Back to School: Week 1 Wrap Up

Well, we've completed a full week of school.  It was a first of many for our household.  E started what is (unofficially) known as the "intro to middle school". 




And my sweet girls began their first year as K12 Virtual Academy students.



There was lots of reading new books for my precious first grader (who wants to go back to Kindergarten).  She spent lots of time with books while I worked 1:1 with her older siblings.  As these early months go by, I will have to develop some sort of schedule to do more 1:1 with each of them and provide independent work for the others.

E struggled a bit this week getting in the groove.  His body is certainly in attendance but his brain is vacationing.  Math is already kicking his butt.  Estimation is not his friend.  He is studying American History this year.  This week focused on the early beginnings of U.S. History.

Handwriting Without Tears (!!!) is a part of the 1st and 2nd grade curriculum.  The girls are loving their 10 minute writing drills.  I set the timer on my phone for 10 minutes and they have to complete as many pages as they can.  They've been doing 1-2 pages per day.  I can alreay see improvement in their handwriting.  Both T & A would write with uppercase letters exclusively if I let them.  I'm glad this course is emphasizing writing with lowercase letters.

T had her hands full with writing big numbers up to 500.  It was a lot of busy work but good practice.

As for me, I had a few class connect sessions with the teachers for each grade level.  My goal for next month is to develop the habit of laying out the girls' workbooks the night before.  I definitely need to get some drawer carts for the girls.  Workboxes will help with increasing their independence.  E has his books in crates next to his desk that he can easily reach when necessary.  It worked well for him last year so I won't rock the boat by changing him to workboxes.

All in all it was a great week and I look forward to the busyness that is to come.