Mid - Year Evaluation

I think most homeschoolers do this -- and probably more frequently than just every 6 months!  If truth be told, I feel as though I'm evaluating every week and trying to figure out what best suits the needs of my child as he/she grow.  (Obviously they grow and change A LOT, right, so I've tended to feel a bit like I'm constantly spinning!)  BUT, there are a few things that remain our "constants" so that I can give our kids a sense of direction and accomplishment.  Here are a few of those:

Reading together -- reading LOTS together (Need to invest in a different couch so I can fit all four around me at the same time without giving my neck a cramp from one of them ending up behind my head!) Among others, the boys' favorites have been old fashioned Hardy Boy mysteries!

Bible "Study" -- we've been spending time working our way through Marian M. Schooland's "Leading Little Ones To God" and memorizing the Word together as the kids work on their AWANA material.  (Next year I'm looking to add some Kay Arthur Kids' Bible studies...but I'll tell you about that when I get there!)

Learning Through History -- I'm not so sure about the other parts of Heart of Dakota (see below under "Things We're NOT doing now;)  But we will finish out the year reading through and learning about early American history.  This week and next we'll be getting into our own books/materials on ben Franklin!

Math Mammoth -- Pros:  good price (less than $100 for 6 complete years), on the Singapore approach side (which is what most math is heading towards), good amount of practice (as it is mastery based).  Cons:  I've learned that early ed little learners do not do well with mastery-based approach!!!!  Well, at least my little learners.  I LOVE it, and they, well, get bored with it!  Sigh...so...contemplating next step with this but trying to add in my own hands-on to help supplement the missing element left out.

Alphabet Island -- I'm a big one on feeling more accomplished myself if I finish material we've started.  This material is good, but a bit more geared towards younger learners and a bit incomplete-- rather not enough practice-- for older ones.  When introducing new concepts on the 2nd + grade level, it only provides 1 practice sheet for each concept!  So... that brings me to what I'd like to add:

All About Spelling -- For those "in" the homeschooling field, you know that there is lots of buzz around this.  I wanted to see it for myself and wait til I was completely comfortable with the set up, etc. -- and well, after seeing the material IN FRONT OF MY EYES, I know it will work for me...and probably be helpful to at least ONE of my little learners=) 

Things We Will NOT Be Doing More Of:

Heart of Dakota -- all I can say about this: good concept, good books, not a layout for me.  If it's for you -- great!  Enjoy it!  That's what I love about homeschooling. =)

Now, this post might not have been any good for anyone else to read but myself, but it sure was helpful to me to sort out!  (Is there a term for external thinkers through blogging???)  What this means, however, is the I will not be putting on the HOD spelling and will be taking that out of my tabs asap.  (And "soon" probably means by the end of March.)  Not a big deal to anyone else...only means I have to clean up the blog a bit!

BUT-- I am going to be adding Bottle Cap activities, etc. because my younger two will be using them.  So, if you like those, keep checking back!.