A day in the life... Homeschool: Year Eight

Troops Investigate the Civil War

Our attempt at a unit study with mapping, book study and field trip is a success, and we've done the best with a wedding trip to the Harrisburg, PA area that is possible thanks to Dad (for going to work at the airline), Papa and Gramma for our investigation at the National Park.  Also thanks to the other Grandma for building Mom's LHOP dress that G2 got to wear.

It's a Long Trek with These Troops (a 'day' in the life)

I recently posted their 8th first day of homeschooling. Their first day ever (back in 2007) wasn't such a big deal except that I didn't know so much. I was trained in secondary (junior and senior high) teaching methods. I didn't know what CIRCLE TIME was as used with elementary aged students.

So recently, I read Kendra Fletcher's directions and guides of how to do it.  She tells how to begin each day of "school" in a group with prayer, pledge and each day a separate academic lesson.  She uses read alouds during the children's history coloring book page exercise.  She helps each one around the circle understand handwriting exercises.  She also takes narration from a little who isn't able to write their version of the story on their own.  I used to pray for a quite minute to do read alouds with everyone listening to me, but my voice would give out and I'd rely on Librivox.org to read a story for me (or in the case of history lessons, Mr. Weiss would read).

In these days of hormones and sleep deprived, hungry teen/tween-agers, I do "circle time" during my car schooling sessions. That is, if we are to drive somewhere, we then bring up the chapter needed for one subject that each student shares on the kindle, then listen over the mini-van speakers to the material read by the computer text to speech voice.  We continue to use our time more efficiently, cooperating in our education as we study thus we talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up (Deut 11:19).

And the days continue along this way doing the best with what we have where we are.  Asking of each student what is left in a student planner to do each day or how better to use each hour to do each task.  I'm sure I'll be doing this for a long time yet to come whether in a circle or not.  Marching toward the goal...