Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Not Back-to-School Blog Hop {curriculum week}

I remember this time last year browsing through all the blogs that linked up each week at the Not Back-to-School Blog Hop! I received so many great ideas and inspiration - plus, I loved looking at others school rooms and shelves packed with books! {book-nerd here...in case you couldn't tell already!} 

This year, when I was reminded  of the Blog Hop through other blogs that I follow, I immediately knew I wanted to take part and link up each week! So, for the rest of August, I will be linking up each week and sharing a little about our life as a homeschooling family!

This weeks topic is Curriculum. You may remember this post I wrote a few months ago about how stressful choosing what "curriculum" I wanted to use was! The options are limitless. I truly spent hours praying - which was the best decision, because ultimately this is His plan for my children's lives - over what would be best for us. I thought I needed something that was already laid out for me - where all the planning was already done and all I needed to do was present it to my daughter. I didn't think I could handle having a stack of books in front of me and deciding when and how and which days to use them.  I underestimate myself far too many times. Little did I know, God's plan involved me doing just that! 

I was given some great advice by a fellow homeschooler. She told me to concentrate on what my children's interests were and how they enjoyed learning about those things. That is the beauty of homeschooling - you tailor it specifically to the needs of your child! 

I also read Educating the WholeHearted Child by Clay and Sally Clarkson, which I highly recommend, and in it, they talk a lot about having the focus of your homeschool be around God's word. This should be the most important aspect of what my children are learning. Sounds so simple and like something I should have already known and considered, being that we are a Christian Homeschooling Family, but I seriously had been putting more emphasis on finding the write Phonics books rather than looking for the best way to teach them Jesus! 

So, I sat and re-evaluated my whole outlook and idea of homeschooling. What areas did I want to concentrate on most this year? What was most important and vital, to me, for Emma to be learning? 

Here is what I came up with:
Bible first
Phonics and Reading second
and the rest is meant to just have fun with and take with a grain of salt! 

I do not want to stress myself out and I certainly do not want to stress Emma out! I want homeschooling to be a fun learning environment - for all of us! I want us to be successful in it and continue doing so unless the Lord's plan says otherwise! 

I started researching and reading about different Bible curriculums and phonics/reading curriculums - since these were most important to me! I knew of Apologia, for their wonderful Science curriculums and their friendly advice through Facebook, but was not aware that they also had Bible curriculums until I received one of their magazines in the mail. I was thrilled when I found out this would be a perfect fit for us. We will be using the Who is God? set. I am very excited to be learning from this as well! 






C5925690, Uploaded with Snapbucket

Phonics/reading was a bit of a challenge for me to decide on what to go with. After much reading and many, many, questions asked, I decided on a variety of things! We will be using Explode the Code 1 for Phonics. For read-alouds and such, I will be following the Five in a Row curriculum as well as using BOB Books and, of course, our library! I am so very excited to be teaching Emma to read! I hope and pray she becomes a book-worm just like her mama! 

F8491DB3, Uploaded with Snapbucket

Emma LOVES animals! I mean, LOVES them! I wasn't going to do much with a Science Curriculum this year, since she is only "technically" in Kindergarten, but when I saw Land Animals of the Sixth Day in the Apologia Magazine, I knew this was something she was really going to enjoy! We will be spending a few days each week learning about all the beautiful animals God placed on this earth for us to enjoy.


183C6662, Uploaded with Snapbucket

Lastly is Math. I decided on Singapore's Earlybird Kindergarten Mathematics book. It is simple enough and just the right amount of math to add into each of our days.  


F70D4AFD, Uploaded with Snapbucket

I am looking forward to the start of our homeschool year! I think we all are going to have a great time learning together! 

To find more inspiration and ideas from other homeschooling families, head on over to iHomeschool Network

 
Not Back to School Blog Hop


 
God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him.
1 John 4:16b-17


7 comments:

  1. We are using Singapore Math as well, and my Emma LOVES it. In fact, we are schooling year round and have already started the book. I had to put it away because she is already 3/4 of the way through the first book. The girl likes her math. Looking forward to following along with your blog hop posts!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I'm so glad I found your blog! Your little girl is the same age as mine and we are learning a lot of the same things! I picked different curriculums but your choices were at the top of my lists too so I'm excited to see how you like them!

    And I totally get being scared to do the daily planning! I didn't even think about it until all of our books arrived and I just sat and stared at them for a few days wondering what the heck I was supposed to do next! Learning as I go!

    Can't wait to follow your journey too!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Amy, I love the choices you have come up with for your sweet Emma! I think you are going to have a wonderful year!
    And, I love your story... in some ways it's opposite of mine. I always wanted to be the "planner" and figure out exactly when and how to teach my kids, with what materials, etc. But, God worked in my heart and led me to a different place- which involves having it all planned out for me. I'm just so amazed at what an awesome God we serve- One who leads us all every step of the way as we surrender to Him.
    Oh, and I just want to say what an honor it has been to pray for you throughout this journey.
    Many blessings to you! Jessica

    ReplyDelete
  4. It looks like you've put a lot of thought into you plan for Kindy! Great choices :) My younger daughter won't be in Kindy until 2014, but I plan to use Five In A Row for her too.
    Good luck on your HS journey!!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Check out this amazing school fundraiser www.scholarpon.com you cant buy daily deals and give back to schools.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Good work Article is awosome i like Satta King by the next afternoon I'm chomping at the bit to get back to it.This is very good blogspot theme, where you can find out the best theme and latest designs Very good . Know what you mean. but You know about the Game which is viral soo fast in India play bazaar

    ReplyDelete
  7. Good work Article is awosome i like Satta King by the next afternoon I'm chomping at the bit to get back to it.This is very good blogspot theme, where you can find out the best theme and latest designs Very good . Know what you mean. but You know about the Game which is viral soo fast in India play bazaar

    ReplyDelete

I love hearing from my readers! Thanks for stopping by and saying "Hi"!

Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Not Back-to-School Blog Hop {curriculum week}

I remember this time last year browsing through all the blogs that linked up each week at the Not Back-to-School Blog Hop! I received so many great ideas and inspiration - plus, I loved looking at others school rooms and shelves packed with books! {book-nerd here...in case you couldn't tell already!} 

This year, when I was reminded  of the Blog Hop through other blogs that I follow, I immediately knew I wanted to take part and link up each week! So, for the rest of August, I will be linking up each week and sharing a little about our life as a homeschooling family!

This weeks topic is Curriculum. You may remember this post I wrote a few months ago about how stressful choosing what "curriculum" I wanted to use was! The options are limitless. I truly spent hours praying - which was the best decision, because ultimately this is His plan for my children's lives - over what would be best for us. I thought I needed something that was already laid out for me - where all the planning was already done and all I needed to do was present it to my daughter. I didn't think I could handle having a stack of books in front of me and deciding when and how and which days to use them.  I underestimate myself far too many times. Little did I know, God's plan involved me doing just that! 

I was given some great advice by a fellow homeschooler. She told me to concentrate on what my children's interests were and how they enjoyed learning about those things. That is the beauty of homeschooling - you tailor it specifically to the needs of your child! 

I also read Educating the WholeHearted Child by Clay and Sally Clarkson, which I highly recommend, and in it, they talk a lot about having the focus of your homeschool be around God's word. This should be the most important aspect of what my children are learning. Sounds so simple and like something I should have already known and considered, being that we are a Christian Homeschooling Family, but I seriously had been putting more emphasis on finding the write Phonics books rather than looking for the best way to teach them Jesus! 

So, I sat and re-evaluated my whole outlook and idea of homeschooling. What areas did I want to concentrate on most this year? What was most important and vital, to me, for Emma to be learning? 

Here is what I came up with:
Bible first
Phonics and Reading second
and the rest is meant to just have fun with and take with a grain of salt! 

I do not want to stress myself out and I certainly do not want to stress Emma out! I want homeschooling to be a fun learning environment - for all of us! I want us to be successful in it and continue doing so unless the Lord's plan says otherwise! 

I started researching and reading about different Bible curriculums and phonics/reading curriculums - since these were most important to me! I knew of Apologia, for their wonderful Science curriculums and their friendly advice through Facebook, but was not aware that they also had Bible curriculums until I received one of their magazines in the mail. I was thrilled when I found out this would be a perfect fit for us. We will be using the Who is God? set. I am very excited to be learning from this as well! 






C5925690, Uploaded with Snapbucket

Phonics/reading was a bit of a challenge for me to decide on what to go with. After much reading and many, many, questions asked, I decided on a variety of things! We will be using Explode the Code 1 for Phonics. For read-alouds and such, I will be following the Five in a Row curriculum as well as using BOB Books and, of course, our library! I am so very excited to be teaching Emma to read! I hope and pray she becomes a book-worm just like her mama! 

F8491DB3, Uploaded with Snapbucket

Emma LOVES animals! I mean, LOVES them! I wasn't going to do much with a Science Curriculum this year, since she is only "technically" in Kindergarten, but when I saw Land Animals of the Sixth Day in the Apologia Magazine, I knew this was something she was really going to enjoy! We will be spending a few days each week learning about all the beautiful animals God placed on this earth for us to enjoy.


183C6662, Uploaded with Snapbucket

Lastly is Math. I decided on Singapore's Earlybird Kindergarten Mathematics book. It is simple enough and just the right amount of math to add into each of our days.  


F70D4AFD, Uploaded with Snapbucket

I am looking forward to the start of our homeschool year! I think we all are going to have a great time learning together! 

To find more inspiration and ideas from other homeschooling families, head on over to iHomeschool Network

 
Not Back to School Blog Hop


 
God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him.
1 John 4:16b-17


7 comments:

  1. We are using Singapore Math as well, and my Emma LOVES it. In fact, we are schooling year round and have already started the book. I had to put it away because she is already 3/4 of the way through the first book. The girl likes her math. Looking forward to following along with your blog hop posts!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I'm so glad I found your blog! Your little girl is the same age as mine and we are learning a lot of the same things! I picked different curriculums but your choices were at the top of my lists too so I'm excited to see how you like them!

    And I totally get being scared to do the daily planning! I didn't even think about it until all of our books arrived and I just sat and stared at them for a few days wondering what the heck I was supposed to do next! Learning as I go!

    Can't wait to follow your journey too!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Amy, I love the choices you have come up with for your sweet Emma! I think you are going to have a wonderful year!
    And, I love your story... in some ways it's opposite of mine. I always wanted to be the "planner" and figure out exactly when and how to teach my kids, with what materials, etc. But, God worked in my heart and led me to a different place- which involves having it all planned out for me. I'm just so amazed at what an awesome God we serve- One who leads us all every step of the way as we surrender to Him.
    Oh, and I just want to say what an honor it has been to pray for you throughout this journey.
    Many blessings to you! Jessica

    ReplyDelete
  4. It looks like you've put a lot of thought into you plan for Kindy! Great choices :) My younger daughter won't be in Kindy until 2014, but I plan to use Five In A Row for her too.
    Good luck on your HS journey!!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Check out this amazing school fundraiser www.scholarpon.com you cant buy daily deals and give back to schools.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Good work Article is awosome i like Satta King by the next afternoon I'm chomping at the bit to get back to it.This is very good blogspot theme, where you can find out the best theme and latest designs Very good . Know what you mean. but You know about the Game which is viral soo fast in India play bazaar

    ReplyDelete
  7. Good work Article is awosome i like Satta King by the next afternoon I'm chomping at the bit to get back to it.This is very good blogspot theme, where you can find out the best theme and latest designs Very good . Know what you mean. but You know about the Game which is viral soo fast in India play bazaar

    ReplyDelete

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