I copy everything. And I do mean EVERYTHING. It's a way to save us money-and it really does (my husband did the math, please don't ask me to lol). For our printer, a toner cartridge costs $50. Paper is something around $1 a ream. I made 1300 copies between the 3 kids. That's about 3 reams. Now, after you get your jaw off the ground from imagining me standing at the printer making 1300 copies, let me tell you, I just kept reminding myself that I was saving us money.
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| My copying corner. Bankers box for files, Folder opened with the preschool stuff. |
Just the curriculum for K5 was about $200 (you can check out my post on that), for K4 I am using the same thing I used last year as Eva didn't really start picking up on things until late in the year. What we used last year was a combination. We had a book from Walmart (I'm assuming) of preschool worksheets. Then we are supplementing with free worksheets from some awesome creative homeschool moms from around the web-Pinterest is a homeschooler's best friend, I'm absolutely convinced of that. So really the price for K4 isn't much at all. For Grace, she's just getting coloring pages, and I'll pick up coloring books at Dollar Tree as I see something interesting. I did have a bunch already printed and I might print off some others that look fun, but for her i'm trying to stick to Bible story and alphabet print offs. She also has a few educational toys that will go with the school stuff.
So here's how I organized Andrew's. When we first decided on Abeka, I started searching Pinterest for ideas. I found this organization idea from Seasons of Life Blog and instantly loved it. It's just a more detailed version of what I was doing last year. The only book of Andrew's we didn't copy was the writing tablet. The lines just didn't copy and that is something they need. All the pages in the books have what lesson they went with, so after I copied everything I just had to get my folders and calendar in place (so I knew what lesson went in what week) and it was very easy to just put everything in the correct folder.
For Eva's I did the same basic thing.... except I ran out of manila folders so I'm just using paper clips (lots and LOTS of paper clips) and sticky notes to keep things organized. Each of her weekly folders also has coloring pages for Grace. I'm still working on Eva's, trying to get lesson plans set out like they are with Abeka's to make it easier for next year-all of the preschool stuff is in a 3 ring binder.
I'll put an extra folder in each box to keep papers that need kept to show progress, after that I've been advised by experienced moms to put the important ones in a 3 ring binder.
Bible, science and social studies we are doing all together.. Also creating a routine and still trying to figure out a chore chart..which we have been for 3 years.... You would think it wouldn't be that difficult...but it is... Or perhaps I'm just overthinking things.
So our overall routine for the school days. We alternate weeks as to many we do-this way we can be done by the beginning of May, giving us about a month and a half off of school more for mommy to get things organized for the next year. Abeka comes pre-planned with 170 lessons. I plan on doing all of those, even if it's just a five minute review of what's there. One week we do 4 days of paperwork, the next week 5 days. Right now, we're still in review with the K5 curriculum, so the amount of time we are spending on school might expand in September-we'll see how Andrew does. The kids are up by 5:30 most days... I need some time to get me and other things ready to start the day, so I shoot for starting school at 7:30. We brush teeth, go potty/change diapers. Then Bible (which includes the pledge of allegiance), social studies, science (which happens once a week), then they split up for their own worksheets-Grace is usually playing with the animal counters but I have plans for some felt activities for her. We are usually done by 8:30 right now.
I'm still working on some of the organization, but for the most part I think we have it set.
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| Our first day of school. Sorry for the blurry photos, my Kindle and I are having an argument about who the boss is when I'm taking pictures. |
Have a great week!
~Tabitha
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