Today we started science. I decided to hold off on it for the first few weeks while we got the rest of our routines down. I knew it would be a great day because both of my kiddos just love exploring the world around them.
What science program are we using? Well, I'm so glad you asked! We are using Science for Christian Schools (grade 2) from Bob Jones University. We really liked this curriculum because they have really neat activities and experiments that we knew our children would really enjoy and we also really liked the reader that goes with it. We use it for both children (Kindergarten and Second Grade) but we just adjust it where we need to for the little one.
We were able find it used at a discounted price. If you live in the Phoenix area you should definitely check out Covenant Home School Resource Center. They gladly accept donations of books and other educational materials and they will even give you fifty percent off your purchase when you bring in a donation. They have a huge variety from all different curriculum and publishers. They also offer various classes for home schoolers. Their website is:
www.chsrc.org
Stay tuned for pictures of our first science adventure....
~Elizabeth~
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Our First Week
Our first week of home school was great. I am falling more and more in love with the home school life everyday. The kids seem to really be enjoying it too and it is such a joy for me to be with them watching them learn. I wonder why we didn't do this sooner?
I feel the need to clarify my last post a little. I worry that it may seem judgemental. That was not my intention at all. I do not judge people who do not home school. That is a very personal decision that each family must make on their own. The reason that passage jumped out at me so much is that when we decided to home school, I worried that we would be judged. I worried that people would label us as overprotective, narrow minded or sheltering our children too much. When I read this book, that passage just really resonated within me. It really reinforced what we were feeling. I guess if I had to paraphrase that passage on my own I would want to say:
"You home school because it is okay to want to guard your children against... etc.,etc."
Thanks for hearing my heart,and I hope I didn't offend anyone.
~Elizabeth~
I feel the need to clarify my last post a little. I worry that it may seem judgemental. That was not my intention at all. I do not judge people who do not home school. That is a very personal decision that each family must make on their own. The reason that passage jumped out at me so much is that when we decided to home school, I worried that we would be judged. I worried that people would label us as overprotective, narrow minded or sheltering our children too much. When I read this book, that passage just really resonated within me. It really reinforced what we were feeling. I guess if I had to paraphrase that passage on my own I would want to say:
"You home school because it is okay to want to guard your children against... etc.,etc."
Thanks for hearing my heart,and I hope I didn't offend anyone.
~Elizabeth~
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Because it is right...
As I mentioned yesterday, today was a pretty light day, school-wise. We had a great day together as a family and just enjoyed Daddy being home with us. It is great to have the freedom and flexibility to be able to do that.
I wanted to share with you a book that has really influenced my thoughts on home schooling. It is one that I was highly encouraged to read, and I would encourage anyone to read it as well. Here's a little snippet that really articulates what I felt in my heart but did not know how to express...
Educating The WholeHearted Child
By: Clay and Sally Clarkson
..."And in your heart, you made that step of faith to do what you knew was right-to bring your children home to disciple and educate them as a family.
That decision though, was not an uninformed or blind leap of faith. It was guided by conviction, born out of much consideration and research, and shaped in your heart and mind by the Holy Spirit. You have good reasons why home schooling is the right thing to do. You home school because it is right to guard your children against the aggressive secular, humanistic worldview of the public school. You home school because it is right shield your children from the immorality that permeates the public school, both the student body and the faculty. You home school because it is right to protect your children from the violence and wickedness that inflicts so many public schools. You home school because it is right to want your children to receive a better education under your loving guidance than the average public school is providing. You home school because it is right for parents to control what their children are studying and are being exposed to without being labelled intolerant and narrow-minded. You home school because it is right to decide that learning at home is better stewardship than spending thousands of dollars for a private school. You home school because it is right to follow God's design for family, not just in living, but in learning as well. You home school because it is right to guide your children's Christian character development at home rather than allow them to be "socialized" by secular, untrained, unsupervised school mates. You home school because it is right to keep your children under your authority until they are grown, rather than place them under other unknown authorities at school. You home school because it is right to love your children and want to be with them everyday of their lives until they are grown-that is what God intended."
I hope this has encouraged you as much as it has encouraged me...
~Elizabeth~
I wanted to share with you a book that has really influenced my thoughts on home schooling. It is one that I was highly encouraged to read, and I would encourage anyone to read it as well. Here's a little snippet that really articulates what I felt in my heart but did not know how to express...
Educating The WholeHearted Child
By: Clay and Sally Clarkson
..."And in your heart, you made that step of faith to do what you knew was right-to bring your children home to disciple and educate them as a family.
That decision though, was not an uninformed or blind leap of faith. It was guided by conviction, born out of much consideration and research, and shaped in your heart and mind by the Holy Spirit. You have good reasons why home schooling is the right thing to do. You home school because it is right to guard your children against the aggressive secular, humanistic worldview of the public school. You home school because it is right shield your children from the immorality that permeates the public school, both the student body and the faculty. You home school because it is right to protect your children from the violence and wickedness that inflicts so many public schools. You home school because it is right to want your children to receive a better education under your loving guidance than the average public school is providing. You home school because it is right for parents to control what their children are studying and are being exposed to without being labelled intolerant and narrow-minded. You home school because it is right to decide that learning at home is better stewardship than spending thousands of dollars for a private school. You home school because it is right to follow God's design for family, not just in living, but in learning as well. You home school because it is right to guide your children's Christian character development at home rather than allow them to be "socialized" by secular, untrained, unsupervised school mates. You home school because it is right to keep your children under your authority until they are grown, rather than place them under other unknown authorities at school. You home school because it is right to love your children and want to be with them everyday of their lives until they are grown-that is what God intended."
I hope this has encouraged you as much as it has encouraged me...
~Elizabeth~
Monday, August 10, 2009
Day One Down
We had a short "trial" run last Friday, but our first official day of school was today. So, are you just dying to hear how it went??? I would love to tell you that everything was wonderful and rosy but, I made a promise to myself that I would share the good, the bad and the ugly of our home school journey, so here goes...
Today got off to a VERY rough start. I kind of had a feeling that once the reality of everything set in, my little man(who had gone to public school for kindergarten and first grade) might have a hard time adjusting to my new role as his teacher. So, yes, he had a very hard time indeed. He said a few things like:
* "This is not the way Ms. H did it last year."
or
* "I don't want to sit by my sister."
or
* "I don't want to be home schooled anymore. Actually, I don't want to have school at all."
So we stopped for an early lunch around 11 AM, prayed, regrouped and then dove back in. And guess what? That prayer (and lunch) worked wonders! Everyone came back to the learning room, much less crabby (myself included)! We were able to get through math, spelling and a language lesson in about 45 minutes. Our school day ended at 12:45. We relaxed for a bit before heading off for some fellowship with some awesome friends. All in all, I think it was a pretty great day, even if it got off to a rocky start.
Tomorrow, my husband is off work, so we will have a pretty light school day, lots of fun with Daddy and finish up tomorrow's lessons on Saturday when he is at work.
Thanks for reading!
~Elizabeth~
Today got off to a VERY rough start. I kind of had a feeling that once the reality of everything set in, my little man(who had gone to public school for kindergarten and first grade) might have a hard time adjusting to my new role as his teacher. So, yes, he had a very hard time indeed. He said a few things like:
* "This is not the way Ms. H did it last year."
or
* "I don't want to sit by my sister."
or
* "I don't want to be home schooled anymore. Actually, I don't want to have school at all."
So we stopped for an early lunch around 11 AM, prayed, regrouped and then dove back in. And guess what? That prayer (and lunch) worked wonders! Everyone came back to the learning room, much less crabby (myself included)! We were able to get through math, spelling and a language lesson in about 45 minutes. Our school day ended at 12:45. We relaxed for a bit before heading off for some fellowship with some awesome friends. All in all, I think it was a pretty great day, even if it got off to a rocky start.
Tomorrow, my husband is off work, so we will have a pretty light school day, lots of fun with Daddy and finish up tomorrow's lessons on Saturday when he is at work.
Thanks for reading!
~Elizabeth~
Friday, August 7, 2009
Welcome!
The purpose of this blog is to encourage fellow home schooling families. Whether you are a veteran home schooler, just getting your feet wet or are just learning about home schooling I hope that you find encouragement and support here.
When my husband and I started looking into home schooling, we naturally wanted to learn everything we could. We wanted to know what other family's home school journeys looked like. We were incredibly blessed to have a few friends who let us do just that. They let us come into their homes, pick their brains and allow us to see what home school looked like for them. They also prayed for us and encouraged us.
That is my desire for this blog. I want to document our journey and hopefully it will be an encouragement to others. Now is the perfect time to start because we are just getting started! As we embark on this journey as a family, I will share with you what we are doing, what has worked for us and what has not.
Thanks so much for reading! More to come soon...
~Elizabeth~
When my husband and I started looking into home schooling, we naturally wanted to learn everything we could. We wanted to know what other family's home school journeys looked like. We were incredibly blessed to have a few friends who let us do just that. They let us come into their homes, pick their brains and allow us to see what home school looked like for them. They also prayed for us and encouraged us.
That is my desire for this blog. I want to document our journey and hopefully it will be an encouragement to others. Now is the perfect time to start because we are just getting started! As we embark on this journey as a family, I will share with you what we are doing, what has worked for us and what has not.
Thanks so much for reading! More to come soon...
~Elizabeth~
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
