The learning continues

Our goal for this school year was to remain focused enough to be finished with most of our course work by the time the baby arrives.  The girls have been so diligent. We have worked through Thanksgiving, Christmas, and will continue through our studies during Spring Break.  It has taken some real discipline ...but we keep reminding each other that a Summer Break that begins in April is worth the extra effort!!

As we go along, I find myself growing in confidence as a teacher.  I am less reliant upon our workbooks, textbooks and curriculum in general.  Instead, I am finding that the best progress and learning seems to take place without much help from me at all.  I am amazed at their ability to learn things for themselves.  Given living books (history, literature) and brief lessons (math, spelling, grammar) their minds are growing day by day.

All that said, we do have structure.  I cannot live without some of it.  We generally get up, eat breakfast, do chores and begin school around 9am. Each week I provide the girls with an assignment sheet (just a little chart that I created in excel) that shows them what their daily assignments are. It helps all of us to keep track of where we are in our lessons and to stay on task. Plus, the girls love checking things off their lists! I sort of float between all three girls during the morning work.  A math lesson with one, then onto a grammar lesson with another.  This has taken some practice. The girls have had to work at not interrupting each other and keeping busy when I am working with someone else. Lunch is usually around 11:30 and then we wrap up with history and literature (done as a group). On a well-flowing day we finish between 1 and 2pm.

We have been spending more time outdoors. The fresh air is fabulous. It
is wonderful to put the books away and spend some good
quality time enjoying and appreciating the beauty around us. We've even
been taking a picnic once a week or so.  I generally bring along the sketch
books and watercolors and send them off in search of something to
observe and sketch. We've been playing little nature games like:  "Find
a leaf that you think is interesting. While I hide my eyes, you bring
it here and set it on this bench.  Then, when everyone has their leaf,
you will take turns describing your leaf to me with the most detail
possible.  I will then look at the leaves carefully and try to guess
which one belongs to each of you."  Most times they don't even realize
that they are practicing narration! 

I am still happy doing what we are doing. The girls are happy to continue at home too. We all gloat a little when the school bus passes by in the morning (we are still in our pajamas eating a warm breakfast) and in the afternoon (when we have the park entirely to ourselves). There are definitely days
that are more difficult than others.  I am learning not to stress if we
miss a lesson or if we need a week of review.  The scope of learning is
so much bigger than our little block of "school time" each day. By my estimation, the girls are at least one full grade ahead where they are "supposed" to be.  So far, what whatever we are doing is working and we are having fun too.

 

Almost done. Six more weeks.