A New School Year, Part 3 - Pre-First Day of School

 Today's post is the last in our "Back to School Mini Series" here on Family Abounds.  Our topics have included the following:
      Part 1: Organization
      Part 2: Schedules
      Part 3: Pre-First Day of School

The idea for a Pre-First Day of School came from "Managers of Their Schools" by Steve and Teri Maxwell.  I mentioned this and another of their books on home management in yesterday's post on scheduling.

At the beginning of last year I didn't worry about preparing the kids because it was new to all of us.  We needed to jump in, get our feet wet, and start figuring out this whole homeschool thing.  This year, however, we have more to accomplish and everyone is used to the school routine, so I wanted to be able to actually get some work done on our official first day back to school.

The Maxwell's book has a lot of good suggestions for managing your homeschool and one idea that I particularly liked was that of taking a day before the first day of school - hence the Pre-First Day - to walk each child through their schedule, new subjects, and just generally acquaint everyone with this year's expectations.

We had our Pre-First Day of School on Wednesday morning.  Here's what I covered with each of the kids:

     Abigail
          -Go over school schedule
          -Talk about preschool time
          -Look over assignment folder (Abby doesn't actually have assignments, but she does have a packet of workbook pages and a phonics flash card each week.  This makes her feel like she's participating with the "big" kids in school time and it keeps her busy.)
          -Answer questions

    Hannah and Joshua
          -Go over schedule
          -Find supplies
          -Look at assignment folder
          -Walk through assignments
               *Independent Work
               -*Greek
               -*Handwriting
               -*Math
               -Spelling
               -History
               -Science
               -Writing (Joshua only)
               -Grammar (Joshua only)
          -Answer questions

After going over schedules, supplies, and assignments, I took a photo of each child.  This will be printed out and put on the outside of their 3-ring binders where I will store completed work and other special papers and projects from this year.

The kids also answered a question about what they are most looking forward to in the new school year.  Here's what they said:

Joshua, 6 years old (next week), First Grade
I am excited to do history in first grade.

Hannah, 5 years old (in October), Kindergarten
I am excited to do history and Greek in kindergarten.

Abigail, 3 years old(in September), Preschool
I am excited to do phonics in preschool.

If you're interested in knowing what curriculum and other materials we are using this year, check out this post.

In addition to what is outlined there, I have decided on Abby's preschool work.  We will focus on a toddler Bible curriculum which I wrote a few years back.  She will learn about Creation, The Fall, The Flood, The Patriarchs, The Life of Jesus, and some special units on Christmas and Easter.  Because she is showing many signs of being ready, Abby will also begin a very slow version of the phonics program that Joshua and Hannah used last year.

Our final addition to this year's academics is Koine (Biblical) Greek.  We chose a program called "Hey, Andrew! Teach Me Some Greek!" by Karen Mohs.  It starts nice and slow for the kids and progresses over several levels, at which point they can continue their studies with some more challenging programs.  Their first year focuses on teaching the Greek alphabet and the sounds of each letter.  I'm excited to learn along with them!

And that, friends, is our back to school preparation.  The kids have been praying for the beginning of the school year and are all excited to be "moving up" to first grade, kindergarten, and preschool.  And I'm looking forward to joining them in the journey as they continue to learn and grow!

Whether your kids learn at home or go to school, they always need preparation for a new adventure.  How do you prepare your kids for the start of the school year?  New school supplies?  New clothes?  A special breakfast?  Or one last summer outing?

This post is linked up at Mom Tested Homeschool Blog Hop.  Hop on over for more homeschooling inspiration.

A New School Year, Part 2 - Schedules

Back to School Mini Series
     Part 1: Organization
     Part 2: Schedules
     Part 3: Pre-First Day of School

This is the second of three posts in our little "Back to School Mini Series".  You can read the first post here, where I shared how we are organizing our school materials this year.

As much as I love organization, I also love schedules.  There's nothing like a nicely blocked out schedule on a clean sheet of paper.  And then, of course, there is the reality of that schedule being lived out...but that's material for a different post.  :)

By means of introductions, I will mention two books that I've read which has helped me fine tune how we piece together a workable schedule.  Many of you have probably already heard of these, but here you are: "Managers of Their Homes" and "Managers of Their Schools" by Steve and Teri Maxwell is definitely worth looking into if you're struggling with the motivation or tools necessary to create and keep a good schedule.  My usual scheduling method is similar to the one laid out in this book, but it gave me a few extra ideas on how to juggle the needs of our growing family.

Today's post will map out the schedules we are using this school year.
     -School Calendar
     -Master Daily Schedule
     -Kids' Individual School Schedules
     -Keeping the Littles Occupied

As I said in our previous post, the kids' weekly school assignments have been mapped out for the entire school year.  This idea was not my own, but came from several sources which are linked in that post.  It does sound a bit lofty, but I did something very similar for the last 3 months of our last school year.  Having the daily/weekly assignments ready to go each Monday morning really helped us to stay on track.

So, here's how I figured out our school calendar.

First, I decided how many weeks I wanted us to be in school this year.  I read that a typical school year would be around 36 weeks, so I worked with that.  I grouped together daily lessons from each subject into weeks, then tweaked it a bit so that everything was done within 36 weeks.  Most subjects will be completed before the end of our school year.

We also use something called Sabbath Schooling which is outlined in this article.  It sounds a little bit too "holy" for my liking and I'm pretty sure that the Bible is not explicit about how homeschooling families should plan their academic years.  That aside, I liked the idea of having a break every few weeks and I also liked the idea of keeping up with school year-round so that we don't lose momentum.  We started doing this in the early spring with great success.

Our year is organized into six 6-week sessions.  Naturally these are flexible, and already we are starting a week "ahead of schedule" so we have adjustments to be made to the calendar before we even start.  This kind of schedule works well for us in part because we get to maintain a doable pace throughout the year, and because we have reasons for longer breaks in the fall (namely the eagerly anticipated birth of our fifth child).

If you're trying to figure out when to start school, when to finish, and when to take breaks, just look at a calendar with a couple of things in mind:
     -When would I like to finish school this year?
     -How many weeks would I like to school this year?
     -Are there any times during the year when I know that we need to have time off from school?

Now, mark your calendar from the end of your school year, block out necessary breaks, and count back the number of weeks you are planning.  You should have a start date that you can work with, and a basic schedule to tweak.  Easy!

 Once I knew what the big picture for our school year looked like, I wanted to figure out our daily schedule.  We have a general routine which we always use, so fitting in the appropriate amount of school time wasn't too much of a challenge.  But it did stretch my scheduling abilities a bit more than usual since we're adding more kiddos to the mix.

For now I've made a schedule to follow through October, at which time we will go back to our bare bones routine and re-evaluate our needs with a newborn.  We use this Monday through Thursday with a modified schedule on Fridays to include Art and a trip to the park.

 

I also printed out a copy of each child's individual school schedule which I included in their weekly assignment folders.  The older two are the only ones who really need this, but Abigail (2 1/2 years old) likes to do whatever the others are doing so I made her a schedule as well.  Even if she can't read it or tell time, she quickly learns what we do each day and she always knows what she can look forward to next.

Here is a sample of our Kindergartener's schedule.  Everything in italics is after school time and is always the same whether we are on break or in school.
     8:00am - Morning Chores (get ready, personal care); Kitchen Chores
     8:30am - Breakfast
     9:00am - Violin and Piano Practice
     9:30am - School with Mom: Spelling and Math
     10:00am - Handwriting and Math
     10:30am - Snack
     11:00am - Greek; Finish Handwriting and Math (as needed)
     11:30am - Play Outside and/or Ride Bikes
     12:30pm - Lunch
     1:00pm - School with Mom: MW - History; TTh - Science
     1:30pm - Rest Time
     3:00pm - Snack and Free Time
     5:00pm - "Foursies" Clean Up; Bath
     6:00pm - Dinner and Family Kitchen Clean Up
     7:00pm - Bible Time
     8:00pm - Bed

Even though she will only be five this fall, Hannah does have work that she is expected to complete on her own every day.  We spent most of last year aiming toward this independent work, so she and Joshua know what to expect.  I always review their work and go over any problem spots with them.  And, of course, if they run into trouble during an assignment I am available to help them.

In addition to independent work, all three of the older kids have individual "School with Mom" time.  I start with Abigail, since she has a harder time waiting, and then move on to Hannah and finally to Joshua.  Joshua gets two "School with Mom" sessions since he has two extra subjects this year.  He and Hannah share part of their time with me in a math lesson which we will do altogether to save time.

Finally, I desperately needed a plan for Abigail (2 1/2 years old) and Jeremiah (11 months old).  In the spring I started writing down activities on a sticky note for Abby, choosing several for the morning, and setting timers as she worked through each one.  We will be doing this again in addition to her preschool time with me.  This teaches Abby to work on her own and to stay focused on a task, and it also gives me the ability to focus on the older kids' school.

Jeremiah is usually busy exploring cupboards and things.  I try to make an effort to switch up his play location and offer him specific toys/activities to use.  Often I will encourage Abby to include him in whatever she is doing.  She is almost always happy to oblige since Jeremiah is one of her favorite people.  :)

Not everything is done exactly as planned, but having a big picture for our school year, using a master daily schedule, and giving the kids the tools they need to stay on track each day helps us to get more accomplished than we would otherwise.  If nothing else, it gives all of us a clear idea of what's expected of us each day and that eliminates all kinds of stress!

How do you plan your school year and daily schedule so that everything gets done?

This post is linked up at Mom Tested Homeschool Blog Hop.  Hop on over to find more ideas and insights from other homeschool moms.

A New School Year, Part 1 - Organization

We've been enjoying a break from school over the past several weeks.  It's been fun to have a relaxed schedule, more time for outings and errands, and freedom to pursue activities and projects that we don't always have time for.  But now we're ready to start up with school again.

Too much free time makes a lot of mess and chaos in our home and in our kids' behavior and attitudes.  It seems better to me to end our break before we have a nuclear meltdown caused by boredom and too much time on our hands.  Plus, I don't want to completely lose the momentum that took us all of last school year to build.

To commemorate the beginning of a new school year for our family, I'll be posting a "Back To School Mini Series" here at Family Abounds.  Included in this series will be posts on:
     Part 1: Organization
     Part 2: Schedules
     Part 3: Pre-First Day of School Activities

Most of the ideas you will find in these posts are not original.  If I know of the original source I will let you know what it was.  If there is no citation it means that I can't remember where the idea came from and probably if you did a Google search you'd find twenty more blog posts implementing the same idea.  The point here is not to be original but to share what I'm finding works for our family.

So, without further ado let's jump into today's topic: Organization.

It's difficult to determine the best way to organize homeschool materials.  I'm learning why book shelves are such a big deal to homeschool moms as we have already filled our second floor-to-ceiling shelf this year.  And the materials keep coming!

So, here is how we're organizing the materials that we will be using this school year.  Longer term storage for non-consumables that will be used for younger kids is a beast all of its own and I haven't even come close to figuring out the best way to tackle it.  However, short term organization is both simple and necessary for success.

For me something is organized if it is:
     -Easy to put away
     -Easy to find
     -Easily accessible for everyone who needs it
     -Not a cluttered mess (although we have plenty of cluttered messes around our house)

To start off, we have our school shelf.  All textbooks, encyclopedias, and flashcards that we need are organized by subject into magazine files (purchased for cheap from Ikea).  I am able to quickly grab the file I need for each subject and put it back on the shelf when I'm done without much fuss.  The kids can see where things go if ever they need to put the books away.  And the files make the shelf look nice and neat.

Next we have our weekly assignments.  I saw this idea here and here and immediately began working on implementing it for the school year.  The kids' assignments are created for the entire school year.  I can access them easily to distribute or to make changes.  We have two plastic file boxes that we bought at Sam's Club.  They live under our computer desk where little hands are less likely to find and "sort" through them.

Inside the weekly files there is a manila folder labeled and color-coded for each of the three older kids.  The individual folders contain an assignment sheet for the week - assignments are made by day and subject - and also packets of stapled workbook pages that contain work they are expected to do independently.

The kids access their weekly assignments from their assignment folders.  We store these on our work table in a metal file organizer that I ordered on Amazon.  Joshua and Hannah also have a pencil box with the pencils, crayons, markers, and math counters that they need to do their assignments.

At the beginning of the school day, the kids grab their assignment folder and open it up to find packets with color-coded days of assignments.  We used this system for the last few months of Kindergarten/Preschool and it worked very well to keep everyone on track.  They know to look for the day's assignments, do those pages, and then return the packet to the pocket folder before moving on to the next subject.

I have individual sessions with the kids to go through math lessons, spelling, etc.  And I also check their individual work and we make corrections together as necessary.  I'll talk a little more about that in the next post about scheduling.

In the very front of the assignment folder is a school schedule for each individual child.  This helps them know what order to do their work so that it gets done efficiently.  Again, I'll talk about this in the next post.

Our last order of organizational business is to have a place for completed assignments.  Record keeping is definitely a big topic for most homeschoolers and I haven't really figured out the best way to go about it.  I have, however, been putting the kids' best work, spelling tests, and graded math assignments into a three-ring binder.  This will be our fourth year using binders and it is proving to be an efficient system.

This year we have dividers in Joshua and Hannah's binders so that it's easy to access past assignments and assessments.  Here's what I'm planning to keep this year:
     -Math assessments and reviews
     -Weekly spelling tests
     -Weekly handwriting (in the form of a Bible verse they copy at the end of the week)
     -History maps, coloring pages, and other projects
     -Science coloring pages and other projects
     -Grammar and Writing copywork and narration exercises
     -Any special drawings, cards, or projects the kids make through the year 

So, there you have it!  How the Chew Crew is attempting to keep things organized this school year.  :)

I'm learning that as organization is more and more crucial to our every day existence and success, flexibility is also equally important.  This means I may have to change how we're doing things if they're not really working out.  It may also mean that I have to let the system go day to day in order for the kids to be learning and participating in putting things away.  And it may mean that the school books look a bit like our laundry piles for a while because more important needs arise.

No matter what kind of flexibility I must exercise, having things off to an organized start is helping us to be ready for our second year of homeschooling.

So, what organizational tips and systems work for your family?

This post is linked up at Mom Tested Homeschool Blog Hop.  Hop on over to find more great ideas and input on starting the school year.

Times Have Changed

Approximately 10 years ago I had my life planned out.  If I can remember (and these days it's hard enough to remember what month it is), my plans looked something like this:

2003
     Finish Bachelor's Degree in Violin Performance
2004-2006
     Complete Master's Degree in Violin Performance
2006-present day
     Get an Orchestra Job
     Get Married
     Have Fun Performing and Attending Performances and Festivals
     Have Fun Being Married

I don't think I ever imagined life past the age of 25 and even though the desire for a family was always at the back of my mind, it certainly was not part of my plan as a person in my early 20's.  Marriage was as far as I ever thought and that (as the culture generally teaches) was supposed to wait until I had finished school and had a job.

Well, things were on track for about two minutes.  And then my plans started to head in other directions.  I was successful in completing my Bachelor's Degree - a degree for which I am still paying and using very little in my every day life.  But, at least I finished, right?

How and when the plans changed course I can't definitively say.  Some people would look at my life and say that the changes were a direct result of my choices.  Some people would say that the changes were mostly a result of circumstances.  And others would say it was a combination of the two.

While I agree that choices and circumstances worked together to bring me to where I am today, I firmly believe that God directed me every step of the way.  Exactly how His sovereignty is worked out in real life still stumps me, but after believing Him for salvation as a 16-year-old, I have continually submitted my life to Him - not perfectly, but consistently.

So, today as I found myself sitting in an open air pavilion, surrounded by summer day camps and sifting through a bag looking for snacks that my 2-year-old couldn't seem to get enough of, I remembered a life that I once lived.  One where I attended performances with other people who could sit still for more than 10 minutes and from which I did not exit the performance venue covered in smashed bananas and smelling of spit up.  It was a life full of aspirations and dreams - dreams that revolved around me.

Sure, I wanted to help others.  I wanted to minister and serve.  But through what means did I want to do these things?  Through spending hours in a practice room, getting a good job playing in an orchestra, or giving recitals where others would be blessed by the music that they heard.  I think God can work through this kind of career to reach people who need to know the Gospel.  I think that He calls people to performance-based careers for all kinds of reasons, both temporal and eternal.  I will not discredit those who are using their musical abilities to glorify God.  It's an avenue by which many people's hearts can be opened without them even realizing.

However, I'm pretty certain that my intentions were a bit mixed up.  Yes, I wanted to minister.  Yes, I wanted to serve.  But I also wanted to look good.  I wanted praise and approval for my performing abilities.  I wanted attention for myself.

This photo was 3-5 years "early" according to our plans.

If this is the reason why God led Claude and I to be married somewhere in the middle of what would have been my Master's Degree studies, I don't know for certain.  His ways are higher than mine and His thoughts higher than my thoughts.  I can't say that I know exactly why He allowed and even orchestrated the timing of our marriage.

If my selfish ambitions were the reason that He took me up on the many times I turned over my heart's desires and plans to Him for His will to be worked out, I also don't know for certain.  But I do know that the life I currently live is one that requires humility, selflessness, and mundane service that the practice room never expected of me.  Perhaps His desire for me was one of ministry and service.  And maybe the means to those ends didn't really matter in the grand scheme of things.

The reasons for the Lord leading Claude and I to marriage and starting a family when we did are undoubtedly many.  I see so many opportunities to be made into the image of  Christ with each passing day and the adjustment with each new stage of family life that I wouldn't have it any other way!  I also think our budget is thankful not to be accommodating the debt of a dust-collecting Master's Degree!

We look pitiful, don't we?

When I was pregnant with our second child, the mother of a friend looked at my blossoming belly with pity and said, "Oh, Becca.  So much has happened to you in the last few years!"  It was as if I was merely a product of unforeseen,  unwanted, and undesirable circumstances.  Imagine, getting married, moving to a new place, and having two babies back to back.  Certainly my life was over, my dreams were shattered, and I should feel sorry for my great losses in life.

I looked at this woman and smiled as big as I could.  I don't remember if I said anything but I realized then that the changes I was allowing and the choices I made to follow God's lead in marriage and family were not exactly popular.  Pursuing a career as a performing artist - that's popular.  Pursuing a path of humility and non-recognition - I must be oppressed and if I knew any better I would choose differently.

I have days when I don't particularly want to get up in the morning.  I don't always want to change the diapers, do the dishes, prepare meals, and keep up on disciplining the kids.  But neither will I consider turning back.  My hand is to the plow, and whatever the reasons, God's path for me now is to love and serve Him by loving and serving my husband and kids - wholeheartedly.

The reason I quit part-time orchestra gigs. :)

After the birth of our second child I stopped playing in part-time orchestras.  I stopped playing on the church worship team.  I stopped practicing almost altogether.  One morning I woke up, looked across the floorboards of our bedroom, and wondered to myself, "Is this really my life?"  It was the beginning of a process of reconciling my plans with my present.  It was a bumpy road, but I'm at the other end.  There's no need to feel sorry for me because I have chosen this life - chosen to follow God where He leads, and chosen to embrace all that He puts before me each day.  It's a beautiful place to be, even if I'd like to roll over in bed and pretend that the baby doesn't really need to be changed.  ;)

And can I just say that sitting in an audience of children, most of them chattering and wriggling in their seats, is quite refreshing.  I may have judged the caretakers and parents at one stage of my life.  "Why won't they just teach their kids to sit still and be quiet?"  While the Chew Crew did sit quiet and still for most of the program, I was thankful that it didn't ruffle anyone's feathers when I had to walk two rows up to chase down a roll-away sippy cup!

Times certainly have changed.  And they couldn't be better (laundry excluded)!  :) 

 Happy Guy!

 The Crew enjoys some PBJ before finding seats at the concert.

 Children's concerts are the way to go, folks!  Forget about stuffy concert halls.  Here you can eat your snack, take off your shoes, and put your feet up while you listen!  :)

Or, if chairs aren't an option because you're too busy or don't weigh enough to keep the chair from folding up on you, why not go exploring?

How have your plans changed over the years?  Are you still working through those changes or have you fully embraced where you are today?  What plans, if any, do you still have for the future?

Friday Funnies: The Things They Said

I ran across another photo of our dry erase board.  I know, who takes pictures of their dry erase board?  Apparently I do!  :)  And here are some snippets of what was written on the dry erase board, ca. Jan./Feb. 2011.

From Hannah
"Jesus speaks Spanish!"

"Shine and gracious to you, Abigail."

"I'm going to use the big potty.  Do not forbid me."

To Daddy: "I'm Married and your Joseph."


From Joshua
"Daddy, I don't think Abigail is going to smile at the appropriate time in the car."

"It's a big and fancy poop!"

"Spices are spicy!"

"Reading" his Bible to Hannah: "So, Moses ran away from Pharaoh and he went to a place called Gideon."

J: "Mommy, does Abigail crawl or walk?"
M: "Have you seen her crawl or walk?"
J: "Yeah.  She crawls like a worm."


 What funny things have your kids said recently?

Friday Funnies: The Trinity According to a Toddler

I had the opportunity to put the Abster to bed on her own tonight - just the two of us.  Usually we have family Bible time and I say goodnight to each child in turn before they head off to bed.  Claude spends some time talking with them individually on their beds, but tonight Abby needed to go to bed before the older kids so I had the chance hang out and chat more than usual.

Spending time with Abigail is always a joy and is usually entertaining.  Tonight I got to hear her perspective on a very big issue: The Trinity.  Here's the conversation that we had.

Abby: There are two Gods.  The God "God" and the God "Jesus".
Me: There is actually a third as well: The Holy Spirit.
A: [Stares blankly]
M: There is God the Father, God the Son - Jesus - and God the Holy Spirit.  Three Gods in One.  Three parts of the One True God.  We call it the Trinity.
A:  The Holy Spirit is my favorite one.
M: Did you know that if you are friends with Jesus then the Holy Spirit lives inside of you?
A: But how do you know that?
M: Well, I know because when I asked Jesus to save me from my sins and to come into my heart, the Holy Spirit came to live inside of me.  He helps me to follow Jesus and obey God's commands.
A: But he'll squish the new baby!  There's no room!  How does he fit???
M: I'm not sure how it works, exactly.
A: Well, our bodies can hold a lot of things!
 

Snapshots: Morning Bike Ride

This morning we packed up and went for a bike ride.  It was the perfect day for it - not too hot, nice cloud cover, and an occasional breeze.  The kids really enjoyed themselves!

My big accomplishment this morning was mounting the bike rack on the van and successfully loading up Joshua and Hannah's bikes.

 They were hesitant at the start.

But it didn't take long for them to get the hang of going fast!

 The Abster on her trike.  :)

 I knew the moment would come when Abby was done riding her trike and I wasn't entirely sure how that would work out.  But in the end I discovered, as I have on many occasions, that this stroller is AWESOME!  I was able to comfortably push two kids, two bags, and a tricycle around on a loose gravel trail.  I even managed to jog with it for the last 1/4 mile and the stroller handled beautifully the whole time.

 Jeremiah had fun shouting out to Abby and the big kids (when they were close enough to hear him).

 Proud of their efforts!  These guys rode over 1 mile and even Abby rode close to 1/2 mile.  Upon arriving back at the car Joshua declared, "That was a really good workout!  Now we need to go home and make a BIG lunch!"  :)

Overall this outing was so successful that I'm hoping we can make it a more regular event.  Perhaps it'll be a good way to get exercising postpartum???

What are your family's favorite outdoor activities?