Life is Learning. I'm gonna tell them 'til they believe it.

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I always love this time of year because we get so excited about the start of another school year.

Just kidding.

I get excited about another school year.

If you were to ask my kids if they were excited about starting another year,

 they'd answer like most other kids... with a big fat NO.

They love seeing friends during the week and they love attending our classical program on Mondays.

They love science experiments and nature walks and field trips.

They love helping cook their own breakfasts and lunches in the kitchen with me.

And, they love chores.

No they don't.

I was just making sure you were still reading.

They don't love doing their school work, 

but I know they will appreciate all that they are learning one day.

I keep telling them that school isn't just the subjects that we crank out every day at home.

Everything in life is an opportunity to learn.

They aren't convinced.

YET.

But, I see things that they don't see.
Each of them gets excited about something that they learn every.single.day.
They DO love learning, they just don't know it.

For example...
Luke is a strong reader.
He'll tell you that he hates reading, but he reads every single day,
and he always reads longer than he is supposed to.
Yesterday when he was reading his book on George Washington Carver,
 he got excited when he saw two of  his vocabulary words in there.
{frivolous & transfixed}

{click to order these awesome books}

Seth has had struggles becoming a strong reader.
It didn't come as natural for him as it did his big brother.
And, this greatly bothered him.
In fact, it became a real hinderance.
He was spending more time comparing himself to his brother than he was improving his own skills.
And, playing the comparison game made him hate reading.
I finally clued in to his very real struggle and made a commitment to him that
 I would go to the ends of the Earth to help him to be a strong reader and to love reading.
We worked hard all summer reviewing phonics and reading everyday, even though he complained.
Ends up, his skills have improved leaps and bounds!!!
He has confidence now.
I knew it when he looked up at me and said, "Thank you mom for helping me to be a reader."
He is loving it...{whether he admits it or not}

{Pinterest}

Lydia loves everything about learning.
She wakes up asking to do her schoolwork, and she continues to ask for more all day long.
At night, she can't wait to read with mommy or daddy.
One book is never enough.
She loves learning and she's proud to admit it.
Would it be too much to hope that this attitude stays around for the long haul?

I don't think I have a ton of readers who homeschool, 

but if you're interested in what we're learning together this year, here it is....

Luke-6th grade

BIBLE-Memorization of John 1:1-7

MATH-Saxon 6/5
READERS-Heroes of History (Youth With A Mission)

GRAMMAR-Essentials of the English Language

WRITING-Institute for Excellence in Writing-American History 

SPELLING-Rod & Staff grade 6

VOCABULARY-Institute for Excellence in Writing

SCIENCE-Apologia-Human Anatomy

HISTORY-Story of the World-American History

GEOGRAPHY- US States & Capitals and mapping all of them by memory

TIMELINE-Veritas Press (Creation-Modern America-160 events)

LATIN-Prima Latina

Seth-3rd grade

BIBLE-Memorization of John 1:1-7

MATH-Abeka 3

GRAMMAR-Rod & Staff 3

PHONICS-Saxon 3

WRITING-

SPELLING-Rod & Staff grade 3 

VOCABULARY-Wordly Wise 3

SCIENCE-Apologia-Human Anatomy

HISTORY-Story of the World-American History

GEOGRAPHY- US States & Capitals and mapping all of them from memory

TIMELINE-Veritas Press (Creation to Modern America-160 events)

LATIN-Prima Latina

Lydia- Preschool

READING/PHONICS-Teach your child to Read in 100 easy lessons

WRITING-continue working on letter formation 

MATH-Numbers using Math Manipulatives and games

Lots of coloring and cutting and pasting and reading and pretending and play dough and.......