Homeschooling thoughts

For about 6 months, I posted on another blog.  This a post that was copied from that blog.  I used different names for the family.  Just so you know the names were as follows:

Prince Charming - Wandering Aengus
Princess Belle - Lilly
Princess Magpie - Rose
Princess Snifflefritz - Lotus
Little Prince - Reed

I have been concentrating a lot on the unpacking and organizing of our place but lately my thoughts have been turning to homeschooling.  I realized that I didn’t enjoy the direction we had gone and while I like the idea of a curriculum in a box to make sure I get everything I need to, I really don’t think it suits either of us.  I enjoy the flexibility of planning our days.  I like doing themes for fun sometimes.  I like to do research and plan for her day and she enjoys the things I come up with.  So, I have a list of topics she is supposed to learn and I am going to cover that.  Next year, I will probably bring in Life of Fred for math and some other books to supplement but I like the eclectic approach much better than the year in a box approach.  So as soon as I get some ink for our printer, that is the direction we will be going.  Actually we may even make a trip to the library to get us started sooner.

I was reading and I saw the following on a blog I recently discovered which inspired me to think about living math and how to include more in Lilly’s day.

This year I want to focus more on living math.  We will do a calendar every day where he can write the day of the month, weather, temperature (inside and out) etc.  We are getting analog clocks and him a watch since he is currently building clocks out of every pencil, popsicle stick and straw he can find and asking me what time it makes.  Also, we will build the clock the way Math U See teaches – which is pretty cool.  I want to get more measuring devices for him to play with – rulers, yard stick, a balance, stop watch and such to allow for free play.  And a calculator for him to play around with and perhaps aid in grocery shopping.