Homeschool is Starting!

School doesn't start for three more weeks around here, but, since it's too hot to do...  well,...   ...anything, I figured we may as well start our homeschool.  We can take a week off in October when it's safe to go outdoors again.  Aren't we the lucky one's that will be able to play outside in the beautiful golden fall sunshine!?  I am really getting into not having to follow the school's schedule. 

I had Little Dude home with me for the last nine weeks of last school year, but that was just practice.  Now we are starting homeschooling for reals!  I was pretty nervous about choosing a curriculum.  I scoured websites and read forums till my eyes just about popped out of my head.  I didn't want to make a mistake.  When I had reached a fever pitch of anxiety over this choice, my sweet Mr. Sahm reminded me that this was not in my hands alone.  He reminded me that God would guide me in this choice, and he was so right!  So finally, I chose one of the first curriculums I looked at.

Sonlight, of course!  It covers Reading, Language, Science, History, Bible and Geography.  It has a lot of qualities that I think (and hope!) will really work for us.

One really great part is the BOOKS!

I love books, and I love reading, and I love reading out loud, so what could be more perfect than a curriculum that comes with stacks and stacks of books?  Miss Mae and Little Dude are good readers, and really love being read to, so I think it will be pleasant for everyone concerned.


Another thing that I like about it is all the History!

I am so interested in History! I love it, and I always have. I'm kind of excited that now, I get to teach my kids History, instead of some teacher that doesn't know how fascinating it all is!  Saved from boring History!  This year, we are doing Core B&C, which is a quick trip through World History.  We are gonna have so much fun!


Because I am new to homeschooling, and because I know how scattered I can get, the best part of the curriculum may be this...

Lesson plans all laid out for me.  I don't have to spend a bunch of time getting this done.  I can spend my time getting fun activities prepared to go with these lessons.  Or, if I'm scattered, it's already there, ready to go.


For Math, Little Dude will be using Saxon, which was recommended by my sweet friend, math teacher/former homeschool mom, Celia.  Math has always been easy for Miss Mae.  In school, her standardized test scores were consistently very high, but since the gifted program in school is geared towards language skills, she did not qualify.  She is so excited that now she will be using an online math program, Aleks and she can go as fast as she wants, as long as she is mastering the material.  I'm sure she'll be in Algebra by next year...if she can ever memorize her multiplication tables!


Because writing on paper with a pencil is sooo challenging for my ADHD Little Dude, I also will have them both work on typing for a bit each day.  I'm hoping that if his skills are good enough, he will be able to type his writing on the computer and really be able to get his ideas down, rather than struggling with the pencil.  I bought the Jump Start Typing program.  I'll let you know how it works out!


For Music, they will both take piano lessons and sing in the children's choir at Church.  Miss Mae wants to take a musical theatre class too.  (Hope I can afford it!  It looks like so much fun!)


For PE, they will participate in soccer in summer, baseball/softball in fall and spring, and basketball in winter.  We will also have weekly park days with other homeschooling friends, as soon as it is less than 1000 degrees every day.  (No, that is not a typo.  1000 degrees.  This is Texas, y'all!)


Field trips, the library, art projects, and hopefully a bit of volunteer work should round it all out.


Well, I am new to this.  I don't know if I have gaping holes to be filled, or if I've bitten off more than I can chew.  Whaddaya think?  I think it sounds fun, and I think my kiddos will have fun.  They are so excited to get started!  Here we go!