When homeschooling burns you out...

It is time to confess one of the dark secrets of homeschooling.....burnout. Last year was just a rough year. We moved, the kids tried to go to public school, multiple ADHD diagnoses, and converting to Eastern Orthodoxy. What is interesting is that it wasn't rough as in bad. Just a lot of change. The ADHD really made me rethink my approach to homeschooling and what was both reasonable and in the best interests of my special students.

I have spent the last month and half doing practically nothing in the way of formal homeschooling. I have rested, ridden my horse, made new friends....and eased my toe into some teaching resources.

What has helped me the most? Reading The Abolition of Man, by CS Lewis. http://www.amazon.com/The-Abolition-Man-C-Lewis/dp/0060652942/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1343839242&sr=8-1&keywords=the+abolotion+of+man,

and spending a lot of time listening to podcasts here: http://circeinstitute.org/

I have just started to plan the upcoming year, but find myself finally looking forward to it again. That little bit of excitement about getting to spend these precious moments, hours, days, weeks and years with my children. :)

There and back again....A Homeschooling Tale.

I wish someone would invent a recipe that made eating humble pie a little more appetizing. Unfortunately, there is nothing tasty about crow or picking feathers from your teeth. This tale of U-turnish woe started almost 3 years ago. We knew we were moving we just did not know where. I had a child with a milk allergy, adhd, and dyslexia who was falling through the public school cracks. Another child who was struggling with an audio processing disorder, but receiving minimal help due to the speech therapist being put on bedrest and maternity leave. With all of these things swirling in my immediate galaxy, we made the decision to homeschool. We enjoyed homeschooling and it served us well during our moves. Unfortunately, I missed pride creeping in.

You see I wasn't one of THOSE homeschooler's. You know the type, the helicopter moms who think spaghetti straps are of the Devil, evolution = paganism, and public schools are the next Great Satan. Yes, there had been some issues with the kids school, but all in all, it was a decent place. Most importantly the kids had felt safe and loved.

Fast forward a few years. We had finally landed in a town where we felt a bit settled. It was in the country with one elementary school. It seemed to be a similar set up to their last public school experience and since that was not horrible, we thought we would give it a try. The kids were so excited anticipating making new friends, impressing their teachers, riding the Big Yellow Bus, recess and PE. Sadly their rose colored glasses were quickly dashed from their heads and shattered on the hard linoleum floors.

It started slow. A few comments about how much cussing there was, which was a bit shocking, in that Nate and I are not without the occasional expletive. Then I went and sat in my 1st grade son's class for a few days. I watched as they did worksheet after worksheet using the ELMO/smartboard. Worksheets, endless worksheets. Then when he came home there would be more worksheets for homework. I watched a little girl arrive to class about 3 hours late. It was clear from the angry and exasperated look of the teacher that this was not a rare occurrence. "Lily, why are you late.....AGAIN?!" Lily, "because my mom wouldn't wake up," she snarls and stomps to her seat, sticking her tongue out at the unkind faces staring at her. At that moment I have to look into the confused eyes of my 6 yr old, I see the question. Lily wasn't there the next day and within a few weeks she was removed to a "special school."

Then one of the twins started to have his artwork stolen. When he would go to another class, his peers would sneak into his desk and pornographically edit his drawings and leave them out for the teacher to catch. At least the teachers were aware of the very different artistic abilities between him and his peers. The other twin went through 3 increases in his ADHD medications. Then the punching on the bus started. My 6 yr old didn't know how to handle being punched multiple times a day. The bus driver knew, the principal was brought on, but it continued as soon as the Principal was off the bus.

Finally, there was my oldest daughter. A beautiful, sweet, somewhat naive, young tomboy. Her heart is to learn and to please. After about 2 months she came home crying, "Mom, all I am learning is how to take this test. I want to learn History and Latin again." Through the tears, "Mom, there is a new girl who keeps saying she is going to punch me in the face," "Mom, can I please be homeschooled?!" she sobs.

My heart hurts for what they had to experience, but they are home again. They are detoxing and it has not been a pretty last few days, but there is a sense of relief. A peace, a saftey, and a hope for the future. We are two days back into homeschooling and as I write this I am getting ready to take the to a foreign language and culture club. Tomorrow they are going to see a Russian art exhibit, the Houston rodeo and The Band Perry.



I am now one of those homeschooling parents. Call me over protective, insulating, keeping my kids out of reality........as another homeschooling mom put it,


"Misery is optional."

A season is ending.

I guess it is fitting that winter has begun. A season where things are dead, dormant, and transitioning to new life. In a few weeks the kids will be going back to public school and it is bittersweet. I have loved homeschooling and it has been wonderful for us as a family. But, we have finally settled onto a wonderful farm not far from Houston, and the kids have the opportunity to go to small rural school. They are such social buggers! And have really missed being a part of a school community. I am excited for them, but am already grieving the loss of complete family freedom. The freedom to go where we want and when we want. To spend an entire day on one subject. To see them playing amidst the trees and creeks....in the middle of the day!

This new season brings opportunity as well. A chance for them to grow new friendships and bonds. Experience new experiences. To grow and mature. A chance for me to hone some craft projects I have put on the back burner and even progress in new pastures. It is exciting and scary and the right thing at this moment.

So, I lay down the mantle of "homeschooler," pick up the cloak of "afterschooler," and embark on a new adventure!

 

The Edible Cell-Anatomy and Physiology

Here is the beginning of our "edible cell" activity!

Just keeping it real with the middle stage chaos!

Placing the "almost finished" cell in some hot water to loosen the edges.

The one on the right is inverted onto a dessert plate.

Yum!!!!

 

.....and the chaos resumes!

Here Comes Ages of Grace!

I had just heard of this new Orthodox curriculum as we were wrapping up our study of Ancient History. Truthfully, I was a bit intimidated with the prospect of covering the early church as my perspective on the early church was greatly changing. I needed a little hand holding as we headed into the Middle Ages. Voila! Here comes Ages of Grace (and it just so happens it is starting in the Middle Ages.)

The night it became available, I got it. I was giddy with excitement as I held the crisp pages straight off my printer. Then I sat on my living room floor, organized it into categories that made sense to me, got out my ProClick and the punching and binding began. They turned out lovely! Here is my attempt to show you what is included and how I have organized things.

Total program

Here is what you are seeing. On your right I have put together 3 large notebooks. One contains just the Weekly Lesson Plans. Another, all of the Picture Study, Icon Study, and Theology in Sound. (I have not printed out the actual music sheets for TinS yet. That would make a fourth notebook) The last notebook contains: The Children's Bible Reader Schedule, Prologue Reading Schedule, Reading List, Oral and Written Exams, and Dictation Exercises. To your left I have printed off 4 separate Copywork notebooks for my 4 kids.

Example of Copywork Notebook.

[caption id="attachment_82" align="aligncenter" width="573" caption="Page 1"][/caption]

 

[caption id="attachment_83" align="aligncenter" width="502" caption="Page 2"][/caption]

Each week contains 2 pages of lesson plans.

 

[caption id="attachment_84" align="aligncenter" width="502" caption="Children's Bible Reader"][/caption]

 

Here is the first section of my next notebook. 15 pages.

 

 

[caption id="attachment_85" align="aligncenter" width="502" caption="Prologue Reading Schedule"][/caption]

 

The Prologue Reading schedule is 12 pages.

 

 

 

[caption id="attachment_86" align="aligncenter" width="502" caption="Reading List"][/caption]

 

The next section is the reading lists. The lists are broken into categories such as: Family Reading, Level A, Level B, Level C, and Additional Reading. They are then further divided by Subject (History, Literature, Bible, and Faith) and scheduled for you.

 

[caption id="attachment_87" align="aligncenter" width="502" caption="Oral and Written Exams"][/caption]

 

Again, these are divided by Subject, Level, and Term.

 

[caption id="attachment_88" align="aligncenter" width="502" caption="Dictation Exercises"][/caption]

 

 This is one of the areas where this curriculum is worth its weight in gold! 18 pages with beautiful quotes from Orthodoxy. Since my children are a bit to young for these dictations, I plan on adapting them into more Copywork.

Cover for Picture Study

 

Love these pictures!

 

And here is my favorite part! The Artist study is wonderful. You receive 30 beautiful prints. I laminated mine so the kids could handle them without too much worry. Exquisite!!!