2018-2019 school year
We just finished our end of the year standardized testing, on a Saturday. It was a perfect ending to a difficult year. The boys tested while taking antibiotics for yet again-Strep. It truly followed the pattern of our year, let me show you...
- This year my kids were sick, including a hospital stay for one, and multiple rounds of antibiotics for all.
- This year we started school three weeks late.
- This year instead of organizing life around our school days, school was organized around life.
- This year we went on vacation three weeks after school started.
- This year I learned to teach with a toddler by my side, or mostly I learned that teaching works best while said toddler sleeps.
- This year my biggest boy switched curriculum half way through the school year.
- This year I felt like all we did was play catch up from the day before.
This year I felt disorganized.
This year many of our school days happened in waiting rooms.
This year is finally over.
I never-ever want to do school like we did it this year. This summer I want to take a weekend and plan out my year as I usually do. Next year we will go back to doctor's appointments on certain days and times only. We will not have people in our house to inspect on a monthly basis and we will have a solid daily schedule as we have always done in the past. Life will be full of dinners with friends, scouts, Taekwondo, field trips and some hands on learning along with all the book requirements. Most of all I hope that next year all three of them will still enjoy the read-out-louds. I know they are middle school aged and can read just fine on their own, but my favorite part of homeschooling is cozy fires, fun snacks, and a great biography that we all read together.
However, even though this year didn't go as planned some pretty amazing things happened. I knew going into this year that my arms were full and school would have to look different then it has in the past. To keep reading easy for all of us, I went online to find the best reading list for fourth and fifth graders, including everything from biographies to graphic novels. I bought them all, and a book project assignment book. Each day the boys had a set amount they needed to read, when the book was finished they had to complete a book project to show what they had read. They chose the books, they chose the project. I made sure they stuck to the schedule.
You know what happened? My book lover excelled, and he learned to be creative while also working within a set of guidelines. This has always been a struggle for him. He found freedom and confidence at being able to move at his own pace.
My boy who hates reading because dyslexia makes it into a tedious task, well now it's pretty common to find him curled up with his bunny and a book just for fun. His first pick was about a Castle in the Attic, which was alright. His next pick was the Indian in the Cupboard which we then watched as a family movie night. The book was better. Then he stumbled onto Origami Yoda, the first of many more to come. Now he carries the books here and there, or he'll just stretch out his body on the couch and read. At the beginning of the year he asked if he could do reading last, because it was his least favorite. About half way through the year he asked if he could start with reading. Now at the end of the year he reads just for fun.
When I asked the boys what they loved most about this year, it was their 100th day of school. I was exhausted, we were behind. I asked them if they wanted to help plan our celebration, they did. The theme: 100 acts of kindness. They planned it out, shopped for the goods, and had a blast driving all over town for two days while we dropped off balloons to the children's ward, and sent thank you gifts to the local Police and Fire departments. They thanked strangers, and loved every minute of it.
These boys are good for my heart, over and over they teach me how to put life into prospective. As I listened to them talk about this past year I was reminded that homeschooling is also teaching life skills.
This year they began learning:
- To put other people's needed ahead of their own.
- That love is a verb.
- The start of time management...maybe...I hope.
- That even when life is busy we need to make time for rest.
- That things don't always go as planned.
- That flexibility is good.
- They had some first hand experience in how the legal system works, as they explored the court house and participated in the adoption of out littlest.
Even while this year was hard, and felt upside down most days, I think it was still a good one. I think hearts changed and grew.
 |
| Our little wild card, er I mean "helper" |
- This year my kids were sick, including a hospital stay for one, and multiple rounds of antibiotics for all.
- This year we started school three weeks late.
- This year instead of organizing life around our school days, school was organized around life.
- This year we went on vacation three weeks after school started.
- This year I learned to teach with a toddler by my side, or mostly I learned that teaching works best while said toddler sleeps.
- This year my biggest boy switched curriculum half way through the school year.
- This year I felt like all we did was play catch up from the day before.
This year I felt disorganized.
This year many of our school days happened in waiting rooms.
This year is finally over.
 |
| One of the many waiting room school days. |
I never-ever want to do school like we did it this year. This summer I want to take a weekend and plan out my year as I usually do. Next year we will go back to doctor's appointments on certain days and times only. We will not have people in our house to inspect on a monthly basis and we will have a solid daily schedule as we have always done in the past. Life will be full of dinners with friends, scouts, Taekwondo, field trips and some hands on learning along with all the book requirements. Most of all I hope that next year all three of them will still enjoy the read-out-louds. I know they are middle school aged and can read just fine on their own, but my favorite part of homeschooling is cozy fires, fun snacks, and a great biography that we all read together.
 |
| Working on a book project. |
You know what happened? My book lover excelled, and he learned to be creative while also working within a set of guidelines. This has always been a struggle for him. He found freedom and confidence at being able to move at his own pace.
My boy who hates reading because dyslexia makes it into a tedious task, well now it's pretty common to find him curled up with his bunny and a book just for fun. His first pick was about a Castle in the Attic, which was alright. His next pick was the Indian in the Cupboard which we then watched as a family movie night. The book was better. Then he stumbled onto Origami Yoda, the first of many more to come. Now he carries the books here and there, or he'll just stretch out his body on the couch and read. At the beginning of the year he asked if he could do reading last, because it was his least favorite. About half way through the year he asked if he could start with reading. Now at the end of the year he reads just for fun.
When I asked the boys what they loved most about this year, it was their 100th day of school. I was exhausted, we were behind. I asked them if they wanted to help plan our celebration, they did. The theme: 100 acts of kindness. They planned it out, shopped for the goods, and had a blast driving all over town for two days while we dropped off balloons to the children's ward, and sent thank you gifts to the local Police and Fire departments. They thanked strangers, and loved every minute of it.
These boys are good for my heart, over and over they teach me how to put life into prospective. As I listened to them talk about this past year I was reminded that homeschooling is also teaching life skills.
 |
| Working on grammar as we sit snuggled next to the fire. |
- To put other people's needed ahead of their own.
- That love is a verb.
- The start of time management...maybe...I hope.
- That even when life is busy we need to make time for rest.
- That things don't always go as planned.
- That flexibility is good.
- They had some first hand experience in how the legal system works, as they explored the court house and participated in the adoption of out littlest.
Even while this year was hard, and felt upside down most days, I think it was still a good one. I think hearts changed and grew.
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