It Was Hot This Week, So We Took It Slow…
This week was actually our 4th week of the new school year, but we really only just got into a full schedule. It has been hot as summer hangs on for it’s last gasp before fall tumbles in. Hot days are not days that we do much, in our homeschool. I try to keep the amount of schooling low and spend more time playing outside, or watching documentaries about glaciers and polar bears!
My kids are starting their high school years and it is exciting and terrifying and sad all at the same time. I love how much they have grown, and how we seem to no longer have “lesson time” but instead get together to read aloud and discuss topics as intellectual equals.
Literature Analysis Eludes Me Still!
I have been working at my lit analysis skills since the kids were in 3rd grade and my abilities have come a far way, but a week of reading Macbeth, Dante’s Inferno, and St. Augustine’s City of God with the kids really taxed my brain.
I am pretty good at reading all kinds of things aloud, but reading and understanding are two very different things. And there were many times this week when I found myself losing track of the meaning of a passage, only to discover that the kids knew exactly what was going on and could explain it to me. For my homeschoolers, this mix of Shakespeare, Dante, and Augustine is the perfect combination.
My Kids Are Happily Devouring Some Great Courses
My son is also working through some great homeschooling courses: Doctor Aviation (read our review here), Auto UpKeep – Maintenance, Light Repair, Auto Ownership, and How Cars Work, and programming classes from StackSkills.
My daughter is happily plowing through a Marine Biology course from Apologia (review coming soon!)
Both of my kiddos are using a study guide from Progeny Press to take them through Macbeth (hence the daily Macbeth dramatic reading, review on this coming soon) and working through a fantastic biology course from Fascinating Education (read our review here).
Overall, the kids are off to a great start for the new year!
I Got A Job – well, it is just a work-from-home-while-you-homeschool thing
I also recently joined a wonderful team at SchoolhouseTeachers.com to take the role of affiliate manager as an independent contractor. So if you are an affiliate and are on Facebook, you can hop over to the Affiliate Group on Facebook and join the fun as we work together to explore new ways to promote the great content at SchoolhouseTeachers.com! This new job is a blessing to our family and a truckload of fun to boot!
Blog Posts This Week:
https://www.byebyebrickandmortar.com/2017/09/01/friday-funnies-flops-fails-back/
https://www.byebyebrickandmortar.com/2017/08/30/cat-green-army-men-homeschooling-parable-schoolhouseteachers-com-sale-coupon/
https://www.byebyebrickandmortar.com/2017/08/29/twinderella-fractioned-fairy-tale-book-review/
Want to Read More?
Drop by and read the posts of some great homeschooling families at this week’s Homeschool Highlights hosted by Kym @ Homeschool Coffee Break!
And read through the great posts at Weird Unsocialied Homeschoolers’ Link Up as well!
…and check out the great weekly wrap up posts linked up at The Homeschool Post!
8 Responses
We have been having crisp, cool weather and it’s like fall arrived overnight! I kind of miss the warm summer weather… just a bit.
That sounds lovely!
We’ve been slowing working up to a full schedule . . . almost there! We’re just dipping our toes into Shakespeare for the first time (5th grade and under) so it’s been interesting to say the least.
Do your kids like it?
My 8 year old is following along well and actually seems to appreciate it more than the 10 year old! We’ll see how it plays out when we get further along.
“And there were many times this week when I found myself losing track of the meaning of a passage, only to discover that the kids knew exactly what was going on and could explain it to me.” I totally get that & good to know that I’m not alone. ?
I am so glad it is not just me! ?
We sort of ease into a new school year too, rather than starting everything all on one big day. 🙂 Congrats on your new job!