Drea Wood

Category Archives: home school

Strike

Written on 05/16/2012 by Dreawood in home school, struggles

Well, day 1 and 2 went great.
Day 3…. big strike out!

I have cried twice before noon! Maybe its hormones but I am just so frustrated with Taite’s unwillingness to pay attention and comprehend his phonics. & Future older Taite who may one day read his moms struggles… do know I love you, you are precious… and dear to me… your mother is just struggling today.

We haven’t pushed phonics much this year – since he was 4 back in Aug – it was something I didn’t feel we needed to rush, since I knew he’d “officially” start working on kindergarten stuff at age 5 – the following year. We however taught him his letters and sounds – and he knew all of it, perfectly.

However, recently I started him on blends, which is the 2nd step… and you would think I was trying to read him chemistry or something… I spent 15 min. going over the vowel sounds very easily… basic, he got them. He understood those sounds.

I then got out his abeka blend book.

With simple blends like…

Not hard right?

Well, he just could not grasp the concept of putting things together.

I seriously worked with him for a solid hour this morning – and while I know you shouldnt work THAT long with a 5 year old, I was so just shocked and baffled that he could not put two sounds together.

The kid is smart!

Math he gets.

… but something about Phonics, stops him.

At one point I looked at Caleb who looked astonished that his brother could not put “A and T” together to make the sound “AT” – after I explained it 10 times, as simple as you could…. and I looked at Caleb and asked him “am I explaining this wrong? does it make sense?” – thinking that maybe a younger person, who has learned this just a year before – would be able to give me some insight lol – I was looking for any validation that I was doing this right and explaining it well. He said “No that makes total sense, that is how I would of taught him.”

I wanted to literally pull my hair out and throw the books in the trash.

I understand teaching takes time.

You have to be calm… and collective.

I WAS.

Until after pouring my every effort into teaching, and he acted as if I never said a word.

Rubbing his face, fidgeting and just not paying attention.

I even had Caleb at one point take Owen to his room, shut the door and play quietly with him, so we would have total silence… in order for Taite to pay attention better.

Nothing I did mattered.

TOTAL FAIL.

Days like today it really does make me want to throw in the towel.

Ship him off to public school and let someone else work with him. I honestly felt as if I had 3 contractions during that time teaching him, because I was so worked up and tense by the end. Reminder, Im only 18 weeks! Contracting this early freaks me out in itself, esp with my experience last go around with Owen.

I try to remember that Taite turned 5 – 6 months ago. Caleb was 6 before he started kindergarten and he also was 6 1/2 before blends really became a grasped concept. Now at 7 1/2 he reads beautifully. He could probably read this entire post if I let him, he has grown that much in his ability to read, in just a years time. I just figured Taite was ready – but maybe not.

All this being said.

This is me, real and today.

I am not perfect.

I struggle.

I want to toss in the towel.

I wonder if its really worth it.

Will it ultimately matter if he is home schooled?

Can I do this once a new baby is in the mix?

It even brings up emotions of anger when I think about so many people who criticize those who home school. Thinking they don’t do much, thinking they don’t work as hard as “real” teachers… and whatever else they attach to the home school mom labels. IT IS THE HARDEST THING for me right now. Entertaining 3 boys, feeding them meals, cleaning a house. That is work, but it is something that I can do without really pushing. It comes naturally. Schooling – NOT NATURAL lol – at least not for me.

Yet I have such a strong desire to do it for my children.

I just don’t know what we will do.

I have our curriculum laid out for this coming year. It all looks great -makes total sense…. but can I handle it? Is it the best choice?

I hate decisions.

Today’s school day is over.
Caleb will do the rest of his seat work and reading with me once the other two are in bed and I have a chance to clear my head…. I am locked away in my room while they play legos and destroy theirs…. hoping I can muster up some sanity in my thinking – before going downstairs to cook lunch.

This isn’t a pitty post either.

Its just real.life.as.a.home.schooling.mother…. who at times questions herself.

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A Mixture

Written on 05/07/2012 by Dreawood in home school

Since getting back from our trip to NC… I’ve been spending hours exploring home school options for the boys this coming summer. We made the decision to go ahead and order stuff early – so that I can school them throughout the entire summer. I know, kinda stinks for them ;-) – but not really… trust me, they get enough free time.

The reason being… once Travis starts his new job – his time to “take off and help” – will be almost non-existent. He will start his training in July full time – and it will run through the Holidays. It will be a 9-5 type of deal and because it is “schooling” in a sense – he wont be able to take off much time at all, if any, once baby #4 is born.

Since my family lives 5 hours away and his 8… we don’t have the option of that being close by, although my dad who is retired now did offer to come help. I MAY take him up on that ;-) – but haven’t decided.

If we school through the summer pretty heavily, come Oct. I will be able to take a solid month, possibly 2 off if need be, to adjust to mothering 4 children… rather than juggling home schooling, house hold duties and all the other “normal” routine type things, plus a newborn.

Makes me slightly nervous just writing about it :)

I’ve organized our school room – and even though this is our formal dining room – it is the only room I feel will work for what we do. The home we live in was furnished, so we aren’t allowed to move stuff out… we also can’t hang stuff on the walls – what is up, has to stay up. So I am relying on “tacky” options to hang posters and other things we want up in the school room. Command strips are nice too :) – We are so thankful for our home, these are just small things we have to work around to make things function well. No complaints here :) – as long as dinner guest don’t mind USA maps and markers in the room.

Today Travis will school the boys – and probably tomorrow as well – while I play catch up on some final business work. I have to process a birth session, family session and then schedule a lot of sponsored post for this blog as well as She {hearts} It. Once I get all of it done, I am going to be much more free to just be the mom :) – and not divide my time between work and home. It will be a good thing I really do believe… although I am sure at times, esp. mornings where there are unkind hearts, a whiney 2 year old and a very pregnant ME – being able to stay at home and focus on that, is something I really desire… despite how hard it really can be.

I hope to write another post soon on what curriculum we do plan to use this summer-2013. It is going to be a mixture for the 1st time ever…

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Work and School

Written on 04/14/2012 by Dreawood in caleb, home school, Owen, photography, Taite

Between church meetings, impromptu birth sessions, new work for Boba, family portrait sessions on the weekend and a newborn session next week. The next week 1/2 or so will be packed full and busy. My parents will also be coming next weekend. So in between the working I hope to find time to deep clean the house before they come.

We’ve also been schooling or should I say, Travis has been schooling :) – and as the school year draws to an end soon, we are in search of new curriculum for next year. In fact we may end up schooling through the summer!

So I’m curious home school families.

What Curriculum are you using next year? and why?

I am the type of mom who likes things “organized” for me… I am not gifted in the area of organizing a school day, as far as doing lesson plans and figuring out on my own what they need to learn. I need that done for me. Which is why we picked Abeka from the start, because it does that. It has things from beginning to end completely planned out. However we have had a few bumps with Abeka and we’re interested in doing something more hands on and not so “seat workish” all the time.

Would love to hear what others are using and what made them decide on that. Pros and Cons, etc. Feel free to leave lengthy comments. I am sure other moms would love to read it too!

Off to shower and prepare for the day. Im excited about this afternoons portrait session. Im dragging a family through the woods to a creek :) – among bikers hehe. I am hoping the hike back is uneventful. Im sure it will be worth the walking.

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100th day of school Hunt

Written on 02/25/2012 by Dreawood in caleb, home school, Owen, Taite

We have set a tradition I think in our home. Last year for the 100th day of school, I helped the boys celebrate, by doing a treasure hunt with them. I guess that is what you’d call it. Its something I have memories of from my childhood. You would be given clues, and the clues would lead you to other clues… and eventually a prize. My mom I remember would set these up every now and then when we’d get home from school – my brother and I loved it.

Last year was harder to set up than this year. I remember having a hard time finding “words” Caleb could read well – since he was in Kindergarten… yet being able to make sentences up that would actually make sense to lead them to something else.

This year with Calebs amazing vocab – writing clues was much easier :) – Travis told me “they were way to easy” though, so next year I plan to add in a few harder aspects.

That being said, it was a hit.

My boys have memories of last years hunt – and so to know that day 100 was this week, they were so excited.

We are very proud of our boys learning so well.
Here are a few instagrams I snagged throughout the past few days of them schooling.

Do any of you have any fun things you do for day 100? Got any fun treasure hunt ideas? :) do share!

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Coasted :)

Written on 02/17/2012 by Dreawood in caleb, home school, Owen, Taite

Taite this year in school has coasted.

Our doing of course… we knew he just wasn’t ready… and although we had intentions of doing more with him… I can totally tell and understand why public schools don’t allow kids under 5 to start kindergarten. He just was not ready for a huge work load.

Taite turned 5 late Dec… so at the beginning of the school year he was still 4. We pushed him to do some kindergarten work, but it was never overly stressed.

Theres time still :)

Since turning 5 you can totally tell a difference in his ability to do things. He is picking it up really fast.

Its fun to see.

With schooling next year we may mix things up a bit.

Adding in Sonlight…. with Abeka.

There are aspects of Abeka we love… but a lot we don’t love.

I think mixing curriculums can be beneficial. I look forward to the changes, although parts of it makes me nervous too ;-) – especially since next school year, more than likely Travis will be working full time… and I will be staying with the boys 100% again. Good thing I have summer to re-adjust myself, hehe.

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