OneStepAtATime Posted July 7, 2016 Share Posted July 7, 2016 Curious if anyone has anything (even if it is a really small thing) that they are looking forward to for this coming school year (or if you school year round, is there anything you are doing right now that you like?)? DD is really looking forward to taking another Art History class through Landry. She really enjoyed her last one and still works on various art forms she learned in that class. She is also connecting more with history (a subject she has always loathed) than she ever has. Believe it or not, I am looking forward to Barton. DD and I do well with the Barton lessons now, she loves how much she has learned from this system, and every lesson she completes brings her closer to finishing (we have a long way to go but the light at the end of the tunnel is brighter than it ever has been :) ). Anyone else? 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnthemLights Posted July 7, 2016 Share Posted July 7, 2016 I am looking forward to picking out the new curriculum for the year. Ahhh, new books. New possibilities. A fresh start. I love the beginning of a new year. The class I am looking forward to the most is Lego Mindstorm (robotics) with my youngest. We are going to have a blast!!! But first I need another month or so to recuperate from last year. :001_cool: 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnthemLights Posted July 7, 2016 Share Posted July 7, 2016 Believe it or not, I am looking forward to Barton. I wish I could say that. :sad: 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneStepAtATime Posted July 7, 2016 Author Share Posted July 7, 2016 I wish I could say that. :sad: What level are you on? I will say if I was still slogging through Level 4 of Barton I'd probably be curled up in a ball of misery right now... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnthemLights Posted July 7, 2016 Share Posted July 7, 2016 Yup, just finished level 4. It actually wasn't as bad as I feared, but that's not really saying too much. So, heading into 5...hoping for better things. But the memory of 4 is still a bit too raw (being a bit melodramatic here). :lol: 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MyLittleBears Posted July 7, 2016 Share Posted July 7, 2016 Looking forward to NOT doing coop this year. We are free to explore other possibilities for science and writing. Yay! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneStepAtATime Posted July 7, 2016 Author Share Posted July 7, 2016 Yup, just finished level 4. It actually wasn't as bad as I feared, but that's not really saying too much. So, heading into 5...hoping for better things. But the memory of 4 is still a bit too raw (being a bit melodramatic here). :lol: Level 5 was actually fun in many respects for DD and I. Part of it was probably giddy relief that it was not as hard for her as Level 4 (by a long shot) and part of it was that DD realized Level 5 was helping her effectively break down a lot of much longer words she had struggled with before. She looked forward to the lessons, because she wanted more pieces to the puzzle of reading. Heck, I read early and voraciously but Level 5 actually helped me, too. My eyesight is so wonky now that if I don't immediately recognize a longer word I tend to skip it to save eyestrain. Level 5 helped me rapidly break up big words with just a glance even if my eyesight was giving me fits. I hope Level 5 is as user friendly for you as it was for us. It isn't an easy level, by the way. I don't want to give a false impression. It was just sooooo much easier than Level 4. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneStepAtATime Posted July 7, 2016 Author Share Posted July 7, 2016 Looking forward to NOT doing coop this year. We are free to explore other possibilities for science and writing. Yay! 😂 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nature girl Posted July 7, 2016 Share Posted July 7, 2016 (edited) Looking forward to (possibly) trying public school this fall. Also feeling unaccountably sad about it. Anna's in a public ESY program this summer, and I miss her every morning. But she's loving it so far (this is day 3) which makes me think this might be the best choice for her at this time. (It's very camp-y so far, though. They play games, go on nature hikes, play in sprinklers, etc., so it's not a very fair test. But the social aspect is absolutely fantastic for her.) Edited July 7, 2016 by Anna's Mom 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kirstenhill Posted July 7, 2016 Share Posted July 7, 2016 On behalf of my DS7, I am really looking forward to a new informal co-op/group we are trying out in the fall that will be much better suited to him than our previous co-op. But sad at the same time on behalf of the other two DS's who are going to terribly miss certain aspects of the old co-op that aren't present in the new one and are tough to duplicate at home (We were already planning on switching DD to a weekly drop off tutorial instead of co-op for 7th grade). Also looking forward to starting Beast Academy with DS7, who should be ready for it either right when the school year starts or soon after. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heathermomster Posted July 7, 2016 Share Posted July 7, 2016 (edited) We are looking forward to no co-op classes as well with DS. DS will take an ACT Prep class with an awesome teacher and will participate in Student Council. I'm strangely looking forward to Earth Science with DS. I want him to consider examining alternative energy with me. DD wants to enter Science Fair this year so we will likely complete a project that involves birds. DD will attend co-op on Friday mornings. Edited July 8, 2016 by Heathermomster 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbutton Posted July 7, 2016 Share Posted July 7, 2016 I am excited about starting with kids who've absorbed a little more routine, and I'm excited that my younger one has vision therapy behind him. It made such a huge difference. Last year with him imploded out of the gate because of his vision issues. He'd been checked by a COVD all along but had been fine up until then (kids can accommodate so well until they suddenly cannot). I am excited that the stuff I chose for writing (Essay Voyage and WWS I) seem to be going along with with my son for summer tutoring--it gives me hope for next year. I look forward to math. I stress about it, but I love doing math with the kids most of the time. I am looking forward to more grammar. I am worried about my older son's utter lack of ability to integrate conceptual grammar with things like capitalization rules, but I love doing the conceptual stuff. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnthemLights Posted July 7, 2016 Share Posted July 7, 2016 I look forward to math. I stress about it, but I love doing math with the kids most of the time. Me too. I love math, especially the middle school/high school levels. So, yeah, another thing to look forward to. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kat w Posted July 16, 2016 Share Posted July 16, 2016 One-step, very glad you started this. Been very encouraging to me . I needed to read and be reminded of the joy. You are an encourager, love that about you :) 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneStepAtATime Posted July 16, 2016 Author Share Posted July 16, 2016 One-step, very glad you started this. Been very encouraging to me . I needed to read and be reminded of the joy. You are an encourager, love that about you :) Thanks. I find that sometimes I get tunnel vision and am only focusing on the tough stuff. I figure others may struggle with that same issue so re-focusing on something positive might help. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kat w Posted July 16, 2016 Share Posted July 16, 2016 You are 2,000% right ma'am :) Yea, I'm tryin to clear brain fog and the rest that goes along with the end of evals and results. After I read this post and the one you made about the social group, as well as some things others have said. For first time in 5 months I have felt...even a little better. Thanks :) Very encouraging . I might even have a sneaking suspicion of a lil joy trying to creep through the last couple hours :) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneStepAtATime Posted July 17, 2016 Author Share Posted July 17, 2016 You are 2,000% right ma'am :) Yea, I'm tryin to clear brain fog and the rest that goes along with the end of evals and results. After I read this post and the one you made about the social group, as well as some things others have said. For first time in 5 months I have felt...even a little better. Thanks :) Very encouraging . I might even have a sneaking suspicion of a lil joy trying to creep through the last couple hours :) Just take one step at a time. :thumbup1: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kat w Posted July 17, 2016 Share Posted July 17, 2016 Yup. Tanx :) you ma'am, definitely have the gift of encouragement . Ok. Found something I'm looking forward to! Lol I read an ol post where OhE had a link to super duper, forgot all about them. Gonna order some things Monday . Yea yea. That now I'd what I'm looking forward to :) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneStepAtATime Posted July 17, 2016 Author Share Posted July 17, 2016 I am looking forward to homeschooling with better vision. My new glasses are the boss! I knew my eyesight was bad but I had no idea how bad until I got the new, funky, extra special glasses tweaked out by the COVD. I still have weird vision issues but I can SEEEE! :laugh: 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kat w Posted July 17, 2016 Share Posted July 17, 2016 Hahaha. Yes :) seeing is good. Glad you got em tweaked. I wear glasses/contacts too. No seeing....no fun. Unless? It hides the mess my boys have made on the floor lol :) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPan Posted July 17, 2016 Share Posted July 17, 2016 Onestep, I keep thinking this, but you need to play the Ghostbusters song when you put on your glasses each morning. :D 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneStepAtATime Posted July 17, 2016 Author Share Posted July 17, 2016 Onestep, I keep thinking this, but you need to play the Ghostbusters song when you put on your glasses each morning. :D LOL. 'Cause I ain't afraid of no ghosts? Have I mentioned I was really startled when I saw DD's face after my special totally awesome glasses and was shocked to realize how many cute, golden freckles she has? 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kat w Posted July 17, 2016 Share Posted July 17, 2016 Hahaha. Ghostbusters song. :) Dats cute. And awww, she has freckles? All my bio kids have em too. My cousin tells my girls...that's how many times you've been kissed by angels :) ( they don't like their frieckles) You guys have made me laugh :) Laughing's good 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shred Betty Posted July 17, 2016 Share Posted July 17, 2016 I'm brand new to homeschooling, doing a tapered start over the summer so I'm (naively) looking forward to... Everything! ;) I'm looking forward to helping DD7 really explore her strengths and interests, not getting sick 12 times during the school yr, and when the snow flies spending so many hours as a family at the mountain that it's criminal! 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maura Posted July 19, 2016 Share Posted July 19, 2016 With Ds10 (language & speech disorders, dyslexia), I'm really excited to see his reading continue to improve, and to enjoy some great books with him. Within the last 12 months, his reading has jumped up more than a full grade level (from 1.4 to 2.5! woo!) so I'm hopeful that we'll see similar progress this year. I'm also looking forward to getting him writing more, partly because I think everything he writes is adorable. He's excited about the reading, but not the writing. Ds5 (language & speech disorders) will be in kindergarten this year, and I'm looking forward to doing some of the fun preschool/kindergarten activities that were too young for Ds10 when we started homeschooling, and too easy for Ds8. He's a really pleasant, easygoing kid, so I think we'll have a fun year. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PuddleJumper1 Posted July 19, 2016 Share Posted July 19, 2016 (edited) We just got Mayer Johnson's Accessible Literacy Learning program for teaching non-verbal students to read. I'm really excited to give it a whirl with ds. We're also using MFW for the first time this year and it looks really good - right at his level (we got the PreK core). We'll have to adjust some of it but I think he'll really enjoy it. We're also sprucing up the school/therapy room and changing out some things we've been using for awhile. There's nothing like getting new, bright manipulatives and games :) We've been at the same level for a long time (ds is 14) so giving us a face lift has been fun for both of us. Edited July 19, 2016 by PuddleJumper1 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest2 Posted July 19, 2016 Share Posted July 19, 2016 My oldest daughter is a senior, so I am looking forward to having her home one more year. She is an early graduate and taking all classes at her cc. I am looking forward to all the fun senior memories. My DS(10) just finished vison therapy - happy dancing here. It worked, and I don't have a VT bill every week. No VT homework!! He will be in a hybrid homeschool this year. I am lookng forward to having a bit more energy to put into our projects. We are finally in Bartons 8 and I am so looking forward to being done! My middle daughter is taking mostly outsourced courses for the first time. Dad is saying he wants to teach her math! I think she is really going to enjoy the discussions. Looking forward to finding our thing to do together. I am looking forward to trying some new things. There is an art class that my husband and I are going to try . A few groups for me to join at church. I haven't really gotten involved in much here since we moved 5 years ago. I am finding I don't identify with the newer and much younger homeschoolers/groups as much as I did in the past. It is a bit weird, because for many years at different locations,that was my tribe. I am branching out. My kids don't need me as much. I will have more time. I'm a little nervous, but it is time to start looking for activities for me, and friends for me. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPan Posted July 19, 2016 Share Posted July 19, 2016 Silver Brook, I think it's that we've been through too much. It's sorta like going to a war torn country and then coming back and going to something really nice and thinking yeah, but I know what it's really like out there. The newbies are able to think about how glib and nice it will be. And it might be. Just a different stage. I'm on the hunt for a whiteboard, a BIG whiteboard. After 12 years of homeschooling, I've decided this would really perk things up! :D 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PuddleJumper1 Posted July 19, 2016 Share Posted July 19, 2016 I'm on the hunt for a whiteboard, a BIG whiteboard. After 12 years of homeschooling, I've decided this would really perk things up! :D We just hung a nice big magnetic whiteboard and it makes me smile :) It's the small (yet not small) things.... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPan Posted July 19, 2016 Share Posted July 19, 2016 Ok puddle, fess up... Where did you get your board and what size is it and all that? I'm sitting here online looking at them... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PuddleJumper1 Posted July 19, 2016 Share Posted July 19, 2016 Ok puddle, fess up... Where did you get your board and what size is it and all that? I'm sitting here online looking at them... Got it at Costco - it was a kit sort of thing with markers and an eraser (which was horrible) but I really like the board. It's 2ft X 3ft so not huge but just what we needed. What size are you looking for? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest2 Posted July 20, 2016 Share Posted July 20, 2016 (edited) OhElizabeth, A whiteboard on wheels was my favorite thing on a different year:). I scrimped for that thing! You will love it. Pretty colored markers are necessary too. Edited July 20, 2016 by Silver Brook 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneStepAtATime Posted July 20, 2016 Author Share Posted July 20, 2016 OhElizabeth, A whiteboard on wheels was my favorite thing on a different year:). I scrimped for that thing! You will love it. Pretty colored markers are necessary too. Yeah, I love having a white board on wheels. :) My mom and I kept looking for a whiteboard on wheels. She finally found one slightly damaged (damage was negligible but the price dropped considerably because of it) that has been awesome. White board on one side, cork board on the other, works great with magnets, tray for markers and eraser and it is big enough one kid can use one side while the other uses the other side. I love it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneStepAtATime Posted July 20, 2016 Author Share Posted July 20, 2016 I bought another roll around book cart a while back. My first one has been wonderful but I found that we had outgrown it since it was small. I retasked the smaller one for business stuff. I am looking forward to using the new one this year. Pretty blue color and super rugged. I had been waiting to buy it until it went on sale (roughly 6 months of waiting but it was worth it). Since we do most of our school stuff in the kitchen area (better lighting for my eyes) but we keep our educational materials in what used to be the dining room a rugged book cart has been so helpful. It is very efficient for me to load up the cart with what we need for the week then just wheel the cart in and out of the education room as needed. Easy clean up. Everything on the cart has a place so the kids know where to put their stuff. We shove it all back on the cart and roll it away again until the next day. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PuddleJumper1 Posted July 20, 2016 Share Posted July 20, 2016 (edited) A whiteboard on wheels was my favorite thing on a different year:). I scrimped for that thing! You will love it. Pretty colored markers are necessary too. Yeah, I love having a white board on wheels. :) My mom and I kept looking for a whiteboard on wheels. She finally found one slightly damaged (damage was negligible but the price dropped considerably because of it) that has been awesome. White board on one side, cork board on the other, works great with magnets, tray for markers and eraser and it is big enough one kid can use one side while the other uses the other side. I love it. OK - now I have to have one of these. Added to my wish list. I just found some really cool liquid chalk markers - the perfect excuse to need a chalkboard :laugh: Edited July 20, 2016 by PuddleJumper1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.