I got tons of books for each child at their level, plus science kits, history kits, and non-fiction project books. About halfway through our library adventure the texts and calls came in announcing that school would be closed for three weeks. Within 10 minutes, the phone at the library started ringing off the hook and people started flocking to the library. We check out, realized that we had ridden bikes there and found Julie Murdoch and asked her to bring all of our things home.
I was not excited to become a full time teacher. I had been working hard on my website and vision therapy and had lots of big projects planned for the spring that didn't include checking assignments and keeping 3 kids on task. The kids were not excited about me being their teacher either.
The first few days were so so hard! Trying to do everything and making a new schedule and keep Everly out of trouble amidst the world shutting down and so much fear of the unknown made it very hard. I went through about 4 or 5 daily schedules before we found one that worked. Now that we are 5 weeks in we are all enjoying things much more!
I actually love teaching my kids and being so involved in their education. I am learning to roll with the punches and be patient, and the kids are realizing that my projects are pretty awesome.
Our Daily Schedule:
7-9 We all get ready, this means doing jobs, practicing piano, eating, getting dressed, cleaning rooms, family Come Follow Me etc. Anyone who isn't done by 9, gets to do double after school.
9-10:45 The kids work on what their teachers have assigned and I supplement, usually they need more math! Eloise hasn't been assigned any math, which I find totally appalling.
10:45-11:15 Recess - Outside play mandatory (now I get why recess is the best!)
11:15-12:15 Learning with Mom
12:15-1 Lunch and Recess
1-2 Quiet reading time
2-3 Computer work (all the computer games that the teachers assign that I think are a little pointless)
3-8 Play, help with outside work, bike rides, watch TV, eat dinner, clean up messes....
I am going to go through some of the different projects that we have done.
One of the first things we did was make a huge map of the world. We printed out the number of Covid-19 cases in each country and then the kids colored each country according to how many cases that it had.
Eloise LOVED looking up each country and finding it's spot and coloring it in. She wanted to work on it in her free time. Teagan was excited at first, but I made him write in the country's names and that made it super hard for him and he ended up really hating this one but he did finish and do a good job in the end. Addy and Everly colored their own maps, but mostly ran around and played.
Poor Everly's whole world has been turned upside down. She was used to having so much attention from me, playdates with friends, and watching shows during the day. Then BAM all the kids were home, I was busy teaching them all and she was banned from the TV because all of the kids get too distracted when it's on and she can't play with Creedence anymore. She has been throwing lots of fits, peeing her pants CONSTANLY, and getting into mischief of all kinds. She took pruners and chopped down my raspberries, cut her hair with scissors, got into her sibling's stuff, colored on their papers, snuck food from the pantry and just cried a lot. I am trying to give her extra love and attention and give her activities to do and attention throughout the day along with the other kids. It is definitely helping the naughtiness and tantrums, but the accidents are still a huge problem. I am starting to wonder if she will ever be potty trained.
One of our favorite weeks was all about Medieval Times. We read booked and watched documentaries about castles and then we built our own out of all the different types of building toys we have. Then the kids made an epic movie using little characters that they had made. It was so so much fun to make. We spent an entire day building, filming, and editing the movie. They all love it and have watched it multiple times.
Last week we learned all about the lungs and heart and how the blood carries oxygen and other nutrients all throughout our bodies. It was fun and we did some great hands on activities that they will hopefully remember!
Everyday the kids have to do some sort of writing activity. They have been writing tons of letters to cousins and grandparents and they have loved receiving letters back. I think their favorite was from Grandma and Grandpa Daniels when they sent money. It was a great lesson on division when they had to split it up.
I love seeing what the kids write and do and all their funny things! Addy especially makes me laugh with her kindergarten ways.
She writes little books and this one was about Zac, "I like to play tickle monster with my dad" and she is saying "stop" and Dad is saying "no."
Above, Eloise wrote about how Mick's is special because it is where grandpa Durtschi used to take us.
Below, Addy wrote "I like Pete the Cat because it teaches you if bad stuff happens you just keep walking along." That one made me cry.
We just started into a new project, a club house for the kids. We went and got wood from Grandpa Durtschi and then brought it home and took off the bark. This week we learned about inches and feet, measuring, scale drawing and right angles and we are trying to get started, I'm starting to wonder if I am trying for something that is too hard. I am feeling a little overwhelmed. Whew. We do hard things, right?
I am so delighted to say that teaching my kids has been an experience that I have loved. I have learned so much about them and about myself and we have grown together as a family. I feel so grateful for the experience! It is so hard, don't get me wrong. I loose my temper and get so frustrated when the kids don't listen and follow directions, but it is all worth it. Every week gets a little better and we are all learning.
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