Why does homeschooling have to be so messy? Why can't we have a nice orderly classroom where everything has a place and everything is in it? Homeshooling seems to ooze to every nook and cranny of our home. We school at the dining room table, in the living room, in the back room, in the kids individual bedrooms, and occasionally in my bed when I'm not feeling well. There is literally school stuff in EVERY room of the house. I found pencils on the floor of the bathroom! Why???

I have systems, tools, plans, spreadsheets, assignment sheets; I have so much Rubbermaid, I think I'm keeping the company in the black all on my own. And still it oozes.

I guess this is a metaphor for how we school. School is not done from 8 to 3 daily. Well, I guess I should say not just from 8 to 3. Educating our kids is something that is done constantly and in all areas of life, not just the three R's.

I need to remember this when I am trying to contain our school. It should be uncontainable metaphorically, realistically though, I wish I contain the stuff!

We are reading The Bridge by Jerri Massi. It is part of our Middle Ages study. I had G and E take turns reading, then I finished the chapter. A listened. As the kids were reading, I started looking around. What a mess! :o)

I took a few photos of the kids reading. The girls enjoyed playing with their brothers cars while they listened. I don't have trouble keeping their attention while we read. However, the rest of the day, every time I turned my back someone was outside! It is so nice out today, I don't blame them!

While all this is going on, B is locked away, in the back room, hiding from all the noise and chaos, getting his work done. I want to go back there with him!

On a language arts note, we started the Nicene Creed today for our copywork. The kids seem to like it. We talked about what a creed is and why we have them. It was fun. After we do this for a while, and I feel like they can do it without too many mistakes from dictation, we'll move on to the Shorter Catechism. I print it out for the kids on my StartWrite program, so it's in cursive for the older kids and print for A. A, still does some phonics work, and E and G do a grammar workbooks and Spelling Power: they listen to read alouds and read on their own. That is about the extent of their LA program. Sometimes I wonder if it's enough. But then I guess, don't we all?

Well, the kids need the computer for Spanish, so I guess I have to stop avoiding the laundry, and general mess and get back to work. Must put all the homeschool ooze back in it's place!

Enjoy the photos!