Today was the first official day of our homeschool, pretentiously named "The James Keir Hardie Academy for Classical Education." We completed everything I had hoped to accomplish - education goals, home maintenance, my own personal betterment (finished reading The Virgin's Knot, began The Second Part of King Henry VI, exercised, and watched Medium), attended the MOMS Cooking Club where the kids played with other children for 90 minutes, and ran necessary errands. Amazing, me!
All I can say is: this homeschooling thing will kick my butt! I did great, sure, but this is Day One of... 2,880 (the approximate number of school days Ilsa has before she graduates high school). My guess is that very few will go as perfectly and according to schedule as today. I'm just basking in this first success.
Details of what we accomplished, school-wise, will be posted every Friday, as usual, but with more detail now that I have actual, daily educational objectives. Reading is still our primary focus, with tons of puzzles and coloring, but I am trying to set aside actual time where I am not distracted by other chores and obligations. If I am actively engaging with them but we manage nothing resembling school, I will feel accomplished. There is a remarkable difference in the girls' behavior - toward the good - on days when I am plugged in, mentally present, and actively parenting... as opposed to days when I coast, let them determine the direction of our lazy hours, and suffer the brain-numbing, scream-laden consequences. Children who attend pre-school at this age have their time and activities structured more rigorously, and my goal - essentially - is to mimic that structure and the adult preparation, thought and input required of me to reach that goal.
All I can say is: this homeschooling thing will kick my butt! I did great, sure, but this is Day One of... 2,880 (the approximate number of school days Ilsa has before she graduates high school). My guess is that very few will go as perfectly and according to schedule as today. I'm just basking in this first success.
Details of what we accomplished, school-wise, will be posted every Friday, as usual, but with more detail now that I have actual, daily educational objectives. Reading is still our primary focus, with tons of puzzles and coloring, but I am trying to set aside actual time where I am not distracted by other chores and obligations. If I am actively engaging with them but we manage nothing resembling school, I will feel accomplished. There is a remarkable difference in the girls' behavior - toward the good - on days when I am plugged in, mentally present, and actively parenting... as opposed to days when I coast, let them determine the direction of our lazy hours, and suffer the brain-numbing, scream-laden consequences. Children who attend pre-school at this age have their time and activities structured more rigorously, and my goal - essentially - is to mimic that structure and the adult preparation, thought and input required of me to reach that goal.
4 comments:
I started going to school at the age of 6 and did not go to pre-school.
I was an illiterate toddler!!
Good luck with the homeschooling! I admire your efforts.
The efforts are only as good as the result. I'm not a martyr! But thanks for the vote of confidence.
And Silvia, you may have been an illiterate toddler, but you seem to have progressed quite nicely ;)
"you may have been an illiterate toddler"
When I reproached my mum about this, she replied that there was no rush to learn writing & reading and that she wanted me to play and enjoy life as much as I could. Nice thought! :o )
Well, I actually remember the day I learnt how to write my name. I was in the nursery and spontaneously wrote down: SIVIA. I was probably 4. I went up to my teacher and asked whether it was correct. She said: "Put an 'el' here and it's fine". Since then I have always remembered how to write my name. How strange to still have such a remote memory so vivid in my mind! Do you still have so far-away memories?
Whilst I generally hated going to the nursery (I preferred staying at home with my grandma (who grew me up) and play with her in the morning and with my friends outside in the afternoon), I loved going to elementary school. At first, I remember I had some difficulties because I was a bit behind some of my school mates, but I caught up quite quickly, also with my mum's help who stopped working full time to closely follow my progresses. I remember her to be so pernikety though!
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