Homeschoolers...saying Hi!
- Thread starter Jennifer
- Start date
Nikki Epperson
New member
Well, I don't homeschool, but my kids are back in school. Thank goodness. Summer was extremely long this year!
Good luck, Jennifer!
Good luck, Jennifer!
LibbysMommy
Active member
Hiya Jennifer!! We started today too. It was actually a great day!! Libby is in second grade this year and I'm attempting to start preschool this year for Claire. She's such a free spirit that it's really hard to reign her in, lol. She keeps herself busy, which definitely helps me focus on my time with Libby. My only problem with today is we seemed to really fly through everything. It took us less than 3 hours with Libby today...I guess it's the first day though and a lot of what we're doing is right now is review. I'm sure we'll spend more time as the year goes on.
What are you using for reading/phonics? I went with Horizons this year and I'm not sure about the reading portion of it. The phonics I loved. The reading seemed very classical (?? I don't know if that's really accurate or not...the language seemed to be a bit over her head).
What are you using for reading/phonics? I went with Horizons this year and I'm not sure about the reading portion of it. The phonics I loved. The reading seemed very classical (?? I don't know if that's really accurate or not...the language seemed to be a bit over her head).
dailydwellin
New member
We actually started about five weeks ago. In the middle of the summer, it was too hot to do anything else and I want to take about 6-7 weeks off for our the holidays and our next move in TX in January.
I have two second graders (twins) and a kindergartner this year along with my two year old. I hope you have a great year!!
I have two second graders (twins) and a kindergartner this year along with my two year old. I hope you have a great year!!
webseitler
New member
We go year round. We started in a few of our new books a month ago. Actually, today we are getting ready for our evaluation (for Katie) on Thursday... making sure we remember all those grammar rules and math rules we learned this year. 
I'm sure next week I'll feel like we are well into the new year. The past few weeks have felt like we were shifting gears, wrapping somethings up and starting other new things.
I'm sure next week I'll feel like we are well into the new year. The past few weeks have felt like we were shifting gears, wrapping somethings up and starting other new things. 
MamaBee
Sweet Shoppe SugarBabe
We haven't started yet...still working on moving bedrooms and resetting up the school room... We going to start after labor day when most of the schools around us go back to school. Jake is in kindergarten - but most of his materials will be a 1st grade level... he has blown through kindy stuff already... 
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sarahbhb
New member
Yaay, Jennifer, I didn't know you were homeschooling. I knew at one point you had been thinking about it, how awesome!
We're starting on Monday (DD will be in middle school..talk about growing up). We usually school year round with a month long winter break, a month long summer break and 1-2 week breaks a few more times in the year. This year we took the whole summer off and DD has decided that she likes it so we're actually going to try to follow the local public school calendar this year and see how it goes. I'm really excited about getting started. We're going to be doing lots of notebooking and lots of reading. We just finished setting up our binders for all the subjects, so that's ready to go. Now I just need to finish organizing everything else this week so it'll be easy for her to grab and get to work.
We're starting on Monday (DD will be in middle school..talk about growing up). We usually school year round with a month long winter break, a month long summer break and 1-2 week breaks a few more times in the year. This year we took the whole summer off and DD has decided that she likes it so we're actually going to try to follow the local public school calendar this year and see how it goes. I'm really excited about getting started. We're going to be doing lots of notebooking and lots of reading. We just finished setting up our binders for all the subjects, so that's ready to go. Now I just need to finish organizing everything else this week so it'll be easy for her to grab and get to work.
heathergw
New member
We're starting on Thursday, and I'll be using a first grade curriculum with Moriah and I'll have some "preschool" activities to do with Isaac... we're sorta yearound also, taking a month at Christmas and only a month off in the summer... we did that this last year and I really like it since Mark only gets 5 weeks off work it's really nice for vacation planning
Jengerbread88
New member
We started (slowly) last Thursday, when public school started. Since our 11 year old was public schooled until last January, he has so many friends in school that it's easiest to just start when the public school does, since our doorbell and phones would be ringing off the hook otherwise!
Last week we introduced his new language arts curriculum (we're doing Total Language Plus as our curriculum this year and we LOVE it... reading Sign of the Beaver right now). He also took his placement test for math (we're ordering Teaching Textbooks... at least, I think that's the name of it).
Today we introduced the rest of his subjects. It's our first year trying out My Father's World with him, and we're really enjoying that, too. Hopefully he likes it as much as my mom and I do.
I also wrote a pretty lengthy blog post last week on how I'm "homeschooling" (I use the term VERY loosely!) my 1-year-old. http://867popcorn5309.wordpress.com/2012/08/17/im-homeschooling-my-one-year-old/
We're off to a pretty good start, but not without a few arguments about "do I really have to read for THAT long?!" "Can I do my math later? I want to watch this new TV show that's coming on today..."
Last week we introduced his new language arts curriculum (we're doing Total Language Plus as our curriculum this year and we LOVE it... reading Sign of the Beaver right now). He also took his placement test for math (we're ordering Teaching Textbooks... at least, I think that's the name of it).
Today we introduced the rest of his subjects. It's our first year trying out My Father's World with him, and we're really enjoying that, too. Hopefully he likes it as much as my mom and I do.
I also wrote a pretty lengthy blog post last week on how I'm "homeschooling" (I use the term VERY loosely!) my 1-year-old. http://867popcorn5309.wordpress.com/2012/08/17/im-homeschooling-my-one-year-old/
We're off to a pretty good start, but not without a few arguments about "do I really have to read for THAT long?!" "Can I do my math later? I want to watch this new TV show that's coming on today..."
I think we're finally pretty settled on Bob Jones for reading/phonics (and English for Ry). We tried a few different things last year (Lifepac, Abecka, Code (which C LOVES and I let her do for fun warm-ups) and I've decided for now that BJU is best for us.
Ry used Horizons for math last year (he's using Saxon this year), but C is using it for Math. I like Horizons for math, but have no experiece with their reading/phonics program. You'll have to let me know what you think!
kelley
New member
Oh wow how neat to see so many of you ladies homeschooling! Well, I have 5 kiddos - Jennah is 10 and in 5th, Gavin 9 in 4th, Braden 7 in 2nd, Mariah 5 in K, and Carter is 4. We are starting on Thursday, but we've snuck in and done a few things already because the kids can't wait to start, especially Mariah. This is the first year that we've taken an actual summer break besides our reading lessons. It felt weird, but was good. We used to do year round so we could take more days off randomly for different things. This year we are doing K12, so we need to stick pretty close to their start and end dates, but can play around with the schedule through the school year.
For kindergarten and 1st grade, our days do run 3-4 hours. For the older kids, it is more like 5-6. I think Jennah's will be pushing the 6 hours pretty well this year, just depending on how much she focuses and gets things done in a timely manner!
We have done mostly Sonlight in the past with random things added in. The main thing I miss about that is the read alouds and readers. I was delighted to see that many of the Sonlight reading list books are also on the K12 list. Plus, they schedule in read alouds and independent reading daily, so we will be able to peck away at our Sonlight list during this time.
I'm so excited to get started! I just know that I'm going to be busy, busy, busy with 4 of them now!
For kindergarten and 1st grade, our days do run 3-4 hours. For the older kids, it is more like 5-6. I think Jennah's will be pushing the 6 hours pretty well this year, just depending on how much she focuses and gets things done in a timely manner!
We have done mostly Sonlight in the past with random things added in. The main thing I miss about that is the read alouds and readers. I was delighted to see that many of the Sonlight reading list books are also on the K12 list. Plus, they schedule in read alouds and independent reading daily, so we will be able to peck away at our Sonlight list during this time.
I'm so excited to get started! I just know that I'm going to be busy, busy, busy with 4 of them now!
crystalbella77
New member
we started today too!! Stella was HARD! I had fun new coloring books for her and everything! I had some workbooks and still she was such a pill. *cry* It has me freaked out a bit already. 
we have a 1st and 3rd grader. woohoo! we spent maybe 3-4 hours on it.
not sure if I love Singapore math...but giving it a go still. I think I want teaching textbooks for Gabey..but it might start at 4th grade? Can't remember!
we have a 1st and 3rd grader. woohoo! we spent maybe 3-4 hours on it.
not sure if I love Singapore math...but giving it a go still. I think I want teaching textbooks for Gabey..but it might start at 4th grade? Can't remember!
MamaBee
Sweet Shoppe SugarBabe
In case anyone is interested - today started the two week (I think) daily interviews at homeschool superheroes - http://homeschoolsuperheroes.com/speakers-2012/#
You can sign up for free and they will send you the daily email with a link to each day's interview... if you want to have the mp3 of the interviews, you can purchase that...
Just thought I'd mentioned it since I just don't done listening to the one from today...
You can sign up for free and they will send you the daily email with a link to each day's interview... if you want to have the mp3 of the interviews, you can purchase that...
Just thought I'd mentioned it since I just don't done listening to the one from today...
webseitler
New member
we started today too!! Stella was HARD! I had fun new coloring books for her and everything! I had some workbooks and still she was such a pill. *cry* It has me freaked out a bit already.
we have a 1st and 3rd grader. woohoo! we spent maybe 3-4 hours on it.
not sure if I love Singapore math...but giving it a go still. I think I want teaching textbooks for Gabey..but it might start at 4th grade? Can't remember!
Ugh, Penny is my little pill. LOL! I know how you feel. You'll find things that work for her. Just give it time.