Year 2: Our Final Week!

     What a finale!  Some of the things our school year included:

• reading and digger deeper into the first few books of the Old Testament
• studying and reading about all the California Missions
• memorizing a chronological timeline of 161 events and people
• memorizing The Bill of Rights
• memorizing the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution
• learning (and drawing) all the U.S states and its capitals (plus geographical features)
• learning math facts and doing drills
• science experiments along with learning science facts, including the first 12 elements of the periodic table and the parts of the 8 body systems
• learning Latin rules and vocabulary
• reading 7 classic literature books which were also used for our grammar lessons
• reading over 70 books covering U.S. History and who-knows-how-many books read for fun

     Whew!  All of it was topped off with my Little Toughie playing the part of Small Alice in a production of Alice in Wonderland.

Small Alice in her wig and costume

     As my daughter stepped onto the stage my heart swelled with pride and my eyes filled with tears.  Seeing her take the stage represented the culmination of not only her hard work for and dedication to the play, but also all the hard work of both kids during our school year, which had just ended a few hours prior.  As my daughter took her bow at the end of the show, I bowed my head in thanks to God; for guiding us through another year of homeschooling and for His hand on my daughter through her first lead part in a show.  It was overwhelming to say the least.

     What did I learn this year?  A lot!  I learned that math online for my son is not a good thing.  It was the only thing we did online and he struggled with it.  I learned that my son isn't a great reader but he does a little better with audio books or when he's being read to.  He especially enjoyed The Wind the Willows.  I learned that he likes to write in cursive more than basic print, and I have to say toward the end of our school year his work was neater and his writing had much improved!

     I learned that my daughter is easily frustrated if she doesn't get something right the first time.  She wants to learn it all and she wants to learn it NOW!  I had to point out to her (many, many times) that the more she practices the better she'll get, whether it be math facts or writing.  By the way, her printing is excellent for her age.  She thinks it can be better.

     I learned that my kids will turn anything into a competition.  Who can do their copywork the fastest?  Who will be done with math first?  Who will be done reading first?  Who can recite John 1:1-7 in Latin the fastest?  I had to remind them that I wasn't looking for it to be done quickly, I wanted it to be done neatly and correctly and for them to understand what they were reading or saying.  I have a feeling that I will still have to deal with the competitiveness in our new school year.

     My favorite thing about homeschooling is, aside from being with my kids and watching them develop, grow and mature, is being able to read to them.  That is my absolute favorite thing to do.  Whether it's the Bible, a classic book or some silly book they picked up from the library; I love to read to them.  Thus, I learned that I need to take care of my throat!  At one point during the year I couldn't read Peter Pan to them because I was losing my voice.  They had to listen to the audiobook, which they weren't too happy with but tolerated.

     All in all, it was a wonderful year.  We had our ups and downs, of course, but my kids amazed me.  There were days I felt I was either asking them to do too much or not asking enough, yet they did the work with only the occasional complaint.  I know that none of this would have been possible without God's grace and mercy.  He's blessed my hard-working husband with a job that allows me to be home with the kids.  My husband is understanding and supportive in our homeschool journey and let's me choose the curriculum, though I do seek his input and opinion.  God has blessed me with a man who has faith in me and my abilities to care for our kids, teach them and raise them up for God's kingdom.  Praise be to God!

     As I wrap this year, the new school year is already on my mind.  I tried to resist, but there's so much out there and I like to see what our options are.  I'll have our new curriculum up in late June, but for now here is our Summer Reading List.  Have a wonderful summer.  See you when we start the new school year!

Kindergarten, Week 36; FINITO!

     We are done!  I don't even know where to begin to write, which is why although our official last day of school was May 1, it is a week later that I am beginning to summarize our last week.  Plus, in the middle of writing this my daughter stopped me to work on telling time.  (The learning never stops!)

     Our last week brought us to Revelations in the Bible.  What a fantastic way to end our school year; with the image of God's Kingdom yet to come!  I constantly see God at work in my daughter and am thankful that He has plans for her that will bring glory to Him.

     We also finished The Hundred Dresses.  I don't know if I was emotional because everything was coming to a close, or if the ending of the book really touched me, but I teared up!  My Little Toughie had to console me as I explained the significance of the ending.  It's a book I definitely recommend reading to little ones and keeping around for them to read to themselves later on.

     As a way of acknowledging the end of our school year (Although I will continue to do a little homeschooling during this 2 month hiatus; she wants to start again in July.) we had a little celebration luncheon.  We were in attendance along with my step-daughter, her fiancee and kids.  There, The Principal handed her certificates of completion by Sonlight.  She also recited "Trees" by Joyce Kilmer from memory.  It's a beautiful poem!  It was a wonderful gathering and a great way to end her school year.

     So, what did she learn this year?  Between Classical Conversations and Sonlight my Little Toughie learned:

• 24 history sentences covering topics from Charlemagne to the present
• 161 events and people in chronological order
• 44 presidents
• Over 100 locations around Europe and Asia, including mountain ranges and rivers
• 24 science facts, even the laws of thermodynamics (at 6 years old...what?!)
• English grammar facts, including memorizing a list of pronouns from objective to indefinite
• Multiplication tables up to 15x15 and laws of addition and multiplication
• Latin Verb endings of the first conjugation

     She also:

• Read the Bible from Old to New Testament
• Read biographies of 30 different missionaries who spread the Gospel throughout the world
• Did 12 science experiments
• Learned about the orchestra
• Studied 6 Great Artists and completed corresponding projects
• Read over 40 books to herself
• Listened to me read (I don't know how many) books aloud
• Completed over 400 math worksheets
• Did 25 oral presentation, one of which was the poem "Trees" by Joyce Kilmer, which she memorized and recited.

     Those were just the things I could pull from our resources and could remember.  There were many discussions that came forth from our homeschool days; deep conversations that could only happen because I homeschool her and we can take as much time we need.  These were lessons that weren't planned but were taught and I know God had His hand on those particular moments.

     Which leads me to what I learned this first homeschool year.  I learned that a homeschool day doesn't always go as planned, but it's okay.  That could be anyone's day, but I was able to work through it with my daughter and teach her how to handle the curve balls life can sometimes throw.

     I got to spend real quality time with my daughter during what we termed her Kindergarten year.  I'm blessed to be able to do that.  We are blessed to be able to do that.  Not many parents are, and I thank God every day for blessing us with the provisions to make it happen.

     I learned what kind of books my daughter likes and am glad that because our reading list varied, her taste in books does as well.  I learned her favorite subjects (all of them for now).  I learned to not worry so much about whether or not she would "get it" because in the end, she did.  Homeschooling allows me to take it at her pace, not anyone else's.  It allows me to teach her a love of learning and that it can be fun at any age.

     I learned to prioritize better, in all aspects of my life.  Not that I was ever bad at that but I was able to narrow down what I deemed important to our family and our relationship with Jesus.  I let everything else go.

     I learned how to create my own curriculum, which I will share with you when our school year begins!

     Ultimately, what was pressed upon my heart during this first year of homeschooling is that God is at work and has plans for my kids.  Great and wonderful plans!  Academics aside, I've been entrusted with raising lovers of Christ; future apostles to spread His Word and shine His light; to be living testimonies of how much God loves us.

     There is no greater lesson.