A New Year...

Ok, so it was requested that I blog again. So as requested, here it is Amanda, I hope you enjoy! The new school year has begun, and thankfully we were not affected by the teachers strike that was happening here in BC. We got our start on September 15th. I think I've done a schedule at least 3 times and am now on revising it yet again! So far the year is going good. Aliyah and Alexandra are doing everything together except for math. I love their socials studies, Story of the World. We are learning about Ancient Times, which I adore, I'm not sure who is enjoying it more, me or the girls! Kaitlin is doing online English this year. She has completed 3 full weeks of work and she has 87%. She is really liking it. I like it because I don't have to be so hands on but she does need help from time to time. All but Alexandra are doing this amazing online math program. It has a multimedia lesson that they watch on the computer and then they have questions. They complete that then do a printed worksheet. I mark the worksheets, enter in their scores and it keeps track of everything. It's perfect and SO much better than the dreaded JUMP MATH! Joshua is doing a fun, interactive, virtual world type program this year. It covers science, health, bible and Language arts. I find it a bit confusing but the teacher is still getting things in order so hopefully it will get better and also hopefully I'll get better at understanding it. It really frees up my time though. For the most part my curriculum choices were much better this year than last. I adore our science books, which was a huge purchase so thankfully they are good! The girls Language Arts is fantastic! It literally tells me exactly what to say. I didn't know how they would like it because last year they had 3-5 workbooks each for LA and they love workbooks but they both really like it. The only curriculum dud was bible. I got given a new testament workbook for grade 6 so I changed Kate to that. I was going to continue the girls on what I bought but then thought why? The bible and learning about God, connecting with Him and learning His truths is the MOST important aspect of their schooling to me. We should like it! The curriculum I was using was dry and boring and I could tell they didn't really like it. So I went to a trusted friend-google! Google didn't fail me and I was able to find a free curriculum I could use. This was a sunday school curriculum but easily adaptable. At the beginning there is even an movie clip of the bible story. Which is great because my girls adore that kind of thing. They are learning practical things that I want them to know. We are on our second week of showing hospitality. I want my girls to be loving and caring. I don't want my kids to say they are a christian but have their lives not show it. These lessons will hopefully translate into their everyday life. Homeschooling is a tough job and last year I stopped going to my ladies life group meeting (a bible study type thing). I decided this year though I needed to take the time and go. So every tuesday morning the kids are given a list of things to do and off I go. I've gone 2 times and it was so nice to have that time away. I think I need this time away to get some adult time and just have a break where I don't have to think of what I need to do. That being said my bed is calling :)