Little Home School on the Prairie

karlaakins:

I love opening up my new lesson plan book each year.  There are so many aspirations and high expecations in my heart at just the sight of the cover.  I like the plan book I picked this year.  “Anything is possible.”  The longer I live, the more I realize this is true!

This year I am homeschooling my twin boys who have autism.  I am no longer teaching full-time at the cottage school I started years ago.  I’m still teaching part-time at the homeschool co-op.  I’ll be teaching K-8 in science (astronomy and nature studies), history (colonial times-late 1800s), music (composers and orchestra - my husband is teaching guitar), art/art history (recognizing the great artists and doing projects in their styles) and manners (much needed these days!).

I will also be going to school myself on Tues. nights.  I’m taking a writing class as I want to devote more of my time to being the writer I have always dreamed of being.  I may even go back and get another degree.  We’ll see.

Teaching is such a huge part of my life, I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to leave the classroom completely.  But just because I’m writing doesn’t mean I have to give it up.  Maybe I can teach writers someday, too.

The twins will be studying their math, english and life skills (they have autism and learning disabilities) at home.  I will also be “helping” my live-at-home 18 year old with his first year in college.  He has ADHD, so needs some guidance.  I am trying to get him to ask for it himself.  Today he did.  I get to help him with some psychology reading.  Woot!

I’m excited.  Lesson plans are fun on the first day of school.  Later they become a bit of a drudge.  And homeschooling is a challenge — it takes great self-discipline to get it done and maintain a sane household.

I just have to remember:  “Anything is possible!”

Tonight is the formal banquet “party” for our cottage school.  We are going to dine on hors d’oeuvres and desserts.  This morning all the girls did manicures and pedicures while the boys acted like they were repulsed by the smell and the activity.  But they alll watched with keen interest and giggles.  It was pretty cute.

We will also crown a Queen tonight and two jesters.  (They are much too silly to be Kings or Princes.)  This is because they are high school Seniors.  Janie is the only girl, and the two boys who are Seniors are cut-ups.

I got a beautiful tiara for our queen, but the guys are getting funny hats.  One looks like a cross between a crown and a jester’s hat, and the other one is a Viking hat.  The Viking hat is for my son, one of the Seniors.  I can’t wait to give these to them.

To end the night, we are going to all watch THE TALE OF DESPEREAUX.  None of the kids have seen it.  And while it might seem to be a little juvenile for Seniors, you have to understand something.  We all thoroughly enjoyed this book last year as a school.  I read it aloud and we were enthralled and entranced.  We made a lot of fun memories during that time.  So, it will be just another part of the bonding we’ve experienced to see this movie together.  I have a feeling, though, that the movie will not match the magic of the book.  Everyone should read the book first.

I am sad, because this is the last year I will have the cottage school.  I am returning to home schooling next year.  However, I am excited because I will have more time to take care of my family and to write.

I just hope that some day, I can write as beautifully as Kate DiCamillo, the author of the awesome tale of a brave little guy with a tail.  She is an incredible writer.

via www.fancast.com

Another one of Matt’s campaign posters based upon the first letter in his name.  His team was made up of mostly the older students and they worked really hard making a lot of really great posters themselves!

The first day of the campaign was so cute — they were all trying to sway other kids to join their team.  I was impressed with their ability to convince one another to switch sides.

Noah’s theme was “Choose Cheese.”  He chose this one to be funny like he is.  It actually won some of the younger kids over!  He bought the younger set some cheese popcorn for a snack one day.  Then, the day of elections, the kids had little cups of instant Kraft Mac & Cheese with this logo taped to the top.  I think it swayed one of the second graders.  In her words:  “it was that yummy delicious cheese!  I just couldn’t resist it!  It was so good!”

This is another good lesson:  people often vote according to how they feel rather than using logic.

Noah’s team was mostly the preschool and Kindergarteners, so they had to have a campaign sign they could color themselves, which was another reason he went with this logo.

One of Matt’s campaign posters.  His team worked very hard to create posters based on the letter M!

The Ballot Box — Noah Akins won the first Presidential Election of Liberty Christian Academy — and only by a hair!

If no one had been absent today, there probably would have been a different result.  But this is a good lesson for the kids.  Elections depend on many factors, and there is no such thing as a sure win!