Slow Steps into Delight-Directed Learning

My blog post, My Thoughts About Next Year  has morphed into some actions this year.  

I have had a rough new year.  I have been fighting illness all new year, leaving me with a cough and sinus issues.  This has been going on literally since January 1st.  Then, I began college classes.  I am currently sharing a computer between me and my two homeschooling daughters.  This is causing some stressful issues as we all have at least some coursework online. 

 

I have been looking at ways to help my nine year old be more independent.  My high schooler has no problem with this, and we only do one class together.  The nine year old, however, is ADD .  She is constantly moving and talking and  needs to be constantly monitored to keep her focused on her school work. 

I have not handled this well. 

In fact, I'm beyond frustrated, as I try to balance it all and still have time to do laundry and prepare meals.  My stress level has risen dramatically.  This isn't fair to me or my daughter. 

And so, I am left with some decisions.  I purchased a delight-directed journal from Thinking Tree  a company that specializes in learning games for dyslexic and ADHD children. 

 

I'll be honest, it's slow going.

She enjoys the art.  But I have had a difficult time simply letting her follow her passions. And so, I have tried to blend one curriculum in and it isn't working.

I love the idea of my daughter learning about things that interest her.  I love the idea, because I have seen that following my own interests has led to a depth of learning that goes beyond what I have ever learned in structured classes.  Developing lifelong learning habits is important to me.  

My daughter, like me, will dive into areas that interest her.  She finds joy in learning about her interests.  She loves animals and earth science and literature.  She loves audiobooks and listening to me read.  I don't think it will be a year with no growth.  In fact, she might just take off in learning. 

It is difficult for me, however, because I like having a plan.  It's difficult to trust that she will learn about a broad range  of subjects.  I am looking for a year of exploring her interests, but also having math and reading and language arts  in a curriculum that will keep her growing in these areas.  I want to have her learning the Bible.  These areas are areas where I want line upon line, precept upon precept learning.

I bought the journal as a trial, before buying more.  But then I began reading the creator's book, Windows to Our World

Windows to Our World.  I was struck by the author's, Sarah Janisse Brown, description of her experience being homeschooled.  Her parents allowed her a lot of freedom in her learning.  Except for math, her curriculum seemed informal.  She followed her interests.  She describes the freedom of learning in this way, the desire to learn more and more.  Compared to holding a grudging feeling of duty about school, she began to love her studies.  

 

Oh, how I want this for my daughter.  And yet, the fear of her missing something important is still there.  

Somehow, I keep thinking, surely ADHD is a gift.  What is it doing to her when I am impatient and critical?.  Will she think that she is inferior in some way because I lose patience and yell at her to, "Focus!"  I want her to love learning, and yet she is showing signs of hating it.  She stalls.  She grumbles.  Yes, there are things she must learn.  But shouldn't they be balanced with digging into interests?  

These are all questions I have asked myself.  Homeschooling my ADHD child is very different from homeschooling any of my other children.  The daughter that graduated last year, also diagnosed with ADHD, had spent years in public school.  She despised learning.  She would dutifully do the assignments.  She appreciated the fact that I was able to tailor them so they fit her learning styles, but she never was passionate about any of it.  She tolerated it.  Now, as an adult, she works hard.  She has no desire to go to college.  She doesn't read for fun.  She loves the Lord, so I can't complain. But a part of me wonders what would have happened if I had let her follow her interests instead of followed a plan similar to the public school.

And so, I must make some decisions.  I am praying and stepping one toe at a time into the water of delight-directed learning. I will take this day by day and see where God leads.  He could totally lead me back to where I have been.  Or, He could open up new worlds.

A Year Of Books

It was Christmas last year when Megan received the book The Little Princess from her sister.  It was about that time that I stumbled upon The Read Aloud Revival  a podcast by Sarah Mackenzie.  Then I read the novel The Reading Promise By Alice Ozma...  and my homeschooling and even parenting strategies were altered.

 

I have always read to my children.  A bookworm myself, reading to my children is something I knew was important.  I chose Heart of Dakota because of all the read alouds and literature for my daughters.  Here we are, nearly a year later, and my youngest, age nine, and I have been on many adventures. 

It simply clicked.  While I had always read to my children, it was the first thing set aside when life was busy.  It wasn't the priority to me it should have been.  It was something nice to do.  I had never really considered building our "family culture around books," as Sarah Mackenzie likes to quote in The Read Aloud Revival.  I had always thought that our family culture was around our faith. I didn't realize the two didn't have to be in competition. 

 

I bought Educating the Whole-Hearted Child by Clay and Sally Clarkson.  In this legendary homeschool book, I read repeatedly about how reading good books was foundational for multiple skills as well as for life.  I knew that reading to a child was amazing academically, but this put reading aloud into an entirely new realm.  Books could be used to open the world that God created.  Books, like Jesus, told stories to teach lessons.

 

I read a book written by Clay and Sally Clarkson's daughter, Sarah, called The Storyformed Life.  I felt a connection to Sarah, having been such a reader myself as a child.  I understood how books can reach your heart when nothing else can.  I knew I wanted that for my littlest daughter.

 

My daughter and I have read around 35 books together this year. We began with The Little Princess delved into entire series, such as the Borrowers series and The Chronicles of Narnia.  We have devoured a few Andrew Clements, and are now working through the Betsy Taci series. We have enjoyed Robert Lawson and Laura Ingalls Wilder.  

 

This has been a wonderful year.  My daughter loves being read to, and will often beg for one more chapter.  We read every night before bed, with few exceptions.  It has changed our night time routine.  Often, the older kids will come hang around to hear our stories.  The entire family got into The Best Christmas Pageant Ever.

 

My own reading has picked back up again.  For a long time I struggled to read the way I used to, to get into a book and lose myself.  Some of it was just because I am a busy mom.  However, I also think my brain was adapting to cell phones and screens.  It wasn't focusing for any long period of time.  Simply picking up a book, putting my phone away, and shutting off the tv has helped me to regain my focus and love of reading.

 

I like be that I have the opportunity to homeschool and to share so many amazing adventures with my children through books.  Recently, my nine year old has begun reading to my infant grandson, her nephew, when he is over.  I see him listening and watching the pages and I get excited that we are igniting a fire in the mind of a little one.

Math Lessons

My nine year old used dehydrated cranberries in her math lesson today.  In fact, it was day two of a new math book after switching to a different style of math.  Sometimes it seems as if spiral works best for my girl because of the constant review...  until it doesn't.  After weeks of complaining and my youngest taking way too long to finish her math, I knew I had to figure something out, even just temporarily.

I had already split the math lesson so that she was working on it twice a day.  This way she wasn't getting overwhelmed with 40 problems all at once.  The problem wasn't that she wasn't understanding the work, just that it was overwhelming her.  It was monotonous.  It never seemed to end.  She would spend more time doodling than focusing. I was getting upset with her. An unfocused, unmotivated child with pages of math questions in front of her is a exasperating situation. Yes, after the lesson explanation, there were still at least three pages of question every lesson, with at least 10 to 15 problems per page. 

I've also used drill and kill curriculum before, and that was worse.  I couldn't bear for my youngest to even have those in front of her.

Having gone through this before, with a different child, I have learned that it is ridiculous to push them until they despise the subject.  One daughter was behind for a long time, and we jumped around a bit, and it finally clicked for her in middle school. I have learned that sometimes their brains aren't ready.  At other times they mature and their attitude changes.  I have also learned that it is perfectly fine to add in some variety or switch things up now and then.  As a homeschool Mom, I have often come at a subject from a variety of ways to increase interest and retention.  With math, however, the rule seems to be ...  PICK SOMETHING AND STICK WITH IT OR ELSE!  

I agree that switching between this text and that text can cause struggles.  And yet, sometimes you just need to come at something. From a different way.  After all, if something isn't clicking or needs a little refreshing, then I feel no guilt.  Why?  Because learning is happening.  If a child is doodling all over her math work, and the number of problems are too numerous and the child is proficient but bored...  shaking things up a bit may be just what is needed.

So, I jumped to a mastery book I had in my supplies, added in activities, and jumped ahead a bit to a skill my dear daughter hasn't learned.  Don't worry, the jump was slight.  And sure enough, she finished her assignment in half the time.  Charlotte Mason advocated short lessons, and for an active nine year old, that may be key.  

Will it work forever?  Probably not.  I have no problem adding in some computer games, maybe some learning dvds,  some Khan Academy videos, with a side of Life of Fred to attract my reader to math.  Does it seem chaotic?  Occasionally, but as long as I keep her making progress and learning, I'm not worried. 

Besty, Tacy, and Tib... Our New Friends.

I had heard about the Betsy Tacy books occasionally in my years homeschooling.  I was curious, but since our library doesn't have them, I didn't seek them out.  Then, a few weeks ago, I found the first four books at Family Christian Bookstore.  I bought all four for Megan to read.

However, she wanted me to read them to her.  After reading the first couple of pages and the Forwards written by Judy Blume and Ann M. Martin, I knew I wanted to share the experience with Megan.  She could easily read them on her own.  I debated having her do just that because we have an ever growing list of books I am reading to her anyway.  But in the end, I wanted to read them to her too much!

We are in the third book now.  The girls were five at the beginning of the first book.  In the current read they are ten.  I have already decided that I will purchase the books written after the first four that continue the journey of these precious characters.

Betsy and Tacy are neighbor girls that become friends when Tacy moves next door.  After a year, they meet Tib, who lives a short distance away.  The girls are always together, and the story of their friendship is so beautiful.  Though set in the early 1900s, these story of these girls and their friendship could ring true today.  They remind me of some of my friendships when I was young.

Each girl has a unique personality, and it cracks me up to see the mischief they find.  And yet, they never hurt anyone on purpose or backtalk their parents.  Before you think the girls are too sweet and not realistic, I have found the opposite to be true.  It is easy to get caught up in the story of these girls and their silly adventures.  Maud Hart Lovelace based the stories on her own childhood, and the realism comes through.  The books aren't dumbed down either or written in an overtly child-like manner.  The adventures of the girls are told as if they are telling them at the age they are in the story, but the story is engaging.  It doesn't feel like a children's book, or sound like a children's book.  It respects the reader.

I had never heard of these books until a few months ago.  As a child, I would have LOVED them, but I never saw them.  It is a shame, because these girls feel like friends.  I hope my nine year old daughter feels the same.  She begs for more than one chapter a night, and I have to remind her that we don't want to devour them; we want to savor them.

If you get the opportunity to read any of the Betsy Tacy series written by Maud Hart Lovelace, I totally recommend doing so!  You won't be sorry.

Adjusting The Schedule

Going to college this year has definitely altered my plans in homeschooling... And I haven't even officially started yet!  

When I decided that that the time to go back to college was NOW, not in a year or two, I knew our homeschool would need some adjusting.  As I have spent hours every day reviewing and relearning high school math to pass an entrance exam, I have caught a glimpse of just how much homeschooling will need to "adjust" in order for work to be done in a productive manner by the girls and me.

Truthfully, it has been a scary realization.  My oldest homeschooler this year is in high school.  She is very independent and works steadily through, only doing her Bible work with me... At my insistence.  I have spent the last few years doing Bible with my girls and I enjoy the time together. 

My nine year old, however, has been a challenge.  She is very ADHD, or maybe it only seems as if things have gotten worse because I am busy myself this year.  She is smart, but her focus has been very crazy this year so far.  I have redone her schedule three times and had to take some serious time to re-evaluate what we are doing.  She has to be able to do a lot more independently.

Today was the first successful day we have had in a week.  I cut out a lot of the busy work, and even much of the activities.  Read aloud time is in the evening before bed so that I can work on my studies during the day.  Cutting busywork freed more time for one of the ways she learns so well... Reading.  We made a trip to the library to pick up books about the subjects she is studying in her main lessons.  We grabbed books about George Washington and colonial times, bird books to go along with reading about John Audubon, and some fun reads for the end of the day.  I know some curricula schedules time for a "book basket," which follows a similar concept as what I did today.  Rounding out the core lessons with extra books about the topics, from nonfiction to fiction, helps students retain information and go more in depth about a topic. 

I have had to cut some things in our studies that required a lot of time from my day.  Gosh, that sounds so bad, especially as I am sitting right next to my daughter most of the day as she completes her school.  However, these things have either been blended in elsewhere or are nice to have, but not vital.  For instance, my daughter is reading through readers with a lot of poetry.  She is completing two separate reading programs beside her extra reading.  Does she really need a complete separate poetry section that is mom dependent right now?  She also completed a Bible program that I have loved for years on top of Bible memory work for church.  Does she need to do another Bible program? 

I have been reading a lot about self-learning because my daughter does this type of thing all the time.  She gets interested in something and reads everything she can about the topic.  Being ADHD, she can fly through material if it catches her interest and she hyper-focuses.  While I want her to stick to a lesson plan, I think this is the ideal time to give her more time to explore her own interests some also.  

I've pared down her lessons to include math, English, spelling and vocabulary, music, and reading, reading, reading.  In that reading is history and science and literature. She will also go through some geography this year. She is artistic on her own and is always creating a new "masterpiece."  The majority of the reading is coming from the Heart of Dakota plans.  Plus, we read aloud for an hour every evening.  We finished The Green Ember last night and are nearing the end of The Penderwicks. 

As we make these adjustments, I am apprehensive.  I pray fear away.  I don't want to cheat my children for my own goals.  Other homeschooling families have two parents that work.  Some homeschooling families are single parents, working and schooling their children.  I may have to adjust some of the learning and time schedules, but I am determined to make this work. Online classes are truly a blessing for a mom that homeschools.

School Has Started.

School has begun.

We began this year a few days ago with a fourth grader and an eleventh grader. This year, for some reason, didn't hold that new year anticipation.  I was simply happy to be getting back to the routine.

Megan jumped right back into Bigger Hearts for His Glory, which we began last January. It wasn't a big deal since she had been working through the guide anyway.  

The last three years Laura has worked with Jasmine on high school studies that I pieced together.  This year I put Laura back into Heart of Dakota.  She is using the Missions to Modern Marvels guide beefed up for high school. I have added high school chemistry to accompany the chemistry scheduled. I also added high school literature and A Noble Experiment, a high school level government class.   For economics, I included a couple different resources that I already had on hand to go with the Whatever happened to Penny Candy study.  Laura is also doing high school writing, English, and Geometry.  

I like the lesson plans for Heart of Dakota.  Next year I have planned for Laura to cover the World Geography guide.  We skipped World Geography because I had Laura and Jasmine working together and Jasmine completed World Geography her freshman year.  I like that the World Geography guide also covers missions.  I think that adds an awesome depth to the study.

Our year is getting on track, the routine being developed. In January, I will begin college myself, and I am worried about the extra work interfering with homeschooling.  However, my girls are good about doing what needs to be done when it is needed.  

Page a Day

Every summer it seems that math is the one skill that gets sucked into a void in my children's brains.  I've thought I'd schooling year round so often, just to avoid this from happening.  However, I love summer and often need the break myself.  I have other goals in the summer for myself and my children.

This summer, amidst play practice and the summer reading program at the library, and swimming, and free summer movies, I couldn't let math skills fall off again in my youngest.  She is right in the middle of learning multiplication and division.  I don't want that to fall away.  I don't want to spend the first several weeks in our school year reviewing. 

My compromise with Megan was she would do a page a day, at least four days a week, in her math book.  This way she would be reviewing various skills all summer.  It was that or we would school year round, with longer and more frequent breaks throughout the school year, but a short summer break.  That way the odds of her losing skills would drop. 

Math is the only skill that drastically drops.  We are a reading family, and our skills actually jump in the summer during free reading.  Megan skipped a year of phonics a couple years ago because her free reading had strengthened her skill level so drastically in three months.  

So far, even though it isn't her favorite. the page a day rule has been successful. She has weekends and Wednesdays math-free.  On Wednesdays we have the library program and the free summer movie.  It is a busy day.  

I haven't decided when to start school again, though I am considering beginning after the musical Megan is a part of in the beginning of August. Until that day, I anticipate being very busy with all the extras she takes part in. 

Ice Cream Celebration

We finished our school year last week.  We celebrated with a trip to the local ice cream parlor.

Megan is now a fourth grader.

Laura is now an eleventh grader.  

It was the final year for Jasmine.  She is officially finished with high school!   

Now... For summer vacation!

Box Day For Bigger and More!

Technically, most of my Bigger Hearts for His Glory curriculum came in a couple of weeks ago, while I was working.  However, we officially dived into Bigger today.

Bigger Box Day

Megan was excited.  Like me, she is a book lover.  Receiving all of the books was like Christmas morning!  

Megan and Her Bigger Books!

With all the reading we have been doing. I decided to add some extras.  I ordered the rest of the Little House on the Prairie books to complete our set.  We have skipped around a bit in the chronological order of them, but they are beloved in our family.

Little House Books

I picked up the Terrestria Chronicles series by Ed Dunlop.  I will probably read them to Megan eventually.  I have a couple planned for Laura to read next year.  I am in the middle of the first book myself, enjoying the allegorical storyline.

The Terrestria Chronicles

Wanting more Christian readers for Megan, I picked up the first six books of the Imagination Station series.  She quickly snatched the first book and took off to her room to read.

Imagination Station

Of course, no box day would be complete without a book or two for Mom.  This year I decided to read Educating the Whole-Hearted Child by Clay and Sally Clarkson.  I love gleaning inspiration and ideas from those that have successfully homeschooled before me. 

One final book that I invested in was Kingdom Tales by David and Karen Manns. In looking at some Lamplighter literature, I came across this book.  I decided this will be a great bedtime read aloud!

Kingdom Tales

Box Day was a success.  Box Day, high school version, will appear as soon as all the materials can be ordered for next year.  

How I turned to Charlotte Mason

We are only a few weeks from finishing Preparing Hearts for His Glory.  I wanted to talk about how our journey led us to Charlotte Mason and Heart of Dakota.

From the start of homeschooling I have been drawn to literature-based homeschooling.  However, the price of most programs kept me from being able to purchase any of them.  I had been drawn to one specific program and would use their catalog as a guide for books I would check out at the library or buy to use with my then third grader.  She was the only one being homeschooled at the time. 

Then, I began reading about Heart of Dakota through various reviews.  I was intrigued by the program, but didn't understand that it was Charlotte Mason based, or even what that meant.  I had only glimpsed Charlotte Mason, and knew she loved and promoted 'living books' and didn't like 'twaddle'.  I agreed with her, but didn't look further into her methods.

Heart of Dakota got rave reviews, so I bought Preparing Hearts for my daughter to use in fourth grade.  I had such high hopes for the program.  We began with gusto.  However, very quickly we were struggling.  First, the Charlotte Mason methods of narrating and copywork were foreign to me.  It made me uncomfortable since it was so different from what I was used to.  No spelling?  What is dictation?  So much of it made no sense to me.  All I liked was the reading.  The rest of it just left me feeling that I wasn't doing things the "right" way.

Laura didn't like it either.  Eventually, I started supplementing the other subjects one by one because they made more sense to me and Laura.  We used some of the books as readers, but I figured that this just wasn't for us.

We began fifth grade with a trusted Christian, traditional program and I was completely at ease with that.  I could always add readers.  In fact, I bought a few Christian literature books from Abeka, BJU, and Christian Liberty.  I thought I'd come up with the perfect balance.  However, I still wanted to try other methods.

I began reading about Charlotte Mason and her methods around this time.  As I read about how Charlotte Mason believed children should be educated, it made so much sense to me.  Simply Charlotte Mason became one of my favorite websites because of all the information that just explained everything to me in a simple, gentle way.  I read every free article they had and even many conversations in the discussion forum.  Once again, the name of Heart of Dakota was coming up often.

I decided to begin some of the Charlotte Mason techniques again, but slowly this time.  I began with science, since Laura craved some hands-on in this area.  I decided, since I had the books, that I would try the science of Heart of Dakota for awhile to see how that worked.  I added in a bit of nature study here and there.  My daughter began to love science and wanted to do it first and foremost.

One by one I added things over a couple months that were more in the style of Charlotte Mason.   It wasn't all smooth sailing, but things were improving.  I decided to go back to Preparing Hearts for His Glory after Christmas Break.  As I did, this time my daughter came alive!

We still do some traditional type things.  We do a language arts program from a different company because, after trying so many different ones, this one Laura loves.  We also have a reading program that includes a reader and not separate books.   However, we will slowly be transitioning to Drawn Into the Heart of Reading.

I switched Laura to Heart of Dakota's recommended math, Singapore math.  I was nervous about that switch, but it was affordable enough to try.   Some of the reviews had talked about how fast the program moved.  The placement test had Laura scoring a little low, but I did read the program ran a little advanced so that didn't bother me.  We will try it for awhile.

We are still adjusting to some of the Charlotte Mason concepts.  Dictation is something that I still get nervous about.  Narration is a skill we are still building.  Laura is getting better at it, but it has taken time.  Copywork is starting to show some promise as Laura's writing and spelling skills are improving.  It is taking time, but we are enjoying trying other things.

When I began Heart of Dakota, I should have started with Bigger Hearts for His Glory.  I believe it would have eased us into the program and the Charlotte Mason style a little better.  Either way, Laura is doing wonderfully now with Heart of Dakota.  I am so sold on the program that I bought the preschool program, Little Hands to Heaven, for my three year old.  Next year, Laura will be doing Creation to Christ.

Technically, Laura should be doing the extensions for the program to beef it up.  However, I only add them here and there.  Truthfully, the program is very solid without them.  Once in awhile Laura could use the program beefed up for her, but since it goes on age level and not grade level, that is rare for her.  She is a young fifth grader, fitting into the age bracket.  Her math and language arts are at the state level, so I only supplement with extensions sporadically.  As we adjust to Charlotte Mason, I may add more of the extension materials.  It all depends on how Laura is doing.  If I see her getting bored, or just want to read an interesting book from the extension package,  I will know to add some more challenging work.

I will give this advice for those just beginning the Charlotte Mason style.  If your child is older and has been in public school, ease into the program and methods.  As a parent educated in traditional schools, the concepts were foreign to me too.  Do your research.  Read articles and blogs and reviews.  Realize that it is different from how the traditional schools teach.  I always said I wanted different, but putting it into practice without the fear of failure was difficult.  Charlotte Mason and Heart of Dakota don't follow the traditional scope and sequence for some of the subjects.  It has taken awhile for me to be okay with that, and even to think of that as a benefit.  Truthfully, as Laura and I go through the program, I find myself learning as much or more than her!

Homeschooling is definitely a journey for us.  Our journey has sometimes gone in circles, but it has always taught me very valuable lessons.  Lucky for my younger daughter that is just beginning in preschool, I have these learned a lot through trial and error with the older one.  Of course, my ten year old has felt like my guinea pig... cause she has been.  I never thought our journey would be as challenging as it has been.  The rewards have been unexpected and more fulfilling than I thought too.  I couldn't imagine life without homeschooling now, and I pray God protects our rights to teach and train our children in this manner.

A Quick Review of our School Year

A homeschooling mother's job is  never done.  I have learned this.  We have finished up the school year and I am planning and buying supplies for next year.  I wanted to recap the year.

For Laura, my fourth grader, we started out the year trying the Charlotte Mason approach.  We stuck with it for half the year, using Heart of Dakota.  I liked the program, but for Laura, it wasn't working.  I think it was just too different from what she was used to.  She just didn't like the approach.  We switched to ACE after Christmas break.  She liked that much better.  She did nearly a year of work from January until mid-May.  For math, she actually did a lot more than a year's worth.  I worried that it was too easy for her, but we supplemented with lots of reading.

Laura read or had read to over 70 books this year.  Her favorite read aloud was George Mueller.  She couldn't pick a favorite book.  She loved Little Women and the Dear America book.  I laugh cause I know how tough it can be to pick a favorite.  Laura covered a lot of material this year.  Next year, as we prepare for the Middle School years, things may be a bit tougher.  I'm not overly worried, however.  I think Laura can handle the challenge.

We would stick with ACE next year, just because it worked for Laura, except that cost is a factor.  For the price, I just can't see using a consumable product for EVERY subject.  I want to be able to use products with my younger daughter.  I don't mind consumable workbooks or worktexts here or there, but not for every single subject.  Some books, like readers and certain texts, can be used over and over.   Next year I am looking into a bit of a traditional program that contains more books instead of workbooks.

Tasha worked through two years of English in one year, on top of her other subjects.  She finished it all with flying colors.  I was very nervous to bring home a high schooler to homeschool.  Yet, she has done amazing.  She says she has learned a lot more than she would have in public school.  That says a lot for my girl that has spent the majority of her school time on honor roll.  I was quite angry at first at the bad teacher that caused so many problems for my daughter that I felt I had to pull her from school.  Now, I think it is a God thing.  She has excelled in homeschooling.  She has started to like reading again.  She is not nearly as shy as she used to be.  She is happier and more sure of herself.  She is also closer to God.  Her favorite subject this year was her Bible class.

Next year we are debating between staying with ACE or switching to Alpha Omega.  The teacher that runs the Christian school that we are going through for Tasha's homeschooling is setting it up to do both.  We may end up with a hodge-podge of stuff.  I feel that Tasha will excel with either choice.   She is very independent in her studies.  I don't think she scored less than a 92% on any test.

  We didn't do much with Megan this last year.  At two, I saw no point.  This year I looking into doing a bit more.  We read to Megan, but I think that will increase.  I think we may begin some other activities as well.  I had debated sending her to preschool for a year or two, but I don't think I will this year.  If I feel the urge to do so when she is 4, I'll cross that bridge then.  Right now, I think she'll do much better at home.  She is a bright girl.  She's already wanting to 'do school' like her sisters.  I think we'll just put together some easy, fun activities and do LOTS of reading.  Megan is still young.  I don't want to pressure her.  Right now I am just happy when she goes a day without a potty training accident.

Officially, Laura is now a fifth grader.  Megan has gone from toddler to preschooler.  Tasha is now a senior in high school.  Kim, my oldest, graduates in days.  Jasmine, my only public schooled child left, will be a seventh grader.  It seems that my girls are growing up fast.  I am glad that I get to spend the time with my homeschoolers that I would miss if they were in public school.

This summer my husband and I are planning some outings for our family.  We want to be able to get away here and there.  We are planning some day trips to various places.  Finances are tight, but there are a few free things that we can enjoy together.

Megan's First Zoo Trip

We went to a small zoo today about an hour away.  It was Megan's first trip to the zoo.  It was quite hot outside, but we still had a great time.

We met my sister, her husband, and son there.  We had a picnic lunch and then walked through the zoo.  I took a LOT of pictures.  I wanted to share some of them.  Laura said her favorite part was seeing the eagles.

Our picnic was in a very pretty gazebo.

The butterfly garden was beautiful!

Megan and Laura

Tasha

Okay, we are officially on summer break.  However, as homeschoolers we can take field trips any time we desire. 

The School Year is Done!

One semester of grading... done.  I gathered up all the tests and got all the grades recorded before I passed the papers off to the lady that is managing Tasha's high school curriculum. 

Laura finished her work... mostly.  (We still have a chapter of Runaway Ralph left.)  Other than that she is done for summer except for the math we are going to work on and summer reading.

It's been a long year, and I am grateful that I can now get a much needed break.  Well, maybe I'll get that break after the oldest graduates. 

Counting Down

Laura is counting down the days we have left for this school year.  She is finishing up a couple workbooks, and keeping steady on math.  Other than that, she is nearly done with everything.  Friday should be our last official day of school.  After that, it's just math and reading until I get next year planned and purchased.

Snowflake Bentley Art Day

We continued our Snowflake Bentley unit study from Five In A Row.  Today was art day, which Laura really enjoyed. 

We talked about the Illustrator of the book, Mary Azarian.  We learned about how she would make her pictures using hand-colored woodcuts.

We read a little about photography.  Laura looked at pictures of Wilson Bentley's snowflake photographs.  We did the ol' cut out a snowflake from paper.

Finally, I let Laura borrow my camera (a tough decision) to take some nature photographs.  Wilson Bentley loved nature and took pictures of other things in nature besides snowflakes.  It was a very rainy day today, so Laura had to be extra careful with my camera. 

Laura did a fairly good job taking pictures.  Some were blurry, but in general she captured some pretty shots.  Some of the plants had raindrops on them, which added to the beauty.

Laura enjoyed today, and that means a lot.  If she is enjoying what we study, she doesn't even realize she is learning.