I'm cured of my graham cracker/smore obsession. Here's a quote that will stick with me from my boss during our re-certification CPR training. "You may break ribs administering chest compressions. It will sound like your crushing graham crackers."
Since today is the first day of June, its time I change our home schooling calendar. In our state, we are required to keep attendance records for our home based private schools, and I do this by marking each day "P" for present, or "S" for sick on a calender.
I'll tell you right now, we have perfect attendance. If my children are conscious, they can be read to or watch a video. When any amount of learning happens, I consider that being present in our "home based private educational program." Even the act of being sick brings learning experiences my children never forget!
I log our school year from June 1st though May 31st, knowing that learning happens each and every day. Our state law says our home based private educational programs must provide 875 hours of instruction a year, but I get to choose how that year is scheduled. Divide 875 by 365 and you get a little under 2.5 hours a day. Its very easy to meet and exceed that 875 hours if you share learning experiences each and every day with your children.
In many ways, it seems like our home school follows more of a seasonal schedule. This is especially true when it comes to science. When your "classroom" isn't a room at all, but the world around you, the seasons tend to lead you. Spring and Summer mean botany and biology. Of course thunderstorms or blizzards can peak interests in meteorology at any time of the year.
A few things our family has decided to focus on this summer are the summer night sky, (constellations), the effects glaciers had on Wisconsin, (Ice Age Trail), gardening, (botany), poker, (math/probability), have a garage sale & develop our Zazzle sites, (business/entrepreneurship), and lots of day trips.
Near the end of this month, we hope to visit Old World Wisconsin for the Scandinavian Midsommer fest, (history & social studies.) If DH's work schedule permits, we'll also make our yearly summer pilgrimage to the grandparent's house in the north woods.
Today may be the first day of June, but I know how quickly the summer goes. I just hope we can get our fill before its gone.
6 comments:
Hmmm, the ribs sound like you're crushing graham crackers, eh? Ew. lol
In MS we don't have any regulations regarding home educating (yay!), but we also school year round. Spring/summer are great for science/botany. :o)
Congrats on another year of unschooling! :o)
Ewww on the broken rib sounding like crushing graham crackers.
Summer does go by quickly. Sounds like you are gonna learn about lots of fun stuff.
Not sure where May went - summer will fly!! I've had CPR instruction so many times I can't count them - never heard the "crushed graham crackers" thing. Ugh.
*shudders at the crashed graham cracker sound thing*
I never heard about the graham cracker expression either, just the thought makes me shiver
Congrats on another year of unschooling, we follow pretty much the same schedule like you since we don't have set curriculum. It is amazing how many subjects can be covered by exploring the world around us and following our passions
Thanks for that image...now I'll think of that whenever I see graham crackers:::shudder:::
Yay! for summer and botany and unschooling and history and poker! One of my favourite school memories is leaving early, going home and playing poker in the kitchen with my brother. ; )
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