My Organized Homeschool Schedule...yeah, right!

So, I saw this picture on Google and fell in love with it.  Why, because that is how I feel.  Especially at the end of our homeschool year.  At the beginning, yeah I had it all together (at least it looked that way!).  But, truly it is hard to be organized trying to teach four kids, in three different grades.  So, as I do EVERY YEAR at the end of school I search the blogs.  For what, you ask?  For more ideas on how to coordinate our schooling, to make it better.  I take what I learned from last year, and try and tweak it.  I ALWAYS get to March or April and start DYING!  Literally.  I drop all my good ideas, creative incentives and just push toward the goal we all have...to be done!  I have many different ideas I have done in the past: 
*Progress Report Night
*Revised Workbox Idea
*Summary of things learned a couple of years ago

This year I started out with a new idea and it was great, but hard to keep up.  So, I switched to another one during the year.  Here is what I learned this year.  Hopefully, it will help you, if not be entertained.

I started this year with a chart (thought I had a picture, but can not find it. Will have to post when I do.) that my kids could move over a subject tab (that had velco on the back) to the done section.  I did this so they could keep track of their progress and then they wouldn't keep asking me if they were almost done.  This worked great, but I only got two done in time for school to start and the other two never got one...yeah, remember I am only semi-organized. 8-)  So, since I didn't have ones for all the idea went by the wayside.  So, I also found that one of my students (I won't label which one) kept saying he was done with his work, but would not complete all said tasks.  I would not figure this out until I would grade everything at the end of the week.  So, then I had to come up with a new system.  They all had a notebook and I would write the assignments in the notebook and then as they accomplished the work I would grade it and check it off.  Then they could get a sticker at the top of the page, should this happen they would get their three school dollars for the day.  At the end of the week, the school store would open and they could buy items (priced differently) at the store.  This worked great and if they didn't listen then I would take a school dollar away.  This worked great until March...then I just wanted to plow through and didn't enforce it so much...I paid for it.  We will do this next year. 

These are some of my ideas, and I have been researching some more.  I am always open to hearing new ideas.  Please let me know yours.  I will be posting soon about how I scheduled things.  It wasn't perfect, but maybe it would help you out in your scheduling.  That is what makes us all better picking ideas from others to work.  Now, if I could just finish what I start I would be on the right track!  One day at a time!

Homeschool, Year 4, has come to an end

Crazy, four years ago I didn't not think that I would be here.  Ending.  Year 4.  Four crazy years.  Each year I learn something from the previous and use it to make it better the next year.  Maybe by the time they all graduate I will actually have a great system down.

As we tie the last strings it gets harder and harder to focus, with the springtime air and the fun that can be found outside.  It is hard to look at math facts and see what you are suppose to be learning.

This year we made an awesome school room (see previous post here) and now we are MOVING IT

yeah, after ALL.THAT.WORK. last year...it is changing AGAIN!

What worked this year:

*School store (check)

*Report cards (check) (at least I had them at the beginning of the year)

*Set schedules (check)

*School check off sheets (check)

What DIDN'T work:

Yeah, I am not up for that right now...too overwhelming, I'm going to have to check back with you on that....

I still can't believe that I have a fourth grader next year, two second graders and a first grader.  It still does seem possible.  Not at all possible.  But, it is.  Each year flys by.  They get older, look older, you feel older, and you can't stop it.  It is a wonderful process.  To look back over a year and see the leaps and bounds your child has made.  That is MY FAVORITE thing about homeschooling...I have been there to see every step of the way.  I mean EVERY.  I might not have loved EVERY moment, but I have cherished EVERY moment. 

This is so not where I was headed with the blog post.  But, here is it.  Another down and another one to look forward to.  Exciting times to find.  I would love for you to share any of yours.  Good and bad.  We can all learn from both. 

Happy school ending!

Gymnastics Goofy

This semester I signed the three girls up for gymnastics.  They love to tumble and thought it would be fun.  For their class they had a performance.  A group of our college helpers in our youth group came out to support the girls on.  It was a goofy night with a group of goofy people. 

EIGHT!!!!!

Our crazy twins are eight.  Crazy. Eight. 

Crockpot Crazy

So, I am on a Crockpot Craze.  Silly.  I know.  But, I think it is great not having to think of the meal at the end of the day.  In the morning. Done.  Although, since I am trying new recipes dinner has not always been happy. 

Tonight I made Chicken and Sweet Potato Soup...yeah, I know, it didn't sound appetizing to me either.  I don't know why I did, but I tried something new.  I like chicken.  I like sweet potatoes.  Yeah, not going to happen again.  But, on the other hand I have found some great ones.  And it has made my life easier.  That is what matters, right? 

My favorite site right now is http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/.  You should try it out.  There are a lot of great recipes and the BEST PART is that she gives a verdict at the end if her family liked it.  It helps.  And no, to answer the question that is going through your head, I did not get the Chicken and Sweet Potato dish off her site.  Feel better?  Now go and check it out!

I want to find out what your favorite recipes are?  Please let me know!  I want to try them!!!

O.D.E. to Joy

Other than my kids loving the new "Friday" song by Rebecca Black, they love Friday because of O.D.E. (One Day Enrichment).  That is why I call it Ode to Joy.  It brings them JOY.  Seriously, it is one day a week where, as they like to call it, they go to school.  Yep.  I am not school.  O.D.E. is school.  It is a day where the kids have the classes that are harder to do at home, and are a lot more fun in a group.  This includes Science, History, Art, P.E. and Unit Study...and of course Lunch Period.  My husband is the gym teacher at O.D.E. and he took these pictures during a few classes that he has.  I mean, I would want to go instead of being with mom AGAIN...wouldn't you? 

 I like that they have this opportunity to go and learn from other teachers and learn in a different way than I might teach them.  They love their classes and have a chance to get a taste of "real school".  I do have to say that I am glad that I don't have to pack school lunches every day.  Once a week is enough for me. **Smile** 

I am thankful to Mr. Jones, the science teacher, this year.  He has made John realize that he loves science and now he wants to become a scientist when he grows up (or an artist).  Kiley has realized that she LOVES art.  I am excited to see where that goes.  Karli has learned to make a new friend this year, which has been a big thing for our shy one.  Next Friday will be the last one for the year.  I don't know what the kids will do without it for the summer...oh I know...more time with me!!!  I bet they can't wait!! 

Ebony and Ivory...again

As you can see John loves playing the piano, which is why later this month he has "decided" (with a little help from mom and dad) to play in a piano competition.  More to come about that.  Here he is showing off his piece that he played at the end of the year piano recital.  Karli played as well.  This was her second recital.  She wasn't even afraid to go up there this time.  Sadly, due to her practicing while I was working with the other kids on school work, I had NO IDEA what her piece was.  I know it shames me to admit it, but she did amazing and I was so proud of her.  Hearing it for the first time was simply nerve racking and exciting all at once.  Above and to the right is a picture of all the kids as they stand with their piano teacher Mrs. Johnson.  She is great and the kids love her. 

Race Car Derby

My oldest and his friends took a woodworking class together.  In this class they built these fabulous cars.  At the end of the session all the classes in the area raced their cars together.  They all won awards.  My sons came in second in his weight class and his friend in the middle came in first.  It was a lot of fun!  Great job guys!

Sponge Cake???

So, it has taken me a while to get this on here, but the time has finally come! Are you happy April? **Smile** April 1st. A day of fun. I love Family Fun Magazine for the creative ideas they have regarding April Fool's Day. Seriously, I don't know what I would have done without them the past few years! A few years ago put this post about a fun idea they had.  This year it was a sponge cake.  Not, any sponge cake, a cake actually made out of sponges.  Brilliant, I know.  It took a magazine to tell me the idea.  Yeah, people THINK I am creative, I just know the "special places" to find fun ideas. 

The kids were worried all day about what Mom was going to do to them.  They woke up thinking that I was going to make a fake breakfast.  Last year I fooled people on here that I was pregnant.  (Although that didn't work out too well because my youngest thought that I actually was and was quite disappointed when she finally figured out that I wasn't...yeah...note to self).  So, they were ready.  Thankfully they had O.D.E. and I had some time to figure it out.  So, the sponge cake it was.  I even baked a real one so the house smelled like I had been baking. *-)  That is what did it.  Look how excited they were that I made them a cake! 

Here is a video of how it all went down:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAMCawIUNdc