I recently made our first big purchase for our 2013-2014 school year. After quite a bit of deliberation and research, I purchased Tapestry of Grace - Year 3.
Why Tapestry of Grace?
I'll give a quick run down on why I made this decision for our family. First, and most importantly, I love the idea of all of us being on the same page academically. Even though all of my six children are on vastly different levels of ability, we can still all enjoy learning about the same topic.
A couple of years ago when I used Paths of Exploration with the three bigger kids, it was wonderful to sit down at the table together and discuss the same events. Each child giving their own perspective.
Last year we used a more classical approach to our homeschool, which we enjoyed a great deal, yet I missed the family aspect. I felt like Jacob was off learning different things than Sarah and Jonah - we didn't have the same types of discussions.
Tapestry of Grace is Classical with a Family Approach
I think Tapestry of Grace is a melding of the family learning aspect of Paths of Exploration with the classical approach to learning that we have come to love and appreciate. I'm excited to gather the three younger children into more of our day.
While Tapestry of Grace is not a specifically Catholic program, I will weed out the church history that doesn't pertain to us as a family. We will use Seton religion again and replace much of the non-catholic missionary books with books about Catholic saints in the same time period. I have joined a Tapestry of Grace - Catholic yahoo group that has been very helpful.
Of course I will continue to share more about our Tapestry of Grace journey as we fully embark on it in the fall.
If you are looking for more information on Tapestry of Grace, please check out Tricia at Hodgepodge Mom, she has a ton of helpful information about using Tapestry of Grace as well as Barb at Harmony Fine Arts.
Are you using Tapestry of Grace?
Our homeschool year is beginning to wind down. Although we won't officially be done with our 2012-2013 year until mid June. We will take a break for Heritage Camp and then we will start our summer schedule.
Sticking with a Schedule
I have found that we do much better with some sort of schedule. Not too much but not too little, otherwise all "you know what" seems to break loose. My goal is to make our mornings, three days a week, be busy and productive with our school work. From 9:00-11:30 we will hit the books.
The older kids have worked hard in math this year, and the younger kids have made great progress with their pre-reading and reading skills. I really don't want all their hard work to go to waste and have to start all over when we begin again in the late summer or early fall.
That being said we all do need a bit of a break! The afternoons of our work days will be free as will all of Thursdays and Fridays. We will enjoy a week off for Heritage Camp, a week off during the 4th of July and a week off when cousins arrive from Vermont in August. We will have a final week off around Labor Day and before the official start of our 2013-2014 school year.
I think it will be just enough to keep the skills fresh, yet give us all a bit of down time from our school schedule. I know I'm looking forward to the down time as much as the kids!
Goals for the summer:
- Continue with Math
- Continue Religion Studies
- Continue All About Reading
- Read, Read, Read!
Stay tuned, next week I'm posting our summer bucket list, with a cute printable to use to make your own bucket list!
*post does contain affiliate links, see my disclosure page
For years I have joked that our family should be product testers, if something lasts in our family it will last anywhere!
I really can't believe I actually came up with 10 items that have lasted. With six kids and three of them boys - it's amazing. Thankfully I don't have to list all the things we have broken, like tv's, computers, etc. my list would be days long.
1. Gator - I realize this is a big ticket item, but this survived for 8 years in our house. 8 years of constant use in the summer, with multiple children. We just sold it this spring, it was actually still in pretty good condition.
2. Bean Bag Chairs - I purchased bean bag chairs several years ago and these things have lasted! These are not the plastic bean bags that crack and are uncomfortable to sit in because your skin sticks to them. A great investment for your family.
3. Blocks - you can't go wrong with a big set of blocks!
4. Thomas the Tank Engine - Another toy that we have had since our oldest was little. Thomas trains
5. Legos - aside from stepping on them in the dark, or sucking them up in the vacuum, this has been one of my favorite toys for my family. Countless hours have been spent playing with Legos!
6. Woody - Woody has been with us since our oldest turned two years old. Toy Story was his favorite movie. While Buzz seemed to be the most popular, he and I loved Woody. We looked all over for Woody, drove around to multiple stores in multiple towns. Well worth our search. Woody has been well loved, been on vacation with us, dragged around on countless stroller excursions, we even took Woody with us on our adoption trip to the Caribbean!
7. Doug & Melissa Puzzles - Great choices for all ages and stages. Sturdy pieces that will last and last.
8. Lands' End Hat - I'm a big fan of Land's End clothing, especially for kids. Their clothing lasts and wears well. This particular hat, which they don't carry anymore, has been around for about 10 years. It has been worn by somebody each winter. Now that's quality!
9. Pencil Sharperner - I realize this isn't a toy, but if you homeschool, and you homeschool boys, you know what a valuable tool this is!! We went through several pencil sharpeners before we found this workhorse. Worth its weight in gold I tell you!
10. Kitchen Toys - Several years ago I did the whole kitchen theme for the girls. We gave them cute aprons, a play kitchen, and all sorts of kitchen play food. The play kitchen is long gone, but ALL of the kids still play with the aprons and food. They play restaurant, store, ice cream parlor, they truly have had tons of imaginative play with these items.
Be sure to see the rest of the 10 in 10 series with iHomeschool Network.
