This year school has gone remarkably well in the first 8 weeks than years past. ?? It takes such a long time to get in the groove of homeschooling. ??This is my ninth year of teaching…can’t believe I have been doing this nearly a decade already.
Tanner
Tanner is in 8th grade this year. ?? We are using the following ccurriculum for Tanner:
Bible – Tanner, Ty and I read together each day. ??We started with Acts this year and are now in the book of Romans. ??It has been a wonderful experience having talk time with the boys each day and getting to talk through difficult and mature topics.
Math – Teaching Textbooks Algebra. ??YIKES. ??Why oh why must I teach algebra? ??This is NOT fun. ??I am to the point where I really need to start school an hour before the boys and do the entire lesson myself first. ??The beauty of teaching textbooks is that if the student gets the problem wrong, they can watch how to do the problem. ??Tanner’s personality finds failure to be excruciating though so depending on the program to teach him is miserable for him. ??He needs mom to tutor. ??Unfortunately, mom gets 50% of what Tanner struggles with wrong as well. ?? Every year I hope everyone will be less mom dependent and for a variety of reasons, we just don’t seem to be getting there. ?? To date, I read the algebra lesson but I don’t actually do the whole thing myself. ??I DO NOT want to make the time for that. ?? I think I am going to have to though. ?? In order to teach it, you gotta know it and algebra is not my friend right now either. ??I have three more kids to take on the algebra journey so I might as well bite the bullet.
Geography- We have been using www.seterra.com. ?? They have a list of maps they need to get through this year and I allow them to advance maps once they have scored 100% in less than 2.30 minutes FIVE times on each map. ??I am doing this as well and Tanner is doing much better than mom. ??To date, he is two maps ahead of me.
English – IEW – Tanner and Ty are both doing the IEW Narnia book with me. ??I have continued to love IEW.
Grammar – IEW has a FIX it series and Tanner is doing The Frog Prince book.
Spanish – Rosetta Stone Level 1 – Tanner is doing great and really seems to enjoy it. ??I am taking this with this kids as well and so far have thought it to be a great program.
Handwriting – Daily practice
Spelling – www.homespellingwords.com
History – We switched from Story of the World back to Mystery of History this year. ??Tanner is working through Volume 1
Science: Apologia – Exploring Creation with Physical Science
Typing: ??Weekly practice using Typing Instructor. ??Tanner averages about 50 wpm.
Ty
Ty is in 5th Grade this year (can you believe it?)
Bible – same as Tanner
Math – Teaching Textbooks – we are doing Grade 5 a second time. ??He was a year ahead but I felt it was time to slow him down.
Geography -??same as Tanner
Typing – Handwriting without Tears has a new typing program so I switched Ty over to that this year
Spelling -??same as Tanner
Grammar – IEW The Nose Tree book
Writing -??same as Tanner
History – Story of the World Volume III Early Modern Times
Science – Apologia – Exploring creation with Astronomy
Spanish – same as Tanner??and Ty is doing well (he even spells in spanish well)
Tori
Tori is in first grade this year.
Bible – We are reading through the Jesus Calling Bible for Kids – she loves this
Math – Just working with mom this year trying to get basics down. ??This has been a challenge because Tori is my most ADHD child and is so easily distracted that it takes twice as long (or more) to get concepts down. ??Math facts have been very difficult for her. ??I have tried counting mechanisms, an abacus, flash cards, apps, computer programs….etc. ?? I finally tried a timeline and THAT is finally helping her to see it. ??The thing I love about homeschool is that I have the ability to just keep sorting options until I arrive at what works for each kid at each stage of their school journey. ??I had this fantasy that I was going to one room school house them and just adapt for their level but learned early on that was never going to work with my children. ??They are all very unique learners so each kiddo gets a specialized education plan. ??So time consuming but I am grateful that this is working for our family.
Spelling – Another tough subject. ??We are working on www.homespellingwords.com at a slower pace
Typing – She loves this and I am using the HWT program for her
Writing – Writing with Ease Level 1 (Susan Bauer)
Handwriting – HWT
Phonics – Explode the Code
Reading – Reading every day with mom. ?? Again, ADHD has made learning to read more difficult but daily practice has helped so much. ?? I decided to use a primer from the 1950’s. ?? My Grammy used to be a First Grade assistant teacher for the Maryanna School District in CA and she had both “After the Sun Sets” and “It Happened One Day”. ??When I was a first grader, she gave them to me. ?? During my curriculum review this summer I was reading through them and decided they were much better first grade primers than I typically can find. ??In two months, Tori has come along way with her reading and I am confident she will be a fluent reader by the end of this school year.
So that is where we are at two months into our school year.