Field Trips

A good friend of mine told me years ago that the best time to visit some of the museums in our area was during the first week the public schools are in session. I have taken her advice often and it has always been great. Yesterday, I took my kids to the local Science Center and we only had to share it with about 3 other small families.

While planning your field trips this year, look to schedule them in the early afternoon. If a school does have a field trip to that particular place, they will be leaving shortly after lunch time in order for their students to catch the bus and you and your children will have the place to yourselves. Also, schools rarely plan field trips for Mondays. When you don't have to share a place of interest with 300 other school children, guides will have more time to talk with you and answer questions and your children will be able to handle any hands-on displays without being rushed.

Just some helpful homeschool hints!

Science Fun

I love that my son sees experiments in his book and goes ahead and tries them without my prompting.  It's also great entertainment for the whole family!

Understanding my Children

In sitting with my children helping them do their schoolwork, I have come to a deeper understanding of them and their struggles.  In spending hours sitting with each precious child day in and day out, I have come to a poignant conclusion:

The reason my children often SEEM brainless is because the ARE!  It is no fault of theirs, but their school books have the power to deplete the majority of their brain cells during the course of the morning.

How did I come to such a profound conclusion?  Because by the time the morning is over, MY brain cells have been severely reduced by textbooks on 5 different grade levels.  By 2:00 in the afternoon, there is nothing left of me than a mere shell of a human being.

Brain cells DO grow back.  I know this because I have a fully-functioning brain by 7:00 every morning.  I enjoy them the few hours they actually last.

Here's hoping your brain cells remain plentiful always...

Making Life Easier: Get Your Own

One of the new rules we have this school year is that each of the four oldest children are responsible for preparing and cleaning up after their own breakfasts and lunches.  I only serve the 3 youngest (and the 6 year old will probably graduate to self-sufficiency in the next few months) and the person scheduled to do that meal's dishes only has to do their own plus the two youngest children's.  It's quite a bit less work for everyone which takes less time away from the school day.

It's making my life easier.  Let me know if it does the same for you.  Or, give me some ideas of what has made your life easier.

First Day of School

Today was the big day.  I must say, it was the best first day we have had in a couple of years.  I don't remember ever being so nervous about the school year beginning, but I felt about as panicked as a new teacher in a classroom of 30 students! 

Until last night.  Last night I finally felt organized enough to start this year off on the right foot.  I still have much of the yearly lesson planning to do, but I'm well under-way.  I have the whole week completed, so imminent catastrophes have been avoided. 

We took a family trip out to the stores last night to buy school supplies.  That is something I realized I never really did last year.  We just kind of used the old stuff and did a quick job of clearing off the old materials to make way for the new.  I made sure this year to get the kids new pencils, erasers, crayons, notebooks, etc., whether they needed them or not.  They'll use it all eventually and new things give them a positive sense of anticipation.  With all of their school shelves cleaned up and brand new books setting on them, they could not wait to get under-way with school.  My 8th grader had two subjects completed before 8:00 this morning!  Always a great start!

I listened to kids read, instructed the younger ones with their math & English, and the kindergartner with her letters until about 1:30 this afternoon.  Other than feeling a little numb, I enjoyed the peacefulness of it all.

No complaining, no arguing, no lost pencils, and all work done before 2:00.  Whether or not that will happen ever again during the course of this year, I don't know.  But it made for an excellent first day of school!

Hope yours goes as well.  Would love to hear about it!

We're Starting School Next Week...

...and I was feeling a bit guilty about cheating my kids out of the last 4 or 5 weeks of summer.  Until I found out that schools in the South are beginning this week.

Guilt-free.

Not to mention, my kids only have 4-day weeks and we like to finish school by the beginning of June.  Am I not an awesome mother?  *wink, wink*

I had great visions of having my entire year's lesson planning finished by now. Let's just say that guilt-free feeling didn't last long.

How about you?  Are you beginning school soon or haven't you even begun thinking about it?

Cost of Education

A little while ago this morning, I was listening to the radio.  There was a conversation taking place about the cost of education in our area.  I always think about that this time of year as I am planning and purchasing my curriculum for my 5 full-time students.  The average cost PER STUDENT in our area is $15,000.00.  Let me say that again - 15 THOUSAND dollars.  Per student.  Per year.

What?

I realize that there are bills to pay for each school building.  I realize that the salaries of the teachers are included.  I realize that there are insurance, food, and many other costs included in these figures - not just books.  But, for heaven's sake.  $15,000.00?  Some quick calculations on my part tells me that with those figures, it should be costing my husband and I about $75,000.00 to teach our 5 children each year - and that's only figuring about 8-10 hours worth of their care, five days a week for 9 months a year.  I can tell you, I am pretty certain we don't spend $15,000/child/year in our home - period.  We not only school them, but house them, clothe them, meet their health care needs, feed them 3 good meals a day, entertain them, and the list goes on.  And, we pay school taxes.

So, I ask you - where is this $15,000.00 per student going?  Because, on my paper, it's just not adding up.