First Hurdle.

A very real question in the decision to personally oversee the education of our boys was cost. If Benjamin and I feel conviction to really go forward with something, finances are simply a hurdle we trust God will give us the leaping power for.  (He has never failed us in this. Faith is the substance of things hope for, the evidence of things not yet seen.) By jove, He has given me flying gel in my shoes this week! We are almost on the other side of our first great hurdle.  Through e-bay, amazon and scrounging every other place on the net until 3am (it helps to know exactly what you want) we have saved $630 off my original total price and paid for the rest of the majority out of my earned writing money! Very thankful indeed.  

This is the line-up for Lars for second grade (my personal style to the Classical/Charlotte Maison method–I do not like big teacher manuals and lesson plans or pre-packaged curriculum packages or all things Christianese–I find them overwhelming–the simpler and most direct, the better for my teaching style and Lars’ learning style) :

Harp & Laurel Wreath (poetry), Shakespeare for Kids, First Language Lessons Level 1(Jessie Wise), Writing With Ease Level 1(Jessie Wise), Grade 2 Spelling Sound & Structure (Rod & Staff), Grade 1 Penmanship (Rod & Staff), Right Start Math Level B, Apologia-Expoloring Creation with Botany, Building Thinking Skills 1 (Critical Thinking Co.), Bible for Children Book 1 (having my undergrad in Bible I was VERY picky about finding a good one for this and this one from Classical Academic Press really impressed me–it was just published), Story of the World Vol. 1 (Susan Wise Bauer), Our Father’s World Geography (Rod & Staff), Ateleir Art Level 3 (again, I looked high and wide and this looks the best for fine art study), Lego Engineering and Beggining Drafting (Lars has a bent towards this stuff so Ben is going with it and handling the math teaching as we all know how brilliant I am with numbers!), Music 1 (BJU), and Proper Health & Manners Grade 2 (Rod & Staff). 

Also we’ll be using Character Development for Families Vol.1 and Window on the World: When We Pray God Works (kids version of Operation World) at breakfast.  I am very passionate about my boys continuing to develop character and a broad cultural worldview, knowing what is going on globally and what the movement of God is therin.  I have no intention of a having a sheltering mindset towards them, rather one that is taking the opportunity to be intentional in what is poured into their minds and hearts (no, I do not think this is for everyone–it was not for us last year).  I also have a list of titles for the year, following the small guide from Classical Academic Press (which you can order for about $3.50). We’ll be reading, memorizing, meditating and exploring allot vs. just busy work. Anders, for pre-pre K, well, I’ll save that for another post.