This would be a good week to tell about your worst struggles with a lifestyle of homeschooling. Tell about something you’ve struggled with and how God’s mercies gave us the strength to get past it. Also, share any curriculum/homeschool methods that have been a relief to you, i.e., a particular Teacher’s Manual or Homeschooling method that’s been easier for your family. Talk about how you felt when the burden was lifted and Oh, What a Relief it is!
I touched a little about my changing methods in the previous assignmen. I try my best to follow a charlotte mason type of method, but I don't have it down completely. I like to read good quality living books to my children, and I do copywork with them. I was asked what I do for ancient history. I haven't done ancient history with my kids yet. I have used alot of books from Ambleside Online, as well as Old fashioned education. They are filled with books that are in the public domain. When it comes time to read about ancient history and midevil times, I'll probably get a book from one of their sites to read out loud. With all of our history, we notebook. We make notebooking pages for each person we learn about, and put it in our book of centuries. We have been filling it for a couple of years now, and it's getting quite full. I really need to buy a new binder. :)
One of my struggles that has always been prevelent in our homeschool, is my lack of organization. There are a lot of times when I look at all of the books I have collected and think...What am I doing? Where do I start? Then I become overwhelmed and end up just sitting and staring at my pile of books. I have been very concerned that my lack of organization will lead to a poor homeschool, which would lead to bad standardized test scores, thus making my efforts to homeschool a failure. I was pleasantly surprised and relieved, when my oldest scored in the 75th percentile this last year. My organization MAY be terrible, and I may not be the most diligent teacher, but my kids are learning just fine! WHEW! But my struggle remains...I am not an organized person. It try, but fail in that area.
Another relief (which Nancy reminded me of..) was something that happened with our math this last year. My daughter finished her math books (we use saxon for the math part. I know....it's not real charlotte mason like, but it works). At the time, I didn't have the funds to buy her the next set of books. I wasn't sure what I was going to do for math while waiting to buy the next grade level. The Lord once again showed me that He is in control of our homeschool! I got an email from Kumon publishers, asking if I would like to try and review some of their workbooks. He told me to just tell him what I needed. whoohoo!!! I told him I needed 2nd and 3rd grade math books. Within the month, my daughter had new math workbooks. When God provides, OH what a relief it is!!
Thinking about God's provision, and how much I need to remember to lean on Him, seek Him first, and trust Him in leading our homeschool, I think of the verses in Matthew 6.
Matthew 6: 31-33
Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
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