What We've Been Up To: Homeschool Edition

Oh my. We have been busy. Between getting into Pitch Wars and finishing final edits on my novel. And teaching a dissection class (did I mention being a chemist? EEK!) and looking for a house, and school and life in general. We've just been busy.

But for the most part, life at home keeps it's same, slow feel. Which I love.

I thought I'd just share what our days look like and give a brief view of our schooling. It's changed over the last month or so, since realizing I'd strayed from my own philosophy and vision to try and fit a more traditional structure.

These days I wake up early. Between 6 and 6:20 most days. It's rough, but it's worth it to get my day started right. I read scriptures, pray, check e-mail, read lesson plans.

And then Max joins me. He has to wake up the sun, you know.

Then it's breakfast, a walk, and morning work. Play outside, and at 10 we do circle time.

Circle time consists of seasonal songs and verses, a possible extra song or verse on a topic of my choosing, calendar time, and sign language time. All in all, less than ten minutes.

Then it's snack time and I tell the story for the week. After that we do our activity for the day.

Monday: paint
Tuesday: games
Wednesday: bake
Thursday: n/a
Friday: beeswax modeling

Twice a week I throw in a drawing lesson and a math lesson. Then we play until lunch. Read stories, and have quiet time. Quiet time is occasionally a movie. But it's usually handwork while listening to audio stories. (Jane is working on her alphabet quilt squares and Max is sanding wood blocks. He'll make his quilt next year.)  Sometimes ABCmouse comes next. Then play until dinner. Clean up. Bath. And bed by 7.

Before going to sleep, the kids get to listen to another audio story. These have been a huge hit! The kids love the stories, and because all stories boost literacy, not just the kind with a book in front of you, especially for children this age, it basically adds an additional 40 minutes of reading time to our day. As the children age we'll transition to audio books.

Thursdays are our busy days. I teach my dissection class and Jane goes to a leadership class and a science class. Friday is PE. Jane and Max play sports for an hour and then at the park with other homeschool families. Every other week is legos in the evening.

Here's the materials we use.

Curriculum for circle time and weekly story and recipes/activities: Waldorf Essentials.
Audio stories: Sparkle Stories.
Drawing Lessons: Draw. Write. Now.
Math: Right Start Math (manipulatives and hands on abacus math)


Life is good!