This week, we have moved through our school material a little faster than usual. For instance, today we started about 9:45 and it is now 11:45 and we only have one subject left. We got everything done except Bible and we even included an extra history lesson. I usually do Bible class after lunch and then Courtney joins us. (This included many interruptions by Courtney and Christian).
Why are we getting through everything so quickly?
1. For some subjects, we talk about things and it is usually pretty short. There is nothing new to explain or we've done it before and Megan knows what to do. This is for handwriting, math, and language arts.
Sometimes language arts takes longer, but today we went over her assignment and she was good to go! Math was all review and we look at the next cursive letter in handwriting and she does it herself. We don't even do examples in class anymore.
2. For the entire year, we have sat down together and she has read me a chapter book. This is all a part of the lesson plans. I changed it up this week (not on purpose) and it made a huge difference. On Monday, we pulled out her new chapter book and started reading. We got to the end of page one and I got interruped by something, so I had Megan hang onto the book until I got back. Well, when I got back, she was on page 5! (These readers are too easy for her!)
So I said to her, "Why don't you just read the rest of the book to yourself and I will just ask you the questions out of the lesson plans?" She thought it was a great idea and by the next day, she had the book done. I asked her the questions and she got them all right. I hadn't even read the book yet!
So instead of reading a book to me everyday, we are now done with our readers for the next two weeks. There were 10 chapters and we were supposed to read one a day.
I think there is merit in reading outloud, so I am going to have her read me the next book, but this sure helped. Another homeschooling mom had recommended that I do this, but I enjoy sitting down and listening to Megan. She is an excellent reader. I am definitely going to get her more advanced readers next year!
3. I just think we are getting the hang of this homeschooling thing!
Now I have time to do Bible this afternoon and work with Courtney. We've been working on "at" words this week, such as bat, cat, that, Matt, etc. As long as it is hands on, she enjoys it! Today we are going to work on writing and maybe play Bingo with the words she knows.
You know, sometimes it is good to move through quickly! It is a great change of pace (no pun in tended) and it allows everyone to look at school with a fresh eye. Once I got my daughter started reading to herself, I could not keep up with her! We still have family reading where we read to her, or she reads to us, but once she was confident at reading there was no slowing her down! I'm glad you feel like you have hit a good stride with homeschooling, it took us a number of years to say we hit our stride. We've been at it 5 years now, and I think we are about to hit another of those places (middle school) where we have to change the way we do things. Best of luck with your homeschooling, sounds like you have had a great week!
ReplyDeleteLinda
Charging forward in our sixth grade curriculum”, homeschooling because it is what we need to do, and wondering where tomorrow will lead us!