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.