Homeschooling Girls and Boys - Collage Friday
Friday, March 14, 2014 at 5:00AM 
Homeschooling moms face a huge juggling act every day. One of the biggest challenges (but I've come to see it as a joy recently) is adapting our homeschool for the needs of a boy AND a girl.
In our home the gender traits are so typical. My boy is rough, loves being outside, and experiences the world physically. He loves numbers, details, and TALKING! My daughter is more sensitive, loves one on one interaction, and would prefer to be reading a book quietly in her room. She loves music, literature, and MOTHERING.
Today's Collage Friday gives you a look at boy and girl schooling in our home. I'm so thankful I have one of each. It adds so much variety and enjoyment to my life!
(A little update from last week: My dad is home from rehab after his shoulder surgery. I'm thankful he is at home now and recuperating in a more comfortable environment. My mom is entering week 2 of her radiation treatments and is doing well so far. Thanks for praying for them! This week my husband has been out of town and I've been preparing for the Great Homeschool Convention in SC next week. I've also just enjoyed BEING with my children and savoring every little moment, because I know all too soon I won't be able to do this.)
Boy Schooling
- The Lone Ranger minifigs on the math book say it all. Each time a Saxon math lesson was graded this week I was The Lone Ranger and Grant was Tanto. Having the minifigs out during math made long division more fun, and as long as my son stayed on task I could care less if there were LEGOS out during math time.
Going clockwise around the collage:
- We had several days of warm weather this week. I moved school to our deck, where Grant enjoyed listening to the CC memory work on the iPad app and also tracing WWII planes. I bought a Dover book of planes a few years ago and he really enjoys it.
- CC day is Tuesday. This week our tutor pulled out all the stops and let the kids play review bingo for treasure box prizes. Thank you, Miss Soto!
- I have no clue when this crayon army was drawn, but they are now guarding my son's room. Sharpies to the resuce!
- Plenty of time was spent in the woods behind our home. I wrote on Monday about Nature Walks, which we did a lot of this week. Grant did his presentation for CC about the Engraver Beetles, which we found out have the Latin name IPS CALLIGRAPHUS. How cool is that?
- I always enjoy a chance to get one of my kids out alone. This week it was a date for Grant and I because daddy was out of town for the week and Anna was at youth group with a friend. We went to WalMart and Atlanta Bread Company for dinner. {It's the little things!}
Girl Schooling
Parenting a pre-teen is such a hubmling experience. Just when I think I have it figured out I am reminded that I DON'T. Watching my daughter turn into a young lady is an honor.
I think she snapped the large picture of herself after trying out a new curly hairstyle. I was struck by how beautiful and mature she is looking.
Going clockwise around the collage:
- A Latin study session last Sunday - the kids in her Challenge A class took the National Latin Exam this week! (Care to see last year's exam?? How would you do on it?)
- Challenge A classroom - I spent an hour with them at the end of the day and had a lot of fun. Her group of 8 kids are such a joy.
- Sunday also brought a chance for Anna and her friend Rachel to have a lemonade stand for our friend, Katheryn, who had surgery last week for a cancerous brain tumor. Please pray for sweet Katheryn, join her FB page, and lift up this fellow homeschooled child every chance you get. She is facing a LONG road. The good news is that our community was trying to raise $50,000 for her medical expenses and that amount was raised in one week. Wow!
- Tea speaks to my Anna... her favorite right now is Tazo Cocoa Mint. A cup of tea with a read aloud in the evening was the perfect end to most of our days this week.
- As Challenge A progresses Anna is finding she really loves science. While waiting to get her braces tightened she sketched a diagram of the heart and said, "This is so much fun!". Their group is going through all of the major body systems and part this year.
- Buzzers, candy, and Expo markers - these things speak to middle schoolers! Thank you, Miss Nancy, for being such a great Challenge tutor and comign up with ways to make their learning FUN!
- Anna spent a lot of time this week playing piano. When she is stressed or nervous this is the place she goes. That reminds me a lot of myself.
This weekend brings a lot of activity for my kids. Both of them are competing in a Federated piano competition on Saturday. Anna has done this several years, but this is Grant's first year. I think they are both going to do well. They have been well prepared!
Anna will also be participating in a community event - Discipleship Now - for middle and high school youth.
Add to this a 5 hour baseball camp for Grant and I think I will have some WORN OUT children by Sunday evening!
In case you missed two special things on the blog:
- A podcast: Would Classical Conversations Be A Good Fit For Your Family?
- Have you entered to win Zeezok's Music Appreciation course?
I'm thankful for the chance to come to this place each Friday and read so many encouraging words from all of you, and then visit your blogs and read about your weeks, too. It's my favorite time of the week.
I hope you'll join me!
If you'd like to link, you can do so in a couple of ways:
- Enter your link below. Be sure to link to your post with photo collages and link back to this post (or include the Collage Friday button on your blog).
- Share your photo collage(s) on Instagram, FB, G+, or Twitter - use the hashtag #collagefriday so I can find you!
*Special Collage Friday friends to follow on Instagram -- get more ideas from the photos and sites!
{ Join me on Instagram this week (I'm marykprather) and use the special hashtag #collagefriday and I will feature you here next week! }
- Stef Layton (stefmlayton) of Educating Laytons
- Adriane (adrianedw) - La Cottage Family
- Sarah Russell (dizzyhappymama) - Dizzyhappymama blog
- Tricia Hodges (hodgepodgemom) - Hodgepodge
Reader Comments (22)
Looks like you guys had a nice week and I'm so glad to see the updates on your parents. Glad they are doing better and continuing to pray!
I love this take on how our approaches are different to meet the needs of our boys and girls! And oh... the parenting of each gender - as you represent so well too. (In our home the boys are my easy going bunch and the girls are the 'a bit more high maintenance' - opposite of what several of my friends experience). Love this Mary! And thanks for the instagram feature!
Amen to the differences in homeschooling boys and girls! They have such different needs!
My hubby is out of town this week too...makes a different rhythm in the home for sure. Girls and boys and homeschooling. Isn't it nice we can adjust to their different styles?
Homeschooling just a girl here but this week she had a friend over so we got to experience the homeschooling two and one's a boy day! Lots of fun but very different than homeschooling just one girl!
It is quite a humbling honor to watch our little girls grow into young ladies, isn't it? Leaves me speechless some days.
Looks like a wonderful week. How do you incorporate the buzzer into your homeschooling?
I'm totally thrilled to find your blog. I subscribed after listening to you on the ihomeschool studio webinar. I am new to homeschooling, but had chosen Classical Conversations. I was still feeling nervous and kind of overwhelmed, but your blog encourages me that I've made the right choice and gives me great ideas for how CC can look on a daily basis for my 4 and 5 year olds and just homeschooling in general. Can't thank you enough. I was really feeling nervous, but now I feel like it's coming together! God bless you!
Love reading these posts, Mary! I only have boys, so I pay especially close attention to what you post about your son. (My oldest is 8, 2nd grade and a lover of Lego as well.) But I also really enjoy reading about your daughter. It is weird how we've never met and yet seeing how well your daughter is doing makes me happy for you. Love that she drew that heart like that. We almost joined CC this past year, but instead I somehow convinced 2 friends to sign up! My youngest is 3 so I think we'll wait until he can really get something out of it, too. Anyway, happy Friday!
Glad to hear your Dad is home - still praying for your parents.
Love the minifigs - whatever works, right? :)
I agree with you that homeschooling girls and boys are a different experience.
I love that! "Tea speaks to Anna"...Tea speaks to me as well. What a lovely post. Thank you for sharing you weeks with us.
Blessings, Dawn
Have a great weekend with all the activities. The pre-teen years are pretty much what I expected the teen years to be, so this has been a wake up around here. I agree, just when I think I've got it figured out and I'm going to be an easy going mom, everything goes the opposite direction. These girls are just not easy!
Continued prayers for your family. Boys and girls are oh so different - fun and challenging in their own way. Have a great weekend!
What I wouldn't give to be homeschooling out on the deck right now! It was only 7 yesterday and not much warmer today! I'm glad your parents are getting by and I;ll keep praying for Kathryne! Mint cocoa tea sounds divine!
I'm so glad you're parent are doing well. I love to see the differences in how boys and girls learn, not only gender-wise, but as individuals as well. You're doing such a great job with your kids.
I'm a Tazo tea lover as well! Mine is green mint on ice. Sigh...
It is humbling to watch our children grow, isn't it. My son is the same age as your daughter. Some days I look at him and I am just stunned. And I look at my 10 year old daughter and think the same thing.
We also love CC.
You give me HOPE as my oldest is close to entering her teen years! :0)
We moved outside too! I couldn't get anything done all cooped up inside! I think I would rather school during the summer when I can be outside.
I love the sound of your maturing relationshp with your daughter, Mary. I also turn to music when I need soothing. We are so blessed. Thank you for hosting the linkup.
I needed this as I am sooo new to being a mama for a boy! He's only three right now, but I am quite sure that he will learn in a completely different manner than his sisters;)
I so needed to hear this today! I'm a young mom trying to map out homeschooling 5 kids. So far the girls have been almost textbook with slight differences of learning styles. However I can tell though that my 2 year old boy is going to be nothing like his sister's already. He responds differently, hears differently, and learns differently. Nothing that worked for them at their ages (to be interested in numbers and letters) works. Thank you for this reminder. I'm sure I will be continually re-evaluating how I can best teach and reach both genders along my homeschool journey.