Home Schooling Highlights - January 2012

January was a pretty good month. We eased into our schedule again after the New Year. We took about a week to get the house cleaned up and organized. I also used the time to fill in the boys records and evaluations from the fall semester.

We basically hit the ground running even though I've had to modify our content until I am able to order our new components in Math and History.

Mathematics

Last semester Max ripped through the Math U See - Primer, so I have to get a second Alpha workbook, and Lucas only has 3 weeks left in Alpha before I need to start him in Beta.

Language Arts

I've tried to get moving in All About Spelling with the boys, but it's been hard to get them to stay focused on "sit down" work - basically anything that's not on the computer or lego related. We've been doing the minimum and I'm aiming to increase the workload over the next month.

Weve struggled, but persevered in journal writing almost everyday. Lucas took it a step further and wrote several chapters to create a book. He was very proud that our house has a "7 year old author - can you believe it mommy!?"

History

We've been motoring through our History component - History of the World Ancient Times. It's our 2nd time through and I'm just waiting on the work book to do some activities with the boys as they love history.

We usually just listen to this book on audio in the van as we are travelling to and from everything. The boys have also enjoyed Adventures in Odyssey during these trips too.

On the Computer

We've spent some time on Razkids.com which has been great to track and inspire more reading for the boys.

I also love Adapted Mind.com, Jan Brett's Learn How to Draw and Khan Academy and the boys enjoy Brainpopjr.com, Starfall

Overall, I'm still happy with our progress and I have managed to get more done with Carter (JK) this month too, though not as much as I'd like.

Physical Education

Basketball

We've had gym days and the older 2 boys are full swing in Basketball this month with Upward Sports. I love the program because they foster strong integrity and team work as with a big focus on skills. Lucas' team is the Stingrays and Max's is the Stingers. Yes it gets confusing :) but they are having fun, meeting new friends (as am I) and learning a lot.

Carter makes friends on the sidelines each week but he can't wait til he can play in Sept.

Aren't the cheerleader cute? I think I'll be volunteering to coach next year.

Skating

We've joined the homeschool skating group held in Ridgeway each week. It's a bit of a drive for us, but we enjoy it as the boys get a significant history session in the van.

We also got a real treat this month in going to the free skate at the Rink at the Brink in Niagara Falls. The kids absolutely loved it, and so did I.

Tobogganing

We went tobogganing on a Saturday with Daddy and Christy at White Meadows Farms which is a Maple Syrup farm. We are hoping to go on a Maple Syrup tour like last year, but this crazy up and down weather might make that difficult.

Home Schooling Highlights - December 2011

Way back in August I made a plan to start early so we could take off the whole month of December (I think I read about another home schooling family doing this and thought it was a great idea). We actually didn't take off most of the planned days off through the fall (Fridays and around Thanksgiving) so technically we could have taken more off, but I figured, why mess with what's working. So we had school until the 2nd Monday in December and took the rest off. Then after New Years I decided to take a week to get the house back in order (and my head).

Now THAT was a brilliant idea. First of all, I've been totally relaxed and able to get the house in order - Christmas cleaned up, scary areas organized, mount laundry conquered, you know. that stuff...

Anyways, here we are Wednesday of January week One, and now all I have left is the usual house clean (nasty bathrooms and floors) and then I can tackle the homeschooling plan. I need to revise going into this semester. For one thing, the boys are WAY ahead in Math (as in finished what I had planned for the year) and moderately behind in language arts... and well Carter, I just have to figure out how to move him along.

At least my "work" goal is finished (cooking 30 dinners (for non family) in 90 days for Saladmaster, took a great deal of my energy through the fall, and I'm so happy to be able to give the boys and HS my full attention now.

Anyways, December was not a complete wash, there were many highlights...

The unusually mild weather meant some...

NATURE STUDIES

Carter's 4th bday and having a truckload of friends over meant...

ENGINEERING

The NHEA homeschool support group Christmas Party helped with...

DRAMATIC ARTS and a SCIENCE presentation

(plus socialization, gym time and arts and crafts)

Lot's of free time meant lots of games which meant...

MATH SKILLS and Sportsmanship

BUSINESS SKILLS and NEGOTIATION

Our annual trek to the Niagara on the Lake Christmas Parade meant

SOCIAL STUDIES

Our annual trek to see the Festival of Lights in Niagara Falls meant...

FIELD TRIP

Visiting an older relative meant...

SOCIAL STUDIES

A new family tradition of ice skating meant...

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Anyways, we're looking forward to getting into a new groove this semester but December sure was a blast.

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