Yep, that was me! Now that we've started school, I realize that none of my hopeful projects were even touched. I can't believe how busy our summer was, but it was a great summer! Now, school has started for all 3 of my kiddos. J is now going to public middle school and I will continue to homeschool the girls.
J has completed 2 1/2 weeks of school already. He is enjoying it although the early morning as been a difficult adjustment for both of us.
All 6th graders had orientation the day before school officially started. It was only a half day.
Since we started homeschooling, I always had in my mind that I wanted to put the kids back in public school by the time they were in middle school or high school. I enjoyed all the extra-curricular activites when I was in school and I want my kids to have those opportunities as well. It didn't hit me until January that J would be in 6th grade this fall, meaning middle school. So, with a lot of praying and researching, we took that leap of faith and put him in public school. We chose 6th grade instead of 9th because everyone in 6th grade is new to the whole different classes and lockers and moving around type of format. J wouldn't be the only one trying to figure it out. I wanted to find a school that not only suited J, but the girls, also. We found it. And it's fairly close to where we live, too close for a bus in fact. Which I'm finding to be a blessing to have to take him to school every morning. Not only do I have one-on-one time with him every morning, it also starts my day earlier and I feel more accomplished by the end of it. It is also the same school that I would go to pick up my neighbor's daughter on occasion so I was already somewhat familiar with it. God lead and we followed.
The girls and I finished our first week of homeschooling. Traditionally, I start the day after Labor Day. But, when I received their first quarter of books and compared my normal calendar with J's school calendar, I realized we needed to start a week earlier. I got a little protest from K, but I think it worked out for the best. Little A couldn't wait to start so she grabbed her books and did page after page after page. She already finished her first book in her Bible curriculum out of a total of 10 books. She was the same way last year, but I couldn't keep up with her and homeschool the other 2 at the same time, so I forced her to slow down. This year, I might be able to let her go as quickly as she wants to...even if it means buying her 2nd grade books later in the year.
Since K really struggles in school, we've been on a search for different curriculums for her. This being our 5th year in homeschooling, we've tried a few different ones. Last year, we tried ACE for science with both J and K. It was perfect for K. J will get along great with any curriculum. We found that ACE told stories as it taught. The answers stuck more easily than other subjects. And she could repeat back to me things she was learning in science without being prompted to do so. So, we switched everything to ACE this year, except for Bible. At the homeschool conference in 2012, I went to a seminar on working with kids with a learning disability. We had suspicians that K was slightly dyslexic so I thought I could get some good info. And I did. We worked hard on helping her connect what she was seeing to translate to what she needed to write down. It was a difficult process where I had to work more closely with her than the other 2. We also took her to see an eye doctor who diagnosed her with .... a big long word.... and prescribed glasses. The glasses also added to the improvement in her schoolwork. This year, she's wearing her glasses and using what she learned through the language curriculum we got from the seminar and she is doing much better with the ACE program.
Although K is making improvements, we will have to make a decision by March whether or not she is ready for public school and join J in middle school next year. I have told her that I may have to hold her back a grade. I'm not sure if she's quite ready to handle it yet since she needs specific teaching methods. She is excited to go to middle school and participate in choir, orchestra, drama, and sports so she plans to work hard this year. There is a mentoring/tutoring program offered by the school, so we can also take advantage of that if we feel she needs it. That will just mean less extra activities for K.
But, one year at a time, is how we've handled our children's schooling. We now have a 6th grader, 5th grader, and a 1st grader. This is my 5th year in homeschooling. I would have never thought this would be my life right now and I really do enjoy it. Life is so much easier when I let God take the reigns.
No comments:
Post a Comment