A new year, a new plan

Five kids, four grades.  Sounds like a lot, doesn't it?
It is.
But to keep my sanity I just have to look around me at the mamas who are homeschooling 6,7,8 kids or more and they have all turned out normal.

Of course, normal is never guaranteed in our house.  But normal is boring. :)

I am often asked what curriculum we use for this and that, and I am quick to tell you that there is no "right" curriculum.  Our kids are all so different. They all move at their own paces and I just have to go with the flow and drink a lot of coffee.  :)

So, without further adieu, I present to you our tentative temporary i just hope we accomplish half of this schedule for the next two weeks year!

For my seventh grader we are using Easy Grammar Daily Grams, Rod and Staff English, Teaching Textbooks Math, Mavis Beacon Typing, and Expedition Earth Geography (carried over from last year).  My big guy will be attending a homeschool tutorial once a week where he will take Science, History through Literature, and Percussion Team (FUN!).

My sixth grader will do Easy Grammar Daily Grams, Learning Language Arts Through Literature, Teaching Textbooks Math, Mavis Beacon Typing, Expedition Earth Geography (carried over from last year), AOP Lifepac Science, and Beautiful Feet Ancient History through Literature (super excited about this one!).

My third grader, who has become a voracious reader (woot!) will be doing a full load of work...Easy Grammar Daily Grams, Learning Language Arts Through Literature, Kumon Cursive Handwriting workbooks, Mavis Beacon Typing (as time allows), Apologia Zoology 1 (carried over from last year), Daily Geography 3 (a fun workbook), and Beautiful Feet Early American History (she has already read her Abe Lincoln book because she couldn't wait!).

And, finally my first graders!  Wow, now this is my challenge...to get these two reading well and comfortable with primary math concepts.  They will get the first part of the day since their attention spans are the shortest. We will start their day with Calendar Time which teaches them, well, the calendar and math concepts such as counting money, place value, weather and seasons, etc.  Then we will work on All About Spelling Level 1, Horizons 1st Grade Math, Kumon Handwriting, and they will join their 3rd grade sister for Science and History.  I will also let them watch Magic Schoolbus and Liberty's Kids DVD's as time allows or to keep them occupied on rainy days.  We also have a mini trampoline in the Rec Room downstairs...worth it's wait in GOLD, I tell you!

Add to that a couple of tutoring sessions for areas in which a couple of the kids struggle, occupational therapy appointments, dance, gymnastics, soccer, music lessons, and basketball and you have a recipe for lots of productivity...or disaster.  It looks like so, so much when I write it all down here so I have to be realistic.

Is it possible to get it all done?  Nope.  No way.  But I pray we will get done what needs to get done.  I pray God will help us to cast aside the unnecessary and focus on what is important to their hearts and His future plans for them.  I always start the year with huge plans and a strict schedule but He streamlines us, simplifying as we go.  We will work diligently, but take breaks to play, relax, and rest.  We are starting a little early so that we can take off for birthdays and good-weather days.  It is going to be the most intense year of homeschooling so far and I know that we will only be successful if I am filled with the Holy Spirit and putting first things first.  My phone will be kept downstairs so that it's dings and beeps are not a distraction to any of us.  Scripture will be the centerpiece of our breakfast table and reading aloud in the comfort of our family room will be the delightful easing in to each day's work.

Speaking of read-alouds, after a family vote we decided to start our year by reading The Bark of the Bog Owl by Jonathan Rogers.  It seems my kids have a penchant for adventure!  No surprise there!  I love reading aloud to them and getting caught up in the story together.  The clinking of Legos, the scratching of a pencil drawing on notebook paper, the wide-eyed gasps when the story gets juicy all make me look forward to each new chapter.  What a blessing to spend these days together.  No matter how challenging or intense the coming years may be, I am so grateful that God called us to be home, learning together.