Our homeschool years have similarities but every year things change, too. For one thing, all my students get older. (Oh, and I get older too...)
Here's a look at our homeschool students and plans for this school year:
Student #1
Age: will be 15 in December
Grade level: Sophomore (10th grade)
Favorite subject: History
Least favorite: Algebra II
Favorite thing about homeschooling: Getting to do school on my bed (and other comfy places)
Mad skills in: reading, being in charge
Looking forward to: the co-op play, getting braces off
Strengths: self-motivated, disciplined, fantastic vocabulary, actually enjoys studying, works hard
Weaknesses: perfectionist, trouble with spelling, bossy, not always patient with younger siblings (or parents)
Favorite book: The Lord of the Rings trilogy, science fiction books (mostly Star Wars related), very fond of audiobooks for classic novels
You can find her: curled up with a book, volunteering at the library, helping with chores
Plans for when she's grown-up: Considering studying library science and becoming a librarian
Student #2
Age: will be 12 next week
Grade level: mostly 7th grade
Favorite subject: History
Least favorite: Algebra 1/2
Favorite thing about homeschooling: How much free time we have and getting to sleep in
Mad skills in: writing, baby-watching
Looking forward to: learning more skills in gym class
Strengths: creative writing, organizing, diligent, natural speller, great vocabulary
Weaknesses: can be fearful of new things, has a temper (that reddish hair will get you!), wants everything to be fair, distractible
Favorite book: Little Women
You can find her: writing a poem, setting up intricate play scenarios, watching the baby, reading to her younger siblings
Plans for when she's grown-up: To have three children
Student #3
Age: 9
Grade level: mostly 4th grade
Favorite subject: Science
Least favorite: Reading
Favorite thing about homeschooling: getting done faster
Mad skills in: making friends, creating
Looking forward to: learning to play guitar at co-op
Strengths: creative, friendly, artistic, willing to help
Weaknesses: distractible, sometimes lets emotions take over, impatient (mostly with herself), doesn't play alone
Favorite book: The Secret Garden (read aloud by mom)
You can find her: drawing, bouncing on the trampoline, riding her bike, playing with siblings or friends
Plans for when she's grown-up: To be a ballerina or an artist
Student #4
Age: will be 6 this week
Grade level: mostly 1st grade
Favorite subject: History
Least favorite: Learning to read
Favorite thing about homeschooling: Spending time with my sisters
Mad skills in: things with screens
Looking forward to: dancing in a ballet recital
Strengths: playing alone or with others, following instructions, compliments others,
Weaknesses: avoids chores and hard work, has a temper (that reddish hair again...),impatient
Favorite book: Little Critter books
You can find her: playing with Playmobil, riding her bike, running around outside, coloring
Plans for when she's grown-up: To be an artist
Student #5
Age: 3
Grade level: Preschool
Favorite subject: Reading lesson
Least favorite: Quiet time
Favorite thing about homeschooling: getting out all the toys, puzzles, and games at once
Mad skills in: people skills (remembering people's names, looking at them when he speaks to them)
Looking forward to: learning to read (we're not actually working on this, but he listens in to his sister's lessons)
Strengths: great people skills, can play alone, fantastic vocabulary and verbal skills, wants to be helpful (usually)
Weaknesses: can be strong-willed, inclined to messiness, sometimes rough with his siblings (and mom)
Favorite book: The Animals of Farmer Jones
You can find him: playing trains or cars, building with Duplo blocks, playing outside
Plans for when he's grown-up: to be a dinosaur. (Look out world!)
Student #6
Age: 1
Grade level: Toddler
Favorite subject: art (so he can dump the colored pencils on the floor)
Least favorite: naptime
Favorite thing about homeschooling: having everyone home
Mad skills in: making people smile
Looking forward to: moving from walking to running
Strengths: easy-going, curious, adorable, musical
Weaknesses: still needs two naps (but doesn't always get them), inclined to extreme messiness, doesn't help with chores AT ALL
Favorite book: That's Not My Elephant
You can find him: climbing something, pulling out all the books (or toys or games) from the shelves, reorganizing our kitchen drawers, cuddled up with his favorite blanket
Plans for when he's grown-up: I expect that his short term plans are to repay his older brother for all the wrestling
To see some of our curriculum plans for this year:
From Infant to Highschool - Homeschool Plans for All Ages.
To see how these homeschool students have grown and changed since last year see:
Want ideas for making History your child's favorite subject? Try these posts:
9 Tips for Raising a History Buff and One Simple Way to Bring History to Life
This post was compiled with the help of my children. If you homeschool, have you considered asking your kids what their favorite and least favorite subjects are? Or what they consider their strengths and weaknesses? The beginning of a new school year is a great time to ask those kinds of questions.
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