{Archery Academics}
It's that time of year again ... planning for another year of school and enjoying every moment of it! This year brings a new school name, planning for TWO kids, and grounding more of what we do in a more flexible, Charlotte Mason way. I loved how my planner worked last year and was excited to expand it to hold BOTH of our school kids this year. I've had some friends ask what I use and how I plan, and I hesitated making this post, but I want to both share and remember what we do this school year. So here it goes...
This 2018-2019 school year holds both a Kindergartner and a 3rd grader! WHOA! We are in a new state, and they require that we register as a homeschool. Which means I had to name us. After some thought, I came up with Archery Academics. Based off of Psalm 127 and an amazing sermon I listen to each year from J.D. Greear (here's his blog that speaks a bit about it). Basically the jist, is that God has given me four beautiful arrows, five if you count a small arrow that we miscarried in 2011. Each arrow is His. I am to raise each up according to His words and ways and then when the time comes, release them to do His will. There's nothing about this plan that guarantees safety, or that they will be close to me forever, and I have to be willing and I have to trust God enough to remain faithful to Him and not my own plan. Continually raising our children and serving the Lord with an open heart and mind. So the "Archery" reminds me of the gift that each child truly is and how I must be faithful in my time now so that I can release them to be warriors in the world for the Lord!
This 2018-2019 school year holds both a Kindergartner and a 3rd grader! WHOA! We are in a new state, and they require that we register as a homeschool. Which means I had to name us. After some thought, I came up with Archery Academics. Based off of Psalm 127 and an amazing sermon I listen to each year from J.D. Greear (here's his blog that speaks a bit about it). Basically the jist, is that God has given me four beautiful arrows, five if you count a small arrow that we miscarried in 2011. Each arrow is His. I am to raise each up according to His words and ways and then when the time comes, release them to do His will. There's nothing about this plan that guarantees safety, or that they will be close to me forever, and I have to be willing and I have to trust God enough to remain faithful to Him and not my own plan. Continually raising our children and serving the Lord with an open heart and mind. So the "Archery" reminds me of the gift that each child truly is and how I must be faithful in my time now so that I can release them to be warriors in the world for the Lord!
We have a name now, so I will jump right into what we do and love the most! Morning Time!!!! We have a basket of books and a rhythm to our time together each morning. We do some bible time, sing a hymn (usually a new hymn each month), a memory verse (again a new one every 3-4 weeks). Then we do some science or nature study, then move into our art time. Each term we study an artist (we follow the amblesideonline curriculum) and then also listen to a composer while going about our day or morning. There's also a read aloud time where we read through some classics together. (Some of the past books have been Mr. Popper's Penguins, The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe, and Charlotte's Web.) During our morning time we also go through some basics for the little ones; The ABC's, each week is a new color, a shape and this year we are introducing patterns. We also go over the spelling of names, our address, and our phone number.
From there we usually move in to a chores, snack and free time but this year may change that. We have another little one beginning his work so we may find that morning is best time for him to get his work in. T will begin the My Father's World Kindergarten curriculum. I'm not doing it quit the same as we did with our eldest, however I loved how they taught the sounds and began with reading in small amounts. But this year I will be incorporating more Charlotte Mason ideas and venturing off from the printed, already planned schedule that comes with it. We will be reading a bit more Nature books, spending time outdoors with studies on trees, the sky, and amphibians - which he will do along with M.
3rd grade. I am still in shock that it's time for 3rd grade! We've been following amblesideonline for a year now and I absolutely LOVE it! It's more relaxed and a good fit for our family as we've been learning more about England history which has been great as we get ready to head over seas to be missionaries in North East England! We will continue on in Year 3 - and follow their reading plan and rotation for nature, music and art. To fill in the gap of non-reading we are continueing on in Singapore math and using My Father's World's curriculum for Language Arts and handwriting. We will also begin a typing course from The Good and The Beautiful along with a foreign language through Rosetta Stone, we will be doing Persian (or Farsi). It seems to be a well known language near where we will be England. We want to learn it as a family so we can semi-communicate with other foreigners in Stockton on Tees.
As a family we like to do nature hikes, journal, observer and enjoy the outdoors. But this year I also purchase these fun nature journals, also through The Good and The Beautiful and can't wait to do it with the boys. (I went ahead and ordered myself one as well!)
There's so much more I want to unfold and elaborate on, so I'll be working on collaborating all my thoughts, links, podcasts, and websites that have helped me the most and will begin posting more on our school schedules and adventures. I will also share more my planner, the layout and may even share some of my printouts.
Don't forget to keep up with our fundraising process to England by heading over to our family webpage, www.raisingarrows.org
From there we usually move in to a chores, snack and free time but this year may change that. We have another little one beginning his work so we may find that morning is best time for him to get his work in. T will begin the My Father's World Kindergarten curriculum. I'm not doing it quit the same as we did with our eldest, however I loved how they taught the sounds and began with reading in small amounts. But this year I will be incorporating more Charlotte Mason ideas and venturing off from the printed, already planned schedule that comes with it. We will be reading a bit more Nature books, spending time outdoors with studies on trees, the sky, and amphibians - which he will do along with M.
3rd grade. I am still in shock that it's time for 3rd grade! We've been following amblesideonline for a year now and I absolutely LOVE it! It's more relaxed and a good fit for our family as we've been learning more about England history which has been great as we get ready to head over seas to be missionaries in North East England! We will continue on in Year 3 - and follow their reading plan and rotation for nature, music and art. To fill in the gap of non-reading we are continueing on in Singapore math and using My Father's World's curriculum for Language Arts and handwriting. We will also begin a typing course from The Good and The Beautiful along with a foreign language through Rosetta Stone, we will be doing Persian (or Farsi). It seems to be a well known language near where we will be England. We want to learn it as a family so we can semi-communicate with other foreigners in Stockton on Tees.
As a family we like to do nature hikes, journal, observer and enjoy the outdoors. But this year I also purchase these fun nature journals, also through The Good and The Beautiful and can't wait to do it with the boys. (I went ahead and ordered myself one as well!)
There's so much more I want to unfold and elaborate on, so I'll be working on collaborating all my thoughts, links, podcasts, and websites that have helped me the most and will begin posting more on our school schedules and adventures. I will also share more my planner, the layout and may even share some of my printouts.
Don't forget to keep up with our fundraising process to England by heading over to our family webpage, www.raisingarrows.org
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