Before we moved to Egypt, Elisha had completed Classical Conversations' Foundations Cycle 1 and 2, and last year, she completed Cycle 3 with me here in Egypt. We enjoyed Foundations program very much, and, especially, with Elisha having a knack for memorizing, it was a right fit to meet our needs.
As we are returning back to U.S., I, without much debating, thought we are going to to join CC for Essentials. However, while exchanging emails with the director of this specific site we were going to sign up for, I felt something amiss. I was in the middle of finishing up my doctoral program for Audiology, and at the same time, we were busy packing up for intercontinental move, and I just wanted to sign up and pay for the Essentials and get over with it. However, right before I was going to send the payment, God stirred me to open the Essentials of the English Language (EEL) which is the book used for Essentials program. I purchased it over a year ago, but never opened it until then!
Skimming through the pages, I had to laugh at God's sense of humor: the material is something very familiar to me. Before I became an audiologist, I earned a master's degree in linguistics and having someone else to teach the contents of EEL to my child will be nonsense.
So, we are not going to join CC for a while, and instead of doing EEL, we will work on IEW's Teaching Writing: Structure and Style. Elisha and I just finished the first book of Fix It Grammar
series, and I believe TWSS is much more thorough than EEL.
Meanwhile, I have to come up with a plan to keep Elisha working on Foundations memory work. I might have to outsource that part by hiring a teenage mother's helper to come once a week and drill Elisha with the memory work.
Showing posts with label Homeschool. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Homeschool. Show all posts
Thursday, May 23, 2019
Review - How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare
It has been about one and a half year since Elisha started memorizing passages from Shakespeare's plays. As of now, she memorizes 12 passages. A few months ago, Elisha had a chance to see Twelfth Night at a theater and she was quietly reciting lines along with the actors!
I majored in English during college, but my knowledge and appreciation of Shakespeare is non-existent. (I don't know how I got my degree!) So, when I decided to introduce Elisha to Shakespeare's works, I was clueless where and how to start. Analyzing and discussing literature was not an option, because, if not done in proper time and manner, that method is going to destroy joy of studying literature.
We started by getting her easy-to-read, fun books of Shakespeare's plays. Tales from Shakespeare and More Tales from Shakespeare were the first ones we introduced to Elisha. Also, we added a few audio books of Shakespeare's plays on a tablet which she listened to.
Once I noticed Elisha was enjoying the books, after much reading and research, I purchased How To Teach Your Children Shakespeare by Ken Ludwig. I read first few chapters and decided to have Elisha memorize the passages presented in the book. Ken has a website where you can find recordings of all the passages read by professional actors and actresses. I let Elisha listen to them while eating or during free play times, and it takes her a few dozen times of listening to a passage to memorize it. Every weekend, along with bible verses, CJ tests her on all the Shakespeare passages she has been memorizing.
Ken's book offers details on each passage, but for now, I am not going over them with Elisha. She loves to memorize the passages with dramatization and, with that, I think we succeeded in planting 'love of Shakespeare' in her heart.
Someone once said 'What would be a better way to learn English than to study Shakespeare?', and despite the paucity of my knowledge of the great works, I do agree.
I majored in English during college, but my knowledge and appreciation of Shakespeare is non-existent. (I don't know how I got my degree!) So, when I decided to introduce Elisha to Shakespeare's works, I was clueless where and how to start. Analyzing and discussing literature was not an option, because, if not done in proper time and manner, that method is going to destroy joy of studying literature.
We started by getting her easy-to-read, fun books of Shakespeare's plays. Tales from Shakespeare and More Tales from Shakespeare were the first ones we introduced to Elisha. Also, we added a few audio books of Shakespeare's plays on a tablet which she listened to.
Once I noticed Elisha was enjoying the books, after much reading and research, I purchased How To Teach Your Children Shakespeare by Ken Ludwig. I read first few chapters and decided to have Elisha memorize the passages presented in the book. Ken has a website where you can find recordings of all the passages read by professional actors and actresses. I let Elisha listen to them while eating or during free play times, and it takes her a few dozen times of listening to a passage to memorize it. Every weekend, along with bible verses, CJ tests her on all the Shakespeare passages she has been memorizing.
Ken's book offers details on each passage, but for now, I am not going over them with Elisha. She loves to memorize the passages with dramatization and, with that, I think we succeeded in planting 'love of Shakespeare' in her heart.
Someone once said 'What would be a better way to learn English than to study Shakespeare?', and despite the paucity of my knowledge of the great works, I do agree.
EXODUS
In about 2 weeks, our family will be leaving Egypt and head back to U.S. Two years flew by so fast and I am struggling to wrap up our lives here without so much emotions churning in me.
During the past two years here in Egypt, CJ passed PMP (Project Management Professional Certification), completed the last course of facilities management, and completed Air Force Staff College.
Elisha got to experience a traditional school for a year. CJ and I wanted to give Elisha a chance to see for herself what school life is like, so that, down the road, she won't have any resentment or regrets about not being given the opportunity to explore the other option. Early on during the one-year journey, Elisha decided she prefers homeschooling and she hasn't changed her mind since then. So here we are preparing to go back to homeschool.
For me, I completed the doctoral program for Audiology through University of Florida. I am still not sure how God is going to intervene to use or not to use this degree, but, regardless, I am preparing to get Texas State license for audiology. Whatever lies ahead, I don't want to have any regrets of not doing my best.
Despite all the accomplishments and wonderful experiences we have had in Egypt, the best thing we have experienced is God's protection over us. Last Summer, on the 4th of July, little Deborah had a seizure which was followed by a cardiac arrest. Thankfully, she came out of it without any damage, but I still have a hard time talking about it without my body getting tense.
Yes, it sure feels great to have this Exodus with so much gains, but in the face of that experience of almost losing my child, all those glories fade. Everyday here on earth is a miracle and I live with that realization even more so now.
During the past two years here in Egypt, CJ passed PMP (Project Management Professional Certification), completed the last course of facilities management, and completed Air Force Staff College.
Elisha got to experience a traditional school for a year. CJ and I wanted to give Elisha a chance to see for herself what school life is like, so that, down the road, she won't have any resentment or regrets about not being given the opportunity to explore the other option. Early on during the one-year journey, Elisha decided she prefers homeschooling and she hasn't changed her mind since then. So here we are preparing to go back to homeschool.
For me, I completed the doctoral program for Audiology through University of Florida. I am still not sure how God is going to intervene to use or not to use this degree, but, regardless, I am preparing to get Texas State license for audiology. Whatever lies ahead, I don't want to have any regrets of not doing my best.
Despite all the accomplishments and wonderful experiences we have had in Egypt, the best thing we have experienced is God's protection over us. Last Summer, on the 4th of July, little Deborah had a seizure which was followed by a cardiac arrest. Thankfully, she came out of it without any damage, but I still have a hard time talking about it without my body getting tense.
Yes, it sure feels great to have this Exodus with so much gains, but in the face of that experience of almost losing my child, all those glories fade. Everyday here on earth is a miracle and I live with that realization even more so now.
Wednesday, August 23, 2017
Wonder World of Audiobooks
When Elisha was 4 years old, someone I met at a library told me how articulate Elisha was. A few months ago, at a church we were visiting in West Virginia, her Sunday school teacher told me how rich Elisha's vocabulary is. I believe her clear articulation and rich vocabulary come from listening to hundreds of audio books over the years.
English is not my mother tongue. Before Elisha was born, I read the biography of Condoleezza Rice, former US Secretary of State. One of the things that impressed me was her parents' emphasis on speaking proper English. I wanted Elisha to speak good English.
From the day she came home after birth, Elisha and I spent many hours of our awake time listening to audio books. Mostly, in the beginning, they were for me. I wanted to do something productive while nursing Elisha or rocking her to sleep. However, as she got older, CJ and I downloaded children's audio books to a small tablet and let them play throughout the day. Elisha is 7 years old now, and even now, the first thing she does in the morning is to turn on her audio books.
Some of the benefits of audio books are:
- they stimulate and improve aural memory
- they improve a child's ability to pay attention to spoken messages
- when started early, they help a child to develop good pronunciation thanks to young children's tendency to copy and repeat whatever they hear (parrot stage)
- they are flexible: children can listen to audio books anywhere, anytime
- they pair well with quiet play times: Elisha listens to them while playing with Legos, during bath, while coloring, etc.
- unlike visual entertainment such as videos/movies, audio books stimulate imagination and creativity
Free audio books:
- our favorite ones are Librivox & Overdrive
- BOOKRIOT lists 11 websites to find free audio books
Everyday is a Miracle
English is not my mother tongue. Before Elisha was born, I read the biography of Condoleezza Rice, former US Secretary of State. One of the things that impressed me was her parents' emphasis on speaking proper English. I wanted Elisha to speak good English.
From the day she came home after birth, Elisha and I spent many hours of our awake time listening to audio books. Mostly, in the beginning, they were for me. I wanted to do something productive while nursing Elisha or rocking her to sleep. However, as she got older, CJ and I downloaded children's audio books to a small tablet and let them play throughout the day. Elisha is 7 years old now, and even now, the first thing she does in the morning is to turn on her audio books.
Some of the benefits of audio books are:
- they stimulate and improve aural memory
- they improve a child's ability to pay attention to spoken messages
- when started early, they help a child to develop good pronunciation thanks to young children's tendency to copy and repeat whatever they hear (parrot stage)
- they are flexible: children can listen to audio books anywhere, anytime
- they pair well with quiet play times: Elisha listens to them while playing with Legos, during bath, while coloring, etc.
- unlike visual entertainment such as videos/movies, audio books stimulate imagination and creativity
Free audio books:
- our favorite ones are Librivox & Overdrive
- BOOKRIOT lists 11 websites to find free audio books
Everyday is a Miracle
Tuesday, August 22, 2017
Classical Music Appreciation for Homeschool
I haven't really learned anything about classical music, and I really had no clue how to introduce classical music to Elisha. I would turn on classical music station on a radio, but Elisha didn't seem to be very interested in it. Before starting piano and violin lessons, I wanted her to be 'drawn' to classical music.
After a long search, I found Classical Kids CD Collection. It introduces classical music weaved into fun, engaging stories and that is exactly what Elisha needed. This girl who spends every minute of her alone time listening to audio books just fell in love with these CDs. Listening to Vivaldi, Elisha was persuaded to learn how to play violin. Listening to Mozart, she became interested in opera.
It's been over a year since we first got the CDs, and even now we enjoy listening to them. Without twisting her arms nor stretching myself too thin, classical music entered into our home so very naturally.
Everyday is a Miracle
After a long search, I found Classical Kids CD Collection. It introduces classical music weaved into fun, engaging stories and that is exactly what Elisha needed. This girl who spends every minute of her alone time listening to audio books just fell in love with these CDs. Listening to Vivaldi, Elisha was persuaded to learn how to play violin. Listening to Mozart, she became interested in opera.
It's been over a year since we first got the CDs, and even now we enjoy listening to them. Without twisting her arms nor stretching myself too thin, classical music entered into our home so very naturally.
Everyday is a Miracle
Saturday, July 29, 2017
Veritas Press Self-Paced Courses Review
This summer is not a typical summer for our family. As you all know, we are in the middle of moving overseas, and I had to figure out how we would still do some, not much, school work done in the midst of this huge transition. I decided to focus on two subjects during this summer: math and history/bible.
For math, we are going to continue working on Saxon Math 2. We plan to finish it by the end of August. For history/bible, we are using a Veritas Press (VP) Self-Paced Course: Old Testament and Ancient Egypt this summer. We started the course early May and we are aiming to finish it by the end of August as well.
History is one of the many subjects that I am not confident. Throughout my school years, my study in history was very shallow and I never got to retain much of what I had learned. For this VP course, I am taking the class with Elisha, which means I sit down with Elisha for every lesson and we learn together.
We love this course and here are the reasons:
1. Very engaging - The narrators are very articulate, funny and often hilarious.
2. Adds details to pegs - This course helps Elisha to add a lot of details to the memory pegs she has nailed down past two years at Classical Conversations.
3. Plenty of reviews help retention - there are a lot of quizzes and games to help us retain what we have learned
4. Aha! Moments - Elisha has been putting together all the pieces from The Story of The World audio books, CC timeline, CC history sentences, hundred of library books she has been reading past 2 years and bible studies.
5. Cross Referencing - I am enjoying how the course makes references to the new testament and classic literature such as Shakespeare. It once quoted a line from Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew and I saw Elisha's eyes sparkle with excitement. (She read and listened to Shakespeare's plays last year)
6. How timely! - This is a personal reason. As we are moving to Egypt this summer, this course seems to be so timely for us. I am learning so much about Egypt's history and culture through this course.
By now, some of you must be wondering how much the course costs. We purchased this course late spring when all their Self-Paced Courses were on sale. Instead of paying the full price of $199, we paid $99. There are 160 lessons in this course. Each lesson takes anywhere between 15 minutes to 30 minutes and, most likely, it will take us 4 months to finish it. All in all, I am happy with this course and hope to continue with their next 3 other courses.
For math, we are going to continue working on Saxon Math 2. We plan to finish it by the end of August. For history/bible, we are using a Veritas Press (VP) Self-Paced Course: Old Testament and Ancient Egypt this summer. We started the course early May and we are aiming to finish it by the end of August as well.
History is one of the many subjects that I am not confident. Throughout my school years, my study in history was very shallow and I never got to retain much of what I had learned. For this VP course, I am taking the class with Elisha, which means I sit down with Elisha for every lesson and we learn together.
We love this course and here are the reasons:
1. Very engaging - The narrators are very articulate, funny and often hilarious.
2. Adds details to pegs - This course helps Elisha to add a lot of details to the memory pegs she has nailed down past two years at Classical Conversations.
3. Plenty of reviews help retention - there are a lot of quizzes and games to help us retain what we have learned
4. Aha! Moments - Elisha has been putting together all the pieces from The Story of The World audio books, CC timeline, CC history sentences, hundred of library books she has been reading past 2 years and bible studies.
5. Cross Referencing - I am enjoying how the course makes references to the new testament and classic literature such as Shakespeare. It once quoted a line from Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew and I saw Elisha's eyes sparkle with excitement. (She read and listened to Shakespeare's plays last year)
6. How timely! - This is a personal reason. As we are moving to Egypt this summer, this course seems to be so timely for us. I am learning so much about Egypt's history and culture through this course.
By now, some of you must be wondering how much the course costs. We purchased this course late spring when all their Self-Paced Courses were on sale. Instead of paying the full price of $199, we paid $99. There are 160 lessons in this course. Each lesson takes anywhere between 15 minutes to 30 minutes and, most likely, it will take us 4 months to finish it. All in all, I am happy with this course and hope to continue with their next 3 other courses.
Monday, March 13, 2017
$55 in 9 and a half month
It's a big day here in our home. Bigger than a book award day. Bigger than birthdays or anniversaries. It's a day our 6-year-old accomplished something neither myself nor CJ have done. It's the day Elisha finally got her long-waited Emma's House Lego set with her hard-earned money. Elisha has been saving money for it for nine and a half months (aka Lego fund). Can you believe it? Nine and a half months of waiting....for a six-year-old.
Last June, for her birthday, my brother bought Elisha a Lego set. Inside the box was a small pamphlet that showed other Lego sets, and that's where Elisha first fell in love with Emma's House. It was obvious that she could not take her mind off of it, and Elisha told us how much she wanted to have it.
We are not rich, but we are not poor, either. We don't have debt and we save significant portion of our income. What I'm trying to say is that we could easily afford to buy that Emma's House, and actually we did think about getting it for her as a Christmas present. However, CJ and I agreed we do not want her to become a child with a sense of entitlement and decided we will have Elisha work to save money for it. At that time, we had no idea that this experience will teach so much valuable lessons not only for Elisha but also for CJ and myself.
About half way into this journey, one evening, CJ and Elisha were reading a newsletter from a missions agency we support. Then, Elisha suddenly broke into tears saying God told her to give $21 from her Lego fund to the agency so that they can purchase a water filter for a family in India. Right there and then, she gave CJ $21 out of her fund, but I had to wonder why she was crying so hard. When I asked her that night on the bed, Elisha said she cried because she wanted to obey God but she did not want to give her Lego money away. What God was trying to teach Elisha and how Elisha was responding to His voice...it just melted my heart. As I'm writing this now, I feel like my heart is being filled with thousands of pink butterflies again.
Also, this journey certainly instilled a good work ethic in her. Elisha worked hard to earn the money: helping with laundry, sweeping garage and patio, pulling out weeds from the yard, helping with sorting/organizing clothes, cleaning up/organizing wherever messy, watering plants, etc. She has learned to look for work that needs to be done around the house, and she has grown to prefer tidiness/cleanness over messiness.
The other day, I noticed someone organized shoes so neatly on our shoe rack. It turned out Elisha was that beautiful person. I had to compliment her for tidying up the messy shoe rack, even though I never asked her to do so. She has made a habit of always asking if there is anything she can help with. She would say, 'Mama, I will be reading in my room. If you need any help, just whistle, and I will come right over.' How sweet!
Delayed gratification. According to Wikipedia, it is 'the ability to resist the temptation for an immediate reward and wait for a later reward'. So many times, Elisha would ask us if she can see Emma's House on our laptop. She would ask CJ to print out a detailed picture of Emma's House. She memorized what's inside that tiny house...all the details...she dreamed about it...she wanted to build a house like that on top of a hill for me with Lego pieces! Looking at the picture, she studied the house so meticulously and found out there is no staircase leading up to the second floor of the house. What an oversight!
It was not easy for me to see her having to wait so long, though. I often wondered if I am asking too much for a six-year-old. CJ and I would talk how we ourselves never had to save/earn money for a toy and we would feel so disqualified to demand such a high standard for Elisha. Neither of us said it out loud, but I know we both so wanted to forget the whole thing of 'teaching a lesson or two' and just order Emma's House right there and then.
Doesn't God often do the same thing for us, making us wait for a long time? When He makes me wait for so long, I would balk for a while but I know there is something He wants me to learn and grow. I would kick and scream demanding an 'immediate' answer, but I know that's the very reason God puts me on hold. Patience. Faith. Trust...I often wonder if I will ever be able to perfect these qualities while here on earth, but then I am reminded that what God wants is to see me 'grow', not necessarily 'perfect' it. More patience. More faith. More trust.
My 6-year-old never threw tamper tantrum demanding immediate purchase of the Emma's House. She waited and waited while learning priceless lessons, while growing in her character, while growing closer to God. I admire this girl. I admire her patience which allows God's hands to chisel and mold her character. I admire the intimacy she has with her heavenly Father. God, you are doing a great job raising your daughter Elisha! Neither I nor CJ can claim any credit for this girl's beautiful, tender heart.
Everyday is a miracle
Last June, for her birthday, my brother bought Elisha a Lego set. Inside the box was a small pamphlet that showed other Lego sets, and that's where Elisha first fell in love with Emma's House. It was obvious that she could not take her mind off of it, and Elisha told us how much she wanted to have it.
We are not rich, but we are not poor, either. We don't have debt and we save significant portion of our income. What I'm trying to say is that we could easily afford to buy that Emma's House, and actually we did think about getting it for her as a Christmas present. However, CJ and I agreed we do not want her to become a child with a sense of entitlement and decided we will have Elisha work to save money for it. At that time, we had no idea that this experience will teach so much valuable lessons not only for Elisha but also for CJ and myself.
About half way into this journey, one evening, CJ and Elisha were reading a newsletter from a missions agency we support. Then, Elisha suddenly broke into tears saying God told her to give $21 from her Lego fund to the agency so that they can purchase a water filter for a family in India. Right there and then, she gave CJ $21 out of her fund, but I had to wonder why she was crying so hard. When I asked her that night on the bed, Elisha said she cried because she wanted to obey God but she did not want to give her Lego money away. What God was trying to teach Elisha and how Elisha was responding to His voice...it just melted my heart. As I'm writing this now, I feel like my heart is being filled with thousands of pink butterflies again.
Also, this journey certainly instilled a good work ethic in her. Elisha worked hard to earn the money: helping with laundry, sweeping garage and patio, pulling out weeds from the yard, helping with sorting/organizing clothes, cleaning up/organizing wherever messy, watering plants, etc. She has learned to look for work that needs to be done around the house, and she has grown to prefer tidiness/cleanness over messiness.
The other day, I noticed someone organized shoes so neatly on our shoe rack. It turned out Elisha was that beautiful person. I had to compliment her for tidying up the messy shoe rack, even though I never asked her to do so. She has made a habit of always asking if there is anything she can help with. She would say, 'Mama, I will be reading in my room. If you need any help, just whistle, and I will come right over.' How sweet!
Delayed gratification. According to Wikipedia, it is 'the ability to resist the temptation for an immediate reward and wait for a later reward'. So many times, Elisha would ask us if she can see Emma's House on our laptop. She would ask CJ to print out a detailed picture of Emma's House. She memorized what's inside that tiny house...all the details...she dreamed about it...she wanted to build a house like that on top of a hill for me with Lego pieces! Looking at the picture, she studied the house so meticulously and found out there is no staircase leading up to the second floor of the house. What an oversight!
It was not easy for me to see her having to wait so long, though. I often wondered if I am asking too much for a six-year-old. CJ and I would talk how we ourselves never had to save/earn money for a toy and we would feel so disqualified to demand such a high standard for Elisha. Neither of us said it out loud, but I know we both so wanted to forget the whole thing of 'teaching a lesson or two' and just order Emma's House right there and then.
Doesn't God often do the same thing for us, making us wait for a long time? When He makes me wait for so long, I would balk for a while but I know there is something He wants me to learn and grow. I would kick and scream demanding an 'immediate' answer, but I know that's the very reason God puts me on hold. Patience. Faith. Trust...I often wonder if I will ever be able to perfect these qualities while here on earth, but then I am reminded that what God wants is to see me 'grow', not necessarily 'perfect' it. More patience. More faith. More trust.
My 6-year-old never threw tamper tantrum demanding immediate purchase of the Emma's House. She waited and waited while learning priceless lessons, while growing in her character, while growing closer to God. I admire this girl. I admire her patience which allows God's hands to chisel and mold her character. I admire the intimacy she has with her heavenly Father. God, you are doing a great job raising your daughter Elisha! Neither I nor CJ can claim any credit for this girl's beautiful, tender heart.
Everyday is a miracle
Friday, March 10, 2017
Practice Makes Perfect
Mercy worked for us as a mother's helper for 7 months last year. When I hired her, I knew she played violin, and once she got used to twin's routine, I asked her to teach Elisha violin during twin's nap time. Mercy herself was not a professional, advanced violinist. She was a 13-year-old home-schooled girl who used to take violin lessons at the public school she used to attend. She was barely intermediate level in violin. However, she gladly jumped into the quest of helping Elisha become interested in playing violin.
Initially, what made it work was that Elisha really enjoyed 'playing' with Mercy and that good rapport flew into 'playing with violin' part. Elisha did not fall in love with the violin from the beginning, though. She hated the 'squeaky' sound. She was frustrated she does not know how to play like the 'violinist'. However, once she was able to play the 'hot cross buns' all by herself, Elisha found playing violin more interesting. Elisha kept asking Mercy new piece of 'real' music almost every week, while CJ and I tried to start a routine for Elisha to practice on her own 15 minutes a day. When Mercy ran out of simple music pieces, I gave Elisha some from the hymn book.
Due to the demand of her school work, Mercy left us at the end of the last December, but Elisha has kept on practicing almost everyday. In addition to the daily practice routine, what really has helped Elisha improve her violin sound is her innate competitiveness with herself. She is eager to produce 'beautiful' sound. If a note does not sound 'right', she gets frustrated. Many times, she would put down her violin and announce she would quit. However, the routine we had started kept us going despite all that falls and slips. After each song, she would ask me if that was good, if that was best for the day, if that was better than yesterday, if that was best ever. When she picks up her violin, I make sure I pay attention to her so that I can provide critique when asked for it.
This week, I am so pleased to find that her violin sounds so beautiful. Elisha and I were even able to play 'Jesus Loves Me' duet - Elisha on violin, I on piano! Yet the best thing happened was when she said, 'I love playing violin now'! I could see that she is really gaining confidence and enjoying the fact that her violin finally sounds 'real'.
This whole thing about violin was a kind of experiment for me. I wanted to see if she can learn to play violin WITHOUT a professional instructor. I wanted to see if 'practice can really make perfect'. In his 2008 book "Outliers," Malcolm Gladwell wrote that "ten thousand hours is the magic number of greatness." I do not think Elisha has put in ten thousand hours playing violin yet, but I can say with confidence that, from what we have witnessed, daily practice and grit has done much more than a skillful teacher could do.
TAPO
Initially, what made it work was that Elisha really enjoyed 'playing' with Mercy and that good rapport flew into 'playing with violin' part. Elisha did not fall in love with the violin from the beginning, though. She hated the 'squeaky' sound. She was frustrated she does not know how to play like the 'violinist'. However, once she was able to play the 'hot cross buns' all by herself, Elisha found playing violin more interesting. Elisha kept asking Mercy new piece of 'real' music almost every week, while CJ and I tried to start a routine for Elisha to practice on her own 15 minutes a day. When Mercy ran out of simple music pieces, I gave Elisha some from the hymn book.
Due to the demand of her school work, Mercy left us at the end of the last December, but Elisha has kept on practicing almost everyday. In addition to the daily practice routine, what really has helped Elisha improve her violin sound is her innate competitiveness with herself. She is eager to produce 'beautiful' sound. If a note does not sound 'right', she gets frustrated. Many times, she would put down her violin and announce she would quit. However, the routine we had started kept us going despite all that falls and slips. After each song, she would ask me if that was good, if that was best for the day, if that was better than yesterday, if that was best ever. When she picks up her violin, I make sure I pay attention to her so that I can provide critique when asked for it.
This week, I am so pleased to find that her violin sounds so beautiful. Elisha and I were even able to play 'Jesus Loves Me' duet - Elisha on violin, I on piano! Yet the best thing happened was when she said, 'I love playing violin now'! I could see that she is really gaining confidence and enjoying the fact that her violin finally sounds 'real'.
This whole thing about violin was a kind of experiment for me. I wanted to see if she can learn to play violin WITHOUT a professional instructor. I wanted to see if 'practice can really make perfect'. In his 2008 book "Outliers," Malcolm Gladwell wrote that "ten thousand hours is the magic number of greatness." I do not think Elisha has put in ten thousand hours playing violin yet, but I can say with confidence that, from what we have witnessed, daily practice and grit has done much more than a skillful teacher could do.
TAPO
Monday, February 27, 2017
Homeschool Mid-year Slump?
Recently I've come across a few articles on how to overcome mid-year slump in homeschool. It's been only four years since we started homeschooling, so I don't think I have a really 'brilliant' idea on this topic. However, there are a few things I've found helpful for us to keep going without feeling exhausted or bored.
We do not have a strict schedule. Whether it's an yearly plan, monthly, weekly or daily plan, we do not have the 'set-in-the-stone' kind of plan. I have a big picture of where we're heading for the next few years, where we want to land by certain time of the year or month, but I do not make a so-called 'detailed plan'. To me what's most important is that we school as much as we can on any given day. Very often, we do two chapters on math plus either one science lesson or one spelling lesson. On the days we choose to do Grapevine's stick-figure through the bible study which takes one to one and a half hour, we get to do only one chapter of any of those three subjects.
We try hard to keep the routine. During twin's morning nap time, Elisha willingly stops whatever she is doing, and joins me for home-school. Both Elisha and I know that's the only time we will be able to sit down for school work. Also, Elisha knows that some homework is waiting for her after shower in the evening. There is a homework folder we keep on the dining table, and she knows she is expected to work on it after taking a shower. There has been no arguing or pouting about this routine and, actually, Elisha shows great diligence and self-discipline in completing her homework.
Usually, people plan the lessons in such a way that they finish each subject by the end of the school year. However, I've found that there is no need to stretch out when it can be done earlier. We finished All About Reading 3 last month, and we want to finish Nancy Larson Science 2 and All About Spelling 2 by the end of March. Also, I've found that finishing a curriculum early give us the mental 'boost' that helps us keep going. Whenever Elisha finishes a curriculum, we celebrate with a book award by having a special dessert after dinner. (We tried to take her out for lunch, but Elisha does not like eating out!) I really wanted to finish Saxon Math 2 by the end of next month, but, after skimming through the remaining lessons, I realized we won't be able to do 2-3 lessons at a time any more. However, we're going to see if we can finish it by the end of April.
TAPO
We do not have a strict schedule. Whether it's an yearly plan, monthly, weekly or daily plan, we do not have the 'set-in-the-stone' kind of plan. I have a big picture of where we're heading for the next few years, where we want to land by certain time of the year or month, but I do not make a so-called 'detailed plan'. To me what's most important is that we school as much as we can on any given day. Very often, we do two chapters on math plus either one science lesson or one spelling lesson. On the days we choose to do Grapevine's stick-figure through the bible study which takes one to one and a half hour, we get to do only one chapter of any of those three subjects.
We try hard to keep the routine. During twin's morning nap time, Elisha willingly stops whatever she is doing, and joins me for home-school. Both Elisha and I know that's the only time we will be able to sit down for school work. Also, Elisha knows that some homework is waiting for her after shower in the evening. There is a homework folder we keep on the dining table, and she knows she is expected to work on it after taking a shower. There has been no arguing or pouting about this routine and, actually, Elisha shows great diligence and self-discipline in completing her homework.
Usually, people plan the lessons in such a way that they finish each subject by the end of the school year. However, I've found that there is no need to stretch out when it can be done earlier. We finished All About Reading 3 last month, and we want to finish Nancy Larson Science 2 and All About Spelling 2 by the end of March. Also, I've found that finishing a curriculum early give us the mental 'boost' that helps us keep going. Whenever Elisha finishes a curriculum, we celebrate with a book award by having a special dessert after dinner. (We tried to take her out for lunch, but Elisha does not like eating out!) I really wanted to finish Saxon Math 2 by the end of next month, but, after skimming through the remaining lessons, I realized we won't be able to do 2-3 lessons at a time any more. However, we're going to see if we can finish it by the end of April.
TAPO
Monday, February 20, 2017
Childlike Faith
Elisha and I were on our way home from our weekly Classical Conversations gathering. There was an unusually heavy traffic on 1604 South. We saw 'Road Work Ahead' sign, and, instead of complaining about the delay, we enjoyed our mommy-daughter date which we have not had for a very long time. Around halfway home, all cars started moving to the right lane, and that's when we saw a small passenger car wrecked in an accident.
It looked like the car span and crashed into a boulder or something. Its front was totaled and airbags were in full display. I gasped and sighed. Elisha blurted out, "Mama, let's pray", and she began to pray out loud: "Dear God, I pray that no one is seriously injured. I pray that nobody needs surgery. I pray that everyone will be healed quickly. In Jesus name we pray, Amen." What she said next stunned me: "Everything will be OK now. We prayed and God hears our prayer." The simple faith...this must be what 'childlike faith' actually looks like. It was so powerful and beautiful that it made my eyes twinkle with some liquid.
Why do I worry and live in fear while praying? Why do I still carry the heavy burden after I said I lay it all down at His feet in my prayer? I needed to hear that...that everything will be alright, that my heavenly father will take care of everything, that I need to rest knowing that My DAD is in control.
And he said: "Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 18:3, NIV)
Everyday is a Miracle
It looked like the car span and crashed into a boulder or something. Its front was totaled and airbags were in full display. I gasped and sighed. Elisha blurted out, "Mama, let's pray", and she began to pray out loud: "Dear God, I pray that no one is seriously injured. I pray that nobody needs surgery. I pray that everyone will be healed quickly. In Jesus name we pray, Amen." What she said next stunned me: "Everything will be OK now. We prayed and God hears our prayer." The simple faith...this must be what 'childlike faith' actually looks like. It was so powerful and beautiful that it made my eyes twinkle with some liquid.
Why do I worry and live in fear while praying? Why do I still carry the heavy burden after I said I lay it all down at His feet in my prayer? I needed to hear that...that everything will be alright, that my heavenly father will take care of everything, that I need to rest knowing that My DAD is in control.
And he said: "Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 18:3, NIV)
Everyday is a Miracle
Monday, February 13, 2017
Something's Got To Go
I got sick over last Thanksgiving week. It was meant to happen. I was running on an empty gas tank for a while, and just...crashed. I have not been sleeping nor eating enough to survive the pressure of motherhood. Everyday seemed to be just way too short to take care of the four human beings living with me.
Lying sick in bed, I decided to let go of something that has been dear to me. Cooking. Cooking everyday. I decided it is okay to feed my family a few frozen meals each week as long as they are free of harmful ingredients.
Now that Elisha is 6 years old, homeschooling alone is a daunting task. With twins crawling and being introduced different kinds of solid food, I have been spreading myself pretty thin. I had to think over: what can I give up without compromising the quality of our lives? No more cooking EVERYDAY.
I still cook quite a bit, but now I spend about three half-days to prepare for two-week's meals, usually right after our every-other-week grocery shopping.
Here is a list of what I have been doing to streamline and simplify cooking:
1. Chop, marinate, freeze chicken thighs. I would thaw and use them to make spicy chicken with carrots and potatoes or honey glazed chicken with potatoes.
2. Marinate chicken thighs with soy sauce, garlic, balsamic vinegar, and then freeze them. I would bake/grill them in a toaster oven, and then shred the meat to add to burrito bowls.
3. Fry and freeze bacon, and add them to our Sunday sandwich lunch.
4. Make pork cutlets and freeze them. We eat them either with rice or a big bowl of salad.
5. Make burritos (baked beans, shredded cheese, bacon, egg), and freeze them. These are mostly for CJ's weekday breakfast, but they come in handy as an easy lunch menu for Elisha and me.
6. Cook a big pot of chili. This is solely for CJ's weekday lunch.
7. Bake bread pudding with lots of egg, milk, and honey. This is also for CJ's breakfast. (Yes, somebody eats A LOT!)
8. Bake, slice and freeze 2 bags of sweet potatoes. I add them to breakfast oatmeal, which makes kids gobble up their otherwise plain oatmeal.
Here is a list of frozen food from Trader Joe's we have been trying and enjoying:
1. Meat lasagna
2. Kalbi (Korean style short ribs)
3. Organic grilled vegetable pizza
4. Tilapia cutlets
I would love to hear what y'all homeschooling mamas are doing to feed your family well without killing yourselves.
Everyday Is a Miracle
Lying sick in bed, I decided to let go of something that has been dear to me. Cooking. Cooking everyday. I decided it is okay to feed my family a few frozen meals each week as long as they are free of harmful ingredients.
Now that Elisha is 6 years old, homeschooling alone is a daunting task. With twins crawling and being introduced different kinds of solid food, I have been spreading myself pretty thin. I had to think over: what can I give up without compromising the quality of our lives? No more cooking EVERYDAY.
I still cook quite a bit, but now I spend about three half-days to prepare for two-week's meals, usually right after our every-other-week grocery shopping.
Here is a list of what I have been doing to streamline and simplify cooking:
1. Chop, marinate, freeze chicken thighs. I would thaw and use them to make spicy chicken with carrots and potatoes or honey glazed chicken with potatoes.
2. Marinate chicken thighs with soy sauce, garlic, balsamic vinegar, and then freeze them. I would bake/grill them in a toaster oven, and then shred the meat to add to burrito bowls.
3. Fry and freeze bacon, and add them to our Sunday sandwich lunch.
4. Make pork cutlets and freeze them. We eat them either with rice or a big bowl of salad.
5. Make burritos (baked beans, shredded cheese, bacon, egg), and freeze them. These are mostly for CJ's weekday breakfast, but they come in handy as an easy lunch menu for Elisha and me.
6. Cook a big pot of chili. This is solely for CJ's weekday lunch.
7. Bake bread pudding with lots of egg, milk, and honey. This is also for CJ's breakfast. (Yes, somebody eats A LOT!)
8. Bake, slice and freeze 2 bags of sweet potatoes. I add them to breakfast oatmeal, which makes kids gobble up their otherwise plain oatmeal.
Here is a list of frozen food from Trader Joe's we have been trying and enjoying:
1. Meat lasagna
2. Kalbi (Korean style short ribs)
3. Organic grilled vegetable pizza
4. Tilapia cutlets
I would love to hear what y'all homeschooling mamas are doing to feed your family well without killing yourselves.
Everyday Is a Miracle
Friday, October 7, 2016
Bible Geography
This past Summer, Elisha and I started studying from Genesis using Grapevine's Stick Figure Through the Bible. As you can see from my review of the curriculum, we really enjoy this study. I plan to do one lesson over two days, but, most times, Elisha does not want to stop in the middle and we end up spending a good hour to hour and a half at one time.
For a long time, I have wished I had a map showing all the different journeys occurring in the bible. And this bible study with Elisha made that desire even stronger, especially with Elisha loving geography so much. Well, I found a wonderful book which is so fit to our needs, and we found it at our local library!
Children's Atlas of the Bible is the one. Tonight, as Elisha and I sat down with this book, we were so mesmerized that we didn't even realize it was past her bed time. Being able to trace Abraham's journey, Joseph being taken to Egypt, Exodus, desert wandering, Israelite's conquer of Canaan....it made everything we have learned from the bible study, Story of the World, and Classcial Conversation (CC) come alive.
This is one of the books I would like to purchase and keep on our bookshelf someday. There goes my Christmas wishlist, honey!
TAPO
For a long time, I have wished I had a map showing all the different journeys occurring in the bible. And this bible study with Elisha made that desire even stronger, especially with Elisha loving geography so much. Well, I found a wonderful book which is so fit to our needs, and we found it at our local library!
Children's Atlas of the Bible is the one. Tonight, as Elisha and I sat down with this book, we were so mesmerized that we didn't even realize it was past her bed time. Being able to trace Abraham's journey, Joseph being taken to Egypt, Exodus, desert wandering, Israelite's conquer of Canaan....it made everything we have learned from the bible study, Story of the World, and Classcial Conversation (CC) come alive.
This is one of the books I would like to purchase and keep on our bookshelf someday. There goes my Christmas wishlist, honey!
TAPO
Tuesday, October 4, 2016
Thousands of Marbles
That's what Elisha said during the science experiment time at last week's Classical Conversations meeting. The experiment was about orbital speed, and they used marbles on a cake pan. The tutor told the kids how they can easily do the experiment at home if they have a marble and a cake pan, and one of the children, Hunter, said 'I don't have any marble at home'. That's when Elisha blurted out 'I have thousands of marbles at home'.
She does have a lot of marbles, but not thousands. Maybe a few dozens at most. 'Thousands' was an exaggeration, far from the truth. Where there is an exaggeration, there certainly will be drama as well. Most of all, I believe exaggeration is a lie. CJ & I agreed trimming is necessary.
CJ talked to Elisha that exaggeration is a lie and how God hates a lying tongue. I sat down with Elisha and we decided to give Hunter some marbles so that he can do the experiment at home. Elisha picked several marbles and put them in a cute little bottle, which is ready to be delivered to Hunter when they meet next time. I really hope the lesson is learned and impressed in Elisha's heart.
TAPO
She does have a lot of marbles, but not thousands. Maybe a few dozens at most. 'Thousands' was an exaggeration, far from the truth. Where there is an exaggeration, there certainly will be drama as well. Most of all, I believe exaggeration is a lie. CJ & I agreed trimming is necessary.
CJ talked to Elisha that exaggeration is a lie and how God hates a lying tongue. I sat down with Elisha and we decided to give Hunter some marbles so that he can do the experiment at home. Elisha picked several marbles and put them in a cute little bottle, which is ready to be delivered to Hunter when they meet next time. I really hope the lesson is learned and impressed in Elisha's heart.
TAPO
Friday, September 16, 2016
Mother's Helper
A mother's helper is different from a babysitter. Babysitters are expected to work independently and often to work in the absence of the parents of the child/children. A mother's helper is rather expected to provide an extra pair of hands to a busy mom, and she works with/alongside the mother. It's a great concept for a person like me who is reluctant to leave kids with another person other than my husband.
With twins, we hired a mother's helper. Sophia stayed with us for the first two months. She was referred to us by someone at our church. She is 13 years old and is one of the 11 children in her family, bringing a lot of experience taking care of her younger siblings. She worked 5 hours a day for 6 days each week, and we paid $200 per week.
Her work included feeding babies, changing diapers, washing and sanitizing bottles, folding laundry. During the first two months, twins slept most of the day, so Sophia also took Elisha outside for half an hour each day to fetch mails or to walk to the playground. She was free to read books or study when there was nothing to do. I left kids with Sophia once a week for an hour so that I could see my physical therapist, but CJ and I have never left kids with her for an extended amount of time.
After Sophia left us due to her family's busy schedule, we hired another homeschooled girl, Mercy. She comes 3 days a week for 5 hours each time, and we pay $100 per week. Now that twins do not have to be fed so often, she spends the extra time to help Elisha with her memory work for Classical Conversations. Also, she just started teaching Elisha violin whenever her hands are free.
Before we hired Mercy, I had interviewed several other girls. One of the biggest challenges was to find someone who will set a good example for Elisha who is very observant. So the one who showed up with not much clothes on, another 13-year-old girl who was wearing lots and lots of makeup, and a 14-year-old girl who watches TV until 4am...they did not get the job. Oh, and the high school senior who we test-hired for a week, just because she was referred to us by someone in our homeschool coop...I had to ask her to stop coming because she was on her smartphone ALL the time. As you see, there was quite a drama until we found Mercy.
For pay-wise, we are paying more than the going rate in and around our neighborhood. However, both CJ and I think it's a fair rate considering the peace and rest our family gets to enjoy by having Mercy.
TAPO
With twins, we hired a mother's helper. Sophia stayed with us for the first two months. She was referred to us by someone at our church. She is 13 years old and is one of the 11 children in her family, bringing a lot of experience taking care of her younger siblings. She worked 5 hours a day for 6 days each week, and we paid $200 per week.
Her work included feeding babies, changing diapers, washing and sanitizing bottles, folding laundry. During the first two months, twins slept most of the day, so Sophia also took Elisha outside for half an hour each day to fetch mails or to walk to the playground. She was free to read books or study when there was nothing to do. I left kids with Sophia once a week for an hour so that I could see my physical therapist, but CJ and I have never left kids with her for an extended amount of time.
After Sophia left us due to her family's busy schedule, we hired another homeschooled girl, Mercy. She comes 3 days a week for 5 hours each time, and we pay $100 per week. Now that twins do not have to be fed so often, she spends the extra time to help Elisha with her memory work for Classical Conversations. Also, she just started teaching Elisha violin whenever her hands are free.
Before we hired Mercy, I had interviewed several other girls. One of the biggest challenges was to find someone who will set a good example for Elisha who is very observant. So the one who showed up with not much clothes on, another 13-year-old girl who was wearing lots and lots of makeup, and a 14-year-old girl who watches TV until 4am...they did not get the job. Oh, and the high school senior who we test-hired for a week, just because she was referred to us by someone in our homeschool coop...I had to ask her to stop coming because she was on her smartphone ALL the time. As you see, there was quite a drama until we found Mercy.
For pay-wise, we are paying more than the going rate in and around our neighborhood. However, both CJ and I think it's a fair rate considering the peace and rest our family gets to enjoy by having Mercy.
TAPO
Friday, September 9, 2016
Curriculum Update as of September 2016
Classical Conversations Cycle 2 is starting in a few days. During this past Summer, Elisha and I spent at least one and a half hours each weekday reviewing what she had learned during Cycle 1. It was a way for me to spend a quality time with Elisha, and Elisha finished notebooking geography (two times!), history (two times!), English, Latin, Science.
Right now, we are doing two math lessons 4 days a week and about two lessons of Grapevine bible study each week. Mercy, a 14-year-old homeschooled girl who works as a mother's helper for us has been teaching Elisha violin, and I am hoping to start teaching Elisha piano soon. Also, today was our first day of meeting up with a Spanish-speaking family to learn Spanish (I will write more about this later).
Here are the curriculum we are using as of September 2016.
1. Math - Saxon Math 2
2. Phonics, Reading - All About Reading III
3. Spelling - All About Spelling II
4. Spanish - Language exchange
5. Science - Nancy Larson Science 2
6. Bible - Grapevine's Stick Figure Through the Bible
7. Classical Conversations - Notebooking for each of these subjects: History, Math, Science, Latin, Geography, Fine Arts, English
8. Cursive - Elisha has fallen in love with cursive writing this past Summer. Praise God! We will continue to incorporate cursive handwriting practice into her notebooking time.
9. World History - Continue with Story of the World audiobooks
10. Classical Music Appreciation - Classical Kids (It is a collection of CDs)
TAPO
Right now, we are doing two math lessons 4 days a week and about two lessons of Grapevine bible study each week. Mercy, a 14-year-old homeschooled girl who works as a mother's helper for us has been teaching Elisha violin, and I am hoping to start teaching Elisha piano soon. Also, today was our first day of meeting up with a Spanish-speaking family to learn Spanish (I will write more about this later).
Here are the curriculum we are using as of September 2016.
1. Math - Saxon Math 2
2. Phonics, Reading - All About Reading III
3. Spelling - All About Spelling II
4. Spanish - Language exchange
5. Science - Nancy Larson Science 2
6. Bible - Grapevine's Stick Figure Through the Bible
7. Classical Conversations - Notebooking for each of these subjects: History, Math, Science, Latin, Geography, Fine Arts, English
8. Cursive - Elisha has fallen in love with cursive writing this past Summer. Praise God! We will continue to incorporate cursive handwriting practice into her notebooking time.
9. World History - Continue with Story of the World audiobooks
10. Classical Music Appreciation - Classical Kids (It is a collection of CDs)
TAPO
Saturday, August 27, 2016
Stick Figure Through the Bible
It has been about 3 weeks since Elisha and I have been studying Stick Figure Through the Bible. We are working on the first of the Old Testament Series:Creation to Jacob, and oh, how much we love it! It is very engaging for both of us, and we get so excited that we often spend over an hour. An hour each day for a bible study is a lot for a 6-year-old, but time flies when we are working on this bible study. As we study, Elisha and I experience the joy and sadness felt by the characters and God in the bible, and we often laugh, cry, and get upset with them.
It is such a simple bible study curriculum, but there is something, something powerful that makes the bible so real to us.
Right now, we are studying about 4 lessons each week, but once Classical Conversations starts next month, that might need to change a bit.
TAPO
Monday, July 18, 2016
Nancy Larson Science Review
This past Summer, Elisha started Namcy Larson Science 2. We did not do Nancy Larson Science 1, and the reason we skipped level 1 is because a huge chunk of the level 1 is dedicated to human body science, and Elisha has already studied human body science with the cute little My Body. Actually, we covered My Body twice. So, we decided to forgo Nancy Larson Science level 1.
Regarding level 2, this is Elisha's first complete science curriculum and we both love it. It is very thorough and easy to teach for me, and over and over I find that if I enjoy a curriculum, Elisha ends up enjoying it as well. I like how it comes with fun, easy experiments. I also very much appreciate how they let me know a few lessons in advance if there needs some special materials. For example, for the Rocks and Minerals lessons, the teacher's manual noted 3-4 lessons beforehand to start collecting various sizes of rocks. I asked CJ to get some rocks during his lunch break at work, and it was so nice to have those rocks ready on the day when we needed them!
TAPO
Regarding level 2, this is Elisha's first complete science curriculum and we both love it. It is very thorough and easy to teach for me, and over and over I find that if I enjoy a curriculum, Elisha ends up enjoying it as well. I like how it comes with fun, easy experiments. I also very much appreciate how they let me know a few lessons in advance if there needs some special materials. For example, for the Rocks and Minerals lessons, the teacher's manual noted 3-4 lessons beforehand to start collecting various sizes of rocks. I asked CJ to get some rocks during his lunch break at work, and it was so nice to have those rocks ready on the day when we needed them!
TAPO
Sunday, August 23, 2015
Homeschool Curriculum I Use
When I first entered the world of homeschooling, it was quite overwhelming that 'I' have to find the 'right' curriculum for me and my daughter out of so many available out there. To actually look at them and even try one or two lessons will be ideal, but that most likely means possible waste of a lot of money.
Here is the guideline that helps me to choose the right curriculum for our homeschool:
1. Read reviews and choose top 2~3 curriculum/books for each subject.
2. Take more time to read as much review as I can find about those top choices.
3. Purchase and stick to it.
Here are the curriculum we've used so far at our homeschool:
1. Math - Saxon Math I
2. Phonics, Reading - All About Reading I, II, III
3. Spelling - All About Spelling I, II
4. Spanish - The Easy Spanish, Junior
5. Geography - Evan-Moor Beginning Geography, Evan-Moor Daily Geography Practice Grade 2
6. Devotions - Thoughts to Make Your Heart Sing
7. Latin - Song School Latin Book 1 (*We purchased this one, but I haven't mustered up enough ump to start on it yet. I might need DVD help for this curriculum.)
What I like about the curriculum we use:
1. They are pencil & paper curriculum, not DVD based. I personally believe homeschooling, especially during the early years, is about establishing strong, healthy bonding between parents and child(ren). I want our homeschool to come with lots of personal touch and interaction, and for that reason, we try to avoid DVD/online based curriculum.
2. With very minimal preparation, they are 'open & go' style curriculum. My daughter is 5 1/2 years old and I usually spend 30~45 minutes to prepare for one day's lessons. For the worksheets that come with each curriculum, in order to be able to use them again for second child, I make & use copies.
Curriculum that we are still looking for:
1. Science - I am looking for something that (1) comes with lots of hands-on activities (2) requires minimal preparation.
2. Piano - I need something that will help me teach music fundamentals and basics in piano.
3. Christian Character Development
Here is the guideline that helps me to choose the right curriculum for our homeschool:
1. Read reviews and choose top 2~3 curriculum/books for each subject.
2. Take more time to read as much review as I can find about those top choices.
3. Purchase and stick to it.
Here are the curriculum we've used so far at our homeschool:
1. Math - Saxon Math I
2. Phonics, Reading - All About Reading I, II, III
3. Spelling - All About Spelling I, II
4. Spanish - The Easy Spanish, Junior
5. Geography - Evan-Moor Beginning Geography, Evan-Moor Daily Geography Practice Grade 2
6. Devotions - Thoughts to Make Your Heart Sing
7. Latin - Song School Latin Book 1 (*We purchased this one, but I haven't mustered up enough ump to start on it yet. I might need DVD help for this curriculum.)
What I like about the curriculum we use:
1. They are pencil & paper curriculum, not DVD based. I personally believe homeschooling, especially during the early years, is about establishing strong, healthy bonding between parents and child(ren). I want our homeschool to come with lots of personal touch and interaction, and for that reason, we try to avoid DVD/online based curriculum.
2. With very minimal preparation, they are 'open & go' style curriculum. My daughter is 5 1/2 years old and I usually spend 30~45 minutes to prepare for one day's lessons. For the worksheets that come with each curriculum, in order to be able to use them again for second child, I make & use copies.
Curriculum that we are still looking for:
1. Science - I am looking for something that (1) comes with lots of hands-on activities (2) requires minimal preparation.
2. Piano - I need something that will help me teach music fundamentals and basics in piano.
3. Christian Character Development
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