I’ve had a few of you ask about my homeschool plans for this year, and I’m happy to say, we’re off to a good start! This is the first full week we’ll jump into all the classes, although we’re still waiting on a World Geography book to arrive. (Oh, the excitement!). This is a photo of me with both boys last week before Harrison returned to college. We counted this trip up the Mobile Delta as Joseph’s first day of school. Both boys took lots of photos, so I’ll share that with you later. (It was awesome!).
Joseph will be a junior this year, so there’s lots of documentation, which is a little overwhelming for me. I don’t use a pre-packeged curriculum, but instead, search out individual courses that seem right for him. Our fun news is that later this year, our family will be visiting Italy, so I’ve been able to structure the coursework to compliment the trip.
For instance, Joseph will study European history, Italian language, World Geography and Renaissance Painters, so by the time we’re in Italy, he’ll be highly cultured and will speak perfect, fluent Italian! (ha).
I actually found a curriculum that I’ll use bits and pieces of to supplement his history program, which was written by the New Jersey Italian-American Heritage Commission. My husband, who was born in New Jersey before being raised in South Florida, is beyond happy that his Alabama son will be getting a “proper education.” How do you say, “Y’all” in Italian?
We’ll also use a science curriculum written by the US Navy that includes both physics and meteorology. It involves studying the Littoral Combat Ships, which happen to be built right here on Mobile Bay, as well as an intensive review of the Navy Flight program, which is an hour to our east in Pensacola! With such a strategic location, we’ll definitely have some great hands-on field trips.
This is one area that always frustrated me with the public schools. We live in such an incredible location where students need to get out and explore, yet the only field trips they ever seemed to take were to the skating rink or bowling alley. Really? There’s a whole world out there — a lot of it free for the taking! Okay. Had to get that off my chest.
I’ll probably need to find a physics tutor for the more involved sections. Anyone out there a physics professor?
A few years ago, I told you about the week-long National Flight Academy (HERE) both boys attended. It was awesome and a perfect prerequisite for what this new course will involve. These are the flight simulators they used during the week where they felt like they were aboard a real aircraft carrier.
Joseph will continue seeing his math tutor (woo-hoo for the math tutors of the world!) twice a week who handles all of his coursework, homework and testing. By next year, he’ll be able to add a few college classes at the local community college with no problem.
So far, homeschool has been an excellent experience. Joseph told a group of new kids he met that he was the class president.
He failed to mention he’s also the school janitor.