First Day of School

Today is the first full day of our academic school year. Although we've done Spanish through the summer, studied Africa through July, took swim lessons throughout the summer, and began math 2 weeks ago, today is our first day with new school books, new pencils and markers, new expectations, and new fears. Yes, even though my children don't walk down the street to meet the school bus, they have fears as well. Fears that Language Arts will be as boring as last year :). Fears that their attitudes will get them a long list of sentences (I didn't even need to work on penmanship with Isaac last year, he wrote enough sentences each week to get down his manuscript quite well!). Fears that they'll understand what comes next in our new schedule. And fears that new activities or clubs will be all that they hoped they would be.

Of course, there are many things that they don't fear in starting their school year today. They are not afraid of getting lost. They certainly aren't afraid the other students won't like them or think they're cool. They don't really worry about wearing "just the right thing". They don't fret about having someone to eat lunch with. And they know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that their teacher adores them :)

This is Josiah's transition year as he enters 9th grade. He has Algebra I to complete (he's 1/3 through the text already), as well as Spanish I (we have a wonderful multi-lingual Brazilian tutor who comes twice a week to help him). He has a very full 9th Grade English course which looks a bit intimidating, but which I'm hoping Josiah will end up loving because of its literature component. Biology begins in September with a 530 pg. text and Science Clubs with dissection and microscope study. History is always his favorite and this year we'll get from the Constitution to modern day history. We're all very much looking forward to studying about the Civil War and WWII. He's studying on his own through some inductive Bible studies and has a cross-training exercise schedule to follow daily for P.E. . He's most excited about the major study of government and speech/debate he'll be doing this year. Myself and another mom are coordinating a valley-wide NCFCA (www.ncfca.org) league club. We'll begin in September meeting twice monthly and learning/performing speeches and debates --- possibly even taking in a competition in the spring.

This is also a transition year for Isaac as he becomes a bit more independent in his homeschool day. Now a very young 6th grader, he has begun a 6th/7th grade math program using the same computer cdRom teacher that Josiah has. He handles (other than grading or questions) his math on his own this year. He and I will still do Language Arts, History, and Quizzing together. He begins flag football in a week or two and we all look forward to watching him excel in his most beloved sport! His science will focus this last year (prior to full-on textbooks in years to come) on world habitats and intense nature study. It is important to me that my children are all able to label major trees, rocks, and flowers :) He's most excited about his participation in an engineering class with other boys of similar ages using a variety of mediums -- Legos, K'Nex, Zome, etc. This will be his final year in Children's Quizzing. If he qualifies, he will be eligible to quiz at World Quiz in Orlando this year. Perhaps a trip to Disney World is in our future?!

Isabelle will be in first grade this year and transitioning into 2nd grade work. Joe really wanted me to put my focus on her this year so we have a lot of things planned. Aside from the traditional reading, writing, and arithmetic -- she'll begin (as did the boys at her age) elementary Latin with a great program I've used repeatedly that makes learning Latin fun. I've picked up a wonderful "home-economics" curriculum designed for little ones which teaches basics in cooking, sewing, baking, cleaning, and hospitality. This year she will learn to use the toaster, measure ingredients, peel and chop, sew basic stitches, and dust thoroughly! I have no doubt that this will be her favorite part of our week. She loves science -- it is seemingly her favorite subject -- and I have a lot of wonderful reading planned in this area. She and her dearest of friends, Sarah, will be sharing a history unit-study using the Little House on the Prairie books. As we read through them (one per month) we'll incorporate science and history study as well as work on some fun projects together -- corn cob dolls, making butter, going to the Oregon Trail Museum, etc. We are excited about this! She's just finished up a ballet session and takes on a new hobby by beginning horse-riding lessons in a week. She is thrilled!

We will continue our music studies, although we have recently said goodbye to our beloved violin teacher of nearly 8 years. It was time for a change. Josiah will be transitioning out of Suzuki violin and is now working with a professional player/teacher from Bulgaria. A sweet Christian lady who as is much interested in homeschooling as we are in learning to play the violin! Isabelle is working with Sarah's teacher now and will have the motivation of seeing her buddy occasionally at recitals this year. Isaac and Isabelle will continue piano studies with Jodi -- our dear and talented friend.

All of this combined with living, cooking, reading aloud, weeding, playing, sharing our meals and our hearts, harvesting and preserving our food for the year, completing chores, and studying God's Word together on a daily basis keep our days at home full. Please keep us in your prayers that we would continue daily to seek God's will and may live out His lovingkindness to our children as we again journey through the joys and trials of educating them at home!