School is Back in Session!!

Today was our first day of school after a great Christmas Vacation. It took us a little longer than usual (mostly because I talked a lot more) but we got it all done! I made a few (minor) tweaks to our schedule and added to our language arts program.

Ooh! Language Arts! This year I took everything (!) I had done last year, all my ideas on how L.A. should be taught and TOSSED THEM! Last year was miserable! Why would I want to repeat it? *Side Note* We actually found out in May that Regan is dyslexic. This helped explain why we were having so many struggles (not just in reading) and gave us some ideas on what we could do to work around them.

So this year I worked to make our learning as hands on and FUN as I could. With Language Arts that meant doing a lot of things like 'Mailbox', having a 'Picture Journal', using apps on the ipad, using Poetry Magnets and using WriteShop 'World of Animals' cards.

Mailbox is probably Ryans' favorite thing to do. I have a big box of stationary cards that the kids can choose from and they each write letters/notes to each other. We made a mailbox out of an old cardboard box (we painted and decorated it, of course!) and fill it up during the week. Every Monday we pass out every one's 'mail' and have fun reading them!

Picture Journal is pretty self explanatory. I made a few 5x7 journals out of cardstock, put a photo on one page and have them write a few sentences telling me about the picture. They can either tell whats really happening OR they can make up a crazy story. Here's what Ryan did last week:

The picture I gave him. (We were at a wedding.)

What he wrote.

Since the first part of the year went so well, I decided to add a little bit more to our writing and see how it went. Today went great and I hope it continues that way. One of Regan's favorite things to do is the 'Animals of the World' cards so I went back to their publisher to see what else they offered. I found Writeshop Primary and after reading reviews/looking at samples, I decided to try it out.

WriteShop Primary Book B

I love how it gives you the option of doing a 1,2 or 3 week schedule. (We chose 2) It also has a lot of parent involvement and hands on projects used to reinforce each lesson. Our goal is to complete book B this year and take all of next year to work through Book C.

Other than adding WriteShop, the only other changes I made were little things like seating and how we could make everyone was completing ALL of their assignments.

June 5, 2010

On Mothers Day this year the Childrens Church had a baptismal before the Sunday morning service. Regan had never been baptised so she asked Michael and I if it was ok for her to do it. After making sure she understood what it meant, we gave our ok. Here is the video Kacie got of it.

(Pastor Bill is asking her a few questions and having her confess Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior.)

January 7, 2010

I took this picture the other day while the kids and I were at the park. It brought to mind something I've been trying to teach the kids for a long time now.

~

We're a team.

~

That it doesn't matter who gets credit or who gets the praise. When your buddy's feeling down (please!) don't kick him. Help him up and go on together.

A few weeks ago Regan started going to a local tutoring center. The man who started and runs the center is a retired teacher I used to work with. His whole philosophy on teaching is that if you gets kids interested in something there is no limit to what they can learn. I like that!

~

So Regan goes down there once a week (for now) and gets a lot of help with her reading. She really likes to read but it has become a big challenge for her. After working with Regan for about an hour, Mr. Freeman noticed that Regan isn't making mental movies. So when she reads she isn't picturing what happens in her mind. She's just reading words. Which is fine when she was reading easy readers with simple lines like 'Pat is a cat.' But now that she is wanting to move into beginner chapter books its causing problems.

~

So Michael and I have her go to the Freeman Center once a week, she goes to Juliannas house twice a week for one on one work and her teacher at school is having her work one on one with another teacher three days a week. So basically Regan is surrounded with people who are helping her with her reading. And she's LOVING it!

~

Habitats

For science Ryan, Regan and I have been studying habitats. In addition to the Evan-Moor Daily Science worksheets, we are reading as many books as we can find from our local library. Here are the books we have read so far.Savanna Animals: Fun facts and Stuff To Do
Let's Find Rain Forest Animals: Up, Down, Around

Rain Forest Animals

Talking About The Earth: Prairies

Land Habitats

About Habitats: Deserts

True Book: Desert Mammals

Backyard Habitats

Does A Baboon Sleep In A Bed?

The Antarctic Habitat

Animal babies in Ponds And Rivers

We are about halfway through our unit so there may be books added to this list.

October 2, 2009

The past month has been one swim practice after another. My girls are just crazy about swimming!

~

Regan has been going twice a week and made quite a few friends. She started the swim team barely knowing how to do the crawl stroke. She has improved that stroke and started working on her back stroke. Her endurance is what has made the most progress though.

~

Devon is SO in love with swimming. She gets home from three hours of practice and says she can't wait to go back the next day! Ca-razy! The two heats she swims the most are the 50 free and the 100 free. Her meet times have improved from 44 seconds to 29 (50 free) and 151 seconds to 129 (100 free)! Isn't that just awesome!

Our last 'summer' trip to the library produced a few doozies for read aloud time. Can anyone guess how much I regret letting Ryan pick out a book entitled "Chicken Butt"? Payton now runs around the house singing 'Butt, Butt Chicken!' It almost sounds like she's saying 'Bok, Bok chicken' so thats what I'm going to pretend shes saying.

Ladybug Girl and Bumblebee Boy was a good one. Regan and Ryan thought about dressing as those characters for Halloween until Regan remembered that she's going to be Zorro. Man, that girl LOVES her some Zorro! I think 'The Mask of Zorro' has been her favorite movie since she was 2.

So while this was from our last 'summer' trip we are still taking weekly trips to the library. Every Monday we head down there and meet up with a few friends so the kids can hang out. AND so Mom can get a little adult conversation.

This year I am doing 1st grade with Ryan. I had a few months of stress when I was trying to figure out what on earth I was going to use as our curriculum. I was really leaning towards using Sonlight because I love that its literature based but in the end I just didn't want to spend a boatload of money on our first year.

~

So instead I went to a few curriculum stores and spent hours looking at all the different books and such. So after much consideration here is what we are doing this year.

For science, writing and language we are using the Evan Moore daily reviews. I LOVE these workbooks! They have practice for him to do each day AND each week there are ideas on how to stretch the lesson further. There are ideas for writing stories, adding details, making the science lessons more hands on, etc.

For math we are using the Singapore math workbooks. So far everything has been easy for him so we haven't actually had a time where he's learning from the books. A few more chapters in and I'll have a better idea on how this will work for him.

For piano we are using the Robert Pace books that Devon started with. I have no idea how to play the piano so for now Devon is working with him on the basics like finger exercises. I have contacted a wonderful girl who teaches piano and Devon, Regan and Ryan will be starting with her in the next month or so.

As our foreign language option we have decided to learn sign language. This year the kids are using the Signing Times videos and flash cards to learn the basic signs. By the time we get through these videos the kids will know the finger spell alphabet and around 200 words.

Ryan is using A Reason for Writing for his handwriting practice. Not a lot to say about this other than I like the fact that he is learning scriptures while practicing handwriting.

I didn't buy an art curriculum. That just seemed like a crazy expense when you consider all the art type supplies we already have. I am having him branch out a little and try new things. So far he's loving it and is more than willing to do art every day!

~

I mentioned before that Regan is doing part time homeschooling with us. She joins Ryan with science, writing, sign language and sometimes art.

~

Regan and Ryan practice the piano for 15 -30 minutes and they read aloud to me for 20 minutes.

~

I think that pretty much cover what we do for school. if you have any questions please feel free to ask.

Last Tuesday, the 1st, was Regans first day of school. She is in second grade this year so she is still in Mrs. Bols class. (Mrs. Bol teaches the K - 3 class)

This year Michael and I are having her do half days at the school and the rest of the day at home with us. She gets to school each day by 8:15 and leaves for home after lunch recess.

So far this is working out great for everyone. She loves being able to go to school and see all her friends and I love that I am still homeschooling her part day.

I think I've mentioned before that Devon swims for Poseidon. Poseidon is a USA Swimming program that participates in Pacific Northwest Swimming (PNS), the local USA swimming organization representing nearly 5,000 athletes in western Washington. Out of the five levels, Devon is currently at level three. Her goal is to reach level five by her junior year in high school. (She is going to be a freshman this Fall)

~

As of today, she is also going to be swimming for Centralia High School. (*sidenote* The captain of the High School swim team is Regans private swim coach) The high school swim season is roughly twelve weeks long while Poseidon is a year round program.

~

So starting August 24 Devon will be swimming Monday through Friday from 3-5 for the high school and M,W,F from 4:30-6 for Poseidon. I realize the times overlap but both teams train in the same pool and the two coaches work together on the kids who swim for both teams.

~

Starting the day after labor Day the high school swim team will start at 3:30 instead of 3.

~

AND---if everything goes well and Regan makes the swim team (Poseidon) she will be swimming on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5-5:45.