Most of you know that Clara is in Kindergarten this year and that we have chosen to teach her at home. It has been a wonderful experience so far and I'd like to share some of that with you by explaining how it works for us. You know--the why, what, where, when & hows of this crazy thing called homeschooling!
We are thankful that we have the opportunity to spend so much time together as a family. We have so much fun learning new things, going places and working together and, over the past few years, I began to wonder why our family time couldn't include traditional academics. There are many good ways to educate children and we have no idea how long this will work for us, but for now, it is great!
After lots of research, I decided on the Sonlight curriculum because I liked the idea of having a literature based approach. This seemed like a style that would keep all of us interested and perhaps involve Benji more than a curriculum that uses mainly workbooks would. I also appreciate all the options that this company offers (i.e. a 4 or 5 day curriculum for Kindergarten as well as several different reading levels to choose from).
Our school days begin at 9am (after the dishes are done, beds are made, other household chores at least begun, etc.) at the dining room table and we're there for about an hour. This is where we cover Bible, reading, handwriting, math and science. There are other books included in our curriculum that are history books (with beautiful illustrations that the kids love) and missionary biographies. All of us have enjoyed the "read aloud" books like the Boxcar Children series, The Apple and the Arrow, and My Father's Dragon (those are the ones we've done in the first 8 weeks). There's also a DVD that we watch that shows us how to do the science experiments and projects that we've done.
Benji colors his picture that goes along with the Bible lesson, then he loves to cut it into a bunch of pieces! One day, he actually cut out a butterfly to show us! After he's done coloring and cutting, he sometimes listens to Clara read and sometimes he plays with Legos, blocks, trucks, or the cat.
We have joined a great support group in Oxford and had our first skating party and field trip with them yesterday. Here is Clara with her new friend, Anna May, at a local dairy farm. Clara also attends a weekly dance class (here in Charleston) with 9 other girls her age.
And here we are outside in the hammock where we did some reading together!
7 comments:
I enjoyed reading about your days. I am so glad homeschooling is going so well. My kids love Boxcar children. I will have to check out those other books. I've been volunteering in the school a lot lately, and I am really starting to understand the benefits of homeschool.
Obviously that was me!
Gracie,
Your Dad and I are devastated at this most selfish decision you have made as would be all four of your grandparents. While you are fulfilling your own social needs you are depriving your children of peer relationships that will make them successful adults. These early school experiences can never be recouped. We are so sad for Clara and Ben.
Thanks for your encouragement, Erin! I love reading about all the neat things you are doing with your kids on your blog.
Dear Mom,
I am sorry that you feel this way. I was in hopes that this blog post would reassure you that things are going well with the kids and would answer some of your questions about their daily schedule. They do have friends that they play with regularly even though it is not always mixed with school time. Maybe you should visit sometime and you could see them playing with their friends. Our decision to homeschool is not related to any social needs of mine, rather it is what we believe is best in our situation for this year. If you have other concerns about it, perhaps it would be better to email me and I will try to answer them.
Love,
Gracie
Dear Gracie and Andy,
Teaching a classroom of 21 Kindergarteners this year has reaffirmed my belief that public schools are not for every child. In education, we are constantly reminded that children are individuals and each sets his/her own path to learning and I, as the teacher, try to facilitate that. When I visited the elementary in Charleston, I met many dedicated, highly qualified teachers but conditions clearly reflected a lack of funding by the state of Mississippi over a long period of time. That is an issue you and Andy can't change but God is giving you the path of homeschooling to meet the needs of your children. You and Andy have a rich educational background and you are all involved in the fine arts movement in the Southeast. Your family travels frequently. I have seen the children interact with their peers in so many settings. Clearly God is leading you to do what is good and right for your children. I, as a teacher and gramma, couldn't ask for anything more. Peace and Love, xoxoxoxo
Grace, It was a blessing to me to read about your homeschooling days. You know we're pretty new to it too and it's always encouraging to see how other people go about it. We are thankful for the freedom to pursue what is best for our family and pray that God blesses your endeavors to do so as well. Love, Katie
Post a Comment