Thinking Out Loud : Love in our Homeschool

My yearly planning treck has taken me to reconsidering our Language Arts curriculum. Someone on the Sonlight forums told me about the Bravewriter program. But I don't want to go into detail about that so much in this post. I am still working things out and wrapping my head around the ideas presented in the program. What I did want to think out loud about is this post from the author/creator of the Bravewriter program, Julie Bogart. This post has sent my mind on a journey thinking about what do I really want our homeschool to look like. What does the Lord want our homeschool to look like. When Jesus taught, the basis of His teachings was love.

The Greatest Commandment

Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question:
"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

Matthew 22:34-40


So what am I doing to show this foundational teaching to my children. Am I making them "buck up" for the sake of doing work and checking off boxes. Do I take time out to hear Princess K when she says something is too hard, or gives me an attitude because she doesn't like a particular assignment. My love and wish for homeschooling was that the children would grow up loving and knowing how to learn. I want them to "experience" learning and not just keep information in their minds till the test comes around. I fully believe that we have the curricula that could foster such an environment, but am I using it that way. I don't believe entirely. Am I approaching school like a dictator or a mentor... I would like to say mentor. I do need to work on fostering an environment of less box checking and more understanding and compassion. I didn't grow up with a lot of compassion in my home, but I want to change that for my children. I believe great progress has been made in this arena, however this post by Julie Bogart has me thinking it is time for me to take it to the next level. If love is so important to our Lord and King then it should be the foremost item of our homeschooling day.

More Preschool Ramblings

Wow it has been a while since I posted. My mind has been very preoccupied as this time of year I really get into planning mode for the next year's curriculum. Now that I have Little Dora starting Kindergarten, I have more planning to do. I have decided to go ahead and work through Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons. It is simple and easy. The lessons are short which are great as the attention span of a soon to be 5 year old isn't that long. Little Dora is begging to learn how to read so as soon as I finish reading the introduction, we will be on our way.

For next year, I will be purchasing Sonlight's Level B Explore God's World. I think it will be fun to share the literature and such with all the kids. I am really liking to read out loud and find we do that off and on all day. I will only add handwriting if she is really ready for specific instruction. Until then we will continue to use the Magna Doodle, crayons and paper, a box of Sugar ( I haven't gotten that out recently... about time to bring it out) and other things as they come up. Once she is ready I think we will use A Reason for Handwriting. I used Handwriting Without Tears with Princess K, and it is a great program, but it was difficult to transition to paper used in other assignments. I like A Reason for Handwriting because it uses the standard print paper, it does have a Transition book that goes from print to cursive, and it also incorporates copywork. If I find that Little Dora needs something different, I still have the Handwriting Without Tears books.

Pretty much we will concentrate on Reading, some handwriting, and learning number quantities. We will be slowly starting Right Start Level A, which is a Kindergarten Math level. Since Little Dora already knows her numbers, and understands quantities, I don't think us moving into Right Start will be a problem. So that is abuot it. Now it is just getting the finances to purchase another Sonlight Core. Luckily Princess K will be still working through Sonlight Intro to World History Part 2... but that is another post.