Monday, January 18, 2010

Trusting God with my children's education

So, last spring, when things were looking pretty bleak financially, I made the decision that I was going to trust God to bring in whatever homeschooling materials we needed, when we needed them.  And that I would stop worrying and scheming.  I prayed about some specific areas, and (surprise, surprise, surprise) things have worked out amazingly well.

Some examples:

  • I ended up on the TOS Review Crew.  I cannot begin to tell you what a blessing this has been in oh so many ways.  Not only have we ended up with some amazing, perfect resources, but I have made new friends too.
  • I was at a total loss for Connor with math.  Thanks to a friend of a crewmate friend, we ended up getting a bargain on the next VideoText Algebra module.  I'm still praying that Module F will land in my house before we need it (and that Module B will too, for William, when the time comes, as that one we had borrowed).  Thanks to another Crew friend, he is simultaneously working through Math U See Geometry.  This has been the perfect combination.
  • We were desperately in need of a family Bible program, since so much of the rest of our homeschooling life was starting to split into individual topics.  Grapevine Bible Studies (a Crew item) fit the bill perfectly.
  • Splitting everything up was a nightmare.  And then came Illuminations (a Crew item), so I could keep going with everyone on the same "page" in history.  Without a ton of effort on my part.
  • We were trying to clean up our eating.  And what should arrive through the Crew but Sue Gregg cookbooks (review still in process) and Nutrition 101.  Both made a huge difference in how we are looking at food.
  • Grocery money, grocery bargains, money for gifts, Amazon gift cards from SwagBucks, a couple unexpected Paypal deposits, people stepping up to pay for a subscription here and there... 
  • and numerous other small things... a lot of things I hadn't prayed specifically about.  Laundry soap.  Music resources.  Computer resources.  The loan of Teaching Company videos.


Some of the things on my current "trust" list:

  • Connor and science.  He is ready to be doing Biology.  We own a microscope.  But the text?  Or dissecting stuff?  Eeek.
  • Logic.  On Connor's 7th grade "master plan" we have logic.  We have been working through Fallacy Detective, but I really wanted to be doing something more formal.  I'm not worried about it in the least.  Honestly, as long as we do it in the next couple of years, I'm good.  I know something will arrive, I know it.
  • Reading.  William really needs something to be building fluency, and Thomas does as well.  I have the feeling that what we really need is me to be consistent with things we already have.  Or maybe The Madsen Method (a current review item) is the answer, I just don't know it yet.  
  • Camp this summer.  It isn't looking like our Boy Scout Troop is going to summer camp, which frees us up some to investigate some things that might be a better fit anyway.  Like a science related camp.  




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2 comments:

Heidi said...

Sounds like the Crew has been quite a blessing this year. I've been blessed having you on the Crew! :) So it's a win-win situation.

Debra said...

The Crew has been an amazing blessing this year. I won't claim that everything has been wonderful, and I have my moments of stress (!!) but it has been fantastic. I'm thrilled to be a part of the Crew... and even more thrilled that you see it as a win-win too :)