New Things...

Two big things this week! One, the FREE printable meal planner for preserved foods (I really wish I could come up with a shorter name!) was huge and took a ton of brain power. Made my head hurt actually. But number TWO is just as exciting, at least to me! (And it also made my head hurt.)

Why the Classical Method of Education

In my last post, I explained what the classical method is. In a nutshell, it's memorizing, understanding, and finally doing or explaining. We use this method every time we want to study something, although nowadays we often leave off the memorization stage. We have dictionaries, spell check, or we just happen to be rather clever and can guess well. (I'm one of those.) The problem with forgetting the memory work is that we... forget.

The Classical Method of Education

What is a classical education? Or what is the classical method of education? I tell and explain things best in examples or analogies, so here it goes! (And I know this is very simplistic, but it makes the big picture, small.)

CC Cycle 3 Week 24 ~ The Plan

This post contains affiliate links; when you purchase something through those links, I'll earn a small commission. That won't affect the price of your item. Thanks!

The last week of CC! And I'm totally going to be late writing this post. I'm just kind of straggling to the finish line. But I made it! We made it!

Latin & Greek to Me

I've looked at different Greek and Latin curriculum, and I haven't found anything that followed the classical method a closely as I'd like. And the other thing is, I've studied and taught Greek so I don't really feel like I need help in that area. As for Latin, I can learn it without too much trouble. One of my goals in our homeschool is for me to be the teacher. Meaning, I teach the lessons, make up the work, and use curriculum as I see fit. I've used scripted material, and while that's fine, it takes some of the joy out of learning for me and my kids. So that's what I'm doing with Latin and Greek. Those and history are the easiest subjects for me. I'm learning math, and I'll start learning science next.

CC Cycle 3 Week 23 ~ The Plan

This post contains affiliate links! That means if you click on a link to Amazon, and purchase something I'll earn a small commission. But that doesn't affect the price of the item. Thanks!

I have been in bed all day sick as a dog. It started this morning, and it's been awful. I'm not sure I'll be able to go to CC tomorrow. Jeremy has been at work most of the day so the kids have basically watched TV all day. Terrible, I know. Eowyn has been a big help all day though, taking care of diapers and feeding everyone. She's such a great helper. I heard her announce this morning to the boys, "Mom's taking a sick day today, so I'm in charge." Thankfully, they pretty much behaved themselves. I'm feeling a bit better now, and I'm down 2 pounds, so...worth it!

(I am totally just kidding up there. I know it is not a good way to lose weight. But if you have to live through something like this anyway, there might as well be a silver lining, right?)

CC Cycle 3 Week 22 ~The Plan

This post contains affiliate links! That means if you click on a link to Amazon, and purchase something I'll earn a small commission. But that doesn't affect the price of the item. Thanks!

Being sick all this week was a punch in the gut, especially with the pretty weather that was calling our names. We did get a lot of school done, the kids loved making up problems for the associative laws. And we really enjoyed the Buzz Aldrin books. But it was mostly school from the couch and on the living room floor. And lots of rest in between. I'm hoping it's over. The kids and I had one thing, but Jeremy had a completely different thing so hopefully we didn't trade.

CC Cycle 3 Week 21 ~ The Plan

This post contains affiliate links! That means if you click on a link to Amazon, and purchase something I'll earn a small commission. But that doesn't affect the price of the item. Thanks!

Only four more weeks of CC Cycle 3! I can't believe it. It goes so quickly. Then it will be time for Parent Practicums. Anyone else thinking about Practicums yet? And end of year testing? (It's a requirement for us in NC.) Let's not think about that just yet, shall we?

CC Cycle 3 Week 20 ~ The Plan

This post contains affiliate links! That means if you click on a link to Amazon, and purchase something I'll earn a small commission. But that doesn't affect the price of the item. Thanks!

Well, I was so beautifully ahead of the game, and now I'm back where I was. At least I'm still on time, and not late! We did not do much last week because we had cold, ice, and the snow. And along with that weather came some winter doldrums for me. I think it's several things though, so I'm working on getting past that. I finally went running again yesterday and that made me feel so much better! Today though, I can't walk very well.

CC Cycle 3 Week 19 ~ The Plan

This post contains affiliate links! That means if you click on a link to Amazon, and purchase something I'll earn a small commission. But that doesn't affect the price of the item. Thanks!

These two weeks of break are stretching out before me as if an endless time of renewal and inspiration. It doesn't hurt that the kids are diving into their studies of WWII. It's so nice that God insisted on breaks, rests, to revitalize us. And it really does seem that the seventh day/week/year are the ones when we need the rest the most. I should pay more attention to that.

CC Cycle 3 Week 18 ~ The Plan

This post contains affiliate links! That means if you click on a link to Amazon, and purchase something I'll earn a small commission. But that doesn't affect the price of the item. Thanks!

You know what's funny and awesome at the same time? All the kids in our group hate breaks. The moms are always a little relieved, but the kids moan and groan. They love their schools. And I think that's pretty awesome.

CC Cycle 3 Week 17 ~ The Plan

This post contains affiliate links! That means if you click on a link to Amazon, and purchase something I'll earn a small commission. But that doesn't affect the price of the item. Thanks!

We've had a really great week of school. It's been fun. I'm reading this Arithmetic for Parents book and it is really helping me teach math. I'm enjoying it, and so are the kids. What are we going to do next week though?

Well, that's what this post is here for. 'Cause I certainly don't know

A Homeschool Day in the Life

(This was an exceptional day, and it actually happened!)

CC Cycle 3 Week 16 ~ The Plan

This post contains affiliate links! That means if you click on a link to Amazon, and purchase something I'll earn a small commission. But that doesn't affect the price of the item. Thanks!

So the end of last week and then all of this week, we've been pretty sick. We've been able to keep up with the bare minimums, which is the most important work: the memory work. Thankfully, that only takes a few minutes a day. We've also been able to watch the videos, but mostly we've been lying around making sure to eat. Anytime we get some kind of bug in this house it takes a while to get through everyone. Week 16 we will be better again!

CC Cycle 3 Week 15 ~ The Plan

This post does contain affiliate links! If you click on one, and purchase something, I'll earn a small commission, but it won't affect the price of your items. Thanks!

I don't know about you, but these posts really help me out! I come back here each week wondering what we're supposed to be doing. Hopefully they help someone else, too, but even if they don't, it makes my week go smoother.

How to Make History Notebooks

I love what we are doing for history this year, and I think it's versatile enough to use for all of the elementary years.

CC Cycle 3 Week 14 ~ The Plan

This post contains affiliate links! If you click on one, and purchase something I'll earn a small commission, but that doesn't affect price of the item.

Week 14 will be another week to ease back into our regular schedule. I have a friend who told me a long time ago that it takes about 6 months before life feels normal again after a new baby. And it's true, with more than just babies though! It takes about 6 months for a new normal to feel normal.

Knowing that gives me grace. Do you need any grace? I do, all the time.

CC Cycle 3 Week 13 ~ The Plan

This post contains affiliate links! If you click on one, and purchase something I'll earn a small commission, but that doesn't affect price of the item.

So I may have missed a few weeks' worth of plans, but here we are at the start of a new year and new semester, so it's time for me to try again. (At least I had a pretty valid excuse, although beginning Christmas break on October 20 was not my intention. Here's what we did for those last few weeks of CC with a newborn.)

Week 13! Here we go!

Classical Conversations with a Newborn

She's so pretty.

CC Cycle 3 Week 6 ~ The Plan

I have gotten way behind on these posts! Week 6 is this week! But now we get a fall break, on which I will hopefully be having a baby, so I'm probably not going to get ahead. I'll probably get further behind, and have to start over in January. Or March. Or next September.

It's been a good run.

Just kidding. Sort of. Hopefully.