Through the Eyes of My Students {Back to Homeschool Blog Hop}

Hello. Welcome back for our final day of the blog hop.

Today we will be learning about homeschooling, through the eyes of my students. Well, that was my original plan, anyway. I'd asked both boys to take a few photos for me, of what homeschooling looks like to them.

Botanist Boy is still at my brother's (hopefully we get him back this weekend!). He's spent the past two weeks there, helping with VBS. So, I'd hoped for a picture or two from VBS. Well, that didn't happen. But he did help with the food ministry, and took pictures from that.

Food ministry

I also had pictures from the VBS at my parents' church, with which he also helped.

VBS in Florida

So, I guess we could say that one of the "faces" of homeschooling is volunteering in ministry.

Since I didn't get more photos than these, I asked each boy to tell me verbally: What does homescool look like to you?

Little Bit's response:

"Fun; interesting; exciting."

(well, except maybe reading, writing, and spelling... ;-) )

Botanist Boy's response:

"Homeschooling makes it so I can pick what I want to learn, and I can learn about God, which I can't really do in public school."

I know that both boys are thankful they don't have to get up early, to be on the school bus by 6:30 or 7:00 in the morning. I know that, if he really stopped to think about it, Little Bit would be thankful he doesn't have to sit in a desk nearly all day long.

I'm sure Botanist Boy is pleased that he was able to be with his cousin today when she got her driver's license. I imagine it will help to encourage him to work toward getting his permit first, then license later.

Even though neither one mentioned it, I think they like the fact that homeschooling is flexible.

How do your children view homeschooling? Please share.

2015 Back to Homeschool Blog Hop

There's also a giveaway to enter! 

Be sure to visit these blogs today, for their Back to Homeschool posts:

Rebecca @ Raventhreads

Karen @ Tots and Me...Growing Up Together

Rebekah @ There Will Be A $5 Charge For Whining

April @ ElCloud Homeschool

Brenda @ Counting Pinecones

Tara @ This Sweet Life

Tara @ Embark on the Journey

Jennifer @ Chestnut Grove Academy

Annette @ In All You Do

Lisa @ Farm Fresh Adventures

Tauna @ Proverbial Homemaker

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A Day in Our Home School {Back to Homeschool Blog Hop}

Hello. Thank you for coming back again today. Please join us as we walk through a typical day at our home school.

Actually, I don't know how "typical" this will be, since at the moment, my 10th grader isn't home; he's still at my brother's, helping with VBS at their church. Tonight is the last night, though.

Anyway, on average, this is what our day looks like:

Anywhere between 4:00 am and 6:00 am, I'm up, have my own private time with God, shower and dress, and may do some blogging/computer work.

Little Bit is usually up by 7:00 or 7:30. I remind him to read from his Bible, if he doesn't remember on his own. After that, I'll read to him from a devotional. Currently it's called Skyscrapers, by Eric B. Hare.

After that, we try to go right in to his Language Arts schoolwork. He may even get his math done before breakfast sometimes.

Some time between 7:00 and 8:30, hubby leaves for work. He has about an hour commute, one way. He doesn't really have a set time he has to be there...just, "before 9:00 am." Sometimes he's even called out in the middle of the night, if the system at works has some glitch or something. (For the record, he is a broadcast engineer at a TV station; he's the transmitter supervisor. In other words, he's the one who makes sure the station is on the air.)

Now, if the Botanist Boy doesn't stay up too late (Ha!), he hopefully will emerge from his room about 9:00...just in time for breakfast. He'll read a chapter from his Bible before he leaves his room.

After breakfast and clean up, we'll work on any schoolwork that the boys might be doing together...which isn't much anymore, since Botanist Boy is doing high school stuff. But if we're working on a unit study type item (particularly something we may be reviewing for the Crew), we'll work on it together.

Otherwise, the boys will separate for their own schoolwork. Little Bit still requires quite a bit of my assistance, while Botanist Boy works more independently. Botanist Boy does his schoolwork in his bedroom, where he can have quite and no distractions. Little Bit kind of migrates throughout the house, but does the bulk of his work in my bedroom.

Usually while they're doing schoolwork, if I don't have to help Little Bit, I'll work on my computer, or I may spend some time reading (since I review for LitFuse, as well).

Little Bit usually has his work completed by lunch time, which is around 2:00 pm.

After lunch and clean up, the boys have free time, if they're finished with their schoolwork. Little Bit tends to play games on his iPad. Botanist Boy may spend some time writing on his current story. If the weather is comfortable, they might even spend some time outside.

Supper is scheduled for 6:00 pm, and is an "everybody fends for him/herself" situation, usually.

Hubby will typically be home between 6:00 and 7:00, or so. He likes to relax by watching a TV show he's recorded. And he does go to bed fairly early (around 9:00 or 9:30-ish), and Little Bit usually heads for bed about that same time.

Bedtime for Botanist Boy and for me tends to vary, I think. I try to get there by 11:00, though. Perhaps he does, too.

As you can see, we tend to go more by routine, than by a hard and fast schedule.

What does a typical day in your home school look like? Please share.

2015 Back to Homeschool Blog Hop

There's also a giveaway to enter! 

Be sure to visit these blogs, for their Back to Homeschool blog posts:

Leah Courtney @ As We Walk Along the Road

Joanie @ Simple Living Mama

Aurie @ Our Good Life

Jennifer @ A Peace of Mind

Jenn @ Treasuring Life's Blessings

Kemi @ Homemaking Organized

Katie @ DailyLife

Joelle @ Homeschooling for His Glory

Kim @ Homestead Acres

Melissa @ Mom's Plans

Annette @ A Net In Time

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Our Learning Spaces {Back to Homeschool Blog Hop}

Hello. Thank you for joining us again today.

Today we'll take a little tour of our learning spaces. Like most homeschool families, I am sure, our homeschooling doesn't take place in only one area of the home. For us, it is all over the house, and even spills to the great outdoors.

Yes, we do actually have a "classroom." Or library, if you'd rather call it that. And believe me, it rarely looks this neat! In fact, I'd be most embarrassed to share a photo of how it looks today!

Obviously we do a lot of schoolwork in the living room. This is where we watch videos together, and Little Bit sits on the couch often, to use his iPad.

He also uses the coffee table frequently at which to do his schoolwork.

The boys watch videos on the iPad together sometimes.

Our kitchen is used often, for home ec. We also do a lot of food related activities with our studies, especially our Five in a Row/Beyond Five in a Row meals.

The dining room table actually gets used sometimes! Surprise! Because I know many homeschool families use their dining tables for a majority of their schoolwork.

I think my bed is used the most for our schoolwork. Little Bit does a majority of his lessons in my room, since he still requires a lot of my assistance.

Oh, and yes, my bedroom floor is used often (well, nearly daily), by Little Bit especially.

My computer is used occasionally throughout the week, as well, particularly when we have a review item for the Schoolhouse Review Crew.

Since Little Bit and I will be studying birds this year, another of our learning spaces is outside my bedroom window, at the bird feeders and bird bath. We've only put the bird bath out recently, and I haven't seen any birds using it yet.

Another outdoor learning space is my garden box. Earlier, Little Bit and I had a lot of fun photographing our plants.

Hubby and the boys use the workshop, and the area around the workshop, often as a learning area.

One of the beauties of homeschooling is that we can take it with us when we go visit my parents in Florida. One of Little Bit's favorite places to do school is at the large dining room window...because out back is a little frog pond. He loves watching the frogs!

The boys accomplish a lot at the dining room table there, too.

Where does learning take place in your home school? Please share.

2015 Back to Homeschool Blog Hop

There's also a giveaway to enter! 

Be sure to visit these blogs today for their Back to Homeschool posts:

Marcy @ Ben and Me

Debra @ Footprints in the Butter

Chareen @ Every Bed of Roses

Amy @ Homeschool Encouragement

Missica @ The Open Window: An Autism Blog

Misty @ Year Round Homeschooling

Jennifer @ A Glimpse of Our Life

Heather @ Only Passionate Curiosity

Clarissa @ Counting Our Blessings

Christy @ Unexpected Homeschool

Monique @ Living Life and Learning

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Our Curriculum {Back to Homeschool Blog Hop}

Hello, and welcome back. Thank you for join us again today.

We'll be sharing about our curriculum today. I'm almost ashamed afraid to say, I am still trying to get things all lined up...especially for Botanist Boy. For now, this is what we have, though.

Little Bit:
Bible-
Young Disciple
Missions-
Adventist Frontier Missions
Maranatha Volunteers International
Language Arts-
Excellence in Writing, Primary Arts of Language: Reading
Excellence in Writing, Primary Arts of Language: Writing
All About Spelling
All About Reading
History-
Books from Heritage History
Science-
Learning About Birds with Thorton Burgess, and The Burgess Bird Book for Children
Sam Campbell's books
Math-
Math U See Gamma
Math U See Delta
Music-
He's just beginning piano lessons
Art-
ARTistic Pursuits

We may also be doing either Beyond Five in a Row, or the Prairie Primer. This is still yet to be determined.

Botanist Boy:
Bible-
Young Disciple
Missions-
Adventist Frontier Missions
Maranatha Volunteers International 
English 2-
Illuminating Literature: When Worlds Collide
Write Your Roots
Math-
Life of Fred, Beginning Algebra
Science-
Apologia Biology
History-
World History, largely using books from Heritage History
Health-
Understanding the Body Organs & the Eight Laws of Health
Computer Skills-
Keyboarding for the Christian School
Music-
Piano or violin lessons
Art-
ARTistic Pursuits

I plan to work on Pathfinder honors with both boys, as well, throughout the year.

Well, I guess I have it more outlined and laid out than I thought. I just need to get it planned out and entered in to my Homeschool Planet planner.

2015 Back to Homeschool Blog Hop

There's also a giveaway to enter! 

Be sure to check out these other blogs today for their blog hop entries.

Cristi @ Through the Calm and Through the Storm

Meg @ Adventures with Jude

Dawn @ Double O Farms

DaLynn @ For the Display of His Splendor

Monique @ Mountain of Grace Homeschooling

Steph @ Indy Homeschool

Kym @ Homeschool Coffee Break

Tawnee @ Adventures in homeschooling

Lisa @ Tales of a Homeschool Family

Jennifer @ Organized Home Organized School

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My Students {Back to Homeschool Blog Hop}

Hello. Welcome to the Back to Homeschool Blog Hop. I hope you'll join us each day this week.

Today I'd like to introduce you to my students, Little Bit and Botanist Boy.

First, here's Little Bit. I suppose I really ought to come up with a new screen name for him, since, after all, he is a teenager now.

This year, for official reporting purposes, he is in 6th grade.

I had him fill out this little questionnaire:

What do you like to do for fun?

Play with cars, and Legos.

What do you like about homeschool?

That I don't have to go to public school.

What is your favorite school subject?

Math!

What is your favorite book?

Max: Best Friend. Hero. Marine., by Jennifer Li Shotz

Who is your favorite person from Bible times?

Daniel

What is challenging for you?

Reading

What would you like to learn about this year?

I'd like to learn more about Daniel Boone.

What would you like to be when you grow up?

I don't have any answer.

I'll have to say, he does like animals, almost as much as his sister does. He enjoys playing games on his iPad, and taking photos with it as well.

That brings us to Botanist Boy.

This year he is in 10th grade. Hard to believe I have only 3 years left with him. We're working hard on preparing him for college.

What do you like to do for fun?

Write

What do you like about homeschool?

Not having bullies

What is your favorite school subject?

History

What is your favorite book?

A Cry From Egypt; by Hope Auer

Who is your favorite author?

Hope Auer

Who is your favorite musician?

Jaime Jorge, and Toby Mac

Who is your favorite artist?


Leonardo daVinci

Who is your favorite person from Bible times?

Moses

What is challenging for you?

Not having friends nearby

What would you like to learn about this year?

I'd like to learn Spanish

What would you like to do for a career?

I'd like to be a missionary

Now that we know my students a little better, I hope you'll come back tomorrow to learn a bit about our curriculum choices.

2015 Back to Homeschool Blog Hop

There's also a giveaway to enter! 

Be sure to visit these blogs today, for their Back to Homeschool posts:

Callie @ Mama's Coffee Shop

Erin @ For Him and My Family

Lori @ At Home: where life happens

Margaret @ Creative Madness Mama

Nicole @ Some Call It Natural

Crystal @ Crystal Starr

Bonnie @ Write Bonnie Rose

Shawna @ Tenacity Divine

Carol @ Home Sweet Life

Kelli @ Adventure Homeschool 

Jacquelin @ A Stable Beginning 

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Back to Homeschool Blog Hop, Coming Up

It's hard to believe that it's August already...and a week in to the month, at that! August means "back to school" across North America, usually. Even though we tend to homeschool year around, for the most part, I usually consider August to be the beginning of a new year, and the next grade level, for my children. This is also the time of year when we must report to the county school superintendent or attendance officer our intent to homeschool another year (the form has to be turned in by September 15 in Mississippi).

This also means it's time for a back to homeschool blog hop. Be sure to grab a glass of sweet tea (with lemon, please), and join my Crew friends and me as we share our first day back to homechool traditions, curriculum choices, planning, homeschooling tips, and "whatever."

Mark your calendars - 10 to 14 August - it's time for this year's Homeschool Blog Hop. The Schoolhouse Review Crew will be joining forces with Homeschool Blogging Connection to bring you a week full of back to school encouragement.

We have 56 homeschool Mom's sharing their combined wisdom and insights covering everything Homeschool related. That's 280 posts of encouragement and information just for you!

Meet Your Back to Homeschool Blog Hop Hosts

Rebecca @ Raventhreads

Karen @ Tots and Me...Growing Up Together

Rebekah @ There Will Be A $5 Charge For Whining

April @ ElCloud Homeschool

Brenda @ Counting Pinecones

Tara @ This Sweet Life

Tara @ Embark on the Journey

Jennifer @ Chestnut Grove Academy

Annette @ In All You Do

Lisa @ Farm Fresh Adventures

Tauna @ Proverbial Homemaker

Leah Courtney @ As We Walk Along the Road

Joanie @ Simple Living Mama

Aurie @ Our Good Life

Jennifer @ A Peace of Mind

Jenn @ Treasuring Life's Blessings

Kemi @ Homemaking Organized

Katie @ DailyLife

Joelle @ Homeschooling for His Glory

Kim @ Homestead Acres

Melissa @ Mom's Plans

Annette @ A Net In Time

Marcy @ Ben and Me

Debra @ Footprints in the Butter

Chareen @ Every Bed of Roses

Amy @ Homeschool Encouragement

Missica @ The Open Window: An Autism Blog

Misty @ Year Round Homeschooling

Jennifer @ A Glimpse of Our Life

Heather @ Only Passionate Curiosity

Clarissa @ Counting Our Blessings

Christy @ Unexpected Homeschool

Monique @ Living Life and Learning

Cristi @ Through the Calm and Through the Storm

Meg @ Adventures with Jude

Dawn @ Double O Farms

DaLynn @ For the Display of His Splendor

Monique @ Mountain of Grace Homeschooling

Steph @ Indy Homeschool

Kym @ Homeschool Coffee Break

Tawnee @ Adventures in homeschooling

Lisa @ Tales of a Homeschool Family

Jennifer @ Organized Home Organized School

Callie @ Mama's Coffee Shop

Erin @ For Him and My Family

Lori @ At Home: where life happens

Margaret @ Creative Madness Mama

Nicole @ Some Call It Natural

Crystal @ Crystal Starr

Bonnie @ Write Bonnie Rose

Shawna @ Tenacity Divine

Carol @ Home Sweet Life

Kelli @ Adventure Homeschool 

Jacquelin @ A Stable Beginning 

From our Archives:

1. 5 Days of Real Life Homeschool
2. 2014 Back to HomeSchool Blog Hop
3. Review Crew 5 Days of . . . Blog Hop!
4. 5 Days of Homeschooling Essentials Blog Hop!
5. Summer Blog Hop ~ 90 bloggers!
6. 5 Days of Preparing for the Holidays Blog Hop!
7. 2012 5 Days of Blogging — Back to Homeschool Blog Hop!
8. 5 Days of . . . {65 bloggers, 325 blog posts}
9. 5 Days of Teaching Creatively: Delight-Directed Teaching

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Fridays at Rossmont

Today is the final day of the blog hop. I am thankful you have stopped by each day, and am glad you have come back today.

Our Fridays tend to follow a different schedule from the rest of the week.

For one thing, it is our preparation day, to prepare for the Sabbath. We do our weekly housecleaning chores: dusting, vacuuming, sweeping and mopping, and cleaning the bathrooms. I like to also make sure the bird feeders are full, and the hummingbird feeders replenished.

Friday usually means "spelling test day" too, if I remember to administer the test!

In our church denomination, we have a youth club, called Pathfinders (grades 5-12) and Adventurers (grades K-4). These are similar to Scouts, and 4H. Even though our local church doesn't have a club, I have the boys working on classwork and honors here at home. Friday is our day to work on these projects.

Currently, Little Bit is working on the Amphibians honor. Botanist Boy is just starting Journalism. I may try to add another one for each of them.

Friday is more of a hands-on, less book work, day. It was the day we would do our Five in a Row meals, when we were still in Five in a Row. If there are meal ideas to go along with our current studies, Friday will be our day for that.

We also prepare special dishes for our Sabbath dinner, on Fridays. When the children were younger (I am meaning Tim and Jen!), we used to have a special candlelight supper on Friday evening, to welcome in the Sabbath. Sadly, we haven't gotten out of that practice.

Thank you for coming along with us this week. I hope you have gained some insight to what real life homeschooling looks like, not just from visiting my blog, but my Crew mates' as well. Have a blessed day!

Discover real life in other homeschools with the Schoolhouse Review Crew bloggers! Join the blog hop to read more!

Be sure to visit these Crew members' blogs today
Every Bed of Roses
Ben and Me
Footprints in the Butter
Mountain of Grace Homeschooling
Raventhreads
Counting Our Blessings
Homeschooling for His Glory
Ozark Ramblings
Chestnut Grove Academy
Only Passionate Curiosity
Farm Fresh Adventures

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Living History {field trips} at Rossmont

One of our favorite subjects in our home school is history, I think. Probably the biggest reason for that is the ability to take field trips to so many living history events. I'll certainly admit that I didn't enjoy history much when I was in high school, especially world history. Ugh!

I've been determined that I would do what I could to make history enjoyable and memorable for my children. I think I have succeeded in that fairly well. I think at least two, maybe three, of my children have a keen interest in history themselves.

I know I have shared some of our field trips in the past. Like Oakley Plantation, an Audubon State Historic Site; Rosedown Plantation; and Rosemont Plantation, which was Jefferson Davis' boyhood home (and which is just a bit down the road from us). Or when we took a train ride, in southeast Tennessee, when we went to visit the university my daughter wished to attend (and Botanist Boy is already making plans to attend). Or when we visited the Indian Mounds in Natchez.

We have visited C.M. Russell's home, a decade ago when we still lived in Montana (see, yes, we have been doing field trips our whole homeschooling journey!).

We have visited state capitols.

We have even visited the oldest city in the United States, St. Augustine.

Within the past couple months, we have attended Cracker Days at Rainbow Springs State Park, and two Civil War Reenactments.

 Cracker Days

 Civil War Reenactment in Williston

Civil War Reenactment at Port Hudson, Louisiana

Our field trips aren't always social studies/history related. Sometimes they are science related, like our recent field trip to Homosassa Springs State Park.

Someday I'd like to take my boys to places like Gettysburg, Washington, D.C., Kitty Hawk, all of the historical sites related to Laura and Almanzo Wilder (we have seen their home in Mansfield, Missouri, at least!), the Alamo, Williamsburg and Jamestown. Someday...

What are some interesting field trip options in your area? Who knows? Maybe someday we'll come visit one of those!

Be sure to come back again tomorrow!

Discover real life in other homeschools with the Schoolhouse Review Crew bloggers! Join the blog hop to read more!

Be sure to stop by these Crew members' blogs today
For This Season
Unexpected Homeschool
For Him and My Family
As We Walk Along the Road
Growing in His Glory
Homeschool Coffee Break
Daily Life
There Will Be A $5 Charge For Whining
Proverbial Homemaker
ElCloud Homeschool

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