Schooling

Sometimes, when Matthew is doing a project of particular interest, all the boys crowd around him at the table to see and/or "help out". I sure don't expect any of the younger ones to do schooling and Matthew is still quite young to be really pushed. I am attempting to find the right balance between pushing enough and too much. I think we're doing alright so far! I have been playing around with different types of schooling to fit what Matthew needs best. After all, it isn't so much how I learn best or how DAVE learns best, but what is going to get through to Matthew. Right now, Sonlight appeals to me a lot, because we are great lovers of books and SL requires quite a bit of reading. We could sit on the couch half the day reading! We are already going through SL's p4/5 curriculum and I think I am going to order the kindergarten curriculum very soon, as well as their science curriculum as the kids all love science. The best part of Sonlight is that you don't really need to go by "grade" as it is made up of really great books that appeal to a wide age range. I can get the K curriculum and teach both Stephen and Matthew at the same time.

Part of me really, really likes classical education and Tapestry of Grace. I do own year 1 of that, and we have been doing it, but I sort of feel bogged down, teaching one area of history for such a long stretch (at least at this point!). I mean, if I myself am getting itchy learning about ancient Egypt for the second or third week, how do my kids feel? I don't have energy to make an Egyptian feast or clothing at this point! Maybe it will change later, so I am definitely keeping that option open.

I just realize I probably lost half of my relatives with that diatribe! ;) For my friends, how is it going with your homeschooling?