We homeschool. This is our second year. That should make me an expert, right? Eh, not so much. But, I know it is the right thing for our family and I know a lot of people who know a lot more about this whole shindig and are willing to pass on their wisdom to me. So I take each day as it comes.
Some days we follow every single word I have written in my planner. Most days, we sorta follow the words in my planner. Other days, we ditch all the words in my planner.
Maybe I should call it a guideline instead of a planner. Or a map within the storm?
I love what I do with my girls. I love helping them find a new book to read. I love watching them go through their math, though I do wish I could find a good assessment for math…reading is easier to tell if they are on track, math is a little hazier. Adding crafts is fun. Throwing in a field trip, planned or spur of the moment, is a blast–tomorrow we are off to see a production of Aladdin Jr. before we are off to co-op.
I love teaching them and being there when they “get it”, but I also love having them tell me about the things they learned or did. Co-op is three hours a week. Each of the older girls take 3 classes, ranging from cooking to gym, spelling and geography. Patrice gets three hours of pre-school while we are there.
Each of the girls love it. And the other women there? They are the TREASURE TROVE of information. There are ladies in there who have been homeschooling since I was in school. They have seen homeschooling in our state go from illegal to being very open. Their eyes have perused more curriculum than most people knew existed it. Side note: Why yes, there are a tons of options for curriculum. You can have 100% on-line work, you can have schooling with next to none textbooks, you can do textbooks for some classes and not for others, you can use topic based learning to cover all subjects. The options are endless. There are Christian materials, there are secular materials and there is the in between. Our first year, I started with an on-line curriculum. Two months in I realized I hated it. I used print outs, worksheets and books we had here at home for the rest of the year. This year I had more time to study and plan, so we have a coursework heavy style, but we do drop-in and out other non-textbook materials as needed.
Teaching reading is my favorite part.
Today, Sue started her first chapter book. When we brought her home for school last year, she could read next to nothing. Her year of kindergarten had imparted nothing. We worked hard last year and managed to make up two years in one so she ended the year just where her class would have at our public school (I have amazing support from one of the teachers there). We went from nothing to “mommy can I have a chapter book?” Have to say, it took me no time to say yes!! She started reading it today on her own. She came over to me and said, “I read 5 pages. Most of the words were easy, but some were longer and harder, but I made it through.” I’m not sure which of us had a bigger smile on our faces after she said that.
Homeschooling is by no means for everyone. But it fits for us. It brings a smile to our eyes and hearts. We find rhythm and purpose in the teaching. I am very thankful to be on this journey.
Come back tomorrow where I’ll chat about some of the challenges of home education.
Survive til you Thrive! 
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