I watched the latest American Idol last night, and then heard it again as my oldest two watched it. (I recorded it since it’s on past their bedtime.) Now I can’t get “Baby, Where Did Our Love Go?”, “Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch”, and “Wait a Minute, Mr. Postman” out of my head! Aaaargh! I understand that they kept the song selection limited to make it easier on the band musicians, but couldn’t they have picked some less well-known songs! I am looking forward to when they have the contestants whittled down to the last 24.
We seem to be getting back into our normal routine, now that everyone’s relatively healthy. I’ll be glad when they are done with their antibiotics - I think they cause uncontrollable crankiness and bickering. Or that could just be spring fever. I’m hopeful it’s the antibiotics — they’ll be done with those a lot sooner than spring will hit here in Northeast Washington!
I thought I’d post on our typical day. I enjoy reading about other homeschool families, so maybe others out there do, too!
The day starts when I get out of bed — either to the alarm at 6:30, or my youngest, Josiah, informing me he doesn’t want to sleep anymore, whichever comes first.
Josiah watches cartoons on video or DVD while I have some quiet time — coffee to wake my brain up, although I’m trying — again!! — to break this addiction, and reading. I try to make this my Bible, but in the interest of complete honesty, if I’m in the middle of a really good novel, sometimes I sneak that in instead. Another thing I’m working on.
The other three young-uns wander in as they wake up, and we have breakfast at 7:30 after my husband heads off to work. After breakfast, it’s get dressed, brush teeth and hair, and get ready for school. I sometimes throw laundry in and grab a quick peek at my e-mail before we get started.
We’ve changed our schedule some in the last few weeks. My daughter Natalie likes to get right to her lessons, so I’ve switched the order so that we have our one-on-one time first. I give her four dictation sentences, and she does a day of EZ Grammar for grades 2 and 3. (She’s in 2nd grade). I then go over her phonics lesson, using Abeka’s Letters and Sounds 2, and Language 2. Next, math — Bob Jones University Math 2. She loves this — it’s her favorite subject! She’s also working her way through a 2nd grade map skills book, so I answer any questions about that. She then knows what her assignments are: a page of Italic Handwriting book C, pages from the Abeka books, her math workbook, the map skill books, a spelling study sheet — we use Spelling Power, and reading comprehension sheets that I downloaded off the internet.
Before she starts in, though, I call Noah to the table. I say that he’s in kindergarten, but we actually started kindergarten last year. He’s in the last 1/4 of the Abeka kindergarten phonics program, and doing 1st grade Bob Jones math. He’s much more numbers-oriented, and a more reluctant reader than Natalie. When he joins us, we pray, do a Bible lesson — we’re currently using a character program from Focus on the Family, and work on our memory verses. I’m really proud of the kids in this area — so far this year they’ve memorized Ephesians 4:25-27 and 29; Philippians 2:14-16; Proverbs 17:17; Matthew 6:14,15; and 2 Timothy 1:9. We do art — sometimes a craft, and we’re working our way through Draw Write Now, book 4. We just finished Bob Jones Heritage Studies 1 — which is history. Next week we will start Bob Jones Science 1. Both kids do this together. Then I go over Noah’s phonics and math lessons, listen to him read, and start him on his seatwork — pages from phonics, math, and Italic Handwriting book B. Natalie typically takes a break on the computer and then starts in on her seatwork — usually taking about an hour to an hour and a half to complete it. Noah’s takes about an hour.
We also get science and history videos from the library. The kids love the Amazing Animals series and National Geographic’s Really Wild Animals series. We’ve been learning a lot about ants lately — we gave Noah an ant farm for Christmas. Natalie does most of her reading on her own. When she finishes a book, she comes and tells me. We record it in her reading log and she gives me an oral book report on it. I plan for her to start written book reports next year.
Jonathan turned 5 in September and we work on learning his letters once or twice a week. He’s definitely a more hands-on learner and very busy. If he was in public school, he might be labeled ADHD, but I think he’s just busy and different from the other kids. He will be my challenge to teach, since I’m a very visual and auditory learner. It will stretch me, I’m sure. He’ll officially start kindergarten this fall.
Josiah is 3, and learning his letters by playing Blues Clues Preschool on the computer and watching Richard Scarry’s ABC and 123 Video Ever.
Here’s a list of links to the resources we use, if anyone’s interested:
EZ Grammar for 2nd and 3rd grades
Spelling Power
Abeka Curriculum
Bob Jones University
Italic Handwriting book C
Draw Write Now book 4
Amazing Animals
Really Wild Animals
Reading Comprehension worksheets
Character Crew This is the webs site for Focus On the Family’s character development program. We also just finished their Faith Launch program on theology basics — it’s great, too!
If any of you are still reading this loooooong post — have a great day!
Carrie