School Retrospective 2018-19

We started our eighth year of homeschooling on August 27, 2018, and we finished on May 30, 2019!

When possible--not sick with pregnancy, or caring for a newborn, or everyone in the house sick--I like to create a ceremony in which we present a retrospective and graduation certificates, and we did so today.

Certificates for each child

These formalities and traditions become very meaningful to children over the years. I took a trip down memory lane and found our first end-of-year ceremony done in 2012.

"I thought that it would be fun to do something to mark the occasion. I decided that I would make a report detailing all the skills each child has acquired to act as a benchmark for me in the future looking back. (How cool would it be if I did such a thing each year? Ha ha, we shall see.) Further, we created a little performance program to which we invited Daddy, also known as the Principal of our little home school."

I cried my eyes out to see my wee babies who were that small seemingly yesterday and will be gone from our home way before we are ready. Click here and grab your Kleenex.

Homeschooling is more than School at Home . . . I love that it's impossible to untangle where school ends and family life begins, so I list below the fun-and-educational activities our family did this last year.

Fun Events

• SUMMER
• Hosted a Poetry Tea
• Knights baseball game
• July: John participated in the Latta Plantation Civil War day camp while Mary participated in the Latta Plantation young ladies’ day camp for a week.
• John enjoyed a fishing tournament with his buddies.
• FALL
• Got through Hurricane Florence in September with no harm done . . . made memories by having a family slumber party in the den in case any trees crushed the house (which they did not)
• Eucharistic Congress 2018
• Attended the Carolina Renaissance Festival for the first time
• Over the course of the year, we attended two children’s plays: “One Hundred Dresses” and “The Jungle Book.”
• MivaVia fundraising banquet (oldest 3 kids)
• Parish carnival
• Pumpkin patch
• Reel Scottish Weekend (dancing event)
• Hosted an Anne of Green Gables birthday party for Mary’s double-digits (10!)
• Chris and John attended a Trump rally.
• All Saints Day costume party with homeschoolers
• WINTER
• Chris took the girls and one of their friends to visit the Biltmore while it was decorated for Christmas.
• Kannapolis Christmas event
• Annual mother-daughter Christmas tea at The Ballantyne Hotel
• Mama took the three oldest kids to see the Vienna Boys Choir in concert at the Halton Theater (a gift from Grandpa R.!)
• Annual Christmas ice skating party with friends
• Visited the gingerbread house competition at The Ballantyne Hotel
• We joined the Fraternus and Fidelis youth groups to go Christmas caroling.
• SPRING
• Great Back Yard Bird Count
• Bird Camp at the UNC Botanical Gardens
• May Crowning
• Scottish social dance
• Field trip and docent-led tour at Wing Haven Gardens
• Field trip on a living history day to Historic Brattonsville
• End-of-school-year party

Travel

• June: Mom and baby attended the National IHM homeschooling conference in Virginia
• June: Four days in Pennsylvania visiting a convent, Knoebels amusement park, and Mount Vernon in Virginia
• July: A week in Nebraska visiting family, two car museums, a natural history museum--a gift from Grandpa B.!
• September: Chris took the girls over Labor Day weekend to Buffalo, NY
• November: We traveled to Atlanta as a whole family to celebrate Chris’ parents’ anniversary
• December: We traveled to Atlanta as a whole family to celebrate Christmas early and attend the Atlanta Master Chorale concert--a gift from the grandparents!
• December: Our family visited Dollywood after Christmas and stayed at the DreamMore Resort--a gift from Grandpa B.!
• January: Chris and the oldest two children traveled via church bus to the March for Life in Washington D.C.
• April: Our family visited Dollywood after Christmas and stayed at a cabin.
• May: Chris took John on a father-son retreat up in the foothills.

Music . . . is a significant part of our homeschool

The oldest four children took piano (John, Mary, Joseph), violin (Mary and Margaret), and theory (all four children) lessons all year. In the spring, they began taking once monthly folk music lessons (guitar, fiddle, banjo). Both John and Mary joined parish choirs.

They participated in several recitals hosted by our music studio and in five competitions: Federation, NCMTA, Forum, Guild, Steinway.

DAVID

. . . is almost turning two!

Watching a baby go from 12 months to 24 months--David turns two in a couple of months--never fails to astonish. David started the year as a lap baby, staying cozily with Mama, to now racing around with the pack, seeking out favorite toys in the Bonus Room upstairs by himself, and playing on the playground weekly at Scottish Dance. He climbs all the playground equipment, swings on the big kid swing without letting go, and goes down the slides alone. David insists, “Help Joseph!” every morning and assists his big brother in emptying the dishwasher. Our sixth baby is our smallest in size so far: his siblings were each two to five pounds bigger than he is on the cusp of two. His petite self is so cute! David’s language is blossoming such that I’ve lost count of his words acquired and he has spoken a few two-word sentences (“Daddy home!” “Help me!”). Davis is also completely ready and eager to potty train and the only thing that might (will) slow him down is his overly busy Mama.

David is such a source of joy in our family and the children all still fight over who gets to take care of him, make silly faces at him, and sit next to him in the van.

THOMAS

. . . is almost turning four!

Thomas grew so much in independence this year of being three (and will turn four in about a month!) but retained as much bursting joy as when he was younger. He loves sitting alongside Mama, “doing school” with his Kindergartener brother Joseph. He is satisfied with simple activities, such as Mama giving him letters to copy, a coloring book to color (and he stays in the lines!), or math manipulatives or a puzzle. Thomas now climbs trees and rides a two-wheeler bicycle quite competently. He dresses himself (including all his buttons), pours himself cereal in the mornings, and clears his own plate. Thomas’ delayed language has caught up so much this year--including some of his pronouns!--that now we simply enjoy the darling phrases that we will miss when they disappear. Thomas is not in piano lessons yet, but he has begun plinking out songs that he figures out by ear, such as “Joy to the World.”

JOSEPH

. . . completed Kindergarten and turned 6 this year!

Academics

Phonics: A few lessons shy of completing All About Reading Level 1

Math: A few lessons shy of completing Right Start Math Level A

History:  Studied 10 units of Connecting with History covering the years 306-1700. Also, Mama read him the entirety of both “Fifty Famous People” (1912) and “Famous Americans for Little Americans” (1895) over the course of the year.

Literature: Mama read aloud to him such novels as “Trumpet of the Swan,” “Rabbit Hill,” “Dr. Dolittle,” and “My Father’s Dragon.” Joseph listened on CD to the entire “Little House on the Prairie” series of books.

Science and the Natural World: Joseph listened to all the stories in “Kindergarten Talks” by Wiltse (1890) and “Animal World” by Serl (1918), often read to him by his sister Margaret.

Religion: In religion, Joseph joined us in family prayers, started working through “Chats with God’s Little Ones” with Mama, and listened to stories from “The Bible Story” (1931).

Others: Took one semester of private art lessons, studied geography, and practiced penmanship. 

For sports and physical activity, Joseph participated at various times in soccer at the YMCA (best goalie on the team!), ice skating at a local ice skating rink, and a weekly playground visit while his siblings were at Scottish dance.

Joseph’s piano and music theory studies “clicked” this year and he grew musically by leaps and bounds. He participated in his first Steinway recital. Mary was his daily piano tutor to supplement his weekly piano teacher.

MARGARET

.  . . Completed second grade and turned 8 this year!

Academics

Math: Completed one level of Teaching Textbooks

Spelling: Completed one-and-a-half levels of All About Spelling

Grammar: Completed IEW Fix-It “Tom Sawyer”

History:  Studied 10 units of Connecting with History covering the years 306-1700 and read independently numerous history books

Science: Read Apologia Zoology 1: Flying Creatures

Religion: Completed Seton 2, studied the Baltimore Catechism all year, and read at least a half dozen biographies of saints 

Others: Took weekly sewing lessons last summer. Took one semester of private art lessons. Studied geography and practiced penmanship and typing. 

For sports and exercise, Margaret played soccer with her brother Joseph at the YMCA, took eight weeks of ice skating lessons, took tennis lessons in the fall and spring, and nine months of weekly Scottish Dance lessons.

This marked Margaret’s first year of violin study and she completed Suzuki Book 1, while continuing her piano studies.

MARY

. . . Completed fourth grade and turned 10 this year!

Academics

Math: Completed one level of Teaching Textbooks

Spelling: Completed one level of All About Spelling

Grammar: Completed IEW Fix-It “Tom Sawyer”

Literature: Completed the monthly Center for Lit literature class, reading 9 novels

Composition: Completed the weekly Center for Lit composition class, which involved weekly writing assignments

Latin: Nearly completed Latina Christiana

History:  Studied 10 units of Connecting with History covering the years 306-1700 and read independently 14 living history novels

Science: Read Apologia Botany

Religion: Completed Seton 4, studied the Baltimore Catechism all year, read “Yourself and Your House Wonderful” (1913), and read at least a half dozen biographies of saints

Others: Took weekly sewing lessons last summer. Took one semester of private art lessons. Studied geography and practiced penmanship. 

For sports and exercise, Mary took eight weeks of ice skating lessons, tennis lessons in the spring and fall, and nine months of weekly Scottish Dance lessons.

Mary continued to take piano, violin, and theory lessons. She joined Sinfonia Strings, an ensemble of the Youth Orchestras of Charlotte this year, and performed in two concerts at the CPCC Halton Theater. Mary joined the Cantato Domine Latin Choir, practiced her voice daily, and sang at several Masses. She also took on her first piano student this year and has taught him weekly for seven months so far.

New pets joined John’s fish in our home in the form of Mary’s finches! She has been entirely responsible for her birds, which have been enjoyed by all.

JOHN

. . . Completed sixth grade and turned 12 this year!

Academics

Math: Completed one level of Teaching Textbooks Level

Spelling: Completed one level of All About Spelling

Composition (CCE): Completed Writing and Rhetoric Books 5 and 6, writing an essay nearly weekly

Grammar (CCE): Completed two-thirds of Analytical Grammar (normally a three-year course)

Latin (CCE): Completed the first third of Henle 1; scored Merit for outstanding achievement on the first year National Latin Exam

History (CCE): Studied the Medieval history cycle, read 26 living history novels, and wrote Literature Review Sheets (essentially, book reports) for each

Science: Read Apologia: Human Anatomy and Physiology

Religion: Completed Seton 6, studied the Baltimore Catechism all year, and read various biographies of saints

Sacred Art (CCE): Studied sacred art appreciation as well as submitted four art sketches weekly and learned practical arts, completing such projects as weaving, making a papier-mâché bust, and writing a gilded icon

Others: Practiced penmanship

For sports and exercise, John participated in fall soccer at the YMCA, and in tennis lessons in the fall. He took 3 months of ice skating lessons so far, with summer lessons planned, in hopes of joining the recreational hockey league in the coming fall. John took nine months of weekly Scottish Dance lessons--and was given his kilt this year!

John continued to take piano and theory lessons. John participated in an invitation-only master class for his concerto with David Brooks of Wingate University. He joined the parish Boys’ Choir, practiced his voice daily, and sang at several Masses.

John attended his second week-long Catholic boys' camp (Montfort) in New Hampshire in July 2018, with his dad there as a chaperone-volunteer. He participated in hiking, fishing, boating, marksmanship, exercise, tug-of-war, relay races, talent show, daily Mass and prayers. In May 2019, he and his dad went on a father-son retreat, participating in a pig slaughter, sawing, chopping wood, shooting, throwing knives, and swimming. Over the course of the year, John attended Fraternus weekly (men's mentorship, virtue development, singing Compline, and sports) and joined his dad and other men at Liturgy and Fraternity dinners once monthly.

John served as a postulant altar server at church, attending bi-monthly server trainings all year, and serving Mass every single Sunday. He is anticipated to rank up in June.

In February and April, John prepared and practice for the Catholic Quiz Bowl in South Carolina, and was so excited to participate but then he advanced to state championships in a piano competition and had to miss the day of the Quiz Bowl.

John maintained his neighborhood lawn mowing business.

After our family luncheon and presentation of certificates, we enjoyed cake that this mama certainly did not bake, but did manage to purchase at the grocery store.

The days are long, but the years are short. Onward and upward, fellow homeschooling families!