We are really, really pushing Math this year. Esme is already a great reader and writer, and we want her to be totally on top of her game with Math as well, especially because she's also so interested in Science and the two go hand in hand.


Time4Learning.com actually offers lots of other subjects as well, but currently we're only using it for Math. It offers lessons with little characters leading the examples, quizzes on each lessons, tests on units, and extras like printables when Esme needs a little extra time on a lesson. She seems to be enjoying Math much more this year and it has also been much less frustrating for both her and Ethan.

So far Esme has covered things like place value, operations, fractions, and money and is doing a great job!

There are so many great Fall homeschooling opportunities! It has turned into one of my favorite seasons since I've been a mother. We went to the Big E, apple and raspberry picking, to the pumpkin patch, a corn maze, a pumpkin festival, we designed and built a Halloween costume together, carved our jack-o-lantern, made pumpkin cream pie, trick-or-treated, etc. And as homeschoolers, we try to make each activity educational, from talking about the life cycle of plants, and to life skills like cooking and using landmarks to find your way.

Esme just finished her first long writing project using the complete writing process, from brainstorming to publishing. She wrote about The Big E and did a wonderful job. I would definitely say it was strong third grade work. She's also been plugging along in Math - she has a lot to do this year, so she and Ethan are working hard to stay on task and even get a bit ahead.

We're very proud of our girl!

Aren't you worried about interaction with other children?

This post is a bit of a rant.

Near the first day of school in our city, a cashier at Stop and Shop, who is probably around my mother's age, asked Esme if she was ready for school to start. Esme said, "I'm homeschooled," and the cashier said, "Oh!" and I paid, we left, etc. Last week the same cashier said to Esme, "How's school going?," then remembered us and said, "Oh wait you're homeschooled." Then she turned to me and said, "Aren't you worried about interaction with other children?" Sigh. If you are homeschooler, you may have had this conversation 1,000 times.

I have many ways of dealing with this question, or the more typical, what about socialization? If someone is not a complete stranger and usually pretty nice, like this cashier, I usually say lightly, "Trust me, she's a social butterfly. She's just fine!" One day a nosy person who happened to be doing my taxes asked me about it and I said, "Well when I want her to be socialized, I take her in the bathroom, beat her up, and offer her drugs. {long pause with hard stare} Just kidding!" Sometimes extremely rude strangers question us - now that Esme is is bigger they realize that other kids her age are in school. Ethan was once accosted by someone about it at the deli counter. For them, I bring out the hard stare, and tell them we're not worried about it.

There is one other thing that people say all the time that bugs me. "You're homeschooling? That's great!!" This confuses me. If it's a stranger, again, making judgments about my life choices although they don't know me, I usually say, "Is it?" Cause why do they think so? They don't know me - maybe it's terrible! If it's someone I sort of know, I usually say, "Thanks, we think it is."

Maybe I am getting more snarky or more bitter? I don't know. I feel like when strangers choose to be that familiar, I have to say something to back them off. I try not to be rude about it (okay maybe I was a little rude to the tax guy) but I don't understand why people feel free to offer their opinions so much on this. I don't offer my opinion on their decision to send their children to school. It would be equally weird if they said, "My daughter goes to public school," and I said, "That's great!!" Maybe it is great - I have no idea!

Okay this homeschooling mom is done ranting for today. I'm off to edit Esme's essay on her trip to The Big E.

Poor Poor Poor Poor Poor Poor Esme

Esme thinks we're working her too hard this year. We have stepped up academics a bit and are focusing pretty intensely on her Math skills. She also had to work with me to create a web of her experiences at The Big E and is now working on a rough draft of her writing assignment. Frankly, we don't feel bad for her. She has no idea about waking up early, going to school 30+ hours a week, etc.


Right now she and Ethan are finishing up The Knight at Dawn and she designed her own coat of arms. She's also enjoying her swimming and ballet lessons.

Homeschooling Open Mic

Esme performed at her first open mic night tonight. They sets were up to 10 minutes so Esme prepared four short songs - One and One Make Two, The Little Brown Owl, The Stinky Skunk, and Ob La Di Ob La Da. She was nervous earlier but really pulled the whole thing together and did a great job at the show!

Approved!

We have received our official approval from the city to homeschool this year. I wasn't really worried about it, but it was still nice to get. Esme's been busy this week. She went on a field trip to pick raspberries and apples with two homeschooling friends, watched us give blood, went to the library, and is about to go perform at her first homeschooler's open mic night.

Spelling Words for This Week

We have decided on a somewhat new approach to spelling. We'll be doing lists that are a combination of words misspelled in her journal and words that follow specific rules. Words for this week are:

every
party
with
poured
missed
fixed
walked
cooked
prayed
joked
passed
past

Homeschooling a Second Grader

I am back to blogging about our experiences homeschooling Esme and excited about it. I have been reading several other homeschooling blogs lately and feel very inspired to come back to it with new enthusiasm. I'll start with a somewhat random list of things about this new year for us......

1. We are now using an online Math curriculum, through Time4Learning.com. It was a big decision for us to actually start paying for something, since we have used all materials we've managed to get free or near free in the past. But we also just decided that one-lesson-a-day-5-days-a-week systems just aren't flexible enough for us. Esme has started doing lessons on Time4Learning and so far I think we're happy with it. We'll also be supplementing with materials from The Mailbox.

2. Esme's reading took off last year and we're starting this year with the Magic Treehouse series. She loves reading them and gets some science and social studies too. We are all using the research guides and a mix of library books for non-fiction information on the same subjects. We'll also be mixing in some other chapter books to make sure she stays challenged and moving in the right direction with her reading.

3. Science is still far and away Esme's favorite subject. This weekend she went to a program put on by a local museum about dinosaur tracks, right after reading Dinosaurs Before Dawn. This summer she was super interested in the Water Everywhere Brownie Try-It.

4. Speaking of Brownies, we are excited that our Girl Scout council has decided to do a whole Journeys series for homeschoolers! I have been pushing for more involvement in the homeschooling community for years, and finally my wish is coming true. Esme will do the Wonders of Water Journey with other homeschoolers over the course of the 2010-2011 school year. Our troop is very active as well - we're working on the Animals Try-It right now. Esme is also going to be a charter member of our council's Girl Advisory Group.

5. Esme is involved in lots of other activities as well. This year she's starting with the Instructional Level Swim Team at the YMCA and ballet. We're also hoping she might add a musical instrument if we can fit it in. We are also very active in our church, and she'll be back in Sunday School starting next week.

6. Our Not-Back-to-School picnic is Wednesday. I didn't get to go last year, so I am extra excited about it this time. I can't wait to connect with other homeschoolers, and hopefully plan some activities together. I love collaborating with other parents.

7. So far this year my favorite part of homeschooling is Esme's journal. I love seeing what she chooses to write about. I might post a couple pages with her permission. I love kids' writing in general.

That's all for now - more within the week!

Blog hiatus will be officially over in 3....2...1.....