Homeschool Review

My end-of-year homeschooling review is on Wednesday so I’ve been sorting and stacking examples to show my reviewer the work that Max completed since our last meeting in January.

For kindergarten, at least, the review isn’t so scary.  It’s a bit like Show and Tell and can serve as a needed shot in the arm to a weary homeschool mom (who me?) that things are going well, education is taking place here, but don’t fret; the SATs are still at least a decade away.  

So while Max earned Super Stars (my made up grading system I just put in place this very minute) for every subject (with the exception of handwriting but we’re going to get there someday), I’m not sure I would give myself the same grade.  There’s so much I could improve in my own disciplines as his teacher.  I’m way too fly-by-the-seat of my ruler.  

For starters, next year I’d like to get up before Max and Mini.  Greasy-haired, pajama wearing days are fun every once in a while but I resolve to get up, shower, have a quiet time, and eat breakfast before 7:30.  Do you believe in miracles?  Well, I didn’t say anything about exercising.

It would be nice to type all this and say that I have all summer to sleep in because school won’t begin for us until September.  But, no, it was my genius idea to start First Grade in July.  It’s because we ended early in May and I’d like to take a 6 week break in December and January, but I should still whack myself in the head or something.

Another area for improvement is to be a better planner.  I started off this year great – used a planner that I loved - but didn’t fill in one page after late January.  As I prepared for my review I literally went through all the books (phonics, math, etc.) and thanked the Lord that I wrote the date on each page. It took a sweet forever to fill in my calendar to fake like I was planner.  I vow not to do that again.  I bought the same planner from Jolanthe (her blog is a great resource) for next year.

I need to sit down in the next week and map out the school days.  I have my curriculum ready to go.  We’re continuing with Shiller Math (a Montessori approach that I love) and Explode the Code for phonics.  We’re also going to use Write From the Start (vol. 2 because that’s all I could find), Galloping the Globe for social studies (includes lots of activities), Sonlight Science, attend our weekly co-op for art, music, and PE, go to Awana, and sign up for a sports clinic.

It seems like a lot but with the cool planner, a shower, and an Energy vitamin every morning, we’ll find our Super Star groove and make it to Thanksgiving.