Wednesday, August 01, 2007

Our Homechool


Home for His Glory Homeschool
We educate year round, with an 8 weeks on 2 weeks off schedule. This allows for those days when you just cant get around to teaching, due to sick children or a sick mom. I am excited to get started again and will begin this next Monday-Thursday (we take Fridays off). I have alot more on my plate this year, with Ethan my 6 year old beginning reading. I must admit it was much easier when there were only two to teach. Then it got a little more busy with three. Now I am adding a 4th and in a few years it will be a fifth, then a sixth, then a seventh. YIKES! I have to admit I will have to put away my carefree ways and really become the time conscious person I need to be. But we will walk down those roads when we come to them. I must focus right now on structuring my days with four. That in it self seems overwhelming! BUT, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me! Devon this year will be refining his reading, writing and spelling skills. As well as mastering math facts. He will also begin learning Hebrew. The resources he will be using are:Math: Saxon 3&4 (we usually get through 1 1/2 years within a twelve month span)Reading: A plethora of resources. Mostly reading whole books and writing reports and the like, along with Pathway readers, he will be in Grade 3-4 in these this year. Jordan and Seth are at the same grade level (Jordan has learning difficulties) so in truth Seth who is two years younger is ahead of Jordan. I am trying to keep them together in math which will be Saxon 1&2 this year, but I am prepared for Jordan to not be able to keep up.They both are also using Pathway Readers K-1, as well as Teach your child to read in 100 easy lessons , I am also starting to teach them phonograms and spelling rules. I really use a large range of tools, lots of games, boys seem to need that. Ethan this year as he is only 5 will begin 100 easy lessons and begin forming letters and numbers, as well as starting Saxon K. We will keep it basic, light and fun!Science & History: for these areas we use HOW , Heart of Wisdom. It is a four year unit study program, teaching with the Bible as the main focus. I love this! Below is the Four Year Plan, we of course will be doing year one, with all children at applicable levels. I switch back and forth through the units. We will do a history unit, then switch to a science unit then back again to history and so on. We will be adding to our timeline this year as we move through the history of the world. It is neat for us visual learners to see things in chronological order.

When you have gone through the first four years then you start over again, of course using different resources and the children who were younger are now four years older and will be doing much deeper research on each unit. I have been so blessed by Heart of Wisdom. If you are interested in learning more about it I would suggest buying the Heart of Wisdom teaching approach. So there you have it. Our school year at a glance. We split it up with doing reading, writing, spelling and math before lunch and HOW after lunch as a group. That seems to have worked best in the past so we will stick with it this year. I wish all of you other homeschooling mom's a blessed and happy school year. With much growth educationally but most of all spiritually!
Happy Homeschooling Everyone!

11 comments:

Kristi said...

Wow! You have things so together with 7 kids!! I'm impressed!

Thanks for inviting us into your open house!!

Anonymous said...

You are very inspiring! We use Saxon too. I am looking into the HOW, I have never heard of it.

Blessings
Theresa
#14 on the list

Anonymous said...

Nice to "meet" you!
Cindy

www.homeschoolblogger.com/westward

Melissa Markham said...

7 kids and you seem to be so together! Keep up the good work and thanks for sharing!

Anonymous said...

I really loved your post! I schedule our days a bit like yours, but we use Tapestry of Grace. I have been reading "The HOW Approach" over the past few months, and I love it. I am tweaking our current curriculum a bit to use some the HOW recommendations. I am using the HOW Bible study though - I love it!

Thanks for sharing!

Anonymous said...

I really enjoyed reading about your homeschool! It sounds like you have everything planned out great! Thanks for sharing!

Anonymous said...

I really enjoyed reading about your homeschool. Thanks for sharing.

Have a great year!
JoAnn

Anonymous said...

Wow! You have a busy homeschool with your seven blessings :) Sounds like you are doing a great job!
I'm so glad you opened your home for us,

Love,

Joy

Disney for Boys said...

Hello Audrey,
Thank you for participating in “Homeschool Open House 2007”! I have had such fun putting it together but reading about your homeschools has been such fun and the real blessing!!! Thanks for the peek into your homeschool!

Hugs & Blessings,
Tiany

bubbebobbie said...

First you background music is lovely, so soothing. I have two granddaughters studying Hebrew this year. The eldest has her Bat Mitzvah in October.
If I can encourage you, It would be to say by the time #6 and #7 nedd your undivided attention , #1,#2, and possibly #3 will be so independent in their studies you will miss them. You will be at peace at each stage because Jesus has all the Grace you need.

because of Jesus, Bobbie

http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/bubbebobbie/368212/

Anonymous said...

What a beautiful blog with the flowers and pictures on the sidebar not to mention the scriptures.

You are certainly blessed to have your own little school where you can teach your own children according to their individual bent. Kudos to you for tackling such a big job! (I know it is a big job - I only have four with three in school! =D )

Michele

Oh that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever! Duet 5:29