Back to School

After all the unpacking (ok, there is still more to do) we are finally able to enjoy the fruits of our my labor in the school room!  School has started!  Last week I took three days to go over expectations, schedule stuff, and have some fun.  It was relaxing and engaging.  Chiara and Mayah know the routine and other than some new curriculum for them to learn they could jump right in.  It was important and essential to talk with them alone about the example they set for the younger two.

I am excited to be typing this out after a successful first day...and it is only 1:00pm!  Our goal is to begin each day at 8:30am, but my girls were ready and working before 8am!  Chores were completed, devotions read, and each one was working on their Daily Notebooks.  I was in shock, but pleasantly so. It worked out for the best because I was able to take their "first day of school" photos before we began Bible. I had a new technique I wanted to try and this was the perfect setting to do so! For more of me photography you can check out my website or Facebook page.

This was my first time teaching three different grade levels.  As much as people think that teaching in the public schools helps me as a home school mom it really does not.  Thirty children of the same age and similar abilities is vastly different from three completely different grade levels, and don't forget about the sweet three year old who craves attention all day.

Things went fairly smoothly.  I truly enjoy our Bible time together each morning.  Emma has the most to say during this time, but we let her talk because I want to embrace her love for Jesus.  Of course it annoys her sisters when she interrupts, but a built-in lesson in patience is perfect when growing up in a house with four girls! We are using Grapevine Studies again and I love that everyone can participate in the lesson.  We finish up our study on Jesus this week and then we will begin a study on the Old Testament.

The three "big" girls are using a program called Mango to learn Spanish this year.  It is conversational and all on the computer.  Oh yeah, and it's FREE through our public library!  It was hilarious listening to them go through their lesson this morning.  While the three girls work on Spanish I get 30 minutes of time with Emma.  Advice from my wise mentor.  The little one gets Mommy first....it was great!  We worked on a nursery rhyme activity from a  printable I have.  It was Jack and Jill.  Lots of coloring and talking.  We did ordering and using a glue stick appropriately.  All the while she was having fun and my attention.  Her photo this morning says "1st Day of Kindergarten", but I do not have a preschool one and really she will do about two years of Kindergarten work anyway.  Being the fourth she is already ahead of where I would expect any child her age to be!

When Spanish is completed I turned into a human pinball machine!  Today will not be the norm, but I was needed to help with logins and workload for Spelling and Mayah just started Teaching Textbooks so she wanted a little direction.

Leah gets the majority of my direct teaching because we started her with First grade curriculum this year.  She basically taught herself to read this summer so it seemed redundant to use a Kindergarten curriculum.  Today was an easy day for her.  She was nervous this morning about how long the day would be, but after we were done she said it was fun.  Score!  It should be fun.

Mayah asked me to write a plan for her to read the Frozen Junior Novel, so I did.  Chiara is starting the classic Treasure Island.  They are doing Language Arts together this year.

It was the first day so work was short and "easy".  As it should be the first day.  Chiara and I consulted her math text book and we decided together to change her plan up for the first couple of chapters because it is all review and math is her strongest subject.  I know she will need the time to devote to reading and writing right now anyway.

I have a few things I may tweek, but all-in-all it was a great first day back to school.  I am just over the moon that I can stay home and teach these smart, funny, and inquisitive girls!  Now, off to the gym for a good run!