March Update

I haven't posted in awhile because I haven't had much to say! All is well in our little homeschool world. We are entering that wonderful time of year where we can be outdoors more. The boys go out to play twice a day, usually before lunch and again in the late afternoon/early evening. We have created the ultimate backyard for them...a giant storage box full of balls and nerf guns, the pirate ship playground and playhouse, trampoline, ninja line, swurfer swing, hugglepod, and a lot of space to just run and play with the dogs. We spent some time by the lake on the first day of spring (which was perfect weather). Unfortunately Charlie took a hard fall on the playground but luckily it just scraped up his face and no broken bones (thank you Woodlands Park for having adequate ground cover!) Good weather means more little injuries, but it is what it is. They ask nearly everyday if the pool is warm enough to swim in. Not yet, but soon!

I have purchased the California Achievement Test to give them in May. This will help me decide what to focus on in the summertime and how to structure next year's curriculum. I tested their reading levels also. Henry and Charlie are 7 years old and tested at a 4th grade reading level. Harrison is 9 and tested at 7th grade. Reading/phonics/comprehension etc remains their strongest area academically.

We put in place some rules for video games that require them to either play outside for an hour or read for an hour to earn an hour of video games (not to exceed 2 hours/day). So far so good and they are reading like crazy. They are still doing their Scratch projects regularly and even convinced me to join so I can learn some coding. The boys have empty books that they write in daily that they can use however they wish. Harrison is writing a book series and its coming along really well. Henry and Charlie are playing soccer again. Adam is their coach. They scored 5 goals between them on their first game. I am still working on piecing together summer activities and camps but they will likely include swimming, rock climbing, indoor soccer/football and/or gymnastics, and VBS in the neighborhood.

The boys skied for the first time in Vail in February. That was quite the undertaking but they LOVED it. We hope to make it a yearly winter trip. We will wrap up school toward the end of May and celebrate with a trip to Grand Cayman and then a summer trip to Colorado in August.

All in all I am just super proud of them and love spending more time with them. I feel like I have a better understanding of all 3 of them. We decided as a family to extend the homeschooling one more year and then evaluate after that.

I have a unique perspective on education. My husband and I have combined our public school experiences with our kids experiences in public school, private school, and now homeschooling. We can really step back and see the strengths and weaknesses of all of them. With public school, the parents have to make sure the kids aren't getting lost in the shuffle, that they aren't overstressed, and that their individual needs are being met. With private school, parents have to make sure their kids are getting exposed to people that are different than them. Some private schools have a good combination of different kids, but its not the norm. And with homeschooling, parents have to make sure that their kids are being exposed to different kids/cultures/ideologies and are gaining the social experiences that are necessary before sending them out into the world. There has to be effort put forward for playdates and activities with other kids. As long as the parents are on top of these extra duties, all education can serve them well. If a child has parents that love them and are involved and are giving them a well rounded education and experiences, most kids will be prepared for what lies ahead.

I'll post again end of May. I am so happy that some of you have shown an interest in what we are doing. I am very happy to share if it helps and we welcome visitors to the classroom :)