Thursday, October 3, 2013

New Mercies


This was our schedule style for the current school year.  I love my little schedule.  Isn't it pretty, all color-coded and organized?  In all sincerity I had spent hours organizing our time according to what I gathered and researched for our learning this year.  I made a master plan and from that laid out our weeks.  Every six weeks we take a week off and I use a smidge of that week to fill out the schedules for the coming six weeks.   Our schedule each week has a bit of everything – the vital time in God’s Word and singing Hymns to start our day; we explore poetry, literature, history, science, math, foreign languages, reading aloud, reading independently, oral narration, written narration, improving writing skills, language arts, art, music, composers, copywork, dictation and geography.  Most weeks we go out in nature and paint one morning (not shown in this week below).  We don’t follow the times exactly, they are a plan, not a rule, but it is a guide to help me know what is realistic in a day with 20-30 minute lessons. 




M – Oct 7
T – Oct 8
W – Oct 9
Th – Oct 10 = HOME
F  - Oct 11
7-8
Breakfast, etc [Piano]
Breakfast, etc  [Piano]
Breakfast, etc [Piano]
Breakfast, etc,[Piano]

Mom to LA
Boys to St. Claire’s

Math Worksheet

A Time to Build

History of US (32)
Written Narration

Abe Lincoln’s World
p208-216
Note 3 points
of each topic

Copywork
Gettysburg Address
Recite to Miss Rachel

German Words
8:00
Hymn, Bible, Scripture
Hymn, Bible, Scripture
Hymn, Bible, Scripture
Hymn, Bible, Scripture
8:20
Math LOF Ch 5
History of US (29) 
Written Narration
Latin
Math Khan (2)
Math Khan (2)
History of US (31)
Written Narration
Latin
It Just Couldn’t Hppn
8:40
Latin
Math: Khan (2)
9:00
Science for Co-Op
5.1, 5.2, 5.3
Latin
9:20
Streams of Civ 189-93
Copywork/R&S (34-5)
Dictation/R&S (36-7)
9:40
Paddle to the Sea
Lessons 5.1 & 5.2
Dictation/Spelling (8)
Streams of Civ 193-6
Paddle to Sea 5:5 & 5.6
10:00
German Song & Languag
Plutarch (8) (snack)
Shakespeare
10:20
Pick up Paulie 10:20a
Read Aloud Hellen Keller
History of US (30)

European & Local Geography /Timeline: Centennial, T.A.Edison
10:40
Poetry/School in the Woods
Picture Study/Artist Great Artists p. 38
Still Life in Melted Crayon
11:00

Go Skating
From 11-12:10
Paddle to the Sea Lesson 5.3 & 5.4
German History:
H.E. Marshall
11:20
11:40
Composer Study (Mozart)
Pick Up Paulie

HERC Class
12:00
Lunch (Composer)
Lunch (Composer)
Piano/Read to Paulie
Quiet Room Time
12:20

12:30 Art



Leave @ 12:30 pm

Science

12:40
1:00
1:30
Family Contribution
1:45
2:00
PIano
Read: Hellen Keller

2:30
Family Contribution
3:00
Grocery
3:30


4:00

5-6




7-8
A. Judson
Catechism/ T&T
A  Judson









































If you followed my post about Lighting a Fire you are tracking with me in my struggle to grow into the next good thing God has for our home education.  But, it really amounts to more than that.  Doesn't it always?  Things are never just about what they are on the surface.  Yes, I need to change from becoming an anxious task-master when I feel the internal, self-created pressure cooker, to being more loving and peaceful despite our keeping to "the schedule."  That's a given.  And, it goes without saying that we have good, even great, days of learning and wonderful family relationships over here. 

The bigger picture is this:  I need to grow into trusting God more and relying on myself less.  What happens when I don't have a tool for controlling our days?  Whenever I let go of the illusion of control, we actually have better days -- way better days.  But, something in my soul resists this change.  I want certainty.  I want some inner-confirmation that what I choose will result in long-term goodness for my sons.  And that anxiety and the sheer overwhelm of trying to keep too many plates in the air can make me a frazzled, frustrated mom who does not act the way I wish I would.  Haven't we all been there?

We really just can't serve two masters.  We can't be in charge of the day and give the day over to God simultaneously.  I sense His inner urging and I must make the choice to go with him.  Schedules aren't bad.  A plan can be a wonderful tool.  The problem is one of supremacy.  What is at the center, the plan or Jesus?

Sometimes I look at what we could cut out of our day -- when the day is careening ahead and we haven't nearly kept up with the "list" of what I thought should fit in.  I realize I could cut almost everything and my son would still survive -- even thrive.  I made this plan after all.  I picked Plutarch and Shakespeare and Longfellow and Khan Academy and each History and Literature selection.  When I look at each subject, any of them could be set aside.  None of this is the "stuff of life" though it is all wonderful and beautiful in its own way.  The key isn't the WHAT it is the HOW.  If I keep the needful things at the center of my life and heart, I will facilitate the atmosphere which is conducive to a life-long love of learning and so much more. 

 So, this morning, I tweaked the "schedule."  Notice the lack of times on the side.  These are now lists of what we can hope to study during a given day.  There are times for when I'll be with my son for learning -- so we can anticipate that and be available together.  Also, any outside commitments are on the weekly plan so that we both know of those.  Much more grace and flexibility in this than the other one - still color coded, though (hey, a girl can only give up so much at a time!).  At a deeper level it is a step over that threshold: letting go and trusting God. He made children with a natural love for knowledge. 



M – Oct 7
T – Oct 8
W – Oct 9
Th – Oct 10 = HOME
F  - Oct 11

Breakfast, etc [Piano]
Hymn, Bible, Scripture
Breakfast, etc  [Piano]
Hymn, Bible, Scripture
Breakfast, etc [Piano]
Hymn, Bible, Scripture
Breakfast, etc,[Piano]
Hymn, Bible, Scripture

Mom to LA
Boys to St. Claire’s

Math Worksheet

A Time to Build

History of US (32)
Written Narration

Abe Lincoln’s World
p208-216
Note 3 points
of each topic

Copywork
Gettysburg Address
Recite to Miss Rachel

German Words

·    Math LOF Ch 5/play
·    History of US (29) 
·    Written Narration
·    Latin
·    Paddle to the Sea
·    Lessons 5.1 & 5.2
·    Math Khan (2)
·    Latin
·    Science for Co-Op
    5.1, 5.2, 5.3
·    German
·    Paddle to the Sea Lesson 5.3 & 5.4
·    Math Khan (2)
·    History of US (30,31)
·    Written Narration
·    Latin
·    Copywork

·    It Just Couldn’t Hppn
·    Math: Khan (2)
·    Latin
·    Paddle to Sea
     5:5 & 5.6
·    Eur & Local Geo
·    Timeline:
Centennial, T.A.Edison

10:00 Mom
Streams of Civ 189-93

10:30 Mom
·    Dictation
·    Spelling (8)
·    Read Aloud Hellen Keller
·    Composer Study (Mozart)

9:30 Mom
·    R&S (34-5)
·    Streams of Civ
p193-6
·    Plutarch (8) (snack)
·    Poetry
·    School in the Woods
·    German History
10:00 Mom
·    Dictation
·    R&S (36-7)
·    Shakespeare

Pick up Paulie 10:20a


10:45
Picture Study/Artist Great Artists p. 38
Still Life in Melted Crayon


Go Skating
From 11-12:10

Pick Up Paulie
12-2:30
HERC Class


12:30 Art



Leave @ 12:30 pm

Science



2:00 Piano Lesson






A. Judson
Catechism/ T&T
A  Judson

































As Charlotte Mason says:
"The theory has been,––put a child in the right environment and so subtle is its influence, so permanent its effects that he is to all intents and purposes educated thereby. Schools may add Latin and sums and whatever else their curriculum contains, but the actual education is, as it were, performed upon a child by means of colour schemes, harmonious sounds, beautiful forms, gracious persons. He grows up aesthetically educated into sweet reasonableness and harmony with his surroundings."
{emphasis mine}

Where is God challenging you to grow in your parenting and educating life these days?  I'd love to hear. 

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