Posted another update on facebook:
"Figured another homeschooling update was in order...
Well. It's going pretty smoothly so far. Some days are longer than others. 1st grade (Alaina) and K (Matthew) are easy... I see progress all the time. Matthew has all his letter sounds down (he didn't know any a few weeks ago) and I am trying to get him to blend them.. he's getting there! We're just taking it slow. He can easily count to 100... and by 10's and he's getting his 5's. Alaina is reading more and more everyday as well. They both enjoy working on things together, so I let them as much as I can. Johanna (3rd grade) takes a bit longer to get through the day. If we get started on time (8 am, hasn't happened in about a week..) and she stays on task, we can be done by noon. One day she did school All. Day. Long. because she was off task the whole time. So we have those days, but thankfully not everyday! We are now in the full swing of things with art classes and the 5 oldest being in the Learning Center as well.. plus piano lessons, so days are busy and just fly by. So far it is not too overwhelming. We just HAVE to start early enough! I've noticed that Johanna has great reading comprehension (she has to narrate a lot), she's good at Math (just doesn't like it) and her Grammar/English is pretty good as well! I got her a 4th grade English book by mistake and just thought I'd see how it goes... she's flying through it! The teachers at the church school did AWESOME at laying the foundations down with her. So, thank you, Jeanne and Cheri! She apparently was listening even when no one thought she was. Katie and Danielle are still plugging away at their subjects, I still hear about (and smell) Biology the most!"
So, it's going well... overall. The busyness of the week has added a special challenge.. but we're working through it.
I've thought and thought about what we could drop and I don't want to drop anything!!!
Chapel - Katie plays piano once a month, and the three oldest will be speaking or back up singing at least two times over the year... and I think those things are good for them to get comfortable doing. Plus, it's nice to have the little 15 min recess with the friends they made over the years. We probably won't always go to chapel, but mostly.
Piano lessons- Right after recess which is right after chapel. We've been doing them for years. We do two kids a week, rotating. So each kid gets one every other week. Mine is every other Thursday at the house.
Art- We've committed and paid for the year. This lady is a wonderful Christain lady that teaches homeschoolers. She's an excellent artist and has quite the waiting list! We are only in because Jeanne was already taking kids out there from the church school. I *might* consider dropping this next year... but it's not so bad, I only drive every other week and when I do, we can get A LOT of school done while there. Johanna got 3 subjects done yesterday, I think she worked better there than at home! haha!
OHLC- (Learning Center)- Ugh.. I just think it's so fun. To be around so many like minded people is encouraging.. to watch the little ones to tae kwon do. If I have to, this is what will go. I just don't want it to. Alaina and Matthew LOVE it and Steven really wants them to learn self-defense. Next semester I want to put Johanna in something that she'd enjoy too (not that she doesn't enjoy PE, but you know). Katie and Danielle, too. It's just a nice change from normal, a great way to celebrate hump day!
Friday-Katie babysits all day, she can move on from this whenever she feels she needs to, but right now it's working. I've seen SO much character come out of her and I've seen her grow so much. I think she's really helping to make a difference in their little lives.
Teen Serve- One Friday morning a month. It's just nice to have the opportunity to serve, she spends her time in a nursing home. I am am not able to give her the chance to do this kind of thing, so I think it's great. Plus it's one morning a month. Not bad at all!
Anyway, today is Learning Center! Yay!
Everything starts at noon, so we have a short day of school. Well, for Johanna, anyway. It's no problem getting Alaina and Matthew done in the morning. Today in Tae Kwon Do A and M will "buy" a belt with their TKD quarters. :) They are so cute! It's only a half an hour long, but it's long enough!
Well I better get to school.
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