When I started this blog 5 years ago my intention was to keep a yearbook of sorts. It was also meant to be an accountability to myself. My thinking was if I have to blog about it I will actually do it. My husband was a little afraid (if I'm being honest) that homeschool would be like one of my many hobbies that grew like a forest fire and died a slow death while taking up space in the storage room where all my other old hobbies live. If you ever want to know why I do weekly updates, that's the real story. What happened though was that homeschool became a part of all of our lives. It wasn't just a hobby it was how our family lives and learns together. It hasn't gotten old yet, and I pray I can make it to the end of it all.
So, in an effort to let you in on a little that goes on with
me, I decided to take part in the monthly Homeschool Mother's Journal. I saw a
friend post hers the other day and thought it was such a great idea. I'm not super
awesome at weekly or daily commitments, but I can handle one a month. It will
give me an opportunity to reflect on how things are going around here at
Monarch Room, but also to share how things are going with us as a family. I
would love to hear from you too if ever you are so inclined. Sometimes this
homeschool journey can feel a little lonely. It's so nice to have friends that
are on the same path, so we can each give each other courage for the next leg
of the journey.
In my life this month:
I'm enjoying the slowness that winter brings. These slower
days give me the space to really think and pray. This year my goal is to grow
not only spiritually but personally - That means I am going to let fewer books
collect dust and actually read them intentionally. I have made book lists with
chapters to check off. This has always worked well for school, so I'm hoping it
will work as well for me.
As my boys are getting older I realize (sometimes painfully)
how much I have to grow as a person. I am so thankful for their graciousness
when I mess up. I get things wrong more than I want to admit not only in my
family but sometimes in other relationships. I really just wish there was a faster
way to be more like Jesus, but the truth is this very imperfect girl has such a
very long way to go. I'm sure I wouldn't be very humble about it if it were
that easy anyway. Only God can heal and change hearts, and sometimes that just takes time. I am believing he can
take a heart in process like mine and make it more like His. I'm so thankful that He isn't done with me yet <3.
In our homeschool this month:
We are halfway through the year. I am trying to let go of
some of the fun opportunities and choose wisely over the next few months. There
is always a class or opportunity in which to take part. We found ourselves
over-committed last fall, so as the new winter and spring opportunities are
being posted everywhere right now I'm trying to be discerning in choosing
wisely.
Places we’re going and people we’re seeing:
I've been praying for my boys to make new friends in the
places we have an opportunity to meet people. One of my boys had a few friends move away and has had several changes in circumstance. Since then hasn't made the kinds of close friends he could really call his own. It pains this
mom's heart. We fortunately have lots of opportunities for get-togethers, church
groups, and classes. I always saw him taking part and talking with everyone, but everyone needs a few special friends that they can talk to
often who really get understand them though.
All of a sudden I'm seeing this kid of mine
finally find a place in a group of friends he really enjoys at the co-op we
started going to last year. It just took time. He was invited over to a
friend's house this weekend, and he came home so happy. I cried. God is so
good. This same kid also had a hard experience at a social event. He came home more
sad than I've ever seen him. I've never seen him that way (and I cried again.) What was beautiful about
it was that he is looking forward to the next event anyway. This kid isn't like
me in some ways, and that is a very good thing. Where fear might take over he
said, nope. Let's try again. That made this mom so happy and proud of my
kid's bravery. I marvel at how often my kids teach me so much more than I teach
them.
My favorite thing this week month:
I have been hearing about the Instant Pot all year. I
finally got one on Black Friday. Where was this thing all my ever loving life?
What takes 3-4 hours in a crock pot takes 30-40 minutes in an Instant Pot.
Hallelujah! I love that you can saute things before you start it, and that it
also doubles as a slow cooker. Magic people....I tell you what. This little
miracle will be especially handy when we are on the go in the summer.
What’s working/not working for us:
We have only had a few curriculum casualties so far this
year. I'm learning that while I am very happy and can stick with most of our
choices that writing is always my great big waffle every year. We started out
the year with IEW writing, but we are taking a break from it for a while. I
actually still really love and appreciate IEW, but I'm learning that I don't
have long staying power with any writing program. Both of my boys learned so
much with IEW, and I saw a lot of improvement in their writing. We will likely
return to it at some point to continue to work through the units.
Oh, gasp! I forgot. We also set aside Rod & Staff
grammar and replaced it with IEW Fix It. For a while that was a nice change,
but it is so hard to set aside an old tried and true program. We went back to
R&S again this week, and it went just fine. I think we may have just needed
a break. I still haven't decided what we will do long term. That's one of the great reasons to not write specific lessons in your
schedule for language arts and math. It's so much easier to go at your own
pace.
One great joy is seeing how both boys have grown to love
writing. We started employing many of Brave Writer's ideas. We have been doing
a lot of free-writes and enjoying just writing for fun. When I tell the Aedan to
go write for ten minutes, he will often come back 45 minutes later with 3 pages
of work. Silas is no different. Both of them have been writing the most clever
stories! There is a time for mechanics, but there is also a time to develop
their true voice. Brave Writer has given them an opportunity to write without
fear of failing or getting it wrong. I've seen Aedan flourishing in his
Lightning Lit papers as well. I'm finally seeing all of these years of writing
instruction finally coming together. Phew.
Homeschool questions/thoughts I have:
This time of year is always planning season for me. I try to
get all of my purchasing and tinkering with curriculum done by March so that we
can really enjoy summer. I still have fine tuning to do before we actually
start, but I don't like the decisions weighing on my mind. I probably think way
too much about it all, but when the year finally rolls around things are ready.
That helps easy any fear that I'm going to just royally mess this whole school
thing up.
I have a high schooler for the first time next year! I just
ordered Heart of Dakota World Geography this week. Yay! I love getting those boxes every
year (doing an Irish jig on the inside!) I am still deciding on literature for
him. For the most part most of my next year school choices are made. After my
little mid-life-crisis I plan to stick with Heart of Dakota for his first year
of high school. It just works well for our family. If it ain't broke...
My favorite poem this month:
Something about this poem we studied really touched my heart. There is
nothing quite like the tears that flow from gratitude. I'm sure those kinds of
tears send our Heavenly Father's heart soaring too.
From The Old Huntsman
One summer-day I chanced to see
This old Man doing all he could
To unearth the root of an old tree,
A stump of rotten wood.
The mattock tottered in his hand;
So vain was his endeavor,
That at the root of the old tree
He might have worked for ever.
"You're overtasked, good Simon Lee,
Give me your tool," to him I said;
And at the word right gladly he
Received my proffered aid.
I struck, and with a single blow
The tangled root I severed,
At which the poor old Man so long
And vainly had endeavored.
The tears into his eyes were brought,
And thanks and praises seemed to run
So fast out of his heart, I thought
They never would have done.
I've heard of hearts unkind, kind
deeds
With coldness still returning;
Alas! the gratitude of men
Hath oftener left me mourning.William Wordsworth
To read more about the happenings of other homeschool moms, click the image above.
Loved reading your journal!
ReplyDeleteI didn't know you went back to Rod & Staff! But, I'm totally not surprised. :)
Thank you for sharing the poem - I loved it. ♥
I loved reading your heart here! I can relate to much of it. I truly love to get my decisions made and books purchased before Spring hits so that I can feel prepared for the upcoming year. This past year, I tried a slow approach and wavered so much on making that final decision that I was really heart broken when I couldn't pull off HOD. It's still a struggle for me when I see it working so beautifully for others, but then I take a look what we've accomplished and I feel relieved and refreshed.
ReplyDeleteI really love reading your deeper thoughts here :)