Back to School

It's a new school year at the Watson household.  We just finished up our second week of school with three official students!

{Mikayla a proud Kindergartener}

{Caileigh, 2nd grade}

{Aiden, 3rd grade}

Last week we threw a "Back to School Art Party".  We invited friends over and had fun creating three different art projects.   We kept the projects open-ended so they could encompass all the kids aged 1-8.

What does a typical school day look like at our home?

I like to start my day around 6.  I feel so much better prepared for the day if I have a chance to drink my coffee, have some quiet time, and get dressed.

The kids all wake up at varied times but by the time everyone is up, we are usually ready for breakfast around 7:30.

We start the day with breakfast and devotions.  We practice our memory verse, read a story and discuss our plans for the day.  

After breakfast, the kids get dressed, brush their teeth and I clean up the kitchen, put laundry on, etc.  We all meet back at the dining table and start in on our assignments.

We've started a new system this year where Aiden and Caileigh have a weekly sheet that shows them the work that is expected each day.  We school on a 4 day week so their daily work reflects this.  Each morning the kids are responsible for reading comprehension, spelling, math, grammar, piano, cursive and typing.  They can do the subjects in any order they wish and they check off the work as they complete.  They also have the option to complete the work earlier in the week if they should choose. (this hasn't happened yet and I will be interested to see if it does)

Both kids love cursive so that is usually their first choice.

Once the older two are working away, I help Mikayla with her school.  She does reading, writing, math and piano each morning.

Mikayla loves to read Bob books.  They are early readers and she typically gets through 1/2 each day.  When she finishes a book she adds a circle to her caterpillar.  She can't wait for the caterpillar to go across the whole playroom!

I try and keep the younger two busy with activities but this feels like a full time job!  Activity, mischief, re-direct...... repeat.

Today I left the boys happily colouring.............

hmmmm, not exactly the type of colouring I had in mind.

Oh good, they're quietly looking at books.

Wait!  How did he get up there so fast?

Let's try patterns.  

Green, purple, green, purple, green, purple.....orange?

We are usually finishing up the first portion of school around 10:30.  We break for snack and while the kids eat, I read them books and we have discussions.  We might read about recycling, discuss what we can do to contribute and then decide to go on a walk in the afternoon to pick up garbage (like we did last week) 

We try to incorporate group activities.  Today Aiden and Caileigh needed to review their spelling words.  We all sat in the living room and while I quizzed the older two on their words, I questioned Mikayla on things like days of the week, reading words, or simple math problems.  The little guys participated by going over their letter sounds, colours and numbers.  The prize was little marshmallows!

For the last hour before lunch we study "one more thing".  Each day of the week has a different topic we explore.  For example Mondays are for Social Studies and we do map work and work on memorizing the provinces and capital cities.  Tuesday we do History and this week we learned about Japan and had our own loose version of a japanese tea ceremony.  The kids wrote Haikus and hung them off branches to make "wind poems".

Every other week we have friends over to explore different topics.  This month we're trying out different art projects and next month we'll be looking at animal habitats.

Saturdays are reserved for poetry and once a month we'll be having a "Poetry Tea Party".  Today we had our friends over to join us.  We drank tea, ate goodies and read poetry.

After lunch we all play outside until around 2 or 3.  At this time there are plenty of melt downs so it becomes "quiet time" for the little guys and the big three settle in for a read-aloud.

We just finished "The Secret World of Og".  

They are allowed to do any quiet activity while I read.  The girls usually choose to colour and Aiden almost always builds with Lego.

Evenings, before bed, I have a devotion that I do individually with the older three kids. I also do a read-aloud with Mikayla, and a separate one with the older two.  Mikayla and I are currently reading "Charlotte's Web". The older two and I just finished "The Family Under the Bridge" and will be starting "The Indian in the Cupboard".

This is a tiny glimpse into a day of our homeschool.  It is the most rewarding, difficult, inspiring, challenging thing I have ever done.  Like anything, there are good and bad days but I feel like we are right where we are supposed to be for the moment.  It works for our family and we're enjoying the privilege.