We are having a great time homeschooling. Lilli is doing really well. I LOVE the curriculum so far. So does Lilli.
Right now we're finishing up magnets (physics) and learning about North American Animlasls for Science.
Math, she's onto adding two digit numbers with carrying.
For reading, she's half way finished with her first reading book and reads anything she can get her hands on as well.
She loves LA, so I'm thinking about getting Explode the Code books for her to use with her LA curriculum.
World history is exciting and fun for her. I'm glad because I HATED History in school.
We are loving Sonlight at this point and so far, I'm pretty sure we'll use it again next year.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Monday, August 17, 2009
First day of school
Well, we started school today. I'm not happy about a few things (but it's all Lilli and her likes/dislikes, not the curriculum) so we'll have to tweek a little but it'll all work out.
We finished everything except our Read Aloud which includes today's map lesson, but we'll use that as a bedtime story/family discussion lesson.
Delaney wanted in on the action, so when Lilli finished her Science for the day, we read Delaney's alphatbet book and sang the ABC song. I think she liked it.
Lilli LOVES Math, but apparently hates copywork/writing. In her Horizon's Math workbook, she had to write numbers in a bunch of different ways (copy work, number lines, fill in the blanks, etc) and she got sick of all the writing. UGH!
I love Handwriting without Tears. It turns everything into a fun game.
Doing some copywork from her reading assignment. She's way ahead of the books for the reading assignments so I'll have to come up with something different.
Art....a "finish the picture" project. I cut a picture of a llama out of a magazine and pasted it to a piece of paper. She had to finish the llama and draw the background. She liked it!
That's all the pictures for today, but as you can see, she has actually started school. :o)
We finished everything except our Read Aloud which includes today's map lesson, but we'll use that as a bedtime story/family discussion lesson.
Delaney wanted in on the action, so when Lilli finished her Science for the day, we read Delaney's alphatbet book and sang the ABC song. I think she liked it.
Lilli LOVES Math, but apparently hates copywork/writing. In her Horizon's Math workbook, she had to write numbers in a bunch of different ways (copy work, number lines, fill in the blanks, etc) and she got sick of all the writing. UGH!
I love Handwriting without Tears. It turns everything into a fun game.
Doing some copywork from her reading assignment. She's way ahead of the books for the reading assignments so I'll have to come up with something different.
Art....a "finish the picture" project. I cut a picture of a llama out of a magazine and pasted it to a piece of paper. She had to finish the llama and draw the background. She liked it!
That's all the pictures for today, but as you can see, she has actually started school. :o)
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Ready to start!
Not that we ever really stopped learning, but school officially starts in our house on Monday. Lilli is excited. She keeps looking at her books asking when we can start. I'm really excited about using Sonlight this year. Hopefully I still like it at the end of the year. :o)
I do still have to hang Lilli's map, timeline, and get a globe.
Here is the room. The easel is on the left, then Lilli's books, the desk, the drawers with math manipulatives, science experiment supplies, and art supplies. In the corner is the turtle tank and the hamster cage.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Regs
I am SO frustrated with the NYS regulations. I'm looking through the IHIP (Individualized Home Instruction plan) examples that I have. I don't get what you are supposed to write in them. Some people include the actual books they use. Other's just put "various books.....etc" and explain their plan of action. I'm pretty sure the regs ask for book titles, but I'm not 100% on that. I need to print out a new copy of the regulations so I know for sure. It's just so frustrating. I'm trying to do what's best for my kids, and the state tries to make it SO difficult. AHHHHH!!!!
Monday, July 27, 2009
Random
I'm trying to decide when to start school. We have had the curriculum for quite a while, so we could start anytime now.
Public school doesn't officially start here until after Labor day, but I certainly don't intend on waiting that long.
I'm actually really nervous about it. NYS has pretty strict regulations. You have to send in an LOI, and IHIP, and quarterly reports as well as an end of the year assessment. They make it SO hard for parents who want to do what's best for their kids. They want to be in control of our every move.
I'm still waiting for my school district to send me their IHIP form. In the meantime, I have written down each of Lilli's books, along with the author. I plan on taking a copy of an IHIP someone else used, and using it as an outline. I'd like to have my IHIP done and sent in within the next week or so. I want to be able to start school without worrying that I still have some unfinished business with the district. I called, and they said they don't send out the IHIP forms until August. Well, I want to start school in August, so that won't work for me.
I am actually very excited about our curriculum. There is a ton of reading. There's a lot of workbook type work. And TONS of science. I know Lilli will love it.
I have had issues finding some sort of group for us to belong to. Hopefully this fall, going to the library during school hours, we'll find other homeschooled kids there. We didn't have that sort of luck last year, but I was also very pregnant, and going back and forth to the hospital to see Josh and my mom every other day. I probably looked like a pregnant zombie.
Lilli is going to play soccer this fall. We're both excited about it. I played soccer for 17 years, so it will be neat to be on the other side of it, watching my daughter play. I told her if she doesn't like it, we'll find something else for her to do next year.
Oh well, how's that for an update. I have no idea what I'm doing. Wish me luck!!!
Public school doesn't officially start here until after Labor day, but I certainly don't intend on waiting that long.
I'm actually really nervous about it. NYS has pretty strict regulations. You have to send in an LOI, and IHIP, and quarterly reports as well as an end of the year assessment. They make it SO hard for parents who want to do what's best for their kids. They want to be in control of our every move.
I'm still waiting for my school district to send me their IHIP form. In the meantime, I have written down each of Lilli's books, along with the author. I plan on taking a copy of an IHIP someone else used, and using it as an outline. I'd like to have my IHIP done and sent in within the next week or so. I want to be able to start school without worrying that I still have some unfinished business with the district. I called, and they said they don't send out the IHIP forms until August. Well, I want to start school in August, so that won't work for me.
I am actually very excited about our curriculum. There is a ton of reading. There's a lot of workbook type work. And TONS of science. I know Lilli will love it.
I have had issues finding some sort of group for us to belong to. Hopefully this fall, going to the library during school hours, we'll find other homeschooled kids there. We didn't have that sort of luck last year, but I was also very pregnant, and going back and forth to the hospital to see Josh and my mom every other day. I probably looked like a pregnant zombie.
Lilli is going to play soccer this fall. We're both excited about it. I played soccer for 17 years, so it will be neat to be on the other side of it, watching my daughter play. I told her if she doesn't like it, we'll find something else for her to do next year.
Oh well, how's that for an update. I have no idea what I'm doing. Wish me luck!!!
Saturday, May 9, 2009
New curriculum
Lilli's new curriculum came yesterday. We decided to go with Sonlight (Newcomer Core 1). I have been going through the teachers guide and some of the books and I'm so excited about it. Lilli actually can't wait to start. :o)
I sent my LOI in to the school district yesterday as well. New York State makes it difficult as far as all the paperwork parents have to send in, but I'm sure once I get used to it it won't be so bad.
I am determined to keep up with this blog to keep track of Lilli's schooling since I need to keep things organized for sending into the school district.
If I don't keep up with it, someone please email me and yell at me. :o)
I sent my LOI in to the school district yesterday as well. New York State makes it difficult as far as all the paperwork parents have to send in, but I'm sure once I get used to it it won't be so bad.
I am determined to keep up with this blog to keep track of Lilli's schooling since I need to keep things organized for sending into the school district.
If I don't keep up with it, someone please email me and yell at me. :o)
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