If you are like me you are juggling lots of activities and numerous calendars. I came across an idea from microsoft for creating a backdoor bulletin board for handling all the calendars.
I use the side of my fridge so the area was smaller and it didn't quite work like I had hoped. I did find these pockets at Lillian Vernon. They are a good size and will hold a standard size file folder vertically. You get two in a pack and they are on sale! It's a great deal and has helped me keep some of my clutter down.
Ticker
Monday, July 20, 2009
Monday, July 13, 2009
Getting Ready
Since I've been studying homeschool curriculum for the past year, I've amassed quite a collection of information. No one can accuse me of not doing my research. Bad spelling, maybe, but I am a research-aholic.
Some of my favorite catalogs that I've enjoyed:
Sonlight-obviously for it's awesome books
Winter Promise-gorgeous catalog, nice curriculum, was a serious contender for us
Veritas Press-just has some nice books/supplies
Love to Learn-again just some great books
My favorite curriculum guide:
100 Top Picks for Homeschool Curriculum by Cathy Duffy
This was, and is, indispensable to me. I like the website as well. You can get some good feedback from people who have tried different things but you can also find much that just doesn't apply to you.
A couple of my favorite websites for supplements:
http://www.currclick.com/index.php
http://www.roadstoeverywhere.com/sonlight3.htm
I'm tryi
ng to get everything organized and ready to go. If you are like me you are juggling lots of activities and numerous calendars. I came across an idea from Microsoft for creating a backdoor bulletin board for handling all the calendars. I never really used the templates before but I ended up making one for monthly dinners, one for grocery list, and one for a school calendar.
I have been getting my front room prepared. We have always called it a reading room. It is really a formal dining room but I just will never use anything like that so it has been a sitting room with a book shelf.
This area houses our curriculum for the year. All the Sonlight books, math, language arts, science, etc. I covered a bulletin board with fabric and added our daily/weekly general schedules. The presidents are from a $1
place mat from Wal-mart. A great buy! I also got US and World maps. These are awesome because they are covered in plastic and so can be written with white board markers and erased. Easier to carry around than Sonlight's markable map and markers.
A friend gave me the cart which I thought was perfect to hold all our basic supplies: pens, pencils, crayons, scissors, tape, etc.
A small garage sale table holds our music and CD player inside. I also pulled some movies from our collection which I think supplement our learning.
On top we have our maps and globe.
The painting above is one of my father-in-law.
The shelf to the left of the couch holds all of our art and science supplies.
Our bookshelf hold what else, books! Yes, I know, clever, right? Basically, it shelves all our supplemental or just plain fun books, puzzles, and a few games. The bins on the left house math manipulatives. I'm not sure how much I'm going to use them, but I am prepared. The crates on the right hold stuff for lap books (if we ever do them) plus all kinds of paper, cardstock, and stickers.
So, we are all set to go. Some of you know we have actually already started. I will let you know how our adventure is going soon.
This was, and is, indispensable to me. I like the website as well. You can get some good feedback from people who have tried different things but you can also find much that just doesn't apply to you.
A couple of my favorite websites for supplements:
http://www.currclick.com/index.php
http://www.roadstoeverywhere.com/sonlight3.htm
I'm tryi
ng to get everything organized and ready to go. If you are like me you are juggling lots of activities and numerous calendars. I came across an idea from Microsoft for creating a backdoor bulletin board for handling all the calendars. I never really used the templates before but I ended up making one for monthly dinners, one for grocery list, and one for a school calendar.I have been getting my front room prepared. We have always called it a reading room. It is really a formal dining room but I just will never use anything like that so it has been a sitting room with a book shelf.
This area houses our curriculum for the year. All the Sonlight books, math, language arts, science, etc. I covered a bulletin board with fabric and added our daily/weekly general schedules. The presidents are from a $1
place mat from Wal-mart. A great buy! I also got US and World maps. These are awesome because they are covered in plastic and so can be written with white board markers and erased. Easier to carry around than Sonlight's markable map and markers.A friend gave me the cart which I thought was perfect to hold all our basic supplies: pens, pencils, crayons, scissors, tape, etc.
A small garage sale table holds our music and CD player inside. I also pulled some movies from our collection which I think supplement our learning.On top we have our maps and globe.
The painting above is one of my father-in-law.
The shelf to the left of the couch holds all of our art and science supplies.
Our bookshelf hold what else, books! Yes, I know, clever, right? Basically, it shelves all our supplemental or just plain fun books, puzzles, and a few games. The bins on the left house math manipulatives. I'm not sure how much I'm going to use them, but I am prepared. The crates on the right hold stuff for lap books (if we ever do them) plus all kinds of paper, cardstock, and stickers.
So, we are all set to go. Some of you know we have actually already started. I will let you know how our adventure is going soon.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Ready, set, go!
Hello to friends and family!
I've been struggling with the decision to homeschool for about 6 years when my oldest started kindergarten. Although I thought it was a nice idea it just wasn't for us at the time. R has an outgoing personality and really needed to make some friends. Plus, I had just given birth to C-man and needed some rest:)
Fast forward to 2008...B had a stressful year in first grade and came home crying quite often. After much praying we decided to go ahead and let R and B go to school one final year and I would explore homeschooling in that year. I have researched, and read, a plethora of material before deciding on Sonlight. It just so happens to also be the curriculum that both my sister and friend use. Go figure! I guess I should have trusted them in the first place:) So many curricula caught my eye but I kept coming back to Sonlight. I love their literature rich program.
I have finally decided on the following (click on the links to find out more):
I've been struggling with the decision to homeschool for about 6 years when my oldest started kindergarten. Although I thought it was a nice idea it just wasn't for us at the time. R has an outgoing personality and really needed to make some friends. Plus, I had just given birth to C-man and needed some rest:)
Fast forward to 2008...B had a stressful year in first grade and came home crying quite often. After much praying we decided to go ahead and let R and B go to school one final year and I would explore homeschooling in that year. I have researched, and read, a plethora of material before deciding on Sonlight. It just so happens to also be the curriculum that both my sister and friend use. Go figure! I guess I should have trusted them in the first place:) So many curricula caught my eye but I kept coming back to Sonlight. I love their literature rich program.
I have finally decided on the following (click on the links to find out more):
- History/Geography/Literature/Bible for the girls--Sonlight Core 3+4, American History
- History/Geography/Literature/Bible for C-man--Sonlight's Kindergarten Core
- Language Arts from Sandi Queen's Language Lessons
- Math for C-man and B--Horizons
- Math for R--Teaching Textbooks
- Science for everyone--Apologia Zoology
I guess I should say "we" chose the curriculum. But, frankly, Hubby listened to everything I said and trusted me with the decision.
I should probably say a little about the socialization thing as this is a concern of most people. I admit it is a concern of ours, too. After experiencing public school for a number of years I can say that there is very little socialization in school. It is a lot of being quiet and listening. The bulk of socialization comes after school and those things won't change. The girls are very active in Girl Scouts and C-man has soccer. I also plan on joining a local homeschool group in order take advantage of their activities.
Please pray for us as we embark on our new adventure together!
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