homeschool — A Familiar Path

Our days

March 18, 2011 by Melissa Filed Under: daily life, homeschool

We begin our day at the table.

Books crowd, crayons spill, various entertainments for the baby are pulled out and scattered while we work.

Drawings and writings are done and placed in binders. Words are slowly sounded out. Math explained, words spelled, sentenced diagrammed, letters formed.

Phones ring, dishwasher hums, juice spills.

Fusses happen, sometimes crying, yelling and irritation. We trudge through it, headed for the finish line.

And then they run.

Play Doh hardens in the table crevices as they scatter. And I want to scatter too.

Free time, fresh air. It beckons.

Tea parties.

Pretend.

Bubbles.

Petal cookies

and a cup full of imagination.

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Anatomy lessons

January 6, 2011 by Melissa Filed Under: homeschool, pets

Can you believe that our first day back at school coincided with Sophie, our Australian Shepherd, birthing her babies? Talk about a crazy day.

I thought it might happen last night. She was anxious, wanting in the house, then on the couch. She never gets on the couch. She prefers under the homeschool table. I rubbed her and let her stay in as long as she wanted then she started pacing so I opened the door and out she went, directly into the dog house, so I went to bed.

By the time I got up and checked on her, there was one puppy.

She has labored all day long, poor thing. And now, at 10 pm, there are 6 puppies. That means she has been having puppies for 12 hours. I’m not sure she’s done, but she’s close. You know, it’s almost as hard to watch a dog in labor as it is to watch a human.

I was in and out all day checking on Sophie. then listening to a reading lesson. Counting puppies, then giving math instruction. Taking pictures of puppies, then reading about human anatomy.

In our Exploring the History of Medicine book, we read that early professors taught anatomy based on what they learned from dissections of animals. The man we studied today, Vesalius, tried to correct some of those errors but was met with hostility when he wrote a book opposing those early assumptions.

One thing I really found interesting in our reading today was that in 1537 at Padua University, students ran the school. They hired their own teachers by popular vote because they paid their salaries. Imagine parents hiring teachers at public or private schools based on popular vote? Do you think things would be better or worse?

This is Sophie’s second litter. Last time she had 11 puppies. I’m glad this is a smaller litter.

I can’t wait till these cuties are up running around. Puppies are so much fun.

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Exploring all creation

November 11, 2010 by Melissa Filed Under: daily life, homeschool

My cousin took us out for a drive today. We just went up the road a bit to my Papaw’s land. It’s where I take a lot of my family pictures. But today, we walked in the woods.

We found Steven’s deer stands. He’s ready to start hunting.

Emeline took some pictures. I haven’t looked at them yet.

We took this week off of school, but our Anatomy book came today and before we left for our walk I couldn’t resist reading a little of the first lesson to the kids (to many protests). I really liked it, which surprised me sort of because I’ve resisted getting this book. I’m so not into anatomy. I prefer nature study or astronomy. But, the first lesson really interested me. Jeannie Fulbright is good!

While we are off the kids are supposed to be finishing some reading assignments and working on personal projects. E has been working on some sewing projects and C has been drawing and painting.

These two goofs have been running and playing and still end up being full of energy when the sun goes down.