Our homeschooling style

There are many ways to homeschool anywhere from unschooling to a very structured online school based program. Our way is somewhere in between. Although I love the idea of unschooling my planning side of me won't let me totally go there. My husband also likes the idea but he needs a schedule so this obviously doesn't totally work for us. We do try to implement some of the unschooling ideas into history and science and we use more of a curriculum based program for the other subjects. We have to tweek our program for two totally different learning styles and abilities. One for my advanced daughter who can't wait to learn. One for my academically challenged son who would rather be helping dad in the yard than doing sit down work. What works for you.

Back in the Game Again

As all you homeschoolers know time is not something we have a lot of. I really do want this blog to be helpful for other homeschoolers and keep me accountable. We have and interesting approach to homeschooling. Although we love the idea of unschooling we can't quite bring ourselves to that extreme. We do our own thing and hodge podge our curriculum do to two totally different learning styles in our house. I'm excited to share this with you in the future. Well I'm off to homeschool.

Christmas Eve

Wow, I am a terrible blogger. It has been over a week. This is new to me so bare with me. I plan to eventually share things that work for us in homeschooling with both a neurotypical child and a child with developmental delays and autism. We also have an infant who is now mobile which puts a new dynamic on homeschooling. One thing I like about homeschooling is the fact that we are not constrained my school schedules. It is Christmas Eve and we decided today and yesterday to do half days and put them together for one full day. In our state one of the legal ways of homeschooling is to be registered under an umbrella school. We like this way best because we just have to submit quarterly how many days we've done. This has to total 180 days from July 1st to June 30th. We usually have over 200. We get to say what a day consists of also. This is why we will say half days if we feel we have only covered half of what we do in a typical day. We keep a journal of the days school work to be accountable for ourselves. We like the idea of unschooling we are just a little to structured or unstructured naturally for this. I am not a creative mother as many of you are so I need instructions, plans, and supplies handed to me in order to do something creative when it comes to teaching. So although we use different curriculums for school we don't stick to them exactly. We hodge podge from one curriculum to the other depending on the child, (the way they learn), or the amount of prep time for mom. Little to none is preferred. I like many of us do not have enough time in my day. Tomorrow no school it is a celebration of Christ's Birth. A party!! Yea!!

Kids Singing in Church

Well this has been an exhausting day. I worked from 7pm Saturday to 7:30am Sunday. Came home took my kids to Choir practice at 8:30 am went out to breakfast with my hubby and baby. Then watched my children sing with the adult choir. Finally ended up asleep at 12:30pm. Up again at 5:15 pm for another 12 hour shift. Can't wait till this night is over.
Back to the singing. The kids were supposed to wear white shirts and tan pants, both of which I found and had laid out before starting work on Friday. Well it was a little chilly so my son wore his Blue hooded sweatshirt to church. No one apparently told him to take it off so he wore it the whole time he was up in front of the church. Everyone else looked so nice. I'm glad no one seemed to care but me. What can you do? My husband got it all on video. He also played with it taking his arms out and leaving his head in over and over. I couldn't help but laugh. At least God loves laughter also.

Christmas Unschooling

So today (12/13/08) I was sleeping as my hubby did some arts and crafts with the kids. I work 12 hour nights every other weekend so my husband steps up to the plate while I'm sleeping. We hadn't done much with decorating our tree as I didn't feel like digging through all the boxes to get to the Christmas ornaments. My husband gets the great idea to make paper ornaments with the kids. (my husband is the creative one in this household) They used the Cookie cutters we have as templates to trace construction paper and yarn. What a great tree we have with homemade ornaments by my children and we count this as a partial day of school. They also helped with household chores such as folding clothes. (something they are still learning to do.)

My first Post

Well I started this blog after encouragement from my sister. I have met many people that say they could never home school. I am sure I said the same prior to homeschooling. This blog if for me and others to share our struggles and triumphs regarding homeschooling. I learn a little every day and I definitely don't have all the answers. I home school a son with special needs in which I have to change my teaching daily in order for things to soak in. My daughter easily learns, but is also easily distracted. I plan on sharing with you what works for me and hope you will do the same as we take this journey of homeschooling.