What a wonderful school year it's been! Avery found his groove, I managed to keep us all alive and well, the baby is now on the prowl and we have a couple of months to relax and refresh our minds and spirits for next school year. Here is a very abbreviated summary of this past school year.
Greatest challenges:
- Keeping the three year old from climbing onto the school table while teaching Avery his lessons.
- Nursing a baby while teaching Avery lessons while keeping Emile from climbing onto the table.
- Having Avery maintain focus if I leave the room (even for a second)
Greatest rewards:
- Avery loving to write letters, notes and stories especially with elaborate illustrations of monsters and battle droids.
- Emile asking me what each part of the body's real scientific name is (i.e. clavicle, sternum, humerus). Seriously!
- Watching the boys study together the wonders in nature, that makes it worth it all right there!
This past year I went through a slew of material to see what would work and would wouldn't work. Here are a few of our favorites:
- A little journal writing idea book purchased from our local educational store.
- Writing Strands
- First language lessons by Susan Weiss Bauer
- History of the world by Susan Weiss Bauer
- R.E.A.L. Science
- School Zone Big first grade workbook
- Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings
- Sketch books and Field guides
- Movable alphabet
- Homemade toddler activities-oatmeal, beans, cotton balls, scissors glue & construction paper, playdough!