A (quick) School Recap

This post is for me...an attempt to organize the crazy of my brain.  Luckily, this blog has been neglected for so long that I doubt anyone who once followed it even remembers it exists.  That's okay.  I really did start is as a journal for myself with the idea that maybe one day my children would find it interesting get a glimpse of their childhood from my perspective.  Unfortunately, I have not been a great record keeper since Scarlett joined our family (minus, of course, the thousands of pictures stored on my computer).  But there has always been that little voice that nags me, begging for me to sit at the computer and record a memory of two.  So here I am...trying again.

Summer has just begun.  An entire school year is behind us.  A lot of life happened and school wasn't always the organized and structured experience I had envisioned when the academic year began.   However, as I reflect back to where each of my children was last summer and when I remember the academic goals we were shooting for, I can see that all the kids kept on learning through this particularly trying year for our family.

James' reading is taking off!  He just finished "Treasure Island" (an abridged version).  He read the first chapters aloud with me, but then, about half way through, he just started reading it all on his own.  I know reading is still work for him, but he is getting it.  He is reading with increased ease and he is retaining and comprehending what he reads.  I think that was his big academic milestone for his second grade year.  My hope for the coming year this at reaching for a book will become more natural for him.  Reading is the key to self education, and once he masters it he will be able to teach himself anything!

Jacob's focus has been writing, and that will continue into this next school year.  I do not push writing composition in early elementary because I believe children need to be confident fluent readers before they are ready to write.  I love the classic idea of learning writing through modeling, and IEW has been a great fit.  Jake's ability as a writer is growing with each paper, and he ended his Classical Conversation year with an 8 page research paper on Hercules (the assignment was three)!  He worked so hard on it and he presented it to his class with great pride!  This year, he will be doing IEW one more time (layered learning), but I will be taking another step (or two) back so he can use all the tools he has learned over the past two years with greater independence.

Scarlett, is still a firecracker.  She loves to learn and gets bored and restless quickly if she is not adequately engaged.  She the first child I have considered sending to convention school.  Not because she doesn't learn well from me, but because she craves constant attention and stimulation.  As one can imagine, that can get tricky for me to supply as a mother of four.  After much thought (and prayer), I have decided that, even in all its imperfection, home is still the best place for her.  She is incredibly quick!  She rarely needs me to explain something twice.  Addition and subtraction facts seem to be a breeze, phonics seem to clicking, her printing is clear, and she now insists on learning cursive like her brothers.  This coming year she would be starting kindergarten (if we were "normal" people), so academically she is moving right along.  School is not the challenge part in homeschooling Scarlett, it is helping her figure out what to do with herself when she not doing school.  I am hoping that a couple dance classes each week will help fill in the structure and challenge she craves.  

Last but not least, Jonah has grown in every way imaginable this year!  He is tall, he is strong, he is fast, and he is coordinated.  He loves all sports.  And practices his soccer touches nearly everyday! He continues to be the best cuddle bug and fills our home with his goofiness, infectious smile, and overflowing love.  As we approach his third birthday, I am constantly amazed at the things he says.  Not just because his vocabulary has exploded, but also the maturity of his phrasing and the critical thinking his questions and comments portray.  I need to be better about writing down some of them down!  I am also continually impressed by his emotional intelligence.  Jonah shows great empathy for others (he and Jamie have lots in common).  He is great at sharing and taking turns, and he is very clued in to how others feel.  If he sees another child crying, he will look at me knowingly and explain, "He wants his Momma!"

There were many times when I felt like I was failing my family this past year.  Life kind of broke me and I struggled to get up more days than I would like to admit.  But this year reminded me that learning doesn't need perfect lessons plans or weekly check lists in order to occur (not to say I am not striving to get back there).  I am grateful for another year of learning and growing with my children.  And above all I love that the majority of our time is spent together as time and childhood are two things that we can never get back.