the education plan

I started toying with the idea of "homeschooling" a few years ago when a good friend handed me a copy of John Taylor Gatto's Dumbing us Down and, indeed, creating an atmosphere of learning and exploration in our home as always been one of our priorities. But this is the first year I actually attempted to put together a plan. A real plan. You know, like a schedule. With a "curriculum". With just a few months until she turns five, I figured it was time to implement some kindergarten-type programming. And with the twins set to make their appearance in a month or two, I want to make sure I'm prepared now! So there has been a lot of time spent at the computer researching different methodologies (Charlotte Mason, Unschooling, Montessori, Classical etc.) and subject programs and one thing I've learned is that I still have a LOT to learn. There are many books about home education on my to-read list and many people on my to-consult-with list. Overwhelming for sure, but quite exciting.

I tend to over-compensate in my planning - aiming to be more ambitious than may be practical (you should see our travel itineraries!). But I thought I would share some of the things I've put together here, in hopes that either:
1. someone out there with more knowledge and experience can provide some input/opinions/suggestions about some my approaches and choices and
2. perhaps it will be helpful or even inspirational to someone out there who is beginning on this journey, like me.

So here it is:

Home Learning Checklist

Daily:

* Scripture & meditation

* Exercise

* Feed rabbit

* Letter writing

* Foreign Language activity

* Math worksheet

* Reading

* Music (piano/violin) practice

* Playtime

Weekly Checklist:

* Nature Walk

* Museum Visit

* Art Project

* Library Visit

* Tai Kwon Do class

* Ballet class

* Kind Act/ Service

* Book report

Resources

Math

Singapore Math Workbooks

Miquon Math All Six Student Workbooks and All Three Teacher's Guides

Life of Fred 4-Book Elementary Set # 1 : Apples, Butterflies, Cats, Dog

Living Math books

math games

Reading 

Literature of choice

Explode the Code (phonics) 2

Summer Bridge Reading 1-2

Spelling 

Bananagrams for Kids 

Grammar 

Grammar-Land (Yesterday's Classics)

Languages

Latin

Song School Latin (Student Book and CD) (English and Latin Edition)

Minimus Pupil's Book: Starting out in Latin. 

Japanese

Flashcards, music, Hiragana practice, Picture Dictionary, DVD

Writing

letter writing (daily)

blogging & journaling

book reports (weekly)

D'Nealian Handwriting workbooks

History  

Story of the World,Volume 1 with Activity Book

Science 

Handbook of Nature Study  

weekly nature walk 

occasional experiments and projects (1 per month)

Music 

piano & violin lessons

concerts

Art 

drawing class 

recommended list for grade 1 from Concordia University Chicago. 

Artist study and museum attendance (1 per month)

Physical Ed
weekly ballet class

weekly Home Do (tai kwon do)

daily outdoor play 

Religion

daily scripture study

When I look at it all, it can seem overwhelming, but I honestly think our daily and weekly schedule of activities is quite do-able. We been doing it for a few days now and find that we can generally complete our daily checklist in under an hour, not including exercise and playtime, which thankfully fills the majority of our day, along with cooking, crafting, gardening and the like. And Mayumi loves being able to check off the items on her list.

The list of resources are meant to be a guideline for me, not necessarily what we will cover entirely this year (but one can be hopeful, yes?). Many of the books we don't actually have on our possession just yet (we are still debating whether we need all those math programs right now and whether we even want to delve into Latin at all). But they are paths I want to research and possibly pursue. All the while keeping in mind that we may veer off course completely if Mayumi show an interest in something completely different. 

And there you have it. A plan. A structure, a framework, a bit of organization to our days. Phew!

communication difficulties

In addition to general fatigue and nausea that accompanies the first trimester, I have another really good excuse for not blogging regularly. 

A certain pet rabbit that shall remain nameless chewed through our telephone and modem cords last week.

Finding replacement AC adaptors proved more difficult than one would imagine. Especially when one happens to be the kind of hoarder that saves all sorts of electronic cords and plugs and things that are all jumbled up in a box on the top shelf of the guest room closet, purposefully saved for times like these. 

And of the 6 AC adaptor cords that were in there, not a single one fit either the modem or the telephone. 

A quick call to the telephone maker, Uniden, revealed that they no longer carry spare accessories to our outdated model. A trip to Best Buy to purchase two different universal AC adaptors was only minimally helpful; we found one that worked for the modem, but alas, not for our phone. Which meant we went ahead and purchased a brand new telephone for our landline.

But now we are back online and in communique with the rest of the world. Let the blogging begin!

Explosion

Does anyone else out there have a pile of mending and works-in-progress that have been sitting around FOREVER, taking up occupancy in coveted corners of the room? The other day Mike asked if I knew where his grey suit pants were because he hadn't seen them in ages. I had a vague recollection of seeing them before... and sure enough they were at the bottom of my I'll-get-to-it-at-some-point pile, still unhemmed. So for the past few weeks I have been trying to diligently tackle that pile(s). 

My work room has been a disaster - fabric, yarn, paper, clothes, thread all over the place. But little by little the piles are getting smaller. Pants are getting hemmed, tears are getting fixed, straps are being added, projects are getting finished! I've forbidden myself from starting on any new projects until this pile gets significantly diminished. And though much of it is not fun work, it is gratifying to finally get it done! And it is so lovely to regain some space and organization in this little work room of mine.

Organization overdrive

It is hard to keep a neat house with a toddler, but that doesn't stop me from trying.

I recently gave a presentation on organization at a church meeting and used photos of the more organized spots in my home. Believe me, there are many places in my house that went unphotographed because there is much work to be done (my garage gives me anxiety every time I pull in), but I thought I'd share some of the better shots with you and maybe inspire you to get on that spring cleaning!

Spring cleaning

While this time of year finds MamaQ wanting to prep her garden, I find myself with a serious case of spring cleaning fever. Maybe it's because I'm spending a lot more time at home with a new baby or maybe it's because the Utah weather has been unseasonably warm, but I want to clean!

My friend got me a cleaning lady as a welcome-new-baby-and-destress-new-mama gift (best gift ever!) so I'll be utilizing that service next week. (Can't wait to have her wipe down the blinds and get those pesky oil splashes off my kitchen cabinets.) That leaves me with more time to do organizational projects, like purging this horrendous closet (or rather getting my husband to clean out this closet, since 90% of its contents belong to him).

Other tasks include cleaning out my clothes closet and making another donation to the local thrift store, organizing the pantry and my spice cabinet (am I obsessive compulsive or do other people do that too?), and putting up more racks in the garage so I can transfer belongings inside to out. Oh, and hang those pictures in Olive's room that have been leaning against the wall for, oh, about two months now...

Anyone else got the bug?

The Black Hole

I can't find the power cord to the portable DVD player.  Or my book for book discussion tonight (I've only read half of it and I want to finish it!).  Or the Blockbuster DVD that was mailed to us almost three weeks ago.

Where do these things go?  I'm a relatively neat and organized person, but there is a black hole that follows me around like my shadow and I think some of these things have just jumped inside it to join lost socks, keys, and other commonly misplaced paraphernalia. 

Yoga, prayers, and meditation don't seem to be helping. I just don't get it.  I've looked EVERYWHERE. 

Worst of all, I've lost my zen.  This is NOT a wabisabi moment.