Today one of our homeschooling families a.k.a. majorly special friends came over and we spent the afternoon together: children playing, fixing dinner, & planning! Planning for next year. Curriculum to choose from. Her list is much shorter than mine which is in part a tribute to her decisiveness. I need about 9 more children so I can try out all of the curriculum that interests me.

Everybody needs somebody....often, in homeschooling world. Don't do it alone. Find that support group that fits your family needs, find a buddy who loves to dig and look right along with you. Get a homeschooling magazine that you love, find some blogs worth reading, and be encouraged. Don't forget that homeschooling is the greatest privilege as a parent when it comes to your children's education, and it's to be taken seriously and joyously!

Now, for the fruit of our labors, here's MY list! (The bold print is what we're currently doing and could continue with the next level the following year-all others would be possibilities.)

DANIEL:
Math- Horizons, Continue drills with Calculadder

L.Arts- Character Quality Language Arts, Learning Language Arts Through Literature, Rod & Staff, First Language Lessons (Well-Trained Mind), Bob Jones, Writing With Ease for Writing. (We completed most of the Bob Jones LA for this year, but isn't challenging him at this point. We can continue with Explode the Code & Brainquest for supplemental to finish the year.)

Spelling-Spelling Power or a spelling workbook (Currently using Flashkids Gr 2.)

History-Beautiful Feet (Ancient History for next year), Story of the World, Mystery of History

Science-Apologia/Considering God's Creation, Real Science 4 Kids

Reading- Bob Jones

Daniel likes to stick with a particular curriculum, for example, NOT doing Horizons does not appear to be an option. Same with Bob Jones Reading-he loves it! Sounds like a plan, and makes it simple for me unless I'm the one desiring the change.

BETHANY

Math-Saxon, Horizons, Teaching Textbooks, Rod & Staff . Continue drills with Calculadder.

Changing back to Horizons from Saxon is an option in that I would be using a similar methadology with both students. I'll have to see what happens with Daniel in Grade 2 Horizons ...which we just began, as that was when they just popped in a topic to teach with no explanation as to the why of their method when Bethany was doing that level. It just seemed out of sequence, so we switched to Saxon for this year. Working o.k., but not the perfect one.

L.Arts- (currently in First Language Lessons for the Well-Trained Mind Level 4-no other levels available). CQLA, LLATL, Rod & Staff, Analytical Grammar, Bob Jones.

I could do CQLA for both children-a bonus there.

Writing-Writing With Ease, IEW or another Writing Curriculum

Spelling-Spelling Power

Penmanship-Continue with Queen Homeschool if more penmanship work is necessary

History-Same as above (for Daniel) except that I forgot one! Would love to explore Galloping the Globe. Could I do that with a history as well? Possibly so!

We do History & Science together, although each child has graded readers in both subjects to help us cover in topic what their peers are covering. We use Bob Jones & Abeka for History & Science readers.

Science-Same as above (for Daniel).

Continue with typing for Bethany and Latin for Bethany & Daniel ( Just brought that back into the mix this semester.) Planning to co-op either History or Science with another homeschooling family.

Art & Music-Art appreciation for both/Piano lessons for Bethany

Sports-Continue with Sports Kidz AZ for weekly P.E., and add a sport of their choice through a weekly league play. Sports Kidz AZ P.E. functions as the practice for whatever sport they're currently offering through league play. It cuts out the need for an extra practice each week. We love that about Sports Kidz AZ.

In summary: We have a full load but I would be happy to ease up on some of that. I am willing to cut out supplementary Language Arts stuff if I can find a good curriculum.

Check out this homeschooling toolbar gadget. It's free from The Curriculum Choice. I have it installed on our downstairs computer, and I love it. Plenty of good reading, printables, curriculum suggestions, and of course the ability to look up a word on Noah Webster's 1828 Dictionary. It's very easy to install, and nothing showed up missing on my exisitng toolbar with Google. Enjoy!

One of my functions as the Ministry Coordinator for our Homeschooling Group is to encourage homeschooling Moms in their life journey as wives, Moms & Educators. Enter: Big Idea! Now 3 years running several of us will bring a helpful idea or hint on life or homeschooling! This year we even had someone bring their spray bottle of Downey Wrinkle Release as one of their big ideas for making life easier. Well, I don't know how to attach documents or thumbnails yet, so here is our printout from today's Big Idea 2010. I hope you'll find some interesting things to check out!

J.O.Y. “BIG IDEA” DAY, February 19, 2010

KATHY :

Uses a silverware caddy for organizing colored pencils and markers, etc. in her schoolroom.

Favorite Colored Pencil: Crayola’s Hexagon Shaped colored pencil. Purchased at Fry’s Grocery Store Very heavy-duty, nice colors, and easy to grip.

Recipe Binder: Design your own cover & save your favorite recipes in a Binder. When I try a recipe I like I copy or print it, and put it in a page protector. These will be our favorite family recipes that I can pass on to our children.

Dover Coloring Books: An educational coloring book covering many topics such as The Story of the Wright Brothers, Lewis and Clark Expedition,. Etc. These have historical facts, latin word origins & the like to make this a fun part of learning for all ages. (See also “A Learning Experience” coloring books formatted the same way.) Very educational, and not just for preschoolers by ANY means!
http://store.doverpublications.com/by-subject-coloring-books.html
http://www.storesonline.com/site/216339/page/6606 (A Learning Experience coloring books are found here, or go to homepage at www.spizzirri.com)

The Old Schoolhouse Magazine- One of many great homeschooling magazines to encourage homeschoolers. This one comes out 4X per year, and is awesome!
http://www.thehomeschoolmagazine.com/

The Plan Book With Pizazz by FrankSchaffer.com I purchased this at the Teaching Store 51st Ave & Bell. Using it for 4 years running, now! : ) http://www.christianbook.com/the-plan-book-with-pizzazz/0768205956/pd/205956 Currently almost half-price at CBD.com.

Prayer Guide on Praying for your Children each day of the week (Available on the Park Day Table.)

Helpful Forms: Learning Style Test, Student Self Assessment, Field Trip Form, Month of Meals Form (by organized home.com), Priorities Inventory, PE Form, Literature Outline Page (to fill out during or after you’ve read a book), Will bring these to park again. Please write on back of form if you’d like a copy. (For more favorite forms see Kathy’s Favorite Homeschooling Helps Websites!)

Kathy’s Favorite Homeschooling Websites: http://donnayoung.org/index.htm & Cindy Downes Oklahoma Homeschooling http://www.oklahomahomeschool.com/. It’s not just for Okie’s anymore! Check out also: How Do I Teach? By Cindy. http://howdoiteach.blogspot.com/ This is where Cindy passes along her Big Ideas! : )

JENNIFER :

How to Pray for Your Husband: A daily prayer guide with scriptures. Available at Park Day Table.


MICHELLE :

Sue Patrick’s Workbox System. An attractive and fun way to organize your school day using boxes, labels, numbered task cards & learning centers. Here’s a link that shows how the system works: http://www.workboxsystem.com/viewvideoonworkboxsystem.html


JANICE :

31 Days of Prayer Note Card for praying for your child each day of the month. See Janice on ordering instructions.

Well-Planned Day Homeschool Planner: Available for early/middle grades. Highschool version available also. Almost everything in your day can be organized in this planner. Per Janice, the only thing it won’t do is the actual cooking and cleaning FOR you. Aw Shucks! Follow this link for ordering: http://www.wellplannedday.com/TH910Planner.aspx Sample pages are available. Janice LOVES this, and I like the looks of it myself!

DEBRA :

Debra highly recommend the Planet CD Rom Freeware. Almost all of their products on a myriad of topics are totally free! This looks like a great find. Here’s the link: http://www.planetcdrom.com/?gclid=CLLEiZO9_58CFQtfagodsHQMlw

Debra also has a list of favorite homeschool websites that she will be sending by email to the group. Thank you for these ideas, Debra!

ELIZABETH

Homeschooling at the Speed of Life, by Marilyn Rockett. A great book on tacking homeschooling and life in general by Marilyn. A great recommendation! Here’s the link: http://marilynrockett.com/index.php

Downy Wrinkle Release: A spray-on de-wrinkler for your clothes. Very handy and convenient. (Kathy Wright is waiting for the face version to come out!)

Thankful Game: Part of the Earl's bedtime routine is each child gives thanks for 3 things each night before bed. Yay for gratitude! That will go along way in our lives.

“Yes Ma’am, I’d be Happy to” Jar – a nickel awarded in the Jar for that child when their FIRST RESPONSE to a request is, “Yes Ma’am, I’d be happy to!” I liked that so much that we started it on the way HOME from park today. Bethany is happy to report 15 cents in total earnings in the last 3 hours! (Liz forgot to share this publically, but this is it as I understand it.) What a great idea, Liz!

KENDRA :

This list-making, homeschooling Mom loves her 3-part note pad. It’s very colorful and has 3 spiral bound note pads on heavy cardstock which says, “Shop”, “Call”, “Do”. Kendra purchased this at The Container Store.

Recipe Binder: Kendra’s very organized binder keeps all of her recipes in one place. I love Kendra’s organizational ideas!

So, What's your Big Idea?