Teaching at Home

This coming school year I will start kindergarten with Logan. I will be using Sonlight Curriculum p4/5 with KLA, RightStart Mathematics Level A, Handwriting Without Tears K and Rod & Staff's Bible Stories to Read and Color.

This will be my first time using RightStart Mathematics and I am very excited. It is a program that incorporates the AL Abacus (a special type of abacus). The program uses the AL Abacus as a visual tool to teach math. The curriculum teaches that the use of the AL Abacus will allow the student to "visualize" solving math problems in their head. It also says that games are to math as books are to reading. In other words, RightStart Mathematics uses games to teach instead of rote memory. It is very important to me that my children learn to "visualize" in their head. This is a lost art for me! I "hear" things in my head and do not "see" anything. After reading Charlotte Mason's "Original Homeschooling Series"; RightStart Mathematics is the closest math program I could find that matched her style of teaching.

Joshua will be doing preschool. He has learned sooooo much by tagging along with Logan this past year. He will be listening along with Logan to Sonlight P4/5. I may go back and reread to him Sonlight p3/4. We will see what time will allow. He will also be doing Handwriting Without Tears Prek book and Rod & Staff "About Three" workbook series. I am looking into adding My Fathers World Preschool learning toys. The learning toys work on visual perception and fine motor skills. I am trying to do as much visual perception as possible since my oldest child had letter reversal problems.

We are going to let Taryn go to Public High School this coming year. Not quit sure what I think about that yet. But we will see. I want her to have more opportunities in music. At the high school she will be able to be in musicals. This very important to her and me.

Luke? Can't for get him!!! We will be working on walking and talking. Just being a happy baby!