Back to School

Along with the rest of our local friends, we started school this week.  It's an adjustment to get back into the mindset and routine without being rigid but we are getting there. 

We started today off with a trip the neighborhood pool. It was great going this morning and having it to ourselves.  A drastic change from the overcrowding, chaos it can be during the summer break.  It was nice not having to listen to the profanity and blaring, vulgar music from other swimming residents....but I'll save that for another post, another day.

This year's line up and curricula is much different than last year's.  I'm only using 1 publisher I used last year.  And so far, I am really liking the change.  This year's curricula is more challenging and encourages more independent, student lead learning.  I, of course, am not fully removed.  It's just that for language arts, math and reading, my boys are having to work more independently and exert more responsibility. 


This year's curricula choices:

Christian Light Education:
Language Arts
Math
Reading
Cursive


Apologia
Science: Zoology 2: Swimming Creatures (we used Apologia last year and enjoyed it so we are using it again this year.  Lots of hands on activities)

Who is God?   This is an elementary level apologetics study.  We are doing this at night as a family Bible devotion/learning. 


Mystery of History, Biblioplan, and Story of the World....we are using a combination of these for history and Bible.  This was my hardest in lesson planning in trying to incorporate all of these.

Institute for Excellence in Writing...this is for more formal lessons in writing.  We will do this at a slower pace as writing isn't something that should be rushed. 

My confidence this year is at a much better level than this time last year.  While the first year is still about educating, it's also a year about figuring out what works best and how it works. Of course, there is always a need for flexibility and to adjust when necessary.  You just aren't as timid about it. 

Here's to our 2nd year of homeschooling, it's beginning just as exciting as our first year but with much less fear and insecurity.