Fall 2015 brought more changes. Little Miss is still using Sonlight and Math-U-See, and it continues to be a great fit for her and for mama. The teens are now dual enrolled at a local college, and continuing Mr. D Math at home.
(Our first year of homeschooling we used AOP SOS, then switched to AOP Monarch. We used Monarch for five years. You can read more below.)
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Starting our homeschool journey in the Fall of 2008.
Our method of homeschooling is computer-based traditional learning.
I never felt the call to homeschool, and actually kicked and screamed about it before finally agreeing to give homeschooling a try. Our older children had attended a Christian school K-4th.
I don't enjoy doing craft projects or science experiments with my kids, or look forward to putting together different curricula. I had never even attended a homeschool convention! English isn't my native language even, for goodness sakes!!
Our main reason for homeschooling was the flexibility it would allow our traveling family, and finding a program that allows me to be more the assistant than the teacher.
We started homeschooling in 5th grade using AOP Switched-On-Schoolhouse, and from 6th grade on we have used AOP Monarch with our four older children. Both are great programs. Each student has their own laptop, and while they have the same material, they each work at their own pace.
The first year we weren't involved in many homeschool activities (it was all about surviving), but for half of 6th grade we attended a homeschool co-op, and also attended various other fun homeschool activities every week. We are also big on PE outside, every single day!
We did some preschool work at home, but Little Miss attended local preschools (both in Florida and in New England). For K-1st Little Miss used Critical Thinking First Grade Bundle and Hooked on Phonics, and for second grade she used Dew Learning.
Our motto with homeschooling is: "If we can do it, anyone can do it!!" :)
Our kids sometimes talk about things they miss about going to Christian school, but so far have always come to the conclusion they'd rather be homeschooled. These past four years have definitely brought our family closer as we have traveled together and spent more time together. Sure, there have been some terrible-horrible-very-bad days, but now we have learned to close our laptops and head outside for PE or go to the library on a field trip on those days.
We also love our school uniforms: pajamas on many days ;-)
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