"Lake" School aka Home School at the lake

The have taken to calling any place where we happen to be learning "______ school". While traveling back and forth across country we were having "van school". While doing the Jr. Ranger program at Stones River Battlefield, it was "Jr. Ranger School".

A couple of weeks ago, we went to the lake to feed the fish. I decided to take the opportunity to look up what type of fish we would be feeding. I found out is was the "common carp" and that it is not native to the US. I made up some questions about the carp and en route to the lake, I gave the questions to the kids so they would know what to listen out for as I talked about the fish. K and S went with us and the C's met us there. It was fun to let the kids scream out the answers.

As it turned out, the kids found the "warts" on the carp the most interesting. Actually, the warts are herpes and are fatal to the carp. Other than watching the fish gobble up all the bread, finding fish with herpes seemed to be more fun.

I just had to do it!

I have always wanted to throw mashed potatos @ the dinner table. The other night I did! #1 was the one sitting closest to me so she got it in the hair (bottom left on her head). Didn't go as smooth as I wanted but I threw them all the same. I love being the mom!

Learning to relax...just hopefully not too much

When I started home school, I envisioned school at home. I had every intention of making a schedule like the kids were used to and follow it! But the wheels of decision started rolling fast and I found myself at home with four kids, who are used to a school routine, with no schedule and no curriculum.

I had an idea of what I wanted to "teach" but wasn't sure if I wanted to use a school based curriculum or one from the Internet or piece one together myself. Before I jumped into purchasing a lot of books and material, I decided to start the kids out on a review of the basics, reading, handwriting and math.

For reading, I decided to use My Book of Bible Stories (published by the Watchtower and Tract Society). It is a very easy read but I thought it would be a good book to start with since we all were familiar with it. We each take turns reading the paragraphs for each story. My hope is that by hearing the stronger readers read out loud it will the not so strong readers. This book also had comprehension questions for each story. After we finish this book, we will go up to the Learn from the Great Teacher, which is more on the grade level of the triplets. It has the same format as the Bible story book, so the comprehension questions are already included.

The kids' handwriting is so bad. Come to find out, that is not unusually with kids today. Handwriting is not emphasized like it was years ago. From what I have read, it is in part to due to technology. There is no longer a need to have handwriting that others can read because we can just text or type what others need to know. I can see the logic in that but at the same time, we have not completely given up writing all together as a society. We still write a quick reminder note every now and then. I still hear people as for a pen or pencil. So as the teacher, I decided we would work on our handwriting. I have been using the Handwriting for Kids website to print out worksheets.

I printed math worksheets starting with addition with the intention of working our way up until someone needed help. At that point, we would work on the problem area. So far, we have held true to this routine and it has been working great.

In my last post, I mentioned the book by Linda Dobson, The First Year of Homeschooling Your Child. I am glad I found this book. I was getting anxious about my plan and whether or not I could teach the kids or if I was teaching them enough or if I was teaching them the right things. After reading this book and getting encouragement from other home schoolers, I figured out that I could teach and what I was doing so far was ok.

A new adventure...Homeschooling

I never thought of myself or my husband as the home school type but that is what we have become. After my oldest son was bit at school and the principal told me that 'what parents don't understand is that the school has 800 students which means they have 1600 parents and he can't be everywhere all the time.' I was stunned to hear that. I understand the numbers and the fact that one person can't be in more than one place at a time, but please, you're the principal. I thought principals could delegate. I thought principals could tell the office staff or at least strongly suggest to the office staff to act like the school as a whole was concerned that a child was bit by another student, especially if the nurse's office called to say that it is suggested I take my child to get a tetanus shot.

I have directed my disgust toward the school district with a letter and I am sure they are letting the heads roll at the elementary school (LOL just joking) but what I think is funny is that our decision to home school is not because of the poor quality education the kids were getting or because of the teachers and not because we were super overly concerned with "little punks" at school, but we pulled our kids out because of the principal and the office staff. Sure, we were concerned about what and how the kids were learning but we were involved parents who worked with the kids at home. Sure, we didn't care for all the testing that was constantly done but isn't that what schools do? We loved the teachers and there were a few who went above and beyond for our son. But the office staff...and then the 'principal couldn't be everywhere' when it comes to a child getting bit.

No we didn't freak out over one incident. But this was not the first.

Well that is my rant about our previous school. But now we have started a new time in all of our lives...homeschooling. The kids are excited and we are excited. Now that their learning rests completely and totally on our shoulders, their little every day questions take on a new meaning. I realize how much they want to know and how happy they are to learn. I knew this before, but now it's like the Claritin commercial. The can see but it is much clearer when the slightly fuzzy screen is lifted. So now school and learning has become "Claritin clear."

Before I end my post this evening, I have to recommend a book. It is by Linda Dobson, The First Year of Homeschooling Your Child. It ha been such a help to me and I am sure I will talk about it in more posts.