Our first week of school

I wasn’t sure exactly how the first week would go…
Considering, I have A LOT planned for him to do, but he had no problem doing all of the work, and in many cases liked it. 
He dug right into what he had to do.  This is our 4th year homeschooling.  He loves reading.  Though will not pick up a new book on his own to see if he likes it.  He would rather just read the ones he read over and over.   …that is until I give him another one I want him to read, and suddenly it’s his new favorite.  This was the case with this week’s book of Homer Price by Robert McClosky.  (Noah now wants a workshop in his bedroom like Homer). 

One big surprise is how much he enjoys his writing book.  I decided to start this year with teaching Noah how to write.  We will take our time about it, but his end of the year project is to write a persuasion paper.  In the book we are using they have what is called 10 minute writing plunges, where he just writes about  a choice of 4 given subjects for 10 minutes.   The goal being to begin forming a love for writing and the writing process.  Noah likes that I don’t grade him in this.  He even asked to write longer than 10 minutes. 
This is the book we are using.  We are taking two years to do it. 

On another note, we had to cut Thursday’s work short because Noah got sick.  He has a fever/cough.  But, he is a trooper because on Friday, still being sick, I couldn’t find him.  Only to find him, in the schoolroom, doing yesterday’s unfinished work.  What a good boy! 
(I later found out that he thought he wouldn’t be able to go over Grandma’s if his work wasn’t finished for the week.) 
We don’t do school work on Friday’s, as long as he had his work finished for the week.  Friday is left for field trips, and fun. 

Minimizing distractions -- hopefully

I plan on starting this new school year on the right foot (though plans often change).  I have got his books, the whiteboard, desk, and maps all set up.  But, I am learning that we as home educators are responsible for so much more than making sure they know the right states and capital facts, and their multiplication, etc. 

We are also going to be working on minimizing distractions – keeping focus.  

photo from photospin.com

Last March when I attended the homeschool conference in Cincinnati, one workshop caught my eye. 
The workshop on by Jessie Hawkins, called The Sidetracked Child: How Botanicals and Nutrition Can Increase Concentration and Reduce
Distractibility in Your Homeschool. 
I immediately knew I had to make it to that one.  And it was very interesting. 
She was very informative – in fact got me to thinking  rethinking, my set up for Noah’s fourth grade year. 
Just three of the points I thought were interesting.
1.  Make sure they have plenty of sunlight, or better yet, if it is a nice day – take your work outside.  I must admit we don’t usually, in fact, I don’t think I have ever had him do his work outside.  Though I have thought it a very cool idea. 
2. Put some plants in your schooling area – plants help to filter out those invisible bad house toxins.  Great idea!  Love this concept, just not so sure how well it will go over considering I DO NOT have a green thumb at all.    I will need to find some really hardy plants. 
3. Maple syrup is good for you.   You know the real stuff…  the Grade B is best. 

In my way of thinking if we start with just these three we will have  -- 1.) a pleasant school area, and 2. )  a good breakfast!

Oh by the way, I think Jessie Hawkins’ Vintage Remedy and other books will make a great health class… maybe next year… I’ll have to save the money for it.