Well, we’re a little more than a month into our school year and I just have to announce: IT’S GOING SO WELL!!
This is THE first year I haven’t thrown my hands up in the air and changed everything due to misery after the first month. Really.
Ben is loving everything he’s doing, from Teaching Textbooks to Download N Go, Total Language Plus to Amanda Bennett unit studies. He’s even enjoying all the new products we’re reviewing! We’re notebooking a little more, lapbooking a little less.He’s writing more, complaining less, taking ownership in his schoolwork, and just basically happier about school this year.
Why? Are you wondering?
I think it’s a combination of things. Having a new school room, with his own desk, bookshelves, computer, etc. is one reason. He loves having the couch in there for reading, too. I also think that having a choice in what he’s learning is a huge part. But most of all, it’s unit studies. I know (because I’ve tried) that textbooks, workbooks, scheduled snippets of reading from here and there are just not a good fit for him. So glad we figure that out last year!
I cannot believe how much his level of independence has increased this year as well. We got rid of the Workboxes and instead I have a private blog where I post his daily assignments. He just opens that up each morning and follows the schedule. I include links where appropriate, or file names for him to find his unit studies. It’s really working well.
I continue to look forward now. There’s no dread or fear or wondering if this will work, or that. We’re good. We’re plugging along. We’re having fun. We’re happy.
