The beginning of September brings to mind school days, and the Farm Fresh Family loves a bit o’ schoolin’.
Our preschool pretty much revolves around books. Have I mentioned how much we love the library? And books? This would be our library cabinet–which I organized for this picture.
Normally they are all stacked hither and yon because of our small picker-uppers, but at least they’re in there. I wanted you to be able to see what we’re reading if you’re so inclined. Having a library cabinet helps ensure no books get lost. I also check our account online before going to the library to make sure we have them all so I rarely have to pay a fine.
We go to story hour on Fridays, where they have a toddler time in one room and a preschool group in another. The bookmobile also comes to our house every other Tuesday, so I put books I want to read on hold and essentially they get delivered. Yay!
A lot of the books I’ll have waiting for me next time are ideas from the Montessori catalogue that just came in the mail and a from searching “children’s classics” in listmania on Amazon.
These are auxiliary to the Sonlight curriculum for four/fives, which basically involves ummm…reading.
We do additional activities too, pretty much on a “when I feel like it” basis. We listen to children’s songs and to hymns. We do some dancing DVD’s. We play outside. We do math lessons. We do art activities. We learn about science. We do seasonal crafts.
We have a lot of reasons for home education, but the main one is our overarching goal. We want to raise our children to love and follow Jesus, to have a biblical world view, and to change the world for Him. I truly hope and pray that keeping them in the fold instead of turning them over to others for 8 hours a day will help accomplish that.
Amen, and amen.
(The other day, John told me something, and I replied with, ‘And all God’s people said AMEN!’ He looked at me like I had grown a second head. And a beard. I keep having to remind myself that he didn’t grow up Southern Baptist, so he doesn’t get all the little jokes.)
We love books!!! Books rule! They are the best way ever of teaching your children! Have you read the Charlotte Mason Companion? It’s wonderful, and right up your alley. Sounds like it’d fit right in to your philosophy of homeschooling. 🙂 (Email reply coming soon!)
~Brea
What a noble endeavor!! You are so NEAT!!
I loved the post about licking the rock. Sounds so much like my girls when they were her age. They use to go around and lick all the door stops in the house!
We too are strongly considering home schooling our children.
I love reading about the great activities you are doing with them. You really are doing a super job!
!!! Great post! We have a bookshelf in the classroom full of children’s books as well! Unfortunately our library is not so… nice. We don’t ever go there. It’s usually over run with homeless, rowdy teens, etc. and I don’t think they have a story time.
You will have challenges but you will never regret homeschooling your kids. It will be hard but with God all things are possible!
God bless you in your endeavor!
My boys are 10 and 12 now and we Love Books. We love learning and exploring this beautiful state. How fun that you get to do this on a farm!
Kathy in Pueblo West
http://kathalog.typepad.com/kathalog/
Yipee… for the books and homeschooling, I always wish for the best for our girls, and although it’s never perfect, I think they’re getting a better education now, definitely more Christian!