It's a New Day...

I have made some changes to how I am going to be homeschooling. I have taken some time to think about this and feel very confident that they are the right options for my family. I am very excited to see how things are going to work out. I don't have any doubts, but I do have some people in my life that are questioning my decisions. That just makes me more determined to show them that we can do this. I have filed with the state to be our own private school. I will be able to issue diplomas when the time comes.  I will be in total control of what they are learning by the end of this school year. I just am not comfortable with the restrictions the charter has placed on the families this year. We will also be doing school all year... no 3 month break for the summer. they will get Friday's off. That will equal to 3 months off over the course of a year. A school year will be from August 1 to July 20.

 I have already made a few changes with our curriculum and so far it is working. Math will be a very strict subject... about 2 to 2 1/2 hours a day (four days a week). We are doing 3 different levels of math in  books, workbooks, and on-line. I am trying to catch them up where they need to be and introduce new concepts. Reading is going to be the next big change... my children are not that fond of reading and I am hoping to change this. I am going to get them a Kindle, we will be visiting the library weekly, and they will have a required reading book, one level above their reading level, with book report due. These are the only 2 subjects that will be a strict daily requirement.  What about science and history?? Those I believe will be better learned hands on right now... until high school. This is our next step.... field trips. I am so excited to be able to do these now. I know it is going to take more planning and money on my part, but I am ready for the challenge. 

 I want to enrich my children's lives... not just throw a book at them. My daughter made so proud when we were at the library last week. She wanted to volunteer, so she asked... but you have to be 14. So she has 2 years before she can do that. I want my kids to be involved with the community. I feel they will learn a lot more valuable things with this new approach to school, this is what I had envisioned for us at the beginning, but had no idea where to start. So here is to A New Day...