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One of my friends who also home schools & lives 40 mins away has begun dance classes for home schoolers. We went along last week & all four children had fun - they all are in a beginners tap class & Zai is also doing contemporary - which I think will help his muscle issues in his legs & feet. The best thing about this is that it has a Christian focus - they pray together before each class & enjoy learning in a non-pressured environment. There are no questionable moves & all the dancing is to christian songs. But I must admit for me the real highlight was going back to the teachers house & just sitting around chatting while our kids played. I didn't realise until afterwards how much I have missed this & how lonely I have found this homeschooling journey. I am thankful that God is answering my prayers for a friend who "truly understands".
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This last week was also momentous for Miss Ellie - she has finally lost a tooth. She worried for months over the fact that her teeth weren't loose, so you can imagine her excitement when she got a loose tooth & then finally, f i n a l l y lost it - it was carefully cherished for a few days, but has since disappeared!
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On Sunday I also picked up the parcel that held our new curriculum for the year (yes, that's correct - our local post office is open 7 days a week!). On top of these books we also do spelling/ science/ art/ PDHealth & HSIE each week. I also get each child to do some "Mathletics" 3 times a week, piano lessons with daily practice, daily reading aloud & also quiet reading for 15 mins. Ambitious - probably, but so far it's gone well!
Zai proudly holding up his year 2 books!
Ellie - pleased as punch with her year one books!
I forgot to mention the best part - I've worked out our timetable so that we can have each Thursday off traditional schoolwork - once a month we go to home school group on Thurs & twice a month will be dance classes which means the other week will be a free week - maybe for a field trip, or just to enjoy!
Well I have a days worth of washing to fold & a pile of ironing that I must look at before it takes over the top of the deep freeze, so must go.
Hope you all had a lovely week - I will try & post more often (sorry for my dreadful slackness).
Blessings
Renata :)
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15 comments:
That dance class sounds wonderful Renata and how lovely that you can catch up with people. Homeschool can be a lonely road sometimes, especially if there is no support group. Mind you, I would not have discovered blogging if our support group had not folded! My daughter is going to contemporary dance lessons to improve her ice skating but it is at the main dance studio in our town and I do wonder about the music they will dance to and the moves, particularly when I see some of the routines on 'So you think you can dance'. Hope you enjoy your new direction in homeschooling this year. We use the same workbooks for handwriting - they are quite good.
I know what you mean about the 'questionable moves' in some of the dance styles. I was truly horrified at the dance concert last year to see what little girls (and big ones too) were having to do ... and wear!!! This is why we only allow Ducky to do classical ballet - it's all about poise, balance and graceful movements. None of the yucky stuff.
Your homeschool timetable sounds great. I hope it all works out the way you've planned.
And I am enjoying the milder temperatures too, although I don't enjoy winter.
I'm off to bed to help out our new papergirl in the morning. Couldn't not mention how wonderful the dance class sounds. Wow.
We are also enjoying the Autumn weather also. It hasnt been chilly in the mornings for us yet but the rain has made sure some of the humidity has gone. The dance classes sound excellent - it is great when you can find something for your children to enjoy. My two older ones have joined with a Baptist youth group for their age group that meets once a fortnight which they enjoy. We have Fridays off from school work. Each fortnight some of the ladies from church come over to my house for bible study and on the other Friday morning I will be taking my 2 year to a dance and movement class run by some lovely Christian ladies in the area. I really must do up a schedule also - this year is proving I need one - big grin! I'm glad you have a friend to chat with who also homeschools and can share the journey with you as it can be lonely sometimes.
have a great week
Helen
Happy Fall! Sounds so funny while we are anxiously waiting for spring! Things are turning green early this year and the temps are warmer than usual on the west coast despite what is happening on the east coast.
Enjoy the dance class!
How great does that all sound.
We too have the chilly mornings and even contemplated the fire being lit yesterday!
I would love my kids to do dance or more a gym /movement type class but so hard to work out something for all three at the same time.
I am sick of driving in and out 30 mins each way all the time.
Chews up the fuel too!
Hi Narn,
It is lovely to be having Autumn!!! But I can't believe how fast summer went, somehow it disappeared without enough trips to the beach.
Glad you got your school stuff,
have a lovely day,
luv
sel
Hello Renata, Firstly - please pass our congratulations onto Ellie - finally getting rid of that first tooth!!! Hope she doesn't end up like Aunty Cor who tried to hold onto her teeth - even growing a second row!!! The dentist had to pull several of her baby teeth out!!! (Pls pray for her as she's very unwell today!). It is very, very wet up here, and Dad just went & put on a set of trackies & got his slippers out (I think the temperature has gotten down to 22 degrees C!!!) Hope all are enjoying the new curriculum. Have you checked out the new govt. guidelines for a national curriculum - I'm not sure where you'd look, but apparently it's online for schools & parents to check out, and if I'm right they want to start it either next year or the year after. I must admit that I think with people moving states so much, it probably should have happened long ago. Apparently, there's going to be a big emphasis on Grammar, Phonics etc. One of the issues is that a lot of those who are teaching now, never actually learnt phonics & much grammar!!
That was a lovely photo of your on your blog too - you look very pretty (no, I'm not biased at all!!!).
Hope school goes well, and that the gardening & dancing all go very well too....please give everybody a huge hug & kiss. Lots of love
Mum xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
I love when the curriculum parcels arrive! It's like Christmas and even the kids love it - woohoo!
I love all of your smiling faces! ('Though I'm sorry to hear you're lonely, and happy to hear you get to have coffee with the dance teacher!)
Great to hear your news again, Renata! We're thinking of homeschooling next year too so keenly following your experiences. xx
Hi Renata!
I have been trying and trying to get your blog on my sidebar, but for some reason yours, and several others I have tried, simply will not let me put them there! Any ideas? Cause my sidebar is like my calender...if it's not on there I don't get to it!
Thanks!
Cindy
OH! You are experiencing my FAVORITE weather! I love it when it's beautiful & sunny (and GREEN) during the day amd chilly nights. ahhhhhhhhh
Just perfect.
The flowers look so lovely, as do you!
The class sounds wonderful. I've been trying to find things for my kids to do with our homeschool group, but I have been a bit sad (and definitely miss the chatting with a friend like you described.)
I'm getting jealous of all these southern people telling me about enjoying the lovely cool weather. It's still stinkin' hot here and sticky, so sticky... But we'll get our 4 days of winter eventually.
So glad you are getting some lovely time over coffee to help ward off the lonliness.
It all looks very exciting with missing teeth, parcels in the mail, new dance classes...
have a fun autumn!
Hi Sweet Renata;
Oh I love Ellie's new toothless grin!
Boxes of books...oh yum!
I placed an order today for a box of books...ordered several for our next school year (next September). I didn't order any for Simenesh, as I haven't a clue at what level she will be at. God has promised to show me the way and give me good counsel...so I will fear not!
my love to you! Thank you for rejoicing with us.
Kimmie
mama to 8
one homemade and 6 1/2 adopted!!
You have such beautiful children! How cute that they posed with their new books...and with such joy on their faces! That says alot for their teacher! :)
Have a lovely weekend!
Blessings,
Camille
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