The Upcoming School Year

Nothing gets me more giddy than a new school year. When I was a student myself I loved the beginning of the school year. As a mom I have always loved the beginning of the school year whether my kids were homeschooling or attending the local public school. There is something about new school supplies, outfits, book bags, haircuts, books that makes me happy. I don't know why, but I find that I am not alone in this feeling.

I will be beginning my 5th year of homeschooling this year. It will be the beginning of my third year this second go around. (I homeschooled my boys for two years when they were little prior to sending the kids off to public school for 4 years.) I am more confident in what I am doing, but also more scared in what I am doing as Andy is beginning his freshman year of high school at home. I find that most homeschoolers seem to find more traditional means of schooling their children once the high school years roll around, but there are some of us who continue on the homeschooling journey right through high school. I feel very confident in my ability to give Andy a quality education just as I feel confident that if there is an area where I need help I have the resources to reach out and get him the educational help he needs while still being able to homeschool him.


Homeschooling fits our lifestyle very much and I am proud that I have an amazingly supportive husband who sees the benefits in our kids learning at home. I have reread the book, The Well-Trained Mind, by Susan Wise Bauer and am coming back around to this style of homeschooling. We have been back to her methods for a while actually, but I decided to continue on with her classical method of homeschooling this year because it just makes the most sense to me in terms of what I would I think would be an outstanding education for my children. What I take away from this methodology is that it is a very hands on style of learning. I love that it is very writing intensive and that it draws much of its learning from real books instead of text books (although there are still some textbooks used.)

I just ordered all of the kids books for the kids for the upcoming school year. We will be beginning June 15 with our next school year and will follow a year round schooling method of three weeks on and then one week off. My idea is doing our school work this way is that I can go month by month taking at look at our schedule to see which week during that month would be our one week off. I find that because we live so far from our family it is nice for the kids to not have to do any school work when we have visitors. By following the three week on and one week off schedule I have the ability to make sure that everyone is getting a quality education while still allowing everyone time each month to fun and relax.

Another reason for this way of homeschooling is because I absolutely cannot do everything that needs to be done in a home AND homeschool AND still maintain my sanity. The week off each month will allow me (and the kids) to deep clean the house. (We are able to straighten up, sweep, vacuum and those sorts of things while we homeschool, but things like dusting, cleaning windows, washing the floor beyond a quick swiffer just cannot be done while homeschooling 4 children. At least it cannot be done by this mama. If you can do it - you have my awe and respect.)

Here are the subjects my kids will be studying this yea along with the books they will be using:

               

     Andy

         

Vocabulary - 

Vocabulary From Classical Roots (Level C)

Writing - 

Writing Strands 7

Rhetoric - 

A Rule-book for Arguments

Grammar - 

Analytical Grammar - A Systemic Approach to Language Mastery

Great Books/History

The Renaissance - A Short History

America - A Narrative History

A History of Asia

Don Quixote

Divine Meditations

Paradise Lost

Gulliver's Travels

On American Taxation

The Declaration of Independence

Common Sense

The Federalist

The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin

The Rights of Man

A Vindication of Rights of Women

Pride and Prejudice

Oliver Twist

Jane Eyre

The Scarlet Letter

Moby Dick

Math - 

Algebra 1 (Saxon Math)

Science -

Biology - A Self Teaching Guide

Euclid's Elements of Geometry

Aphorisms - Hippocrates

Physics - Aristotle

Latin -

Latina Christina 1

Spanish -

Living Language Spanish

Art - 

Misc Study

Music -

Misc Study

Josh

Vocabulary -

Vocabulary from Classical Roots - B

Logic -

Advanced Formal Logic

History -

A Story of the World - Volume 3

Grammar-

Shurley English Level 7

Reading -

Various Classic Books

Writing -

Wordsmith

Science - 

 Chemistry (CHEM C2000)

Math - 

Algebra 1 

Latin-

Latina Cristina I

Spanish-

Living Language Spanish

Braille -

Using curriculum from school for the blind

Art-

Various

Music -

Various

Sarah

Logic-

Building Thinking Skills

Math - 

Saxon Math 6/5

History - 

The Story of the World - Volume 3

Spelling-

Spelling Workout Level E

Grammar

Shurley English Level 4

Writing-

Writing Strands Level 3

Science -

 Biology

Blood Typing Kit

Finger Printing Kit

Little Labs - The Human Body

Little Labs - Botany Greenhouse

Latin -

Latina Christina I

Braille -

Using cirriculum given to us by the school for the blind

Art-

Various

Music-

Various

Elizabeth

Spelling -

Spelling Workout C

Writing-

Handwriting without Tears

Grammar-

First Language Lessons for the Well Trained Mind - Volume 3

Math -

Saxon Math 3

History -

The Story of the World - Volume 3

Science -

Adventures with Atoms & Molecules

Latin-

Prima Latina

Art -

Various

Music -

Various

Character Studies -

Various

As you can see we have quite a year planned. Science will be done in blocks of 90 minute sections twice a week. History will be done 3 times a week in 60 minute blocks. Math will be done daily along with grammar, spelling, and writing. Latin will be done twice a week in 90 minute blocks. Spanish will be done 3 days a week in 60-90 minute sections. Art & Music we will spend a good portion of time doing once a week most likely on Fridays. Rhetoric & Logic will be completed 3 hours weekly. We will also spend 1 hour  daily reading from a list of great books on top of any "fun" reading they spend doing each day. 

Again, I am very excited for the upcoming year. I have spent hours getting this upcoming year together from planning out the year and choosing the books we will use. I cannot wait to see what we learn this year! I think the kids are going to have an amazing year.