First Month of School

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RSmith
Posts: 27
Joined: Sun Jun 12, 2022 9:10 pm

First Month of School

Post by RSmith » Wed Aug 31, 2022 4:57 pm

Hey, everyone!

I just wanted to pop on here and say how much we have loved our first month in LHFHG. We look forward to our school each day, and some days my son asks me if he can do two days. Though that warms my heart, we both have to patiently wait until the next day. I love that during my son's Kindergarten year we are making meaningful memories that we will treasure for the rest of our lives.

Some of our highlights have been writing a letter to warn Reddy Fox of being too bold, making an ark to float in the water, creating a graph using our own clothes, and my son acting as the burning bush. I also love how the guide naturally leads the student to apply what they are learning to everyday life.

Usually, when I ask my son to clean up his room, he gets overwhelmed by the many toys on the floor and needs my guidance. I usually sit on his bed and give him one direction at a time (put all of your hot wheels in your car bin, put all of your dinosaurs in your dinosaur bin, etc.) During the second week of school, we focused on sorting skills in math. Carrie's activities that were written into the guide really helped my son understand the concept of sorting objects. Towards the end of the week, I walked in his room, and everything was picked up. All of his toys were in their place. He had just had a little friend over, so toys were scattered all over the floor beforehand. Then I walked in his little sister's room, and I noticed the same thing. I asked him if he cleaned up his room all on his own, and he responded that he had used "math" to clean up his room and his sister's room. What a nice surprise!

I could go on and on about all of the fun we have been having this month, but I would love to hear from others. What are your highlights from your first month of school?

In Christ,

Rebecca
Rebecca
Married to best friend for 11 years
Mom to 6 yr old boy (Enjoying LHFHG, Loved LHTH) and 3 yr old girl (loves all the rhymes and songs)

Jaimejac
Posts: 114
Joined: Wed May 04, 2022 5:02 am

Re: First Month of School

Post by Jaimejac » Fri Sep 09, 2022 1:56 pm

What a great idea! I never thought to use sorting and math as a way to encourage cleaning up. I have a math-y 6 yo who would probably enjoy cleaning more if he could think of it in terms of math and a 4 yo that I think would benefit greatly from the sorting idea!
Christ Alone Homeschool
DD10 - Res to Ref
DS7 - Bigger
DS6- Little Hearts
4 babies in heaven

my3sons
Posts: 10698
Joined: Sun Aug 26, 2007 7:08 pm
Location: South Dakota

Re: First Month of School

Post by my3sons » Thu Sep 15, 2022 1:44 pm

I have just loved reading about your first month of school, Rebecca! How precious your little one asks to do two days of school (and how wise you keep the enthusiasm going by still only doing one)! :D You are making meaningful memories, and your highlights brought to mind precious moments with each of my sons when we did LHFHG as well. Your son's room and your helping him learn to pick it up brought back memories too. What a good connection your son made to his math lesson of sorting. The guides DO naturally lead kiddos to apply what they are learning to everyday life. How neat your son is taking hold of that in such a helpful way!

In Christ,
Julie
Enjoyed LHTH to USII
Currently using USI
Wife to Rich for 28 years
Mother to 3 sons, ages 23, 20, and 16
Sister to Carrie

my3sons
Posts: 10698
Joined: Sun Aug 26, 2007 7:08 pm
Location: South Dakota

Re: First Month of School

Post by my3sons » Thu Sep 15, 2022 1:47 pm

Jaimejac wrote:
Fri Sep 09, 2022 1:56 pm
What a great idea! I never thought to use sorting and math as a way to encourage cleaning up. I have a math-y 6 yo who would probably enjoy cleaning more if he could think of it in terms of math and a 4 yo that I think would benefit greatly from the sorting idea!
That is a great idea, isn't it? All of our kiddos can be encouraged to help clean up, as this is a constant task in a homeschool home especially. We are just there more! I bet your math-y 6 yo would enjoy that approach too, and 4 yo's long to be just like big brothers - what a good habit to instill!

In Christ,
Julie
Enjoyed LHTH to USII
Currently using USI
Wife to Rich for 28 years
Mother to 3 sons, ages 23, 20, and 16
Sister to Carrie

my3sons
Posts: 10698
Joined: Sun Aug 26, 2007 7:08 pm
Location: South Dakota

Re: First Month of School

Post by my3sons » Thu Sep 15, 2022 3:47 pm

We started after Labor Day, so we are just a few weeks into our homeschooling. Emmett is 15 yo and starting his 10th grade HOD World History guide. One highlight was just how much I enjoyed our conversation of how we wanted to set up our days homeschooling together. There was just such an easy ebb and flow to it. He has become a very early riser (this definitely was not always the case when he was younger). He learned to like lifting weights/exercising in the mornings over the summer, so he put his start time at 5:30 AM to do that, and he put his shower right after that.

He told me he enjoys doing his Bible first in his school day, which I love because I don't think there's any other better way to start the day! We both wanted to make it a priority to have together times with my hubby and other sons (who are working/doing college), so we set a 7 AM breakfast time altogether and a 6:30 supper time altogether. Riley (my other son doing online college) and Emmett chose an 11 AM hot cocoa time to get together and a 1:15 PM lunch time (which allows them both to be done with their school). From there, we put together times I'd meet with him and times he'd be more independent. It just was such fun to be at a place where we are both on the same page with working together on this! All the years of using HOD's guides have made this easy and such a pleasure to do. So, my first highlight began before school began, I guess! I just love our days and how they're planned!

Some other highlights have been how much Emmett is enjoying reading Ben Hur. He likes sharing his annotations, and there are some really good connections to Biblical history. His favorite book he is reading right now is Cat of Bubastes though. Emmett is very active and enjoys all things hands-on. He's always been a good reader, but he doesn't read much outside of school as he'd rather "do." I'm thankful HOD's books draw him in, and he enjoys reading during the homeschool year.

Emmett's first drawing project for Fine Arts has been "Tiffany Window." I like Pat Knepley is Christian, so I don't have to worry about what's being taught (or shown) in art. When Emmett first began drawing in HOD as a young boy, he viewed it as something to follow directions for but to quickly get done. It was a highlight for me to see him really take his time with his drawing. He chose a snowball hydrangea from our outdoor plants to sketch. I can't wait to see the final project!

Last year in WG, it took Emmett a bit to get used to carefully answering his IPC science questions. This year, a highlight for me was to see how well he started off with answering his Biology questions correctly. He did well a few months into his IPC science last year, but he did great right away at the start of this year's WH Biology!

Emmett's oral and written narrations are just a pleasure to hear this year. All those years of practicing and honing narration skills have come to fruition. He is good at narrating, and I get to just enjoy listening (for the most part)! I still give the occasional reminder not to say "and" or "basically" so often (his go-to transition words). Incorporating the visual aid into his Talking Points, which is different than narrating, was new and will be good for him to practice all year. But, what a joy to just hear my son easily enjoying narrating!!! And this from my son who was born so prematurely with speech delays!!! God is good. Very good. And all the time.

Finally, I just love Emmett is singing (or mouthing - as his voice is everchanging - along with) hymns! Selah's Greatest Hymns is one of my favorite hymn CD 's to listen to (just for me personally). The line items that explain a bit about the context/meaning of the hymns are often so inspirational. His prayer journal and the foundational things he is learning in his Old Testament Survey they are, well, priceless - of eternal value. Can't wait to delve into Pilgrim's Progress more - just at the start of this! Also just love that we can structure our days however we want to - for my avid outdoor lover, this makes his life all the happier!!!

Whew - that got long! I guess there are more highlights than I realized! Thanks for asking, Rebecca!!!

In Christ,
Julie
Enjoyed LHTH to USII
Currently using USI
Wife to Rich for 28 years
Mother to 3 sons, ages 23, 20, and 16
Sister to Carrie

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