Lucy and I have been homeschooling throughout the summer as well, but I feel like we’re “officially” homeschooling now that her peers are in school. She’s 5 1/2 and we’re using mostly 1st grade materials.
Our main curriculum is “Moving Beyond the Page“, for age 5-7. We both absolutely love it. It’s organized well and is simple to teach, and is laid out by the lesson. Lucy loves that it’s project and literature based. It’s fun to see what books come with the different packages.
We’re also adding in some Life of Fred math, Handwriting Without Tears, and Artistic Pursuits for art. We’re using “Wee Sing” for music, and she has a big box of instruments to play around with (which her and her brother often do, spontaneously). Next year we’ll probably do more with music education, and possibly add spanish in as well.
This is her homeschool area, which is wonderful for keeping Lincoln out of and all her materials contained. We do lessons at the kitchen table and outside, as well. Our garage was converted into a room with insulation & windows, but still has the concrete floor. This is a corner of it – the rest we use for work space for our etsy shops and my angora bunnies live out there too!
I love the book display racks, we put the current books on them from the unit we’re studying in Moving Beyond the Page. Posters & display items are changed according to what we’re studying as well. She also has a nature table that we change along with the season.
Right now we’re doing “school” on Monday through Friday, but not at set times. Just when we feel like it and around what we have planned for the day. It’s working out well so far & no complaints from Lucy whatsoever! She loves it.
One of my favorite thing about homeschooling is the connections I’m able to make between what we’re learning and everyday life. I think truly knowing what she’s learning helps me to point out things throughout the day that make the lessons seem more real to her. I also love having her at home with us!
Anyways, so far, so good! I’ll post little updates occasionally about what we’re doing, and how it’s going. I think the first year is sort of an experiment.
If you’re homeschooling, I’d love to hear about what curriculums you’re using and how it’s going for you so far this year!
Looks like such a perfect little set up for learning. She is young, but I think it takes a very special parent to home school a child. It takes great patience. One of Paul’s buddies growing up was homeschooled. His mom had him and his siblings involved in outside sports and extra curricular activities so they were all quite sociable. I think that can be the tuff balance. Too much isolation (I’ve seen that happen with friends up north) and the kids just never leaned to cope with other kids and other adults. I know you would be sensitive to all that.
Very proud of the both of you, I know it must take a lot of both your parts as teacher and student. Keep up the good work.
Thank you for sharing. This looks like a great learning area. Thanks for sharing how the beginning of this experience is going for you. We are also just beginning homeschooling, but just loosely doing preschool this year. Keep up the good work ; )