Homeschooling Schedule

A lot of people are asking how homeschooling is going. There are a lot of misconceptions on what happens during a homeschooling day. Especially if they see Lena outside during the day. So I thought I would share our schedule and what books we are using.
I took about 2 months of researching and joining homeschooling groups and asking lots of questions before we settled on our curriculum. It's one of those things where you really hope you made the right choice. Especially for us since everything has to be shipped. It gets expensive and you don't want to make too many mistakes.
Jay has decided to take on Languages and Mathematics. Which is just fine by me! He works with her from 7:30-9:00, then she has a break to work on homework, or review things for the coming classes.

Here is our weekly schedule. Every weekend I go over what I am going to be teaching, do research, read everything, make plans according to the lesson ( I am learning a LOT in the process too). Some lessons take longer than others, some are quite quick. But we aim to be done around 1:30 so I can go pick up Zane and have the rest of the day free to do things. She has Gymnastics Sundays and Wednesdays from 4-7:30 and occasional Mondays when she needs to work extra on things. 

Some days Lena is just burnt out. Whether is be from a night of little sleep, just too much work, or just life, she has the option to say, Hey, I am done. I can't focus. Or, I hate this subject. Can we do something else? That is the beauty of homeschooling. How can a child, learn if we force it into them. They have to be interested and open to accept what is being taught. Even though we have a schedule to follow, it's not going to kill either of us if we double up some days, miss a class or two on another. We have 365 days to work on everything. No one is setting the schedule but us. 

Here are the books we are using:

Math: Singapore Math 6a and workbook

Geometry: Teaching Textbooks Geometry

Writing: Writing With Skill  and the Instructor Text

U.S History: Howard Zinn A Young Peoples History of the United States As well as his website.

Vocabulary: Wordly Wise 3000 Grade 6  And the Instructor Text

Science: My Pals are Here And workbook

Geography: Don't Know Much About The 50 States and States & Capitals, Student Guide

World History: The Story Of The World  And Activity Book

Religion: Case for a Creator for Kids, Case for Faith for Kids, Case for Christ for Kids, And The Complete Idiots Guide to World Religions

It may seem like a lot, but her education at home is so much richer and one on one that it ever was at school. If she doesn't get something, we go over it again and again until she does get it. There is no passing it over. If she wants an extra day to study about Native American's, then by all means let's!

First Day of School!

The first day of school is nerve wracking for everyone. Lena actually began a day early because September 1st was Zane's first day of preschool and Jay would not be able to teach her in the morning.
Zane was pretty excited about the first day of school. But then it was time for mommy and daddy to leave. The crying started and he changed his mind... We knew he would be ok, gave him one last hug and kiss and prayed he would still be talking to us when we picked him up in a few hours. He LOVED it. Now every morning he asks if it's a school day and seriously gets upset when we have to tell him no, it's the weekend.

Zane's First Day of Pre-School

Pre-School looks pretty fun!

You can go now mom.

Lena's first day of Homeschool- Grade 6

Zane, one happy little man 

at the end of the day.