My School Monday: A Good Start

 

Last Wednesday was our first day of homeschool, as well as Brandon's first day of his Junior year at the public high school. I still had Amy home so I had her join in and do a few lessons too. We're using SOS 8th grade Bible and I had both girls do lessons in that. I also had Amy do a few lessons from our MFW history, focusing on the Dispersion and Ice Age. My goal is to get her ready for her public classroom where they'll be talking about "early man". Gag.

She started today. My heart is torn in this decision to let her finish out her elementary career at our public school. I often wonder if it's weakness on my part. I am basically inviting an anti-Christian teacher to influence and instruct her from his worldview. And I am giving him six full hours a day to do it. But that's not the biggest concern. Because I can stay on top of the curriculum and we can read the corresponding material from a Christian perspective and all that. The bigger concern is that I am also inviting 30 immature, inexperienced and untrained age-mates to influence her socially. How will my little girl change over the course of this year in her attitudes and heart? Sigh. I'm committed to keeping on top of everything that goes on in her life at school and preparing myself to pull  her out and bring her home at the first sign of trouble.

So as I said, I did some light schooling with her for a few days last week. She was here for Kaitlyn's first science experiment (see what fun homeschool can be?) and asked to help as we taped copper wire to a 9V battery and put the other ends into a glass of baking soda water. I laminated a pullout from an AIG magazine on fossil layers, we watched a video on the origins of humans, we prayed and did daily morning devotions. Last night and this morning I prayed over her that she would go out in her spiritual armor, protected from anything in that classroom trying to lure her away from the Lord. I hope that hearing me pray that aloud will make an impact.

I also have done some "school" with Trevor. He's only 2 so it's very informal, but it's just to give him something to do and keep him stimulated. He was very excited about his "school"--the Cars notebook I purchased at Staples. He loves to scribble in it as he sits in his little desk. We spent three days learning about the color blue and doing various art projects in that color. (This week we are moving on to red.)  The first day, we used several shades of blue crayons to color a blank white paper. The next day, we tore up construction paper in both light and dark blue and glued them to a piece of black construction paper on which I'd drawn a basic cloud shape. Friday, we used blue water color paint on white printer paper. He got to use some other colors that day too since he just couldn't resist. It was a lot of fun for all of us and I think it inspires Kait as well. She likes the privelege of being home to help teach her brother.

Kait is falling right in and doing very well. She thrives on workbook style material which is a bit surprising to me. She tends to do the minimum she can get away with, so workbooks with specific Q/A's keep her on top of her material better than essays alone. Therefore, the Abeka history is looking like a real good fit and I may look at their Health curriculum as well.

So there you have it. Our first (short) week. Now it's time for me to get back to the kiddos in the other room and get the Bob & Larry fruit snacks out of Trevor's reach!  I hope you all have a blessed week.

Share one good thing that happened to you last week.