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!

Our First Math Curriculum!!

I am super excited!! This past year we've followed the Massachusetts Frameworks for what we studied in Math, and it went well. I feel Esme was getting the hang of number sense and starting to understand how it all fits together. However, I decided that as she goes forward I would really like something structured for her. I am sure that if I buckled down I could develop my own program for her, but there are already so many out there, already developed, that are just wonderful. I've had the opportunity to look at different curricula through other homeschoolers, but ultimately decided on the one that I am most comfortable with, because it is the one I use at school. The Houghton Mifflin First Grade Math books are on the way to our house now!! I can't wait to get started!

Two Goals Surpassed!!

We are so proud of our little girl. The kindergarten goal is for her to count to 20 by ones, and Esme can officially count to 40. Another goal is for her to know 20 words by sight by the end of the year. We are about halfway through the year and are happy that she is already up to 14.

Coming up with have some challenging work. Esme will have to learn to count to 50 by fives and tens, she'll do more writing, and she'll learn her very first fractions. Also, we're hoping to get more involved with some other homeschoolers and possibly even hold a lesson for a larger group at our home.

Ethan has done wonderfully with homeschooling while I've been working full time these past three months. I've done the lesson plans and he's done ALL the lessons! I'm looking forward to helping him with that aspect of homeschooling again.