Let me preface this blog by saying a few things.1. I am no expert at homeschooling, and yes, that terrifies me
2. I am simply doing what I feel God has told me is right for Elijah...he is a typical 6 year old boy.
With that being said, we've done a few lessons in homeschooling together...and today, well, today was breakthrough. We were doing a math worksheet together, when I got an idea to draw numbers out of a hat, each time he drew a number, he counted out that many plastic turkeys (a fun manipulative I found through Scholastic Books)....once he counted out the right number, we did basic addition and subtraction math problems, and he picked them up so fast. It was a total God-thing that I sort of just "threw out" the math sheet, and went with something else entirely. (SOOO not my style.) But, I want Elijah to "experience" math...to play with math and be able to problem solve tangibly if needed. He got it so quickly. I couldn't believe it. He was excited, I was both excited AND proud. We both had fun. I need ideas like that...ideas that my "Type A" personality may at first object because we can't physically produce a worksheet and "check it off." (If that even makes sense.)
I am finding it hard to balance getting actual work done, and still making it fun and interesting for him. I don't want us to sit and simply do worksheets. (Although, I do have to show ACTUAL work done by Elijah to our certified teacher.) My biggest obstacle in all honesty is Micah. Today, as we were in a crucial part of learning, Micah fell off his chair and hit his head on the floor. I spent the next twenty minutes consoling him and checking for a concussion, meanwhile, losing Elijah's interest and the great roll we were on.
Micah turned out to be fine...but, it took some time to get him to stop crying...LOL!
I've tried a "Micah Box." A box filled with toys and fun things for when I'm having "school time" with Elijah. He blasted through all of it and was done and dis-interested in EVERYTHING in the box within five minutes. It's just the boys and I...so, I don't have the luxury of Amelia entertaining Micah.
So, let me post this:
What ideas to you have besides just "doing worksheets?"
How do you make learning fun, and preferably FREE?
If you homeschool or even if you don't...what are some things you do to entertain your little ones so you can have that crucial one on one time with your child?
I'm using Sonlight, Horizons Math, A Reason for Handwriting, and Phonics Pathways....
Do you touch on each subject every day?
Or do you have set days that you do certain subjects?
Here he his..my six year old little man at the beach with his missing front teeth...sooo handsome! More on the birthday boy later!! Thanks for reading!!
Here he his..my six year old little man at the beach with his missing front teeth...sooo handsome! More on the birthday boy later!! Thanks for reading!!
5 comments:
Just a quick note or I'll miss my window for a shower. :)
Toddler plus homeschooling equals crazy days. Just will be. Know it is a season, and what you are investing in Elijah is priceless and Micah will begin to absorb it more than you realize. (Hudson was going potty and pointed to the name brand written on the toilet and said "Name!" - which of course I immediately determined as a sign of brilliance!) :)
Maybe institute a room time for Micah for 20 ish minutes when Elijah needs to focus. And/or try to do things when Micah is eating and distracted.
LOVE LOVE LOVE Phonics Pathways. Averi has sailed through that book and Halle is also doing great. I do it every day, sometimes as little as five minutes.
Math we do 4 times a week. Jeremy does it with them after dinner and I watch Hudson. Could Tony do something like that? He does it on the weekends too if we get busy during the week.
Bottomline - don't believe the lie that you need to be certified to teach your own child. Didn't want to say this on FB b/c I have SOOO many teacher friends but SO much of their education is spent on classroom management. Getting 30 kids to learn from one person. And we all know how well that is going. Homeschooling is the form of school that has the most history - traditional school settings have only been around a couple hundred years.
You are a fun mommy - I have no doubt you'll make it fun. I can totally see you having a dance off between phonics and handwriting to loosen up!
Happy Homeschooling!
Love your pattern blocks!
What is Phonics Pathways?
Great post!!!
That is SO great!!! What an awesome day! You are a GREAT teacher and Mom recognizing and adapting to what he needs & likes!
I hope "Baby Micah" is okay! :)
Hi Becky~ I hope that you're okay with me checking out your blog...found it on Priscila's blog. I rarely check blogs anymore now with FB. :) Anyways, I wanted to comment b/c we are doing a lot of the same curriculum. This is my first year with Sonlight and I love it. We're doing first grade and I appreciate everything being all laid out for me. With preschool and kinder it fit me to choose everything, but with first grade it was a bit overwhelming. The subjects that I do not use Sonlight on are math (Math-U-See), Handwriting (Handwriting without tears, Draw Write Now and writing stories-each day is a different one b/c otherwise he would fly through them) and Phonics Pathways (b/c that's the one we started with and I didn't want to switch...plus, I think it's fantastic). I think that it takes a while to figure out your groove, so stick with it. One thing may work one day and not the next...so, you have the flexibility to change it.
As far as schooling with toddlers, Hope is only 10 months so I can "contain" her a bit more. Certain subjects happen in certain areas of the house...read alouds we do in the family room where Hope can climb all over us or play with toys next to us. I use the Johnny jump up or the pack n play to contain her during reading or spelling. I don't know Micah's personality, but would an "art tub" be interesting to him...filled with art supplies and paper that he could do "all by himself". Also, a sensory tub filled with beans or something and construction trucks, shovels, etc...that only comes out during school time.
Anyways, I hope that some of that helps. Feel free to email me anytime about scheduling (especially with Sonlight since there seems to be a lot to cover) or whatever. And have a great time homeschooling! :)
Melody's comment just reminded me of a change we just made that works well with us. We do spelling - usually on a whiteboard, during lunch! They are often sitting and waiting for me to make it and getting a start on their spelling words (I do words for Halle too) and that keeps Hudson out of the way.
And just an FYI - today Hudson dropped a racecar in the toilet, fished it out and got toilet water all over the floor.
And before that he tried to flush an empty TP roll down the toilet. Guess that is what happens when you let your NEWLY potty trained toddler go potty by themselves during school. :)
Ahhh.....'tis only a season!
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