Smith Academy 2018-2018

Over the past several years, I've been using Facebook and Instagram as sort of virtual scrapbooks to document our homeschooling journey. As a result, I get questions weekly about what were doing, general homeschooling advice, and organizational tips for teaching multiple kids. I am still learning all of these things myself, but I'm more than willing to share what I've learned over the past 7+ years!

Our Daily Routine

Morning Meeting 

Bible

Language Arts

My Father's World

Snack/Book Basket

Art/Music/Science

Math

Lunch

What's "Morning Meeting?"

I love Morning Meeting because it's a beautiful way to gather together and start our day with things that are lovely. We start each morning with Prayer, and then we read from Thoughts to Make Your Heart Sing by Sally Lloyd-Jones and/or Daily in His Presence by Andrew Murray. We also do poetry study from Classic Poetry an Illustrated Collection selected by Michael Rosen, and each week we choose one hymn to study from Then Sings My Soul by Robert J. Morgan. Then we practice calendar skills using this calendar, and sing our days of the week and months of the year songs. We wrap up our Morning Meeting with the Pledge of Allegiance to our flag. I'll let you read more about the ins & outs of Morning Meetings from the wise homeschooling mamas that have gone before me. I

What curriculum are you using this year?

We tried multiple different curriculum options in the early years, but I have always come back to My Father's World. I absolutely love it. Here's why:

• MFW is a Christian curriculum, so everything is taught through a Biblical Worldview. 
• MFW is Charlotte Mason-based. It implements many of her philosophies and methods - dictation, narration, nature study, and most of all.... living books. It's delightful.
• MFW is designed to teach multiple children, so as more and more of my kids have started school it's become easier and easier to teach them all.
• MFW also has Unit Study and Classical elements, and I like that it exposes the kids to many different methods of eduction.

This year we are in the second year of the MFW Family Cycle, and we're studying Rome to the Reformation. All of our Bible, Latin Vocabulary, History, Read Aloud books, Science, Music, Art, and Nature Study are done as a group, around our dining room table.

For Math:

• the 2 older girls are using Teaching Textbooks for 7th and 5th grade math
• the younger 2 are using Horizons

For Language Arts:

• 7th grade- Applications of Grammar and Writing With Skill
• 5th grade - Language Lessons for Today, Spelling, and extra cursive practice
• 2nd grade- Language Lessons for Today, Spelling by Sound and Structure, and Handwriting Without Tears

My Father's World's Kindergarten program is wonderful and all inclusive. We are supplementing the Math they provide with Horizons K Math to give my Kindergartener a little challenge. I'm SUPER excited and thankful that my sweet mama is helping with our two youngest this year, taking the lead on Jolie's Kindergarten and helping me make sure our toddler doesn't burn down the house during school hours.

Are you doing a co-op or enrichment program this year?

Yes! We're so excited about participating in the ACTS Co-op this fall! We will meet Friday mornings with other homeschoolers at a local church, and the moms all volunteer in some capacity- either teaching or assisting. After a few years in our public school's enrichment program, we're all really looking forward to meeting together with other Christian homeschooling families this year.

What extracurriculars will the kids be involved in?

Music lessons:

• Piano for the oldest and third
• Violin for the second

Sports:

• The older two will also be playing soccer this fall 
• the youngest two will be dancing at co-op 

Wednesday nights: 

• the second, third, and fourth will be participating in Awana again
• Jason and Layla do Wednesday nights with our Youth Group at Church
• Miller will hang out in the nursery
• Mama will be studying  

Whew!

I'm getting a little overwhelmed just looking at all of that. Homeschooling is no easy feat, but I know that "He who calls me is faithful," (1 Thessalonians 5:24) and that His grace is sufficient (2 Corinthians 12:9). I hope that you've found this little glimpse in to Smith Academy helpful! I'll be glad to answer any questions if you have them.