A glimpse into our Home School.

You all know how much I love to reflect don't you?  I am good at it, its part of me.  So as we launched ourselves into what is to be our 4th year of homeschooling, I have been reflecting on our journey. Of course I have.
So I thought that I would conduct a little interview on myself....

Q. Is home schooling all that you thought it would be?
A. No, it is much much more.  It still gives me warm fuzzy feelings watching my kids interact with each other especially the relationships between the older ones and younger ones.  Its very special.  They still fight and declare all out war on each other for looking the wrong way or accidently ankle tapping on the way past down or pouring themselves an extra 2mm of juice than the others.  But I do know that they are really good friends.  Like tonight, Jayden (10) and Thomas (8) are camped out on Caseys (12) floor - just for fun.  I love (most of the time) having my kids around me all day.  As school started for the rest of the country this year I was feeling sad when I thought of my kids being gone all day for five days a week.

Has your 'school' or the way you do school changed?
Yes it changes all the time.  I laugh (and cringe) at when I first started.  My very first day I had set up a timetable with periods and everything and all of them were suppose to do the same subject at the same time.  I hadn't allowed for the fact that I was spreading myself too thin, trying to do 3 levels of maths, or 3 levels of spelling and answer three lots of questions and entertain a four year old and two year old at the same time.  It was terrible and I cried on that first day because I yelled at one of the kids for finishing their spelling before the allotted time frame had finished. I mean come one how dare they!! Terrible terrible time.  But without those terrible times I guess I wouldn't of sort out ways to better our school.   I have dabbled in Unit Studies, followed the NZ Curriculum, done unschooling (interesting concept that - it may work for some but my boys wanted to build lego all day and play soccer and the girls well they made fairy houses) and used childrens books as a basis for schooling.  They all have worked, some worked well, some so so but every now and then I have a  need to have a revamp of how we are schooling, to mix things up a bit.  At present we are back to using a timetable but everyone (apart from the girls) is doing something different. (please be impressed - it took me ages to set that timetable out and colour-code everything and not have more than one person needing the computer at once. A total mission!!)

 

 

So what are you teaching them?

Sophie who isn't 5 yet is learning to read and do basic math.  I have the help from phonics programme on the computer.  She is very easily frustrated when her fives and three don't look like fives and threes!

 

Kaitlyn is coming along with her reading after a slow start - because she is such a day dreamer and would rather be out playing in the wind and building fairy houses than learning to read.  She is getting better at Maths and her writing is like she was born with a pen in her hand (as long as she isn't' day dreaming, that's when is starts to curve downwards and towards the bottom corner of page)

 

Thomas. Last year it was like he woke up to the fact that he actually knew stuff, could actually read and spell and do math.  Although he HATES having to write anything!  If I let him he would do all his work on the computer.  So this year I have incorporated a lot more subjects on the computer using programmes, YouTube and lessons found online.  I tell you, you can find a lesson, a game and a YouTube clip on anything!! He is now much happier until he has to write.

 



 

Jayden. Schooling Jayden is mostly a breeze.  He does his work and does it well. He is really enjoying reading and chemistry at the moment.  We have been looking at elements and the periodic table. He especially was quite fascinated by Hydrogen and how flammable it was (again YouTube has amazing hydrogen explosions) and was in utter disbelief when I showed him a clip of the Hindenburg disaster! Watch it here He couldn't understand why people were stupid enough to use hydrogen!! 

 

Casey.  Like Jayden, Casey is relatively easy to guide through his work. He too is liking the fact that there is a bit more computer work.  Both Jayden and Casey are really into the World War Two at the moment and can't read enough about it. In fact I got a whole pile of war books out of the local library which earned me a telling off from the librarian.  Every morning I am getting a running commentary of what they have read about it.  He is enjoying Geography and is doing a lot of map work. (gets that from his Mother - I love maps)  

 

 

*Note the cool map in the background

 

The younger kids have been looking at life cycles and so far have covered frogs and butterflies.  If you want an annoying funky butterfly lifecycle song stuck in your head -listen to this Butterfly Song!

You can thank me later. not!  

 

 

  So yeah schooling has developed over the three years to what works for us and our family.  School is from 830am to 1230pm. Everyday one of the kids is on baking duty.  I have two independent bakers, one semi-independent, and two wanna-be-independent-but-aren't-yet bakers. Who ever is on for the day is responsible for baking something for morning tea before school starts.  Yes we have to bake that often!

 

Its amazing what comes out of the kitchen when I am not paying attention!  Banana Cake with blue icing, thanks Casey!

Would you ever consider sending them back to school?

For now no.  We definitely feel this is what we are suppose to be doing.  There are of course some days when I feel like I need my head read and would quite happily send them off out the door.  Casey has made slight mention of going to school but only a certain one and that is not even a possibility at present. I am so pleased we are on this journey together. Our kids have seen us walk through some tough things but all this has made our family strong.

 

How do you get your housework done?

Ha funny!! Somehow it does....everyone pitches in and does their bit in the morning.  Jamie always vacuums for me, he is good like that.  The thing with homeschooling is that the house never stays tidy.  Its really mission impossible.

 

 

 

The crock pot and I are great friends!

 

 There is nothing like tutus, gumboots and sibling love!

 

Jesses favourite thing is to chase the ducks and chickens!

 

 So there you have just a wee glimpse into our home schooling days. Its not perfect I know, but it is good. It is us.