Monday, August 5, 2013

Learning from Last Year

The big thing we did last year was a Spanish language immersion trip to Central America in the spring.  I will write more about that at a later date, but it was overall a really awesome experience.  So, all other academics took a backseat to our trip and its preparation.  

Our homeschool had to change drastically with Bug being out of preschool.  I had devised many ways to “keep him busy” while I worked with his brother.  However, he did not want to be “kept busy” while his brother received an education!  He wanted to interact constantly with us.  For this year, he should be able to participate in virtually everything that I do with his brother, and I have more things to work on just with him.  I hope he will enjoy listening to the history, language arts, and math texts that I will be reading to his brother and not feel left out.  

Bug also had to learn that he does have to wait sometimes.  I’ve had to physically remove him from the room that I do All About Spelling in because he would act up and try to get attention during his brother’s spelling lesson and not respond to redirection.  He’s matured and learned and can now play quietly during his brother’s brief spelling lesson.  It helped that I started him with AAS too, so that he doesn’t feel neglected.  (I would have preferred to wait on it a little longer, but he’s doing very well.)  

I’m learning to prioritize a little better.  For instance, it’s been nagging at me that we haven’t done much in the way of formal science.  Both boys know quite a bit of science for their age in spite of this.  Bug has watched hours of Nova and other science documentaries over the years.  They’ve visited many a science museum.  They’ve gotten the most science education, I think, from conversations with their mathematician father.  

This year, I decided that science has going to be a priority.  I chose something finishable, Real Science 4 Kids Chemistry.  It only has 10 chapters and 10 activities, all basic concepts that children can build upon.  We’ve had so much fun with it so far!  And we’re all learning a lot, me included.

In addition, I am not starting history, language arts, or art until we have finished that science curriculum, and I will stagger these in gradually, making each a priority in turn.  You would think that as a trained Montessori teacher and a nontraditional sort of learner/person, I would not struggle so much to break free of the school mentality of doing every subject 36 weeks out of the year, but I do struggle with it a lot.  Some things (math, Spanish, spelling) need to be done more consistently, but other subjects are best learned in chunks.  

I think that Bee learns best through stories, so the vast majority of his subjects with be based in narratives, including math.  We will be spending much more time snuggled on the couch, reading.  I just don’t see how that can go wrong.  

I am really going to limit our outside activities and driving time on weekday mornings.  We are going to save the mornings for school, unless it’s a really special sort of field trip.  In the afternoons, I will schedule our activities and time with friends.

Sunday, August 4, 2013

Saving Time with Amazon Subscribe and Save

I have recently begun using Amazon Subscribe and Save to deliver some of the products that we consistently need. You can choose the frequency of shipping, between one and six months.  If you get 5 or more things in a month, you get 15% of the entire order for that month.  If you’re an Amazon Mom member, which I now am because it was quick and painless, you get 20% off.  I’m also a prime member.  I’m not sure how it all works, but I get free shipping and 20% off my S&S now.  The best thing about it is that it keeps me out of Target.  I need to stay out of Target because It is time consuming to go there, and it’s very tempting to buy other things I had not intended to buy once I am there.  It’s also keeping me out of the pet store.  I hate running out of pet food and having to go to the pet store before it closes at 9 PM.  


As a homeschooling mom, I have limited time to go shopping.  I prefer not to take my children to stores, and I prefer not to spend my limited free time shopping for household goods.  I’d rather hang out at a bookstore or coffee shop and relax, if I do get a chance to go out.  It is very convenient to have the products I would normally shop for all brought right to my door.  No lifting them in and out of the car.  No more going to the store and wondering if we’re low on something. If I notice we’re getting low, I just need to go to my computer and make sure they are coming in my next month’s shipment.  


My current subscriptions:  
cat food
cat litter
dog food
menstrual pads and pantiliners
deodorant (for me and my husband)
plastic food storage bags (in 2 sizes)
paper towels
toilet paper
nighttime pull ups
disinfecting wipes
swiffer refills
dishwasher detergent
batteries (AA and AAA)
kids’ toothpaste
trash bags


Things I would like to get but are not available in my desired brand/size/price:
toddler wipes
laundry detergent
toilet bowl cleaner
body wash
hand soap refill
dish soap
shampoo and conditioner
coffee
printer ink cartridges

I hope Amazon continues to expand and improve their Subscribe and Save program.  What do you buy through Subscribe and Save? 

Saturday, August 3, 2013

Homeschool Plans for the 2013-2014 Year

My plans rarely work out as intended.  But this it it, at any rate, and I'm so excited about our upcoming school year!  I officially started it in June, but we will get into a more regular schedule after Labor Day, when the public schools in our area start and our pool closes.

The great thing about putting my plan here, is that if I forget what I had planned, I can easily find it on my blog!  My plans are subject to change, depending on how well they are working.  Too many times I have clung to something I really wanted to work, or that had worked in the past, and I am vowing to let go more easily if something isn't working.  Of course, so much of learning isn't planned, can't be planned--it just happens on its own!  I hope to revisit this list at the end of the year and explore what worked, what didn't, and what took place instead. 

For Bee, age 9-10, 4th grade:

English Language:
  • Reading books of his own choosing for pleasure (chapter books, graphic novels, and picture books)
  • Bedtime chapter books with mom or dad
  • All About Spelling, levels 3 and 4
  • Michael Clay Thompson Language Arts:  Grammar Island, Sentence Island, Music of the Hemispheres, and Building Language (all read with me)
  • Weekly journal/free writing
  • Formal writing assignments (11 polished written papers for a writing portfolio, with different types of writing, including a research paper.  He will also be making videos out of several of these).  
  • Handwriting Practice and Keyboarding
Mathematics:
History:
Science:
  • Real Science for Kids, Chemistry.  Middle school textbook, but a mixture of the middle school labs and elementary labs, since I am doing it with him and his brother together. 
  • 2 summer science camps
  • Graphic Science Series relating to chemistry
  • Participation in family garden
  • Nature walks and camping
  • Additional science to be determined, but we are considering Fizz, Bubble, & Flash and/or Janice Van Cleave's Chemistry.  
Spanish Language:
  • Private lessons with Homeschool Spanish Academy
  • Felt Board activities (I read a story in Spanish; boys act it out with feltboard)
  • Vocabulary flashcards on computer (using Anki)
  • Spanish TV (El Chavo, Garfield dubbed in Spanish, other TV and movies dubbed in Spanish or originally recorded in Spanish)
  • Spanish conversation with mom (I AM going to start talking Spanish to them part of each day, perhaps in the morning during our walks!) 
Physical Education:
  • Family walk with dog (hope to make this part of our morning routine)
  • Biking and scootering
  • Homeschool park days!
  • Summer swimming
  • Possible gymnastics or tennis lessons, depending on his interest 
Music and Art: 
  • Artistic Pursuits Early Elementary
  • music listening in car 
  • private piano lessons (hoping I can find a teacher who is a good fit)
Social Activities
  • Park days, field trips, parties with our homeschool group
  • 2 Activities each month with our Navigator Scout group
  • Playdates


For Bug, age 5-6, Kingergarten 

English Language:
  • Bedtime books with mom or dad
  • All About Spelling, level 1 and possibly 2
  • continue BOB books
  • reading and writing games, such as labelling objects in the house 
  • additional reading will be based on his interest/readiness 
  • Handwriting practice
Mathematics:
  • TOPS Lentil Math
  • Big Brainz Addition and Subtraction
  • Montessori golden bead material and stamp game
  • math games, picture books, and conversations
History:
Science:
  • Real Science for Kids, Chemistry.  Elementary school textbook, but a mixture of the middle school labs and elementary labs, since I am doing it with him and his brother together. 
  • 2 summer science camps
  • Participation in family garden
  • Nature walks and camping
  • Additional science to be determined, but we are considering Fizz, Bubble, & Flash and/or Janice Van Cleave's Chemistry.  Bug LOVES science experiments.  He gets very upset when they are over.  I had intended to be finished with science experiments after RS4K, but he enjoys them so much that we will have to continue them.  
Spanish Language:
  • Private lessons with Homeschool Spanish Academy (we will just try a few and see how it works out--he may be too young)
  • Felt Board activities (I read a story in Spanish; boys act it out with feltboard)
  • Vocabulary flashcards on computer (using Anki)
  • Spanish TV (El Chavo, Garfield dubbed in Spanish, other TV and movies dubbed in Spanish or originally recorded in Spanish)
  • Spanish conversation with mom (I AM going to start talking Spanish to them part of each day, perhaps in the morning during our walks!) 
  • Speekee Spanish
Physical Education:
  • Family walk with dog (hope to make this part of our morning routine)
  • Biking and scootering
  • Homeschool park days!
  • Summer swimming
  • Possible gymnastics, soccer clinic, or martial arts, depending on his interest
Music and Art: 
 Social Activities
  • Park days, field trips, parties with our homeschool group
  • 2 Activities each month with our Navigator Scout group
  • Playdates