This is where we spend our days when doing lessons, with the kids spilling into the yard when they are between lessons or I am distracted. The two year old naps though the noise – I think she naps better with noise, quiet seems to confuse her. 🙂

I was on top of the fort to get this view.

I’ve not been good about posting, in large part because I’ve not been good about giving homeschooling the focus it deserves. I told myself after a VERY busy fall with work that I was going to only take 1 doula/photo client a month and limit my work shifts at the birth center and teaching childbirth classes. That didn’t go quite as planned. 🙂 I am doing better about setting work limits, but there are so many different roles I’m in right now that I’m not giving homeschooling the attention it deserves. We’re doing the bare minimum, and I’m striving to repent!

C: He’s in the transition to scholar stage, which means we’ve given him a calendar and he’s responsible for a lot more of setting his own schedule and determining what he’ll work on. He’s completed the SWR (Spell to Write & Read) program entirely – his spelling is fantastic. He’s a voracious reader, his handwriting needs a bit of help (but he is only 11, I don’t think a lot of young boys have great handwriting.) He’s in Saxon 87 math and will start a pre-algebra type book next… Saxon 1/2 I think? He writes a blog post each week, has memorized most of the Articles of Faith, and is loving Story of the World 4. My only concerns with his academics are writing – I need to really focus on the Institute for Excellence in Writing materials with him. I want to also be better about his piano lessons but otherwise I feel great about the direction he’s going.

He’s also a lot more independent and able to ride his bike to friends’ homes, which is nice for him to have more quiet play dates without being the oldest of six kids. 🙂

M: She’s looking more like she has some auditory processing issues so we’re looking into that. She’s doing great in Saxon 3 and is almost done, then will start Saxon 54 (no more workbooks, just text.) She’s loving Activity Days, and did a ballet class on Saturdays this last month that we’ll probably continue after my trip to see my sister. I’ve also gotten her a massage from Amber (my massage therapist) which I think did great things for helping her muscles relax. She’s been begging to go back ever since! My concern with Mo is her reading and spelling, so we’re going to spend some focused time on that having her read aloud and doing more creative writing with penpals.

B: He’s in Saxon 2 and really growing in leaps. His reading has taken off, he read the entire Percy Jackson series and is now racing through Harry Potter. His handwriting has dramatically improved this last semester (after a year of me thinking he would have to become a physician because of their stereotypically horrid and illegible handwriting.) My biggest concern with him working on his writing – both the handwriting AND the creative writing aspect. We’re also talking with a private VI instructor to get more ideas for helping him visually.

E: She’s in Saxon 1 and also a crazy reader these days. My focus with her is handwriting and writing as well, as her vocabulary and desire to write surpass her spelling and writing skills. 🙂

J: I want to start working more on his ABCs (writing them out, he can do them but not always neatly) and he’s been doing some math worksheets from a pre-K workbook.

SO, in a nutshell:

C: writing (IEW)
M: spelling, writing
B: handwriting, writing
E: handwriting, writing
J: ABCs

I’m noticing a writing theme! 🙂 They are great about doing their math, history, art, spelling, and literature. We need to be better about writing, handwriting, music, and science.