TulipGirl

I’m listening to Hubby teach the boys thier French lesson. We’re using Easy French Junior. The main characters are a girl named Marie and a cat named Ch

J10 and T8 have been visiting these websites:

The Redwall Kitchen (Thanks to Chewymom and crew!)
Spatulatta

Today I went with a friend and her boys to the local homeschool roller skate day.

Roller skating is almost as all-American as baseball and apple pie. It was a brand new experience for my three younger boys. Even though we’ve been back in the States for over a year, the boys are still having new “American” cultural firsts. A couple of weeks ago they were introduced to bowling.

We started by staying on the carpet and keeping balance on wheels. I instructed them to try to fall on their bottoms and not use their arms to block falls. We ventured out onto the floor after awhile. I skated once around with R7. A little bit with T8 (until I wiped out. Yeouch.) And C5 just dove in fearlessly.

They did great. Some trepidation, lots of falls–but by the time the age-grouped races came, they all participated. (And they each came in last for their age group. *L*) Yet I was so happy they were willing to take the risk of joining a race when they were so new to an activity.

I bet the homeschool organizers didn’t realize just how educational an experience roller skating could be.

Woohoo! We got some fab deliveries today.

First was our order from Timberdoodle, and just like years ago, they still send Mrs. Grossman’s stickers along with your receipt. I like little touches like that.

From Timberdoodle we received our math curriculum for this semester. We’re trying something new for us–Developmental Math. I like that each child has his own workbook (rather than reusable texts, ala Saxon, which I’m biased against from my own childhood.) I liked the placement tests that are available online helped pinpoint the boys’ strengths and weaknesses. After being in school for a year, I needed help to gauge what they needed. And an endorsement by Molly (who I “know” and respect) was the deciding factor in taking a risk in ordering a curriculum that was new to me.

Also enclosed was Le Fran

This is not an exhaustive list. Many excellent resources are not on this list, either because we haven’t used them or because I don’t remember them right now. Share some of your favorites!

Catechism for Young Children (free, online)

Little Pilgrim’s Progress (adaption by Helen Taylor)

You Can Change the World, Lame title, excellent missions book

Child’s Story Bible, Vos

Trinity Hymnal

When I was a kid, school didn’t start until after Labor Day, and wrapped up right about Memorial Day.

The school district in which we reside begins classes Monday. In the city just north of us, school started last week.

Homeschooling, we’re following a more traditional calendar. Not quite waiting until Labor Day, but we aren’t starting Monday. It’s still summerime here!

For those who live in Florida, here’s a sample letter of intent to file with your school district, as required by Florida state law. Thanks to the Learning and Families homeschool group for providing it online.

Alright so it’s already August 1st, and I just placed my first curriculum order. We’re not rushing into things here. *grin* I’ve known of and loved Timberdoodle for since I first saw a catalog of theirs in 1989. We ordered math and French materials from them.

I still need to place an order with Veritas Press. The younger boys are going to continue with The Phonics Museum (which we used and loved with the older two.) We’ll be using their New Testament and early American History materials.

Also, we picked up some goodies at the office supply store today. Printer paper, high quality colored pencils, composition books. As soon as we got home R7 asked, “Can I start writing in my journal?” The “do things orderly” me wanted him to wait until we “officially” started school. The unschooler in me said to him, “Go ahead!”

Our first year of school-building-school was a success. It wraps up in two weeks. I cried when I realized that the boys’ last day at our local Mennonite school will be May 18th.

Last week we talked with the boys’ teachers and the school admissions officer, and alerted them that they would not be returning in the fall. I know I have at least one friend who is cheering, a victory for homeschooling. *grin*

As most schooling decisions, this one was complex with many factors. One of the factors was NOT a failure of the school they attended or any horrible stories about teacher incompetence or bullies or anything of that sort.

Sure, there were some things I rolled my eyes at about school this year. And some frustration on my part on a couple of the curriculum choices. But overall, our family’s experience with the boys in private school was excellent. Each of the teachers was sensitive to our kids’ strengths and weaknesses. The “gaps” in their education that I could acutely see last fall, have been filled. J9 can write in cursive, legibly. I think perhaps we should have handled grade placement a little differently for one of the boys at the beginning of the year. But, overall, an excellent year. The boys learned a lot, and this was the best choice for their transition year from Ukraine to the US.

But we will be homeschooling in the coming year.

All of a sudden I feel a bit overwhelmed and quite new at homeschooling–despite 16+ years involved with homeschooling, as a student, a teacher, a parent. And a bit scared at our competency at this. Concerned about finding a good routine. And brand new at all of this, in spite of it all.

I’ll probably be blogging on this more soon. Or maybe not. I tend to be open and transparent online, but sometimes do keep things unpublished out of respect for my family and their privacy. Though, I think I’ll be asking some h/s questions soon–I’ve found the blogging community to be an excellent (and efficient) resource that I’m thankful to have.

Note: Just for clarification. . . While I feel like a newbie at homeschooling right now, we’ve actually homeschooled the kids for years. This past school year was our first year of school-building-school. . .

Links for J9’s Home Design Project:

Hurricanes and Dome Houses

Dome Houses Florida

Dome Home Strength

Rastra

More Rastra, with Pics

Real Goods

Recycled Materials

US Green Building Council

Green Building for Kids

(Links and ideas courtesy of Papa John who is building a rastra house in Arizona.)

So, I’m hanging up my homeschooling hat.

Hubby has been the boys’ primary teacher since we returned to the States and has done a fantastic job. We’ve discussed and prayed and pondered what our children need during this time of transition. And here we are. The first day of school-building-school.

And there is this part of me that feels like now I’m going to be judged and rejected and mistrusted. . . No more a homeschooling mom. Losing those good Christian mother brownie points.

I’ve been involved with homeschooling for 16+ years. Doing research, rejecting highschool and being homeschooled myself, homeschooling family members, homeschooling my children. I’m a fan. I value understanding our children and nurturing who they are, as individuals.

My Dad and Mom passed on their values of the high worth of education. I remember checking out Greenway, the local public elementary school when we moved to a new town. It was depressing as heck. (Still is, a friend who taught there one year said.) We ended up in a tiny amazing Christian family-run school. My Dad taught high school there for awhile. We bought a building for the school to occupy and lived upstairs. All the while my folks were passing along the value of finding what is best for each child, each year.

And that changed throughout the growing up years for me and my siblings. Homeschooled, Christian schools–and even public and boarding schools.

Each child, each family, each year. . . Discerning the needs and finding the best situation for meeting those needs.

So I’ve been sniffing a bit as I’m laying out school clothes. Feeling emotional as I buy a list supplies from Target, rather than choosing curricula from an enticing catalog. Not quite ready to hug them and let them go in the morning. . . Yet peaceful and confident as I release them into their structured classrooms that this is the next Providential step for them.

In Russian, the word that looks like TOCTEP is said and means “toaster.” It’s in a board book we own.

Today C4 sounded it out in English. T-oh-ck-t-ee-p. Doesn’t make sense in English, but he READ it in English!

Thanks to Diet of Bookworms, I have several Crossway children’s books to review. I’ll be posting my reviews as well as ones written by my oldest son, J8. These are his first two book reviews ever.

God Knows My Name
by Debbie Anderson

Personally, I think that it is short but good. And is recommended for ages 2 to 5. It will tell you in many different wys of how God knows everything.

Most of All, Jesus Loves You
by Noel Piper, Illustrated by Debby Anderson

I like that it says your family loves you but God loves you more. And is recommended for ages 2 to 5.

I kept meticulous records of what I read when I homeschooled in high school. I hadn’t kept track of what I read before then–or very much since. I currently have a program on my blog (thanks to Tim) that lists my Amazon wishlist and the books I’ve read. It’s been great.

I remember coming across my high school reading list a few years ago. It was so cool to read through the titles. I fondly remembered some of the books, and was surprised that I had read others (which were quickly forgotten.)

So, ever since J8 started reading I’ve tried to help him keep track of what he’s read. He reads so fast, though, that it’s been hard to do that (for him or me!)

I think I’ve found a system now for keeping up with it. On his daily homeschool checklist is now “Update Book List.” All he has to do is pile the books on my desk and I spend a few minutes entering them into an Amazon “wishlist.” But rather than a list of what he wants, it’s a list of what he’s read. The date I enter it is marked next to the book which provides a loose gauge of when he read it. We started this at the end of April, but have only recently been keeping it updated.

So, want to see what my oldest’s reading interests are?

J8’s Reading List

Update: Sparrow mentioned that she is redirected to her own wishlist instead of J8’s. I changed the direct link, and if you still can’t access it try to put “J8″ in the search box where it says “Search for a Wishlist.”

I had a healthy skepticism of commercially promoted toys when I was a kid. While some television commercials made an impact (I still drool when I see hot pizza on tv) I figured most toys were junk or overrated. What can I say? My folks were hippies.

Take Sea Monkeys. I never thought I’d get those cool looking, rainbow-colored, comic-book creatures from the ads. With only water and the “crystals” in your Sea-Monkey