The Homeschool Mother's Journal

I recently discovered the web site, The Homeschool Chick, and her weekly journal entitled, "The Homeschool Mother's Journal". Since I love to write, I immediately accepted her open offer to join in the journal and to write about our current week!

In my life this week...

Four sick children (and myself!)

In our homeschool this week...

Our schedule this week was a bit relaxed and random. Amongst the usual copywork, Bible memory verses and math lessons, we added a sketch to our nature books, continued reading Black Beauty and baked a horse cake in honor of our first completed unit study.

Places we're going and people we're seeing...

We hibernated as all of us have nasty colds. However, we welcomed five new visitors to our household - our painted lady butterflies hatched out of their chrysalids! We enjoyed watching the tiny caterpillars grow fat, position themselves to the top of the cup, and eventually spin into a cocoon. Unfortunately, we couldn't keep the butterflies inside for long because a family of ants (that adores crawling onto our kitchen window sill) quickly detected the orange slices on the bottom of the butterfly house. Luckily, our weather improved significantly and we released our brief visitors into the warm sunshine.

My favorite thing this week was...

Rediscovering the poet, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. I especially liked "The Children's Hour", and assigned a sentence to each of my girls to memorize and recite.

What's working/not working for us...

Relying on workbooks and dry texts is not working for us. Because I've focused on worksheets, text chapters, multiple choice quizzes etc., I rarely fit in music or art appreciation into our weekly schedule. I'd rather read living and whole books, biographies, autobiographies, and poetry. I love reading aloud to the kids, and since I haven't read many of the books suggested in the Charlotte Mason methodology, I am in for a treat! I searched the living room and found several classical audio CDs. Cleaning the kitchen isn't as bad a chore when you're listening to Bach, Mozart and Beethoven!

Homeschool questions/thoughts I have...

Often I wonder if I'll ever have my act together! It seems as if I'm always reading, analyzing and researching curriculum, methodologies and schedules. I'm closer to what I want to implement in our homeschool, but I have a lot more studying to do. Anyone else feel the same?

A photo, video, link or quote to share...

I have you fast in my fortress,

And will not let you depart,

But put you down into the dungeon

In the round-tower of my heart.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's The Children's Hour