School Days

.
The first box arrived today: Faith's books. Just like all seasons, it comes whether we are ready or not. I am telling myself I am ready, ready or not. This is a sort of landmark year for us. This is the last year Noah will be at home -- my last year with two students, whittled down from three. This is my last year with my second born in high school. Next year he makes a big leap. Big leaps for our family. When I began homeschooling, I said I would home school for as long as it worked for us. This is the eighth year it has worked for us. I cannot predict what will happen in the future, I can only live in the present. The present is third grade for Faith and eighth grade for Noah at home, twelfth grade for Joshua, and junior year in college for Geoffrey.

I have never really written about our school. I'm not a homeschooler at heart. It was never my dream, but it was an answer to a prayer. It is an answer to a prayer. It keeps my children close, safe, young. I pray that it provides them with a strong foundation for the days in which they will not be under my wing. I always wanted to give my children the education that I had, in the day when the pink Baltimore Catechism was in every child's desk. In the days when teachers in habits far outnumbered secular teachers. I never once had my knuckles smacked with a ruler by a sister. I was only ever treated with love and concern for the well-being of my body and my soul. There are no nun jokes in my repertoire, only good memories.

And so when we started homeschooling, that is what I sought -- an old-fashioned Catholic education. And by-and-large that's what we've had. This year I'm stepping away from my safety net just a bit, and I am using a different curriculum for Faith, though it will still be an old-fashioned Catholic education. I recognize that not all children are the same, even though it may have taken me eight years to recognize that. Faith is a wanderer, a dreamer, not so much a thinker. She would rather be outdoors -- on the swings, in the creek, flying up the street on her bicycle -- than sitting anywhere indoors. She asks me a hundred times a school day, "Can I be done?" She's always planning for her escape. I am switching her to Catholic Heritage Curricula this year. We have used Seton's full curriculum each year for all the children. I recognize Faith's need for some different and I hope that CHC will fill that need. Besides their core curriculum, I have added a few fun things to her list of books -- the box that arrived this morning:

Language Arts:
Little Apostle on Crutches
Catholic Tales for Boys and Girls 1, and 2
My Catholic Speller Level B
Language of God Level B
MCP Phonics Level C

Math:
MCP Level C

Science:
Behold and See Level C
My Body

Social Studies:
Map Skills Level C

Religion:
Faith and Life
A Year with God
My Path to Heaven

Art/Enrichment:
Sewing with St. Anne
Tea and Cake with the Saints
Art with a Purpose
Catholic Heritage Handwriting


For Noah I am sticking with Seton. I have taught every year of Seton's curriculum K through 8 at least once, most twice. Some years are better than others and I love grade 8. I love their American history and I love their science in eighth grade. I supplement in a few areas, but mostly it's Seton, straight up.

Language Arts:
Wordly Wise Book 5
Seton Spelling for Young Catholics Grade 8
These Are Our Horizons
Book of Friendliness
Reading 8 for Young Catholics Comprehension
Reading 8 for Young Catholics Thinking Skills
The Yearling
The Hidden Treasure of Glaston
English for Young Catholics
Composition for Young Catholics

Mathematics:
Algebra 1/2

Religion:
St. Joseph's Baltimore Catechism 2
The Story of the Church

History:
American History for Young Catholics (just found out this is a different history book, so I'm not certain if we'll love this quite as much as the older one -- I may have a decision to make about which to use)
Atlas of American History
World Geography (I create my own reports and study guides using Country Reports. I think we'll cover Asia this year.)

Science:
Life Science

Latin:
Latina Christiana (finishing up I ; starting and, hopefully, finishing II)

And because my daughter has begged me 100 times to please open her box of books, and I finally caved, I am off to go through her new shiny covers and start my lesson plans. Bon voyage to you in your new year.

.