Philip's "School Book"

Philip's "School Book" arrived in the mail on Monday. It is actually our "Hands On Homeschooling" 2 inch binder which contains a year-long curriculum for teaching 4-K (preschool for 4-year-olds). I was so excited to take the box from the mailman, but then as I began flipping through it, especially the 17 page Planning and Preparation section, I felt anxiety begin to grow. It was somewhat overwhelming to flip though but what got me was the thought of feeling out of sorts due to many items which would be handy sitting in storage in the storage unit. We've packed that thing tight so if I need to get anything out, it will ALL have to come out. I began to frantically pray, "Please Lord, let someone buy our house so we can be settled in our new home before September when our school year begins." I didn't feel it possible to teach Philip effectively without having everything at my finger tips and sorted out.

Thankfully, I did next pray frantically for God's peace and mercifully, He has given it. Even if we begin school in this house, there was a suggestion to buy a trifold display board (remember science fair projects?) to use for displaying each week's key items (letters, Philip's crafts, etc.) and just change it out each week. Another thing which confused me at first but now has me the most excited are the folder games which we'll do each Wednesday. Basically you take one manila file folder for each week of school and the inside becomes a boardgame or matching game or sorting game. The 26 folder games are explained in detail in that 17 page Planning and Preparation section. They are quick and easy games which I know Philip will really like and most likely can teach Braewyn to play too. It is recommended that you laminate (or cover with clear contact paper) the inside of each folder and all game pieces. I know if I take the time to make them nice they will last for when I'm teaching Braewyn in preschool two years from now. Maybe they'll be used for future children too!

The curriculum is completely broken down into a year overview, month overview and then individual lesson plans for Monday thru Friday. Exactly what I needed having no formal education background. Each day is composed of four "units". Everyday has a reading portion (but more so reading readiness instead of actually learning to read), a Bible portion (somedays we read the week's store with questions, other days we read the story and make a craft relating to it), a math portion which begins with sorting/matching and continues on to learning to count to 100 and write numbers, and then an assortment of other units (physical movement, music, cooking, manners, social studies, dramatic play, etc.).

If I can get myself started on putting the folder games together and gathering pictures for our Alphabet book, the year will not be as intimidating. And then the remembrance of our house being for sale hits me and I get a little uptight again. I could ponder if it would be harder to move before school while I'm trying to get all the prep work done or after we begin school and try to maintain a consistent schedule throughout. I take a breath and realize God's ways are always better than my ways. I'll look back on this time a few years from now and still marvel at how it all fell perfectly into place. I am so excited when I do think about house hunting and how we decorate and set up the new house. These weeks of being on the market have definitely honed my cleaning skills and desire for tidyness. Can't wait to post photos of our new house, but no telling when that will be. Actually need to go mop the bathroom floors now so better bring this post to a close.