First day for SY 2016-2017

It's our first day of school for SY 2016-2017.  It has been a long day for the boys because they were used to having just 3-4 subjects/day during the past few months, and today, we have to cover additional subjects, 7-8 core, in all.  But fear not, lest I kill their interest in learning, we'll have to fine tune our sails this week so both mommy and kids will have an over all happy journey this year.

We're using the following materials:

For M1:

Reading: Bigger Stories for Little Folks, Devotional Stories, Devitional Stories Too
Grammar: Language of God (Level A)
Handwriting: CHC Handwriting 2
Mathematics: Math-U-See Beta

For M2:
Reading: Little Stories for Little Folks, What Do You Like to Do?, What Can You Do? (Easy Readers)
Spelling: My Very First Catholic Speller
Handwriting: CHC Handwriting 1
Mathematics: Math-U-See Alpha

For both M1 & M2:

Religion: Faith & Life 2 (Student Text), Book of Saints
Science: Behold & See 2, Science 2 for Little Folks, Onions in my Boots
Social Studies: Explore the Continents
Character/Values: Laying Down the Rails, Building Good Character
Art: A Childs' Book of Prayer in Art, ArtAchieve.com
Music: Making Music Praying Twice, Classicforkids.com
P.E.: Swimming, golf
Literature & Poetry:  various age-appropriate living books
Filipino: various Filipino children's books

For the teacher:
Lesson Plans: CHC Lesson Plans for First Grade, CHC Lesson Plans for Second Grade, CHC Lesson Planner
Language Arts: Creative Communications
Mathematics: Math-U-See Alpha, & Beta Teacher's Manuals
Misc.: MaterAmabilis.org


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Our Lady, Star of the Sea. Pray for us.

Making noise again

It's been quiet here for quite a while, 10 months to be more specific, but only because outside the blogging world we've been kind of busy. Homeschooling with an infant.  How we did it?  It's just really taking each day at a time.  Very thankful we're using CHC. We stick with the core subjects most days.  The rest of the time, the two boys are left on their own to play.  And, we unschool--among the highlights were kite-flying with the grandfather, and, we've started learning to whittle. This year, we also had a headstart of about 2-3 months (finished early the previous year), so we don't feel hurried with our schedule.

Now that baby J is almost 16 months old, she's also asking for read alouds a lot.  Lots of Mother Goose rhymes and singing.  She pulls books from the shelves and looks at the pictures-- voila! Another bookworm! So, yeah, I have 3 students now under my wings.

I already have most of M1's books for the incoming year, from the same curriculum catalog, CHC.  Additional materials will include a book for picture study, art lessons from ArtAchieve.com, and piano lessons from Hoffman Academy.com (M2 will learn these subjects with him). M1 is asking if he can start inventing already, so I'll probably burn some more cash to get that Little Bits kit.  

For M2, he's in the middle of Kindergarten (K1 & K2 combined, for a year) program, except for Science, and Religion, which he took with M1, grade 1 level.  He works fast, and is enthusiastic most of the time to homeschool. This kid has a great attitude, doesn't complain a lot, and is very kind.

On parenting.  The biggest challenge of parenting, in my humble opinion and experience, is coming to terms with one's self.  Despite knowing that among the keys (and probably the most important) to parent well is to set the example, it has truly been a humbling experience.  After 7 years of being a parent, I see my eldest, and the result of my so-called parenting. He's a great kid, but I also see how I could've done better (or, how I've inflicted damage?).   Now more than ever I realize and feel the impact of that. If there is someone I have to "parent" it's myself first. Sort out all that angst (where did it come from, anyway?).  When time flies so fast and you just have a window, and you don't think you did everything perfectly, you just get anxious sometimes... and that's where I am right now.  Anyhow.  I've managed to get a hold of some books.  If you're like me who's keen to improve parenting skills, and be intentional, these are my run-to reads:

• The 5 Love Languages of Children,by Gary Chapman
• Personality Plus for Parents, by Florence Littauer
• The Whole Brain Child, by Daniel Siegel & Tina Payne Bryson
• How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk, by Adele Faber & Elaine Mazlish
• Building Character, by David Isaacs

The Glorious Flight

For the first time, M1 shows excitement, and looks forward to another homeschool day.  All because of the book, The Glorious Flight: Across the English Channel with Louis Bleriot July 25, 1909 by Alice & Martin Provensen.

He loves it for the fact that it has airplanes in it, nevermind that they were primitive.  It does make him smile that an image of Bleriot XI is also in our encyclopedia.  But he also appreciated the onomatopoeia, Clacketa! Clacketa!   And the funny way the story was narrated.
I can only be too glad it's a great story of perseverance.

It's our 3rd book with a setting in France (Madeleine, Crictor), so we'll be playing French music also, Putumayo: French Playground.   Ooh, and Renoir!  Don't forget Renoir, or Monet!  Perhaps I should also have a French meal served, non?  M2 wants to try escargot, and I tell him, go tell Lolo D when you're in Manila.

Treasures in the shelf

Last December, we finally took home the old Childcraft series my mother in law was handing the kids down months prior.  The volumes Stories and Fables, and Poems and Rhymes had to be my favorite.  They're classic!  (Because of these, I can hold off hoarding books from bookshops (online/offline) which me & my hubby's pockets will appreciate).  I still have to run through with the other volumes as a I feel that several information might already be in need of updating.

Aside from Childcraft, I'm also loving the Catholic Children's Treasure Box (though I only have the 1st set).  These are also great fillers when we go a little off-track from my lesson plans, as I know that books-- lots of stories, are the way to the boys' attention.

Speaking of lesson plans/ schedules, I'm following Mater Amabilis general way of going about the day.

Online Libraries

I am running out of fresh books to read to the 2 boys. Thanks to these 2 online libraries, I can print stories in an instant...

The Rosetta Project
The Baldwin Project

Ambleside Online also provides an extensive booklist.