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Growing Up

Saxon Math Strategies to Stay on Track

This entry is part 1 of 7 in the series Homeschool

Lately, I have become obsessed with streamlining our Saxon Math experience. From the prep and planning to the actual doing of Saxon Math. I am looking for ways to make it easier on us as a class.

Currently our classroom (one-room schoolhouse style) includes 2 students – one in Saxon Math 1 and the other in Saxon Math 3. I am trying to teach both of them their different lessons at the same table at the same time.

We start together on the morning math meetings. Then they rotate in to be taught their lessons while the other is working on some sort of math practice. It works for us.

But I am always looking for that extra something that makes it even easier to teach my students.

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Growing Up

We Said Good-Bye to Kindergarten Math

Why we said Goodbye to Kindergarten math
This entry is part 2 of 7 in the series Homeschool

I am not normally one to completely give up on something right out of the starting gate.  But about 2 years ago, I gave up on kindergarten math about 3 lessons in.   Yep.  3 lessons.   I thought we could go back later, when I had a little more patience.  Later ended up being an entire year.  We said good-bye to kindergarten math and we never looked back.  Two years later and one kid more in kindergarten and I have absolutely no regrets.

Is it time for you to say good-bye to kindergarten math, too?  Or should you not even waste your time, energy, and money on a math curriculum for your kindergartner?  I don’t know.  But I don’t mind sharing my thinking behind this epiphany to help you decide. Continue Reading

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Growing Up, Nest Building

First Day of School 2018

What a beautiful homeschool space! I would love to learn here!
This entry is part 3 of 7 in the series Homeschool

We just finished our first day of school for the girls (and AG, by surprise) in our updated homeschool space.  I know it is Labor Day. But Labor Day means Daddy is home and I have help for the day. We also have our first community day with Classical Conversations tomorrow.  I am trying to alleviate the busyness of the morning tomorrow whilst establishing an understanding that we do school AT home.  I had to explain this to the girls a few times because excitement has an affect on their ears!

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Growing Up

The Problem of the Day

This entry is part 4 of 7 in the series Homeschool

Our first day of school was Monday, but Monday was not a day for pictures and celebration as I had hoped it would be. It was a day filled with tears only God could could count (and screaming, and frustration).

It started almost the moment she woke up. I chalked it up to her needing food in her mouth and nourishment for her tummy to function. She and I are intensely similar. The situation improved with each moment of our Gathering.

Then we sat down for math (Saxon, grade 3). This specific morning math meeting I shall never fully understand, nor ever forget.

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Growing Up

Simply Organizing All About Spelling

This entry is part 5 of 7 in the series Homeschool

Who knew teaching spelling to my girls would become one of my favorite parts of our day? And who knew that given the opportunity to have an uninterrupted conversation with my husband on a recent “date night,” the conversation would turn to a detailed discussion of various spelling rules? My life, it seems, has recently been organized around spelling and spelling rules. I have Marie Rippel’s All About Spelling curriculum to thank for that!

As I said, it has become a touchstone in our homeschool day. So much so that my 3 year old begs to be part of it. I oblige him at the end of our spelling time, and he is really becoming proficient in spelling simple words by sounding them out.

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Growing Up

Simple Shakespeare for Kids

This entry is part 6 of 7 in the series Homeschool

Intimidating. That is the one word that describes teaching Shakespeare to kids. At least for me. The language…the rhythm…the adult subject matter. “How in the world can we even approach this?” I asked myself this question a lot before I started teaching Shakespeare.

Encouraged by a podcast I listened to a few years ago, I knew it was a possibility. And I knew I would love to share Shakespeare with my kids. I shook off the intimidation and the insecurities and did as we have always done on this homeschooling journey: we simply jumped in.

The waters, it turned out, were just fine.

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