This week I’m blogging every day about our day-to-day homeschooling life. If you’re only here the science, go ahead and delete these posts. Normal service will resume next week. 😉
8:00AM – Physics for breakfast
I’ve had physics for breakfast every day for the last seven weeks (with a side order of green tea and porridge).
My favourite way to learn science is by hands-on exploration alongside the children. But I’m hoping that by finding out what’s on the school curriculum, this GCSE Physics book will give me plenty of time to pull together the most fun ways of learning to share with my kids. I might even have half a chance of explaining what’s going on in our experiments!
9:00AM – A musical morning
On Tuesday mornings we’re visited by a gentleman with a grey ponytail and steel biker rings on every finger. Chris used to sing his own songs in a rock band. Before that, he trained as a classical guitarist.
I’m not sure how teaching C(10) and I to play classical and blues pieces compares with the excitement of Chris’s former life, but we couldn’t ask for a more entertaining teacher – we spend most of the morning giggling. Which in my book is a great learning state!
11:00AM – Cupcakes for YouTube
Every week C(10) creates a video which she posts on YouTube on a Sunday. She’s taught herself everything related to making these videos – how to position the camera using a tripod, how to edit her films, how to add royalty-free music, how to make graphics thumbnails and how to publish her finished videos.
Today she decided to film herself making chocolate-orange cupcakes. I love how she speeds up her finished creations – you’ll see what I mean if you peek at last week’s pumpkin-carving video.
While the kitchen was in use as a recording studio, J(9) and I hid out in another room doing copywork and handwriting.
2:00PM
After lunch (vegetable soup and crusty bread), C(10) and I did maths, Latin and Spanish.
We love the comic strip style layout of Minimus Latin, and always end up having interesting conversations about English words that come from Latin.
Until recently we were using an adult Spanish course, but C(10)’s interest in learning how to introduce oneself and talk about one’s occupation had begun to wane, so we decided to look for a book with more relevant vocabulary.
We’re enjoying Mira so far. It seems lively and should prepare C(10) a little for our Spanish adventure.
3:00PM – Teatime
4:00PM
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For more Week in Life of a British homeschooling family, see Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.
And here’s how a week in my life looked this time last year.
Hello! What a lovely idea to do a daily diary for a week- I may well have to steal it if I ever get organised 🙂 I’m also very much looking to reading more about your Spanish adventures…
Hi Lucy, and thank you! I would love to read a week in your lives. I love reading about all the things you do. I think we have several friends in common – I’m amazed we haven’t met in person yet. I’m sure it will happen soon. 🙂
Hello Lucinda. I’m enjoying your posts this week. 🙂 I appreciate how you learn right along with your children. I love that we learn together and have fun. I definitely agree that there is no “normal” schedule in homeschooling and I like that relaxed flexibility although my type A personality wants to fight it some times. I’ve been wanting to post about what school looks like for us, but haven’t got to it yet. Maybe once the fall outside work and preserving food is done. Be blessed!
Hello Angie. Thank you for reading my posts, and for your kind words. We are so lucky to be able to learn alongside our children, aren’t we? If you read my Wednesday post, you will see that I was rather lacking in the “relaxed flexibility” department today! Luckily my children are very forgiving. 🙂 I was thinking of you recently, knowing it’s harvest time. It must be hard work. I would love to read more about your homeschooling life. I shall be over to your blog at the weekend to see what you guys have been up to. Blessings to you, too!
Harvest time … The most challenging time of the year for me! This week I’ve been working on canning pears, last week we went camping … the week before that was apples … I could keep back tracking to the end of August, but You get the point. 🙂 I have the pears to finish and kraut to make then will have a break until hopefully canning deer in December during hunting season. BUT it is such a blessing to have our freezers, canning shelves and root cellar full of food! And even though I’m overwhelmed trying to preserve food, get outside work done before the arrival of winter, take care of my home and family and somewhere in there homeschool … this abundant harvest reminds me of God’s faithfulness and I am grateful! But during this time, I’ve let the blog go … Hoping to get caught up on posts soon. 🙂
You paint such a beautiful picture with your words, Angie! Reading your comment, I felt like I was transported to your home. I can almost smell the goodness of the apples and pears! I love hearing about your life. It is so very different from my suburban one. So good to remember the rich diversity in our world, and how there is no one way to live life. And camping trips – your children are very blessed!
Thanks for your compliments. As moms we need encouragement as much as our kiddos! This week has been relaxing so far. Yesterday was a beautiful fall day so after lunch, we packed up our bikes and went to the bike trail for a ride. And we worked really hard end of last week and Saturday getting outside fall work done so I’m feeling much more prepared for winter’s arrival … Which could be this weekend if we get snow like is called for. 🙂 yikes! I did sit down Saturday night and put a few posts on our blog that have been waiting. I’d like to posts about what “school” looks like for us … but I’m not sure how to go about it …
Oh my gosh – snow! It seems like after a beautiful October, November is heralding in winter. It’s the same here and in Spain where we’re heading shortly, according to the forecast.
You must all feel very pleased being prepared, after all your hard work! We’ve been enjoying bike rides these last few gorgeous days, too. Have a lovely weekend, Angie.
I love the idea of ‘parving a cumpkin’! 😉 I was getting a wee bit worried at watching her with the carving knife, so was really glad Mum came in to help –that’ll keep the health and safety police away. 🙂
I also admire your power breakfast! You’re setting a very good example for your children (and for me) to be more diligent at self-education.
Hwee – thank you for watching C’s video! She keeps a close eye on her view stats so she will be very pleased! LOL about the carving knife. Yes, I was close at hand. I left the scooping-out-the-flesh legwork to her, but slicing off the top was a bit higher-risk. 😀
You are one of my inspirations for self-education, by the way!
That must be a very different life to go from rock band to teaching.
I loved her video, it was so cute! She’s quite the little entrepreneur in getting started.
He also likes fishing, so perhaps it’s a time-of-life thing.
Thank you for watching C’s video – she’ll be so chuffed with everyone’s generous compliments!
Oh my gosh Lucinda, just looove C’s videos! What a bright, witty girl – and self taught for the entire video process?! I am duly impressed. Had to show the girls, and they were equally impressed – no less for having the gumption to put herself out there.
You are so sweet! C’s videos at least allow me to reassure my husband that those hours she spends watching her favourite YouTubers (Troye Sivan et al) are at least giving rise to some creative pastimes.
I know what you mean about gumption. I love the way kids just get on with doing things instead of waiting for everything to be perfect. We learn more from actually doing, than from reading about doing or watching others do. I just hope C carries on being so confident once she hits the teens…