The Learning Umbrella

Here comes summer!  We are in a couple transitions at the moment, which is complicating our ability to just stick to a routine.  But I really want to get back to routine after the last three weeks of illness and recuperation have thrown off all our plans.

So here’s what I’ll try to do this month.

Kindergarten

Carbon’s lessons didn’t start right after his birthday, because I’ve been barely able to just watch them play.  Now, I want to get started.  The first order of business is to just get in the habit of sitting down for an hour, two mornings a week.  We will start with things he’s comfortable with: math worksheets, his Spanish notebook, and handwriting practice.  Then I’m adding in reading lessons, science lessons, and read alouds from The Story of the World Volume One.

Preschool

I also stopped doing preschool lessons when I was sick, so they are out of practice with those.  I’m going to go back to doing a bit of “school time” after lunch when the house needs to be quiet for the babies to nap.  We’ll be doing handwriting practice and other preschool worksheets.  I’m also going to go back to our previous project of learning a new song a week out of our Treasury of Children’s Songs.  Otherwise, we’re just playing in the yard so much, that I’ll let them enjoy the nicer weather and the outdoors, and not worry about too many “lessons”.

J.’s School

J. is still working on some Revolutionary period stuff, and finishing up the experiments portion of Ecology.  She’s behind schedule again, and playing catch up.  I’m going to hold off a bit before putting together her assignments for summer quarter (July, August, September), since I want to see what she gets done this month.  But at some point, I do need to create the organizer she’ll use next quarter.

Mommy School

I missed three French classes in a row!  I’m behind!  Aaaaaahh.

Daycare

I am giving the daycare families two months notice, because I have a new job starting in August. (More about that, hopefully by the end of the week).  I feel horrible about sending these kids out looking for new care, and we’re going to miss them.  But I’m also really excited about the new job, and happy to leave the home daycare phase of my life.  As it’s practical with the kids still here, I’m going to start sorting out toys and equipment for a big garage sale.

Church and Earth Scouts

I’m running Earth Scouts as our summer RE program.  So this weekend we’ll tie-dye shirts.  Then I also need to plan a meeting for two Sundays from now that will be the story of Stone Soup and issues of Hunger.  Our third meeting will be an art response and sharing circle about Hunger, then our fourth meeting will be to prepare and serve food to the homeless camp the church is hosting.

Other church projects of the moment are to work on adapting a curriculum for use with children younger than it was intended for.

Home

I want to finish all the projects I have started.  That would be the chicken coop and the curtains for the front window.  I also need to attend to my neglected garden beds.  Summer weather is coming, and so I want to finally install the ceiling fan we bought last summer and then never got around to hanging up.  And I need to be sewing a summer wardrobe for Hypatia and a new work wardrobe for myself.  Carbon also needs a few more pairs of shorts.  I also need to harass my brother until he gets down here and puts up our new gutters.

Other

I am simplifying life, so I’ll finish all the swaps I’m committed to and then stop swapping and get rid of my post office box.  It’s not that I can’t have hobbies, but they need to be practical ones for my home and family or gifts to give for my birthday and Christmas lists.