School Year 2012/2013

We will begin school in a little under 2 weeks here at At Peace Academy. Its a big day because I will officially have a high schooler ( What??) Abigail will be in 9th grade, Nathan in 7th, Micah in 6th and Esther Hope in 5th.
I told Greg the other day that I am a true elementary teacher because I get so excited about projects and holidays and crafts when planning school and it is a little harder to do all those things when you have such older students! That's ok, Sarah is only a year or two away from starting in my preschool class and that will be fun to start over and do all the things I wished I would have done with the others. Here is a run down of our plans....

Abigail will be doing the majority of her schoolwork online this year. She decided after researching curriculum's with me that she wanted to try Monarch. I think she will like it and be motivated enough to actually stay with the schedule.

Her outside activities are:

FHE ( Forsth Home Educators) Volleyball and Basketball
WHE ( Walkertown Home Educators) Yearbook Club and Co-op
Trailblazers 4H club
Tae Kwon Do class
Youth group at church

She will also get her learners permit in November {YIKES}  :) Actually she is a good little driver and I think she will do well. She is in Drivers Ed right now and taking it very seriously. She informed me the other day I was practically a criminal I break so many traffic laws on a daily basis. :)

Nathan, Micah and Esther are going to be taught together for History, Science, Bible and Literature. We are using a program called Heart of Dakota. This is my first year using it, but it has a very Charlotte Mason feel to it and I like that.

Nate will be doing math, english and a middle school writing program independently. Last year, he wanted to do all his work that way, but by winter was beginning to feel left out in his room all alone for so long. I think letting him learn with the others some and work alone some might be the trick for him.

Nate's outside school activities are:

Trailblazers 4H
CIA ( Carolina Inspirational Artist) 4H club  ( this is a stringed instrument band)
WHE (Walkertown Home Educators) Co - op
Tae Kwon Do Class
Youth group at church
FHE ( Forsyth Home Educators) Swim Team

Micah will be doing the Heart of Dakota program with us for the majority of his subjects. He is about a 2nd grade level in Math and Reading, so we are going to continue to work to catch him up to grade level. It should be easier this year now that his English has improved so much. If I can just get him reading better, I think he will take off. He loves to learn and he is very smart.


Micah's outside school activities:

Trailblazers 4H
WHE ( Walkertown Home Educators) Co-op
Youth group at church
Tae Kwon Do class
KSA ( Kernersville Soccer Association) Fall and Spring Soccer

Esther will be doing Heart of Dakota with the boys and then she will be doing some review work for 4th grade because I just don't feel like she is ready to jump into new material in math or English yet. She has trouble grasping new concepts and it takes her a while to master a skill. That is the beauty if homeschooling though, I can take it slow in the places she needs extra time and let her zip through when she is ready to. She is such an auditory learner that I have difficulty teaching her because I am not at all auditory. It is a challenge, but she has the best attitude and is so precious to teach.

Esther's outside activities are

Trailblazers 4H
WHE ( Walkertown Home Educators) Co-op
Pioneer Club at church
Tae Kwon Do class
Art class

Well, there ya go! Our plans in a nutshell! I am looking forward to this year and like every year count it a blessing to spend so much time with my kids and teach them. My prayer for this year is that my kids will draw closer to God and to each other as they are learning and that Greg and I can be an example to them of how to love the Lord and love each other.