Sunday, August 21, 2011

First Week of School Year 2011

So many things are happening so quickly.  So our first week back to school was very messed up.  I should have waited to start this coming week. 

On Monday, things went pretty good considering that I had been so busy with things that I hadn't had time to get everything ready.  But I really wanted to get started, so I did.  Little did I know that I would get a phone call that afternoon from someone at the state office offering me a temporary job as an assistant.  They wanted to do the interview right away, so it was scheduled for the next afternoon. 

On top of all of that, my Father-in-Law was also having surgery to remove an aneurysm that was located in his neck.  It had caused a stroke already and was only only about 9% of a blood flow.  That surgery was scheduled for Thursday, but he had many appointments before then and my husband was helping him.  Our week was pretty much booked up with doctor appointments, surgeries and recoveries.

Tuesday dawned and I was busy most of the day and then went to my job interview.  I was given the job.  It's only for 3 months and I have no idea what I will be doing except handling paperwork and filing.  I am not really looking forward to this, but I have to do it.  She wanted me to start the next day, but I told her about the surgery and she agreed to wait and have me come in on Monday.

Needless to say, there was no school done on Tuesday.

Wednesday was pretty much my last day to be horrifically lazy all day for a long time, so I took advantage of it and we didn't do anything but prepare for the surgery the next day.  No school was done.

Thursday dawned and we were already on our way to the hospital.  We were out of our house at about 6am so it was still dark when we left.  We were at the hospital for probably 10 hours and there was no school done on this day.

On Friday we knew that we were heading into the hospital at some point but we didn't know when.  I wanted to get a lot of the housework done before I start work tomorrow.  I did get a lot accomplished and that was nice.  But we didn't do any schoolwork.

We will just finish last week's schoolwork this week and not worry about it.  That's the beauty of homeschooling!

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

2011 School Planning

Hello hello!  Sorry it's been so long!  Our break is almost over and I just finished the main outline planning for the school year.  We start school on the 15th and I am so excited!  I need to hurry up and finish decorating my room!

I have the majority of my school plans outlined.  The rest I am going to do further into the year to see how we are progressing.  Since I love to plan, I leave the day to day planning for the week before.  But I'm too excited to start, so I will start planning for our first week probably tonight.

I have a fun and exciting year planned!  For Science I am going to use a book called Science in the Creation Week for grades 2-5.  This looks very interesting.  I am going to add my own stuff to it so they get the ideas in concrete because the book doesn't go in depth in teaching.  It's more for some science labs and activities.    After we are done w/that book, I will be using The Book of Virtues by William J. Bennett for some Social Studies I guess you'd call it.  After that, we will study missionaries. We'll also be reading Stories of the Pilgirims during Thanksgiving time.

For Phonics for Bubba, we'll keep using the Hooked on Phonics because it's working so well for us.  Stinky will finish her English book that we got her in the middle of last year by Rod & Staff and we'll get her going on a new book.

For Math I am going to use a website called Lesson Pathways.  I am basically going to follow their math program suggestions, use some of their info and add my own teaching to it. 

History we are going to finish Story of the World book 1 and start the 2nd book. 

During our Bible study we will finish reading the Bible that we're reading and then maybe move up to a higher level Bible for children.  I haven't decided yet.  Maybe just individual character profiles too.

For Language Arts so far I have planned to read: The BFG by Roald Dahl; The Boxcar Children #2 Surprise Island by Gertrude Chandler Warner; Grimm's Fairy Tales; Spy for the Night Riders by Dave & Neta Jackson; Superfudge by Judy Blume; The Queen's Smuggler by Dave & Neta Jackson, George's Marvelous Medicine by Roald Dahl and an abridge for children version of The Swiss Family Robinson by Johann Wyss.

I can't wait for school to start!!