Music Study

I've decided not to follow Ambleside Online's suggestions in studying Hymns and Folksongs.
I feel my children are exposed to a variety of music in our regular life. With church, choir, their dad singing to them in spanish, and many other musical opportunities we encounter in our daily lives, I find it unnecessary.

Here is a video of the community choir two of my children participate in. I just love this song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWogUWoLElQ

Artist and Composer Study

     For Artist Study, I choose a different artist every 3 months or so. I simply introduce the artist to the children by printing a self portrait of the artist, if one exists, and put it up on our refrigerator. I'll introduce one of his paintings every other week. The children will take turns looking at the painting for about a minute. I usually just print off the Internet, unless I can find postcards for sale of that artist. After they look at it carefully I'll take it away, and I'll ask what they remember from it. I'll ask them to describe as much of the painting as they remember. Once we do this, we simply put it up on the refrigerator and enjoy it until we switch artists. If the piece of artwork is inspiring to us, if we find it interesting, we make our own rendition of it with any media we want.

     Composer Study is even simpler at our home.  We choose a composer every 3 months or so. I'll purchase about 6 of his songs on itunes, or we just listen to them on youtube. Purchasing them is easier for me, because I can just have the song repeat in the background as they are doing some quiet work or in the morning while we are getting ready for the day.  If I can I'll print a portrait of the composer and put it up on our refrigerator. We spend most of our day in our kitchen. so we are often reminded of the artist and composer this way. Whenever I play the composer's music, I simply say, "I'm about to put Vivaldi on, and we will be listening to the Four Seasons - Spring." We just go about our day and enjoy the background music.

     We are a family of visual learners, and I have found this method to help the children get to know an artist and composer well and become familiar with their style.

What this Year Looks Like

     Over the years I have always enjoyed blog posts on what other people's plans for the year look like. Some people don't like doing this because they start to feel inadequate, or feel like they are not doing enough. One of the things that I have learned is that everyone who homeschools does something different depending on their circumstances, preferences, and experience. Looking at what other people do gives me new ideas and helps me to see things in a way I had not thought of before. After 12 years of homeschooling, I am still learning.

Here is what our homeschool plans look like this year. 2011-2012
I intend to post later on what each subject looks like.

K-Age-18 Freshman at TLU

Still at home, but I am no longer in charge of her education. Yay!

M-Age-17 Senior

Working through all of this on her own except the dual credit.

British Literature - IEW Excellence in Literature
Greek I & II - Rosetta Stone
Economics - Bluestocking Press Economics
Physics - Apologia Press
Classical Guitar w/Performance
Computer Technology - Home Made Projects
Personal Finace - Dave Ramsey
P.E. - Exercise at home
Choir - TLU Community Youth Choir

College Algebra - Dual Credit at local Community College
English I - Dual Credit at local Community College

J-Age-8 Third Grade

Ambleside Online Year 3
Bible - Veritas Press Chronicles through Malachi
Science - Apologia Exploring Creation through Astronomy 
and Real Science for kids, Chemistry
Math - Right Start Math Book C and Rod & Staff for more drill
Spelling - All About Spelling
Grammar - Rod & Staff English 3
Latin - Latina Christiana I
Handwriting -  Getty & Dubay Italics D
Choir - TLU Community Choir

Classical Guitar - Taking Lessons from big sister

A-Age-5

Phonics - Saxon Phonics K
Reader - Victory Drill Book
Handwriting - Getty & Dubay Italics A
Math - Rod & Staff Beginning Arithmetic 1

Classical Guitar - Taking Lessons from Big Sister

D-Age-4

Phonics - Saxon Phonics K
Handwriting - Getty & Dubay Italics A

A & D Together

Bible - Veritas Press Genesis through Joshua

J, A, & D Together

Artist Study - Charlotte Mason Style / Term 1 Michaelangelo
Art - Artistic Pursuits - Book One
Poetry - Term 1 / William Blake
Geography - Geography Songs
Bible Memory - Sing The Word Great in Counsel Mighty in Deed
Read-A-Louds from Various Sources


This will serve me as a record. I intend to post mid year to see how much has changed.