Jun 11 2008
purging, piling, praying and planning
I just love this time of year... getting outside, gardening, newness of life everywhere, renewed vision as I take stock of where we've been in the last year, overall as a family and particularly the kids and I with our academic studies. Every year I've had to remind myself that the most important lessons we've learned in the prior "school year" (although we homeschool year-round really) weren't in my plans, and usually aren't even immediately visible in any of my records or papers anywhere, for it's the spiritual lessons and deepening of our souls that matter most. The greatest successes of our homeschool journey thusfar are evident in the demeanor and character of our children, the closeness of our family. Chris and I love that we too are learning so much with our kids, every. single. day.
As I mentally shuffle through old schedules and plans from last year, I have to fight off discouragement, seeing all that is left undone... Again, I'm looking to the Lord for my direction in the year(s) to come, trying to discern what I can do to better facilitate my childrens' education and my entire family's well-being... versus what I should just let go of. This is the time of year that I intuitively take stock of how far we've come, re-evaluate our goals and realign my plans for where we're headed next year accordingly.
I've recently made what was for me a hard decision to make- to move N up into his own AO year with most of his studies now (history/literature/science, etc.), so that he can progress without rushing T's studies. In the past we've kept our history studies together, and I'm sure that there will still be some overlap as N and T glean from what the other is doing as we talk about our studies (which inevitably flows from narrations), as well as the fact that T will be learning some ancient history with N and I as we'll still be doing our Bible studies together. I do believe that this decision is a good one, for numerous reasons (which I'm already starting to see even- more on that later), even though it's taken me a long time to get here (part of the *letting go* I'd mentioned earlier- it's really okay that N hasn't read every. single. book in every, single year before AO Y6, it really is okay, duh! *obsessive* me).
For the last couple (few?) of months I've been going through all of my old curriculum and books that I've accumulated over the last 7+ years we've homeschooled, and purging everything that isn't just loved and perfect for us- enough that I want to save it for baby S (like our fave readers and literature. This is the first time I've done this, and it feels good. It comes at a time (appropriately) when I'm at a sort of turning point within myself, as far as homeschooling with my kids goes, that's hard to explain, but I may try to in another post~ basicly just a realization of the fact that I'm gaining clarity in what works for us (and what doesn't), our goals for the future, what I wish I'd done differently thusfar, etc.
Anyways, so far, I've sold about $300!! worth of books and curriculum! Yeah, I was once a curriculum junkie... searching for the golden fleece that would be the *best*, now I like it simple= CM, lots of time outside and lots of good books to read, it's what works for us, and what actually gets done. I've realized that I was missing the best for us, for a lot of other good stuff. Ironically, I've come full circle back to where I began as far as our main curriculum goes~ Ambleside Online, and it's free, what a ministry! So anyways, I am using all that money I've made to buy a few things we've needed for now and for next year. It all started when I decided that I'd really like to get N started on the Teaching Textbooks math curriculum (since that's what I want to take him through highschool, and he LOVES it, the independence and automated grading really boost his morale when it comes to doing his math assignments). We didn't have the money to buy it with though, so I finally had the motivation (that I'd apparently needed) to go through all of this stuff that's accumulated over the years (and we've even drug with us through three interstate moves!...pitiful.), and just purge, thin out. Less is more, and all that, I've finally learned, gained focus... clarity, guess it just takes time and experience for some of us.
I posted some items to our local homeschool yahoo list and sold exactly $150 worth of books, just what I needed to buy his math program. Then, since I was on a roll, I weeded out and organized more unit studies and books that I/we won't use and don't need, to sell at a local curriculum/books sale. I sold another $150 worth of stuff (with a whole box of leftovers, which I guess I'll sell online/ebay or somewhere)!! And since then I've been seeing more stuff on my shelves that I really don't care to keep, and have another pile of books to sell or just give away started, SO... looking forward to making some more $ before we're all said and done. 
I also picked up a few gems at the NETHEA curriculum fair, which was only about a 30 minute drive from us, not too bad at all. Would you believe that it was my first time going to anything like this- ever? That's probably a good thing, since it probably would have been dangerous for me our checking account a few years ago. Heh! I was focused, with my mental wish list of what I was looking for, and what it cost new. It was great for me (even slinging baby S the whole time), an event that I sure hope to make it to next year as well. T came with baby S and I to the books sale, and we had so much fun together. She knew what she was looking for (and she found it!) and I think she was excited as I was to get there early, and to see the rows and rows of tables-full of books, lots and lots of wonderful books! She'd gone with me the afternoon before to drop our own piles off for the sale, and had spotted a few things she'd hoped would still be waiting for her when we returned the next morning for the actual sale. I'm so glad that we did go early as we did, because we still had to wait in line for an hour, and I heard from friends that they ended up having to wait longer later!
Okay, so you'd probably like to know what I found there, and what books I'm piling up around me now, as I plan for our studies for next year (or, maybe not... but I'm going to tell anyways)... So far, I have most of our AO studies planned out and in order (with only a few tweaks and book substitutions- to use what we have on hand), and only have a few things left to map out and schedule for next year, like our Grammar, and the kids' math lessons. This year, I'm going to give them each their own weekly check-off sheet so that they can keep track of their assignments, music practice, etc. and get going more independently. I'd meant to do that this last year... but, well... let's just say that we never did get around to being that organized this year.
For my planning, I've been utilizing and customizing some of the pre-formatted/laid-out scheduling pages of AO year book lists found in the files of the AO list. Realizing that planning- a workable plan- is (and has always been) my weak point. And so, aiming towards a remedy for that great malady of mine, knowing that as N and T are getting older, our household busier with baby S in the mix, and their book lists longer, I'm creating notebooks with schedules for each of us. My hope is that this will help to keep our days on track better, and in turn our weeks and terms as well.
I've learned that we need accountability one to another, and that just because I set a book aside to be read, doesn't mean that it will be read, lest I've actually scheduled into our days. However, while planning, I'm keeping in mind what I've learned about what works for myself, and for our family, over the years. I know that scheduling out our subjects into weekly chunks (and even daily readings) works great for us, helps me, but that assigning an actual date and time does not work for us. We need the structure of schedules and routines, but the flexibility of plugging in specific time and dates on a week to week basis. I've been reading up here and here on planning and taking notes (and some free forms) to heart as I proceed.
Okay, now for my frugal finds: I was especially excited to find the Bible curriculum that we're using next year, Remembering God's Awesome Acts. It's been on my wishlist for years, and I got it for less than half of what it costs new (for the workbook and TM), in excellent, like-new condition. It was the only copy there, and I just know that the Lord had that there especially for us, encouraging confirmation that He's leading us in this choice for our upcoming Bible studies together. It will add the extra emphasis on ancient history and Egypt, within a Biblical context, that I was wanting as N is going to be doing Ambleside's Year 6.
I found Easy Grammar 3/4 and 5/6 for a mere $7 each!! I also found a very nice copy of Serl's Primary Language Lessons, which I picked up for only $7, and we've all been doing PLL together (even though it's very easy for N and T, it's making for a gently formal- over the summer- introduction to our upcoming grammar studies- perfect fit for now), and we're enjoying it tremendously. I like it so much that I'm now looking to buy Intermediate Language Lessons for when we finish PLL. I like that PLL and ILL both have copywork and dictation lesson integrated into their text, and the CM friendly variety to the lessons. I'll alternate it with our Easy Grammar lessons. Simply Grammar is one of the books that I sold, and we tried using (more than once), but it just didn't work for us. So, finding and starting a good grammar curriculum- that fit us- for the upper elementary and middle years (we don't use one for early elementary) was a goal of mine which I believe has now been accomplished.
T got a few horse and riding books for a few dollars, and I found a few more living books, biographies, a nice copy of King Lear, etc. And that's all... as I said, I was focused and knew what I was looking for. I'm sure that I would have taken my time and looked more and surly found more had I stayed longer, but baby S was getting quite restless and we got out of there just in time before she was done. I was disappointed that all of the Rod & Staff math curriculum (for T) was mostly gone by the time we got there (only half an hour after the doors opened, but I hear there was a loooong line of die-hard homeschoolin' book shoppers waiting to pour in and grab up the bestest stuff fast). I purposely avoided getting there early enough for that, not up to it.
I found the following gems in the *free* pile as I left as well, as in we paid nothing for them!:
How Now Shall We Live? Student Edition, like new cond., with no markings! 
Men's Manual, Vol. 2 by Institute in Basic Life Principles, in like new, very nice cond., beautiful, over-sized hardback! This book is just beautiful and so full of Godly principles applied to stewardship and financial issues. Chris is going to use this as a teaching tool for BOTH N and T (good, Biblical truths and applications for girls to know as well).
Abeka's My State Notebook, unused, very good cond., which we'll put to good use.
T found some joke books, a Wizard of Oz video, a paperback copy of The Black Stallion, as well as some Mad Libs in the free pile.
And that's that, we did good. I really must wrap this up here now (baby S is awake, I hear her calling me from my bed) and go finish cleaning this house up. Tomorrow we have a full day, Friday we have plans, and I still have a lot in the way of preparations to do before some long-time friends of ours arrive here for a visit from FL, on Sunday!! And then there's the garden that needs my attention this weekend as well...
I'll be posting some more about our gardening, nature studies and study plans for this summer and next year soon as I can. ttfn
