Thursday, January 6, 2011

New Semester/Uusi lukukausi

Christmas is over (even though we are still enjoying our Christmas decorations - put up so late this year), and after having a much needed vacation from all the craziness school, we started Spring Semester this week.

In January Mondays will be Homeschool Ski Days:




This week only the big kids hit the slopes, but hopefully The Captain will take Little Miss next time too. Just need to check her itty bitty ski boots still fit from last year. And in case you are wondering, the pic above is missing Mr T (skiing somewhere), and is replaced by the best friend of the big kids - Mr. A. The kids get to have a lesson and free skiing with other homeschoolers for five Mondays. No other schoolwork for Mondays, so we'll continue the 4-day school week. {Heavenly}



Little Miss and I did housecleaning during the ski day, and enjoyed the fact the house stayed clean for a few hours :)



Little Miss also got a headstart on school: our favorite educational website for little ones is Starfall. Later this week we did change our school plans for Little Miss.. More at the end of the post.

I didn't think to take photos of the big kids doing school - mainly because every morning they each scatter, finding a quiet spot in a different part of the house to do schoolwork. We started school on Tuesday, and the big kids are still using AOP's Monarch 6th Grade 5-subject curriculum set, a fantastic online curriculum. Mr. T is also taking a British Literature Elective.

This Spring Semester started so much better than last year, as I had planned ahead in December (while in Australia), and the kids finished their study units, quizzes and tests before break. It was easy to start new units this week, last year started painfully with quizzes on material they had managed to forget during vacation...

We also found a new after school hobby for Tuesdays:





We will be attending Homeschool Gym Club twice a month, and once a month Homeschool Nerf Club. Gym Club is an hour long free play time with other homeschoolers, and this coming Tuesday we'll find out what the Nerf Club is like. My 6th Graders had to use their own money to purchase Nerf guns and darts, and we'll pay the gym cost. The kids are so excited about both clubs, and already made new friends this week.

Tuesdays would also have playgroup and story time for Little Miss, but looks like we can only attend the last week of the month due to the Homeschool Clubs.

On Wednesdays and Fridays this month:



We contacted the preschool Little Miss attended last year, and were able to re-enroll her for these next three months we will be in New England! They had one spot open in the 4-5 year old group, and she remembered two girls and one teacher from last year. Little Miss again insisted she didn't want to go, but after her first class on Wednesday she ran to me saying how much fun she had, and how she had made two new friends! She will miss all Mondays in January due to our ski program, but in February she'll be able to attend three mornings a week.

We will most likely homeschool her next year for Kindergarten (because of our traveling), but this is so good for her for right now, and we feel thankful the school had an open spot.

Wednesday nights the kids will also attend Discovery Club (like Awana) at church, but we didn't make it this week.

Thursdays will be home days.

Like today. Much enjoyed. Dress code: pajamas (even for the teacher).

*****************

Joulu on ohi, tosin meillä on edelleen joulukoristeet esillä - laitoimme ne esille niin myöhään että haluamme nauttia joulusta vielä muutaman päivän. Tällä viikolla kuitenkin aloitimme kevätlukukauden:

Maanantait tammikuussa tulevat olemaan laskettelupäiviä. Isot lapset ovat mukana kotikouluryhmässä, jonka kautta he saavat oppitunnin ja vapaata laskettelua viitenä viikkona. Tarkoitus on että Kapteeni vie myös Pikkuneidin laskettelemaan silloin, mutta tällä viikolla se ei vielä onnistunut.

Tiistaina aloitimme kotikoulun. Tämä kevätlukukausi alkoi paljon sujuvammin kuin viime vuonna (mikä olikin tuskaa ja hammastenkiristystä): olin joulukuussa järjestänyt oppitunnit niin että syyslukukausi päättyi kokeisiin, ja nyt tammikuussa aloitimme uudet aiheet.

Löysimme myös uuden harrastuksen tiistaille koulun jälkeen: Paikallisessa voimisteluhallissa on kotikoululaisille tunti vapaata leikkiä muiden kotikoululaisten kanssa kaksi kertaa kuukaudessa. Yhden kerran kuukaudessa he kokoontuvat Nerf-pyssyjen kanssa kisaamaan kahden joukkueen kesken. Tulevaa tiistaita odotetaan kovasti!

Tiistaisin olisi myös Pikkuneidille leikkiryhmä ja satutunti kirjastossa, mutta todennäköisesti pääsemme sinne vain kuukauden viimeisenä tiistaina.

Keskiviikkona ja perjantaina Pikkuneiti alkaa käymään kerhossa aamuisin. Sama kerho kuin viime vuonna täällä pohjoisessa, vain isompien lasten ryhmässä. Onneksi sieltä löytyi kaksi tuttua tyttöä, ja yksi opettaja. Vaikkei neiti halunnut mennä eilen, niin tuli oikein onnellisena ja innostuneena takaisin, kivaa oli ollut! Helmikuussa hän pääsee kolmena aamuna, tässä kuussa laskettelun takia emme pysty viemään Pikkuneitiä maanantaisin.

Keskiviikkoisin viemme lapset myös kirkkomme Discovery Club-kerhoon, mikä vähän niin kuin partio. Tällä viikolla emme vielä päässeet. (Todennäköisesti minä jatkan traditiota ja jään yksin kotiin siksi aikaa, aah...!!)

Torstait tulevat olemaan kotipäiviä. Oikein ihania sellaisia. Kuten tänään. Vaatetus: pyjamat (myös mamalla).

2 comments:

  1. What a great window into your world!!! I was just looking at a bunch of pictures from a wonderful weekend on Nantucket with 4 2-year olds! Such great memories! I miss New England. I miss you. I miss all the people with both know! Whaaaaahaaaa!!! Okay. I'm better now!! :-) Anyway, I'm glad for your blog and a chance to keep up with your whole gang!

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  2. Thank you, Linda! I wish you lived closer still <3 Great memories from the babies' childhood, we wouldn't have survived without all of you helping us!!! Any chance you'll come to New England or Florida this year?

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