beginnings

We just finished our first week of school! This year is different from last year because I've added purchased curriculum to our day. Last year Matthew was 4, and we did a lot of child-led learning, reading, and exploring which was a wonderful, beautiful experience. It was a year I will treasure always. This year I felt it was time to increase some structured learning while still maintaining the outdoor time and reading, creative time and child-led approach. I think figuring out curriculum and planning is a balancing act that looks a little different for each family, and maybe even different from year-to-year and from child-to-child. So far I'm very happy with what we're doing. Still working out the kinks, still trying to figure out how to do things better (I'm sure we'll always be trying to do that).

Homeschooling is a beautiful thing, but it's (obviously) not without its difficult moments! Our first week we didn't start at the time I had hoped to start once. It just didn't happen. Whether it was messy toilet learning accidents with sweet Abe or squabbling between the two of them, or the day the boys were all dressed and ready and while I was finishing getting ready they went outside and drenched each other with the hose or cleaning up other unexpected messes, I am learning to expect the unexpected and not allow it to throw me off too much. Life happens. It's okay. We can still homeschool even with all these things that pop up throughout the day! If I were to beat myself up for not having everything perfectly timed or perfectly prepared or perfect in other ways, then I would be missing out on this whole experience. And it is a beautiful one. 

This week I caught glimpses of the boys growing and learning and stretching. Despite our bumps I had Matthew start memorizing "The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost. It's not a part of any part of our structured learning right now--it's just a poem I truly love and feel like I'm living right now in a couple of different ways. I know it's well-known, but I'm going to include it here because I love it so much

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveler, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth;

 

Then took the other, as just as fair,

And having perhaps the better claim,

Because it was grassy and wanted wear;

Though as for that the passing there

Had worn them really about the same,

 

And both that morning equally lay

In leaves no step had trodden black.

Oh, I kept the first for another day!

Yet knowing how way leads on to way,

I doubted if I should ever come back.

 

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

This week I caught glimpses of our road ahead. I cannot see everything, but I am excited about what I see, and I am excited for the possibilities that lie ahead! I hope that we have a home where we can discuss big ideas and important issues. I hope we have a home filled with creativity and inspiration.  I hope we can laugh a lot and have fun together!  I hope we can have a home where God's spirit can be felt by all who enter. I hope we can have a home filled with love.

Have I mentioned how amazed I am at young children's capacity to memorize quickly and to memorize long texts? It's incredible. Maybe Matthew is uniquely gifted in this aspect--but I think it's something many young children can do. I love filling his mind with the best things! And when he memorizes something, I memorize it too--so that is an added bonus.

 After the scripture, we do the pledge of allegiance. One of the boys volunteers to lead us in the pledge. Usually it's Matthew, but sometimes it's little Abe! It's special to watch them.

I would be dishonest if I didn't admit that I have occasional doubts about myself, about my capacity to teach, about lots of things.  But I have found that I don't like to make decisions in frustrating moments--nor do I like to cling to doubts I had in frustrating moments and allow those feelings to cloud all the good and the possibilities. Yes, I like to make my decisions in the light and with clarity. And in those moments I can trust God more freely and feel assured that we are on the right path for our family. It's wonderful to feel that assurance. A tender mercy from Heavenly Father.

We start our day with circle time. We sing a song--a hymn together. Last week's hymn is "Redeemer of Israel."  This week Matthew has been teaching us a song he learned in Primary at church called "Scripture Power."  It's been fun to watch him teach us!  We love to turn music on YouTube and sing along with it. Next we have our opening prayer. Then we do our scripture. This week we are memorizing our theme for the year (Doctrine and Covenants 119:88)

"Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing; and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God;

 That your incomings may be in the name of the Lord; that your outgoings may be in the name of the Lord; that all your salutations may be in the name of the Lord, with uplifted hands unto the Most High."

Have I mentioned how amazed I am at young children's capacity to memorize quickly and to memorize long texts? It's incredible. Maybe Matthew is uniquely gifted in this aspect--but I think it's something many young children can do. I love filling his mind with the best things! And when he memorizes something, I memorize it too--so that is an added bonus.

 After the scripture, we do the pledge of allegiance. One of the boys volunteers to lead us in the pledge. Usually it's Matthew, but sometimes it's little Abe! It's special to watch them.

Then we move onto our structured time. We're using this curriculum. I love that it is Christ-centered and uses the classics to teach. It's very compatible with a Thomas Jefferson Education approach as well as a Charlotte Mason approach. Then we're using this program for math and this program for reading, spelling, and writing. I think there are many great curriculums available, and there is so much I love  about many different educational approaches including Charlotte Mason, Classical, Montessori, Waldorf, etc.  I love using a blended approach, and I also love having some creative liberty with what we do.  

After almost a week-and-a-half of more structured school time, I think we're all starting to get the hang of it!  I have found that our day works great if we can finish school before lunch time.  Any longer than that, and it's just too much classroom!  In total, we spend about two hours a day inside the classroom which feels about right for Matthew and Abe.  Any longer than that, and I think we'd all go crazy!  Lots of playtime and being outside and riding bikes is an essential.  There is something so rejuvenating out of doors.

I'm looking forward to a wonderful year of learning and growing, and I'm hoping to start writing more in this space about that process and more.  Happy learning!  xo