September brings with it the relief of a new school year. A fresh start. It brings cool mornings, though, unfortunately, not cool afternoons. In fact, it's some of the hottest weather we've had all summer, and I'm pining for cooler temperatures, but I know I should be careful what I wish for. I love sitting … Continue reading September
I was lucky enough to receive Michael Clay Thompson’s Language Arts Program, Level 1, a.k.a. The Island Level for free when I wrote a comprehensive article on grammar programs for home/school/life magazine. Being able to see a full curriculum before buying it is a luxury most homeschoolers don’t have, and for that reason, I was … Continue reading Quick Review: Michael Clay Thompson’s Language Arts Program, Level 1 and Part of Level 2
If you’re a seasoned homeschooling parent, you probably know that deep sense of satisfaction when you have completed a long curriculum with your child. I had this feeling last year when my eleven-year-old finished the 10th book in the Life of Fred series, which is the end of what the author, Dr. Stanley Schmidt, terms his … Continue reading Math Curriculum Review: Life of Fred Elementary Series
At the end of May, my 10-year-old marked a full two years of taking piano lessons. In less than two years, he advanced to playing late intermediate/early advanced repertoire. This is quite remarkable, and for me, it finally sunk in just how remarkable this is over the past year. Of course, my husband recognized it … Continue reading Our 4th Grade Piano Adventures
For most families, summertime means a huge change of pace. The children are home and need entertaining. There are trips to the pool, BBQs, family gatherings, outdoor entertainment etc. Well, we don’t have access to a pool, and we rarely eat BBQ, and we see our extended families about the same as always. While we … Continue reading Summertime for a Homeschooling Family
I'm extra excited to tell you that one of the things I added mid-year are history lessons. If there's one thing I've been wanting to learn more about, it's history. 🙂 Until now, history is something I have not worried about incorporating into our homeschool lessons for several reasons. First, I don't think young children … Continue reading Homeschooling: Diving into Human History
Up until this year, I guess you could say that we have "unschooled"science. My son loved nature and, consequently, science. We got outside to explore often, and we did experiments at home for fun. We raised butterflies. We grew carnivorous plants. We read books. He got into robotics, which he still likes. We watch countless … Continue reading Homeschooling 4th Grade: Our First Science Curriculum
I love math. Wait. Did I just say "I love math?" Why, yes, I think I did. It's the first time I have ever made that statement. One of my English professors said that English majors are usually proud to say how bad they are are math. That's kind of true. But now I know that the … Continue reading Homeschooling 4th Grade: Math & the Multiplication Tables
By the time my son graduates, I not only want him to be a competent writer, I want him to have read a lot of great literature. I think good literature teaches children much more than language arts. I use it to teach compassion, history, and about different kinds of people and places, just to name a few … Continue reading 4th Grade Homeschooling: Language Arts
Autumn is one of my favorite times of year, and this autumn has certainly been full of interesting happenings both in my home and in the world at large. I have gotten a little exhausted at following the news and social media, so I'm limiting my time on that. While I'm disappointed with the election … Continue reading Autumn Musings
