Back to "school"

We're finally getting ready for "school."

Pointed opinion alert:

We're getting excited about the new, "official" school year...although I consider all the traveling and learning our family has done this summer to be just as important and productive as the traditional "book" work of "doing" school. [probably even more important and realistic to the world they will go into when they get out on their own] The Lord supplies ample opportunities to learn new facts and skills, and I really cannot *limit* learning or even requirements for "passing school" only to those things taught through institutionalized means.

Hubby begins teacher in-service today, and his students begin school next Monday. He teaches Jr. English and American Literature. Since we homeschool, we follow his school schedule. This week is in-service for us, too! We're organizing shelves, getting our books, art, and other resources together, and printing up schedules.

We will be using the recommended resources from Ambleside Online. 14 yo daughter "Toffeenut" will be studying Year 9. Our oldest son, age 16.5, will be focusing on a second-year course in Worldviews of the Western World, based on the writings and lectures of Francis Schaeffer. He meets with a group once a week, writes a *lot* of essays and gives a lot of speeches. This year, he will also begin debate in earnest (hehehe-with fellow students, that is ;-). Some of the AO upper years books are the same as those in the WVWW course, so they dovetail nicely at points, if he has any free time.

We're also going to try to arrange the history rotation for our younger two boys, ages 10 and 12, who have often done the same history level. They have not followed the same pattern of our older two kiddos, who were able to follow the Ambleside years almost exactly since the experimental early years of the PUO online. Since I just got back from the Yucatán, I'm wanting to spend some extra time on the early explorers for the younger two. This will also allow us time to study Texas History.

I'll be teaching American Lit. to a few students in my home, including dd. I'll also be teaching Spanish for grades 7-8 and Freshman credit level Spanish on Fridays in a homeschool co-op setting on Fridays.

We'll all continue to hone our art and our handicraft skills:

Hubby: Guitar repair and guitar and mandolin building from large, scrap wood

Me: Bookbinding and restoration of books and documents

For oldest 16.5 ds, AnselAdams: photography, photojournalism, videography,
worship leading, woodworking. He plans to cut and plane his own wood floors.

For 14 yodd: Jewelry crafting (and hoping to take a few workshops from a semi-local teacher), photography, music and worship.

For 12 yo Audubon: drawing/sketching, leatherwork

For 10 yo Androcles: more home improvement projects. He helped sledge-hammer the fireplace, put up drywall, install laminate floors and paint!! He also loves to draw cartoons.

All four kiddos like to make toy guns out of pvc pipe, create lego scenarios, and play games together. Rest assured that the older two teens can also be mature and converse with adults, as well! (big grin)