HOMESCHOOLING

We started school on Monday, and I thought I'd share with you a little bit about what our homeschool days usually look like . . . 

We always start our school day out with prayer.

Then the Pledge of Allegiance (there is a US flag up on the shelf above that they're CJ is looking at). The kids like the formality of starting their day off with this exercise.

Capri does her best to stay entertained with toys until morning nap time, which thankfully is about 10AM-12PM so far. I don't know what I'll do without that morning nap of hers!

CJ has his own desk, but more often than not, he's sprawled out on the floor.

I keep a subject list up on the chalkboard until we get the hang of it, then this gets erased, and we use the chalkboard for lectures.

Like I said, CJ typically ends up on the floor at some point during the school day.

Cassi is just starting pre-school this year and is so excited to be like her big brother.

Our front room is a nice big empty room that is perfect for letting the kids dance in. Our geography, science, and memory verses are all put to song. At different points during the day I'll put those songs on and let them sing the songs while they dance in this room to let off a little steam. This is especially nice to keep them busy while I prepare lunch and then later prepare dinner.

My trusty old CD/cassette tape player gets a lot of use.

Before and after Capri's morning nap, I have to sneak in some nursing time. Usually I can get this accomplished during the kids' dance session to geography songs.

I also teach CJ piano, and he's getting pretty good. So proud of him! As soon as he gets a little taller I plan to add guitar and violin lessons too (I don't have a small enough violin and guitar to teach him right now).

Our history program this year is a unit study with tons of ideas for creative learning. Our first day of school we ended up getting a stack of books from the library on Ancient Egypt. Salt/dough maps of Egypt's Nile River are the plan for today.

Capri is almost ready to crawl on all fours!

Cassi has a special pre-school curriculum that she does with me, as well as some leftover curriculum from when CJ was in preschool that I use, but she will also go to a local church pre-school for two hours just two days a week to give me some time alone with CJ.

So that Cassi also gets a little one on one time, I have CJ take a break from his studies so that we can both focus on Cassi for a good 15 minutes or so. Once Cassi has her one on one, she's content to just be guided by me while I work with CJ as well.    

CJ does his typing lesson and his Rosetta Stone Spanish lessons on my laptop. He has a PC he uses for research, too.

Add to this choir, co-op, and karate, and that about rounds out our homeschool program for this year.