First Day of School

We started school this week.

One of the perks of homeschooling is that we get to set our own schedule, as long as we cover the required number of instructional days set by our state. Last Fall, when we learned that Jersey #2 would need heart surgery in May, we worked through most of the holidays in order to complete school by May, so that we would have school off our plate to focus on surgery and recovery. I actually liked being finished with school so early, and having the month of May as part of our summer vacation. So, this school year, I set up our schedule to start school in early August, so that we will be finished by next May. The kids did not seem to mind a bit.

Jersey #3 was very excited to start kindergarten. I am relieved, because he was so resistant to any attempt at preschool. It appears that giving him more time to mature before requiring him to focus on schoolwork, was a good thing. He is eager to learn to read, and has been very cooperative to sit with me and sound out letters. He also announced to me that he loves math. He also loves his new pencil holder that has contraptions for all of the gadgets.

Jersey #1 and Jersey #2 decided that they needed to color the folders that held their schoolwork before they could begin. Apparently, the manila look is out of fashion this year.

After their folders were prepared, they got right to work, and were very studious. Jersey #2 is in 2nd grade. She wants to be independent, and not have me explain the lessons to her. That is working out fine with this week of review. We will see how things go when new concepts arrive.

Jersey #1 is in 4th grade. The workload really increased in 4th grade, so I gave Jersey #1 a pep talk about how much more is expected of her this year.....and that she and her sister will not have the same quantity of work. She took the news rather well. Actually, she seemed mighty proud to be such a "big kid" now. To add to the status, her penmanship lessons are to be written on notebook paper, separate from the text. Consumable workbooks are not as common in 4th grade as they were in the younger grades. She took great care while writing out her lesson in her notebook.

The youngest 2 kids saw the first day of school as a great opportunity to get some computer time. With their older siblings busy with schoolwork, they had the Barbie fashion game all to themselves...

Jersey #4 later decided that she wanted to do schoolwork too. I was prepared for that. It fits her personality. She is certain that she is all grown up now. I had a preschool workbook ready for her. She happily climbed up to the table and colored her worksheets at the same time that Jersey #3 was working on his schoolwork.

I sat at the table watching them both, observing the way they wrote. We have two left-handers...

This is going to be a full school year for me. I thought I was adding an additional student, to have three children to school. With Jersey #4's demand for schoolwork too, I am leaping from two last year to FOUR students this year. My Mom jokes that I have my own one-room schoolhouse, just like in the old days.