I've been asked when I'd post something,
anything, to the family blog. Well, here it is. New pictures below, and now some actual words, written by me, the Mama of the family.
We've been actually and really homeschooling this year.
I say "actually and really" because last year I was sort of and not really actually homeschooling but more like un-schooling. (Which is, by the way, an actual way of homeschooling in itself, and worthwhile, but not what I was planning on doing). What happened last year was that Moshe started first grade at school, and after 3 months we decided it would be best to pull him out and finish up the year at home. We had always planned on homeschooling, but I was not planning on starting Moshe until this year (after first grade at school), and then adding Eli the following year.
But our planning for the timing was not meant to be.
So, home came Moshe who kept up with reading and a little math but didn't have much structure otherwise. He LOVES to read and learn on his own, so this was not a problem...except that he was bored. Although our library is decently sized, it was not enough for him. So, he was really REALLY looking forward to this year, when Eli would join him and we would do "actual" homeschooling.
And so we have been. And this is what it's like:
They start the morning with Math. They each have a workbook (Horizons), 2nd grade for Moshe and 1st grade for Eli. After Zach goes to school, they do their lesson, mostly independently with help from me if they don't understand something. After they finish, they have a little free time/playing with Yoni and Chanah while I do laundry/cleanup breakfast stuff.
Then we all head outside for a walk or across the street to the park, with our reading books with us. The weather has been beautiful, so I've been trying to have us do our reading aloud outside instead of on the couch....and so we read: mostly history/geography/cultures, etc. This year we focus on the first half of world history; so far we've been reading from different sources about the ancient civilizations. Right now we're on the Egyptians. The boys were fascinated to learn the story of King Tut. We also read about many animals of different areas of the world.
Then we come home for lunch. After that, the boys work on handwriting/phonics/spelling or science (classifying animals) and then have some more free time if there's any available before Zach comes home from school.
Once the little 3 are down for naps, the big guys have silent reading time (with some assigned reading, and then reading by choice) and then quiet play/working together on a joint project. Often Moshe will read aloud to Eli.
This is my computer/sanity/quiet time. Much needed. Sometimes, toward the end of it, I'll do some mending in the living room with the boys (they sew buttons, etc. I'd really like to get some embroidery hoops for them...). And then they'll have up to 20 mins each of computer time while I get dinner started.
I've found some great websites with educational games for kids; if you're interested in the links I'll be glad to post them. Just leave a comment and let me know.
Then the dinner rush starts.....I wake the napping ones, make dinner, we eat dinner, and Chaim gets them ready for bed while I clean up.
If I'm on the ball I get it all done by the time they go to bed. But not usually. Sigh.
And that's a day in the life of the Homeschooling Goldmans.
