My Father's World

Last week I transformed a corner of my diningroom (which had been my sewing area) into a schooling/sewing area. Elizabeth's desk is one that my dad refurbished for her 3rd birthday. I have most everything set so that we have room for her schooling AND I still have a place for my sewing ... should I ever choose to finish a project!

After a Homeschool convention this past July I had decided I really wanted to check out My Father's World curriculum for Ellie. I had initially thought that I would begin next year when she was 4 years old. But then my friend Janet gave me the unused curriculum that she had! I was super excited as I opened it up a couple of weeks ago to take a look. It seemed to fit my style just perfectly. I am one who needs a plan - anyone who has lived w/ me for any amount of time knows that about me! I really feel like this curriculum is the right fit for me!

That being said as I read through the material for kindergarten l I realized that Elizabeth could do the work that was given and if I waited a year she would just "outgrow" it! It is geared toward 5 and 6 year olds as well as "mature" 4 year olds. Elizabeth is not quite 4 years old but I really felt like she was "ready". Plus she won't stop talking about wanting to go to school ... thinking that I needed to send her somewhere for that to be accomplished. When we set up the "school" area and told Ellie what it was for she immediately stopped talking about needing to "go" anywhere for school and has been super excited (and asking me almost everyday about when we could start)!

The plan was to start on September 1st but last night after some consideration I decided that there was nothing holding me back to start sooner ... so today during Josiah and Jonathan's (the boy I watch) naps I did her first lesson with her. She LOVED it! She is further ahead than I thought so I think that the first 10 days are going to be a breeze. We are starting out by going over the creation ... day 1 was today. For the first 7 days we will read a passage in Genesis corresponding w/ that day of creation, cut out and color the # that goes with that day, focus on the ABCs, create a "creation book" and learn some new songs. Days 8 - 10 are review days, however I'm not sure we'll need to do them or not. She went through the lesson so quickly today and was very upset when it was done ... in fact, she cried. She may need something a bit more challenging by day 8 - so we'll see!