Day Two . . .

This morning we, correction I got up at 9:00 so we got a little bit of a late start.  Not a big problem as Kira whisked through boxes 1, 2, 3, and 4 before lunch.  While she was busy working on her activities for the morning, I was busy printing items that I didn't print prior to our starting school.

This afternoon was not as productive.  After lunch my happy little princess went to grumpy in 2.2 seconds.  BUT I did not lose my cool.  I remained calm, didn't raise my voice and remained positive about the entire situation.  I decided to reach into my tactics bag.

The First Day of School

Our first day of school 2010-2011!

We started our morning at 8:30 AM.  Not that I really wanted to get up at that time, but we did.  We had breakfast and then at 9:00 AM we officially started school.  We started out by saying the Pledge of Allegiance followed by our morning activities calendar consisting of 'What day is today?,' 'What is the weather?' and practicing writing the date which helps reinforce her handwriting.  This was followed by our Social Studies activity.  This year I purchased the Harcourt Second Grade Social Studies as a guide (more as a guide for me than for her.)  It came with an activity book and although I don't plan on using either all year.  I wasn't planning on buying any 'books' per say, but I needed a little more guidance starting out this year.  Next was spelling.  Ah, I have fond memories of going through my spelling words with my mother in the kitchen while she washed dishes.  I am sure my mother has her own memories! Anyway, this summer, I did some research into what words a 2nd grader needed to learn to spell.  It seemed like everyone had a different list!  So taking the easy way out, I found list on Super Teacher Worksheets that had a list for 36 weeks with worksheets to correspond!  Today's activity involved Kira to read each word to me (some she actually had to sound out - of course with protest!) and then write each words twice.  Tomorrow she will do a 'fun' activity by writing each word with each letter as a different color.  Originally I planned to do box 1, 2 and 3 followed by lunch, but I didn't realize that we would go through those boxes so quickly!  So we traveled on to math.  I am using the Math-U-See program supplemented with other workbooks that will help Kira in her math.  Math is a subject she LOVES!   

Oh, let me tell you about Workboxes.  I chose the Workbox option because of the following:

• Independence ~ Kira needs to learn to work independently.  Not everything is done alone, but moving and working toward self-directed learning is something I really want to instill in her.  For me this allows me to do dishes or sweep the floor so when she is done with school, I am almost done with my work as well!
• Motivation ~ She will be excited about some of the fun things she sees waiting for her.
• Routine ~ The schedule strip creates a solid routine, in which we have been lacking.  Kira made the statement this morning that 'This helps me know what to do!'  If our day gets interrupted for whatever reason, we can stop and come back to the boxes as needed.
• Creativity ~ I can clearly see what Kira will be doing each day and if I need to spice it up a little and add variety to our school day.
• Resourcefulness ~ I will finally be able to use some of those cool things that have been sitting on a shelf or in my resource box that I have found at the Target $1 section, on clearance, or stuff my Mom sent down!
• Accountability ~ Ten empty boxes in my face remind me that I need to do my job as her teacher and get school ready for the next day.  Ten full boxes remind Kira that she needs to do her job and work hard throughout the day. (So far so good!)
• Accomplishment ~ Kira will take pride in a job well done when she finally finishes a box!  I will also feel that I am accomplishing something in our homeschooling.
• Individual Education ~ I love being able to give my daughter a personal education.  Yes, there are days, I ask myself, 'Why am I doing this?' (Specifically when she is whining about reading.)  The reason I am doing this is not religious, but that I have one unique, important child on my mind.  
• Easy Transition ~ Last year at times as we were going from one activity to another, we couldn't find our crayons or our pencil needed to be sharpened, or whatever else went wrong went wrong.  So in the midst of getting thing together, I lost Kira - her attention span went completely out the window.  The boxes put an end to our craziness.  We now flow from one activity to the next because everything she needs is right there in the box.  I have duplicates of many things {i.e. glue, scissors, crayons, color pencils, you name it!}  Before when I would lose her, getting her back would be frustrating for both of us.  Then one of us {or both of us} would get mad and then sometimes I would just give in or we would both have to take a time-out.  Last year school went into summer so she did not have as long of a break as students that were in the public school system {but that is not necessarily a bad thing.} 
• Time Saving ~ This goes hand in hand with some of the other things I have already listed but as I have already noticed we have got more done in less time!  Who can argue with that? 

So the basis of the system is to have 12 'workboxes' (we have adapted it for us and have 10.)  Each workbox holds one activity that Kira is to do that day.  Each box is numbered, so she will know what needs to be completed and in what order.  Besides seeing the workboxes, Kira has a schedule strip.  The schedule strip reinforces the workbox order and also allows me to add additional schedule cards for activities that won't fit into the boxes {i.e. play outside for 30 min, lunch, computer time, etc.}  Kira will match the number on the schedule strip to the box and by the end of the day, all of the tags should be removed from the schedule strip and all the boxes empty.  By 10:30 AM Kira was done with boxes 1-4 and lunch was the next thing on our list -- so we decided to change it up.  FREE TIME!  Currently this is our schedule but of course I can change it up as need be.  After lunch we will continue on to Language Arts, Writing, Science, and Reading.  

 

Although we kinda started the workbox system last year we really didn't stick with it.  I was really worried how Kira would handle this new year with the new schedule - but she said she likes it much better.  I am also looking to add 'centers' and lapbooking (more on that a little later.)  So if she is happy I think I will be too!   

A Note From the Teacher . . .

I have been really excited about starting school until this week.  My original goal was to start school on Monday, August 23 with the rest of South Florida pubic schools, but that didn't happen.  Why?  You would probably think that with all the planning and organizing that I have done, I would be all ready to start school.  But I am not!  The only reason is because  . . . make sure you are sitting down . . .

I am completely and utterly scared! 

There I said it.  So now I have to take the bull by the horns, stop making excuses, and dive right in head first to face my fears.  This week seems to have stood still yet still move like the speed of light.  My kitchen table looks like an organized tornado has gone through leaving it buried under neatly piled books -- some of which I will use, some I would like to use {but probably won't}, and others well won't be so lucky.  

So to get my thoughts on papers, I have started this blog.  Another blogging homeschool mother wrote the following:

‘I have discovered that one of the benefits of blogging is that in some strange kind of way, it helps to hold me accountable. If I blog about doing something, I am more likely to make sure that it gets done…which is why I have decided to start up Mama’s Mission of the Month. Basically, I will post about something that I want to accomplish for that specific month. The following month I will post about my accomplishments and what I plan to accomplish for the upcoming month.

This is  really a means of holding myself accountable so that I can get more things checked off of my never-ending-to-do-list! However, you are all more than welcome to join in with me! On the 25th of each month I will put up my Mission of the Month.’ 

So I going to give it a go.   

As for school, I have another goal . . . become more organized by keeping to a schedule.  Which for anyone who knows me may think that is completely impossible and for those who don't know me well, well I am easily distracted.  You know in the movie 'Up!' the dog that is talking and then says 'squirrel!' Well that is me although I see things to clean, to organize, or I just simply procrastinate.   

After much research, I have decided to use a concept called Workboxes developed by Sue Patrick.  {I will go into more detail another time.}  This program is to help me be more accountable to actually plan and use the curriculum in which is currently collecting dust on my shelves and allow the many 'unused' manipulatives see the light of day instead of being trapped in various locations throughout my house.

I have read that it will encourage me to be more consistent with our school day.  While I already have an overall idea of how I want our day to go, this will give me a little more consistency in working through the day. {Remember I am easily distracted.}

As many using this concept, we have altered the Workbox idea with our own.  My dear daughter will be able to see what is happening each school day, because there will be a definite order to each day.  This won't apply just to her, but I will be able to see what we have accomplished and what we still need to do!

My sweet princess is extremely strong-willed {very much like her mother} and independent but like us all she needs encouragement and guidance ~ we both need to work toward a goal that is achievable.  {I personally find my to-do list is out of this world and it frequently bothers me that I cannot accomplish what I have set out to do.}  This way we both have something to look forward too at the end of the day, and we have encouraging goals to work towards.

It would also encourage both of us if I added more 'fun' into our school day: lapbooking {another I will explain later}, learning games, nature walks, learning centers {a specific request made by the princess}, trips to the science museum or one of the many nature parks in our area.  Although currently during the week I am limited to activities within walking distance, we will have to adapt with what we can do.

As many know I am a person of lists {thanks Mom!} and so I have list upon list of all of our curriculum books in addition to resources {i.e. games, flashcards, music, books, websites} that I want to incorporate throughout the year.  Each day her box will have a fun 'new' thing in it to do and I hope that she will look forward to seeing what is planned!

So back to work.  I almost finished with planning the first three weeks of school.  Once I get that accomplished and I start printing worksheets and other activities, I will be ready!  That is unless my printer decides to go on strike.