Sunday, November 7, 2010

Here!

Ok! We're here! I feel like I'm in high school and I just ran in two seconds after the bell rang...

Last week, against my better judgement, we began our "official" preschool. I wanted to stick to my original plan to begin the first week of November, even though our move didn't go exactly as planned.

So, we began.

Turner and Eli really responded well to school, though initially concerned we were actually going somewhere.

Last week we talked about fire safety. There were some songs and finger plays we did and I was amazed at how quickly Turner remembered the words to things.

We began each day with our little greeting "Good morning, good morning, welcome to our day." and it really made Turner smile. I think he remembered his teacher, Miss Lynn singing it. After that we got dressed and then came downstairs to sit for breakfast together. We lit a candle and said a little morning blessing. The boys love to have a candle at their table and to blow it out after the blessing.

Monday, Wednesday, and Friday I tried to concentrate on our Little Acorn curriculum. Tuesday and Thursday was still loosely based on that but I also had lots of other things to do. I really hope by January the house organizing is done and we can have a more calm week!

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Truthful Tuesday

Eileen at Little Acorn Learning does a blog each Tuesday (at least, she was) about those "other" moments in life: the moments not everyone posts about.

Here, I'll try to do the same. More for me to remember what I did (not) do and how I survived these years of homeschooling with three small children, virtually no husband and an insurmountable to-do list.

Here's my truthful Tuesday:

Bugs make my armpits sweat. Really. I mean, I don't want to touch them, talk about them, think about their venom (more likely, lack thereof). I hate killing them because, somehow, their goo will contaminate my shoe. I can't squish them with a paper towel because they might somehow survive and then attack me.

I can't stand bugs.

Somehow, I've managed to show this to my children. They squeal when they see ants, think dead bugs can hurt them and cry when I mention there might be something lurking in the house.

So, I'm forcing myself outside of my comfort zone and teaching them about all critters great and small.

eek...




After I let this guy crawl on my hand, the kids were eager to let him crawl on them too!

Thursday, September 30, 2010

Intentions

My intentions with homeschooling the boys for their early childhood education are simple: have fun, learn with all the senses and to just let them be. I have no rules, no guidelines, no expectations. This is going to all be new and a learning experience for met, too. It is going to be an exercise in patience, this much I know.

I have decided to use the daily and monthly guides provided by Little Acorn Learning.  By using these guides, I already feel a little more at ease with our 'curriculum' and I know it's going to be a way for our family to learn and grow together. Three days per week we will follow Little Acorn until we learn what works best for the boys. Tuesdays, Thursdays and downtime will be used for the gradual introduction of letters, numbers and other fun things. I have high hopes for this "schooling" and I know it will bring a nice flow to what seems like chaos right now.

I'm hoping to begin this all the first week of November and, in the mean time we'll be moving. To try to ready for November, I'm printing guides/ideas/papers and organizing in a master notebook. I plan to stick to our rhythm as closely as possible and I truly hope to establish a "normal" as quickly as possible. We have had a hectic 18 months and it's time to figure out how to have a more peaceful time with the boys.

We all have a lot to learn and I'm ready for a little change!

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Our Beginnings

It was never my intention to home school. The thought of my sweet boys going off for a few hours each day so I could go for a long run, or grocery shop in peace was very (very) enticing. Turner has attended the Seaside Playgarden for almost a year now and it's been a wonderful experience.

As the Navy would have it, we're moving from Florida to Virginia and, when faced with all of the rather expensive Montesori, "big box" and run-of-the-mill church schools I ended up here...

Home school. 

Why not? You are you child's first teacher, right? 
  
The plan is this: a very basic curriculum provided by Brightly Beaming Resources and Little Acorn Learning

Tomorrow is Turner's last day of Preschool at the 'garden. He is so excited that I'm going to be his "teacher" that he giggles. 

The possibilities are endless.