First Purchases

Well I have purchased my first curriculum, used no less, from a web site that posts used stuff. I bought a history text, " A Child History of the World" by V. M Hillyer originally from Calvert School curriculum and now is available and has been periodically updated. I got the 1997 copyright for $20.00 (including shipping). It seemed like a good price to me and the seller was very nice to boot. It is designed to teach history through stories. It came the other day and I think it is going to be just what I expected. Papaschnuck is more partial to dates and facts and more traditional texts but he seemed to like it as well. I really think this will allow them get an interest in, and an excitement about, history. It also will allow me to read to all of them at the same time and then I can do some extension activities with the older ones.

I also have begun to purchase Singapore Math, the math program designed (from Singapore math lessons) to teach kids how to think about and understand math. From what I have heard (read in reviews) this is a good program for strong math students who like to perform and progress through material. Supposedly, it is weak in providing for repetition to ensure math facts are understood, it just teaches and moves on (What? you mean it expects kids to understand and know the concepts after they are taught????). I may supplement it with some review workbooks to ensure they are retaining the information . I have only found 2A and 2B but am planning to get the workbooks and texts from 1A-4B in order to have the range I may need. I am hoping they will all benefit from it in the future but I can see that maybe one or two of the schnuckies may prefer or do better with Saxon and I am willing to try that as well in future. Right now, I am really buying the math for my math guy.

I have also decided that I want to get a formal Phonics program for my almost 5yr old as I'd like to have some structure for her to be sure I do well in teaching her how to read. I think I am going to use First Reader. I may also get some other Kindergarten curriculum as it will be nice to have pre-set things to do with her. Likewise, my Schnuckie2 (almost 3) will need some good workbooks for numbers, letters, colors, shapes etc. They should be easy to get. I think it will help me, at least in the first year to be able to work on things in a more structured formal way and not just try to wing it for them.

Finally, my latest decision is that I am going to focus the first few months on simply setting expectations. I think I will try to make sure the academics are not too challenging so that we can look at schedule, routine, and process. I think it is important to be sure that we are all comfortable with what we are doing by scrutinizing how we are doing it and when we are doing it. Once our schedule is in place I think that we can then look at making the work more challenging and rigorous. I am sure I will discover along the way that (all) my pre-conceived plans are woefully inadequate and what is needed or practical is something completely different. Nevertheless, I am a planner and this is what I am doing.

Well if nothing else, my goal for homeschooling will hopefully be to get the kids excited about learning and teach them how to find and access the information they want or need. Then in a few years maybe I can sit back and watch them go. I feel pretty good that I am headed down the right road though I have along way to go, and luckily time to get there.

My children are driving me crazy

As I think about homeschooling, I often tend to look from my idealized view of my life. What fun it is to imagine my days filled with satisfying inquisitive minds. Quenching their thirst for information from my infinite well of knowledge. Having them all working quietly and productively from various corners of the home. Each optimally utilizing the areas which have been carefully arranged to promote maximum learning and opportunity. Schnuck's Nook's would contain: The Reading Nook, filled with and assortment of phonic readers as well as challenging classic novels; the Study/Computer nook, an area with computers, adequate desk space for writing and workbook completion; the Creative Play Nook, filled with an array of fun exciting, yet educational, toys; and of course the Messy Science and Art Nook; no explanation needed. Ahhh the peace and joy that would reign in Schnuckville.

Yeah right,

The reality today is, my children are driving me crazy. Yes, it's true, I am a real human being, with frustrations and fears, anger and selfishness. There are times that I flee in horror, close my eyes and wish that I had some peace and quiet. I fume as I wonder who it was who made me have FOUR children. As I sit here locked in the study (to try to furiously pound out a post), I can hear them screaming and yelling; arguing and fussing, bickering and dictating. Two are fighting over a Kazoo and its rightful ownership. One is dive bombing the old leather couch screaming with each launch, and the last one sounds like he has taken a maraca and is using it as a hammer to pound a Matchbox car into the train table. So I,...... oops , wait for it..., yes... yes, full blown tears and crying. be right back................................................................

OK where was I? Unsurprisingly, many hours have passed, as have my frustrations (And I have 2 sparkling clean bathrooms to boot as I was unwilling to dissuade my daughter as she felt the call to clean toilets. That sort of urge does not arrive often enough and it must be carefully nurtured). The oldest, Schnuckie8, has informed me that he"read the e-mail on the computer and it was funny" Great, I can't remember exactly what I was bitching about, hopefully it won't result in a therapy bill in a few years. So here I am again, relative calm outside the locked door, as I wonder can I do it, will I have the patience, the benevolence, the calm to succeed? As I really think about homeschooling I wonder how many days will not be as above, but rather be filled with threats over incomplete work? Demanding and bribing them to complete assignments. What happens when their young minds want to mush out to SpongeBob and not to multiplication tables and reading comprehension? Can I handle the daily failures and lose some battles to win some wars? I guess I am struggling with the realization that there is no perfect homeschooling parent anymore than there is a perfect parent.

I guess I allowed to be me. Loving my children who drive me crazy.