gained a sort of introduction to some of the world's ancient mysteries. The DVD reviewed The Great Pyramids, The Minoan Civilization, Cadbury Castle, Stonehenge, and The Oracle of Delphi.

Then, the boys created a map on poster board on which they pasted the continents and pictures (found online, around 300x300) of the mysteries. They labeled everything and colored the countries that contain the mysteries.

                                                  Not a great pic but it gives you the idea.

I found some great Math games at:

http://www.funbrain.com/ (Pilot and Storm Chaser really like Math Baseball)
http://www.coolmath-games.com/
http://www.primarygames.com/math.php (Pilot worked hard on Carptenter's Cut)

I printed out the number coloring pages for Little One to work on next week from http://www.coolmath-games.com/coloring-pages-for-kids-to-print-out-01.html

The boys did a lesson out of their Spelling Workout workbooks and we did two pages out of My Number Book every day. My Number Book is a Southwestern Advantage book. It is in English and Spanish and comes with a poster.

Also, they started Seven Wonders of the Ancient World a Questar distribution. The Wonders are:

The Pyramid of Giza
The Hanging Gardens of Babylon
The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus
The Temple of Artemis at at Ephesus
The Colossus of Rhodes
The Pharos of Alexandria
The Statue of Zeus at Olympia


I am reading King Arthur: Tales of the Round Table by Andrew Lang to them. Storm Chaser is reading The Curse of King Tut's Mummy by Kathleen Weidner Zoehfeld and King Tut's Tomb by Amanda Doering Tourville.

Little One and I are working with her Usborne Phonics Flashcards and Phonics Readers. We go over five cards at a time. She says the name of the picture, I show her the name spelled out, and then we spell the name. After we do this, we run through the names one more time, then I turn the flashcards over to the side that has just the name with no picture. She tries to say the word by sight. If she needs help we sound out the letters together. After all that, I read one of the phonics readers and give her a word to look for. (The cards and the books use the same characters, so I can find a book that has the words we just learned.) She lets me know when she sees the word and then says it out loud.

Why the Classical Method and How We're Doing So Far

The classical method of homeschooling is appealing to me for several reasons.

1. The stages of a classical education--Grammar, Logic, and Rhetoric--correspond with a child's development (e.g. The Grammar Stage takes advantage of a child's natural wonder and ability to memorize information and, basically, soak up information like a sponge.)

2. A classical education begins with a focus on language (i.e. reading, writing, grammar) and math. The public school system emphasizes reading but also puts, I believe, too much emphasis on other subjects like art and music in the early years (up to third grade). I can't help but wonder if Pilot's language skills would be much more improved today if the time spent going to art, music, and gym in his early years was, instead, spent on one-on-one time with the teacher developing those language skills.

3. A classical education teaches students to think critically, how to ask questions and find answers on their own, and how to recognize and refrain from using fallacies.


Our First Three Weeks

Well, we complete our first three weeks today and then the kids have a week to regroup themselves, enjoy some extracurricular activities, and maybe even study (ha!). The first week was fun because the kids were excited about having school at home. They really enjoyed coming to their desks in their pajamas. The second week was not so good. Attitudes were surfacing in rebellion to the fact that school is school no matter where it takes place. Work still has to be done. Rules still apply. That week I questioned my decision to homeschool, that's for sure! This week, however, has been much better. They already know what subjects to study and on what days. This predictability gives them control over their day.

Overall, the first three weeks have been kind of chaotic. I realized I required some extra materials like a teacher's manual for Storm Chaser's Grammar and paper! Of all things, paper. How did I manage to forget to buy paper? Luckily, stores have school supplies on sale now. Also, Pilot and I never spent time on Logic, we spent so much time adjusting to our new schedule and way of learning, and I just realized today that I need a Logic text (Doh!).

Reflections

Pilot and Storm Chaser on several different occassions made phone calls to their grandma to inform her of what they are learning. For example, they told her how they wrote their notes with "perfect" handwriting and that molecules move faster when they are hot.

Never, never, never has Pilot expressed pride in his schoolwork. I am amazed.

Also, Pilot woke up at 6:00 A.M. yesterday to complete his homework from the day before. I am even MORE amazed. :)

Lastly, I cannot forget Little One. Among many other things, she is learning the sounds of each letter in the alphabet and how to read color words. While working on that, she created a poster of primary and secondary colors.

So, what are your thoughts on the classical method of homeschooling? If you need more information, I recommend A Well-Trained Mind: A Guide to Classical Education at Home by Jessie Wise and Susan Wise Bauer. They have a website as well: http://www.welltrainedmind.com/

I also recommend http://classical-homeschooling.org/

And http://www.gbt.org/text/sayers.html Here is the famous speech by Dorothy Sayers
Coming up next...Pros/Cons of the Curriculum We're Using this 2012-2013 School Year

Buying Math Curriculum

I wasn't going to buy Math curriculum, at first. I figured I could go to the library for resources, find free worksheets online at sites like education.com and about.com, and use websites like 1XL for practice; however, since I am thinking about taking on a part-time job, I thought I should find something they can work on at their own pace and on their own.

In an earlier post, I mentioned Life of Fred Mathematics. I almost forgot about it when I decided to go ahead and find a Math curriculum! I had the kids run through the samples given on the website lifeoffredmath.com and they really enjoyed it, "better than boring worksheets," they said. :D

Pilot even went off on his own and wrote 1-100 in roman numerals!

So, I ordered them and we shall see what comes of it!

Additions to 2012-2013 Curriculum

Wise and Wise-Bauer recommend the Jackdaw Portfolios as a primary source for History in the Logic stage. I wasn't going to use them...they are a bit expensive...and, instead, use the library and any other resources I could get my hands on, but I thought I'd give the Portfolios a chance. I ordered:

Tutankhamen and the Discovery of the Tomb, 57.50

Then, I also purchased:

Maps: The World and United States, 6.98
The Last Days of Socrates, 11.88
Janice VanCleave's Chemistry for Every Kid: 101 Easy Experiments that Really Work, , 4.00
Janice VanCleave's A+ Projects in Chemistry: Winning Experiments for Science Fairs and Extra Credit, 3.40
Life of Fred Mathematics, Cats for Storm Chaser, 16.97, Fractions for Pilot, 19.97

So, that should do it! Brings my total for this year up to $584.71
I should note I have not included shipping and handling in this total. Much of it was free because I signed up for Amazon Prime that eliminates shipping costs on orders over $25.

The Cost of Homeschooling

It dawned on me that those of you out there exploring homeschooling as an option might be interested in what it'll cost you. : ) Duh, right?

So, let's consider the public school expenses that would have racked up this coming school year and this year's homeschooling expenses so far and projected expenses for the rest of the year.

Public School
Clothes-We'll say $150 for each child. This is the average amount we've spent in the past.

Homeschool
Clothes-$0

Public School
Lunch-$2.20 for 180 days = $396.00 per child!. Given that my kids often times took their lunches, I'll calculate the cost for 90 days, which is $198.00 per child. Now add on the approximately $75 spent on the food for their from-home lunch (a sandwich, chips, juice, fruit) and that's $273.00 for the whole year.

Homeschool
Lunch-$150.00 per child

Public School
Supplies-about $45 per child

Homeschool
Supplies-about $4 per child (I bought 8 binders and paper. We already have pencils, scissors, markers, crayons, etc. galore! In public school, they want all new stuff.)

Public School
Pictures-$40 per child

Homeschool
Pictures-I'll guesstimate $5 per child for the ink and paper required to print our own.

Public School
Curriculum-$0

Homeschool
Curriculum-$232 (dividing the $464 I spent for both Pilot and Storm Chaser by two)

Total
Public School-$976
Homeschool-$391

Note: I did not include the cost of field trips. In public school, the cost is minimal. Homeschoolers can take advantage of free museum days and group discounts (if you go with friends or with a co-op). I'll leave that figuring to you. :D

Let's Discuss the Yearly Schedule

Basically, we don't have one. I was thinking I might try a 3-weeks-on-and-1-week-off schedule and see how that works. I want to avoid burnout, but I also want to avoid boredom and brain drain during breaks. I will alter the schedule as needed. If I think they can handle more, I can tack on another week or two of "on" work. If I feel they are really overwhelmed, I can tack on an extra few "off" days or an "off" week.

The public schools here run from the middle of August to near the end of May. Fall break is about two days. Spring Break is five days. Winter Break is eight days.

The year-round schedule in other districts here begins school on the first of August and runs through May and has longer fall and spring breaks. I believe the traditional year-round schedule has fifteen day breaks all throughout the year. I remember my grandma, who lived across the street from a year-round school, telling me that not all the students were on the same breaks, they were staggered so that some kids were always in school while another group was on break.

What are your thoughts on school calendars?

Just Bought 2012/2013 Curriculum!

This year's curriculum has been purchased! What a relief! I still can't help but wonder if I made the right choices. Did I forget anything? Should I have bought those teacher's manuals? Did I get the best deals possible?

Too late to be thinking this stuff now, right?

Here's a rundown of what I purchased and their, eek!, price. Items in green are for both Pilot and Storm Chaser.

Pilot (12yrs)

Language
Grammar and Composition 1, 55.50 @A Beka
Spelling Workout D, 8.00 @Amazon
Writing Strands 4, 4.96 @Amazon

History & Geography
Encyclopedia of World History, 39.99 @Usborne
Fun with Hieroglyphs, 16.49 @Amazon
By Jove game, 29.87 @Amazon
Make This Egyptian Temple, 13.94 @Amazon
Eyewitness Atlas of the World, 12.87 @Amazon
World Map, 7.99 on sale @Mardel
USA Map, already had on hand

Science
The Kingfisher Science Encyclopedia, 21.67 @Amazon
Eyewitness Science: Chemistry, 10.13 @Amazon
Periodic Table, 1.99 on sale @Mardel

Logic
A Case of Red Herrings: Solving Mysteries through Critical Questioning, Book B1, 11.70 @Amazon
Mind Benders, B1, B2, B3, and B4, 15.16 @Amazon

Latin (We have been working on this all summer)
Latin Primer 1 Student Edition, 22.00 @Mardel
Latin Primer 1 Teacher Edition, 28.00 @Mardel
LP1 Audio Guide, 10.00 @Mardel
LP1 Flash Cards, 20.00 @ Mardel

Storm Chaser (will be 8yrs when we begin)

Language
Shurley English Level 3 Student Workbook and Practice Booklet, 19.99 @Amazon
Spelling Workout C, 8.99 @Amazon
Spectrum Writing, 7.96 on sale @Mardel

History & Geography
Ancient Egypt Treasure Chest, 31.00 @Amazon
A Coloring Book of Ancient Egypt, 4.95 @Amazon
Geography Coloring Book, 14.87 @Amazon

Science
Adventures with Atoms and Molecules: Chemistry Experiments for Young People, Book 1, 6.00 @Amazon

Little One

Little One is signed up with ABCmouse.com (7.95/mo.) and we will be working on the core subjects at a Pre-K, Kindergarten level. I purchased the Phonics Readers Collection 2, 39.99 @Usborne

Grand Total...464.01

There are some things I haven't included like the cost for binders, tab dividers, other supplies, bookshelves, the monthly charges for ABCmouse, and the Jackdaw Portfolios Pilot will use this year. So, the bottom line (haha) is that this is not going to be cheap BUT the rewards will be worth the investment! :D

We will be using A LOT of books from the library, especially for History.

You might notice that Math is missing. We will be studying Math, but I am confident I can teach them Math using what I already have on hand, which is a book called The Only Math Book You'll Ever Need, a book I recently purchased from Usborne called See Inside Math (12.99),  flashcards, and fun stuff I find on the Net.

Spelling Help

Pilot is twelve and is roughly in the 7th grade. Because of a hearing disability and the lack of appropriate attention while in public school (on both my part and the school's part), his spelling has suffered. Today, I found a GREAT site to help him. Hopefully you find it useful, too!

http://www.spelling.hemscott.net/#memorizing

Avoid Summer Brain Drain & Boredom

It's summertime but Pilot, Storm Chaser, and Little One aren't off the hook. You may have heard of 'Summer Brain Drain'. If not, read this Summerlearning.org Supposedly, by the end of summer, children have lost a significant amount of knowledge and skills they learned through the previous school year. Some ways to prevent this from happening are to read, read, read, send them to camps, and/or sign up for local activities at museums or art studios. Or...you could teach them Latin! (My kids are actually enjoying it).

You may be thinking that most of this stuff is too expensive and you would be right; however, look into these things anyway and if you don't see any information on scholarships, ASK! We were able to get a scholarship to help pay for Pilot to attend a week-long flight academy.

Also, here where I live, there is a studio that offers all kinds of activities--drawing, jewelry making, dancing, music, photography, pottery, and more--with fees ranging anywhere between $8 and $135. Maybe your town offers something similar.

Finally, check out Pinterest and do web searches for science projects or other fun activities to do. I recently set up a bottle rocket launch for the kids that required a water bottle for each kid, a cork, a long nail, paper towels, rubberbands, baking soda, and vinegar (instructions at the end of this post).

You might even consider joining a mom's club (there are dad's clubs out there, too. If not, start one!). They offer activities throughout the month and most of the time they're free since you'll be going to the park or each other's home to do crafts, book clubs, etc. Also, you'll have a chance to catch some adult conversation while the kids are playing with their new friends. I am a member of MOMS Club which is an international organization with chapters all over the place. If you want to check them out go to MOMS Club
Here are some links I've found helpful for curing boredom...

Insect Coloring Pages
Phees Coloring Pages
Creative Kids at Home
DLTK's Summer Activities (Little One and I enjoyed the Dominos game)

Or you might...

Make an indoor or outdoor (or both) treasure hunt--use scraps of paper to write clues that will take the kids all over the house or yard. The treasure can be something simple like some pretty rocks (I got some tumbled crystals from a local nature store), a few pieces of candy, or maybe even a dollar for each child. If you are feeling particularly ambitious you can even make an antique looking map of the house/yard. All you do is tear the edges of a piece of paper so they're uneven, crumple it up, straighten it out again and sprinkle a little bit of cinnamon all over it, rub the cinnamon in using a napkin, and draw your map!

Instructions for bottle rockets...

The only thing I had a hard time with was finding cork that would fit snugly in the opening of the water bottle (Those marshmallow corks you might encounter at a hobby shop don't work, btw).

1st, cut a piece of paper towel into fourths, push a long nail through each piece of cork (one for each bottle) so that if you put the cork into the water bottle, the sharp end of the nail is pointing up. This is what will secure your water bottle to the ground after you turn it upside down.

2nd, spread a couple spoonfuls of baking soda across the middle of a section of paper towel. Then roll it up. Take one end of the roll and fold it over enough so that you can secure it to the roll with a rubberband. Using the pointy end of the nail to poke holes all around your fuel packet. Now you have your fuel. Set aside for a moment.

3rd, put 1/4 to 1/2 cup of vinegar into the water bottle.

4th, place your fuel into the water bottle (Don't drop it in!) rubberband end down. Fold the other end of the fuel over the lip of the bottle and secure it with the cork. Now you're ready.

5th, flip the bottle over and plug it into the ground. Step back and watch the bottle shoot into the sky! Beware if it doesn't work right away. It might just take a minute for the vinegar to saturate the fuel packet. If you are certain it's a dud, you might add more baking soda in your next attempt. You'll have to experiment.

I hope this helps! Happy Summer!

Say what?

Before I go into the thinking process that lead my husband and I to decide to go with the classical method for the 2012-2013 school year, I HAVE to show you something...I was checking out a forum thread at The Well Trained Mind website and came across a whole new language, a homeschool language. I mean, I knew there were lots of different curriculum out there but THIS is wild. Here's what I saw...

CLE, R & S, FLVS, BJU, MFW ECC, BSGFAA, AAS, HOD, CTC, LHFHG, MM4, WWE (isn't that a wrestling thing?), IEW, HW, TT, LOE,

K, huh?

So, do I even dare try to determine what all these acronyms stand for and take the chance I will only bombard myself with more curriculum to compare and decide on, or do I just mosey on and look the other way?

For now, I'll mosey.

Up to Now

Hello,
If you're like me, you are already freaking out about the next school year, lol! I figure this is the perfect time for me to get together all the links and stuff I've collected and put them here for your perusal and our sanity. Some of these links come from my personal favorites folder (in process of recovery since a new hard drive was installed on my laptop, so I'll have way more to share from here in the future), researching on my own, the homeschool convention, or helpful others who homeschool. So, with no further ado....

Comprehensive (Online Teaching, Homework Help, Resources)
http://www.about.com/education/
http://www.pbs.org/teachers
http://www.abcmouse.com/
http://www.cosmeo.com/
http://www.education.com/

Methods Research/Curriculum
http://www.sonlight.com/
http://edhelper.com/
http://www.veritaspress.com/ (Classical)
http://www.memoriapress.com/ (Classical)
http://simplycharlottemason.com/
http://classical-homeschooling.org/
http://www.welltrainedmind.com/ (Classical)

Math
http://lifeoffredmath.com/
http://www.ixl.com/
http://themathworksheetsite.com/
http://www.mathusee.com/
http://rightstartmath.com/

Science
http://www.biology4kids.com/
http://www.chem4kids.com/
http://www.cosmos4kids.com/
http://www.physics4kids.com/

Social Studies
http://www.geography4kids.com/

Grammar & Language Arts

Bible
http://www.answersingenesis.org/

Unit Studies
http://urbanext.illinois.edu/worms/
http://urbanext.illinois.edu/gpe/

Printouts
http://www.worksheetlibrary.com/

Electives/Skills/Other
http://www.typingweb.com/
http://www.characterfirst.com/

Supplies
http://www.millerpadsandpaper.com/

Tips:
1)  Check websites for free catalogs
2)  Look up homeschool conventions near you and GO! Here's one link that might help...http://americanhomeeducation.org/ Even if you go and get totally involved talking with people at their booths, browsing, and/or shopping and miss the speakers (like my husband and I did), have no fear for all the speeches are provided on CD for purchase.
3)  Also, Sonlight has a handy Convention Survivor's Guide you should print and use

I do want to mention that I am not a strict follower of any religion. I was raised a certain way, but I feel a good understanding of the core tenants of many religions around the world is a good focus for my family. The link I mentioned above is the only new link I've encountered since I started researching homeschool methods and such. I have hundreds of links in my favorites folder to sift through in order to post on this site.

One more thing...I do my best to decide whether or not a site is credible, but I am not an expert in any field of study; therefore, it is up to you to make the final say so (of course!).

That's all I have for now. Stay tuned...

Introduction

I have created this blog to help me keep track of all the information I have either found on the Internet or received from people I have talked with, but I especially want to share what I know with those of you who are thinking about homeschooling. If there's anything I have learned so far (just since February) it's that homeschooling can be as easy as picking the first curriculum you come across to as difficult as researching the history of education, the numerous methods of teaching, and the multitude of websites dedicated to printouts, various subjects and services, and curriculum.

What I have learned between now and February has led my husband and I to a final decision for the coming 2012-2013 school year. Finally! I was beginning to think we bit off more than we could chew, but now I feel comfortable with the idea that we can...and may need to...tweak our plan here and there. I guess that's the beauty of homeschooling!

Btw, The Homeschool in the Loft has three students: twelve year old Pilot, seven year old Storm Chaser, and four year old Little One.