We have been doing homeschool lite for most of August. I have added in one thing each week and we will fully start after Labor Day!
Note: I re-read all of Julie Bogart's Gracious Space books and Essentialism. Both of these inspired me during the planning process.
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Having a clear overarching intent enables us to check ourselves. We can regularly compare our activities or behaviors with our real intent. (Essentialism)
Overarching intent of our homeschool: Living thoughtfully and intelligently is our responsibility. Mental health requires physical health. Sleep, exercise, and spending time outdoors are equally important as book learning. We embrace complexity and think critically. There is always more to learn about ourselves, others, and the world. How we live matters. Lead by example.
One of the best things about homeschooling is taking control of our time. I want to create balance. What is our best rhythm for sleeping, eating, exercise, study? Do we mostly abide by it even when tempted to do otherwise? If we falter in one area, how does it affect other areas? When you look at our schedule and count the hours we are doing "work" it is around 16 hours a week for everyone but Lela. When Taven quit school last year he said "mom I could do that in two hours a day." Yes, I know.
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Here is our fall schedule. The kids spend their early mornings differently. Some go to the gym, some sleep, some get a head start on their independent work. All I ask is that they have done their "skin care," fed themselves, and are ready for family time at 9:30. They all share a bathroom so this is still a work in progress.
Monday
9:30-11 Family Time
11-12 Mirek and Lela - BW single and writing project
12-12:30 Mirek and mom (AAS/Honest History)
12:30-1:30 Mom and Lela (AAR, AAS, math, Wild Earth)
Mirek independent (math and foreign language)
11-1:30 Taven, Naia, and Eaden independent work
Tuesday
9:30-11 Family Time (geography teatime every 3 or 4 weeks for country of study)
11-12 Mirek and Lela - BW single and writing project
12-12:30 Mirek and mom (AAS/Honest History)
12:30-1:30 Mom and Lela (AAR, AAS, math, Wild Earth)
Mirek independent (math and foreign language)
11-1:30 Taven, Naia, and Eaden independent work
1:30-3 Brave Writer Boomerang with oldest three and writing project/Indigenous discussion, Mirek choice (Crash Course)
Wednesday
9:30-11 Family Time
11-12 Mirek and Lela - BW single and writing project
12-12:30 Mirek and mom (AAS/Honest History)
12:30-1:30 Mom and Lela (AAR, AAS, math, Wild Earth)
Mirek Independent (math and foreign language)
11-1:30 Taven, Naia, and Eaden independent work
Thursday
Field trip related to aquatic study or country study/hygge day/Jesse Jones Journeyers
Eaden does Fridays independent work if dancing Friday AM or can do it when she gets home Friday.
Friday
Eaden dances early and gets home around 12:30
9:30-10:30 Mirek and Lela - BW single and writing project
10:30-11 Mirek and mom (AAS/Honest History)
11-12 Lela and mom (AAR/AAS, math, Wild Earth)
11-1:30 Mirek math, foreign language, choice/Crash Course
9:30-12 Naia and Taven independent work
12-1:30 - Make up
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What is family time?
This is when we learn together. We will do this 3x per week. I have moved some furniture around so we can all fit comfortably in the living room without anyone touching or screaming "get your dogs off me!" I also have special coloring/activity books that can only be used during this time (mostly for Lela). We will have a country study that lasts 3 or 4 weeks (also learn about water in that country). I have chosen Korea first as Brother's Keeper is set in Korea, Mirek is obsessed with Taekwondo, and we have a large Korean community with plenty of restaurants and shops/grocery stores nearby. Also, we just learned that Mirek's demo team will be performing at Discovery Green for the Korean Festival in October! So that fits in perfectly. We will study aquatic science. We are using TPWD resources (free online). We will do Wordly Wise in cursive (our cursive practice). Everyone has the same list and we try to use the words throughout the week. When we are done learning about a country we will have geography teatime. We will prepare and eat food from the country, listen to music, create something, and have a freewrite. Maybe we will play a game. I don't know. I'm sure I will find plenty of ideas on Pinterest! It will be fun!
TPWD resources we will use
https://texasaquaticscience.org
https://tpwd.texas.gov/publications/pwdpubs/media/pwd_bk_k0700_1931_watershed_curriculum.pdf
What is independent study?
This is 4x per week. Math and a foreign language are required. We use Saxon for math with Nicole the Math Lady and primarily Duolingo and Transparent Language for language learning. We have various print resources for French and Spanish as well. The older three kids have two books assigned. One is history related (Indigenous Peoples' History of the US) and one is a Brave Writer pick (Brother's Keeper). There is a Boomerang guide they will do as well and we will go over and discuss on Tuesday afternoons. They should be underlining and writing questions comments in margins or in commonplace for Indigenous. They keep a literary journal for Brave Writer selections. Besides this, they can choose what they learn. Usually they pick from Crash Course. Eaden has chosen Forensic Science Coursera. Mirek also does math, foreign language, and chooses a course of study.
What do we do one on one or in small groups?
Lela and Mirek are dyslexic and it works well that they are paired for Brave Writer picks (Willodeen to start) and writing projects. Taven, Naia, and Eaden are paired for a separate Brave Writer pick and writing project. I work one on one with Lela for pretty much everything: math, All About Reading/Spelling, other various reading activities, and some science using Wild Earth. I work one on one with Mirek using All About Spelling and he reads Honest History (free online through library) aloud to me and we discuss. Writing projects are chosen from Brave Writer. Book parties will be had after each Brave Writer selection is complete.
What do we do on Thursday?
We have our Jones Journeyers class once or twice a month from 11:30-1. Everyone except Eaden is signed up for this class. Attendance is required and I was not sure if she would make all classes. The teacher did call me and say she is welcome to assist. We may go on a field trip related to our country or to a Texas State Park aquatic study site. I do want to go to the Museum of Fine Arts which is free on Thursdays. If we get a zoo membership, we may go there. We may chill, light candles, read, bake a seasonal dish, watch a seasonal movie or a movie set in our country of study. Maybe we watch a documentary related to Indigenous culture or aquatic science. Eaden does like to dance sometimes on Thursday mornings and may do so if she wants.
Here is a description of Jones Journeyers. Lela will be with the younger group and I will stay with her.
A new learning series intended for youth ages 5-10 and 11-17 years. As a journeyer, students will learn about environmental issues and, through project-based learning, work together to design solutions to those problems. This program is a dedicated series that will build knowledge and skills through hands-on learning and leadership. By registering for the program, participants agree to attend all sessions, from September 5 through March 1, 2025. All projects will be presented at Nature Fest on March 1, 2025. Parents are required to attend for children 5-10 years old. Children 11-17 years old can be dropped off. Class schedule:
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The kids should know why we are doing what we do. Not just because I said so.
Why write? Permanent record of your mind life. Do you have interesting thoughts, an inner life, what do you think, dream, imagine? What you have to say is worth preserving and presenting in a cogent (clear logical and convincing) manner. To pay attention, work out our thoughts, and order them. When we tell our story and experience we allow for greater empathy.
Why write in cursive? I know there have been studies as to why writing in cursive is beneficial, but it's useful to me because I can write more quickly and easily. Also, because I said so :)
Why read fiction? To see into the mind life of others. Empathy. Broadens our worldview. See possibilities of being human. To know ourselves better. Learn about other times and cultures. Escape.
Why read nonfiction? To learn about the world. Take part in the great conversation (ideas that began in ancient times and have continued to the present). Understand the range of human experience. Develop critical thinking skills (the ability to evaluate information and to be aware of biases or assumptions, including our own). Deep reading and contemplation.
Why keep a commonplace? Chronicle of our intellectual development. Reread often.
Why learn about water? Vital to all life. Learn the importance of protecting it and conservation.
Why study math? Cooking, baking, shopping, budgeting, nutrition labels, finance, sports stats, measurement, building, technology, travel planning (bus and train schedules, gas, maps and distance, etc.). Will need more advanced math if you plan to attend college.
Why study indigenous history and culture? To center them and their perspective. To gain wisdom for a sustainable future. To practice critical thinking. Because most history studies focus on Europeans and their descendants. In our homeschool, we have centered black history (Oh Freedom) and "people's history" (Zinn). I feel like we have discussed how Europeans treated Indigenous people but we have not learned much about Indigenous people themselves. We have learned about their struggle but not their survival and resurgence.
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Goals for myself
Plan a few things well. Be consistent.
Document what we are doing in a scrapbook. Print pictures.
Read and learn the material beforehand so that you can convey material with knowledge and enthusiasm and not keep returning to the guide (science).
"We do our children a disservice to think we can teach them by opting out of the hard work of engaging with them. True partnership and dialogue go more slowly, but so much more richly." - Bogart
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My daily rhythm (Mon-Fri)
Early morning Gym/Coffee and books (take care of yourself before others)
Family Time
Independent/One on One/small group work
Drive to activities/Chores for kids
Dinner/Clean
Pick up from activities
Bed
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My weekly rhythm
Right now I think Taven will be playing primarily with JV. He is referred to as a "bubble player." He gets to play the entire game and they need him. That would mean Thursday games and he can still go to TSM on Fridays. He will play with Varsity when JV isn't playing and may travel with them.
M morning read with ambience and coffee, homeschool, Tomball Sports/run and pt
T gym, homeschool
W morning read with ambience and coffee, homeschool, Tomball Sports/run and pt
Th gym, field trip day (Jesse Jones, aquatic study site, country related, hygge/seasonal day), football game
F morning read with ambience and coffee, homeschool, Tomball sports/run and pt
S grocery/clean/prep for the next week
Su Rest
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Camping trips/out of town/random
I think we will have to travel with varsity to Florida for the homeschool football championship. If we do, there is a good campground near the beach around Pensacola we might hit up on the way home. I want to go to Palmetto State Park as well at some point and kayak more.
We are traveling to Oklahoma for football and I am definitely going to look into places to take the kids related to our Indigenous studies.
Trader's Village and Alabama Coushatta pow wow (was in January last year)
Christmas "school" all December. I will decide at that point if we should continue with Indigenous and aquatic studies and will plan for after New Year.
I would like to get a zoo membership, but prices have really gone up. I have a friend that will split costs though. I'm not sure Lela even remembers the zoo. It has been years since we went.
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What comes next?
Eaden plans on starting Personal Training Certification in March when she turns 18. Until then, she is looking for a job but it is proving difficult. She has applied to numerous Kroger openings, HEB, Chick-fil-A, (all the places I would think might hire a minor) and no one is even asking for an interview. I am guessing they prefer workers to be 18, but I don't know. She has been hired to teach a dance class every Monday night at a local studio. So that's a start! She wants to travel and has been looking at train ticket costs and Eurail and passports and all of that. Of course she still wants to dance in L.A....
After our aquatic study, I am looking into various issues. Media literacy (mensa) and Manufacturing Consent (Chomsky). I want to talk about debt and living on minimum wage. Consumerism and not letting our creativity and identity be expressed through our choice of purchases. How much do we need to live comfortably and reach our goals? I want to talk about different countries and social policy. How taxes are used and what public/social services are provided and to whom. Future assigned reading: Hypercapitalism, A People's History of American Empire, The Nordic Theory of Everything (good compare and contrast).
I am waiting for the book Anxious Generation and am positive I will want to discuss it with the kids.
I am not sure how long it will take us to get through our Brave Writer picks and Boomerangs. I am guessing we will finish two or three by December. I have other possibilities picked out when we need them.
Future Brave Writer (Lela and Mirek) and Wild Earth (Lela only) picks
The Very, Very Far North and Arctic unit
The Girl Who Stole an Elephant and Mammals
Heartwood Hotel and Forest Ecology
Maybe Maybe Marisol Rainey or Wishtree and Trees
Odder and Food Webs
Solimar and Pollination
The Turtle of Oman and Reptiles
Future Brave Writer picks (Taven, Naia, and Eaden)
Fountains of Silence
A Long Way Home (true story and movie)
American Born Chinese (graphic novel)
Angel of Greenwood
Disability Visibility (nonfiction essays)
Our Town (play)
The Shape of Thunder
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