Back-to-School 2022-23!

Heading back to school for 2022-23 feels like a milestone for me because it is the first time I've been back in the "driver's seat" for a while. We have homeschooled from the beginning and I've always cobbled together my own curriculum, so relinquishing control these last couple of years was Very Uncomfortable.

My being in charge changed when Thomas was diagnosed with cancer the summer before starting Kindergarten. I had no idea what was coming except that it would be hard (true), so I designed a homeschool curriculum that could be run almost entirely independently with me rarely checking in on it (essentially "do the next page" in each subject, and I switched mostly to workbooks). Not much book learning ended up happening in 2020-21--but much "life learning" occurred! 

Then in 2021-22, our family was reunited at home but Thomas still needed a big share of my attention, so we enrolled the top four children in Regina Caeli Academy (a homeschool hybrid) to relieve me of decision-making.

That brings us to 2022-23 when our family is accustomed to our new normal, we're embracing life more fully--rejoining a lot of activities--and yet we always have in the back of our mind that our lives could change in an instant.

Until a couple years ago, I always posted my educational plans, so in the spirit of getting back to usual, these are our "best laid plans of mice and men"!

Staging area for school books purchased

John Grade 10

John will be taking some high-school courses hosted at our parish:

• Geometry
• English: Writing
• Theology

He will be taking Latin online and Government/Economics in-person with a small group of homeschoolers.

Extracurricular activities: Altar Serving, Fraternus, Honor Society

Sports: Ice hockey

Employment: As long as he can juggle his duties, he will continue working at the ice cream shop!

Mary Grade 8

Both girls will participate in the Middle School program called Catholic Classical Education at our parish. The program covers:

• Literature
• Latin
• History
• Religion
• Art
• Dance and Etiquette
• Poetry

Mary will take Math with the high-school program and English: Writing online. She will study Science at home.

Extracurricular activities: girls' Latin choir, Fidelis, violin lessons, Preparatory Youth Orchestra

Sports: Tennis

Employment: Mary will continue her pet-sitting business, which already includes a year-long contract for one little pet! She has also begun babysitting.

Margaret Grade 6

Besides the subjects covered by CCE (above), Margaret will take English: Writing online, Math through video instruction at home, and also will study Science at home.

Extracurricular activities: girls' Latin choir, Fidelis, classical voice lessons

Sports: She plans to try online ballet classes!

Employment: Margaret hopes to continue doing occasional mother's helper jobs.

Joseph (Grade 4), Thomas (Grade 2), and David (Kindergarten)

I plan to teach the three younger boys as a group for as much as I can. I have three and a half mornings at home per week to focus on their learning. Wish me luck.

On Friday mornings, they will participate in CCE Elementary where they will do memory work in:

• Latin
• Religion
• Math
• English Grammar
• Geography
• History
• As well as studying music (Gregorian Chant) and creating art.

Group Learning at Home:

• Poetry memorization (Harp & Laurel Wreath)
• Grammar (Editor-In-Chief Beginning 1 for grades 2 and 4)
• Penmanship (Writing Our Catholic Faith)
• History (RC History)
• Catechism (trying Our Lady of the Rosary catechism plans online)
• Science (We will give TAN's new science program a try, as well as continue Our Journey Westward science-art lessons online.)

Individual Subjects

• Phonics (All About Reading)
• Spelling (All About Spelling for grades 2 and 4)
• Math (Abeka for grades K and 2, Saxon for grade 4)
• Latin (Prima Latina for grade 4)

Extracurricular activity: altar serving

Sports: ice hockey

What Will Mama Be Doing?

This year I am teaching other people's children for the first time in my homeschool career! I am both excited and (very) anxious. I will be teaching Gregorian Chant (three separate class meetings for grades Pre-K4 through Grade 7), Literature (for grades 5-8), and co-teaching Economics/Government for high-schoolers (three class meetings per semester will be my responsibility).

Chris and I will jointly be driving the children all over kingdom come to their various activities.

I will continue managing Thomas's medical appointments and I await with bated breath to see how his body handles the onslaught of exposure to normal kid germs in a group setting.

Academic Year 2022-23, here we come!