As of this week I have officially started home-schooling my two boys. They seem to be enjoying it.
I get them up at the normal time (before 8am), we do a mad breakfast rush which is now a little more sedate now that I don't have to make lunches and then are out of the door by 8:45 for a 9 am Mass. We get back by 10 am, the kids have a snack and then it's straight into handwriting practise, followed by reading and then maths before lunch.
Over the short term, as we settle into our routine better, I'll be adding grammar, spelling and comprehension for my older child.
While mentally I feel perfectly fine, physically I seem to be a little stressed. If my left eyelid could stop twitching, which it seems to do as it gets closer to lunchtime, I'm sure I could say that I'm not stressed at all.
Once I get over the initial change to my daily routine, normal posting from me should resume. Or at least more frequent posting than at present. I'll probably even blog about home-schooling issues.
I get them up at the normal time (before 8am), we do a mad breakfast rush which is now a little more sedate now that I don't have to make lunches and then are out of the door by 8:45 for a 9 am Mass. We get back by 10 am, the kids have a snack and then it's straight into handwriting practise, followed by reading and then maths before lunch.
Over the short term, as we settle into our routine better, I'll be adding grammar, spelling and comprehension for my older child.
While mentally I feel perfectly fine, physically I seem to be a little stressed. If my left eyelid could stop twitching, which it seems to do as it gets closer to lunchtime, I'm sure I could say that I'm not stressed at all.
Once I get over the initial change to my daily routine, normal posting from me should resume. Or at least more frequent posting than at present. I'll probably even blog about home-schooling issues.
Good on you, Lucyna
ReplyDeleteI would argue h/s is probably one of the best things any parent can do for a kid in these benighted times.
Sadly, as the sun sets on the west it becomes increasingly impossible for many to do this, due to financial pressures.
Yes, agree with Investigate, well done Lucyna and best of luck with your efforts. NZ's education system is a stinking derelict disgrace.
ReplyDeleteI'm so stoked for you and for our country that your're homeschooling your children. We look forward to the insights you will bring from taking on such an important role. Perhaps you will be able to encourage other parents who think that they couldn't do it.
ReplyDeleteOut of interest, do you keep them involved in sports and other outside activities to ensure they get lots of contact with other sprogs their own age?
ReplyDeleteThat would seem to be the biggest issue with home-schooling to me - lack of regular social contact with peers.
Lucyna College. A provisional Prospectus.
ReplyDeleteHistory: This will be taught primarily from texts. A wide and diverse range of historians from Hilaire Belloc to Paul Johnson will be studied. The unreliabilty, covert marxism and suspected homosexuality of historians who are not Belloc or Johnson will be discussed.
Biology: Teachings in Botany, Zoology and Cellular Biology will not be offered. Instead this course will instruct the students that their body is a sacred object and that God can see them at all times, even late at night with the lights out. Especially then.
Social Studies: Topics in New Zealand politics will be discussed. Government policies over the last seven years will be analysed with special reference to the Revelations of St John the Divine.
Maths: Introductory courses will be taught in discrete mathematics including logic and proof, sets and graph theory. Algebra will not be taught, instead emphasis will be placed on the geometric rate at which the muslims are breeding. They are coming for us.
Physics: Students will study non-relativistic mechanics, wave motion and stoning of homosexuals. Osscilation, conservation laws and mechanical motion will be discussed and proofs that the sun revolves around the earth will be demonstrated.
Computer Science: Basic concepts such as object oriented programming will be introduced through pratical coursework. Other languages such as C, Perl and Ruby will be introduced. LISP will not be taught.
Art History: Various masterpieces of western civilisation will be used to illustrate how the chaste and virtuous chose to celebrate Gods glory. Special emphasis will be placed on Michaelangelos 'Dying Slave', Bernini's 'Ectasy of St Teresa' and Mantegnas 'Martyrdom of St Sebastion'.
Thanks to everyone for your good wishes.
ReplyDeleteBilbo, at this point, no sports. Swimming lessons for the older one. The younger one had swimming lessons last term. At this point, meeting up with other kids is mainly organised play dates for each child (twice a week), plus a couple of get togethers with other homeschoolers twice a week. My older child is also going to a birthday party this afternoon, which involves ten pin bowling. He was invited to another birthday party just over a week ago where the kids all went go-cart racing. My younger child also went to a birthday party last week.
They have lots of friends already in the area, so keeping up with them isn't a problem.
Danyl sounds jealous.
Of course he's jealous, Lucyna--the very idea of some kids escaping the leftist State Indoctrination Program is frightening to the poor dear too.
ReplyDeleteLucyna, my right eyelid has been twitching on-and-off for a few weeks; I think it must be something going around? - part of a virus or something? It definitely is annoying though.
ReplyDeleteI also applaud your homeschooling efforts and pray that it goes well. I really do not know how I would cope having kids in the climate in NZ at the moment.
Fletch, you're not stressed, then?
ReplyDeleteI didn't think I was stressed until I noticed when my eyelid would start to twitch. Which was normally close to lunchtime or whenever I was talking about or thinking about home-schooling. Today, I've been mostly fine. I'm thinking about home-schooling right now (handwriting, reading ... ) no twitch! Could be because it's Saturday.
I've even been choosing poems for the kids to memorise next week and no twitch.
ReplyDeleteOh and thanks, Fletch. Though I didn't actually have my children here. They were both born in Australia. We came back here four years ago because we thought (cough, cough, splutter) that NZ would be good environment for raising children in.
ReplyDeleteGood on you Lucyna. Admitedly I would be concerned if children were not being taught a well balanced (that means Marxist/lefty/pinko/commie to you R.B.) curricular (not that I would do anything about such a concern). However I think home schooling can still be better than the alternative for a lot of individuals. The very act teaches children to question authority, and it certainly is a challenge, good luck with it.
ReplyDeleteDanyl sounds jealous.
ReplyDeleteAm I really that transparent?
I've even been choosing poems for the kids to memorise next week
How about Beowulf?
Well done Lu.
ReplyDeleteYou will find home education one of the most rewarding things you have done as a family if you stick at it.
As you go forward you will find that home education with challenge you to reassess all sorts of preconceptions that you have about education, raising children and the role of a family in society.
Home education is a huge challenge and definitely not for the faint hearted. But like everything that is worthwhile the rewards are huge.
I hope and pray that it all goes very well for you.
Just FYI we have been home educating our children for 11 years now.
Docjok
Thanks, Docjok. I had no idea that you did it too. I did initially with my first child, but put him into school when he was 7. This time around I think I'm better prepared.
ReplyDeleteDanyl, I'm starting with Old Ironsides for my 10 year old. Beowulf looks a bit long.