Homeschooling has been a bit lax around here. We've always been pretty relaxed with our schooling (I just don't stress over the occasional missed day) but with as sick as I've been feeling, we've gotten a bit off track on a few of our regular subjects. I'm super thankful for being on the TOS homeschool review crew. It has helped keep us on track. I make sure we are working on our review products.
Yesterday, I realized, my kids are old enough to be doing so much more on their own. Well, I've known this for awhile, but I love sitting with them and reading to them and learning right along with them so most of our joint subjects are done together-with the three of us. So I sat down with the kids and told them we are going to start a short ecology/pollution/conservation unit for our KONOS co-op. (We took the month of Jan. off and the first part of Feb.) I told them to look through a handful of library books I got and to write about what they learn.
Here's what I love--my kids got started immediately. They were both excited to be able to do what they want for a report. It was fun to see them excited about learning something. I did remind them that they needed to read the books and write down some new things-they can't just write what they already know. Creative Princess eventually found her own animals book because she wanted to read more about the Panda and why it's endangered. She brought the book in the car for our errands.
I've been thinking about what to do for next year. With a newborn, I know I can't do exactly what we've been doing because of the amount of time it takes me. So, next year, I plan to have one math and one language arts type curriculum for both kids. I will choose an on-line math program. The language arts is going to be harder to find what I want. Then once a month the kids will get a subject to study on their own. I'll give them a list to choose from (if I don't Creative Princess will always choose something with animals.) Then they will have options of how to study and compile what they have learned. Some ideas: lapbooking, oral report with a poster board, written report.
I'm looking forward to this.
2 comments:
That sounds like a good change for a newborn in the house!
Have you thought about what kind of math you will go with? We have switched to teaching textbooks and really like it!
Wendy, thanks. You are too sweet. I'll have to post later when I have time.
Michelle, I've heard wonderful things about Teaching Textbooks and plan to look into them when Nate starts real Pre-algebra. I may let him next year actually. It will depend on if this year I can get him to stop making silly mistakes because he rushes through his math. He is so good at it but isn't detail oriented.
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