Why I Homeschool

I was asked today if I had ever written what I believe school should be like.  I do not think that there is any one right answer to that question, so I answered with what I want for my children.  Here is what I said.

I want them to learn in a setting that is relaxed and enjoyable. 

A place where even if something is hard and boring it can be done. 

I want them to be challenged.  I think that everyone needs to be challenged to learn and explore new things.  It should not all be memorization. 

I want my children to question the world around them, including religion.  I want them to explore and find out their own beliefs and be able to explain and truly understand why we believe the way we do.  Not just say because the Bible says so. 

I want my children's faith, joy and happiness to be greater and stronger than my own.

I want to raise them so they know they can be, love, do anything they want and be proud of it. Not ashamed and hiding.  While I may not always agree with them, I want them to have the confidence to stand behind who they are and what they believe and want for themselves.

I do not feel that public school can give this to my children so I homeschool. 

Homeschooling has given my children the ability to be themselves and learn at their own pace. My children are truly all over the board.


Basically I want an education that lifts my children up.  Teaches them to be strong individuals, and is tailored to their educational needs.

No school can provide that even with excellent teachers, of which I believe there are many.

This is why I choose to homeschool.  I want the whole world open to my children and we can explore everything.

School today and Hairbows

Fairy finished her SCANTRON test.  I think she did amazing. 

Princess is behind on finishing her work, but we think she may have a kidney infection.  I am about to leave for the ER once the kids get ready. 

Baby Girl worked with Ants and sang The Ants Go Marching One By One. We also read The Jungle Version on If You are Happy and You Know It.

Buddy decided last night to paint his wall with poop, so he has spent his day cleaning said walls.  Maybe one day my boy will decide he wants to use a toilet.  I can only hope.

Now on to hair bows.  If you are looking for cute hair bows then look no further than my friend Stephanie.  Here are her websites: http://www.etsy.com/shop/StephsCraftz?ref=si_shop, https://www.facebook.com/groups/stephsbowtique/ and  <a id="rc-f415530" class="rafl" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/f415530/" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
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My 3 girls love their hair bows and bow holders.  Go check her out.

First Official Day Back

CAVA had their first official day back today so Fairy had to do school so we made it the first official day for everyone, though Princess's charter school Mountain Peak does not start back till the 21st.

 Princess on her first official day of 2nd grade.

 Fairy on her first official day of 1st grade.

Baby Girl on her first day of Preschool.

 

Bubby and his first day of 2 year Kindergarten.

Our crazy class.

 

 

Today the kids had a hard time settling in to the school routine, which is to be expected. 

 

We also went to Co-Op registration and they are signed up for all their classes.

 

So all in all today was a good day.

School was put off again

Well we tried to start and do to unforeseen circumstances beyond my control we have missed the last few weeks for school. 

I pick up the last of Princess's curriculum on Wednesday. Hopefully by then I can get our new schedule planned out and we can finally get started. 

This week and lesson planning

Well we only did school for 2 days this week but the kids learned about the sun and started working on learning the things we will work on this year.

I just finished 5 hours of lesson planning for Bubby and Baby Girl, and for the Co-Op class I am teaching.

Here are the lesson plans.

BUBBY AND BABY GIRL WEEKLY LESSON PLANS

 

JULY 22

MONDAY- CIRCLE- DAYS OF THE WEEK SONG, MONTHS OF THE YEAR SONG, YESTERDAY, TODAY AND TOMORROW, WEATHER, ALPHABET SONG, LETTER OF THE WEEK A

                     READING- LETTER SOUND SONG, PHONICS FACTORY LESSON 1 STEP 1 REVIEW LETTER SOUNDS SOUND ALPHABET

                    MATH- 10 LITTLE NUMBERS SONG, COUNTING SCAVENGER HUNT(LESSON PATHWAYS)

                        LIT- READ PRINCESS AND THE PEA

                        HANDWRITING- ZIG ZAG LINES

TUESDAY- CIRCLE- DAYS OF THE WEEK SONG, MONTH OF THE YEAR SONG, YESTERDAY, TODAY, AND TOMORROW, WEATHER, ALPHABET SONG, LETTER OF THE WEEK A

                        READING-LETTER SOUND SONG, PHONICS FACTORY LESSON 1 STEP 1

                        MATH-10 LITTLE NUMBERS SONG,  FISHING FOR NUMBERS (LESSON PATHWAYS)

                        LIT- ACT OUT THE STORY OF THE PRINCESS AND THE PEA

                        ART- MAKE AN ANT

WEDNESDAY-CIRCLE- DAYS OF THE WEEK SONG, MONTHS OF THE YEAR SONG, YESTERDAY, TODAY AND TOMORROW, WEATHER, ALPHABET SONG, LETTER OF THE WEEK A

                        READING- LETTER SOUND SONG, PHONICS FACTORY LESSON 1 STEP 1

                        MATH- 10 LITTLE NUMBERS SONG, MAGNETS IN A BAG (LESSON PATHWAYS)

                        LIT- SIGHT WORDS DOWN, COME, FIND (LESSON PATHWAYS)

                        HANDWRITING-WRITE THE LETTER

THURSDAY- CIRCLE- DAYS OF THE WEEK SONG, MONTH OF THE YEAR SONG, YESTERDAY, TODAY, AND TOMORROW, WEATHER, ALPHABET SONG, LETTER OF THE WEEK A

                        READING- LETTER SOUND SONG, PHONICS FACTORY LESSON 1 STEP 1

                        MATH-10 LITTLE NUMBER SONG, NUMBER 5 MAKE A NUMBER BUDDY (DLTK WEBSITE)

                        LIT-MY FUNNY STORY (LESSON PATHWAYS)

                        MUSIC-SING LETTER A SONG

FRIDAY-CIRCLE- DAYS OF THE WEEK SONG, MONTH OF THE YEAR SONG, YESTERDAY, TODAY, AND TOMORROW, WEATHER, ALPHABET SONG, LETTER OF THE WEEK A

                        SCIENCE- PLANET MERCURY

                        ART- DRAW A PICTURE OF SOMETHING THAT STARTS WITH A

That is one of about 10 weeks I completed planning for with those two.  Now to get Princess and Fairy all set up.

 

Lifes Little Crazy's

We were suppose to start learning today.  We did not all do to life's little crazy's.

We have been setting up the classroom and unpacking everything for the last month, or at least trying too.  I still am missing things I need for this year and I know it must be in the garage in a box. 

We were going to work around the clock this past weekend to get it done and the kids let our cat out.  We have had her for 4 years, her entire life and my son's as well, so instead of unpacking we were on a cat hunt.  Thankfully she was found Saturday evening. I was then reminded that we had previously agreed to help some friends of ours so we needed to do that instead. 

So needless to say we are not starting school today.  Hopefully tomorrow will be a better day to start.

I am back!

We have been moving and it has been crazy.  We are far from almost unpacked and I have to finish up atleast the school room this week.

I finished next week's lesson plan.  It is going to be just like I wanted to do without the charter schools.  We start back at CAVA and Greater San Diego Homeschool Academy (GSDA) in August.  Princess has decided to go to San Diego Homeschool Academy.  Fairy really wanted to stay with CAVA.  I am not so ok with Fairy's choice, but I can make it work.  She will learn lots of new things and besides making me a ton of extra work it is not a bad curriculum.

I am hoping that GSDA will work well with us and get Princess challenged and keep her that way.  If not we will be moving away from public charters and strike out on our own.  I am a little scared and a lot excited about that.

Since I last blogged, we got a bearded dragon.  He is adorable.  We also rescued a baby kitten.  She is a pain, but no one will take her and the shelters are full of kittens so they can not take her either.  So I guess we have another cat who will probably forever be named Kitten.

We also found a Co-Op/playgroup.  It is a Christian one, which may cause problems, but only because my husband is not a Christian and wants to be involved.  We will have to see how that plays out.  I have volunteered to teach the littlest children who are ready for school to read and do early math.  I am really excited.  That does not start till Sept. though so I have a lot of time to plan.

Bubby and Baby Girl can not wait for school to start.  They ask everyday if it is school time.  I told them not till next week.  I am just going to do a few small things with them and give them worksheets.  But they do get to be a little more active in school this year.