First Week of School

I lived!

We successfully completed our first week of homeschooling for the 2010-2011 school year.

Even though this isn't my first year homeschooling, this year is presenting several new challenges for me. The biggest challenge is how to juggle a 1st grader, 2 lively boys, and a 6 month old who needs to eat every few hours, needs to be changed, and put down for naps.

The other difference between this year and last year is how much more school stuff Elizabeth is doing. Here's a look at what we're doing with her:
We started this reading program just before the baby was born. Then we took off some time after Timothy was born. Then there was the inevitable juggling of a newborn. And then that sweet baby had lots and lots of doctor's appointments and surgery. All that to say, we didn't finish last semester, which is what I had hoped to do. But we are pressing on, and I anticipte being done before Thanksgiving.

Last year, I started using Saxon Phonics. I HATED it. With a passion. Rather than continuing with such an intese phonics programs, I opted to switch to a reading probgram. However, I quickly learned that we needed to be doing some phonics in there. Explode the Code is a really great phonics program that Elizabeth is loving! I started her in the 2nd set of books, but probably could have pushed her to books 3 and 3 1/2. Oh well. No harm is having her do it!

We are almost done with Saxon 1!! Once we finish Saxon 1, we will be moving onto.....
Saxon 2! I am really loving the Saxon math program.

This is the sweetest handwriting program you will ever find! It's not the best for teaching children how to write, but it is perfect for providing structured practice for writers. Each lesson takes a week. You work through the same verse for an entire week, practicing different words. On Day 4, you practice the entire verse. And on Day 5, you write the verse on special paper that has borders for the student to color. My mom told me about this program, and I'm a HUGE fan!

In a couple years, our kiddos will start learning Latin in our co-op. But I really wanted to do something before then. I bought this program.....

... and all three of the big kids are working through this. The book provides lesson plans, worksheets, songs, and fun games to play. It's also broken up into different levels, so I feel like I can go at the correct speed for each of my kids. We also bought some Spanish flash cards.

Micah and Benjamin are also doing some school! Here's what I'm doing with them....

The Five in a Row books are really wonderful. You read a book to your child, and then do enrichment activities, provided in the Five in a Row books.
Micah is doing the Handwriting Without Tears book. I'm not a huge fan, but it's works.

In a little over a month, we will be starting back to co-op. Elizabeth will be doing science there, as well as language art and arts and crafts. The boys will be in a preschool type program. I'm looking forward to seeing how we will all grow this year!