Home Schooling Highlights - November 2011

Wow! November came and went. At the time of this post, we are WELL into December now and officially on our school break. We started early in August, took fewer planned days off through the fall, including over Thanksgiving, so we've taken 3 full weeks off in December and will start fresh a few days into the New Year. Plus I need to order more curriculum for the boys because they are WAY ahead of schedule in a few subjects. Max is a whole semester ahead of schedule in Math for example.

Overall we had a good, but challenging month. I had a couple days when i was seriously ready to throw in the towel. It didn't help that a good friend who started HS when we did, decided it was not the best fit for her family at this time. Though I completely respect their decision, it still made me a bit sad, and lonelier - but even more convinced that this is right for US. I am looking forward to regrouping after Christmas and setting some fresh goals now that we've been at it for a few months now.

On top of lots of schoolwork we had many field trips which made for a busy month...

Early November - Royal Agricultural Winter Fair

We packed up with some fellow HSchoolers and set off for Toronto. The visit was fun for everyone on the way there and the day was a lot of fun too. One of the best parts of the day was the dog show and the petting area.

The kids also took advantage of the kids play zone and free face painting. We watched a great magic show and walked around the many educational displays as well as one that included milking an artificial cow. *note -my batteries died on my camera so I c&p some pics from the web and only got this one of Carter on my phone.

November 11th - Remembrance Day

After completing some special seatwork and crafts in honour of Remembrance Day. We bundled up and met Daddy downtown at the Cenotaph to pay our respects.

Firestation Trip

Our good friends who are not homeschoolers had a day time birthday party and took advantage of having a tour of the firestation as part of the festivities. Amazing IDEA! We had never been to this station and it was great. So much to see and do.

Exploring the trucks...

Watching a Sparky the Firedog Video

Even checking out the ladders and lifts...

November also had 2 gym days, a few impromptu hikes, a NHEA parents night, finding skates for the boys for skating in December and registering them for Basketball. We also spent a week decorating the house for Christmas and prepping for Carter's 4th Birthday party and then hosting it. So much fun!

As I mentioned before, we're officially done school for the semester, but we are not done learning as we've got many activities this month that will both be fun and educational. Since I'm posting this so late, the next one will be really soon :) see you then!

Mama T

Home Schooling Highlights - October 2011

October Highlights

Despite all the rain we managed to make the most of this month. Usually a glorious month in Niagara, October was very wet this year.

We are settling into more of a routine this month. We've set strict rules on TV and media usage and it's helped alot. The boys really like to play and are getting along quite well there obviously are arguments and squabbles, but they are fewer and a lot less dramatic.

We're enjoying more peace in our home and Chris and I have benefited because there's less going on outside of our family to distract us from each other. We talk more and laugh more together and it's just so good.

The boys are plowing through their math each week. We've begun a history component with History of the World. They've really enjoyed that too. Language Arts is still a bit of a struggle, but I've relaxed a bit, and they seem to be doing better. My goal is to have more Bible this month, with a focus on Character Building. The boys really enjoy Awana and it's a night off for me. Carter gets one day a week with Stephen and Julie - some really great friends (Julie is Stephen's mom and provided Carter's care when I was a working mom) He really enjoys spending time with them since Stephen is in school 3 days a week.

I have to improve the situation for Carter I think, even today he told me he still wanted to go to Beacon (the boys' old school). He was really looking forward to sharing this experience with them and I haven't figured out how to make it up to him. He would have probably done the best of all the boys in school - but who knows?

We are looking foward to Gym Day this week, and of course love our hikes - even the impromptu ones. Yesterday we went on a hike at a park not far from home, it was great and the kids all had a riot. We've scheduled a hike every other week, but I'm loving the ones we throw in just to enjoy the sunshine.

Of course the boys' favourite is "field trips". Here's the run down of October's events:

1. Bryanne Farms Pumpkin Patch

The boys loved the talking scarecrow, the corn maze, the barn animals and the "muck" that was everywhere. It made the hayride extra special.

2. Cheeky Monkeys

On a rainy day we were supposed to hike, it was way too soggy so we opted to go to an indoor play gym. It's a bit pricey, but they have offered to give us a group discount for future visits. This will be great for the frigid days of winter - if only they had a pool.

3. Hiking

Balls Falls

The salmon were running in the streams (this far inland?

- crazy I know, but they were. The kids loved seeing them jump out of the water

upstream to lay their eggs - so did the moms)

I love that Niagara is FULL of hiking trails and parks!

Here's a few of our other treks from October:

Millennium Trail Phase One; Heartland Forest and Fireman's Park

4. NHEA Parents Night

Personally, this has become one of my favourite parts of the month. Connecting with other homeschooling parents is VITAL to my sanity. It encourages me on so many levels and I've loved meeting and chatting with other parents who've been at this so much longer than I have. Chris came with me this month, it was good to see him sitting at the dad's table and talking with other men about this journey we're on. It's also pretty cool to know that 3 Brock University professors are part of NHEA and they homeschool :)

5. Ontario Sledge Hockey

My cousin Eric plays on the Ontario Sledge Hockey Team. This was the first time we got to see him play and it was alot of fun. The boys also loved the experience and we're inspired again to learn how to skate this year.

6. Heaslip Harvest Hoorah

I shared this in my other blog here. So I won't elaborate much more. I just wanted to include this because its a fun event we do with family friends in the fall.

7. Other Special October Events in Canada

Canadian Thanksgiving - a weekend of international guests, family, hiking, Niagara Sightseeing and feasting in a spirit of Gratitude.

Skywheel - It was the first time we took the boys and two of our three international students on the Niagara Skywheel. Here is our Columbian Daughter Camilla with the boys.

Halloween 2011 - A Badger, A Zebra and a Cowboy-Firefighting-Vampire

Home-Schooling Highlights - September 2011

We're about 6 weeks into our journey now. Most things have settled into a routine for us. Let me give you the gist of it:

Mondays

Mondays are difficult. We've been off schedule for 2 days, daddy has been home, lots of fun outings and odd jobs and we're just WAY off kilter Mondays. It's been a struggle everyweek. I've tried everything, not sure what to do...

Lucas (7 year old - gr 2)

Lucas fights me the most, on just about everything. He does not want to sit and do anything "learning related". Ever. He wants to be in charge of his whole day and all his time. He wants complete control of all the toys, the television and the Xbox (despite the fact that the last 2 items are off limits). He fights with all of us. I was somewhat prepared for his behaviour because of all the teacher meetings I had last year... but not really. I swear he would be done ALL of his work in 30 minutes if he'd just stop fighting it. It usually takes 3-4 hours with him. When I say fighting I mean, making loud noises, irritating or blatantly distracting his brothers or me, playing, leaving the room for a million useless reasons, doing the work wrong, on purpose...I've had to continuously discipline him - in every way imaginable. It's exhausting. But I am stubborn and HE WILL NOT WIN.

Maxwell (5 year old - gr 1)

Is usually much easier to work with. Usually. He's had his moments though. But generally he's eager to learn and just needs a little encouragement to keep at it. He's learning the most I think.

Carter (3 year old - JK)

Carter needs to learn the "least" so to speak. Even though its the "most" because it's all abstract - colours, shapes, numbers, letters, how to use scissors, etc. It's easy stuff, but he wants to do his stuff when the older two are in "school" and not when they are playing "after school". His stuff is very hands on. He's a smart little whippersnapper, but obviously has a very short attention span, so I feel like I'm constantly running from kid to kid, barely keeping it straight through the entire morning.

Our Days

Generally we get up. The boys are up uber early. They usually turn on the tv at 7 and watch til we roll out of bed around 7:30. They've usually eaten too. The students and the hubster are usually gone by 8. I walk around in a half daze making beds and tidying til my strong tea, or sometime coffee is ready. I usually check my daytimer, emails, etc. til 8;30/ 9 am and then we start with their Bible verses, prayer (this is ongoing for me esp) we go over the calendar, the weather & do a journal exercise. We read a poem every day for a week and do different things with it. We also read different stories everyday and the boys narrate back to me. Max and Lucas go over printing review, phonetics, grammar and have some work sheets, word games and copy work - they also read from their readers everyday out loud to me.

Then we switch over to Math u See. Both boys are very good at Math. But Max is more motivated. Lucas is in Alpha, Max in primer. They both started on lesson One - 4 weeks ago. Lucas is on lesson 8 and Max is on lesson 13. Ya.

Carter follows a workbook that reviews the basics, He's been doing shapes. Then I give him toys that have to do with shapes. The he does some Handwriting without Tears - working on numbers right now. Once in awhile I give him artistic stuff to do too. He's doing great.

After Math, some days they do health, geography or science. We've not incorporated much social studies yet. I've been maxed out after the above. However I'd really love to start incorporating more sstudies into our weeks.

The Rest of Our Day

We are USUALLY done by 11 or 12. If we start later (because I'm dreading dealing with Lucas) it's 12 or even 1. Most days its 12, even though we aim for 11. We've tried starting earlier. It's a tough call. Then we do lunch, chores, quiet time and/or outings.

Outings

We all love these. We've had quite a few despite the awful stretch of wet, yucky days.

Library Days

We avail ourselves of the public library every couple of weeks. They have books on CD/ tape; DVDs, craft and activity ideas and so much more that really helps us out.

Bi-monthly Hikes

Every other week, we meet with other homeschoolers (who are quickly becoming good friends too) to go on nature hikes/ studies. Our first turn out we went to a naturalization site. It was awesome, and great exercise.

Our little Nu2HSchooling Group also organizes mini field trips. We went to an Apple Orchard one afternoon as well.

how old was this tree?

We got all our pumpkin, gourd, apple and pear needs taken care of.
Great Family Farm.
Our awesome guide taught us what "bum to the sun" means.

Animal Tracks

Nature Study

Feeding Organic Chickens.

Friendly watchman.

We participate in the Niagara Home Educators Association (NHEA)

They have parent nights once a month. love them. A necessity.

They have lots of other stuff, we're getting our feet wet slowly.

They also have bi-monthly (2x at month) GYM DAYS. Love them too.

Games for 6 and under
Moms visit over tea.
7 and up in the Big Gym
Craft and Story Time

Our lives are much more simple now. Much more peaceful and we're grateful for the changes. We're loving this new season despite its challenges and looking foward to all that this year holds in store for us.

Mama T