First Day of School 2017

These pictures officially mark the First Day of School 2017.  But, the reality is we've been doing school with the boys all summer.  Considering I'm a strong proponent of year-round school, we decided to start homeschooling as soon as the boys ended school last May.  (Avonlea, however, started Pre-K at her same school this week.)

First Day of Pre-Kindergarten (4 years old) 

First Day of 2nd Grade (7 years old)

First Day of 4th Grade (9 years old)

Since we've been homeschooling for several months now, I can share that homeschooling the boys has been going really well.  We typically spend only about 2-3 hours of active learning during the day.  The rest of the day is spend passively learning through play, field trips and self-discovery.

For those who are interested, our math curriculum is Math-U-See (a popular homeschool math curriculum, especially for children with dyslexia) and Barton Reading and Spelling (another excellent curriculum for students with dyslexia).

Working with neurodivergent children, such as those with dyslexia, takes a lot of patience and a true openness to learn alongside them.  Daily, the boys and I are challenged to find unique ways to help them master their learning goals. I am consistently amazed at how the brain works and find myself in awe of the boys' perseverance when they face difficulties working with written language.

Homeschool is definitely a huge shift for our family.  But, so far, we all really like it, particularly the flexibility!  One of my favorite things might be that I don't have to make school lunches this year!

(Click here to see "First Day of School Pictures" for 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012 and 2011.)