Homeschool Planning

Wow! What a jumbled mess my life is right now!

I have a small break right now (slightly over a week) until Fall semester starts. That means I have less than a week to revamp the girls homeschool classes.

Things I am changing:

Math Course

Foreign Language course

The way their day is set up

AND

I have the "BESTEST IDEA IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD"!!!!!!

(at least I think so, the kids are not as hyped about it...BWAHAHA!...that was my evil laugh)

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So, last year was our first full year using SOS (Switched on Schoolhouse). For those of you who do not know what that is, it is a computer homeschool program. You can have just one class, or all of them. It grades itself, makes report cards, has a plan already made out...the list goes on. One of the best features I found with this (because I have a child that struggles endlessly with school) is the fact that you can click on the text, and the computer will read it to you!

OK, with that being said, great program, but I felt as if the girls were missing out on quite a bit. Sooo...

#1. Switch back to Singapore Math. Love, love, love this program! I feel as if the kids retained so much more using this!

#2. Incorporate work-boxes again. I can still use SOS with work-boxes...they will just have less work-boxes than they did before.

#3. I am having my brother come in for an hour or two to do memorization skills with the kids each day(something we clearly did not do enough with last year)

#4. I am sucking it up and finally buying Rosetta Stone (French) for the kids to use. I have spent more money on language programs trying to SAVE money, it would have been cheaper in the long run just to buy the best in the first place.

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Are you ready for the "BESTEST IDEA IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD"???

I have struggled with working so much while trying to homeschool, now throw college into the mix...it's all a big juicy mess! When I get home in the afternoon, I will ask the kids how school was, do they have any questions, blah, blah, blah....Quite a few times during the week, Lilly will inform me that Lola has been misbehaving. When I ask Lola about it, she always has a great excuse. Usually in the form of turning the story around on Lilly, saying LILLY was the one misbehaving. Hem, haw, debate...what to do? (besides hanging them from the ceiling by their toenails)

DRUMROLL PLEASE!

A camera.

Oh yeah baby! I am inserting a camera facing their school desk (from behind so I can also see the computer screen). I will be able to access the camera from my phone, and also be able to go back later on the computer and check on stuff if I need to!

Oh my goodness!!!

I am so excited about this!

You should have seen the kids faces when I told them!

I figure, the threat of THINKING I am watching will cut down on a lot of this bickering. If I just go on my phone periodically through out the day and move the camera back and forth, they will be under the impression that I am watching them more than I clearly have the time for! 

Oh! Living the life of an evil mother is fantastic!!!