Thoughts on this school year

Well, we have almost officially finished our last school year. Chloe, as I type this, is completing her last English test. Jesse still has a few more math and English lessons. Now seems to be the perfect time to write about a few things I've been thinking about.

I have to admit, here and now, that I never actually finished planning for this past school year. Some was done as needed, which tended to put a few things off longer than I planned, or thought. I do hope to be more prepared when we start back on July 6th.

We do struggle with lessons and with each other. I know some people find it hard to believe that my children can, at times, be difficult. At least, I find them difficult. Sometimes that is all that matters. This week was one of those weeks. A time when separation is best. However, those are the moments others, outside the homeschool arena, seem to want to point out that maybe I should put them into public school. That maybe it is too much for me or they are lacking in something, whether it be socializing or academics. It almost makes me want to keep things internalized. My view is this: sometimes I argue with my husband does that mean I should divorce him because things are not always perfect? Well, of course not. Life is always challenging and changing. The moments when things are imperfect are the ones we learn and grow by the most. I hope I do not have to stop homeschooling. I enjoy watching their faces light up when they learn something new. I also, for the most part, enjoy being with them.

I am currently struggling with our classroom. I know a lot of you do not use a room but a closet to store things, so I am spoiled to have a room. I should not complain, but I am. It is not really a complaint as much as it is wishing I could find a better way to organize things. I have books we are not using right now, but somehow I can not give them up yet. Books we are going to use in the future. All of our arts and crafts things, which are many for someone who does not "do" arts and crafts. I came across a new blog, through my friend April. This woman had a dream classroom. I was almost drooling. It was so organized. So ME. Yet, I struggle with our own space. I mean I AM the person who, at every office I was in, had everything organized...right down to which direction and in what order my pens were laying in my drawer. No, I am not exaggerating. (And yes, I know I have a problem.) I have only two weeks to reorganize an entire classroom while getting all of my planning complete. It should be a crazy two weeks for me.

I know we are going to continue going to the nature classes when they start up this fall. The summer is just too hot for us to be out in an open field in the middle of the day. The one class we did attend reaffirmed my choices for science this past year and I was very thankful. Plus the girls get to have more socializing time outside of TKD and play dates.

I think all-in-all this year has gone very well. I have not computed averages yet, but I know both of them have As and Bs. And both know a lot more now than they did a year ago. (But, so do I just by teaching them.) I'm convinced next year will be even better for us, because every year seems to get a bit easier.