School's In

We finally started a more regular schedule of school with Rhiannon. We plan on about three hours a day, with short lessons in a wide variety of subjects. To give you an idea, this was roughly our schedule this morning.

7am - wake up, clean room and eat breakfast
8am - free playtime - mostly outdoors
9am - noon - School

We start with a family prayer, each person takes a turn praying and then they say the pledge. We read a bible story (today was Adam and Eve) and talk about it a bit. Then she moved into math - worked on skip counting by 2's and 3's. Sirah and Ciaran worked together to build a train track on the floor. Rhia did a worksheet and I played with the younger two.

Grammar was next, a review of nouns which transferred into copywork as she copied sentences I wrote on the board combining common and proper nouns. Copywork turned into art as she wanted to draw a picture to illustrate the sentence she wrote.

While she worked on that I helped Ciaran practice writing the letter L and he finished coloring his L pictures coloring book. Sirah generally made a mess with dot painters and played on her musical instruments. Then Ciaran and Sirah got out the messy craft box and began playing with glue, scissors, pipe cleaners, markers, and the like. Ciaran made a lion out of sandpaper and pipe cleaners. Sirah just made a mess, but had a lot of fun.

While they were entertaining themselves, Rhia and I read from our Ambleside readings - covering some history and fables. She did a narration and we talked about the stories. She recited three poems she has memorized and then worked on illustrating this weeks bible story (Adam and Eve).

I helped clean up the messes and then played trains with the younger two. Rhia then worked on spelling. I gave her the words while playing on the floor with the kids. She did one more math sheet - a review of addition and subtraction of three numbers. She ended her school by practicing playing her lap harp. During this time the younger two took turns playing computer games they enjoy.

We ended with about 15 minutes cleaning up the room, complete with the vacuuming it desperately needed after the morning. We started all that at 9am and were done at 12:15. It was very productive and went quickly, we are done for the day. Rhia was so pleased she said it seemed like no time at all and could not believe it was all done.

I was relieved when the time was over as it is an intense and very dividing time for me as everyone wants and needs my attention at the same time. But it is a brief, crazy, productive and fun time. Even with all the challenges I am so thankful for the choices we have made and the opportunities we have.

Peace,
Tenn